The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-01
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE NATIONAL ERA.

With ray paper Of this date have received
your printed annual letter, asking your sab
scrLcrs 10 renew their subscriptions and alsC
10 exert themselves to extend its circulation
both Of which shall be pleased to do, as con
slider il very efficient advocate of the Anti
Slavery cause like it not only for its man
" efforts IN behalf of the oppressed, for enforc
Iug the principles Of our Declaration of indie
pendeuco, and for its essential trtahfulnesS, but
especially have been pleased to zee that you
could pursue the course that you thought right
and most conducive to the advancement of the
cause in which you are engaged without deem
Ing it necessary 10 abuse those who may differ
with you in opinion on some points that you
may consider Of much Importance. Even tbc
Colonization cause, although it may have not
met with much favor in your paper yet when
mentioned at ALL it has generally been wit
fd,rH@e--And that, | am sorry to say is no;
characteristic OF most A nti-Slavcry paTors when
speaking on this subject The only fault that
have to fad with the Era in this matter, If
fault il be- ID rather the error Of omission, than
Of comniss On. TO remedy this, let me ask thc
favor Of you 10 publish tho enclosed correspond
once between Samuel Wilkeson and an extern
rive planter ia British Guiana. 10 Judge VIII
kcson le ter the true principles of the COlOni
EfllOhlNt" are hDI) anu ClodIiJ gwen
Ny object in asking the insertion Of the cor
respondencc in the Era, at this time, is this
The subject of emigration is now engaging the
attention Of portion of our colored population,
and a number of them have called c0nven
ton to meet next year in Cleveland Ohio -
discuss this subject but the prejudice against
African Colonization is 50 strong that they will
not even give it hearing; 1t is to be entirely
nrahJhyf,j in thpir ll.IuIsc I'biJ | attributp ~
tirely to 'rant of information on their part
to the DrincipicS and aims of the true friends of
the Colonization cause and there have been,
believe, within the present year, agents from
both Jamajca aud Guiana. to induce our col
nred population to emigrate thithcr.
The letter OF Judge WilkeaOn while stating
officially ar the head of the Society the pr,pc-
pies that originated and hare sustained the meas
me through numerous difficulties also compares
the ad'antages Of the two places | have 40
wish that you should enter into "a lengthy dis.
ousslOn Of the Colonization question in the Era
but As the principles of the Society have been
50 much m-ropreSented by its opponents, and
are therefore very much misunderstood by many
sincere and intelligent Antl-Savery men, Dhtit
~ well rs oOOrcd it seems to me but matter
Of simple justice to allow the Society to speak
for itself, and say what its principles really are
That there Is diversity Of opinion among Col
0nlzatlOnlsta ca many points, readily admit
and that sayehOlder' a. well ne the most thor.
)ugh opponents OF Slavery arc among its zeal
0us friends andsupporters, ia undoubtedly true
10 it is also true that the utrdidS of both zee.
tons of the Union, the South Carolina school
OF politicians, the real pro.saycry men, lcl"
Slavery propagandsis of the SOUTH and the
great body OF prominent Anti. Slavery men al
the North, are equally opposed to it. That
lohn {. Calhoun and his friends, who desire
90 perpetuaic and extend the institution of SlA
yery--and who, it must be admitted, under
stand thor interests IN this mAtter-shouid de.
fortunately oppose tie scheme Of African Col
onizatlon from its very commencement to the
present time, should. think, commend it l.,
che favorable consideration of all Anti Slavery
men. MIR Calhoun and his admirers saw in
the very fact OF the elevation of the black mar.
whether in the United States or in Africa, he
establishing OF free and independent Repub
la composed of an enterprising and intellige
portioG Of the free ooiored population OF the
Nni0n, combined with considerable numbcs
If emaucpated slaves the downfall Of Slavery
his ca pacious mind saw in the very fact of the
acknowledged equality Of the black man with
rhe white, by the most powerful and cnligh
2ned nations oi EGrOpe the adoption by Liberia
a.: Republican Constitution, modelled after
oar own slavery excepted was fatal to his
long cherished hope Of perpetuating the instl-
tuition OF African Slavery in America Ii was
the mOroi aud political influences of the scheme
oi African Colonization that Mr. Calhoun most
feared ao the economical features Of the sys.
ten Were then not fully developed, he may have
anticipated that the cheap labor of the natives
Ut Africa would be employed in some way to
Gnderseil the more expensive products of slave
labor ~ the foreign markets but il was not
Then known that the soil of Africa was 50 we'll
adapted 60 the culture OF cotton which il the
main support Of American Slavery The fact
IS now established, believe, that all the best
tcstn ptous Of American cotton can be raised
N Africa more cheapy than in tho United
States, the soil being moro prolific, and the
'iiinhte allowing the raising OF tlrO crops an u
gear and where native labor can be obtained
To any amount for lees than twenty five cents
per day, which. to them, is ample compen.a-
ton, their wants at present being so few and
che earth yielding 50 large return for the la
Hor bestowed ON it
Not only Can cotton from the American seed
b, thus probably producod, but it is also
Known that there arc several kinds of cotton
OF S"pcrIoT quality, indigenous to Africd that
constantly bear oil through the year What
more mobile aod enlcrprlsng work can engage
che attention Of the enterprsiny free colored
man in tha United States, than that of intro
duclng civilization and Christianity into long.
Neglected Africa, establishing free institutions
aud Republican Government in that bcnightcd
land and while greatly improving his own
present condition, and leaving a rich inherit.
Ance fJr his children to be sensible. also, that
he IL az the same time using the most efectnal
means to liberate his brethren in bondage IN
America, and als,, by the same process eman.
"pGtlng the ulc0unted millions of slaves in
Africa. who are suffering all the mseries that
IAN be inflicted ty savage and heather mas.
tors Is rot tho scheme full of hopo for the
oppressed And IN making the selfish spirit Of
ehe age, and the love OF gain, subservient to tho
true Interests of humanity can any true phi.
lauthropist fail 10 wish il success II the fact
that there are various shades of opinion in rc.
gard 10 Slavery among the friends of the Colo
AVIATION movement or that much has been SAID
and done in the name of colonization hv polti.
aianS and negro-haters. who are only DESTROYS
10 rid the country Of what they consider an
undesirable population, still 10 be made use Of
q hlind she eyes Of an oppressed people to their
highest interest should they not on the con
'rary have al the information on the subject
hir'y srr before them, that they may see clear.
!y he glorious destiny that awaits their action
and arous.ng from the apathy Of their condi.
t:on, they snail no longer be satisfied to remain
IN Incnial c"ndlt ln--to be hewers of wood
and drawer of water io-ever-but that they
may exert their energies for the good of their
race, and do their part for the redemption OF
the world
May not appeal T. DR. Bailey on this sub
ect and AK il che Colonization cause is not a
legitimate and necessary part Of the great dnfi.
Shipsry movement, looking not only TO the
emancipation of three and n half millions of
olaves ~ America, but also 10 fifty or sixty mil.
lions of slaves in Africa! And il 80, should it
not have his aldl While, sir, your labors are
necessarily dsYoted more Immediately y the