WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 [1862].

Hon. Eli Thayer’s scheme for colonization by armed men of Southern States meets with much favor by the President, Secretary of war and others.  It has been discussed several times in Cabinet meetings, and will probably soon receive formal official sanction.

The project contemplates an expedition of 10,000 colonists enlisted for 6 months and supplies with transportation, subsistence, arms and a guard by the government, whose business it shall be to hold, occupy and possess the public lands of Florida and other lands belonging to rebels, and seized under the law of the last session of Congress for non-payment of direct tax.

Mr. Thayer promises, if allowed to carry out his plan entire, to bring Florida into the Union as a free State by the first February next.  Texas and Virginia are already talked of as States to be subjected to the same process.

This, like the proclamation of this morning, will be another step in the path of a more vigorous policy which the Administration, in its proclamation of freedom, advertised that it should henceforth pursue.

Surgeon General Hammond has returned from the battle-field of Antietam, where he has been stopping at McClellan’s headquarters.  He thinks the whole number of Union killed will come within 1,200, and from a careful inspection of hospitals and lists of those brought off, judges that the wounded will not exceed 6,000.  Maj. Davis, Assistant Inspector General, informed him that he himself had caused to be buried 3,000 of the rebel dead left on the field from which he estimates their wounded to be at least 10,000.

S[u]rgeon General Hammond saw, as a part of the fruits of our victory, twenty-seven standards, which we captured from the rebel regiments, and also reports among our spoils twenty or thirty thousand small arms, mostly those left by the enemy along the line of their retreat.

A man signing himself R. P. Noble communicated to this evening’s Star a statement, which he professes to make on direct information, that Col. Ford did not evacuate Maryland Heights until he had received the fourth and peremptory order from Col. Miles to do so—and besides, his long range ammunition has been exhausted.  He asks a suspension of opinion.

SOURCES:  The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, October 18, 1862, p. 2, the right side of the article was caught be the seam of the bound newspaper volume and torn on the right side of the column leaving only an average of about 3 to 4 words per line. I was able to do a search on Newspapers.com and found the same article in the Muscatine Weekly Journal, Muscatine Iowa, Friday, October 3, 1862 p. 1. It is this article that I have here transcribed.

Gerrit Smith, August 16, 1858

I have often thought that the industrious efforts to persuade the people that I have been untrue to freedom in Kansas, present the most remarkable instances of the success of a lie against the truth. Having done what I could for her in Congress, I came home to do much more for her. My use of men and money to keep slavery out of that territory has been limited only by my ability.

The true history of Kansas is yet to be written. The impression that she has been preserved from the grasp of slavery by the skill of party leaders and by speeches in Congress, is as false as it is common. She has been preserved from it by her own brave spirits and strong arms. To no man living is so much praise due for beating back the tide of border ruffianism and slavery as to my old and dear friend John Brown of Osowatomie. Though he has had at no time under his command more than one hundred and fifty fighting men, yet by his unsurpassed skill and courage he has accomplished wonders for the cause of freedom. Small as have been the armed forces, which have saved Kansas, their maintenance has nevertheless taxed some persons heavily. My eye at this moment is on one merchant in Boston, who has contributed several thousand dollars to this object. What, compared with him, has gaseous oratory, in or out of Congress, done for Kansas?

No man out of Kansas has done so much as Eli Thayer to save her; and no man in Kansas as John Brown — Old John Brown, the fighter. Kansas owes her salvation to no party — to no speeches and no votes either in Congress or elsewhere. She owes it to her ample preparations to repel by physical force the aggressions of slavery. She believed slavery to be a pirate — the superlative pirate; and she prepared herself to deal with it in just that common sense way that every persistent pirate is to be dealt with.

SOURCE: Octavius Brooks Frothingham, Gerrit Smith: A Biography, p. 233-4

Diary of Gideon Welles: Friday, December 26, 1862

Some talk in Cabinet of Thayer's scheme of emigration to Florida.¹

Blair read his opinion of the proposition for making a new State of Western Virginia. His views correspond with mine, but are abler and more elaborately stated. Mr. Bates read a portion of his opinion on the constitutional point, which appeared to me decisive and conclusive. The President has called for opinions from each of his Cabinet. I had the first rough draft of mine in my pocket, though not entirely copied. Chase said his was completed, but he had not brought it with him. Seward said he was wholly unprepared. Stanton assured the President he would be ready with his in season. The President said it would answer his purpose if the opinions of each were handed in on or before Tuesday.

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¹ This was a proposal to colonize Florida with loyal citizens from the North. Its author was Eli Thayer, whose Emigrant Aid Company had been largely instrumental in making Kansas a Free State. He afterwards advocated it in a public speech at the Cooper Institute, New York, February 7, 1863.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 206-7

Ethan Allen & Thomas Wheelock to John Brown, April 20, 1857

Worcester, April 20, 1857.

John Brown, Esq.

Dear Sir, — Your letter to Mr. Thayer was handed us by him with the twenty dollars, and in reply would say that we are very sorry we cannot send you the sample revolvers, owing to great delay in some of our work, etc. We shall not be able to supply you with any at present, and recommend that yon obtain Colt's pistols for your immediate use. We will send you one or more as soon as we can get them ready, if we can know where to send them, and would then be glad to supply you with what you may want. We have got the large gun ready; and at the request of Mr. Thayer we have been and got the cannon and brought it here; and are waiting for the rifle and pistols that you wrote were to be sent from Dr. Howe, on the receipt of which we shall forward them, together with the cannon, rifles, etc., as you directed; which we hope will be safely received in due time.

Yours truly,

Allen & Wheelock.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 383

Congressman Eli Thayer to John Brown, April 17, 1857

April 17, 1857.

Friend Brown, — I have received your letter containing twenty dollars, and have given it over with contents to Allen & Wheelock, who will attend to your requests. I shall leave to-night for New York City, and may not be back again to look after the things. Please send any directions you wish to Allen & Wheelock. The Boston people have done nobly, especially Mr. Stearns. Dr. Howe has not forwarded the articles named in your letter. As soon as received, I will place them in the hands of Allen & Wheelock. I thought it best to give them your letters, so that they might attend to your requests understandingly. They will be secret.

Will you allow me to suggest a name for your company? I should call them “the Neighbors,” from Luke, tenth chapter: “Which thinkest thou was neighbor to him who fell among thieves?”

Our Virginia scheme is gaining strength wonderfully.¹ Every mail brings me offers of land and men. The press universally favors it, — that is, so far as we care for favor. It is bound to go ahead. You must have a home in Western Virginia.

Very truly your friend,

Eli Thayer.

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¹ Lest it should he thought that this refers to Brown's plan for compulsory emancipation (which was not then disclosed), I hasten to say that this “Virginia scheme” was a combination of political campaigning and land speculation, which Mr. Thayer had originated and put in motion at a place named by him Ceredo, in West Virginia.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 383

Congressman Eli Thayer to Messrs. Ethan Allen & Thomas Wheelock, April 4, 1857

April 4, 1857.

Messrs. Allen & Wheelock, — Captain Brown wishes to get a cannon and rifle which I have given him so sighted as to secure accuracy. I hope you will attend to his wishes.

Truly yours,

Eli Thayer.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 382

John Brown to Congressman Eli Thayer, April 16, 1857

Springfield, Mass., April 16, 1857.

Hon. Eli Thayer.

My Dear Sir, — I am advised that one of “Uncle Sam's hounds is on my track;” and I have kept myself hid for a few days to let my track get cold. I have no idea of being taken, and intend (if God will) to go back with irons in rather than upon my hands. Now, my dear sir, let me ask you to have Mr. Allen & Co. send me by express one or two navy-sized revolvers as soon as may be, together with his best cash terms (he warranting them) by the hundred with good moulds, flasks, etc. I wish the sample pistols sent to John (not Captain) Brown, care of Massasoit House, Springfield, Mass. I now enclose twenty dollars towards repairs done for me and revolvers; the balance I will send as soon as I get the bill. I have written to have Dr. Howe send you by express a rifle and two pistols, which with the guns you gave me and fixings, together with the rifle given me by Mr. Allen & Co., I wish them to pack in a suitable strong box, perfectly safe, directing to J. B., care of Orson M. Oviatt, Esq., Cleveland, Ohio, as freight, to keep dry. For box, trouble, and packing I will pay when I get the bill. I wish the box very plainly marked, and forwarded to Cleveland, as soon as you receive the articles from Dr. Howe. I got a fine list in Boston the other day, and hope Worcester will not be entirely behind. I do not mean you or Mr. Allen & Co.

Very respectfully your friend,

John Brown.

P. S. Direct all letters and bills to care of Massasoit House. Please acknowledge.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 382

Congressman Eli Thayer to John Brown, March 30, 1857

Worcester, March 30, 1857.

Captain Brown, — I have received your letter from Easton, Penn. Some of the men engaged in the Virginia scheme care nothing for slavery or antislavery but to make money. Of course such will do nothing for Kansas; but most of us have been doing, and shall continue to do, till the thing is settled. We have not the remotest idea of relinquishing Kansas, — not at all. I have just seen Mr. Higginsou, and he informs me that our county committee will let you have fifty dollars. Perhaps, also, something will be raised by subscription, — I gave the papers to Mr. Higginson. He will write to you. Please let me know when you are coming this way. Do not pay postage on your letter to me, — let Uncle Sam do his part.

Truly yours,

Eli Thayer.¹

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¹ This letter is indorsed by John Brown, “Hon. Eli Thayer. Answered 1st April,” — which was soon after Brown's return from a visit he had made with Martin Conway and myself to Governor Reeder at his home at Easton, in the hope of persuading him to go back and take the lead of the Free-State men in Kansas in place of Robinson, who had lost the confidence of the people.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 381

Congressman Eli Thayer to John Brown, March 19, 1857

Worcester, March 19, 1857.

Friend Brown, — I have seen some of our friends to-day, and they say you had better come here next Monday. There is to be an antislavery meeting in the evening, and I think it will be a very good time for you to present your cause, — which is the Free-State cause of Kansas, which is the cause of mankind. I shall expect you to do me the favor of stopping at my house.

Truly yours,

Eli Thayer.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 380

Congressman Eli Thayer to John Brown, March 18, 1857

Worcester, March 18, 1857.

Friend Brown, — I have just returned from Albany, and find your favor of the 16th. I am glad you had a good meeting at Concord, — as I knew you would have, for the blood of heroes is not extinct in that locality. I will see some of our friends here to-morrow, and we will decide at once about your speaking here. If you are to speak, you will do well to be here a day or two in advance, and converse with some of our citizens. I will write you again to-morrow.

Truly yours,

Eli Thayer.

SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and Letters of John Brown, p. 380

Diary of Salmon P. Chase: Wednesday, September 24, 1862

The President called a special meeting of the Cabinet to-day, and asked our judgments on two questions:

First, as to the expediency of Treaties with Governments desiring their immigration, for voluntary colonization of blacks.

Second, As to the proper answer to be returned to the letter from John Ross, excusing the Treaty of the Cherokees with the Rebels, and asking the protection of the United States and the fulfilment of old Treaties.

On the first question, there was the usual diversity of opinion. I not thinking Colonization in its self desirable, except as a means of getting a foothold in Central America,¹ thought no Treaties expedient; but simple arrangements, under the legislation of Congress by which any person who might choose to emigrate, would be secured in such advantages as might be offered them by other States or Governments. Seward rather favored Treaties, but evidently did not think much of the wisdom of any measures for sending out of the country laborers needed here. The President asked us to think of the subject, and be ready to express our opinions when we next come together.

As to the Cherokee question there seemed to be a general concurrence that no new pledges should be given them but that, at the end of the war, their condition and relation to the United States should have just consideration.

After Cabinet, went with Stanton to War Department, and laid before him sundry applications for positions, with such verbal support as I thought due to them. Returning to the Department, I found there young Mr. Walley, and gave him an earnest recommendation to Stanton; and was surprised, an hour or so after, to receive a note from him thanking me for my kindness, but saying that Mr. Stanton told him there was no likelihood of his receiving an appointment; and that he was going to enlist as a private. Wrote note to Mr. Walley (his father) expressing my regret.

Nothing at Department but routine — except direction to Cisco to receive deposits of gold, and a call from Eli Thayer about his project for colonizing East Florida, with which I sympathize.

Had proposed to Genl. Garfield to take him over and call on Genl. Hooker, but it rained and he did not come. After dinner, however, the sky cleared some what, and Katie and I rode out and called on him. He was still improving.

An hour or two after our return, a band of music, which had just serenaded the President by way of congratulation on the Proclamation, came to my house and demanded a speech — with which demand I complied briefly. Gen. Clay, who was with me, responded more at length. After the crowd had passed on, Gen. Clay, Mr. Clark, of Mercer, Penna., Genl. Robinson, of Pittsburgh, and Mr. Wm. D. Lewis, of Philadelphia, came in and spent a little time with me.

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¹ Chase, like Seward, contemplated the expansion of the United States southward to the Isthmus. See his letter to James H. Smith, May 8, 1849.

SOURCE: Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 92-4