are herewith transmitted for your information. You are authorized to give to the government of Costa Rica the same explanations which are presented in these notes. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. P. S.-I enclose also a copy of my letter to the Secretary of the Interior, on the subject of colonization. CHARLES N. RIOTTE, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Costa Rica. W. H. S. No. 29.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Riotte. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 9, 1862. SIR: I transmit, for your information, a copy of an instruction of the 30th September, upon the subject of the contemplated colonization of persons of African extraction, addressed by this department to several of the diplomatic agents of the United States accredited to governments of Europe, who have possessions within the tropics. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES N. RIOTTE, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Costa Rica. Although I have not yet received any despatches whatever from the United States, yet judging, from what I read in the papers, that it might become desirable for the government to know at least the views of this government in relation to the colonization of free blacks from the United States in Honduras, I had a conversation with the president upon that subject. "This government is anxious for an immigration of industrious whites," he said, "especially of German emigrants, who have, by their establishment in Costa Rica, done so much to develop the resources and add to the wealth of that country; and we will do everything in our power to induce such an immigration; but an immigration of enfranchised slaves from the United States is not at all desirable. We have had a great deal of trouble on our northern coast, and especially in the bay islands, from the free negro population, which has come there from Jamaica and from Belize, who do not obey the orders of the government, and engage in contraband trade constantly." 66 I replied to him that the only population on the northern coast which I had seen, that had any industry, or activity, or enterprise, were those known as Caribs," but who, in fact, are of African descent, being the descendants of those negroes who were cast away in a slaver on that coast, some sixty years ago, and of those aborigines of St. Vincent's, transferred by the English from that island, about that period. To this the president said that it might be true, but such was not the emigration they desired or could permit, while they would gladly receive a European immigration, or one from the north, as they here call the United States, notwithstanding the prejudices against all immigrants since Walker's raid into Nicaragua. This is undoubtedly the feeling of the country; and I noticed a few weeks since in one of the numbers of the Gazette a paragraph headed "Attention Central Americans," in which the people of this country were warned against the projects, said to be entertained in the United States, of colonizing the emancipated blacks of the District of Columbia in Central America. This I have since found, and annex, marked C. In this connexion, also, I would call the attention of the department to the fact that Mr. John P. Heiss, formerly residing in Washington, as the editor of the Union newspaper there, but now carrying on a manufactory of some sort at Chinandega, near Leon, in Nicaragua, addressed a letter to the president of the republic on the 9th June last, and which was published in the "Boletin de Nicaragua" of the 21st June, warning the president that it was the intention of the present government of the United States to send the slaves, when emancipated, into Central America, and advising the governments of these republics to refuse them admission. A copy of this letter of Heiss's, to which I suppose the American minister resident in Nicaragua has called the attention of the department, will be found marked on the 6th and 7th pages of the enclosed number (58) of the Official Gazette of Honduras. Your obedient servant, JAMES R. PARTRIDGE, United States Minister Resident. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington. From the Honduras Official Gazette, No. 56, July 20, 1862. [Translation.] ATTENTION CENTRAL AMERICANS.-From the Boston Daily Advertiser, No. -, of the 23d April, we take the following extract: "WASHINGTON, April 21, 1862. "A petition to Congress is now signed by a multitude of the negroes of this District to express their high sense of the philanthropic acts which have been undertaken to give freedom to their race. They state to Congress their conviction that this liberty will be injurious to them unless they can emigrate to some other country; to some country which was favorable to their constitutions, and where they could seek, by their own industry, that physical and moral development which would enable them to secure an honorable position among the nations of the earth. Although negroes, and, because of that fact, deprived of the rights of a citizen, their hearts are firmly attached to the soil which gave them birth, &c. "They desire to emigrate to Central America, with the hope of being so protected by the United States that they shall not be entirely excluded from those States; and they desire to bring to the United States that great commerce of the Pacific, which ought to increase by right the riches and power of their common country." No. 8.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Partridge. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 18, 1862. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your very interesting despatch of the 26th August last, No. 11, with its several accompaniments. The objections urged by the government of Honduras in regard to the colonization of persons of African extraction in that republic are regarded as conclusive by this government. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. JAMES R. PARTRIDGE, &c., &c., &c., Honduras. NICARAGUA. No. 27.] Mr. Dickinson to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Leon de Nicaragua, September 12, 1862. SIR: Much anxiety is manifested by the people of this country in regard to the project which seemed to be entertained by the President of the United States of colonizing persons of African descent in Central America. came The people of Nicaragua are very generally opposed to such a scheme, and their opposition seems to be deep-rooted and strong. They manifest as much abhorrence at being placed on a social and political equality with emancipated slaves as do some of the people of our northern States. Although a majority of the population of Nicaragua is more or less colored, the African blood is comparatively trifling. The colored portion is mostly a mixture of the early white adventurers with an aboriginal people, that had made some progress in agriculture and many of the useful arts before the white race among them. The fact that the white blood is so largely mixed with the Indian is not so much a proof that the early whites of this country had different tastes from those that first settled in North America, as it is that the Indians themselves were a more congenial race, and more readily assimilated to the whites than did the northern tribes. The African blood of Nicaragua is mostly confined to the Atlantic shore, among the Mosquito Indians, who have no political power in the government. The people of Nicaragua are proud and sensitive, and by no means devoid of talent. They are extremely jealous of their national character, and feel indignant at the idea of being ranked with the North American negro. It is not the labor that they object to, it is their assumed equality with the African race. As an instance of the excitement which exists on this subject, I quote from a letter written to me by honorable C. N. Riotte, our minister to Costa Rica, under date of 28th August, 1862, as follows: "The last steamer from Central America conveyed us the news of a perfect panic prevailing over Nicaragua and Honduras on account of a dreadful deluge of negro emigration into these two countries from the United States. Permit me to ask you what is at the foundation of these rumors? The contagion of fear has spread already here, and spoiled a project which, for a number of months, I was considering, with the government, with the view of facilitating and securing the establishment of freed negro colonies by an act of congress. I take the liberty of begging your attention to this inquiry at your earliest convenience." This excitement was at first produced, and is now aggravated as much as possible, by the active secession influence which pervades this country. From the first day of my arrival in this republic to the present time, I have been ever watchful and diligent in searching out and making myself acquainted with the nature, extent, and secret springs of this malign influence. I have succeeded in discovering its various agencies, and know how they operate in this country. I have also succeeded in counteracting and controlling them. I have brought the privateer question, which was entirely the work of secessionists, (foremost among whom were my predecessor, and the United States consul,) to a successful issue. In the same manner, I am confident, I shall eventually succeed in controlling this panic, for I have influences at work as sleepless and untiring as they, but in this they have more substantial ground to work upon than they have had on any other question. National jealousy has taken the alarm, and feels insulted at the idea of being classed with a servile race. Paradoxical as it may seem, the colored population are the most violently exercised on the subject. They regard it as the greatest degradation for the country to be overrun with blacks. They feel a sort of pride in being lifted up into a political equality with the white race, but they do not wish to have the national character darkened any more than it is. I do not think that the President of the United States intends anything of the kind, but this is the way it is and will continue to be received here until the idea is distinctly disavowed by the highest authority. The great disturbing question of this country is, which of these races shall maintain the political supremacy? It is a question more intimately and ineradicably engrafted into the social and political system of these states, and even more difficult of solution, than the slavery question in the United States. It is a question in which the whole civilized world, and especially the United States, is most deeply interested, for more than one half of the American con‐ tinent is now peopled by mixed races, one or the other of which must eventually predominate. Surely nothing should be done to crush out the white race from any portion of the chosen home of civilization and free government. Whatever will be productive of this result in Nicaragua will be instantly repelled. Having received no instructions on the subject, and not knowing the precise character or extent of the project in view, I have not deemed it wise, at this time, to do more than to use my personal influence in endeavoring to allay the excitement, and to write the brief notes to this government, copies of which are enclosed. I also ask, your attention to the enclosed copy of my answer to Mr. Riotte, as containing details which time will not permit me to enlarge upon here. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. B. DICKINSON. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State of the United States, Washington, D. C. Legation of the United STATES, SIR: As serious fears seem to be entertained by the people of this country that the President of the United States intends to establish a colony of free colored persons in some part of Central America, I deem it proper to assure this government that no such project will be attempted against the known wishes of the people of these states. I am, sir, with high respect, your excellency's obedient servant, Señor DON PEDro Zeledon, Minister of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Nicaragua. |