James G. Birney to Frederick Douglass, October 1, 1852
Emigration or Colonization.
Mr. Editor:—Your correspondent, Philo-Africanus, in No. 246 of your paper, is, in my judgment, in favor of African emigration. In this I think he is right; for African emigration, colonization, call it what you will, ought to be held as an open subject by those to whom it is particularly directed. They who, on mature reflection, embrace it, ought not to be ostracised by their brethren here, because they have done so; it much resembles a sectarian pressure, or a denial of the right of Free Discussion about which we so justly and loudly complain.
Some years ago, with many others, I thought that the emancipation of the slaves among us would be aided by the free people of color remaining in this country—that their increasing privileges and consideration in the Free States—for I then supposed that they all were favorable to emancipation—would elevate the slave, give him a higher self-respect, and, in the end, contribute to his liberation. In these expectations, I am free to confess I have been altogether disappointed. Those free States where the people of color could most easily settle, united almost uniformly in their oppression Indiana has gone so far as to make their exclusion a matter of constitutional provision.
Thus a change took place in those very circumstances in which my former opinion originated, and which gave it complexion. —With this change, it, also, changed; and I became, and am now, the favorer of voluntary emigration to Liberia.
Let it not be supposed that I do not think our country large enough, or that the principles of our government are not sufficiently comprehensive to embrace in all. Let such absurdity be far from me, for in both respects we have the most ample provision. No, it is not this. It is nothing but the oppressive treatment of the colored people by the whites—one that has kept even pace with every attempt permanently to benefit them, and one which, I apprehend, will be continued and aggravated till they consent to emigrate. Education, mental improvement, &c., &c., has been advised by worthy men, to counteract this pressure. But this, even if accompanied with the most modest and unassuming deportment, seems not to produce the slightest effect. It seems, indeed, to exacerbate the matter, and that in proportion as a colored man's recommendation to consideration are high, so is he insulted and degraded. I could summon no more competent witness than yourself to prove the truth of my statement. Except near home, and with your friends, to whom you are personally known, there is not a scape-grace of a landlord, or a vulgar manager of a public conveyance who may not say and do the most offensive things to you with perfect impunity. And such is the state of public opinion, that any redress is out of the question.
It is a prevalent opinion that the free colored people should settle down in Canada. I have many reasons against their doing so, but chiefly because a similar prejudice against the colored man exists there that we see here, it is but a dependency of another government, while its own government, as well as the home government, is conducted by whites entirely.
The same reasons would induce me to advise them not to remove to the British West Indies. Besides this, too, those islands are much in debt, and if payment is ever made, it must, in some way, come out of the labor of the country.
Liberia is a free republic. Her independence has been recognized by the principal governments of Europe, and she has no more political connexion with this country than France or England has. The black or colored man has entire control of the country, white men being prohibited from settling in it. Now, allowing whatever can be fairly said against it as a new country; as an equatorial one; as having many rude and unpolished people; as a country whose first settlement is nearly always attended by disease, often with death; allowing, I say, all these things, they are but as the dust of the balance, when Liberty is the prize.
Let us look at one fact, that we may see to what absurd length the Colonization scheme, or indeed of any scheme, may carry us. The colored people of the North are encouraged; and if I mistake not, there is a society for this purpose to go to California—a State of this Union, where they are as much degraded and oppressed as they are in any other free State of it; whilst they are discouraged from removing to Liberia, a separate and independent government, from the one which oppresses and degrades them; where the colored man bears away, both publicly and socially; and where he can fill, without impediment, any station in Church or State, for which his talents and learning fit him.
These points, which are here only hinted at, and others looking to the same end, are much, and, as I think, satisfactorily elaborated in a pamphlet I published last winter. I have seen no reason to distrust a single portion assumed in it: indeed, the events that have taken place since, tend to confirm them. This pamphlet probably gave Philo-Africanus my opinion about African emigration; but how he got from it—if he did get it there—the notion of a compromise, new or old, I cannot tell. No such thing was intended to be maintained in it, for I look on compromises as requiring us to expurgate from our opinions some truth, and in place of it insert something else that seems like truth, but which, at bottom, is not. How an intelligent Christian can enter into one, if I have given a right view of them, I do not see. God having conferred us a greater damnation over ourselves, than any one else can have, we are called on always to intend doing right, whatever others may do. In all countries, compromises have been made subservient to keeping party leaders in power; but it has been by the sacrifice of the weak, particularly of the colored people in the United States.—You will readily suppose, then, Mr. Douglass, that I do not receive as true Mr. Macaulay's dogma of compromises.
To cut a long story short, Mr. Editor, and to sum up all in a few words, I wish the emigration subject, whether emigration be to Canada or to the British West Indies, or to Africa, or to anywhere else, or not at all, to be discussed by the colored people, to whom it is addressed, and by their friends in a calm, fearless, unprejudiced and reasonable manner. If MAN was making choise of a religion, it would seem to be as proper to exclude Christianity, in all its forms, from the discussion, as to exclude emigration from the free colored people. Now, the bound of the lion is kept under by the noisy barking of a foist.
James G. Birney.