The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-24

Letter from George ~. Sanders to Ell0ood Fishs
of the Southern Press.

II
Letter from George ~. Sanders to El,oood Fisas-
Of the Southern Press.
WAsHIseros, February 81, 1851
Il DEAR reply, over my own name, (as one
of the parties interested, to the various attacks
you have made upon the bill now pending before
Congress for the establishment of line OF steamers
| TO the western coast Of Africa and Europe. Most
of what you have said being prevalent 10 the real
question involved in the establishment of said line,
pass over 1t, and go directly TO the subject matter
You assert, first, that the projst is unconstitu-
tonal and second, that there is trade to justify
| the establishment Of the line. The rest Of your
sertions refute themselves in the mind OF every in
| telligent reader.
ton, there is constitutional objection to il that is
not applicable TO all and every steam line now in
operation. How, them does the privilege Of touch
| ing Africa, any more than of going to Europe or
Asia, make il unconstitutional! You admit the
constitutional power Of Congress to establish lines
| Of steamers between New York and Europe, and
between New York and California and Oregon
the success Of these enterprises depending entirely
upon the immigration from Europe and the emf
grafton To California.
Now, if it is constitutional to promote the immi-
grafton of free whites from Europe, how can it be
Unconstitutional for Congress TO give precisely the
same aid in the emigration OF free blacks to Afri-
ca Indeed the constitutional argument Is entirely
the side of the Ebony line, as the bill which
tablishcs it makes it substitute for the African
squadron, which under treaty obligations to
maintain. BY this substitution, moreover, the Gov
eminent will actually save an immense sum-
Congress, you say, has no power to colonize. But
Congress is not asked to COLOMBO. The States of
Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey,
Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, by their execu-
tive officers their Legislatures, and, in several in
stances, by their reform State conventions alsothe
cities of Washington, Georgetown, and Brooklyn,
by their chief ma gistrates and common councils,
have pettioned Congress, with solicitude not to
be misunderstood, for the establishment OF a line
upon the principles as those already CHAP
PLY in operation) for the accommodation Of GER
tain portion Of their population,
Whatever may be your own private Judgment
the decent compliment to believe that their repre-
sentatives in Legislative bodies, and In conventions
lust formed to revise and improve their State
situations, know something OF the needs and views
of their constituents They haze asked it, however,
and alphabetically. II it is denied them uncon-
stitutional, then the legislation in favor of other
steam lines, for the advantage Of other classes, is
| also unconstitutional, and is moreover sectional
and unjust But more: the constitution and laws
Of nearly all the Southern States, and the recent
stringent ennctments Of Ohio, Indiana, lllinois,
and California evidently show that the Legislators
of these States never contemplated the possibility
| of the Federal Government closing the door upon
the voluntary emigration of these unfortunate peo
pie.
the power of Congress to aid in the establishment
of all those lines Of ocean steamers which now
rendering such effectual service to the country.
Your chief and favorite argument for one Of these
the colonization Of California; and yet there
then less trade with California than now enjoy
with Africa The African enterprise will be second
only in commercial Importance TO that of California.
One of your frequent assertions is, that the
lorcd race must deteriorate out OF slavery. What,
then. do you propose in penning up the free blacks
here to tester on the body polite? Is it at some
| future day to force them back into that slavery
which you say is their only natural condition Of
improvement, or is it to keep up agitation which
can end only in dissolution Of the Union'
The superintendent of the Colonization Society
is called in only because they are known to be the
true friends of the free blacks. The contractors
| are prohibited from asking ten dollars per
head, ratons included; and from receiving a
greater number of emigrants than, in the judg-
ment of the Colonization Society, can be comfort
ably provided for in Liberia--ths funds for this
purpose being provided by State and private conri
buttons.
This restriction in price has boon the basis of all
the attacks upon the constitutionality Of the prot
The contractors would of course, be the gamers by
having this restriction removed, They could then
charge what they please, az other lines do.
The healthfulness Of the climate the coast i'm
proves cvory year; but way safe for the
colonists be devised rs the quick transportation
ments will enable them 10 go directly to the elevated
districts, but short distance from the coast, where
the climate is known to be good
There can be no question but that the Ebony
line, with the aid OF the American Colonization
Society," will go full of passengers and freghts to
Liberia. At Sierra Leone it will connect with the
English lines 10 the Cape of Good Hope and Aus
| traia; and ut Gibraltar again, with the English
ines to and from the various ports in the Mediter
| ranean, to Alexandria and Constantinople; thus
extending mail facilities through the various
English lines besides making those lines available
for our commerce. Add to this the stimulus these
| steamers will give to trade, without interfering
| with any of the ordinary commercial operations
now going on, stopping not only at the best COM
mercial points for the inferior trade OF Africa but
also touching at the important islands along that
| coast, and at Gibraltar, Cadiz, Lisbon, and Lon
don.
| Even now, with all the past and present difficult
| ties attendant upon colonization, Libera is an
established nation, and her sovereignty admitted
and acknowledged by some of the great powers
| of Europe. Your last article not only refers to
| the advancing strength OF Liberia, but humanely
apprehends the undue exercise Of their power over
the native At the same time you inconsistent
ly point to St. Domn go fair example of the CO.
lored race in state Of independence. The st. Do
mingo negroes 1t is true, were years ago made free
| But how BY sudden and terrible convulsion OF
society, while in state of actual barbarism-made
physically and legally free, while thrown into that
worst Of all slavery, the slavery OF demoniac and
brutal passion. Drunk with blood and fury, these
savages, emancpated by revolutionary abolition,
entered upon their duties as sovereign citizens
But as the independence Of the Liberiaps was at.
| tanned under different circumstance and bestowed
on different people, 80 has their progress been Of
a different character. From the first, industrious
and energetic, the humble colony has ripened into
| a respectable nation-yes, an American nation, if
| you will, with Virginia president at its head
We agree with you in one thing--that Liberia is
| triumphant vindication Of the superiority Of the
American Africans over all others of that race.
Your opposition to the plan, however, is only in
character Long known as consistent only in :ncon-
sstency on the free negro question, you have
rarely advocated any thing in relation to it, either
| practicable or useful.
| GEO. N. SANDERS
| Eyro,o m. Ero,f,rr Guardian