The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-08
COL. KINNEY's COLONY.

| 1t the following statement can be relied on
Col. Kinney, with his colonists, seems to be get
ting on quietly. No doubt, the object of Kin,
ney and his friends is to establish Slavery in
| Central America, and We are unable to under
stand why his scheme should meet with dis
favor from the Administration. When he first
came to Washington, last winter, his project
was approved by the Government and its Or
gans, the Union and Star. Subsequently, the
Star made war upon the Colonel, and it at
length turned out that the Administration was
seriously bent on frustrating his plans. Per-
haps 1t was feared that an attempt to establish
Slavery in Central America would meet with
assistance from England and France. The
Administration have no stomach for fight with
the great Powers of Europe.
We suggest to Colonel Kinney to abandon
his absurd plan of an Anglo American Col
ony in the tropics, and that he turn it into a.
Colony of free people of color-in word, into
an Africo-American Colony.
According TO all accounts, the population of
the whole region is already for the most part
colored-that is to say, mixture of Indians,
Negroes, and Spaniards, and the preiudices
against color which exist in this country are
unknown. Mr. Thayer, Colonel Kinneys Sec
rotary of State, has given an amusing account,
in the New York Eoening Post, of dancing
party, in which all colors were represented.
These people are misgoverned, and therefore
indolent and unthrifty. With an infusion of
American colored men, accustomed to labor.
and guided by the energy and practical wisdom
of the Colonel, they would soon build up a
aourishing free State.
Such Colony would be an admirable home
for emancipated slaves, who are not permitted
to remain on their native soil. We have oh.
served, for year or two past, a growing dis
position to emancipation and if convenient
asylum for the emancipated were provided, the
number would doubtless increase.
Leading Anti-Slavery men have lately thrown
out the hint that the funds of the Federal
Government may properly be applied to the
extinction of Slavery, should the South be will
ing to receive aid from that quarter. They
claim no right to interfere with Slavery in the
States but if the Southern States choose to
receive such aid, we have little doubt that it
will be extended literally and cordially.
How would it do to purchase the fugitive
slaves by the Government, and colonize them.
instead of sending them back into Slavery?
GOV KINNEY'S PLANTATION-A NEW GOLD RE-
GIoN-TREATY WITH INDIANS
A late number of the Central american has
the following paragraph:
On Thursday last we visited Gov Kianey's
plantation. 1t is situated about three quarters
of a mile from town, on the opposite shore of
the lagoon. We allude to the patch of ground
selected by him for his own amusement, and as
test Of the adaptation of the soil to different
kinds of grains and vegetables.
The Governor arrived here OH the 10th of |
July; it was some two or three weeks before he |
cleared away the thick underground, and plant |
ed the seed. We brought away a fine lot of |
roasting ears, beans, &c. The native fruit |
trees left standing are full of fruit and thus,
in the short space of about two months, the |
Governor is in the enjoyment of garden luxu-
ries that would have required years TO realize |
at the North. Three good crops of corn may |
be taken of the same ground in one year.
From the following extract of a letter of !
Messrs. Shepherd d Haley, dated Oct 10, the |
position of affairs at San Juan del Norte will !
be understood
Since Col. Kinneys arrival at this port |
10th July last, we and others have constantly |
watched, with considerable interest and ankle |
ty, his movements and operations. We had the |
pleasure to witness that he not only maintain |
ed his little band of followers in state of re-
spectability, and perfect peace and good order, |
but kept them constantly and industriously
employed in building, opening roads, expert |
mental planting, exploring for minerals and |
eligible sites for plantations surveying, &c. in
fact, they have never been idle, but always oc- |
cuped in doing one work or another. for the
benefit of the place, the Colonel himself being
ever foremost in setting the example, with |
the saw, the hammer, or the spade. We have |
been informed, on reliable authority, that this |
mining party have already discovered, in the |
district OF Indian river, a few miles northwest |
OF this port, gold dust and they are satisfied |
that, upon getting to the bed rock, the Weld of
gold will be so remunerative as to compete
with diggings of California; and they are now
preparing to work those locations, at the same
time establishing and working plantations in
the same locality. This discovery brings gold.
fields within nine days of New York.
Since the Colonel has been elected Govern. ,
or by majority of the voters of this town, he
has opened an elementary school, the first that
e@' NNNAA mere, HQ6re the children of
parents not In circumstances to pay are edu-
Gated gratis, no more being paid by the re-
naming children than sufficient to paw the ex-
penses OF the schoolmaster This, YOU will see.
Is the first step towards civilization. Col. Kin.
ney has also opened a subscription list for the
building of church, which we hope ere long
70 see hled up, so as to enable him to contract |
Tor the erection of sacred edifce. On the
resurrection of this town like Phoenix from
Its ashes, and which we hope soon to witness
many public buildings will be ndispensably re-
quisite; and it is to be hoped that, as the town
extends and population increases, there will be
no difficulty in raising funds for the erection of
all needful public works, and to enable this town
to rank among the civilized population of the
American continent.
"Col. Kinney has concluded treaty with the
Indians on his possessions, which will prove of
the utmost importance and benefit, because il
will enable them, through the means and assist
ance of the Indians, to lay open with greater
ease the resources of the country. with which
the latter acknowledged themselves to be init.
mately acquainted. The Colonel is daily ex.
pecting more men from the States; on their
arrival, the aspect Of things will be changed