Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-04-22
Seward and the Black Elephant.


sevo..I hundred thousand negroes have been stolen
bv the Yankees, They constitute the black elephant
which Jonathan is puzzled to dispose oil. Ih'y eat
d;,k slac, bep steal get the smallpox die, DO every
,hir, hut nav their own expenses. They are Wiling
"a sr,ions 70 work but there is no work for them
Am the n,ees are filed and ii they we're not Cutfee IS
zoo ,no,ant and too nd6ent to fill them except upon
eompulsion. He is a free man, why should he tOi?-
His willingness aud his anxiety to work arose from an
empty stomach Fill that, and the world may wag as it
will the war stop so on, it makes no difference 10
Cufee.
But Jonathan morally bound, he is, to fill Cuilte 5
bread basket is getting sick Of the business The mon
sJrOds black elephant eating him out of house and
home; what is to be done Wendell Phillips says,
amagamae and 20 halves with the black brother in all
worldly goods Western Yankees say, away with him,
kill him, drive him Off do anything but permit him to
settle amongst US. Others urge that he be sent back
to his MASTER especially it he have the smallpox he
may spread it, and assist in DISCRIMINATING the rebes
These plans are all excellent in theory, eIecrabe and
Intellectual in practice Meantime, the free negro barra
coous Washington, Cairo Fortress Monroe aud else
where, are daily becoming crOwded-the big black
elephant gOrges and grows or gets sick and has to be
supplied with medicine and deted at Yankee DOOdle's
expense.
A new idea is preached. Deport the ravenous beast
send him back to the land of his athersship him to
Liberia or to Hayti The idea is admirable. But Cuff
fee in the wisdom of his freedom thinks differently.
lie refuses, positively, 10 go among oulndsh, unedu.
Gated, ungody niggers, who talk language he cannot
comprehend and eat vctuas to which his tender dges
ZION is not habituaed. So this plan falls through.
In this emergency Seward steps forward and takes the
black elephant in hand. As Minister Of Foreign Affairs
he is coguisant of fact or two which, properly mani
pulated, will enable him to get rid of the sable mon
ster in uiee Some worthy Abolition Planters of ia.
maica of pure kindness of heart have applied to
Lincoln Tor few of his surplus Africans and one Of
them, named Davis a near relative, no doubt, of the
President Of the Confederate States, oilers to provide
tor ZOO families. OF this beneyOence Seward will
avail himself in lis ever sly way.
Accordingly he gets drunk at dinner .retres to Lii.
library, lights cigar and ndites letter to Mr. Adams
Tel Rus eI, says he, that number of Governments
situated within tie tropics and others having colonies
or dependencies there have inmated the President
desire receive acIessons to their population upon
conditions favorable to the prosperity, welfare and hap
rncss of the emgrans. State to him the general pin
ciples VII oh orght be recognized if Great Britain is
inclined to such course. First the emigrant5 'of AZ.
rican derivation shall not be compelled to emigrate
second the omgrant agents must b. recognized by the
L. s. Government before they soliei; such emigration
Third the agents must be regularly commissioned and
remain only curing good behavior. Fourth Great Brit.
ain must not expect monopoly Of this emigration the
benefits Of which are to be open to all other nations
Fh tie treaty for this system OF emigration is to last
ten years. See Russell about this, Adams, and let me
know his views
Such, in brief is tie subtle, after dinner plan for
grand niger ,migrant aid society, in which Seward
thought to involve Earl Russell. The scheme not
bad one, as an English paper cOniesses British
planters wanted negroes and Seward had them by the
hundred thousand. Great Britain had the ships. ia
naica was but a short distance OF The negroes there
we're not caun;bas The stolen slaves would find them
selves in congenis climate, and among people whose
language they could understand. What a spleadid
chance to dispose of the elephant
Adams called on Russell, and inquired whether bis
Government inclined to negotiate in the matter at
all. Not at all. Why not? Because, says Sir John
there may be a reclamation Of Jugitres something
else may eutAngle US in danger, which We wish to
avoid.
Under these circumstances, says Adams, Writing tc
Seward, it seemed Of no for to press the point
f r,her l accordr gly make report OF his Iordships
answer as definitely closing the matter"
Seward is left to try another bottle and fresh cigar
Three months have passed since Earl Russell rejected
hi. cunning scheme, borrowed from the Belfast and
Hamburg ship owners and as yet device has en-
tered the Yankee Premier's brain. Arc his faculties
falling, or is bis stock Of wines getting low Some hun
dreds of negroes lave omgrated voluntarily to
lIay,i but the black elephant remains in Jonathan
truck patch, aud is playing havoc there.