The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-24
amendments to fhe Post Office bill.
TROPICAL COLONIZATION.

/ OF amendments 10 the oct OhleS JIM
TROPICAL COLONIZATION. f,.a5a
The triumph of Freedom in Kansas, in spite
/ of the active intervention and lawless psurpai
ton of the Federal Government in behalf OF
Slavery. has demonstrated that the great heart
and centre Of the North American Continent
| is TO be colonized and occupied BY the free
Caucasian race Whatever may be the future
destiny of Slavery, ii cannot 60 an inch further
north. On the contrary 1t is now clear, that
even though that institution should Survive for
generations, It must yield up its fo3thold IN all
the more temperate latitudes, and gradually
pravitate towards the equator The tropical
zone of the American Continent IS, in every
| point of view, the most desirable portion of the
earth's surface within the same parallels OF
latitude. 1t abounds in high, healthy, and fer
tile table lands, in which perpetual spring
reigns. Its productions embrace nearly every
thing which can minister to the comfort and
happiness of man, from the cereals and the
vegetables Of the temperate regions Of the
earth. to the luscious fruits which ripen under
vertical sun. The northern portion Of this
garden of God is peninsular in shape, all parts of
which are convenient to the great Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. The southern and central re
gions expand intoSa broad continent; which IS
drained by two of the largest rivers in the
world, navigable for thousands of miles. This
great tropical zone is in large measure uni
inhabited, except by sayages as our own West
i. Il, ,tct,a ,-ta
are inhabited by comparatively small, feeble,
and rapidly decreasing mongrel race Of Indians,
Spaniards, and Portuguese. "i ''N'"Fi .
Manifest destiny points with unerring
hand TO the period when It is to come under the
direct control of the American Union: and the
question is daily growing in importance, by
what class Of our population shall it be colo
nized and occupied, and what institutions shall
We plant on its fertile soil Shall We dedicate
it to Freedom or to Slavery? That is the
question for we regard it as inevitable that
either as freemen or as slaves the black popula
ton Of this country is destined to find its way
| kfif he1 iiEAni4e nave no c6hhdehce IN the pro-
jects and theories which contemplate the estab
hshment Of laboring population in Gentrsl
and South America, of European origin! II;
the temperate latitudes were denselv crowded
with white population, it is probable that il
might gradually push its way southwardly to the
equator, and beyond it. But it will be al least
a century before the United States. within their
present limits, can attain to the degree of dem
sity which viii be necessary to precpitate their
Overlooking masses upon the equatorial regions.
In the mean time, those vast countres-the
valleys of the Amazon and the Oronoco and
the adjacent States on both sides of the 18th
mus of Panama, viii have had their destinies
liked as the permanent abode of America fri
| can slaves or Amerieo-African ffeemen. A few
! thousands of white Americans NAV. and doubt.
less will, emigrate to the tropical regions with
view to make fortunes By buying lands and
building cities; but the laboring masses. in
city and country must be African and aborig-
inal. II cannot be European '".
Entertaining these views, we have looked
with favor upon the propositions and sug,yes,
tons pointing to the establishment Of colonies
in Central and South America composed of the
free coured citizens of this Union who ma 9 de-
sire to better their condition by voluntary emf
grafton TO lands in which their political rights
would be better protected than they have been
in even the most tolerant of our free States :
and where their social equality would be indis-
Putable, instead OF being universally denied.
Oar views Will not be mlsconStrued OF misunder-
stood by any fair-mnded man. We are unalrer.
ably opposed to forcing the free colored neorIe
out OF the country; and no scheme which even
squnts at such an act of tyranny could for a
moment have our support. We denounce all
measures which even tend to such a result. bv
rendering the condition Of colored men uncon,-
Portable, OF. by Withholding from them. any Of
those inalienable rights which the Declare
ton of independence promises to all men. and
which their ancestors, as well as our own. 5bt
TO secure and establish.
But it is one thing to force the exile OF
the free colored people by compulsory or un.
friendly legislation, in order to get rid Of the
free negroes and very different thing to en-
courage them to emgrate to most desirable
and congenial portion of the world, with /:
guaranty of protection and aid, in order TO pro
mote their welfare, and prevent the spread q
Slavery. These latter are the reasons which
induce us to favor the project proposed il
the Senate by Mr. Doolittle, ON the 9Th instant
in the form of resolution, as follows: ip.
That the sum of fifty thousand dollars be
and the same Is hereby, appropriated, out o
any money in the Treasury not otherwise :p
propriated, TO enable the President to enter int
negotiations to acquire BY treaty, in Yucatan
central or South America, the rights and priv
leges OF settlement and Of citizenship for the
beneht OF such free persons of color of African
descent as may voluntarily desire to emigratc
from the United States, and form themfselye.
into colony or colonies, under the laws Of the
| State or States to which they elnigrate- the
United States, In consideration of the CONNER
cal advantages of free trade with sucb colonx
or colonies, making and securing the necessary
and proper engagements to maintain, them n
the enjoyment OF the rights and privileges a az
quired by such treaty or treaties Prori7I3
That full and accurate accounts for which on
penditure shall be by him transmitted TO Con
gress at the next session after said expendi
Il ure."
J. Among the considerations which induce n.
to favor the resolution is the daily increasing
distractions thrown in the way of emancipa
tons in the South. The Intolerance of fh,
Pro-Slayery feeling has become SO greai, that
no slave can be emancipsted on the soil; and