New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-02
RETURN OFTHE HAY7IAN COLONIS7S.
Terrible Suffering and Loss OF Life
from Exposure, Depriva-
ton, and Disease.
The african sisve-Trade Revived
In America,
wAsrncroE. D. G.. March 95. isGl.

One OF THR TRIBUEE's reporters has inst re-
t.rr,d from Freedman's Village the south side OF
e Potomac where he has been to see the condition OF
the returned Hayan coloniss and take the statements
az sere Of the intelligent Of them. he was not
m tine to see them in exactly the hafDaked bare
footed and baTe-headed condition in which they had ar
rived for Col Greenes humane and energetic superin'
tsudeHt had already been at work making them as COM
r,able as possible having issued shoes and blankets
ssd some other articles TO them without which they
xoala have suffered terribly during this cold term.
stu there was enough left of their Hnytan dilnPida
ton and distress 70 give some idea OF the bitter eX
rrience through which they had passed.
The returned emigrants number 407, and consist Of
a., survivors OF colony OF ll6 that left Alexandria in
June 1862 and of another colony Of $50 that left
Fortress Monroe in the Spring of 1863 The Alexandria
soeny reached their destination in Hayu without much
hss or suffering but the smallpox broke ont ON the
yse that took out the Fortress Monroe colony, which
greatly decreased it's number On the arrival Of the
ysee IL the houseSs Island Of AVache many OF those
down With this disease were left on the bare sand beach
10 take care Of themselves as best they could Some
sed where they were laid and were covered with the
sasS without being removed or honored with the
Sought Of burial Those that were able 10 handle an
ernbbing hoe were Immediately set 70 work clear
bad found on shpboard in the person OF Gov Bernard
KOck who had handouts stocks and IIaytian Guard,
p-aay for their reception and improvement though no
houses for them TO live in. After FIVE months work
daring which they cleared nnd planted about thirty
acres Of tmbered land for the Governor for which they
received what amounted to bare subsistence--the
Colonial" enterprise fell through for the want Of
means TO carry il on, and the American immigrants
were left TO shit for themselves inhospitabe
iaad where they would undoubtedly have all persisted
IN tine II had not been for the in,eIposton Of the
American Consul on the main land.
The condition Of these unfortunate people on their
szxfval here very similar 10 that Of the Amstad
slaves when first rescued from their piratical masters
also 10 that Of the cargo Of slaves more recently
,cscued by Capt hat Of the northern coast Of Cuba
and taken into the port Of Charleston. Men. women
and children unite in depicting the horror and hope
SsHess Of their situation after leaving the United
States and in expressing their gratitude for their proyi
Dental dehverance Many Of them bear the marks o.
fho smallpox with which they attacked on then
voyage out, and some Of them now down with the
Haytan fever which s;ill clings to them. Like tht
reasoned victims Of terrible sbpwreck they
joyed with their return 10 American terra frma anC
having tasted more bitter and blithing slavery thar
say Of them ever experienced in their own country
they cannot sufficiently express their ecsacy on being
brought black to old virginias shore" With mani
mons and emphatic excla they say they would rather
- retained to the hardest Of American masters
Ssn 10 be sent back under any auspices
to Haytian island. The Superintendent
s Co. Grcenes Frcedmabs Village says that he ha'
never received contrabands from any quarter in so ds
atu.e and deporabe condition these returned colo
nss and that he has dealt rations and cloth
sag that received with much heartfelt gratitude
as vas manifested by these poor beings. They are
ready 70 do anything TO show their gratitude to the
county and it Is thought that two fall companies o.
eoldiers could readily be enlisted from their number.
We append statement Of the origin Of this Cooniza
t scheme and also statements Of some Of tho returned
sosDnists taken by oar reporters:
STATEMENT OF SUPERINTENDENT NICHOLS.
GOVERNOR gocE or THE ISLAND or AvACIE RKPUB
Lie or BAITT, IN HIS EYDEAvoEs TO OBTAIN
ooSTRABAEDs or THE GoyERNMEST-ITs CON-
HHNcEEEyT AND PROGRESS UP TO THE TINE
THAT AN ALLIANCE WAS FORMED WITH A
BANKING COMPANY IL EEw-YoRK.
In the latter part Of the Summer Of 1862,
while the writer had charge Of the Contraband Camp in
Washington located near 18th street small man met
NE lust outside guard and desired admission into
camp. Upon inquiry learned that be had recently
arrived from the West Indios from the Island OF Hayi
s the o. oct Of his mission was % obtain oontrabands
10 the Of from three 10 five thousand 10 settle
e Island Of 'Vaehe one OF the Haytlan Islands for
te purpose OF raising cotton and coffee Prom his ap
pearance manners and dialect suspected that he was
Cuban. Thus At his FIST visit looked upon him with
esrust In few days he returned again and said that
Bis papers Eao been submitted 20 Secretary Smith oil the
interior Department and that his plans were by that
gentlemtn received with favor. lie now bad come 10
make inquiries as - the number OF abe-bodlcd men ana
women which could be obtained in and about Washing
Coz. l Freely gave him such Information as had VI
hand and he left with the purpose u having personal
Interview with the President At his second visit the
Point priuriDaly urged the importance Of r6eulH9
The GoyernmeLt Of such needless tax in the
support Of many dependent e0ntrabond-
when they could. If properly managed relieve the
selyes and families now directed the Governor Of
Aysche 10 call upon Mr.. Van Veet who had Just before
left his position Of the editors OF The IPabedr
whose known interest behalf OF the oppressed would
he 20 a sufficient guarantee that he would not re-
eomHend any measure IN ieiatoh 70 uliS man or ms
scheme unless 1t was properly yOuohed for. Before
xhe interview took place between the two took oc-
ssion tosee Mr Van Vcet and request Of him infinitely
% scIa,ize the papers Of M A mi: o. LYME, winch nad
had and the papers presented by the Governor were
regarded satisiactory-eminently so. now pro-
posed 10 the Governor that wGs almost inclined ~
embark In the enterprise myself the affair was put ON
oyernne bass and received the approval OF the same
A new @, ment was now introduced into the move
yent the idea OF tie establishments OF colony slInir
Al character 10 the European agricultural colonies
The proposed plan was readily acceded to by the
Governor. lie now was 10 have q schoohouse, o
Church and the yilage was to be laid out after the
manner Of the Mefr village near TO Tours IN France
for criminal youth. The next thing heard WIS that
te houses already built In Boston ana an ready 70
rhip These houses were 60 arranged that they could
be put I'd or asen down the shortest notice. ana mat
tbe machinery was already contracted Tor, that uc
sbOe plan nov only awaited the sanction oil the ftes'
dent 10 give TO it completeness From tine TO hme
Che Governor called on me. and the plan grew
nere and moro into my favor, PROVIDED IL
A. Of Il last