Year: 1860

to the States they are sent to defend.--
1t seems to me to be bad policy that
would compel us to depend upon other
nations for a right Of way to our own
possessions and our own homes, when
we can have such way within our own
limits.


\ grea, central trunk route, with
branches n. either end TO accommodate all
parts Of our county, both upon the At
lantic and Pacific, would meet our wants
and commend itsef to the sound sense
aud calm jud sment Of our people. | al
so recommend that YOU memoirize Con.
gress in favor of that measure.


There is one aspect of tho vexnd and
exciting question of slavery to which l
wish to direct your attention, as one up.
on which perhaps our whole country can
harmonize. Recent events in Virginia


have drawn the attention of Southern
brethren to the danger surrounding thom


by reason Of the great number CT free
coIored people among them in contact
with their slaves, and the excitement Of
the moment has caused some Of the State
! lL'S 'NidiuiSs scIiOuSis " 1't'i'"i" NV
terrible proposition to corpcl this untor-
tunatc people either to become involun.
tary exles from the land of their birth
or to become slaves The rcpncnance,
the prejudice, if you will, Of the people
Of the free States, especially OF the
northwestern States, against allowing
any large influx of these unfortunatcS
among them, is well known and must be
! needed by those who make laws for those
States. The dangers aud difficulties at.
tendant upon the presence OF free color
ed people in a slavcholding community
prevent emancipation by many who
would otherwise gladly set free their
the passage of laws prohibiting or great
! ly hindcring emancipation. Indeed these
daI gers and difficulties are to-day the
] great hindrance to the abolition of slave
ry in and by the slave States, and the
apprehcnded danger that, in case the
Southern States should abolish slavery,
the free States would at once be overrun
by the ignorant slaves just manumittcd,
is skillfully used by the partisan polite
iaus among us to reconcile the North
crn mind to the extension of slavery in
other directions. Moved by these con
sidcrations deem it my duty to recon-
mend to your careful and favorable con-
sideration plan for the colonization of
the free colored population OF our coun.
try in Central or South America, under
the protection of our General Govern
ment, brought forward in the Congress
of the United States, by member of
that body from the State Of Missouri,
with the view that, if the measure shall
! meet your appreciation. you may mcmor-
ializc Congress in its favor The sub
stance o: this plan as subsequently pre-
sented in the L. $ Senate by one of the
Senators from Wisconsin, j., that our
Government shall by treaty with some 0:
the Central or South American govern
ments to acquire 1.-The ng!,ts aud privii-
eges of settlement and Of citizenship for
the benefit Of such persons of color of At
riean descent as may voluntarily desire
to emigrate from the United States and
form themselves into a COLONY or colonies
under the laws or the State or States 20
which they may emlgrate. the United
States. in consideration Of the CONNER
cial advantages of free trade with such
colony OF colonies, making and securing
the necessary and proper engagements TO
maintain them in the enjoyment Of the
rights and privileges acquired by such
treaty or treaties" The colonization of
tbs unfortunate race in some country
peculiarly adapted by climate and pro-
duction to their use and occupation, has
long been favor to scheme with 4 large
portion Of the people in all sections of
our country, and until time and expert
cnce had shown the operations of the SO.
ciety which proposed to culonizc them in
their native country, to be, BY reason Of
for relieving our country Of the vast num-
bers Of these people among US, that svci-
ETY. received, as 1t Justly deserved,
great degree or public favor. That the
operations of that society have produced
and will produce great good to Africa
have no doubt; and shall rejoice to see
its ability for usefulness largely extend
cd. But experience has shown i, to be
wholly inefficient as a means Of removing
from among us this large aud rapidly
increasing population Colonization in
Central or South America, by means Of
the proximity of the proposed colonies,
would be much less expensive. and there.
fore more effective, and if the General
Government, supported by the several
States, should take the matter in hand
with earnestness and zeal, it seems to me
that we might congratulate ourselves up
on having done work that would not
only be productive Of Il great good to
ourselves, but also enable us to com
mencc the payment Of that vast and ac-
cumulatcd debt We owe this wronged aud
unfortunate race. and which would, per-
haps enable Us to see the beginning OF
the most desirable end. when our land
will be in truth "the land of the free"
as it has been and is ''the home of the
brave


In conclusion, permit me to say that
although our political horizon is not
unclouded, although anger and jealousy
have to some extent taken the place of
brotherly kindness and good will among
our people, although some men occupy
ing high position under our Federal and
in some of our State governments, lntu- .
cnced by pride and passion, utter sentl- ,