WASHINGTON, [D. C.],
December 19, 1850.
MY DEAR SIR: I am
very much obliged to you for your kind letter and attention to the subject
which I brought under your consideration when we last met.
The communications
which I had received from my Government at that time inclosed some
correspondence from a resident at Jamaica, stating his belief that the House of
Assembly of that Island would be disposed to offer small grants of land to
immigrants of color, and to defray a portion of the expense of their transit from
the United States.
This person moreover
stated that he believed that many slave proprietors in this country would be
willing to manumit their slaves if they were sure of being able thus to dispose
of them.
Her Majesty's
Government however, expressed no distinct opinion on these subjects; but
requested me to obtain information as to the feeling of the slave proprietors
of the Southern States, with respect to giving liberty to their slaves, and
with respect to sending negroes who had received their freedom, to any foreign
country where they would be sure of good treatment, observing that if the
substance of the correspondence forwarded to me were correct, arrangements
might probably be made for receiving such persons as those alluded to, in the
British West Indies: and by another communication received, I was instructed to
ask for any farther information I might require from H[er] M[ajesty]'s
Gov[ernmen]t in order to deal practically with this question. In reply to the
above mentioned communications, I stated that I did not think that emancipation
of negroes for the purpose of their emigration to the West Indies would be
carried to any great extent, but that I did believe that there was a
disposition on the part of the Slaveholding states to get rid of their present
free negro population and I observed that I should endeavour to ascertain from
persons well qualified to give me an opinion on the subject, the regulations
under which such an arrangement could be made, whilst in the meantime I
suggested that if the Colonies in question passed any law securing a tolerable
existence to free negroes emigrating thereto, such a law would obtain attention
here; and that it was probable that the Legislature of the Southern States
would adopt measures for facilitating the egress of the free portion of their
colored population.
In this position the
question now remains, Her Majesty's Gov[ernmen]t probably waiting for farther
information from me; and such information I should very much desire to obtain
from you.
Indeed I would
observe that before I could make any suggestions to you on this subject, I
should have to refer again to Her Majesty's Gov[ernmen]t, which would have to
refer to the authorities at Jamaica, and on receiving their opinion, would have
again to communicate with me, when the proposals would have to be discussed
here and if any alterations were then necessary, further proceedings of the
same dilatory character, would be required: Whereas if you could furnish me
with a plan for some arrangement that would suit you, this would immediately
receive the attention of Her Majesty's Gov[ernmen]t and that of the Legislature
of Jamaica; and either be settled at once there or if any modification were
necessary, transmitted thence hither, and arranged between us in a very short
space of time.
Will you therefore
consider of this matter and come and dine with me here on the 29th inst. (since
I may be absence during the holidays) at 6 o'clock in a quiet way, and we will
then talk over and come to some determination with respect to it?
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