Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-16
FAILURE OF THE NEGRO COLONY IN
HAYTI.

The Washington Republican give the fol-
lowing ''ti.-bit' of history touching the
negro colony seat out to Hayti about three
years ago at the expense Of the Govern
ment. 1t is not little surprising that the
'hero race" should come to want in the very
garden spot Of the world:
The expectation of four hundred and fifty
three freed negroes in 1868 TO the Isle
NVache, Hayti, will be remembered by our
readers. Congress had made an appropria-
ton the. previous year for colonization, and
placed it in the hands of Mr.. Lincoln. In
April. 1863, Messrs. Paul S. Forbes and
Charles X. Tuckerman made a contract
with Secretary Usher fer the deportation Of
such colonis.s at fifty dollars each. The en-
terprise was failure; its specifications, so
far as a guarantee Of a support for five years
from the Haytien Government was con-
cerned, could not be fulfilled; the emigrants
became dissatisfied, and finally refused all
oyertures for contracts for labor, and were
eventually brought back, after some delay,
at much expense.
On Tuesday, in the Senate, a petition was
presented by Mr.. Tuckerman for the appro-
priation Of the sum agreed upon, with an
equitable allowance for expenses of delay
and return Of the colonists, made necessary
by circumstances beyond the control of con-
tractors. He gives an account OF the cost OF
the expedition, which foots up the round
sum of $4,000. He states that "reim-
bursement Of the expenses Of the transpOr-
tation has not yet been made to them, be-
cause Of the inability of the Haytien Gov
eminent to comply with one of the require
ments Of the contract-that the Haytien
Government was required TO furnish guar
antee that these emigrants should not, for a
period of FIVE years, come TO want-and this
the authorities declined on the ground that
special legislation would be required, and
that such discrimination on behalf a special
class would probably cause jealousy and
bloodshed, and certainly would lead to di-
sastrous results.
There is evidence to be found in this state
ment that the country of Hayti is not well
adapted to the constitution and wants of the
negro, or that with reasonable industry it
could not be a profitable home for them.
The colony failed for the very simple reason
that the negroes very correctly regarded
themselves as the specific pets of the Fede-
raj Government, who had undertaken their
guardianship, promising them five years OF
sumptuous living and freedom from labor.
The plan has not worked well. The appro-
priation gave out. The Haytien Govern
ment, lift ever made so foolish an agreement
as specified, was unwilling to keep them upon
those terms, and they have very naturally
returned TO their old home to starve on the
rich bounty Sumner, Stevens & Co. are pre-
pairing for them.
1t would be greatly to the interestso of the
blacks, as well as of the whites, to settle
them in a country to themselves; and we
have no doubt that a suitable country could
be found; but in the present temper of the
Northern mind it would be folly to talk OF
such a thing. They will consent to nothing
that favors the idea that this is any more a
government for white men than Cor negroes.
Time however, will bring about changes
in this respect. Reason will assert itself
eventually, and it will then seem astonish-
ing that any controlling body of men could
ever have advanced the idea that this was
not peculiarly a white mans Government,
founded by them, for their own special adj
vancement, and in which all inferior races
would be held subordinate, and governed
within their proper sphere.
The time will come, in our Judgment,
when the true philanthropist, respecting
the welfare of both races, will feel that il is
an imperative duty to colonize the black
people in a country of their own, even if
their inability to govern and take care of
themselves should require the fostering care
of the more favored races. And the sooner
the American people awaken 10 realiza-
ton of this fact, the better it will be for
both the whites and the blacks.