The national Republican., 1862-08-15
THE PREsIDERT,s COLONIZATION
SOUEME.
HIS INTERVIEW WITH A COMMITTEE OF
OOLORED MEN.

Yesterday afternoon, large nunter Of coll
red men assembled at one Of thslr churches,
o consider proposition Of sending commit
zee Of their own color to walt upon the Presi.
lent, who had sent them word that he had
TO say 10 them Of interest TO them. |
selves and to the country. After free dis |
cussion Of the matter, the meeting appointed
the following committee: Edward N. Thomas,
John F. Cook, John r. Costin, Cornelius Ozark
and Benjamin Mccoy.
At the hour appointed, the committee re.
paired to the White House, and were introduced
to the President by Rev. J. Mitchell, the Com
missioner Of Emigration. The President re-
ceived the delegation with great kindness,
shaking hands very cordially with each one.
Theintroductory ceremonies being over, Mr..
Thomas, chairman Of the committee, rose and
remarked that they were there by invitation to
hear what his Exoellency had to say to them.
The President, after few preliminary OBJ
servations, informed them that q sum Of money
had been appropriated by Congress and placed
at his discretion, for the purpose Of aiding the
colonization, in some country, Of the people or
portion of them, Of African descent f; thereby
making II his duty, a. II had for long time
been his inclination, to favor that cause. And
why. he asked, should the people Of your race
be colonized anywhere? Why should they
leave this country This Is perhaps the
first question for proper consideration. You
and we are different races-we have between
US broader difference than exists between al
most any other two races. Whether II is right
or wrong need not discuss, but this physical
difference Is q great disadvantage to us both,
as l think. Your race suffer very greatly,
many Of them, by living among us while ours
suffer from your presence .n, in word. We % sui.
. reason, at least, why we should be separated.
| You here are freemen, suppose. [ A voice:
"Yes, sir."l Perhaps you have long been free,
| or all your lives. Your race are suffering, In
my judgment, the greatest wrong inflicted on
any people; but even when you cease to be
slaves, you are yet far removed from being
placed on an equality with the white race.
You are cut of from many Of the advantages
which the other race enjoy. The aspiration Of
men is to ENJOY equality with the best when
| free. But on this broad continent not single
man Of ours. Go where you are treated the
best, and the ban is still upon you. l do not
propose TO discuss this, but present II as fact
with which we have to deal. i cannot alter Il
If would. 1t is fact about which we all
think and feel alike-l and you.
We look to our condition owing 10 the exis.
tence OF the two races on this continent
need not recount to you the effects upon white
men, growing out Of the institution Of slavery.
n l..lsA Ia.
race. See our present condition-the country
another's throats, none knowing how far il will
extend, and then consider what we know TO br
the truth-but for your race among US this war
could not have an existence; although many
men engaged on either side do not care for you
one way or the other. Nevertheless, ! repeat,
without the Institution of slavery, aud the col.
ored race rs u basis, this war could not have
an existence. 1t is better for us both, there.
fore, 10 be separated.
who even II they could better their condition are
not as much inclined to 60 out Of the country as
those who being slaves, could obtain their free.
dom on this condition. ! suppose one Of the
principal difficulties in the way Of colonization
Ii, the trse coinrad man cannot zee that his
comfort would be advanced by 1t. You may
believe you can live in Washington, or else
where In the United States the remainder Of
your life, perhaps more 80 than you can in any
foreign country, and hence You may come 10
the conclusion that you have nothing to do with
the idea Of going to foreign country. This
Is, speak in no unkind sense, an extremely
selfish view of the case. But you ought TO do
something to help those who are not so fortu.
nate as yourselves.
There Is an unwillingness on the part OF our
people, harsh as 1t may be for you free color.
ed people to remain with us. Now, If you
could give start to the white people, you
would open wide door for many to be made
Tree. II we deal with those who are pot free
at the beginning, and whose intellects are
clouded by slavery, we have very poor ma
terial TO start with. II Intelligent colored men,
such US are before me, would move in this
matter, much might be accomplished. 1t ia
exceedingly important we have men ut the be.
ginning, capable Of thinking as white men, aud
not those who have been systematically op.
pressed.
There is much TO encourage you. For the
sake Of your race you should sacrifice some
thing OF your present comfort, for the purpose
Of being as grand 10 that respect as the white
people. It is cheering thought throughout
life something can be done TO meliorate the
condition Of those who have been subject to
the hard usages Of the world. II is difficult 10
] make u man miserable while he feels he js
worthy Of himself, and claims kindred To the
great God who made him. In the American
revolutionary war sacrifices were made by men
engaged in 1t. But they were cheered by the
future. General Washington himself endured
greater physical hardships than II be had re-
mained a British subject. Yet he was q happy
man, because he was engaged in bene6ttipg
. his something for the children of his
neighbors, having none Of his own.
The colony Of Liberia has been in existenc
o long time. In certain sense, 1t is q success,
The old President Of Liberia (Roberts) has Just
been with me-the first time l ever saw him.
He says they have within the bounds of that
. colony between three and four hundred thou
sand people or more than In some of our old
States, such as Rhode Island Or Delaware. or
3 In some of our newer States, and less than in
some of the larger ones. They are not all
American colonist nor their descendants
Something less than twelve thousand have
been sent hither from this country. Many Of
the original settlers have died yet, like the
people elsewhere, their offspring outnumber
, those deceased. The question is, il the colored
people are persuaded to 60 anywhere, why not
there? One reason for an unwillingness to do
7 so Is, that some Of you would rather remain
within reach OF the country Of your nativity.
l do not know how much attachment you may
have toward our race. II does not strike me
that you have the greatest reason to love them.
But still you are attached 10 them. Al all