The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-24
INITIATES THAT HE HAS
 BEEN DONE AN INJUSTICE
Many Views Attributed to Him Which the Alabamian Says He Does Not Entertain-Diseusses Negro
 Question at Length.
C ENAToR JOHN T. MORGAN

| @N sends the following letter to V The Age-Herald from Wash
 ington, in answer to criticisms
 upon views imputed to him on the
 subject of colonizing negroes in the Philippines. The senator expresses himself forcibly and pays his respects to those who attribute to him views which he does not entertain and ex- pressions not made use of by him:
 Washington, D. C., Dec. 12. 1902. To the Editor of the Age-Herald:
 In the issue of December 19 find the following:
 Washington Special in Times-Democrat.
 Senator Morgan's proposition of coloni- zation of our "black and tam popula- tion in the Philippines has created great deal of talk among Southern con 1 gressmen. His colleague, Senator Pettus, disapproVes of the idea very tersely.
 Tt is visionary" said the senator to- day. Ut would take all the ships in the world to transport our negro fellow-citi- zens, even if it were not against the law. We have no right to move citizens out of the country against their consent. Be- sides, the government hasn't the money and never will have"
 Not having presented to the senate. or to any one, a plan for colonizing negroes in the Philippines, I think the liberal criticisms indulged in respect of plan that is imputed to me, are decisive proof that very earnest consideration is l being given to some plan to enable, if not to induce, the negroes to migrate to a country that is the native land of their race, either in Africa or in the Phil- ippine archipelago.
 have thought of this subject and have made some inquiries about it. because 1t is evident that 1t must be a very serious question in the immediate future
 do not see how I could refuse to think 1 or inquire about matter of such great consequence to our people-a question that does not fail to excite the deepest interest of all classes, and, most of all, in those homes of our people where ne- groes have never been welcome either as slaves or as associates.
 I have reached only one settled conclus- ion. the result of my investigations: It is that the white race and the negro race can never live in peace and con tentment in the same country, unless the ! 1t or to a social and political condition that is the equivalent Of slavery. I am afraid of that condition in our country, and am convinced that it can only be sustain ed at the expense of serious harm to both races.
 believe that, In this opinion, agree with almost every person, black ana white. who Is capable of devoting anyj real thought to the subject, and with| many millions. who by intuition, feel thaH' | 1t is true. I am very far from being alone in these opinions; neither am I solitary in the belief that some remedy will be found for this perilous situation. am anxious that the remedy shouldQ be peaceful, just and satisfactory to bak races. If it is not entirely volunta on the part of negro race, as to measure of emigration, 1t will be unls full, as my great colleague seemstto suggested.
 If it Is voluntary, it will only be to some country that is inviting to the ne- gro race; for we cannot, in justice, or honor, select for them country to which | they shall be banished; and no princi- | pie of our government permits the ban ishment of any citizen of the United States, even as a penalty for crime. | l have always thought that the coun- tries that God gave to the negro race, would be the best for their development | into the full stature of moral mental and | physical power and responsibility that was the divine purpose of their crea- | ton
 With this conviction to support my ef- fort to reopen to the negroes the door of their native homestead from which they had been sold into banishment by their kindred, and abducted through our Anglo Saxon sin of covetousness, I presented to the senate about 1880 a resolution to rec ognize "The Free State of tte Congo" as a power among the nations cf the earth This followed immediately upon the re- port of Stanley the great explorer who had revealed the Congo river and the many millions of the better class of ne- groes that inhabited its splendid waten shed, to the more civilized world undej the patronage of the New York Heralf
 Congress adopted the resolution and free state was founded in Africa, whio has received the recognition of all t great powers of the world and has be annexed to the crown of Belgium. It iI free fin the sense that slavery canno| exist there, and 1t will be an independent republic when the American-born negroe choose to make it such.
 This was the ultimate purpose I h. in view.
 When the war for the independence Cuba ended and the capture of the PI ippines, which was an indispensable d of the strategy of that conflict forced question upon the United States, whe1 we should return that archipelaee Spain or should annex 1t, I voted, my colleague for the alternative o1 nexation.
 Tn that vote had the satisfacti feel at least that another native la the negro race would be placed the flag of the United States, an if they should choose to emigra could do so and still retain thd