Crisp-Lee-Wilcox County GaArchives History .....SEGRATION OF THE NEGRO ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: WYLIE SHEPPARD JR http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00030.html#0007303 September 6, 2012, 3:39 pm PRESIDENT LINCOLN IN HIS EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION EVIDENTLY HAD IN MIND TO COLONIZE OR SEGREGATE THE SLAVES IF FREED. IT IS MY PURPOSE TO COLONIZE PERSONS OF AFRICAN DESCENT,WITH THEIR CONSENT, UPON THIS CONTINENT OR ELSEWHERE, WITH THE PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED CONSENT OF THE GOVERNMENT EXISTING THERE." "FROM THE TIME OF HIS ELECTION AS PRESIDENT HE WAS STRIVING TO FIND SOME MEANS OF COLONIZING THE NEGROES. AN EXPERIMENT HAD BEEN MADE OF SENDING THEM TO LIBERIA, BUT IT WAS A FAILURE, AND HE WISHED TO TRY ANOTHER COLONY, HOPING THAT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL. HE SENT ONE COLONY TO COW ISLAND UNDER KOCH AS OVERSEER, BUT HE PROVED TO BE VERY CRUEL TO THE NEGROES AND THEY BEGGED TO RETURN. HE THEN ASKED FOR AN APPROPRIATION OF MONEY FROM CONGRESS TO PURCHASE LAND IN CENTRAL AMERICA BUT CENTRAL AMERICA REFUSED TO SELL AND SAID 'DON'T SEND THE NEGROES HERE.' THE NORTH SAID DO NOT SEND THE NEGROES HERE.' " IT WAS AGREED THEN THAT A BLACK TERRITORY SHOULD BE SET APART FOR THE SEGREGATION OF THE NEGROES IN TEXAS, MISSISSIPPI, AND SOUTH CAROLINA-- BUT LINCOLN WAS UNHAPPY, AND IN DESPAIR --HE ASKED BEN BUTLER'S ADVICE, SAYING: IF WE TURN 200,000 ARMED NEGROES IN THE SOUTH, AMONG THEIR FORMER OWNERS, FROM WHOM WE HAVE TAKEN THEIR ARMS, IT WILL INEVITABLY LEAD TO RACE WAR. IT CAN NOT BE DONE. THE NEGROES MUST BE GOTTEN RID OF. BEN BUTLER SAID,'WHY NOT SEND THEM TO PANAMA TO DIG THE CANAL!'( SEE BUTLER'S BOOK.) LINCOLN WAS DELIGHTED AT THE SUGGESTION, AND ASKED BUTLER TO CONSULT SEWARD AT ONCE. ONLY A FEW DAYS LATER JOHN WILKES BOOTH ASSASSINATED LINCOLN AND ONE OF HIS CONSPIRATORS WOUNDED SEWARD.WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT HAD LINCOLN LIVED CAN NOT BE ESTIMATED. THE POOR NEGROES WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN SENT TO THAT PLACE OF YELLOW FEVER AND MALARIAL DANGERS TO PERISH FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH, FOR HE HAD NO GORGES OF ALABAMA TO STUDY OUR SANITARY LAWS FOR THEM AT THAT TIME. Additional Comments: GOOD PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/crisp/history/other/segratio794gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 2.5 Kb