The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-13
TEE TIoNAL ERA: WASHINGTON, D. c. MAY 49, 1858,

} who have grown up among us, and although
! fated to be burden and obstruction to our
progress yet always in amity and laboriug to
render service-equal claims upon us with the
savages, against whom we have had to fight
our way for centuries, resisting all attempts to
bring them within the pale Of civilization?
The President, in his late message, proposes
to gather these savsges in colonies, and at sn
early day raise them to the dignity of forming
! States, and assuming equality with the States
of the Union. The Africans-bred and educa-
ted within civilized communities, who speak
our language, are listeners at our canvasses,
lookers-on at the elections, worshippers in our
churches, and constantly witness the processes
of Improvement in our society, in the field, the
workshop, and every domestic scene-one
would think quite as capable of being disci-
plined in colonies, and fitted to take part in
the Government of the Union, as the Shawnees,
Potta watomies, Winnebagoes, the Sacs, and
Foxes, removed from the Northwest or the
Cherokees, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles,
from the Southwest. As far as respects the
Sioux, Pawnees, Cheyennes, Utahs, Camanches,
and Blackfeet, the President might have spared
his recommendation until they were caught.
l believe the people who constitute this Con-
federacy will forever scout the idea of blend
ing either Indian or negro States with it. The
aboriginal or imported tribes, which cannot
amalgamate with our race can never share in
its Government in equal sovereignties. In the
benevolent design of colonizng the Indians,
protecting and aiding their efforts to gain
subsistence by cultivatiDg the soil set apart for
them, most cordially concur; but think,
whatever form of society they may assume,
they must always be held as dependencies not
put upon the footing of equality with the
States. F
And ought not the Government to be equally
tproyident for such portions of the unfortunate
race born to Slavery, but who, having attained
Freedom, find that it renders them burden to
those among whom they live--a burden that
viii not be borne? This is the question which
absolute necessity now forces on the considera.
ton of the country-one deeply affecting the
interests and feelings of shareholders and non.
shareholders of the superior race, and of more
than half million already manumitted infe
riors, pressed down by their weight.
The apparent evil which now produces so
much anxiety and agitation here, feel q firm
conviction wise counsels will override for good
l believe that the removal from among us of
such of the freed people of color as might be
induced willingly to go to such parts of Central
| America as our Government could open to them
and establish as a secure home, would be
fraught with benefits to Us, to the emigrants, to
the people receiving them, and to all concerned
IN the commerce of this continent within the
tropics l have already quoted the account of
late visiter and most acute observer, sent to
report on the condition of that country. He
confirms the general impression in regard to
the efete state of the Spanish race in Honduras
and the other Central American States; the
insurrectionary disposition of the Indians and
mestlzos OF mixed Indian and Spanish blood,
which produces incessant civil war and reyolu-
! ton; and he shows that the African race con.
situtes the basis on which some energetic and
| intelligent Power must build a stable structure
of free government. The negroes and mulat-
toes in Honduras number one hundred and
forty thousand; the Indians one hundred thou.
sand; the whites about fifty thousand but of
this caste he remarks, that
Indiscriminate amalgamation has nearly
obiterated the former distinction of caste, and
few families of pure Spanish descent are known.
Some OF the wealthiest merchants of the de-
partment of Tegucigalpa are blacks, possess
ing surprising degree of business tact. Two
of the largest commercial houses have negro
proprietors, whose mercantile relations extend
| to Europe, whence they import most of their
goods. Though the great majority of the
negroes of Honduras are thoroughly debased
| and ignorant class, there are numerous excep-
tons. The Senate and Assembly have con-
tanned many highly-intelligent blacks and mu-
lattoes, thoroughly educated in the Central
American school of politics, and with suffi-
Gent discernnent to foresee the decline Of
their own influence, and the power of the negro
race, with the introduction of the Teutonic
stock. Hence their violent opposition to for.
eign enterprises in the national councils and
IN their private circles. The clergy are mostly
negroes or mestizos. Their power for evil
has boon largely contracted since the indie
pendence; but, with few exceptions, these
men exercise rather favorable influence over
the people, and are generally respected"
Mr.. Chairman, it is to this country, rich in
mines, in every tropical production, and open
to our emigrants and to our commerce through
two great bays, one On the Pacific and the
other on the Atlantic, and within three days'
stesming of our own coast, that l would pro-
pose to form settlement for such of our color.
ed race, now free, or that may hereafter be
freed, as might volunteer to establish it under
the auspices of our Government. And touch
ing this most important policy, as calculated to
deliver our Republic from the Incubus which
threatens 80 much mischief, and to convert it
into means of so much good, / beg leave TO
take lesson from the colonial policy of Great
Britain, which received as a system its finished
and most liberal form under the late admins
tration of Lord John Russell-Earl GREY pre-
siding over the Office of Secretary of State for
the Colonial Department. The whole system
is developed in mastery series of letters ad
dressed by the Earl to the Premier, which, with
the history OF the colonization that has girdled
the world with Great 'Britain's dependencies,
gives the reforms that make them adhere TO the
empire without force, and from sense of mu.
tual advantage embraced in common power
and glory. The particular circumstance in
that policy to which would point the eve. is
one which has uniformly characterized it: the
transplantation OF a better-informed people. i'm.
bued With the traits they wished to impress on
the race they sought to subject to their influ
ence. The example adduce, as applicable tn
the scheme l would recommend, is in Earl
Grey's letter On Trinidad. Speaking of thu
various transplsntations made for the improve
ment of Trinidad, he says:
| = Steps haDe also been taken, acitaia the last
ttoo years, for procuring immiqrants of q
TAR more vatitabte description than those from
India. refer to the free black and eolorsd
anhGoita'ats OF the United States. These peo-
pie are regarded as an encun,brance. and
their presence as considered a most serious
eoI an the States schich they noso i,,habit
soh,te there can be no doubt that MANI of
them Mould be the best possible settlers pio
could 6e introduced into Triaidad. Speakino
the English, aoith habits of i,adustrv and az
cictiized life, and ,osu adapted by their CON
stitution to the climate, there seems to be mo
reason to doubt the success of black and col.
ored Immigrants from the United States.
frovided a proper selection is made of the
individuals TO De brought, their introduction
could not fail TO be Of the highest value to the
colony, not only from the actual accession of
ITS population, aohich soould be thus obtained,
one from the example schich they ,oosld afford
to ats present inhabitants. Such an addition
to the e1iSfiy,0 7,on,,Iuf;o~, e T-,.:;J