Mr. Benigno Malo, a citizen of Ecuador and resident of Cuenca, who owns
extensive tracts of land in this country, has directed a communication
to me, of which I herewith enclose a translation, together with a copy
of the original. He proposes to sell to the government of the United
States, for the colonization of free negroes, some 50,000 acres of lands
on the left bank of the river Suya, which disembogues into the gulf of
Guayaquil. He suggests that a commissioner be sent to examine the land,
which he claims to be peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of cotton,
rice, sugar, coffee, gutta-percha, &c., &c. I answered, that I
would communicate his propositions to my government and notify him in
due time of its decision. In the expectation, therefore, to be informed
whether you consider the proposition as deserving further attention or
not, I have the honor to remain your most obedient servant,
His Excellency William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington.
[Translation.]
Mr. Malo to Mr. Hassaurek.
Benigno
Malo to F.
Hassaurek
My Dear Sir: I believe to confer a benefit
on Ecuador, as well as on the United States, by submitting to your
consideration the following ideas, which, if you see proper, you may
communicate to your government:
1. The present war in the United States has to result in the triumph
of the north. In this case the abolition of slavery would be a
logical consequence. The negroes, then, will not remain in the
south, the scene of their former oppression, nor will they be
received or tolerated in the north, where their ignorant labor
(trabajo ignorante) would not be in demand. The government,
therefore, will have to devote its attentions seriously to some
system of colonization; and in order that such colonization be
beneficial to the negroes themselves, and to those great interests
which now-a-days are involved in cotton, it will be necessary to
establish these negroes in warm climates, where cotton can be
produced.
2. On the left bank of the river Suya I onw about fifty miles of
territory, admirably adapted to the cultivation of cotton, rice,
cocoa, coffee, sugar, &c, &c. One acre can produce five
hundred pounds of cotton, (clear,) one pound of rice produces two
hundred, and the forests, besides, abound in timber, useful for all
purposes, gums, resins, gutta-percha, copaiva, &c. &c.
3. The river is navigable from the sea to the base of the Cordillera,
where my possessions begin.
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4. I do not want negroes for my own use. I want to make them
proprietors of the soil. I would sell all my lands on the Suya to
the government of the United States, to he resold or distributed by
the latter among the free negroes. I would do still more. I would
provide them with food during the first year, furnishing all
necessary provisions at Guayaquil prices.
5. This plan would bring about a satisfactory solution of the two
great problems which now agitate North America and the whole world,
the one of a social character, the abolition of slavery, in which
civilization is highly interested, and the other of an economical
nature, concerning the production of cotton, without which thousands
of families would be exposed to starvation.
6. By being colonized on the banks of the Suya the negroes would
retain their freedom, and, at the same time, they would raise
cotton, thus satisfactorily solving the two problems above referred
to.
7. There is no yellow fever on the Suya, no cholera, nor any other
epidemic. Only intermittent fevers are known there, to which,
however, the black race is not subject. White persons can get rid of
them easily by a proper use of quinine.
8. The laws of Ecuador, as you know, are very favorable to
immigration. For the first ten years the new settlers are exempt
from all kinds of contribution. Nevertheless, they are allowed to
elect their own municipal authorities, their local officers,
&c., &c.
9. The adoption of such a plan would be an additional tie of
friendship between Ecuador and the United States.
10. The growing prosperity of California is greatly interested in the
welfare of Ecuador, on account of the exchange of the northern
products of the former for the tropical products of the latter.
In order to arrive at a proper knowledge of the importance of the
river Suya, I would suggest that you or the government of the United
States send a commissioner to explore those regions, only comparable
to the banks of the Nile in their prodigious fertility.
I value the acre at $30. I could sell about 50,000 acres.
Availing myself of this opportunity to offer my services to you, I
have the honor to remain, &c., &c., &c.,
F. Hassaurek, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Quito.
