ABRAHAM LINCOLN
the evolution of his thinking on race, slavery, and rights
influential
people
henry clay james mitchell bernard kock
Known as the Great Compromiser, Henry Clay was one of the most important politicians in the first half of the 19th Century. As such, Lincoln greatly admired Clay, who was one of the first members of the American Colonization Society. Clay's support for colonization likely pushed Lincoln to support it as well. See below for the link to Lincoln's eulogy of Henry Clay in 1852.
Reverend James Mitchell was appointed the Commissioner of Emigration by Lincoln in 1862. Reverend Mitchell was born in Ireland and emigrated to the state of Indiana where he became a colonization agent. In 1853, he traveled to Illinois to promote colonization when he met the future President of the United States.
Bernard Kock convinced Lincoln to allow him to lead a group of black colonists, about 450 men, women, and children to Ile a Vache, an island off the coast of Haiti. Soon after their arrival, Kock used money which had been appropriated for shelter and food for chains and shackles. An armed rebellion insued and many of the colonists died of starvation. The only attempt at colonization was a complete and utter failure.
lincoln's support for colonization
Lincoln often explained before and during his presidency that his “paramount object" was to save the Union, not to end slavery. In order to do this, Lincoln knew that he had to garner as much support as possible for whatever his decision was to be on the issue of slavery. As such, Lincoln supported gradual emancipation which included both compensation for the slave owners and colonization.
Colonization was not a new idea. In 1817, the American Colonization Society was formed and they established a colony of Liberia in 1820. Lincoln saw colonization as a way to balance the demands of abolitionists for freedom and slave-holders claim that blacks were their property. Although there are some historians that point to Lincoln's support for colonization as evidence of his racism towards blacks, Lincoln wanted to use it to save the Union. Lincoln ultimately gives up on colonization and issues the Emancipation Proclamation without a trace of the plan.
FEATURED DOCUMENT
Remarks on Colonization
August 14, 1862
On August 14, 1862 Lincoln invited a delegation of five black men to the White House to discuss the plan of colonization. He begins by referencing money that Congress has given him for the purpose of colonization and then attempts to convince the delegation why they should agree to go. Lincoln comes to the conclusion that even if blacks were to have their freedom within the Union, freedom would not include equality. Lincoln then turns to the negative effects that slavery has had on the white race, and blames it on the presence of the black race. He blamed the war, “our present condition”, on the coexistence of the white and black races. He then goes on to explain that emigration would certainly be a sacrifice for blacks, especially those who already have their freedom. By the end of his remarks, Lincoln asks them to carefully consider what he had proposed to them because he knew he would need help convincing blacks that colonization was beneficial for them.
