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these facts have reached the knowledge of everybody through the medium of the newspapers; but not on that account have they failed to acquire that degree of notoriety, authenticity, and certainty, which, in the opinion of the undersigned, entitled them to be considered as beyond doubt. However, the undersigned allowed twelve days to pass after the publication of the speech, which was said to have been delivered by his excellency the President on the 14th of last month; but not having been contradicted during all that time, it seemed to the undersigned that the fact was unquestionable, and that, being so, it was entitled to such consideration as its importance demanded. In regard to having attributed to his excellency the President the purpose of colonizing persons of color in Guatemala and in Salvador, without the consent of those governments, the undersigned protests that he had no intention of offering this insult to the chief of this republic, but that he merely endeavored to make known in advance to this government that, as respects those two republics, such colonization cannot take place, because it does not suit the views of those governments. There it is desired to have, as in these United States, colonists of a different class, who may have had a more liberal education than can be acquired in a state of slavery. In proof of what is said, the undersigned has the honor to communicate to his excellency the Secretary of State that he has received, by the last steamer which brought letters from Central America, a despatch from the minister of foreign relations of Salvador, in which, transcribing the official note of the minister of foreign relations of Nicaragua, a copy of which is annexed, he orders the undersigned to take suitable steps towards averting from Central America the evils which are apprehended there from such a colonization. His excellency the Secretary of State of the United States will thus perceive that if the undersigned had not addressed to him the note of the 26th ultimo, in relation to this matter, he would now find himself under the necessity of doing so in compliance with the orders which he has received from the government of Salvador, embracing the wishes of the government of Nicaragua.

The undersigned does not doubt that the government which he represents, as well as all the others of Central America, will be fully satisfied with the equity and justice which are manifested by this administration, at the conclusion of the note of his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States, in which he declares that at no time will this government proceed to carry into effect any colonization without the previous consent of the authorities of those countries; nor was less to be expected from a government which professes the principle of respecting the unquestionable rights of all nations, without making any difference between the most and the least powerful.

On this occasion the undersigned has the honor to repeat to his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States of America the assurances of his highest consideration.

His Excellency WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

A. J. DE YRISARRI.

Secretary of State of the United States of America, &c., &c., &c.

[Translation.]

SECRETARYSHIP OF FOREIGN RELATIONS OF SALVADOR-NICARAGUA, secreTARYSHIP OF FOREIGN RELATIONS.

NATIONAL PALACE, Managua, July 29, 1862. Mr. MINISTER: Since news was received in this republic of the authority which the Congress of the United States has given to the Executive to transport, at their expense, the liberated negroes to a point beyond that republic, and

to establish them under the protection of the said United States, his excellency the president of this republic, discovering that the introduction of such elements into our territory would be lamentable and dangerous, both on account of the degradation of that race and of the number much exceeding that of our population, and, what is more, on account of its being under the special protection of another nation, has ordered its minister in the United States to be instructed to openly make known the opposition of this government to every undertaking of this nature on the territory of Nicaragua.

But as the admission of an establishment of this kind into any of them, or the introduction of free negroes would have the same inconveniences for the other states of Central America as for Nicaragua, his excellency the president, wishing to come to an understanding with the other governments of this section of America, has directed me to make known its opinion to them, hoping that if it is approved they will be pleased to second it in the manner which they may deem most suitable and efficacious.

I have the honor to make this known to you in order that you may be pleased to report it to his excellency the president of the republic in which you are, and to communicate to me seasonably its results, and I subscribe myself your obe

dient servant.

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The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a note addressed to him on the 9th instant by his excellency Mr. Yrisarri, minister plenipotentiary of the republics of Guatemala and Salvador, touching the subject of the colonization of Americans of African derivation in those republics.

The undersigned has the honor to inform Mr. Yrisarri, in reply, that while any agents of such persons, recognized by this government, will, in every case, be instructed not to attempt any such colonization in any country without first having received the consent of its government to the settlement of the colonists, such agents will be especially instructed not to carry such emigrants at all to either of the two republics represented by Mr. Yrisarri, his note being accepted as a definitive expression of the purpose of these two governments not to receive and protect such settlements.

The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to Mr. Yrisarri the assurances of his high consideration.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Señor Don ANTONIO JOSÉ DE YRISARRI, &c., &c., &c., Brooklyn.

COSTA RICA.

No. 33.]

Mr. Riotte to Mr. Seward.

LBGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Costa Rica, San José, May 15, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor of laying before you enclosed copy and translation of note of the government of Costa Rica (No. 13) of this date, in which it expresses a willingness to ask from its congress, now in session, authority to set aside on one of the coasts of the republic a tract of land for the settlement of free negroes, and to enter into such arrangements with the government of the United States as will best secure that end.

Since my arrival in the country, and especially since I was informed by trustworthy, unbiased persons of the perfect salubrity of the coast regions and their great fertility, I had, while conversing with members of the government and other influential persons on the civil war in the States and its probable reaction upon slavery, several times directed their attention to the usefulness and practicability of negro colonization on those extensive coasts. When I perceived that the idea startled them at first I did not press it upon them, knowing well that prejudices of caste are not likely to be overcome by reasoning and and arguing.

Yet I occasionally reverted to the subject, and laid before them all information on the behavior of freed slaves contained in northern and English papers, and I soon perceived that their mind was undergoing a change, as the result of which the secretary of state yesterday communicated to me that I would receive a note like the one enclosed.

Though I have bestowed upon the subject the most careful consideration, and I hope not without some result, still at present I do not feel warranted to make any propositions to the department, as it will entirely depend on the general views taken by my government and the basis it will adopt. But I feel assured that I have studied the subject so thoroughly that I shall be able soon to reach a satisfactory understanding with this government, whenever my government will favor me with its views.

I have the honor to be, sir, yours, most obediently,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

C. N. RIOTTE.

Secretary of State.

Mr. Iglesias to Mr. Riotte.

[Translation.]

NATIONAL PALACE, San José, May 15, 1862

SIR: My government, informed of the legislative act authorizing the President of the United States to expend a certain sum to assist the colonization and settling of emancipated slaves who might wish to emigrate to other countries, and desirous of taking advantage of the congress of this republic being in eession to ask for authority to set aside a part of the territory of our coasts for the foundation of a colony, and to enter into all arrangements pertaining to the project, the undersigned wishes, therefore, to know what may be the disposition of the government of the United States in this matter, in order to adopt or

omit the above stated step, and I to this end address you, with the request to be pleased to lay the above statement before your government.

With distinguished consideration, &c.,

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Your despatch of the 15th of May, (No. 33,) has been received, and also a сору of a note which has been addressed to you by the minister of foreign affairs of the republic of Costa Rica.

In that paper the minister alludes to a project which is under consideration in that republic, by which its government should set aside a part of the national domain upon the sea-coast for the foundation of a colony, to consist of free negroes who should emigrate from the United States, and occupy the territory under arrangements to be made between the two republics. The subject has been submitted to the President.

The free negroes of the United States enjoy the right of remaining within the federal Union, and the right of emigrating from it whithersoever to them may seem best. The government of the United States exercises no power or influence in determining their choice. Congress has made a small appropriation to enable the President to assist such as may choose to colonize in any foreign country. That appropriation will be expended under the direction of the Presi dent, in accordance with the views of Congress.

Several states have expressed, more or less directly, a desire to avail themselves of the benefit of the migration of persons of that class, and have made known to this government their readiness to offer inducements to them more or less liberal. The government has decided to allow these inducements to be submitted to the persons invited to emigrate in the presence of some official agent, who will be instructed to guard the free colored population against possible imposition or misappropriation. Such persons of that class as may intelligently accept the invitation of any foreign state will, of course, find no obstacles interposed to their emigration, and the government will, at the same time, endeavor to take care that the inducements offered shall be realized. If Costa Rica should decide to submit a project to the United States of the character indicated by the minister in his note, all facilities for bringing it to the notice of the parties concerned will be afforded, as has been done in other cases.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES N. RIOTTE, Esq., &c., &c., &c.

No. 47.]

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Mr. Riotte to Mr. Seward.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Costa Rica, San José, September 14, 1862.

SIR: The speech which, on the 14th of last month, the President of the United States made to a committee of colored people, as reported in the latest papers, and particularly that part of it which points to Central America as his

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choice for the settlement of colored freemen, and describes the particular spot to be "a highway from the Atlantic or the Caribbean sea to the Pacific ocean, to possess on both sides harbors among the finest in the world, rich coal mines," &c., &c., has created a deep sensation, and is the theme of general comment here. I don't myself think the prevailing opinion far from the mark when it considers this spot to be the Isthmus of Chiriqui, between the laguna of that name, commonly called "Boca del Toro," on the Atlantic, and the Golfo Dulce," on the Pacific side. And, indeed, I look upon this selection as an admirable one from all I can gather from trustworthy persons on the general character and topography of that country, though I must here emphatically warn you not to believe in either the maps or the reports of a certain expedition which, some years ago, were laid before Congress, with an offer of selling the Chiriqui coal mines (the samples of which had come from Pennsylvania) to the United States for the moderate sum of $500,000. From information received while at Washington and here, I am firmly convinced that the maps and reports mentioned are entirely worthless.

But the fact, to which I would respectfully call the attention of your department, is that the major part of what on maps, and also on Colton's Atlas of 1861, is called the territory of Chiriqui, state of Panama, republic of New Granada, is in dispute between that republic and Costa Rica. The merits of the question are slightly mentioned in Fel. Molina's "Bosquejo de la Republica de Costa Rica," pp. 59, 112. Without a previous arrangement with the two republics, it would be extremely dangerous to settle in Chiriqui; and I feel obliged to dissuade you from such plan, though I do believe that the two republics could, under the mediation of the United States, be prevailed upon to settle the vexed question on equitable terms.

The speech of President Lincoln, and, more yet, a recent conversation you had with Mr. L. Molina on emigration to this country (an account of which I have been shown) have so strongly urged the question of emigration upon the public mind, that congress, in its sessions of 11th and 12th instant, took the matter in hand, much to the satisfaction of the government, which hitherto, with its liberal propositions in that line, met with very little favor. I hope you will not find it presumptuous if I assume to dissuade my government from spending, directly or indirectly, one cent for the purchase of lands for negro colonies. Land in abundance, and of the choicest quality, will be forthcoming, gratuitously offered by private persons, communities, associations, and states; while, in purchasing, the government would most surely be swindled, and the poor negroes robbed or perched upon miasmatic or miserably poor locations. The best use that can be made of the money at the disposal of the President is, paying of passage, furnishing of provisions ample for half a year, and, if then anything is left, aiding in the construction of harbor and other improvements. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, C. N. RIOTTE.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

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Secretary of State.

No. 27.

Mr. Seward to Mr. Riotte.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, October 6, 1862.

SIR: Your despatch of September 14th, No. 47, has been received. The apprehensions of attempts to colonize Americans of African descent in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, without the consent of their government, will doubtlessly be removed by the notes which I have addressed to Mr. Molina, copies of which

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