1372. COLONY (Penal), Establishment of.—
Questions would arise whether the establishment
of a [negro penal] colony [86]
within
our limits, and to become a part of our
Union, would be desirable to the State of
Virginia itself, or to other States—especially
those who would be in its vicinity.
Could we procure lands beyond the limits
of the United States to form a receptacle
for these people? On our northern boundary,
the country not occupied by British subjects,
is the property of Indian nations, whose title
would have to be extinguished, with the consent
of Great Britain; and the new settlers
would be British subjects. It is hardly to be believed
that either Great Britain or the Indian
proprietors have so disinterested a regard
for us, as to be willing to relive us, by
receiving such a colony themselves. * * *
On our western and southern frontiers, Spain
holds an immense country, the occupancy of
which, however, is in the Indian natives, except
a few insulated spots possessed by Spanish
subjects. It is very questionable, indeed,
whether the Indians would sell? whether
Spain would be willing to receive these people?
and nearly certain that she would not
alienate the sovereignty. The same question
to ourselves would recur here also, as did
in the first case: should we be willing to have
such a colony in contact with us? However
our present interests may restrain us within
our own limits, it is impossible not to look
forward to distant times, when our rapid
multiplication will expand itself beyond those
limits, and cover the whole northern, if not
the southern continent, with a people speaking
the same language, governed in similar
forms, and by similar laws; nor can we contemplate
with satisfaction either blot or mixture
on that surface. Spain, France, and
Portugal hold possessions on the southern
continent, as to which I am not well enough
informed to say how far they might meet our
views. But either there or in the northern
continent, should the constituted authorities
of Virginia fix their attention, of preference,
I will have the dispositions of those powers
sounded in the first instance.—
To James Monroe. Washington ed. iv, 420.
Ford ed., viii, 104.
(W.
1801)
