Mr. Corwin to Mr. Seward
SIR: * * * * * *
The official paper published in this city, last evening, contained several important decrees issued by Maximilian on the fifth of the month, as it now appears. [Page 474] Among others is one in regard to colonization. As will be seen by a reference to the paper—a copy of which is sent enclosed herewith—this decree has been drawn up solely (though not ostensibly) with the view of inducing our southern planters to emigrate, with their slaves, to Mexico. Although the first article of the “reglamento” which accompanies the decree declares that “in conformity to the laws of the empire, all men of color are free by the simple fact of treading the Mexican soil,” yet the remaining articles show clearly that the blacks who may come here under the contracts mentioned in the “reglamento “will be reduced to a state of peonage, which, in its practical workings, is but slavery disguised. The article third obliges the “patron” to maintain the children of his workmen. If the laborer dies the patron becomes the guardian of his children, who, until they attain their majority, are to remain in the service of the patron, under the same conditions as those agreed to by the father. In Mexico this majority is not reached until the man is twenty-five years old. If, in addition to this, it is considered how easy it is to bring the laborer into debt to the patron, and that, according to the system of peonage, the peon must remain with the master until he has paid the debt, and if it is considered also that but very small wages will be paid—as the patron is obliged to agree in the original contract (which is to be for a term of not less than five nor more than ten years) to feed, clothe, and lodge the workmen, and to provide for them in cases of sickness—it will be seen at once that in many, if not the majority of cases, the contract will be in reality a contract for life.
Thus Maximilian is proposing to inaugurate here a system which may, hereafter, give Mexico as much trouble as Slavery has caused to the United States. Two considerations have led me to write on this subject. The first is, that only the best and most industrious negroes will come here with their old masters. The idle and the vicious will remain in our country. If I am correct in this supposition, the question is of some importance to our government. In the second place, I have thought you might deem it advisable to have the true nature of these contracts made clearly known to the black population of the south.
It is said that M. F. Maury, formerly in charge of the Washington Observatory, will be appointed imperial commissioner of immigration.
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I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States.