Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-10-29
"REMINISCENCES OF LINCOLN.
"A Proposed Colony of American Negroes
In Central America.

n
In Central AJnerica.
1t was proposition of President Lin.
coin to colonize in Central America the
colored people of the border states-.-
Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia,
Maryland and Delaware states which
did not secede, says the Baltimore Sun.
"President Lincoln" said DR.. Morris,
a few days ago, twas native of Ken-
lucky, and while resident of Illinois
during his mature manhood he had Il
good conception of the J. eds of the
negro. ,cGigiuallv ne Iste} bfc Ito
the Wholesale emancipation of the col
ored race-to placing these untutored
people upon their own resources to gain
livelihood. He was opposed to their
return to Liberia or any African coun-
try because they had been thrown in
contact with Anglo-Saxon civilization,
and if the same methods of civilization
should be used by them in Africa they
would st9Tve.
"Mr. Lincoln proposed to colonize
them in Central America, where the
Anglo-Saxon civilization existed, where
fruit and cereals could be raised in
abundance and without much labor,
and where the climate suited race
which for thousands of years had lived
under the piercing rays of the sun al
the equator. Mr.. Lincoln was distrust-
full of the border states, because many
of their most prominent residents, in.
cluding members of congress, were op-
posed to the emancipation of slaves.
That was the situation in 1861 and 1862.
"When the war broke out DR.. Charles
A. Leas, of Baltimore, was consul Mt
Cronstadt, and sent to the state depart.
ment much valuable information bear
ing upon the fitting out Of privateers
in European ports for confederate sery.
ice. These reports ultimately reached
Mr.. Lincoln, who was much impressed
with them. In 1862 DR.. Leas returned
to America and was summoned to Wash.
ington by Mr.. Lincoln. The doctor, dur
ing the administration of President
Pierce, had been stationed as consul at
one of the principal ports in Central
America and was thoroughly familiar
with that territory and the character
and habits of the people. To him Mr.,
Lincoln intrusted the delicate duty Of
negotiating the purchase of sufficient
territory in Central America for the col
onization of the colored people of the
border states. OF course he had moth.
ing to do with the colored people of the
southern states, for those states were
then arrayed against the union. DIR,
Leas went upon his mission, but the
plan was a failure because the war as.
sumed more serious phases at that time
and because every dollar that could 'be
raised h~s - bc sNp5laaed in eqI-S. ing
and maintaining the army tS7n in the
field.
''Just think of the possibilities of the
success of DR.. 1.eas' mission" continued
DR.. Morris. "Had it turned out sue
cessfully we might not now have among
us here in Maryland single native col.
ored man, woman or child 1t is true
they might have come to us from the
south, after the war, but if Mr.. Lin.
coins ideas had been carried to n sue.
cessful issue, as would have been the
case but for the pressure of more mo.
mentous events at the time, the tide oI
negro emigration to the Central Ameri.
can states would have been fully estab.
lished, and there is no doubt that the
colored people of states in arms against
the union would have followed those o.
their race from the border states"
After the war DR.. Leas was for time
a health officer of Baltimore and super
intendent of the house of refuge. II,
married Miss Freusch. He died ter
years ago at his home at Glyndon, Bal
timore county.-Chicago News.