Mr. Seward to Mr. Hassaurek.
Sir: Your despatch of October 2 (No. 42) has been received. Mr. Benigno Malo’s proposal to sell extensive tracts of land to the United States, with a view to a settlement of freed Africo-Amerericans thereupon, cannot be considered by the President, for a special reason, namely:
The President has no authority, by law or treaty, to provide for the colonization of that class of persons, except he shall first have obtained in some sufficient form an agreement from the government of the country where such colonization is proposed to be effected, to receive and protect the colonists in all the rights of freemen. It would belong to the government of Ecuador to propose such stipulations before a proposition like Mr. Malo’s could be considered.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Frederick Hassaurek, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Ecuador.