Since his early political career, Abraham Lincoln had supported the American Colonization Society, a controversial group whose goal was the removal of free blacks from the United States. It, and its state affiliates, starting in the 1820s began settlements in West Africa that would eventually unite to form Liberia.[2] Similarly to Linconia, the name of Liberia's capital Monrovia was derived from the name of the fifth President of the United States James Monroe.[3]
Lincoln desired to return former slaves to Africa or other tropical regions, with their consent and the accord of the authorities of the country where they were to be settled.[4] He repeated his support for colonization numerous times, including during the American Civil War.[1]
By 1862, Lincoln had decided that Chiriquí Province, at the time part of the Granadine Confederation but today in Panama, would be an ideal location to start a colony where black people, especially freedmen, could lead better lives than they could in the United States. In August of that year, he invited a group of prominent Africans to the White House to discuss the plan. He stated that the area had "evidence of very rich coal mines...[and] among the finest [harbors] in the world." African Americans, including Frederick Douglass, were in general firmly opposed to emigration, and the delegation similarly reacted negatively. Later that month, The National Republican published an editorial with the title "The Colony of Linconia", which stated that "the necessary arrangements for founding a colony on a grand scale...have been completed", with the project being headed by Senator Pomeroy. Pomeroy proposed that 100 African families travel with him to the site as "pioneers" on October 1. In September, Pomeroy received the permission of the Chiriquí government and landowner Ambrose W. Thompson of the Chiriquí Improvement Company.[3]
However, the Central American nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras felt threatened, and informed Washington that they opposed this plan. Costa Rica had territorial claims in Chiriquí, and made a formal complaint. The "representatives of Central America" also considered Pomeroy's plan to be an example of filibustering, "à laWalker".[5]United States Secretary of StateWilliam H. Seward informed these nations that no plan would continue without their consent, but Lincoln continued to push the plan forward. By late September, after being advised by Seward of the growing international outrage from the Central American nations, Lincoln decided to abandon the idea, angering Pomeroy, who had already found 500 "pioneers."[3]
linconia, name, proposed, central, american, colony, suggested, republican, united, states, senator, samuel, pomeroy, kansas, 1862, after, president, abraham, lincoln, asked, senator, united, states, secretary, interior, caleb, smith, work, plan, resettle, fre. Linconia was the name of a proposed Central American colony suggested by Republican United States Senator Samuel Pomeroy of Kansas in 1862 after U S President Abraham Lincoln asked the Senator and United States Secretary of the Interior Caleb Smith to work on a plan to resettle freed African Americans from the United States 1 Abraham Lincoln proposed the colonization of the Chiriqui Province now part of Panama to create Linconia Contents 1 Background 2 The plan 3 See also 4 ReferencesBackground editSince his early political career Abraham Lincoln had supported the American Colonization Society a controversial group whose goal was the removal of free blacks from the United States It and its state affiliates starting in the 1820s began settlements in West Africa that would eventually unite to form Liberia 2 Similarly to Linconia the name of Liberia s capital Monrovia was derived from the name of the fifth President of the United States James Monroe 3 Lincoln desired to return former slaves to Africa or other tropical regions with their consent and the accord of the authorities of the country where they were to be settled 4 He repeated his support for colonization numerous times including during the American Civil War 1 The plan edit nbsp Beach at Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine ParkBy 1862 Lincoln had decided that Chiriqui Province at the time part of the Granadine Confederation but today in Panama would be an ideal location to start a colony where black people especially freedmen could lead better lives than they could in the United States In August of that year he invited a group of prominent Africans to the White House to discuss the plan He stated that the area had evidence of very rich coal mines and among the finest harbors in the world African Americans including Frederick Douglass were in general firmly opposed to emigration and the delegation similarly reacted negatively Later that month The National Republican published an editorial with the title The Colony of Linconia which stated that the necessary arrangements for founding a colony on a grand scale have been completed with the project being headed by Senator Pomeroy Pomeroy proposed that 100 African families travel with him to the site as pioneers on October 1 In September Pomeroy received the permission of the Chiriqui government and landowner Ambrose W Thompson of the Chiriqui Improvement Company 3 However the Central American nations of Costa Rica Nicaragua and Honduras felt threatened and informed Washington that they opposed this plan Costa Rica had territorial claims in Chiriqui and made a formal complaint The representatives of Central America also considered Pomeroy s plan to be an example of filibustering a la Walker 5 United States Secretary of State William H Seward informed these nations that no plan would continue without their consent but Lincoln continued to push the plan forward By late September after being advised by Seward of the growing international outrage from the Central American nations Lincoln decided to abandon the idea angering Pomeroy who had already found 500 pioneers 3 See also editAnnexation of Santo Domingo during Reconstruction Ile a Vache the site of another Civil War era colonization effort Back to Africa movement American Colonization SocietyReferences edit a b DiLorenzo Thomas 2002 The Real Lincoln New York Three Rivers Press p 18 ISBN 0 7615 2646 3 Background on Conflict in Liberia Friends Committee on National Legislation June 1 2004 Archived from the original on 14 February 2007 Retrieved 13 January 2010 a b c Cooke Jacob E 1957 Frederic Bancroft Historian Norman Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Press pp 203 226 ISBN 9781406706895 Hay John Nicolay John George 1890 Abraham Lincoln A History Volume VI New York The Century Co pp 161 355 357 Northern News Charleston Daily Courier Charleston South Carolina October 4 1862 p 1 via newspapers com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Linconia amp oldid 1186946500, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
