Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-06-18
LETTER FROM HON. FRANCIS j.
BLAIR, ON EMANCIPATION.
STGvER SrR1Nn. Nav lOth. 1853.

National Emancipation NO0eV
DEAR Sm:-You have my thanks for your
letter, communicating the design Of the f.
Emancipation Society, for which you act. /
nood not tell you that my most cordial SYM
pathies arc enlisted in favor Of the object YOU
seek to accomplish. The deliycrancc of this
continent from slavery gradually. peaceably,
without shock to the great manufacturing,
commercial and planting interests connected
with it, and without violating any Of the con
stitutonal securities that belong to the slave
holding States, would be a result next in inn
portancc TO the dclivcrencc from colonial
bondage It was indeed looked to by the
fathers of the Government, as the consuma-
tion Of the Revolution.
It seems to me the period approaches when
the Liberation of the whites and black races
from a mutual bondage may be effected.
Providence has brought about state Of
things within the American Tropics. that in
vitcs the freed, chrstianizod, civilized blacks
of our region to go, guided and protected by
our Anglo-Saxcn race, on the mission of max
ing useful to mankind the most beautiful and
luxurant portion Of the earth, now lost to
the world under the anarchy and lcthargy
which by turns opprcss it.
To the ciicctuaton of the benign scheme
which your Society contcmplates, it is essen
tial that this contiguous territory adapted in
climate and soil to the negro constitution,
should be opened up to the industry of the
intelligent of it's race educated in our habits
and language, and capable, if countenanced
by our Government to establish its free in
sttutions there. All attempts at cmancipa-
ton must prove unayaiing unless such pro-
visions for the migration of the nation of
blacks born among us, shall be made, as will
render their removal advantageous TO
them, TO the country which they leave and
that to which they go. and as a consequence
% the family of nations. The emancipation
Of the existing four millions of slaves, or any
considerable portion to remain in the country,
is already barred by State legislation. The
laws Of the slayeholding States arc incxorable
against it, and it is now purpose TO drive
the freed blacks beyond their confines, or re-
duce them to slavery. 1t is clear from the
laws of the free States. that they will not
tolerate an increase of the free colorcd race
to come in competition with the white labor
which they cherish and mean to elevate The
Imposition that the four millions Of slaves in
the South with their increase, can ever find
homes in the North, if manumittod and ban
ished by the South, is prcposterous. The
idea Of mingling a people Just let loose from
bondage, with the laboring class of our own
blood, in either section. has hitherto proved
fatal TO all the schemes which have been
formed for the liberation of the slave from
his fettcrs, and the country from the shame
and grief and misfortune of fastening them
upon him. At the suggestion on the part of
the Shareholders, that emancipation is to
bring four millions Of slaves into competition
and upon an equality with white men, tho
prejudice Of caste is reused among the latter
everywhere, North and South and every la
borer Of the superior race is ready to enlist
as a soldier 20 crush the movement and make
the slave more hclplcssly slave. No COM
pensation to masters can reconcile the masses
of our countrymcn to such a redemption.
Yet your compensation scheme looks in
the right direction and is lraught with great
results 1t is certain the removal of slavery
from our continent can never be effected with
ont the aid of the general Government, and
without compensating advantages arc antici-
patcd to indemnify the slave owners and the
country at large, for the transplantation of
the labor in which the community is Interested.
This result can only come from the acquisi-
ton Of new dominion by the transplanta-
tion Of the freed blacks. which will be more
/
their present condition. There can be no
beneficial exodus of the manumittod slaves,
unless tho government Of the United States
obtains a portion Of the vast uncultiyated re-
gion to the South for their settlement. The
right of the nation to provide homes TOR the
civilized black race born among US, that has
become an obstruction to the superior white
race which is its first care, can no more be
doubted than its exercise in the case Of the
Indians, removed for that reason.
Tho removal of the freed blacks TO Cen
trail America or South Mexico, would be
fraught with results of vastly more value than
that Of the rcd men. 1t would redeem from
anarchy and barbarism and give us the pos
session Of portion of this continent every
way essential to the aggrandizement of the
nation, 1t would give us the link between
the oceans that wash our eastern and western
Statos. 1t would give us a defensive position
to protect our southern hanks on both coasts,
from invasion by formidable foreign powers,
and prevent them from making dangerous cs-
tablshments there, or in Mexico, to threaten
our peace. 1t would open up to the enter
prise Of our countrymen a region rich in
everything mines, woods and agricultural
tropical productions, all suited to giyo a new
impulse to our commercial, farming and me-
chanical interests. 1t would lead to the cx-
tincton of slavery in the West Indies, in
South America as well as in the United
States, and as a consequence, put an end TO
the African slave trade In these results it
would be a counteraction Of the only banclul
consequences which have grown out Of the
purchase of Florida, Louisiana and Texas,
which cost immense sums and war TO prop
agate slavery. If the free States bore such
burden, for such purpose complacontly can
it be doubted they would choerlully cncoun-
ter much greater changes to convert that
slavery into freedom, and make the whole
South resplendent in prosperity conferred by
well directed, voluntary labor
If a way is once opened to the ogress of
manumitted slaves to a region which the u
nitod States is vitality interested in building
mp in strength for the common benefit of the
Union, and whero free laborers, suited to the
climate. will therefore be protected and en-
couragod-not for their own sakes alone, but
for that of the country-can there be a doubt
that it will soon be roplenished with this
caste; There are now moro than half amill-
ion freed men ready to embark, Multtudes
of conscientious Shareholders would add to
the numbers when they saw that the emanci-
of thotv elavac .vould NOT rnakp thpm