SIR，——YouhaveaskedmyopiniononthepropositionofMrs。

　　Mifflin，totakemeasuresforprocuring，onthecoastofAfrica，anestablishmenttowhichthepeopleofcoloroftheseStatesmight，fromtimetotime，becolonized，undertheauspicesofdifferentgovernments。Havinglongagomadeupmymindonthissubject，IhavenohesitationinsayingthatIhaveeverthoughtitthemostdesirablemeasurewhichcouldbeadopted，forgraduallydrawingoffthispartofourpopulation，mostadvantageouslyforthemselvesaswellasforus。Goingfromacountrypossessingalltheusefularts，theymightbethemeansoftransplantingthemamongtheinhabitantsofAfrica，andwouldthuscarrybacktothecountryoftheirorigin，theseedsofcivilizationwhichmightrendertheirsojournmentandsufferingshereablessingintheendtothatcountry。

　　Ireceived，inthefirstyearofmycomingintotheadministrationoftheGeneralGovernment，aletterfromtheGovernorofVirginia，ColonelMonroe，consultingme，attherequestoftheLegislatureoftheState，onthemeansofprocuringsomesuchasylum，towhichthesepeoplemightbeoccasionallysent。IproposedtohimtheestablishmentofSierraLeone，towhichaprivatecompanyinEnglandhadalreadycolonizedanumberofnegroes，andparticularlythefugitivesfromtheseStatesduringtheRevolutionaryWar；andatthesametimesuggested，ifthiscouldnotbeobtained，someofthePortuguesepossessionsinSouthAmerica，asnextmostdesirable。ThesubsequentLegislatureapprovingtheseideas，Iwrote，theensuingyear，1802，toMr。King，ourMinisterinLondon，toendeavortonegotiatewiththeSierraLeonecompanyareceptionofsuchofthesepeopleasmightbecolonizedthither。HeopenedacorrespondencewithMr。WedderburneandMr。Thornton，secretariesofthecompany，onthesubject，andin1803IreceivedthroughMr。Kingtheresult，whichwasthatthecolonywasgoingon，butinalanguishingcondition；thatthefundsofthecompanywerelikelytofail，astheyreceivednoreturnsofprofittokeepthemup；thattheywerethereforeintreatywiththeirgovernmenttotaketheestablishmentofftheirhands；butthatinnoeventshouldtheybewillingtoreceivemoreofthesepeoplefromtheUnitedStates，asitwasexactlythatportionoftheirsettlerswhichhadgonefromhence，which，bytheiridlenessandturbulence，hadkeptthesettlementinconstantdangerofdissolution，whichcouldnothavebeenpreventedbutfortheaidoftheMaroonnegroesfromtheWestIndies，whoweremoreindustriousandorderlythantheothers，andsupportedtheauthorityofthegovernmentanditslaws。IthinkIlearnedafterwardsthattheBritishGovernmenthadtakenthecolonyintoitsownhands，andIbelieveitstillexists。TheeffortwhichImadewithPortugal，toobtainanestablishmentforthemwithintheirclaimsinSouthAmerica，provedalsoabortive。

　　Youinquirefurther，whetherIwouldusemyendeavorstoprocureforsuchanestablishmentsecurityagainstviolencefromotherpowers，andparticularlyfromFrance?Certainly，IshallbewillingtodoanythingIcantogiveiteffectandsafety。ButIambutaprivateindividual，andcouldonlyuseendeavorswithprivateindividuals；whereas，theNationalGovernmentcanaddressthemselvesatoncetothoseofEuropetoobtainthedesiredsecurity，andwillunquestionablybereadytoexertitsinfluencewiththosenationsforanobjectsobenevolentinitself，andsoimportanttoagreatportionofitsconstituents。Indeed，nothingismoretobewishedthanthattheUnitedStateswouldthemselvesundertaketomakesuchanestablishmentonthecoastofAfrica。Exclusiveofmotivesofhumanity，thecommercialadvantagestobederivedfromitmightrepayallitsexpenses。Butforthis，thenationalmindisnotyetprepared。Itmayperhapsbedoubtedwhethermanyofthesepeoplewouldvoluntarilyconsenttosuchanexchangeofsituation，andverycertainthatfewofthoseadvancedtoacertainageinhabitsofslavery，wouldbecapableofself-government。Thisshouldnot，however，discouragetheexperiment，northeearlytrialofit；andthepropositionshouldbemadewithalltheprudentcautionsandattentionsrequisitetoreconcileittotheinterests，thesafetyandtheprejudicesofallparties。

　　Accepttheassurancesofmyrespectandesteem。

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