We have this:
Washington, February 18. 1864.
Governor Andrew
Yours of the 12th was received yesterday. If I were to judge from the letter, without any external knowledge, I should suppose that all the colored people South of Washington were struggling to get to Massachusetts; that Massachusetts was anxious to receive and retain the whole of them as permament citizens; and that the United States Government here was interposing and preventing this. But I suppose these are neither really the facts, nor meant to be asserted as true by you. Coming down to what I suppose to be the real facts, you are engaged in trying to raise colored troops for the U. S. and wish to take recruits from Virginia, through Washington, to Massachusetts for that object; and the loyal Governor of Virginia, also trying to raise troops for us, objects to you taking his material away; while we, having to care for all, and being responsible alike to all, have to do as much for him, as we would have to do for you, if he was, by our authority, taking men from Massachusetts to fill up Virginia regiments. No more than this has been intended by me; nor, as I think, by the Secretary of War. There may have been some abuses of this, as a rule, which, if known, should be prevented in future.
If, however, it be really true that Massachusetts wishes to afford a permanent home within her borders, for all, or even a large number of colored persons who will come to her, I shall be only too glad to know it. It would give relief in a very difficult point; and I would not for a moment hinder from going, any person who is free by the terms of the proclamation or any of the acts of Congress.
A. Lincoln
President Lincoln dropped the idea of colonization. He "sloughed it off", as his private secretary wrote in 1864.
Lincoln appears to have made no comments on colonization at all in the last two years of his life.
Walt
Another of your completely twisted falsehoods. As you darn well know, the radicals repealed the funding for his beloved colonization program, so he couldn't do any more colonization projects. THAT is the reason his secretary made the comment he did. THERE WAS NO MORE MONEY for Abe to spend on the idea at that time.
Lincoln appears to have made no comments on colonization at all in the last two years of his life.
lol, He was experimenting with a project in Haiti throughout most of 1863, and when it ran into problems, he ordered the people returned that wished to do so in early 1864. Most notable is that he made no comments about giving up on the idea at that time, especially since the radicals were using that colony's failure to shut down his colonization efforts. His failure to do so only points to his still believing in the idea, but being unable to act on it any further due to his money being taken away. They took his colonization money away, and even made him account for every penny that had been spent, demanding reports from him and his Secretary of the Interior. BTW, have you ever read the first line of the proposal for that particular colonization project? It goes like this:
"I beg leave, Mr. President, to present my congratulations to Your Excellency for the promulgation of your late Emancipation Proclamation, and to offer my assistance in carrying out your philanthropic ideas of Colonization as connected therewith."
President Lincoln dropped the idea of colonization. He "sloughed it off", as his private secretary wrote in 1864.
Hay made that characterization in the summer, IIRC, yet Lincoln was still fighting for Mitchell's job as his colonization commissioner in November of that same year. Mitchell also wrote of Lincoln's colonization beliefs later in life and gave no indication that he ever changed them.
Lincoln appears to have made no comments on colonization at all in the last two years of his life.
False. We know for certain that he asked Bates about it in November 1864 because Bates' letter directly references that. We also have reasonably strong evidence that he was still talking about it when he met with Butler around April 11th of the next year.
That is a many times documented large rotund inadvertant statement. Below is a copy of an official letter of Attorney General Bates replying to Lincoln's question concerning Lincoln's authority to retain the Revd Mr Mitchell as Lincoln's assistant or aid in the matter of executing the several acts of Congress relating to the emigration or Colonizing of the freed blacks.
In 1864, Lincoln was still talking about Colonizing.
Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center,
Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
From Edward Bates to Abraham Lincoln, November 30, 1864
Washington, Nov 30 1864.
Honored Sir,
I beg your pardon for having overlooked, in the pressure of business, in my latter days in the office, the duty to give formal answer to your question concerning your power still to retain the Revd Mr Mitchell1 as your assistant or aid in the matter of executing the several acts of Congress relating to the emigration or Colonizing of the freed blacks.
[Note 1 Lincoln had appointed the Reverend James Mitchell of Indiana the agent for emigration in 1862. For more on this case, see Mitchell to Lincoln, October 20, 1864.]
It is too late for me now to give a formal opinion upon the question, as this is my last day in office. I can only say that, having examined all the acts referred to, I am satisfied that, notwithstanding the act which repeals the appropriation contingently, you still have something to do, under those acts; and therefore, that you have the same right to continue Mr Mitchell that you had to appoint him originally. And I hope it will be done, for he seems to be a good man, of zeal & capacity.
Most respectfully Sir
Your obt servt
Edwd. Bates
[nc: Underline and internal note as in Library of Congress transcript.]
[1863]
"Nov. 5. To James Mitchell, Nicolay for Lincoln, granting interview for this date, DLC-Nicolay Papers." CW:APP2:525
This was a meeting with members of the African Civilization Society.
What were they discussing Wlat? Mass migration to Massachusetts?
[LINK]
Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
From James Mitchell to Abraham Lincoln1, November 5, 1863
[Note 1 Mitchell, an Indiana minister, was appointed the commissioner for emigration in 1862.]
[Marginal note: Colinization]
Washington Nov 5th/63
The Officers of "The African Civilization Society", are in attendance and respectfully ask a short interview -- they are
G W Levere, President
H M Wilson, Sect
R H Cain,2 Director
[Note 2 Richard H. Cain was a minister of the African Methodist Episcopal church at Brooklyn, New York. Following the Civil War, Cain moved to South Carolina where he was active in missionary work and politics. He served in the state legislature and was elected to two terms in Congress (1873-75, 1877-79). In 1880 Cain was ordained a bishop.]
P S Porter, ... "
Wm Anderson, ... "
I have the honor to
remain your servant
James Mitchell.
Comm. of E[migration]
[Endorsement:]
Appointed to see them at 4 ocl P M3
[Note 3 The officers of the African Civilization Society presented Lincoln with a petition requesting $5,000 to aid the work of the society. See African Civilization Society to Abraham Lincoln, November 5, 1863.]