Ashbel Smith to Anson Jones, July 2, 1843

Summary: Smith informed Jones about the movement in Britain to abolish slavery in Texas. He believed the British government was reluctant to mediate between Texas and Mexico until Texas abolished slavery. Outlined the plans under consideration in Britain to achieve that goal, including offering a loan to the Texas government, buying large tracts of land in Texas, and encouraging mass emigration by Europeans to the area. He also heard talk of turning Texas into a colony of fugitive slaves. Smith urged Jones to resist abolition because he thought no mass emigration would occur if abolition occurred. Plus, he believed Britain was only pushing for abolition in Texas in order to undermine slavery in the United States and boost trade in cotton and sugar in the British colonies.

No 41 LEGATION OF TEXAS, LONDON

42 St James's Place, July 2, 1843

Hon ANSON JONES

Secretary of State

SIR,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of despatches from your Department, dated May 8th, inclosing the translation of a document furnished to Mr. James W. Robinson by General Santa Anna.

In my despatches of June 16, No. 40. I communicated to your Department details of interviews I had with the Earl of Aberdeen Her Majesty's Principal Secretary and with Mr Addington Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs. In these despatches I stated that in the opinion of the British Government there exists no ground for hoping that peace can be established between Texas and Mexico by the mediation of friendly Powers; and further that the British Minister at Mexico had for some time past ceased to present this subject to the attention of the Mexican Government.

I beg permission to call your notice to the fact that in my despatches written last autumn and winter, I stated my strong conviction that in regard to the establishment of peace with Mexico, Texas had nothing to expect from British mediation, nor from the good offices of France though these were exerted with sincerity and much earnestness. This opinion was expressed with great explicitness in letters addressed by me to the Hon Mr. Van Zandt, Charge' d'Aff: of Texas at Washington on the 25th of January last. As the abolition of Slavery in Texas in connection with the "mediation" was the subject treated of in the letters to Mr. Van Zandt and will also form the principal of the present despatch, and as the copies of the letters in question sent to your Department appear not to have reached you, I hereto annex other copies of these letters and wish them to be considered as forming part of the present communications.

The desire of the British Government and of a considerable portion of the British public to procure the abolition of Slavery in Texas, as I have often stated in my despatches, cannot I presume be unknown to the Government and Citizens of Texas. I do not deem it within the sphere of my official duty to suggest any reasons whatever for or against the abolition of slavery. I shall therefore confine myself to the statement of facts bearing on this subject as connected with the efforts made in England, which have fallen under my observation here. It is of the highest consequence, in my opinion, that these facts and considerations should be known and duly appreciated in Texas.

I learned from the newspapers that the abolition of Slavery was agitated in Texas. A letter from Mr A.J. Yates to a gentleman in London which was shown me, mentioned that he had held conversations respecting abolition with the British Charge' d'Aff: Captain Elliott and that this gentleman had made it the subject of a communication to his Government. About a fortnight since I saw Mr S.P. Andrews at a meeting of the "General Anti Slavery Convention" in this town. The abolition of Slavery in Texas was among the objects of his visit to Europe, and I have had several full conferences with him on this subject. He has been and continues to be actively engaged with some parties in London in devising means to effect abolition. He has had interviews on the subject in question with Lords Aberdeen, Brougham and Morpeth and with other persons, all of whom are extremely eager to accomplish this purpose. Lord Aberdeen said 'Her Majesty's Government would employ all legitimate means to attain so great and desirable an object as the abolition of Slavery in Texas,' and he used other expressions of the same purport. These observations were made to Mr Andrews and the Committee of the Anti Slavery Convention which waited on his Lordship. The Anti Slavery Convention gave the subject of abolition in Texas a very full consideration, deem it of great importance, will spare no efforts to accomplish it, and count confidently on the cooperation of the British Government. I was present at this meeting of the Convention and heard Texas described as the hiding place of dishonesty, as the refuge of unprincipled villains, swindlers and criminals escaped from the hands of justice in other countries; and that to this general character our population presented only occasional or rare exceptions.

Different plans or ways of effecting and carrying out abolition have been proposed here. Among the principal is, first, a Loan to Texas to enable the Government to purchase the slaves and emancipate them, on the condition that the introduction of slaves hereafter be prohibited. Lord Aberdeen said the British Govt. would

guarantee the interest of a Loan raised and applied for this purpose but no other Loan whatever. A second plan is the raising of a sum of money to buy large quantities of land in Texas on the same condition, namely the abolition of slavery; but according to the latter plan no credit is to stand open against Texas: the monies proposed to be paid for lands are to enable Texas to abolish slavery, and the lands are to become the bona fide property of those who furnish the money and to be held by them in fee simple. A plan similar to the second is recommended by Mr Andrews. The plan at one time contemplated of encouraging an emigration to Texas which should "vote down" slavery, has been wholly abandoned as tedious, expensive, uncertain and inconsistent with the views of England which wishes to direct all its emigration to its own colonies. I am not informed of the nature of Captain Elliott's instructions on this subject from his government.

Among the main inducements urged here, and one which will be strongly presented to the citizens of Texas in favor of abolition and especialy on the basis of the second plan mentioned above, is that an immense emigration would thereupon forthwith flow into Texas from Europe. I have deemed it my duty to inquire carefully in reference to the importance of the emigration we may expect from this country to Texas in the event of abolition. Several intelligent gentlemen, themselves abolitionists and with the best means of information on these matters, have assured me after much inquiry and reflection, that Texas ought not to be deceived into the opinion that emigrants would flock there, even were slavery abolished. They add that the parties principally active on this subject can, and if they promise, doubtless will furnish money; but that money alone is not sufficient: that, unless emigration is spontaneous and from a conviction on the part of the emigrants that they will greatly improve their condition, no considerable or valuable population can be thus obtained. I was also assured that in the event of the abolition of slavery at the present time in Texas, the collisions to be apprehended with citizens of the United States proceeding into Texas to reclaim fugitive slaves would prove a more serious obstacle to the introduction of settlers from Europe than the existence of slavery and hostilities with Mexico now are deemed. From the care and fullness of my inquiries touching emigration I rely very confidently on the opinions just expressed.

It has been distinctly intimated that slavery being abolished in Texas, the British Government would interpose more efficiently with Mexico to obtain from that country an acknowledgment of the independence of Texas. From the paramount influence of England in Mexico I doubt not the British Government might without difficulty procure this result. We once promised to pay them for their good

offices in our behalf, unfortunately in our financial embarrassments we did not possess the means. From my observation here I cannot advise the making of concessions by Texas for a more vigorous employment of the good offices formerly stipulated.

There is a considerable party in this country who desire the abolition of slavery in Texas, in order that it may become a refuge for fugitive slaves from the United States; persons who anticipate its becoming in the event of abolition a sort of continental Hayti, populated chiefly by blacks; persons who do not expect or desire that it should ever be the resort of European emigrants except merely in sufficient numbers to guide the operations of the black population. This is not a recent project. I quote from a letter written in 1839 by Mr. Daniel O'Connell a leading abolitionist and possessing very great influence especially in Ireland, as follows:--"That an address be "presented to Her Majesty praying that she may be pleased to give "directions to her Ministers to endeavor to make such an arrange-"ment with the Government of Mexico as would place at their dis-"posal such a portion of the unoccupied territory of that Republic "on or near its northern boundary, as should be sufficient for estab-"lishing an asylum, or free state of persons of color, her Majesty's "subjects, who may be desirous to emigrate to and establish such free "state."

Your department will fully understand that I do not introduce the following topics as if it were the duty of Texas to look after the interests of the United States, but that Texas may not be misled into becoming the willing instrument to injure the United States for the benefit of others to its own great inconvenience and harm. The abolition of slavery in Texas by itself considered, is not regarded in England as of any great importance, but it is ardently desired as preliminary to its abolition in the United States and for the purpose of placing Texas in a rival if not unfriendly attitude towards that country. Besides motives of philanthropy, the British people wish the abolition of slavery in America in reference to the culture of sugar and cotton, in which there exists a rivalry with their colonies and in reference to the advantages which the production of cotton in America gives to its manufacturers and the employment which these staples afford to American shipping. You will not hence be surprised to learn that on several occasions indeed generally, where the abolition of slavery has been discussed I hear it mainly advocated for its anticipated effects on slavery in the Southern U. States and eventually on the agriculture, manufactures and commerce of that country. I have alluded to this topic as the nature of the motives should lead to a careful scrutiny of any propositions.

Having expressed my opinion so clearly of some of the motives which influence parties in England aiming to effect the abolition of

slavery in Texas, I deem it proper to add that nothing has fallen under my observation which should lead me to suppose that the British Government were insincere in undertaking to mediate a peace between Texas and Mexico or that they now entertain any sinister purposes in regard to Texas. Their policy in relation to slavery in all other countries is avowed, and they will cooperate by all legitimate means with any parties in their own country having for their object the abolition of slavery in Texas.

I trust that your Department will not perceive in this Despatch any disposition to discuss the question of the abolition of slavery in Texas. That subject I leave to the country. But it seems to be within the limits of my duty to state to your department my clear conviction that there are parties here of considerable influence which are endeavoring to abolish slavery in Texas indifferent to the consequences to that country, that they are prepared to profit by our supposed difficulties and to hold out inducements and make promises that will prove illusory. I will also add my well matured opinion that there do not exist any grounds for believing that an increased emigration would flow from Europe into Texas upon the abolition of slavery.

I have felt some doubt respecting the course I ought to pursue in relation to the efforts making in England on the subject in question.

I have determined for the present time to confine myself to the silent and careful observation of facts and their transmission to your department.

The attempt made a short time since to recruit two regiments here for the Mexican service, has been suspended by a disagreement between the parties respecting the advancing of funds to meet present expenses.

I have the honor to be

very respectfully

your most obedient servant,

ASHBEL SMITH.

Source Copy Consulted: Ashbel Smith to Anson Jones, July 2, 1843, George Garrison, ed., Diplomatic Correspondence of the Republic of Texas, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1908, (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1911), 3 vols., 3: 1099-1103