Shane Moran - Alternation Journal
Shane Moran - Alternation Journal
Shane Moran - Alternation Journal
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Dizvid Kazilnjinr~<br />
'Pqulano eventually abandoned colon~sat~on and spoke out aga~nst ~t. and Cuffe only began<br />
warrly advocating ~t after years of strugglrng for the ernanc~patron ot Afr~can Ainer~cans In the<br />
U S On Equ~ano, see Equ~ano (1 995 325-35 1) On C~lfte, see FIarr~s (1972), Thomas (1986)<br />
48<br />
Rncial Governmentality: Thornas Jejfeerson and Afi-ican Colonisation<br />
anti-colonisationists, as well as so~iie c01o1iisatio1~ists, pointed this out at the time. In<br />
addition. black colonisationists such as Olaudah Equiano and Paul Cuffe were well<br />
inltabitants; to induce whom to migrate hither, proper encouragements were<br />
to be proposed ... (Jefferson 1984:264).<br />
aware of these pro-slave~y interests, and their tactical discussions of autonomy<br />
certainly influenced later black nationalists such as Martin el any"'. Nonetheless, these<br />
contemporary histories miss something of the texture of pre- I8 16 colonisation. Firstly,<br />
by reducing colonisation to the rational pursuit of self-evident interests by autonomous<br />
political actors, such explanations fail to consider what it was about colonisation that<br />
conjoined contradictory interests. Perhaps more importa~itly, however, such<br />
explanations also fail to consider carehlly the articulation of colonisation with<br />
emancipation. By seeking to determine whether colonisation was genuinely<br />
emancipatory or not, these histories actually generalise and de-historicise 'freedom' by<br />
suppressing its historically specific articulation with colonisation. These historical<br />
accounts thus fail to address the questions Walker posed in 1829: what notion of<br />
'freedom' is rendered by colonisation, and how does that rendering become selfevident<br />
to colonisationists? Jefferson's private correspotldence and published writings<br />
can help us begin to tbr~nulate answers to these crucial questions.<br />
en these 'Notes on the State ofVirginia' and a letterwritten to Miss Fanny Wright<br />
efore his death (7 Aug. 1825) (Jefferson 1899.X: 343)2'', Jefferson wrote<br />
atedly in his published writings and private letters about his strong belief in and<br />
for colonisation, making it arguably his most consistently articulated policy<br />
sap. He would eventually add to and alter the plan-variously suggesting Africa,<br />
West Indies and western North America as sites for colonisation, proposing<br />
nt ways to raise money for the project, altering the requirements for<br />
ipation, calling for 'Germans' or simply 'white laborers' to replace colonised<br />
s. Yet the essential structure would remain the same from the 'Notes' to the 7 Aug.<br />
5 letter: gradual, full emancipation ofall slaves followed by their forced deportation<br />
he territorial boundaries of the United States and their subsequent incorporation<br />
formally independent nation-state that would nevertheless be economically and<br />
~cally dependent upon the United States.<br />
Jefferson began advocating colonisation at a crucial moment in U.S. history, a<br />
ment during which elite U.S. nation-state builders were struggling to formulate in<br />
ory and forrnalise in practice the ideas and projects of the Enlightenment. In his<br />
"mutilated however in it's freest parts'-Jefferson's enlightenment ntings, Jefferson consistently represents colonisation as part of this greater struggle<br />
in the eyes of Euroy e<br />
Thomas Jefferson (1 984.44) tells us in his 'Autobiography' that on February 7, 1779, as<br />
a member of the Virginla House of Delegates, he supported an amendment to a slavery<br />
bill calling for 'the freedom of all [slaves] born after a certain day, and deportation at a<br />
proper age'. In Query XIV of the 'Notes on the State of Virginia' (composed 1781-<br />
1782, published in 1787), entitled 'The administration ofjustice and description of the<br />
laws?', he offers an expanded description of 'deportation'--xvhich in a few years he<br />
would refer to as colonisation-to an account of the same amendment:<br />
an amendment ... was prepared ... directing. that [slaves] sllould continue<br />
with their parents to a certain age, then be brought up. at the public expense.<br />
to tillage, arts or sciences, according to their geniusses. till the females<br />
should be eighteen, and the males twenty-one years of age, when they sl~ould<br />
be colonized to such place as tl~e circumstances of the time sliould render<br />
respond to the call of reason, to capture and render or represent the 'light' of the<br />
ghtenment in philosophical, political and juridical concepts and institutions. In<br />
, Jefferson consistently embeds his representation of colonisation in a very precise<br />
orical structure. He first figures 'freedom' as the light of the Enlightenment which<br />
been passed froin Europe to the U.S., but which has been inexplicably refracted and<br />
ected, such that it has arrived impure and incolnplete and has left slavery intact and<br />
nlightened. He then worries about Europe watching over and judging the fate ofthis<br />
-acted and impure light, and responds to this worry by advocating colo~iisation as a<br />
nical, governmental scheme through which the U.S. could gain enough control<br />
- that light to purify it at home and pass it on to African Americans. Finally, he<br />
es the future relationship of the U.S. to colonised African Americans as one of the<br />
most proper. sending them out with arms, i~nple~nents of household and of<br />
the handicraft arts, feeds, pairs of useful domestic animals, &c. to declare<br />
them a free and independent people, and extend to them our alliance and<br />
protection, till they shall have acquired strength: and to send vessels at the<br />
same time to other parts of the world for an equal number of white<br />
to Jefferson's letters refer to F70rci's (1899) multi-volu~nc collected xvni.ks.<br />
or-date is given in the parenthetical citation. I will give tllc volunle number<br />
llowed by the page number in tile voluine. J will also give tlic date of the letter in<br />
eszss beSol-e the citation since there is as yet no co~nplete or authoritative collection oF<br />
-cording to Wilson, JclTerson's enorrnous correspondence is cstirnatcd at approsiinately<br />
lettcrs (O~LIS 199357). and tlius constitutes his most important botly oi'litcratu~.c. In this<br />
t a few lelters dcaling explicitly and substantially witit colonisation. and<br />
85 and 1825, as~vell as on the 'Autobiography' (Sel'feerson 1899.1:66-69) and<br />
ate of Virginia' (.leSfersan 1984). which also coillain i~nportarit ciiscussio~is of