The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-21
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON D. c. JANUARY 81, 1858

That build cities; we send steam-enoines
sir, which are the greatest apostles of lib.
erty that this country has ever seen. That
Is the modern kind of missionary emigra-
ton, and it has wonderful power on this
continent, and is destined to have on the
world, too, for it is just as good against one
kind of evil as another; and it can lust as
well be exerted against idol worship in
Hindostan and China, as against oppres-
sion and despotism in Central America.
But we take the countries that are near
est first; and now We propose to use this
mighty power in originating nation in
quick time for Central America. We read
of time when " a nation shall be born
in day." | think it may be done in
some such way as this. By this method
of emigration the pioneer does not 90
into the wilderness
" Alone, unfriended, melancholy Slow
Dragging at each remove length'ning chain,"
stealing away from the institutions OF
religion and education, himself and fam
lily; but Christianity herself goes hand
in hand with the pioneer; and not Chris
tianity alone, but the offspring of Chris
tianity, an awakened intelligence, and
all the inventions of which she is the
mother; creating all the differences be-
tween an advar ced and enlightened COM
munity and one in degradation and igno-
rance. Sir, in years gone by, our emiera-
ton has ever tended toward barbarian !;
but now, by this method. it is tending to
a higher civilization than we have ever
witnessed. Why. sir. by this plan, new
community starts OH as high plane as the
old one had ever arrived at; and leaving
behind the dead and decayed branches
which encountered the old, with the vigor-
Gus energies Of youth it presses on and
ascends- Sir. such a State will be the
State OF Kansas. eclipsng in its progress
all the othe. States of this nation, because
it was colonized in this way. The people,
in this way, have not to serve half CEN
fury OF probation in semi-barbarism. They
begin with schools and churches, and you
will see what The effect is upon commu-
mites that are so established.
But ] will speak now of that which con-
stitutes the peculiar strength of emigration
Of this kind; and that is, the profit of the
thing have shown you how efficient it
is and will now show you how the
method works, to some extent. 1t is
profitable Tor every one connected with
d.; it is profitable to the people where the
colonies go; it is profitable to the people
Of the colonies; and it is profitable to the
which is the guiding star and
he protecting power of the colonies. 1t
ioes good everywhere. 1t does evil no
where.
Sir, you cannot resist power like this.
A good man often feels regret when he
Knows that by promoting a good cause he
S at the same time sacrificing his own
means of doing good, and is becoming
weaker and weaker every day. 1t is a
,reat drawback upon benefcent enter
,rises, even upon phiIanthropic and
Christian enterprises, that the men who
ustain them are lessening their own
means of doing good by it. Sir, it is a
,reat mistake to suppose that a good
;ause can only be sustained by the life
'lood of its friends. But when a man
IAN do magnanimous act, when he can
10 a decidedly good thing, and at the
anne time make money by it, all his fac
llties are in harmony. Laughter. You
10 not need any great argument to induce
nen to take such position, if you can
'nly induce them to believe that such is
he effect. Well, sir, such is the effect;
nd now let us apply it to the people Of
Central America. What reason will they
AVE to complain, if we send among them
'ur colonies, organized in this way with
heir sub-soil plows, their crow-bars, their
Oes, their shovels, and their garden
eeds? What reason will they have to
complain ? Why, the fact is, that, unless
'ur civilization is superior to theirs, the
ffort would, in the beginning, be failure
never can make one inch of progress.
Then, sir, if we succeed at all, we sue
ICED in planting civilization there which
s superior to theirs; we plant that or
zone. 1t is impossible for an inferior
utilization to supplant a superior civiIza-
ion except by violence, and it is almost
to do it in that way.
Well, sir, if we give them better civil
cation, the tendency of that better civili-
.ation is to increase the value of real es-
ate; for the value of property, the value
If real estate, depends upon the character
If the men who live upon the land, as
veil as upon the number Of men who live
lpon it. Now, sir, we either make an
bsolute failure in this thing, and do not
rouble them at all, or we give them bet
er civilization, and, in addition to that,
We give them wealth.
Thus, sir, with bands of steel we bind
he people of Central America to us and
o our interests, by going among them in
his way; and they cannot have reason to
complain, nor will they complain. If we
lad approached them in this way two
'ears ago, without this miserable meddle-
some method, induced and warranted, or
to be warranted, by the neutral
~ laws, we would have filled Central
America to overlooking by this time, and
would have had with us the blessings of
Every native citizen in that portion of
Now, sir, if such is the way, if such is
he power, if such is the effect of this
method, to the emigrants, and to the peo-
Die among whom they settle, why should
We not now adopt it in reference to Cen
raj America? And what is the method?
Why, it is as plain and simple as it can
'e. 1t is just to form moneyed corpo-
alton which shall have two hundred
thousand dollars capital; which shall then
obtain and spread information through the
country, by publications, indicating what
ire the natural resources of Central Amer
ca, and the inducements to emiprate
.hither; showing how it is situated in re-
alton to commerce, and how, of neces-
'lty, there must speedily be built upon
hat soil a flourishipp Commonwealth