The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-05-12
COLONIZATION.
LETTER OF J. II. d. LATROBE.
[CoNTINUED.


establishments, is now performed by white
men, lrishmen and Germans; and, US Nlr.
Coleman can bear witness. coming as he
does from that city, the fremen on the
steamboats, OH the western waters are now
whites, where they used TO be free color,
ed men. The negro's song, as no ilIied
his furr aces, has ceased Oh the Ohio and
the Mississippi. Instances Of this sort
where the white man has driven the black
man to the wall, might be multiplied III
definitely.
Nor must it be forgotten. ,ha, This state
Of things exists at time when there Is
mighty drain upon the Atlantic border !ot
laborers to supply the vast country lying
between the crests Of the Alleghany and
= the shores OF the Pacific. But this drain
cannot last forever; and when it ceases.
should the two races, which we have shown
must ever remain distinct, still occupy the
land, ,here will be strife for bread, fear
ful and murderous; strife 10 be described
in all its horrors by some future Victor
Hugo, should talent. such as his. be per-
pe,uated for the occasion; strife i'll which
the fate Of the weaker, and colored race,
may DO terribly imagined; strife, for
which Ireland would have furnished T.
prototype. had its population, in io47'
been divided into white and black, III the
same proportions as they exist III this
country, and entertaining the same feel
ings towards each othar. that prevail here;
and had two men Of different color been
REQUIRED to divide between them, the loaf
no, sufficient to satisfy the craving nppe-
tito of one starving wretch.
The teachings Of history, therefore, aud
every days experience, combine to salts
~ US in regard to the probable condition
of things in this country, should Mrs.
Chapman 5 labors and Victor IIugo's up.
lifted voice succeed in accomplishing the
purposes Of modern abolition. Nor can
the result be obvialed. unless by the ama.-
pamation Of the white and coiored races
Of our country, by intermarrlago between
them; thing which many Of those shout
ing louder even than Victor Hugo would
.recoil from in disgust. Whether this dis
gust is prejudice, or all instinct. i, is not
necessary to enquire; we speak OF II as
fact.
The probable condition Of tho two races,
supposng both free, has been inferred part
ly from the actual present condition Of the
two, when only portion Of one OF them
is free. With the condition OF the slaves
in the United States, the present argument
is in no wise connected. The slave is
protected and provided for by his master
lie does OF come into contact, TO his prelu.
dice or inconvenience, with the white la
Dor already in our country and thronglns
into it from all other countries. 1t upon
the free black, left to shift for himself that
the agencies we have been describing
operate. As he is affected now, so will
tho whole race be affected when the whole
race is free."*
But, putting aside the idea Of general
emancipation, occasional emancipallons,
often Of whole families, ottener OF ndl-
viduals. are constantly taking place; and
this and the natural increase OF the free
blacks would seem, wholly irrespective
Of modern abolition, to be bringing US
nearer TO the time, when there must be u
strife between the whites and the free
blacks, if they persist in remaining TO-
gether; so that, apart from VIc.or Hugo 5
letter, which is answered by showing, from
existing facts and fair inlerences, the con-
dition to which the scheme in which his
voice has been lifted up" would reduce
the objects Of his bounty, it becomas Ini-
;por,ant to enquire how the evils oI State
Of things, to be anticipated, at any rate,
can bes. be obviated.
In other words, looking upon slavery as
all existing institution. which all such Ell
forts as those of the individuals in cues
ton, must be powerless to affect, IN any
other way than to corrobofate it, and
which has no other relation to results than
as emancipations from it, more or less
frequent, may add to tho number OF Tree
blacks; and looking 10 these last as alone
interested in the present enquiry, ana US
being numerous enoug h 10 make the sub
ject, as it affects them, one Of the deepest
interest, both politically and phila"tnro-
pically,-we ask the question, n,-what is TO
be the result Of their presence among us;
and, if it is an evil, how is i, 10 be ubyi.
sted! And, leaving victor hugo, we 3"
10 this branch OF our subject
The nature Of the evil suggests tnc char
acter Of the remedy. If the two races
cannot live together. except in the reIa-
tions we have referred to, they must sep
arate. the COLONIZATION Of the free n.-
groes, and OF such slaves as may De enIan
cipa,ej, from time to time, is, IN other
words, the only remedy.
When, from any c"uS-. II family or
nation ceases to live in harmony, separa'
,ion, or colonization, if you please. is anI
ever has been the remedy. All coloniza'
,ions, too, have been alike, with sons dit-
ferences IN the impelling motive; and
leaving out Of view the penal colonies o
different countries, and some pauper emf
grants from Europe to the United States
i, will be found that colonistS have. as q
q IA Al II T..