Condition

Certainly! Here's a revised version of the text:

Upon hearing Constantine's purpose, Chester remained silent, picked up the pipe in his right hand, and gestured it towards Constantine.

"It's of no consequence. You may proceed as you see fit," Constantine assured.

Chester then lit his pipe, taking a deep breath.

"Shh..."

The room filled with smoke and silence.

After finishing a pot of tobacco leaves, Chester spoke, "So, what does the United States stand to gain in return for its support?"

Constantine replied, "I understand that the racial situation in your country is challenging. If black Americans wish to return to the land where their ancestors have lived for generations, the Congolese Council will actively cooperate."

In essence, if the United States aims to address the issue of its large black population by relocating them back to Africa, the Congo River Basin, under the control of the Congolese Committee, would be open to accepting black Americans.

The challenge of dealing with the African American population had been a persistent issue for the American elite since the country's independence.

The economic system of the American South was built on a slave plantation economy, while the North thrived on a capitalist industrial and commercial economy. By the 1860s, this economic contradiction became increasingly acute.

Although the Civil War initially seemed to be about the abolition of slavery, the root of the conflict lay in the choice of economic systems between the North and the South.

The Southern plantations heavily relied on cheap black slave labor, driving them toward developing an agricultural plantation economy. In contrast, the North's capitalist economy faced the threat of being overshadowed by low-cost British products if low tariffs were adopted.

The conflict intensified as the North advocated for free trade, while the South sought to maintain its plantation economy.

The abolition of slavery didn't entirely resolve the issue. Racial discrimination persisted, and the idea of repatriating blacks to Africa resurfaced from time to time.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the increase in the number of free blacks in the North led to concerns among abolitionists and slaveholders. The solution involved sending black slaves to West Africa, primarily the British colony of Sierra Leone, to settle.

This plan faced challenges as cultural differences and resource demands led to conflicts between black settlers and local inhabitants.

In 1847, Liberia gained independence, providing a solution for exporting blacks in a more normalized manner.

Constantine's proposed compensation was a mere formality, as large-scale immigration of blacks to Africa was no longer viable after the abolition of slavery.

Chester saw through Constantine's ploy, understanding that the U.S. lacked a strong influence in Africa. Constantine had strategically chosen the U.S. as a stepping stone, considering that Europe held the true power to decide Africa's fate.

"If those are the conditions, it's unlikely that the United States will support the Congolese Commission in managing the Congo River Valley," Chester stated frankly.

"After the Congolese Commission gains management power, it will implement a free trade policy, allowing American goods unrestricted entry," Constantine sighed inwardly.

Despite knowing that exclusive trade agreements would eventually be abandoned, relinquishing the first diplomatic negotiation was disheartening.

Chester expressed satisfaction upon hearing the condition. The Congo River Basin, covering more than 2 million square kilometers with nearly 20 million inhabitants, presented a considerable market for the United States, which was rapidly expanding its production capacity during the Gilded Age.