L^o^ p .p*..i^',*°o .-j-^.tA;^.** r.o*..i'^',*°o .,^ 5f. •n^..^^ '% ^ *i ^ •'■• V?»^ ^ 5' '^ *• ^^'\ -.1 % <^ '% ' 'j^ v^ /4 '^^. .'^■^^ ^^^^^ -*• ♦;^ mll*^ COL IZATION SOCIETY; AND ON ITS £>3ElOBAB£ilS HHSUJLTS; UNDER THE FOLLOWING HEADS I Tilt Origin of the Society ,- Increase of the Coloured Population ; Manumis- sion of Slaves in this country; DECLARATIONS OF LEGISLATURES, AND OTHER ASSEMBLED BODIES, IN FAVOUR OF THE SOCIETY; SITUATION OP THE COLONISTS AT MONROVIA, AND OTHER TOWNS ; MORAL AND RELI- GIOUS CHARACTER OF THE SETTLERS ; SOIL, CLIMATE, PRODUC- TIONS, AND COMMERCE OF LIBERIA ; ADVANTAGES TO THE FREE COLOURED POPULATION, BY EMIGRATION TO LIBERIA ; DISADVANTAGES OF SLAVERY TO THE WHITE POPULATION ; CHARACTER OF THE NATIVES OF AFRICA BEFORE THE IRRUPTIONS OF THE BARBARIANS ; EFFECTS OF COLONIZATION ON THE SLAVE TRADE; WITH A SLIGHT SKETCH OF THAT NEFARIOUS AND ACCURSED TRAFFIC. ADDRESSED TO THE HON. C. F. MERCER, M, H. R. U. S. BY M. CAREY. SEVENTH EDITION. " Nearly two thousand persons have kindled a beacon fire at Monrovia, to cast a bread blaze of light into the dark recesses of that benighted land; and though much pains have been taken to overrate the cost, and under- value the results, yet the annals of colonization may be triumphantly challenged for a parallel. " Five years of preliminary operations were requisite for surveying the coast — propitiatiiig the natives — and selecting the most eligible site. Numerous agents were subseiiuently employed— ships chartered — the coast cleared — schools, factories, hospitals, churches, government buildings, and (hvellings erected— and the many ex- penses requisite here, were defrayed; — and yet, for every tifty dollars expended by the society from its commence- ment, we have not only a settler to show, but an ample and i'erlile turritury in reserve, where our future emi- grants may 'sit down under their own vines and fig-trees, with none to make them afraid.' During the last year, an amount, nearly equal to the united expenditures, has been exported by the colonists. From Philadelphia alone, eleven vessels have sailed; three of them chartered through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Society, and bearing to the land of their fathers, a large number of slaves, manumitted by the benevolence of their Intc owners." — Cresson. PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 15, 1833. STEREOTYPED BY L. J0nN30N. r/!; 2 Q) '5 llint Stoikton Z.Town hmihtujiitidrtef 3 Tiruni ImrrtA Laii mxtfrsjuwl hnii.'f J. iVewJijmiy house. 6 Smidi shop. JIEFE RENCK S. j 7 Baphst Chuixh \ SMriuHbstlhiipel. ) 10Jiihli,W.urhoiU!C. , ll.Pnbhc Oanlencontainmglttcn. i J2 GarraltTinm IS Th,m^sms Ttmrn.. ON THE COLONIZATION SOCIETY; AND ON ITS FROBABZiZS RESULTS; UNDER THE FOLLOWING HEADS: The Origin of the Society; Increase of the Coloured Population; Manumis. sion of Slaves in this country; DECLARATIONS OF LEGISLATURES, AND OTHER ASSEMBLED BODIES. IN FAVOUR OF THE SOCIETY; SITUATION OP THE COLONISTS AT MONROVIA. AND OTHER TOWNS; MORAL AND REI 1 GIOUS CHARACTER OF THE SETTLERS; SOIL. CLIMATE. PRODUC TIONS. AND COMMERCE OP LIBERIA ; ADVAI^AGES TO THE FREE COLOURED POPULATION. BY EMIGRATION TO LIBERIA; DISADVANTAGES OP SLAVERT TO THE WHITE POPULATION; CHARACTER OF THE NATIVES OF AFRICA BEFORE THE IR^^PT^Ls op THE BARBARIANS; EFFECTS OF COLONIZATION ON THE SLAVE TRADE- V?ITH A SLIGHT SKETCH OF THAT NEFARIOUS AND ACCURSED TRAFFIC. ADDRESSED TO THE HON. C. F. MERCER, M. H. R. U. S. BY M. CAREY. ); SEVENTH EDITION. penses requisite here, were defrVed -Ind m foreverv fiftv^ ollnrf Iv "'^ ' TL'":f '^«cte,l-and the many ei- ment, we have not only a settler to show but an amDie and I fl. ?='P«"'^*'''.''y ^'"^ ^"^'ety from its commence- grants may 'sit down under their ow vines LdV^^rPo.wi.i^n^ torntory .n reserve, where our future emi- year, an amount, nearly equal to thruniterpxnpnrtf;,?„^^^^ "°'"' '" '"''^'' ""'■" ^'■"'d." During the last aloae, eleven vessels Aa//S th L of them d a^^^^^^^^^^^ VH' '^"'"'"''- ^'''"^ ^'"'"'^^'M'^ bearing to the land of their fatherra lar^P nnrnhpr^Tf II^^^^^ '*'•' Pennsylvania Society, and 9wner8."-Crmo». lamers, a large number of slaves, manumitted by the benevolence of their late PHILADELPHIA, APRIL Ify, 1833. STEREOTYPED BY L. JOaNSON. ADDENDUM TO THE FIFTH EDITION., ^- ^ EXTRACT FROM AN ADDRESS OF THE AMERICAN COLOmZATION SOCIETY, dYtEDJUNE, 1832. "Africa makes her appeal to our sympathy, and charity, in a tone of earnestness and distress, to which we are bound to listen, and w uch the Board trust cannot be resisted. It is along her dark shores, and over her immense but unculti- vated fields, that the Society will dispense its richest blessings. What a night of gloom and terror has settled, for ages, on her land! Her immense population covered with barbarism Eiven up as prey to outrage and violence cursed bv a traffic which has set brother against brother, desolated families and villages, excited the worst passions of savage nature, ruthlessly sundered all the ties of kindred and affection, and, seizing with merciless and unyielding grasp its bleeding and broken-hearted victims, borne them crowded and crushed and dying into foreign and hopeless bon- dage ' And even now, when her cries have pierced the heart of Christendom, when states and kingdoms have legislated and united to put an end to her sufferings, still torn, plundered, and robbed of her children by the pirates of all nations ; she stretches out her hands and casts an implor- ing eye towards the friends of God and man, in this free and blessed country, for that deliverance which she has looked for in vain to all the world " But it is asked, will the ignorant and degraded men of colour of this country become the best missionaries to enlighten and regenerate Africa . To this we reply, that there are men of colour in the U. S. who are well informed and exem- plary Christians ; that such as these have founded our present African Colony, that the very work to which they are called will devclope their powers, and give elevation to their character, and finally, that plans for education and improvement commensurate with the necessities of every settle- ment which may be made, enter essentially into the views of this Society. " If in a little more than two centuries, our own country has, by colonization, been changed from a wilderness into a fruitful field, if a free and en- lightened Nation of thirteen inillKms has sprung up here, where but laU-ly, the wolf and savage roamed unmolested amid boundless forcts, where nature looked wild and rude as they ; if beautilul villages, and populous cities. Halls ot Legislation, magnificent edifices, temples of justice, and a thousand churches stand before us the monu- ments of our greatness ; what may we not antici- pate for Africa from the settlement ot civilized and Christian men upon her shores 1 And by whom can such settlements be so well founded as by the free i)eoi.lo of colour of the United States'? Dues not Providence clearly invite them to a work of unex;unpled promise, to llieir posterity and mankind! And is not this nation urged to assist them by the same Provi- dence, not less manifestly, and by motives as numerous and great as ever wrought upon the human mind. " The Managers appeal to the clergy oi every denomination, and invit»;ttl>8BM WWwH ly. »" ""^ i W .-', v^ i _ /., r. 1"^ CXa^ A-U near the day consecrated to the memory of om Independence, to bring the claims of the Society l)efore their people, and to receive, in further- ance of its object, such free-will oflerings .as gratitude to God and love to men may incline them to bestow. o • • " They appeal to the Auxiliary Societies, and urge them to come forward with increased power to "the work, to assist in forming other kindred associations, and by widely ditfusing information, to excite the whole American community, duly to consider and promote the cause. " To their fair country-women, who are ever first to feel for the wretched, and foremost to ad- minister relief, whose moral influence in society, though their own modesty may undervalue it, humanity and religion acknowledge lobe of vast power and unspeakable worth, Africa, darker m her mournhig than her consplexion, offers in silent grief, her plea, which it were impossible to render more convincing by argument, or touching by eloquence. She looks to American benevolence as to that in which all her precious hopes are treasured up, and for their fulfilment, nature itself will plead more strongly than we can, in every female heart. " Nor would the Managers omit to say to those who control the public press, that almost omni- potent engine for moving human minds to ac- tion that to them belongs the po-.ver of securing to the design o{ this Society, the amplest means for its .speedy consummation. Let every Lditor in the country feel himself responsible, to make known throughout the limits of his influence, the views, operrtions and success of the Society, and that which it has been attempting m weak- iH'SS will be done with ])ower, that which pri- vate' charity has so well commenced, be com- pleted by the bounty of the States and the Na- tion. , , , -. " In concluding this address, the Managers be- leave to say, that not less than one thousand eiuiorants are now seeking a passage to Liberia ; that the Colony is prepared to receive them ; that funds only are wanting to enable the Society to prosecute its enterprise on a larger scale; and that all which can appeal to our interests, en- courage our hopes, or move our hearts to charity now commends the cause of African Loloniza- tion to the alfection and liberality ot our coun- trymen. Nor will they, the Managers are per- suaded, remain insensible to the merits of this cause Every where meet us the indications ot its growing i>opularitv. Justice and Compassion, Mercv and Charily, have gone forth in iellow ship, "to pleach for it, and the Managers trust in the urcat Author of all good to send finth his I spirit to their aid-that Spirit— under whose di- vine illuminations and all-gracious but all sub- duing energies, men of every country and condi- tion shall finally rejoice in peace Hiui love, shar- ers in unity, of the same faith, and of the same hope of the great and common salvaiion. Fhiladelplaa, Sept. 7, 1832. PREFACE. <3v Prom the ardent opposition made to the ^ Colonization Society by some cf our white citizens, and by a number of the free coloured ^ population, it might be supposed, by those un- - pbatically demand, how shall we provide for the transportation of such a number 1 It appears from Walsh's Sketches of Bra- zil, that there have been as many as 100,000 of the wretched nesrroes ravished from their PREFACE. native land in one year. If fJie wretches en- gaged in that nefarious traffic could find means of transporting 1(X),000 human beings in one year across the Atlantic, surely this powerful nation could, to accomplish the great objects in view, and to rescue itself by degrees from the odious stam of slavery, ac- complish the conveyance of 60, or oven 100,000 to a land where they will be "lords of the soil." 60 or 70,000 persons have emi- grated in one year from Great Britain and Ireland. It is asked, how shall provision be made for such a number in Liberia '! they will perish for want of sustenance ! Can there exist any fear on this subject, when the soil of Liberia produces two re- gular crops a year, witii the most imperfect culture 1* Philadelphia, April 20, 1832. — ►...►© ® ®4<«— P. S As this page was about to be put to press, the following interesting statement was handed to- the writer, wlio avails liimself of a chasm here, to insert it, as a proof li»at sounder and more favoura- ble views of the Sofiet)', and of the situation of the colony, prevail in Charleston than among some of the coloured people here. " On the 6th of December, 1831, there was a meet- ing held in Charleston, of a number of coloured people, lor the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of emigrating to Liberia. The Chair- man, Junius Eden, after slating the object, observed 'i'he inhabitania invite us to come and possess the land, to assist them to infuse into the natives, notions of pure morality, and to erect temples dedicated to the worship of Jehovah, where the injured sons of Africa may enter, and with united voices raise me- lodious songs of praise to Heaven' s Eternal King.' He said that no sacrifice was too great to be made here in order to secure for ourselves and our chil- dren the blessings of social happiness in Afnca, and concluded by calling on other members of the meet- ing to express their sentiments. " Charles Henry then arose and said, ' Africa, the land of our fathers, although surrounded wiih clouds of darkness, seems to me to be extending her arms towards us as her only hope of relief, and call- *The first edition of this pamphlet, which was distributed gratnitously, wholly at the expense of tne writer, was published Dec. 31, 1831. Two edi- tions, of 7000 copies, and one at Hartford in Con- necticut, have since been published, and it is now stereotyped, and disposed of at the mere cost of pa- per and printing, (85 per 100 copies,) in order to give It general circulation, in the hope of promoting a (Deneficenl undertaking, which the writer consci- entiously lielieves, hardly yields in importance to any agitated in this country, since the establi.nial aulhoiitics on the coast" Tiiey stiiled from the Downis on tiie 7th of February, 1820, and aj-rived at S>p"-i> AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. 9 Leone early in March. They visited all the ports from Sierra Leone to Sherboro. At tliis last place, they found a small colony of co- loured people, settled by John Kizel, a South Carolma slave, who had joined the British in the revolutionary war, and at its close was taken to Nova Scotia, tVom whence he sailed with a number of Iiis countrymen to Africa, where ho establisiied this small settlement, which was, at the aixival of the agents, in a prosperous situation. By Ivizel and Ins peo- ple, the agents were kin.U}'' and hospitably received. After gaining- all the information necessary for their purpose, they sailed from the coast in May. Mr. Burgess yrrived in the United States in the following month. Mr. Mills died on the passage. On the 2J of iNIarch, 1S07, an act was passed by the Congress of tJie United States, prohibiting the s]a\'e trade, from and after the 1st of January, 1803, under heavy penalties. Its chief features were, I. Any person engaged in fitting out a ves- sel for that trade, was liable to a penalty of 20,000 dollars. II. Any person taking on board a vessel on the coast of Africa, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, was subject to a penalty of 5000 dollars. III. All vessels of the United States, found at sea by our cruisers, having been engaged in the slave trade, were to be forfeited, with ail their tackle ; the captain or master to be tried, and, if found guilty, to be subject to a fme of $10,000, and to imprisonment for not more than ten, nor less than five years. This act contained a clause, whereby ne- groes brouglit mto the United States, in con- sequence of its provisions, were to be " sub- ject to any regulations, not contravening the provisions of the act, which the legisla- tures of the several states or territories might thereafter make, for disposing of such ne- groes." By an act passed by the legislature of Geor- gia, on the 18th of December, 1817, all ne- groes, mulattoes, or persons of colour brought into the state, in pursuance of the above act of Congress, were directed to be claimed by a person to be appointed by the governor, taken to IMilledgeville, and there sold, after sLxty days notice in a public gazette. It is obvious that the law of Congress, abo- lishing the slave trade, would be a solemn mocljery, unless an asylum were provided for the captured negroes. If landed m Georgia, or any other of the slave-holding states, they would be sold as slaves, and in that ca^e, the only effect of the law of congress would be, to change the location of the victims from the Havanna or Rio de Janeiro, to Augusta, or Savannah, or Milledgevdle. And the non- slave holding states would never consent to be burdened with negroes who could not speak their language, nor be able, for a long j time, to earn a support, and who would there- ! fore become paupers. The law of Georgia, however, contained a clause u'hich authorised and required the go- vernor to deliver to the Colonization Society, all captured negroes, landed in the state, pro- vided the society paid all the expenses incur- red by the state, smce their capture and con- demnation. A slaver, containing thirty-eight negroes, was captured by one of our government ves- sels, and brought into Georgia. The negroes were advertised for sale, on the 3d of May, 1819, at Milledgeville, ui pursuance of the above act. The Colonization Society, then in its mfancy, availed itself of the clause refer- red to — paid' the expenses incurred by the state, and rescued the victims of piratical cu- pidity from a per])etual slavery. Cases of this kind which liad previously oc- curred, drev\r tiie attention of congress to the necessity of providing an asylum for the cap- tured negroes; and accordingly, an act was passed on the 3d of March, 1819, whereby the president was " authorized to make such regulations and arrangements as he might deem expedient, for the safe keeping, support, and removal beyond the limits of the United States, of all such negroes, mulattoes, or per- sons of colour, as might [in this manner,] be brought within their jurisdiction ; and to ap- point a proper person or persons, residing upon the coast of Africa, as agent or agents, for receiving the negroes, mulattoes, or per- sons of colour, delivered from on board vessels seized in the prosecution of the slave trade, by commanders of the United States' armed vessels." It was obvious that the objects of the go- vernment could be better accomplished in conjunction vvith the Colonization Society, than separately. Accordingly, in the year 1820, the Elizabeth was chartered, and took out to the coast two agents of the govern- ment, one from the Society, and about eighty emigrants. The latter were to be employed at the expense of the government, in prepar- ing accommodations for the reception of re- captured negroes. They were, in the outset, extremely un- fortunate. They found it unpossible to obtain a suitable place, and "were compelled, by a variety of untoward circumstances, to make a temporary establishment in tlie low, un- healtliy island of Sherboro." Here they were detained some time, endeavouring to purchase land — and were attacked by fatal diseases, which carried off the three agents, and twenty of the colonists. The colony was in a lamentable state, in the spring of 1821. Great confusion and want of subordination prevailed, in conse- quence of the death of the agents. At that time, four new ones arrived, Messrs. An- drews, Wiltberger, Winn, and Bacon; the 10 LETTERS ON THE two first on the part of the Society, and the others on that of the United States. They brought out twenty-eight emigrants — and, from the difficulties that hixd occurred in pro- curing land, they proceeded with the old and new hands tothe neighbourhood of Sierra Le- one. One of the agents, Mr. Bacon, being taken sick, returned to the United State:?. Mr. Andrews died in August, and Mr. Winn in September. This was a most appalling state of things, and would have discouraged ordinary men from a prosecution of the scheme. Fortu- nately, such timid counsels did not prevail. The Society determined to persevere, trust- ing that more experience, and the choice of a more salubrious situation, would guard against a repetition of those disasters. A new agent. Dr. Ayres, was appointed, who, with Lieutenant Stockton, on the part of the Unked States, sailed in November, 1821, and arrived on the coast of Africa in December. On a careful examination of the coast, they purcliased the country called Moht- serado, where the colony is now settled. The price agreed upon, was three hundred dollars, payable ui powder and ball, fire-arms, tobac- co, clothing, &c. The Africans who had been landed at Sierra Leone, were now sent for, and affairs wore a promising aspect, when an untoward circum- stance occurred, which threatened a total failure of the scheme. A small slave vessel, prize to an English schooner, with thirty recaptured slaves on board, and bound for Sierra Leone, put in for water at Perseverance island, part of the pur- chased territory, where the colonists were stationed. Having unfortunately parted her cable, she drifted on shore, where she was wrecked. The custom of the coast appropri- ates to the petty chief on wliose lands a wreck takes place, the vessel and her entire con- tents. King George, on whose territory the accident happened, sent his people to take possession. They were resisted by the cap- tain and crew, and were discomfited. While the natives were preparing to renew the at- tack, the captain sent to the agent for assist- ance, which was readily granted. A boat was instantly manned, and sent to his relief, and a brass field piece on the island brought to bear on the assailants, who were accord- ingly routed, with the loss of two killed and several wounded. The crew and slaves were brought in safety to Innd, but the vessel went to pieces, and most of the stores and property was lost. Tliis exasperated the natives, not merely by the loss of their plunder and their men, but by tlie prospiict it hfdil out of similar iuti-rfer- cnces in future. They auticip;ited tiu> total interruption of the slave trade, whicli was their principal depimdence for procuring su{)- nlies of whatever they might want. They therefore determined to extirpate tne colony, while in its feeble and defenceless state. Only part of the goods had been delivered, and the natives refused to receive the remam- der, insisting on returning what they had re- ceived. This, of course, the agent refused, and they had recourse to a stratagem to ac- complish their purpose. They invited him to an amicable conference, and as soon as they had him in their power, made him a prisoner, and detained him until he consented to take the articles back. Then they insisted on the colonists withdrawing from the settlement altogether. Pleading the difficulty of re- moval, for want of a })lace to which to retire, he was permitted to remain till he could make a purchase of land. Meanwhile, he made an appeal to Boatswain, one of tlie native kings, wiio enjoyed a sort of supremacy among them, and who, on hearing the respective al- legations, gave an award in favour of the co- lonists, that the bargain had been tair on both sides ; that there was no ground for rescind- ing it ; and therefore, that the natives should receive the stipulated goods, and relinquish the purchased territory. With this judgment his perfidious regal brethren were forced to comply, as he threatened them with ven- geance, if they pro\ed refractory. Notwithstanding this favourable decision of the dangerous controversy, the colony was at the lowest ebb at that period. It had to dread the vengeance of its neighbours, on the departure of Boatswain, whose territories were considerably remote, and before whose return, for their defence, they might be crushed by the overwhelming numbers of their enemies. And, unfortunately, through the unskilfulness of the colonial engineer, the thatch of the store house, wherein were contained the pro- visions, arms, amnmnition, merchandize, and other public property of the colony, had taken fire, in their conflict in the defence of the English prize ship, and the house and nearly all its contents, amoimting in value to about three thousand dollars, assorted for the settle- ment, and all of the first necessity, were con- sumed. The powder, a few casks of jirovi- sions, and a scanty supjily of other stores, were with difficulty, rescued from the flames, by the exertions of the colonists. " Tho hoiipps were yet destitutp of roofs, for which the materials were to be so.ight for, in the almost impenetrahle swamps of the coin. try. The rainy season had ah'eadv .('m.aienceil. The island {Per- severance,) if much longer occupied by the colo- nists, must prove the grave of many. Sickness was beginning to be prevalent, and ilie agents were among the suHeiers. Tiie store of provisions was scanty, and all other stores nearly exhausted." In this gloomy state of affairs, Dr. Ayres determined to remove the Colonists, their jiro- visions, s'.ores, &c. to Sierra Leone. The Society's agejit, Mr. Wiltherger, opposed this project ; convinced that if the Colonists re- moved, the land purchased could not be reco- vered. At his instance tho Colonists heroically AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. 11 rejected it, and determined to remain, in the hope of a melioration of their aiTairs. At tliis eventful period, to cheer the hopes and to revive the courage of the settlers, a vessel arrived from Baltimore, with a number of recaptuTed slaves, and thkty-seven free co- loured people, under the superintendance of the Rev'. Mr. Ashmun; who, on landing-, found, to his great surprise, that the agents had returned to America, having left tlie co- lony under the care of a coloured man. The natives were brooding over, not only their discomfiture in the attack on the En- glish vessel, but on the very unwelcome deci- sion of Boatswain, of the controversy about the soil. As soon as he had retired, they be- gan to make preparations for an attack, m or- der to extirpate such formidable neighbours, before they had gained sufficient strength to set them at defiance. The colonists were in a very indLTerent state to meet the attack. " Of the native Americans, twenty-seven, when not sick, were able to bear arms, but were wholly untramed to their use, and capa- ble, m their present undisciplined state, of raakmo- but a very feeble defence. There were forty muskets m store, which, with re- pairing, were capable of being rendered ser- viceable. Of one brass, and five iron guns attached to the settlement, tlie former only was fit for service, and four of the latter re- quired carriages. Some of them had been nearly buried in the mud on the opposite side of the river. Not a good abattis or other fencework, had been completed. There was no fixed ammunition ; nor, witliout great dif- ficulty and delay, was it possible to load the only gun wliich was provided with a sufficient carriage." The colonists, by means of " a spy in the enemy's camp," had uiformation of all theu- plans of attack, and made all the preparation in their power to repel them. But their num- ber was small, having only thirty-five efiec- tive men. Then- defences were incomplete, and the most alarming feature in their affairs was, that the agent, the Rev. Mr. Ashmun, a man of the most extraordinary zeal, ardour, and energy, was dangerously ill, confined fi-e- quently to his bed, and at tunes, rather deliri- ous, and wholly unable to attend to his duties. " From the middle of September till the first week m November, he continued in an ex- tremely low and dangerous state; so en- tirely debditated in body and mind, as to be nearly incapable of motion, and msensible to every thing, but the consciousness of suf- fering." The attack was made on the 8th of No- vember, 1822, by a force of above eight hun- dred men. Li consequence of the sickness of the agent, and his mability to enforce his orders personally, one pass had been neglected to be properly defended. There, tlie enemy fcund an entrance, and captured one of the guns ; which, very fortunately, they knew not how to manage. At this awfiil crisis, when total destruction seemed inevitable, the colo- nists were saved by the want of discipline of the assailants. They had captured four houses, and betook themselves to plunder them, whereby they got into confusion, and afforded the colonists time to rally. Had the enemy availed themselves of their first suc- cess, resistance, on the part of the besieged, would have been in vain. But the latter hav- ing recovered from their surprise, recaptured t;he gun, and turned it on the enemy, among whom, as they were wedged in a solid mass, it made a horrible havoc. They lost sixty or eighty men, and fled in utter confusion. The loss of the colonists was nearly in the same proportion to their numbers. They had tlu-ee men and one woman kUled; two men and two women severely wounded ; and four chil- dren captured. Altliough thus completely discomfited, the natives did not abandon their design of ex- termmatmg the colony. They determmed to renew the attack with additional forces, collecting auxiliaries from as many of the neighbouring tribes as they could induce to unite with them. The colonists, on their side, were equally on the alert, and made mcredi- ble exertions to prepare for repelling tlie as- sailants. They reduced the extent of their \vorks, and thus rendered them more defen- sible tlian they had been on the former at- tack But the number of effective men was less, beuig only thirty. The attack was made on the 30th of No- vember, and incomparably better concerted than the former one. It took place almost simultaneously on three sides of the fortifica- tions. The assailants displayed a tact and skill that would have done credit to more ex- perienced warriors. But they were received with that bravery and determination which the danger of total destruction, in case of de- feat, was calculated to inspire, and were finally defeated with severe loss. The gar- rison had one man killed, and two badly wounded. The skill and talent, and energy of Mr. Ashmun, mainly secured the triumph. He received three buliets through his clothes, but was not wounded. The action continued an hour and a half, and was renewed three times, with the ut- most desperation. " There was, at this time, little surgical knowledge, less skill, and absolutely no in- struments — not a lancet nor probe in the settlement. Its little dispensary had no lack of James's powders, and stores of febrifuges , but for medicating broken bones, and ex- tracting fragments of pot metal and copper ship bolts from the shattered limbs of the colonists, there had been no provision what- ever. A dull penknife and a common razor were substituted in the place of the first, 12 LETTERS ON THE and a priming iron made to answer the pur- pose of the last." His Britannic majesty's schooner Driver, fortunately arrived in the liarbour at this time, and the commander kindly offered his services as mediator, which were gladly ac- cepted by both paities, as tliey weie^equally tired of " the unprofitable contest." The na- tive princes signed an engagement " to ob- serve an unlimited truce witli tJie colony, and submit all their ditferences to the arbi- tration of the governor of Sierra Leone." Since that period the colonists have not been molested. They are the objects of re- spect and veneration, and their friendship is sought after by all the petty kings in tlieir neighbourhood. . A reo-ular form of government was adopted in 1824, which produced the happiest effects on the morals and manners of the colonists. In truth, this period may be stated as ahnosl the commencement of the establisliment — the four preceding years having been the reio-n of anarchy and confusion. Philadelphia, April 12, 1832. LETTER IV. Increase of thti Coloured population. The dangers arising from the great in- crease of a°caste in the nation, wlio are by mimemorial custom or prejudice, the eradi- cation of wiiich can scarcely be hoped for, cut off from all chance of amalgamation with their fellow beings of a dilTerent colour, are yearly augmenting by the natural liorror of slavery, which is constantly gaining strength in the breasts of the slaves; by the unceas- ing discussions in our papers, especially by those that recently took place m tlie legisla- ture of Virginia; and by the inflammatory publications^ which are clandestinely spread among the slaves, in spite of the vigilance and denunciations of their masters. Circum- stances, too, are occasionally occurring, which t^nd to fan the flame; among which may be reckoned, the general manumission of the slaves in tiie royal colonies of (Ireat Britain, and the steady persevering efforts, in and out of parliament in that kingdom, to procure a total emancipation in all the Bri- tish colonies. In the discussion of this subject, it is only necessary to cast a furtive glance at the scenes in St. Domingo, and more recently in Jamaica, and the various insurrections i)lan- ned and attempted in this country, to be sa- tisfied, that tiie sulii slave population exceeds that of the whites. Population of South Carolina. Whites Slaves. InlTCO 131,181 1€7,094 1830 257,878 315,565 Thus it appears, that while the slaves very nearly trebled their numbers in forty years, tlie whites did not quite double theirs. The relative situation of the white and co- loured population east of the Blue Ridge, in Virg-inia, places this subject in a striking point of view. It appears that the latter^have o-ained on the former in forty years, 106,176, being more than a fourth part of the number of whites at present in that part of the coun- try. To render this case more remarkable, it is to be observed, that during this period, the shipment of slaves from that portion of Virginia to the more southern states, has been carried to an enormous extent. Population East of the Blue Ridge. Total. Majority. Whites, lilacls. Whites. Blacks. In 1790 314,523 289,425 25,098 1800 330,289 339.293 3,004 ]R10 33^^,:" 53 3H6.942 4^,389 1820 317,«72 413,928 6(:,056 IA)][) 375,935 457,013 81,078 Tiie following table exhibits the increase of the free coloured people in the United S^tes, from the year 1790, to the present ^"S,?.^'*^l I In 1820 233,530 S S '''' ''''''' A multiplication of nearly six fold in forty years, and above 33 per ct. in the last 10 years. Number of slaves at the different periods of taking the census. 1790 697,697 I 1820 15'^ft79« s ,s '^ -^'^^ The disparity of increase of the white and coloured population in the five orimnal slave states, deserves attention 1790. Whites. Slaves. Maryland 208,650 103,036 Virginia 442,127 292,627 North Carolina 288.204 100 572 130,178 107,094 52,886 29,264 AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. 23 South Carolina Georgia 1830. Maryland Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia 1,122,045 Whites. 291,093 694,439 472,433 257,878 296,614 632,593 Slaves. 102,878 469,754 246,462 315,665 217,407 2,012,457 1,352,136 It thus appears, that the whites, in fortv l^hST'T""^ °"^y ^^•'"* ""'S^^y per cent:, whi e the slaves increased one hundred and twelve In North Carolina, the whites in- Creased but sixty-four per cent, while the slaves increased one hundred and forty-five r l.,""?'^^'' °^ ^^^v*^s in Maryland has slightly decreased, partly by manumissions, and partly by the shipment of slaves to thp more southern states, both of which have taken place m that state, on a large scale. LT onL''°^T''^ population in 1790, was only 8 042 ; whereas, in 1830, it was 52,942 lableof the number of coloured people tree and slaves, in the United States, at the various periods of taking the census, to,o-ether with a statement of the numbers that will ri?l 'V^n ?T'y ^""^'y decennial census, till 1880, at the rate of increase that took place between 1820 and 1830, viz. 35 per cent 1790 757,178 1840 3 145 '%'S9 1800 1,006,922 1850 4,246:411 1820 1,771,558 I 1870 7 739 236 1830 2,330 187 | 1880 loilSis What fearful presages arise in the mind, when we consider that in 1880, at the pre: sent rate of increase, the population of the ^- is., then above 54,000,000, will embrace more than 10,000,000 of a dis'tinct raJe, be! tween whom and the majority, cordiality can scarcely be expected ! What an admo- nitory lesson in favour of colonization ! I'hiladelphia, April 14, lft32. C LETTER V. Expense of Passage. It remains to ascertain, as nearly as possi- ole, the expense of emigration. The passage is, at present, calculated at about twenty dollars, and the expense for the maintenance of each emigrant for six months, at about 15 dollars; makino- all to- gether, 35 dollars. ° But children from two to twelve years of age, are taken at half price, and below two years, free of charge ; allowing for a due pro- portion of children, thirty dollars would be a tolerably fair estimate for passage and sup- Moreover, when the situation of the co- lony becomes better known, and the preju- dices which have been industriously created against It, are done away, many emigrants wiJI defray their own expenses; and many liumane and charitable masters will, as has taken place already, pay the passage of their manumitted slaves. Again, for a long time to come, there will be, as there is at present, a great demand in the colony for labourers; and able-bodied men will, immediately on landing, be able to procure employment. In a former report it was stated, that of the whole number of emi- grants that arrived in one vessel, only seven were unemployed in twenty days. Consider- ing all these circumstances, we might be au- tfiorized to assume an average of twenty dol- lars for each; but if we err at all, it is better to err on the safe side, and assume twenty- It appears that the annual increase is a lit- tle above 2J per cent. In the first edition we erroneously assumed 3|. Two and a half per cent, on the present number of coloured people in the United states probably 2,400,000, amounts to 60,000 annuahy. Supposing the object to be the prevention of any mcrease, and that there- tore provision would have to be made for the conveyance of 60,000 annuaily,^ 1 25 dol- lars each, the ex-pense would be $1,500,000. i his sum IS large, and would require con- siderable sacrifices. But was any grand ob- ject ever attained without great sacrifices ^ VVe were, when in a comparatively feeble state, able to raise .$100,000,000 in a year and a half, for the support of a war. Our revenue has been, for years, from 20 to $25,000,000, and the national debt is nearly paid off. Th3 direct tax of the state of Penn- sylvania in the year 181.5, was $730,968 and that of Virginia, .f 738,036, which were paid without any oppression of the citizens of either. And surely, if reason and com- mon sense have fair play, it will not be diffi- cult to procure an amendment of tlie consti- tution, (if such an amendment be nocesparv vvhich is doubted by many of our citizf^ngi liy three-fourths of the states, allowing tho np- LETTERS ON THE propriation of a sum necessary ^r the pur- pose; and never did a nation make a u.or. "^^S^[Sr;non.slavehold.gstate. There can be no doubt that these wo^ild ra UtV such an amendment; and from the ^e V fence of the conviction in M-^aand Jj , ginia, and North Carolina of ^ « da^^f/; fhat menace the country from this source ^tfdVob^bly be had ma y^r or Uvo,^a Philadelphia, April 15, itW^- LETTER VI. Manumissions, with a ^^^'f f .f "f^"-^ '^' emancipated slaves to ^^f j«-^,^__ Among the most promismg and encourag ino- circumstances attendmg the career or hfssoaety, are the numerous manumis on that have taken place m a.most all the s ave states, on the express condition of the treea P-TtesfmTumlsSo^sS occurred on a scale that the most sanguine ^ds of t e 53aSS2SS "?t w'uld be endless toenumerate the^ases Ta^'^r/apau''':^: which *ey are enUjjed ""A^rnear CharleBtown, Va liberated J!;:itaiu,i,s,a».^^^^^^ r="; r." tSocfcrTco'.hey *°»M .hi„i ro ,er to ™. And, " as an encourage. SrOen.foe.ni.™«;^*cA„re^^^^^^ ?,r.Xn!'"r«r[h^i'sfh-wm the wnu, secured, 1 desire not only 7Zi:!'Z^<^ emigration be paid, KittXrum of fifty dollars be paid to each one so emigrating, on his or her arrival '"^ ^khriver, of Frederick co. Maryland, ordered bv his will, that all his slaves, tliirty n number, should be emancipated, and that uoSe provision should be made for tlie com- fortable support of the infirm and aged, and S the instruction of the young m reading, writm-,and arithmetic, and m some art oi Trade by which they might acquire the *$5000 to defray the expense of transportm, '' p'tfey'^Moms, of Louisa co., Va. directed u n that all her slaves, sixteen m num- ^-^-.cheoner Randolph which^^gW res°?Sri;y'abene^.lnt,ndividua. ^nTan^cf^Sd on cond.Uon of being conveyed irh,f •w!S?aecr.T'he d,ed before .ha. ^^V?\ t T\ Flder of Petersburg, Va. be- should be conveyed to Liberia, uy "Pr.^enJleman in Georgia, has recently left 49 slaves frZ on condition of their removal '" M^f Elizabeth Morris, of Bourbon co. Va pro' [ded by will for the emancipation of her Lves, about forty '" "»!^^^^^^^-,,. n. c.,freed David Patterson, of Orange co. i ''ZrRoLVSsnffoll<.co Va provM ^y'''-''\s;„'fs,i?.rss--r!li'r. slaves, upwards ottmriy, Liberia. dred dollars to P^^ Smith of Frederic co. Joseph LemKud b .ith, ol^ ^.^^^^^ Md , liberated twelve slaves, S:^;^;;:;rsit'ofSgse„u.ere, AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. In the brig Criterion, which sailed from Norfolk for Liberia, on the 2d August 1831, there were forty-six persons who had been liberated, on condition of proceeding to Li- beria ; 18 by Mrs. Greenfield, near Natchez ; 8 by Mr. Williams, of Elizabeth city, N. C. ; 7 by Gen. Jacocks, of Perquimans, Ohio; 4 by Thomas Davis, Montgomery co. Miss. ; 2 by two other individuals ; and 5 by some of the Quakers in North Carolina. Of those liberated slaves, 2 only were above 40 years of age, 31 were under 35, and 22 under 20. A gentleman in N. C. last year, gave free- dom to all his slaves, 14 in number, and pro- vided 20 dollars each, to pay their passage to Liberia. * Mrs. J. of Mercer co. Kentucky, and her two sons, one a clergyman, and the other a physician, lately ottered the Colonization bociety sixty slaves, to be conveyed to Li- beria. Henry Robertson, of Hampton, Va., be- queathed their freedom to seven slaves, and hlty dollars to each, to aid in their removal to Liberia. William Fletcher, of Perquimans, N. C, ordered by will, that his slaves, twelve in number, should be hired out for a year after his death, to earn wherewith to pay for their conveyance to Liberia. A gentleman in Kentucky, lately wrote to the secretary of the Society, » I will wil- lingly give up twelve or fifteen of my co- loured people at this time ; and so on gradu- ally, till the whole, about sixty, are given up, if means for their passage can be af- forded." On board the Harriet, from Norfolk, of one hundred and sixty emigrants, between forty and fifty had been slaves, emancipated on condition of being sent to Africa. In addition to these mstances, several others might be added, particularly that of Richard Bibb, Esq. of Kentucky, who pro- poses to send sixty slaves to Liberia— two gentlemen in Missouri, who desire to send eleven slaves— a lady in Kentucky ofl^ers 40 —the Rev. John C. Burress, of Alabama, in- tends preparmg all his slaves for coloniza- tion-tlie Rev. William L. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, ma-numitted 11 slaves, who sailed a few weeks ago from New Orleans. /" this work of benevolence, the society u, j^' ' ^^ '" ^''° "^^"y other cases, have nobly distinguished themselves, and assumed a prominent attitude. They have, in North Carolina, liberated no less than 652 slaves, whom they had under their care, besides, as says my authority, an unknown number of children, husbands and wives, connected with them by consanguinity, and of whom, part went to Canada, part to Liberia, part to Hayti, and a portion to Ohio. In the perform- ance of these acts of benevolence, they ex- pended $12,759. They had remaking under their care, in December 1830, 402 slaves, for whom similar arrangements were to be made. It holds out every encouragement to the Colonization Society, that the applications for the transportation of free negroes, and slaves proposed to be emancipated on condi- tion of removal to Liberia, far exceed its means. There are, in North Carolina and the adjacent states, from three to four thou- sand of both descriptions, ready to embark, were the Society in a situation to send them away. Philadelphia, April 17, 1832. LETTER Vn. Progress of Liberia. — Inauspicious com- mencement in Massachusetts, Virginia, and North Carolina. A BRIEF comparison of the progress made m Liberia, with the colonization of Massa- chusetts, Virginia, and North Carolina, will place the first on high ground, and dispel the doubts of the most sceptical, as to the ul- timate success of this magnificent and be- nignant undertaking, if it receive a due de- gree of support. Let it be observed, that the society never made any calculation on being able to accomplish the mighty object of their enterprise by private resources alone. That would have been extravagant folly. The success must, they well knew, ultimately de- pend on the patronage of the general and state governments, united. This patronage they fondly hope to obtain, as soon as the prejudices that have been created against this enterprise, have been dissipated. ° The society has done its duty in proving the prac- ticability of the scheme, and will steadily continue its exertions on a scale proportioned to the means placed at its disposal. Further than this it never promised. The first expedition to Liberia, took place ni 1820 ; but the colonists, as has been al- ready stated, met with so many difficulties and embarrassments at the commencement, that It was not until the year 1824, that or- der or good government was established. All that has been accomplished worth no- tice has, therefore, taken place within the last eight years. What, then, is the state of the case? There are now above 2000 souls settled, contented, happy, and prosperous ; enjoying all the apparatus of a regular government; an improving agriculture'; a prosperous and increasing commerce; settlements rapidly extending; a large territory, possessed of ex- traordinary advantages of soil, cHmate, and situation for commerce, fairly and honoura- bly purchased, about one hundred and fifty LETTERS ON THE 15 miles oa the coast, and extending into the | interior of the country thirty or forty imles; . several slave factories destroyed, and the slaves liberated; the slave trade abolished for about 40 miles above and below the co- lony ; the circumjacent aboriginals tranquU- ized, regarding the settlers with reverence, and looking up to them for protection trom the ferocious violence of those hosteshummn generis, the slave traders; the attacks o a host of confederated petty kmgs repelled in 1822, in the very infancy of tne colony, and in its most feeble state; education care- fully attended to; the children of the natives sent in for instruction to the schco s of the colonists; morals and religion flounshmg. Iri a word, the most sanguine expectations oi the founders of the colony more than real- ized, at this very early 3tage of its existence. It may be doubted whetlier any colon;- ever throve more, and few, so completely, ui so short a space of time. One feature in this colony most honoura- bly distinguishes it from almost every other colony, established in ancient or modern times Of all other colonies, the founders were imoelled by a desire of conquest; a thirst of 'acTgrandizcment, or of the acquisi- tion of wealth. With no such views, were the founders of Liberia actuated. Pure be- nevolence alone, inspired the ihustnous men, the Finleys, the Thorntons the Wash- ingtons, the Piercers, the Ashmuns, the Cald wells, the Meades, theGurleys,who pro- iected or aided in the formation of the so- cietv The benedt of the colonists, and the peace and happiness of this country, were the objects. For the attainment of those im- portant objects, they devoted their time and their subaance, and have patiently endured the scotSi, and ridicule, and scorn, to which their grand enterprise, in common with all other great and novel undertakings, was sub- ■"^ Let "us now cast an eye on the early re suits of the attempts at the colonization of Massachusetts, Virginia, and I\orth Caro- The pih-rims who commenced the settle- ment of wl^sachusetts, landed in December, 1620, to the number of 120; and so lU were they provided with provisions and clothmg, and so inclement was the season, that about fifly of them perished in the course of the winter and the ensuing spring.* And, al- thou-rh they received frequent reinlorce- menrs, there remained but three hundred in the year 16:^0, one half of the whole num- ber having perished iu tlio severe winter of ^ What a striking contrast Liberia exhibits! How exhilarating and encouraging to its ♦ Marehall's Life of Washington. Vol. I. page 49. * Idem, page 102. friends, and how useful a lesson does it hold out to its enemies, to cease their opposition ! But inauspicious as the incipient opera- tions were in Massachusetts, the result was far worse ^br 21 years in Virginia. The first attempt at a settlement took place in i&bS, and was succeeded for years by several nu- merous reinforcements, which, in a great measure, fell victims to their own irregulari- ties, or to the hostile attacks of the Indians, whom those irregularities provoked. In IblU, the heroic Smith, the father of the colony, brouoht out a strong reinforcement, and re- turned home for furtlier supplies of men orovisions. arms, and ammunition, leaving the colony, as he supposed, secure against I any contingency, however adverse, wlietfier from the severity of the weather, or tlie as- saults of the Indians. But all his calcula- tions were miserably defeated by the worth- lessness, extreme insubordination, and licen- tiousness of the colonists. "Smith left the colony furnished .vith three slui« good fornlicutions, twenty-five pieces of carmon. arms, ammunition, apyarel, [^r.'"*"^ At I.n ps' dmg and tools for all kmds of labour. At Jan es^ -T^ovvn there were nearly sixty houses. 1 lie settlers had began to plant, and to fortity at tive or six other Placed The number of inhabitants was nearly five h ndred They had just gathered m their Indian a vest and, &es,l4d considerable provision in hp7r stores Thev had bet^veen five and six hun- dred S 'an eq ill number of fowls, some goats ami sonfe'sheep.. They had ^l^o^boa f ^^ets 'ii^ good accommodauonsforfishmg. ^f .^"^'V'^' H'*' fedhion, idlene.ss, and dissipation of this mad peo] le ha hev were soon reduced to the most miserable SrcunisLnces. No sooner was Caotain Smith gone, ban he savages, provoked by th..ir dissolute prac 1 ces and encouraged bv their want of govcrn- meiU revolted, hunted and slew them from phice to ace' NaAsemoiKl. the plantation at tlie alls ™d ail the out-settlements were abandoned. In a short time nearly forty of the company were cut ' off n-^he enemy^ Theii" time and provisions ue -e churned ni rio't; their utensils --e ,f "lenj de siroved ; their hogs, sheep, and low s kdled and car r ed off bv the Indian.^ The sword without, and la- m'ne and sickness within, soon made among iheni TpriS destruction. Within the term of six on'hs of their whole number, sixty only survived. T oiwere mostly poor, famis-iing ^"etclies. siib- 'iilin- chiefiv on herbs, acorns, and berries. Such Siefamhie, that thev ied,on 'h^^.tkms of hea dead horses; nay, they bodeo ^''^ a e he lesh o the dead. Indc»d, tliey were reduced to sue ti ex tren i^V, tha had ihev not been relieved, the ^^hole ireiuiiN, i. j^^^.^ been ex- t^'S:.XSX^£^ii^^-^^ of idleness, faction, and want of proper sulHirdmai ion. ,,,,,„„. All the difficulties and disasters that have occurred in Liberia, from the commencement of the settlement till the present time fall flir short of a tithe of the calamities winch befol the settlers in Virginia in si.x months. We have not as many detadsot the d.sas- tcrs in North Carolina. ^^ illmmson, its his- torian, is verv brief on the subject ; bu he tells enough -to prove that similar disorders and similar disasters took place there. The • Hohness Ainials, Vol T. page GO. AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. ?«S?^ was commenced in 1668; and in lby4, " the list of taxables was only 787 be- ing little more than half the number that were there in 1677," seventeen years before ' buch, says the writer, " were the baneful ettects of rapine, anarchy, and idleness."* Philadelphia, April 18, 1832. 17 the limits ofthe United States, or within the lim.te ol any of theirierntories." Resolution of the legislature of Maryland, 1819. enn^:f° 'T.i'i'f """""^ly- '^h?' 'ii^ governor b LETTER VLII. Legislative and ecclesiastical proceedings in favour of Colonization, and of the So- ciety.— Connecticut , New Jersey, Ken- lucky, Delaware, ^.lasscchusetts, Tennes- see, Indiana, Pcnnsylvayiia, Maryland,d-c. —^ynodof Ulica.—Seneral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church.— Methodist E f^onjerence, <^c. <^~c. The Colonization Society has, by nerse- n should be predicated upon the pS most of them approving of the objecis of the ^IV^""' * ; "-^'^ff^^'^^ is « national one, and Society Eleven of those states hava in- tr.Hnffy^f !"'^ the _ States of th.s union, ought structed their senators, and requested th^i- representatives in Congress, to promotsrin requested to coranuuncate to the President of thi United States, and to ou. senators and representa biy, that a wise and provident policy suggests the expediency,on the part of our national gov^rnmem. procuring through negociation. by cession or pur, chase, a tract of country on tlie •.^4stern coast of itr^^Se UniSSi:"^ °'^^'^ ''^^ P^°P'^ «f- Rf^olve of the Legi.hture, of Connecticut, 1824. Kesolved, That the existence of slavery in the United States is a great national evil, and iliat the people and the States ought to participate fn the burdens and dunes of removing it, by all just and prudent measures, which may be adopted Lh a^t fnAlV !'""'' f r''" "'"^ '"""'"i harmony. and that a system of colonization, under the patron- age oi the general government, may reasonably be deemed conducive to so desirable an object." Resolve of the Legislature of New Jersey, 1825. -Resolved, That in the opinion of this legislature, a s)stem ol foreign colonization, with correspondent measures, might be adopted, that ivo„ld,T due lime, ehect the entire emancipation of slaves in this country, and furnish an asjdum for the Iree blackj . vnthout any violation of the national compact, or in- Jringement oj the rights of individuals; and that me general government, measures for re- moving such free persons of colour as are desirous of emigrating to Africa. And "nearly all the ecclesiastical bodies in the ^„ . ;? -r -J-— r'r '"" -^'""oiy cms union, ousht muaialty to participate in the duties and burdens of removing it. ^ Of the Legislature of Delaware. ■' l{esolved by the senate and house of representa- tives of the state of Delaware, in general .assembly mel 1 hat it is reqmsite for our prosperity, and. what IS ol more important concern, essen'ial to our safe. FT u j-'cT -^^^itraiasucai DOOies in the ; .1 ^'""'"" ^^"'■em, essentia^ lo our saie. United States have, by re.solutions, fullv e-- r'' "'^;, "measures should be taken, for the removal pressed their opinion, that the Society me- lauoes" '°""''^' °^ "^'^ ^''' "^°'-°^^ ^^ ">"■ ChH^.H.n''""''^'''^'"'" ^"^ favour of the wliole '' Resolved, That this general assembly approve Christian community, and earnestly recom- T^ °'^>^'? of the American ColonizS SocietV mend it to their patronage." It would ex- '"'! consider that those objects deserve public sup-' tend this letter too far, to enumerate tTe rw^Vw"^ '^if' '^'•^- ""?^'"° '^'^ ^"^^^ various testimonials of individuairandpubtnmt^^^^^^^ ^"^•^"""^'^•^' ^^ -* ^^e bodies in this country and in Europe, in fa- ' vour of the Society. From Great Britain, they have been of the most flatterind toe live on, and possess the rights of freeholders. Our suf rages, and, what is of more importance, our sentt- menti and our nninions. have thin due weight in the government we live under. Our laws are altogether our own: they gr exists a free penjde, was a de- pot for the reception of mnnacled stales. This fact alone is entitled to cotisidcnition, and ought to an)iise the zeal of the friends of himianity every vvhere. " I take leave to mention, that the climate is miU'li like that of all similar latitudes; and as the land in rich, iind most of it still in woods, we must ei[)Pct that liiiious fever will sninetiuies prevail : but I do not think it more iiiihealthv to liie coloureil people, than our extreme southern coast ; and as the Hoil of LilieriH becomes dear anJ)elphia, May 10, 1830. " Monrovia, at present, consists of about ninety dwelling houses and stores, two houses for public worship, and a court house. Many of the dwellings are handsome and convenient, and all of them com- lortabie. The plot of the town is cleared more than a mile square, elevated about seventy feet above the level of the sea, and contains seven hundred inhabitants. The streets are generally one hundred feet wide, and, lihe those of our goid cil)/, intersect each other at risht anfzles. The Colonization So- ciety have an agent anil a physician there. " The agent is the chief magistrate of the colony and the physician his assistant. Ao while jieojjle are allouxd to reside in the colony for the purpose of trade, or of pursuing any mechanical business, such being intended for the exclusive benefit of the co- loured people. The colonial secretary, collector of customs, surveyor, and constables, are appointed by the agent — the vice-agent, sheriff; treasurer, and all other civil ollicers are elective, and all the offi- ces except that of the agent and physician are filled by coloured people. "The court holds its sessions on the first Monday in every month ; juries are empannelled as with us ; and it.s jurisdiction extends over the whole co- lony. The trials are, principally, for larceny, and the criminals are generally natives, who commit thefts in the scttlemcnt.s. A few instances of kid- napjiing have occurred ; these depredations were commiiled on the recapmrctl Africans. To the ho- nour of the emigrants be it mentioned, that but five of tftcir number have been committed for stealing or inisdemeanor, since 1827. " I'wo native kings have put themselves and their subject-), (sttpnosed to amount to ten thousand.) under the protection of the colony, and are ready, should it he thought necessary or expedient by the settlers, to put into their hands, arms, to make common cause with them, in case of hostilities by any of the na- tives ; which, however, is not anticipated, as the most friendly disjiosition is m.anilbsted by all thena lives of the coiiiiiry, from whom any danger might have been apprehended. "There is much hospitalitv' to be found in Mon- rovia, and among the inhabitants a greater propor- tion of moral and religious characters than in this city. / never saw a man intoxicated, nor heard any profane swearing during the three weeks I was among them. " Tlie two houses for religions worship, are Baptist and Methodist — The Baptists have three, and Me- thodists five preachers, all intelligent coloured men, merchants :uid traders, residing among them ; so that the people have nothing to (wiy for the support of ministers. Five (tcriuan missionaries, some minis- ters and teachers, reside there, a {wrtion of whom preach at ihe Methodist church occasionally. " It has been objecteil that the climate is very un- healthy — this is true, a* it respects ihe whites, but no doubt It will be found a.s healthy us any other] erroneous as respects the coloured people. Those AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. n from the middle and. northern states, have to undergo what is called a seasoning — that is, they generalhi take ihe . fever the first month of their residence, but it lias rarely proved fatal, since accommodations have been prepared for their reception ; those from Georgia, the Carolinas, and the southern parts of Virginia, either escape the fever altogether, or have it very slightly. Death occurs there, indeed, as in other places; but Dr. Mechlin, the agent, assured me that the bills of mortality would show a less proportion of deaths, than those of Baltimore, Phila- delphia or New York. W. E. SHERMAN." Letter from Captain Kennedy, of the U. S. ship Java, to the secj-etary of the Society. " Norfolk, June 22, 1831. " Sir — I have the honour to aclaiowledge the re- ceipt of yours of the 11th inst. requesting my opi- nion of the condition and necessities of the colony at Liberia. " I hope I need not assure you, that it affords me great gratification to comply with your request, and to lay before yon a statement of the facts which pre- sented themselves to me, during the visit I made to Montserado, in the frigate Java, under my com- mand. '• The wisdom and talent which distinguish the councils of the Society to which you belong, and the vast materials which your experience and zeal have enabled you lb collect, cause great diffidence on my part, in the suggestion of any new plan of operations. I was, however, not an idle observer, during my stay among the colonists, and the con- clusions which pressed ui«n my mind, as the re- sults of my inquiries, shall be most cheerfully sub- mitted for your better jinlgment and consideration. " It may not he improper to observe in the outset, that my inquiries were commenced under auspices verj' unfavourable to the practicability of the scheme of your Society; for while, I trust, I yielded un- feign<^>l acknowledgment of the piety and purity of put;j iSP which governed its worthy and disinter- estf-; j.!-oectors, yet the vast difliculties attending the pro33ciition of their labours, and the very prob- lematical results, in the want of success, left an im- pression upon my mind, altogether unfavourable to the uistitulion — under these impressions, thereiore, I commenced my hiquiry with great caution. I sought out the most shrewd and mtellige^it of the eolonist-s, many of whom were personally known to me, and by long and weary conversations, endea- voured to elicit from them any dissatisfaction tvilh their condition, (jf such existed,) or any latent design to return to their native country — neither of these did [observe; on the contrary, I thought I coull per- ceive that (hey considered that they had started into a new existence; thit, disencumbered of the mortify- ing relations in which they formerly stood in society ■they felt themselves proud of their attitude, ani seemed conscious, that while they were the found- ers of a new empire, they were prosecuting Ihe noble purpose of the regeneration of the land of their fathers. " I was pleased to observe that the}' were im- pressed with the vast importance of a proper edu- cation, not only of their children, but of the children of the natives ; and that to this they looked confi- dently as the means of effecting their high object, namely, the civilization of their benigiited brethren in Africa. "1 observed, with great satisfaction, that their children, in many instances, could converse in the languages of the tribes by which the colony is sur- rounded. Thus the obstacles which formerly em- barrassed its commerce with the interior, and which, by the by, are even now but few, mast, in a verv short time, cease entirely to exist Most of the ar- iicles of traffic which caii be profitably used in bar- ter with the natives, are fiimihar to your readers ; but there arc yet some whicli have not emjjloyed the enterprise of our citizens, and of those embraced in their speculations, many improvements in quality might advantageously be enumerated. The inha- bitants of King Boatswain's town, (one hundred and eighty miles up the Sf. Paul's river, and twenty miles li-oni it, which empties into the bay of Mont- serado,) interchange with the most friendly disposi- tions towards the colonists. " It gives me pleasure to state, that the colonists are turning their attention to the cultivation of cof- fee. That this article of produce is to prove a source of vast wealth to the colonists there can be no doubt; the labour and expense of its cultivation will be comparatively small; indeed, they have but to clear away the forest trees, and the plantations are ready to their hands. There are two descrip- tions of the plant indigenous — one, a shrub, evidently the same as the Mocha, hut yielding a berry of supe- rior favour ; the other a tree, frequently attaining the height of 40 feet : a specimen of ifie latter, I brought with me to Cuba, in the Java, and left with Mr. Shaler, our Consul, for the Botanic Garden of that ^-ity. " That there are many vast resources, yet unde- veloped m Liberia, no one can entertain a doubt ; that they will soon be brought forth, and made avail- able by the enterprise and intelligence of the colo- nists, is equally unquestionable. How earnestly then, should every philanthropist apply himself to aid and advance the operations of a society, the ob- ject of which is, not only to elevate so large a por- tion of our fellow beings from the degrading rela- tions in which they stand towards the rest of the human race, but to redeem from the thraldom of ignorance, superstition and vice, a whole continent! That these gre.at results are, under Providence, to be accomplished, is a conviction to which 1 have been brought by actual experience and scrutinizhig observation. EDWARD P. KENNEDY." " P. S. It would be well, perhaps, to state, that, in a conversation with one of ihe Kroos, or Kroomen, I was informed by him, that he came with his wife from Timlnictoo by water, with the exception of twenty-five miles, the distance that cit)' stands from the Niger; he came down the St. Paul's to Mont- serado." Extract af a letter from Captain Weaver, who visited /he Colony in 1831. " Wa.shi.vgton, Jan. 1, 18.32. "The charge of unhealthiness against Liberia, for the coloured races, cannot be supported. It is the birthplace of the black man, to which his constitn- tion is peculiarly adapted ; and though estranged for a time from his native <-lime. nature will un- doubtedly triumphantly resume her sway, whene- ver he returns to the land of his fathers. ' Africa is the black man's home, physically- Morally, he should aspii-e for a residence within her bounda- ries. He is there, the lord of the soil — all mankind are there his equals — the distinction of colour is there against the white man ; for in Africa, he is a .sort of " lusus nature," an object to be pointed at by the finger of curiosity, an object of dread for his p<)vver, and of hatred for his avarice. Sir, I have faith in the success of the colony of Liberia — you "have many difficulties to encounter ; but they are not in- surmountable. If our government will deign to foster that colony, a very short time will suffice to render it of great importance, in a commercial point of view, independent of home considerations. In the tobacco trade, we can have no rivals. Tlie north and the south are decplv interested in the prosperity of our suble colony. The north will find a vent for her surplus manufactures, and the south a home and a refuge for a portion of its population, which even,^ good citizen must wish to sec speedily transferred thither — I mean tlie free colouruil popu- 24 lation of the United States. The coFt of transporta- tion is, by many persons of intelligence, deemed an insurmountable barrier. Avarice brought them here! Shall we make the painful adniLssion, that that vice so far exceeds the combuied vixtue.s ol a christian community, as to render its deeds irrevo- cable ? No, Sir; it is in the power ol the American people, with a due iindei-siauding of the ca.se, and of the magnitude of the object, to etfecl much by a simultaneous movement." LETTERS ON THE LetlerfTom Ca/,lam AheJs, of the ^^rhmver J^!ar^a- ret Mercer, dated Was/nmrfnn Feb. 10, l»M. ■" Having just arrived in the United Sintes, from the colonv of Liberia, to which place I went as mas- ter of the schooner Margaret Mercer, and where 1 remained thirteen days, during which time 1 was daily on shore, and carefully observed the slate ot affairs, and inquired into the condition of the peo- ple 1 venture to state some facts m regard to the circumstances and prospects of the colony. On the I4th of December I arrived, and on the lotn v.ent on shore, and was received in the most polite and friendly maimer by the governor, Dr. Mechlin, who introduced me to the ministci-s and principal inha- bitants. All the colonists appeared to be in good health. All iny er/iriialwus in regard to the atipecl of things, the health, harmony, order, contentment, in- dustry, and general prosperiti/ of the settlers, were more than realized. There are about two hundred buildings in the town of Monrovia, extending along the Cape Montserado, not for from a mile and a quarter.* Most of these are good substantial houses and stores, (the first story of many of them being of stone,) and some of them handsome, spacious, paint- ed, and with Venilian blinds. Nothing struck me as more remarkalile, than the great superiority, in intelligence, manners, conversation, dress, and ge- neral appearance, in every respect, of the people over their coloured brethren in America. So much was I pleased with what I saw, that I observed to the people, should I make a true report, it would hardly be credited in the United Slates. Among all that I conversed wiih, T did vol find a disrvn- tented person, or hear one express a desire to Te'nrn to America. I saw no intemperance, nor did I hear a profane word utlered bv any one. Being a minis- ter of the gospel, on Christmas dav I preached both in the Methodist and Baptist church, to full and at- tentive congregations, of from three to four hun- dred persons in each. 1 know of no place where the Sabbath appears to be more respected than in Monrovia. I vas glad io see that the Colonial Agent, or Governor, is a constant attendant on Di- vine service, and appears desirous of promoting the moral and religious welfare of the people. Most of the settlers appear to be rapidly a'^qniring property, and I have no doubt thev are doMig better for ihein- Belvesand tlieir children in I.ihoria. than iIk-v could do in any other i>art of the world. Could the free people of colour in this country, but see the real con- dition of their breihren who have settled in Africa. I am persuaded they would require no other motive to induce tlunn to emigrate. This is my decided and deliberate judgment." Extract of a letter from Mr. Mechlin, Colon !/ Aaenl. " As tit the morals of the colonists. I c(msider Ihein much belter than those of the people of the U S. ; that is, ifoii mail take an eimal n^imh-r of the inhalnt- ants from am} section of the Union, and you will find more drunkards, more profane swarers and 'Sabliath-fneakers, ^c, than in Ldieria. Indeed, I know of no country where things are conducted more quietly and orderly than w this colony. You • TliiH Is a (.Tont incp-nnc siiico tho visit of Captaiu Sltermaii, two yuars belbro. rarely hear an oaili, and as to riots and breaches oi the peace, I recollect of h>it one instance, and that of a trilling nature, liiat has come under my luiiice since I a.ssunied the government ol the lolony. The SabbatJi u more strictly observed, iliaii I ever saw it in the Cnia'd States. Our Sunday schools arc well attended, not only by the children ol the colo- nists, but also by the native children who reside amongst us. The natives themselves are so weli acquainted with our strict observance of this day, that you never lind them oflering any thing tor sale, nor can you hire them to work for voii ; I mean those who have been amongst us, and at all ac- quainted with our customs." Extract from an Essai/ on the A/near, Slave Trade, said to he written bi'i a distinguished Br'tish naval ojJicer,who passed three years on the African cimst Frovi the Amulet, a Londim annual for 1832. "On the subject of Sierra Leone, and the causes of its failure, so much has been said, thai it would be superfluous to repeat it here. Public expectation has not, certainly, been answered ; but that these experiments are not of a fanciful or impracticable nature, is completely proved by the success which has attended the colonv which came next in succes- sion on this coast. This is a bold promoiHor\-, called originally Monte Serrado, but coriupted, as all names are, by negro pronunciation, into Mcsurado. The \merican Colonization Society located here a number of free people of colour, the offspring oi African slaves, born in America and liberated. "The settlement consists of two establishments The lli-^t is AJonrovia, on Cai:e Montserado, and the other Caldwell, .seven miles up the river St. Paul. The whole population amounts to about three hun- dred families, comprising more than 15(i0 persons, (2.500 at present) who have each farms allotted to them, some in the lower and some in the upper set- tlement. A regular and most improved system of husbandry is insisted cm. " Nothing has tended more to suppress the slave trade in this quarter than the constant intercourse and communication of the natives with these ludiistrioiis cvlonis's. The .\merican agent, Mr. Ashmun. took every opportunit\' and means in his power to extin- £ruish a traffic so'injurious in every way to the fair trader ; and at Cape Montserado, good and correct information was always to be obtained of any slave vessel on the coast, within the communication or influence of the colony. This active, respectable, and in'elligeiit man is since dead; but his spirit still actuates all his people. . " The character (f these indicstriiius colonists is exceed inglii correct and moral : their minds strongly imnressed'vith religious feelings; their manners se- rious and decorous ; and their domestic habits re- marknhh/nea' and comfortiible. Those who have visited them, speak highly of their appeanmcp and mode of livins. They area comely and well-formed race of negroes— neat and clean in their persons- modest and civd in their manners— and regular and comforirtble in iheir dwellings. Their bouses are well built, ornamented with enrdens and other pleasine decorations, and on the inside are remarka- bly clean— the walls well white- washed, and tlio rooms neatly furnished. " The complete success of lias colony, J.« a proof that ii'ixrocs are. by projier care and atlcntior., as sus- replilflr of the hahils of industry, and the improve- ments of ' social life, as am/ other race of human he- in-'s ; and thai the melioration of the condition of the black peoiile on the cfxist of Africa, by means of such colonies, is not chimerical. \Vhereirr the influ- ence of this colony crtends, ynr. SI,.\yK-TH.\ni-; HAR ISKKMAHAMIONED BV THE NATIVKS. AND TUF; FKACE- FIM. I'lJRSI'lT.S OF LKfiiriMATE COMMERCE ESTA- BLISHED IN ITS PLACE." AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. 2.1 LETTER XL 'Subjects continued-Examination ofMr.Dc- vany, Hi'sh Sheriff of the Colony of Libe- ria, he/ore a Committee of Congress, on the 26th and '21th of May, 1830. " This Committee consisted of the Hon. C. F. Mercer, Mr. Everett of JMass. Mr. Rose, Mr. Williams, Mr. V;ince, Mr. Denny and Mr. Kiircaid. Just before the adjourn- ment of Congress, Mr. Francis Devany, one of the earliest, most intelligent and respect- able settlers in Liberia, who had, for some time, held the office of Hi^h Sheriff" in the Colony, arrived in Wasliinoton, and, as iie had resided in Africa for more than seven years, had discharg-ed faithfiUy and usefully, the duties of several responsible offices, and had been and continued to be engaged in extensive trade, it was deemed important, by Mr. Mercer, Chairman of the Committee just mentioned, to receive his testimony, respecting the geography, climate, soil, na- tural and civil History, municipal Govern- ment, manners, productions, commerce, nav- igation, arts and improvements of the Colony of Liberia. "Mr. Devany stated, in reply to queries put to him b)' the Hon. Mr. Mercer, Judge Spencer, and others, t!iat the Colonists labour under ver\'- serious inconvenience, for want of a National Flag, un- der which to sail. A number of vessels are owned by them, wliich might, and would be engaged in commerce to tiiis country, but which ore laid up at present for want of a flag. Mr. Devany himself owns one, which cost lum a thousand dollars. Another Colonist owns a vessel that cost §6,000. Both these valuable vessels are now laid up, and going 10 decay, as the owners do not consider it safe 10 venture them at sea, tnider existing circumstan- ces. Besides these, there ait; five or six others owned in the Colonv, of smaller value. These are engaged hi a coasting trade of very confined ex- tent; iiie greatest distance to whicli they venture to go, is as far as Sierra Leone. The olsjeet of their apprehension is mt the hostility of the Europ-^an povvers, but the pirates who infest those seas. The British and French have hoih behaved in the most friendly manner towards the Colonists. " The prevailing morals of the Colonists pre good. Mr. Devrjuy had wi'iifsacd hiil orirjiishl amoris them durins his reniiifjice UiPre. and that was occasioned by a sort of political quarrel with a coloured man from Sierra Leone, wiio, partaldng of the jealous spirit which prevails among some persons dicre, had sjxsken in an abusive manner of the American Col- ony and its Government. Larcenies, imder the value of five shillings, are punished by fine. Those above that sum, bv imprisonment and whipping. Ao instance, of capital crime had i/el occurred. — Where the laws of the Colony are silent, resort is had to the laws of the Uuiicd Siates, so that no crime can, through any delcioncy of that kind, be committed with impunitv. Tlie courts, when sitting, are well attended. Witnesses are brought up by a proc.3Ss of subpcpna, as in the United States. Some instan- ces of intemperance have occurred, l;nt the habit IS confined to two persons only, and does not go to such an extent, as to be of serious iiijiiry to the fami- lies of the individuals, who are blacksmiths. Thrj/ have three churches, frame huildinsrs, one of Ihem with a Riecple. One belongs to the Bavtisis, another to the Methodists, and one, not yet finished, to the Fresbijterians. Divine service is attended diree limes on Sunday, and also on Tuesday and Thurs- day evenings. The Simday Schools are attended by many ot the native children. All who can be decently clad, are in the habitoi a:tending.-Bui such as are not cloihtd, will not come. The iiadves in tlie neighbourhood of the Colony are adopting cur mode of dress ; the men wearing pantaloons, and the women a cloth garment, covering nearly then whole person. They were Ibrmerly but very slightly covered ; but now females m that situation will not pass through tlie town, but take a circuit- oi;s route to avoid observation. No dancing is prac- tised ; the religious part of the C(mimunity having prevailed in discouraging it. Several ol the neigh- bouring tribes have voiuniarilv put themselves un- der .'iie laws of the Colony, and .so;.ght its protec- tion. On the death o; old King Peter, a celebrated chief ill the neighLoi;rhocd, h s head man, called Long Peter, made an eliort to usurp the Govern- ment of the tribe. But ihey fled lo the Colony for protection ; in consequence of which delegates were sent among them, and the maltor was comi;romised, by aiipqiiitmg Long Peier as bead man, but not a.s King. The chief acquiesced hi this ari-angement, and the people were satisfied and returned to their enifiloyment. The natives of this tribe have adopt- ed our dress, and many oi tlie children attend tlie schools in the Colony. " A very active trade is carried on at Monrovia. A Colonis't, by the name of Waring, will have sold goods this year [1S30] to the amount of .$70,000. Mr. Devany's own sales amount to betv\eeii24 and 825,000. Being asked how much he considered himself as worth, he replied that he computed his projierty at 820,000, and would not be willing lo take that sum for it. lie has been in the Colony seven years, and had but litde property when he went there. Coffee is very abimdaid in the higher and more rociy gro'tnds ,• on sandy soil it is not so plenU'. — The produce of the plants is very various; from some trees enough may be gathered to fill a pocket handkerchief of the In rgesi size, while oth- ers will not yield more than half a pound. It re- sembles tlie toffee of Java, heuic white and of 'arge grain. There is another kind, ot' smaller grain, but this is but little used. The Colony as yet has not made coffee an article of export, ihe Colonists not having had time to engage in the regular cultiva- tion of the plant. They gather, however, eiwugh for their owti consumption. They export dye.; Avoods, of different kinds, hides, ivory, palm oil, and rice. The French, in particular, are desirous of trading in the last article. Pi-ovisions are plent\', and in order to keep up the native trade, they are sometimes taken in greater quantities than can be consumed. The traders refuse none that is brought in. The Colonists in general are well satisfied with their situation. The exceptions are veni' few, and consist of some old v\omen and persons of very weak capacity, such as the Colonists would be glad to get rid of On the tables in Monroiia ma y he found beef, mutton, fish, foids, d'icJiS, and onnsion- alltf a turliey or a roost pig. together with the fruits of Ihe country, vhirh are very various. Cotlee and tea are used for breakfast. " T/te heallh of Ihe CrJony is in general good. From ten da^-s to s:\ weeks after their lirsl arrival, strangers are liable to attacks of ague aiMl fever; but after that time they are usually healthy. Mr Devany had travelled lip the St. Paul's river till he came to a series of falls extending in all about 10 or 12 mdes, in which space the water often falls per- jiendicularly 20, 30, and 50 feet. " They gave the master of one of their schools a salary of 84.50. This he did not consider sufficient, and engaged in business a.s public surveyor ; incon- sequence of which the school had somewhat de- clined, but tliey had the prospect of geltuig another LETTERS ON THE 2G teacher. Tliey are desirous of having white men * competently educated, to teach their scliools ; in which capacity only, and in that of cleraymen, white pei-soiis are allowed to reside in the Colonv. A newsi.aper is published in JNioiirovia, by Mr. Russwunn, u coloured UKia, and a graduate of a col- lege ni Maine. He pub! .shed a puper some Inne since in iNew V^ork. He has now upon Jiis list be- tween 2 and 300 subscribers. " Being asked how the Agents of Government tieaied the Liberian Colonists, Mr. Devauy replied, 'perfectly well, entirely to their salislaction.' They placed thcni on a footing of perfect equality, as much as if no distinction of colour existed. The people had great respect for the agents, but still felt themselves at the head of their own society. Much activity and emulation prevail; each settler endea- vouring to push his own ilirtune by all proper and honourable means. If one builds liimself a com- fortable house this season, his neighbour will endea- vour to have as good u one the next. But this com- petition is attended with no ill will. A plat oi the town is drawn and laid olf in lots, and when new settlers arrive, they employ a lottery to fix their se- veral situations ; each being allowed in the town a quarter of an acre, and 15 acres in ils neighbourhood, which he is at lilierty to cultivate for himself. Some who wish to become fiirmers, and sotile at a dis- tance, are allowed small fiirms of 50 ac'^?s. The soil is cultivated with ease. Ploughs are not yet in- troduced. They have some mules which they brought from the Cape De Verds. There are also a few oxen; but these, not having been early i)ro- ken, do not work to advantage. The late lamented Mr Cary, however, had a yoke which he broke himself and which worked ver>- well. They had had some horses, but these not being well mana- ged had died. Others, however, could readily be procured at the Rio Pongas. The climate is inild and uniform; the thernionietcr never being lower than 68^, nor higher than 88^, save perhaps one day in a season, when it has been known to rise to 91 degrees. There is a constant sea-breeze, and Mr. Devany had seen the weather quite cool ; not cold enough however to produce frost. The hou- ses have no chimneys except to the kitchens; but it is customary, in the cooler weather, to use smal. fur- naces with charcoal Many of the houses are built of stone, others of logs, weather-boarded. Some of these are painted while, with green Venitian l)linds. They have gardens abounding with vegetables, and various native fruits. There is a species of sour orange, that seems indigenous to the soil, be- ing found in abundance. The seed of the sweet orange has also been brought from Sierra Leone, and succeeds well. The Tamarind is also plentiful, and the Colonists have now received seeds from America, and are endeavouring to raise various West India fruit.s. The pine-apple is common, and they have a species of cherry growing in large clus- ters like grapes. The palm-lree abounds, and is of great value ; palm-oil is worih from five to six cents a pound. They take it in Irade from the country people at from eight to ten cents a gallon, and ihe gallon contains from seven to eight ixjunds." ♦Whitp men are expnseil to great daiificr from the climate; it is much better toediiiale coloured people in thi'< country, niidsoiid ihem to the Colony. PInladeiphia, April 20th, 18:i2. LETTER Xir. Dlsathontasrffi to the whitr ■jwnuhituni ari- sinf( ffoin slavery. — Hardslilps of thf> co- lorire'dpnpiilationinthr sitivc sliilcs.— Con- trust of the situation of the Colonists at Liberia. In stating the distidvantagcs to the white population arising from slavery, I shall confine myself to the declarations of slave-holders themselves, whose practical experience ena- bles them to decide ; and to whose testimony, therefore, there can be none of those excep- tions taken, to which theoretical views w ould be justly liable. •' To proviiie for fne free negro a country, is alike the dictate of humanity towards liim, and of pohcy towards ourselves. While he remains here, no white labourer will seek employment near him. Hence it is, that in some of the richest counties east of the Blue Ridge, tlie wliite population is station- ary, and in many others it is retrograde. yir»nna, mice the first stale in jiiimhers, as she is still in terri tory, has become the third, and will soon hove to de- scend to the fourth rank. The valuation of the lands of New York, exceeds the estimate of all the lands and slaves in Virginia." — Richmond and Manchester Co- lonization Society. " Experience has taught us, that slaves add no- thing to our wealth. Where they exist, labour is not only high, but badly perfonned ; and the com- munities growing up around us, which are clear of this evil, flourish over us, and by their cheapness of labour, nicer mechanism, and more abundant in dusn^-, are makinsr us tributary. The progress of lightl-ihe conduct of other nations— and particu- larly that of our South American neighbours, in li- berating their slaves— the growing belief of the disadvantages of slavery, with other causes, contri- bute to increase tlie conviction that shivery is an evil, and that its consequences may, one day or other, become terrible." — Kentucky Colonization Society. "Slavery is ruinous to the whites — retards im- provement — roots out an uidustrious yjopulation, banishes the yeomanry of the coimtr\'— deprives the spinner, the weaver, the smith, the shoemaker, ihe carpenter, of employment and support. This evil admits of no remedy— it is increasing, and will continue to increase, until the whole country will be inundated with one black wave covering its whole extent, with a few white faces here and there, floating on the surface. The master has no capital but what is vested in human flesh— the fa- ther, instead of being riciier for his sons, is at a loss to provide for tiiem— there is no diversity of occu- pations, no iiK-entive to enterprise. Labour (f every species is disreputable, 7>ecause perfonned mostly by slaves. Our loums are stationary, our villases almost every luhere declinine — and the general aspect of the country marks the cinse of a wasteful, idle, reckless ponuldlion, who have no interest in the soil, and care not how much it is impoverished. Public imi)rove- ments are neglected, and ihe entire continent does not present a reei'on for which nature has done so much, and art so little. If cultivated by free labour, Ihe soil of Virginia is capable of sustaining a dense population, among whom labour would be honoura- ble and where ' the busy hum of men' would tell that all were happy, and that all were free."- Speech of T. .Marshall, of Fampner Co. tn the legis- lature of Virginia. " The effect of slavery' on our national prosperity-, is well worth consideration. Our political power is fast passing away ; our relative influence in this union rapidly decreasing ; and should it be dissolv- ed (whi< h God avert !) with such a canker preying on our vitals, who can fi)resee the iioinl of polituat imbecility to which we may ultimately arrive ! But no more of this— my national love recoils at Ihe view. ' , . . 1 . , "Whilst onehidfof our population are taught lo look on lal.Miur as degrading, or are unable to pro cure employment, should their |)ressing wants over- come this feeling; the whole class of labourers have a direct interest in doing and saving as hitle as iws- *ible, so that tliey barely screen themselves from AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY, 27 punishment I do not say tliis is always the case ; but such IS unquestionably the effect: and if we compare it witli a system in which each one has a direct uiteresl in produr:ing and saving as much as possible, the difference in the result throughout a whole community, would be astounding. Let us trace the effects of the two systems a little further, in a picture, one part of which will be familiar to many. Take the case of a man in Virginia, havino- a capital of $10,000 vested inlands and negroes, with a family often children. It is sutiicient while together, lor their comfortable support. As the children grow up there is no want of steady labour, on the farm, even if they have b"en so fortunate as to escape the idea that it would be degrading. The surplus of the estate aflbrds not the means of'ednca- tion beyond the ordinarj' instruction of a country school. As they grow up. they must imitate their neighbours m dress and habits. The girls find am- ple employment in making up their own dresses, or little ornaments for their own persons , the voimo- men must have horses, and perhaps a slave' occa^ sionaliy to feed and clean them.— With neither em- plovment nor intellectual amusements to keep them at home, they seek company at the public places in their neighbourhood. Money must be had ; and the resources of the form, drained to the utmost, leave no capital for ivninovement, even should the father escape inextricable embarrassment. Finnllv, the old people die, and leave a family of sons, unaccus- tomed to labour, unfit for professions, helplf>ss, and too probably vicious from indolence. The property IS divided; and each share, too small to sujiport them in their accustomed courses, even until they determine on what is to be done, is most commonly wasted in vice and sensuality. '• View, on the contrary, a family of equal num- bers and capital, vested in land and stock, in a non- slave holding community. The daughters are com- pedled to assist their mother in all the domestic labour. If there be a son of sjirightly and promising talents, he is educated for a profession, and thus provided for. The wants of the farm demand the services of tlie othei-s in summer, and in winter ^fi'^y receive the rudiments of a plain education un- til the time at which they may be put to trades or Dusiiiess, As they arrive at age respectively, the small earnings of industry the parents may have saved, are applied in establishing them in the pur- suit of their choice. Finally, the person dies, and leaves the real estate (burthened, perhaps, with legacies) to the .sons, thus compelled to industry, un- til they have families of their own. when the same process is renewed. In this way, is the community continually supplied with an industrious class of labourers. No capital is dissipated by the system, biit a continual accumulation; which extending through a whole community for a series of years', will sufficiently account for the difference in pros- penty between the slave and non-slave holdin<- States, without resorting to the Tarifi; or the oppres- sion of the Federal Government. " These and other causes, wliich, in the limits of a ; few newspaper essays, it would be impossible to enumerate, must continually cause our white popu- I lation to diminish as the black increases." Rickmond Enquirer. It was stated by Col. Mercer, it: the late yir^inia Convention, that in 1317, the lands in that state were valued at ,$206,000,000 In 1829, at 96,000,000 I hat at the former period, the slaves averaged .$300 In 1829, ■ 150 In an address delivered by Mr. Key, be- fore the Colonization Society, some time eince, he asserted that in one county in Ma- ryland having but few slaves, the increase ot population between 1810 and 1850, amounted to many tiiousands; while in an- other, having an equal number of slaves and whites, there was a decrease of almost a fifth of Its entire population. " Lands of similar quality," he added, "bear very different prices in the two districts; for farmers will not migrate to a slave country— and there is the same difference in many "other particulars." It is difficult to account satisfactorily, for the hostility displayed towards the Coloniza- tion Society, by so many of the coloured peo- ple, and by some of their influential friends among the whites. That the situation of the colonists in Liberia, is at least equal to that of the most fortunate and favoured of their class m this country, will not admit of a doubt, from the unimpeachable testimony ad- duced in Letter IX— and that it is incom- parably superior to that of the great mass of them in our towns and cities, is equally indis- putable. I'ew of these are engage* in trade or commerce, or have any hopes of elevating themselves to that situation. Nine-tenths of them are in subordinate and menial situations, and likely thus to remain, at low wages. That they labour under the most oppressive disadvantages, which their freedom can by no means counterbalance, is too obvious to admit of doubt. I waive all inquiry whetlier this be right or wrong. I speak of things as they are — not as they might or ought to be. They are cut off from the most remote chance of amalgamation with the white population, by feelings or prejudices, call them what you Will, that are ineradicable. Tiie situation of the majority of them, is more unfavourable than that of many of the slaves. "With all the burdens, cares, and responsibilities of free- dom, they have few or none of its substantial benefits. Their associations are, and must be, chiefly with slaves. Their right of suf- frage gives them little, if any, political influ- ence, and they are practically, if not theoreti- cally,excluded from representation and weight in our public councils." No merit, no services, no talents, can ever elevate the great mass of them to a level with the whites. Occasion- ally an exception may arise. A coloured in- dividual, of great talents, merits, and wealth, may emerge from the crowd. Cases of tiiis kind, are to the last degree, rare. The co- loured people are subject to legal disabilities, more or less galling and severe, in almost eve'-y state in the Union. Severe regula- tions have been recently passed in Louisiana, to prevent the introduction of free iieople of colour. Whenever they appear, tiicy are to be banished in sixty days. The strong oppo- sition to the establishment of a negro college in New-Haven, speaks in a language not to be mistaken, the jealousy with which they are regarded. And there is no reason to expect, that the lapse of centuries will make any 28 LETTERS ON THE chano-e in this respect. They will always, unhappily, be regarded as an nik'rior race. Thpy are, >noreover, cliased trom folate to state The colony that was lately expelled from Ohio, was originally obliged to leave Viro-inia, bv the riijour of its laws, on the suo- iecfof free coloured people. They were but a few years in Ohio, when a law ot that sti^te, oblio-in"- thern, under a penalty, to give Sol^ security tor their good behaviour, and that they shall not become chargeable, was ordered to be put in force against them. W ith the provisions of this law, they could not or would not comply. They accordingly removed to Canada, where, to judge from some ot the papers of the province, they appear to be re- 2urded with jealousy. A corps of Philadelphia volunteers quite re- cently passed through Providence, on its way to Boston. It was accompanied by Johnson s coloured band, whose fkill and talents are celebrated wiierever they are Imown. But such was the jsalousy of their colour, that they were not allowed to play m the city. This is a small affair, but it shows the strength ; of feeling on the sul^joct.^^ "Straws snow which way the wind blows." tu *t. A case has recently occurred m JNorth Carolina, which speaks volumes on this sub- ] iect. There is, it appears, a law in tliat state, which subjects any free coloured per- son who enters it, to a tine ot -$500, and, in the event of non-payment, to be sold as a slave A person ot" this description lately en- tered the state— was prosecuted under the taw— and, not being able to pay the fine, was actuallv sold. Of the cruelty and haruship ot those pro- ceedinr>-s, no disinterested person can doubt. They are intended as security trom fknger. How tar they are called for. or justihed by that motive, or whether they do not increase, if not create the danger sought to be avoided, is not the present purpose to inquire. Uur object is, to show by contrast, the strong in- ducements tb.c free coloured people have, to emio-rate. Under the excitement produce, byttie Southampton massacre, a police act of extr^>iae rigour was ]xassed by the legisla- ture of Vi V ri ni'a, at its last session :— .. TKi. a.'.tl>rohibi.. ti.. .lavos free negroes, am n.u'.v .0 pro-, .:he.-*. wl.eiUer ordu.ncd or hceuHed or oiher m.rmM>s, either by day or ii.ght,to be p.i" hh-d wi h stripes, not exceedir.g th.rty-mne la. he. forcv.MUfrenee; any I"--''"" ''^^^f^ auihonzed to fTnorlu-nd the offender wi.houl a warrnut p.cn - S obtained; it also probib.ts M negrocN ^ ■ ,Vo„f unending any such l"-=''-''»"g «'• 'f ^;'"^; •; .lucKvl bv n'-^ro preaehers, or c\eii by vvliiu Z^^.L^n the nigb. time, without a wrUlon p^r- I from their owuers. master, or then- agents, to "V""^be,i fbr every oili-rK^ in l.k.mam^rauj^ p,Jon,howc-vcr. is pernnUed !o laUe bis >^ a ; ^v h Lim to hear n ligi-us inslnictinii, con.lucte.I In I; white mi-MsUr in .ho night; slaves ol any ono owner not prevented from assemblmg at any time, for religious devotion ; no free negro to be suttered to keep or carry any gun or militar)- weapon, the arms and ammuniiion to be Ibrleiled to the m- fi.rmer, and die oficnder to be punished wUh stripes as aforesaid ; and it takes away from the county courts the power to grant permission to keep or carry such ^^•eapons, as heretofore ; it declares it felony, punishable with death, for any slave, free re-ro;&c.to a.-s«ult and brat, wilfully and mal. cio'islv, any while person, wid. iulent to kill ; piin- ishes with sn-ipes lor the iirst oHence, and with death the second, any slave, free negro <^^; ^yho shall hereafter write, print, or cause to be written or printed, anv book, pamphlet, or other wnting (or knowingly circ. late the same,) advismg persona of colour in this state lo make insurrection, or to re- l)el • and if the ofli'uder be a white jierson, imposes h fine of not less than one hundred, nor more than one thousand dollars; pmiishes «nth ^tnpes Ireene groes, &c. gudtv of riots, routs, unlawiulassembheb, trespasses and seditious speeches. "The act to be given in charge to the grand ju- ries ; and the atiornies for the ^ o™™"^^ f /^V^; nuircd to lodge an infomiatum of any violation o ds provisions in tlieir knowledge, ^ol which they have cause to suspect any person, before the pro- per court or jury. To take eflect on the first of July '""l^'law lately passed in Georgia, subjects to a quarantine of torlv davs. all vessels having free co- Cred persons on' board. This 'aw prohibits ad m- ™.L with such vessels, by free coloured per- sonfor slaves, atid directs that the captains wno brhg them shah, under penalt:,Make them back. It K^iders a capital otifcnce, the circulation of pan^- ph ets of evd tendency among the slaves or domes^ tics o( the state. It imposes a penalty for teachmg free persons of colour to read or wnte. A aw lately ))assed in Maryland, directs the re- movalfrU the kte. of all slaves manunutted alter "^•S^e the black man is degraded. You may ciH him free. You may protect his rights by legis- ati'on y'u may invok^ '^e spirit ohumatntv and of (^hristian beiievo ence to bless him ; but still, ne h degS. A thousand tiialignant mnuence. around him, are conspiring to wither all Uiat u ninidy and noble in his nature. ., c Such being the situation of the free co- loured people in this country, with scarcely a hope if a speedy change, surely they ough to long as eagerly for a settlement n. the laaid of theTr ance^stors, as the captive t"besot Is- rael hungered for a return to the land of Ca- What a contrast to their situation in Libe- ria • There they will be lords ot tlie soil, and have every inducement and every oi.portu- nity to cultivttte their minds. They wnl ..ot be bor.ie diwn by that sen.e ot inferiority, from whose loadings they ctuinot escape \Z, nnd which is enough to depress mnids the most highly gifted. A^^^^^'"^;" •'^'j': respective merits they may aspire to any ol he'^^.fficesof honour, and proi^t and influence, in the colony. The bar, and the bench and the medicalprofession, will be open to them initn which ihey arc debarred liere by an mi- p,nssable burrit^. 1 Mayl, 18:W. AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. 29 LETTER Xin. Effects of the Colony of lAberia in restrain- ing the slave trade. — Utter inadequacy of the efforts of the British and other cruisers. — Slight sketch of the horrors of that ne- farious traffic. Allusion was made, in the preface, to three of the leading results of the Coloniza- tion Society, any one of which, ought to in- sure it universal patronage. One only, its eft'ects to annihilate the slave trade in tlie neighbourhood of the colony, shall be touched on here. Such has been the consequence, also, of the colony at Sierra Leone. The ex- periment of years has proved, that the only effective mode of extirpating the slave trade, is by the establishment of colonies along the coast. The efforts of the national vessels stationed there, liave proved wholly unavailing. The total number of slaves captured by Britisli vessels, and emancipated, in nine years, from 1819 to 1828, was, according to Walsh, " only 13,281, averagmg about 1400 per an- num," although, "during that period, it is supposed there were annually transported as slaves, from different parts of the coast, 100,000 human beings."* To prove the immense importance of sup- pressing this traffic, which, except in one place, is annihilated for nearly two hundred miles, partly north of Sierra Leone, and partly south of Liberia, it may not be improper to give a sketch of it, in the words of an eye witness to some of its horrors ; for althougli this nefarious traffic has been long consigned to the general execration of mankind, yet not one person in iive hundred, is probably aware of the hideous barbarity of the demons incar- nate by whom it is carried on, or of the in- tensity of the sufferings and agonies of the ill-flited victims. Mr. Walsh v;as on board the North Star^ Capt. Arabin, a British vessel of war, sta- tioned on the coast of Africa, to capture slavers, which, after a chase of 300 miles, cap- tured a Brazilian vassal, of which he gives the following account. "When we mounted her decks, we found her full of slaves. She was commanded by Capt. Jose Barbosa, bound to Bahia. She was a very broad decked ship, with a mainmast, schooner rig!,'ed, and behind her foremast was a large formidable gun, which turned on a broad circle of iron on deck, and which enabled her to act as a pirate, if Iier having speculation had failed. She hud taken in on tlie coast of Ati-ica, 33(5 males, and -220 feinulen, mahinfs in all 502, aiid had been out 17 days, during uiliirh she. had thrown overboard 5.5! The slaves were all enclosed under grated hatchways, between decks. The space was so low that they sat between each other's legs, and stowed so close together, that there was no possibility of their lying down, or at all changing their position night or day. As they were fchipped oa account of different individuals, they * Notes of Brazil, Vol. n. p. 268. E I were all branded like sheep, with the owners marks ' of different forms. ^Jj /^0^ "These were impressed under their breasts, ot on their arms, and. as the mate informed me, with perfect nidifference, " queiniadas peloferro quenlo — BURNT v> iTH THE RKD-HOT ironI'' Ovcr tlie hatch- Ways, stood a ferocious looking fellow, v\ilh a scourge of many twisted thongs in his hand, who was the slave-driver of the ship, and whenever he heard the slightest noise below, he shook it over them, and seemed eager to exercise it. " The circumstance which s;ruck us most forci- bly, was, Imw it was possible fur such a numher of human beings to exist, packed up and wedf^td together as tight as they could cram, in low cells, three feet high, the greater part of which, except that immedi- aitli/ under the grated hatchways, was shut oni from, light or air, and this, when the tkirmomtter, exposed to the open sky, was standing in the shade, on our deck at 89 deg. The space between decks, was di- vided into two compartments, 3 feet 3 inches high. The size of one was 16 feet by 18, and that oi the other 40 by 21 ; into the first were crammed the wo- men and girl'i ; into the second the men and boys : 23() fellow crea'ures were thus thrust ir.to one space, 288 feet square ; and 336 inro another space 800 feel, square, giving to the whole, an average ofl'i inches, and to each woman not more than 13 inches, though many (f them were pregnant. " The heat of these horrid jilaces was so great, and the odour so offensive, that it was quite impossible to enter them, even had there been room. " They were brought upon deck, and after en- joying for some time, the unusual luxury of air. some water was brought : it was then that the extent of their sufferings was exposed in a fearful manner. They all rushed like maniacs towards it. No en- treaties, or threats, or blows could restrain them: they shrieked, a.id struggled, and foua.ht with one anotlier, for a drop of this precious liquid, as if they u-cre ra- bid at the sight of it. There is nothing which slavea in a mid-passage suffer from so much as want of water. " It is sometimes usual to take out casljs filled with sea-water, as ballast, and when the slaves are received on board, to start the casks, and refill them with fiesh. On one occasion, a ship from Bahia ne- glected 10 change the contents of the casks, and on the mid passage found, to their horror, that thet/ were filled with nothing but salt water. Ai.L the SLAVES ON BOARD TERISHED !" pp. 262, 3, 4. To heighten the enormity of this "sin crying to heaven for vengeance," it is as- certained, that in cases of scarcity of provi- sion, the slaves are often remorselessly thrown overboard. On board a vessel some time since, thirty nine negroes became blind, and tv/elve had lost an eye. They were thrown into the fathomless ocean. A single vessel, the Protector, took on board at Mozambique 807 slaves, of .whom 339 died on the voyage. Tlie Maria Primeira, a Portuguese ship, took on board upwards of 500 slaves. This number was reduced to 403 in consequence of extreme crowding, before slie was cap- tured, and brought into Sierra Leone. Nearly 100 more died soon afterwards, from diseases contracted on board. — (Transac tions of the London African Association.') 30 LETTERS ON THE The following heart-rending picture of the slave trade has been drawn by Sir George Collier, who was employed on the coast of Africa, to suppress it. " Such is the merciless treatment of tlie slaves, that no fancy can picture the horrors of the voyage. Crowded together so as not to have the power to move — linked one to the other by the leg — never unfettered while life remains, or till the iron shall have fretted the flesh almost to the bone — forced under a deck, as I have seen them, not thirty inches in hfighl — breathing an atmosphere the most putrid and pestilential possible — with little food and less water — subject to the most severe punishment, at the caprice or fiincy of the brute who may command the vessel — it is to me a matter of extreme wonder that any of these miserable wretches live the voy- age through. Many of them, indeed, perish on the passage, and those of them who remain to meet the shore, present a picture of wretchedness language cannot express." Whoever considers the preceding revolting facts, will acknowledge, that if the Coloniza- tion Society did no more than rescue one thousand human beings annually, from such a fate, (and the breaking up of the trade on the adjacent coast, must have rescued thou- sands,) since the regular organization of the colony in 1824, it would have repaid all its receipts ten fold. Put the whole of the re- ceipts into one scale, and the rescue in the other, and the former will kick the beam. Philadelphia, May 6, 1832. LETTER XIV. Of Africa before the irruption of the Barba- rians. Those who argue, from the present state of the coloured population of this country, against the prospect of a high de- gree of civilization in Africa, reason from very imperfect data. Here the coloured people have laboured, and still labour, un- der almost every possible disadvantage. In most of the soutliern states, slaves are de- barred from the attainment of the rudiments of knowledge. And even in states free from slavery, the coloured people have lit- tle opportunity of cultivation. Condemned by poverty, almost universally, to the low- est occupations, they have ncitlier time nor means to improve L'lemselves. But they will not suffer much, on a fair comparison with whites of the same grade. The best criterion, however, by which to judge, is the proLrress tiiey IiavB made in Liberia, where tiiey escape the degradation to which they are exposed here. Of their improve- ment m morals, and manners, and habits, the testimony of Capt.-. Sliernian, Kennedy, Nicholson, and Abels, &c. from wiiich 1 have made large quotations in the j)reced- ing pages, precludes all doubt. It may be confidently stated, that none of the American ciilonies miuie greater advances in the same .space of time than they have done in tlie eight years that liave elapsed since the es- tablishment of order and good government in 1824. The contrast between the Colo- nists of Liberia and the people of tlie Uni- ted States, is not so great as between the inhabitants of Great Britain at present, and those in olden times, when tiie latter paint- ed their bodies, had no chimnies to tlieir houses, lay upon straw on the ground, cov- ered themselves W"ith skins fastened with skewers, and were tenants in common with the pigs which partook of the hospitality of their liouses. Hannibal, Hanno, and Jugurtha, all great warriors — the first equal to any in the an- cient world, were Atiucans. Terence, the dramatist, was also an African. " By the same process, by which the colonization of the coast tends to the suppression of the slave trade, it promotes the civilization of the iTilerior of the conti- nent (f Africa. This is a topic, which, as it seems to me, has not received its share of consideration. Of this mighty continent, four times as large as Eu- rope, one third part at kast, is wilhin the direct reach of injiuenccs, from the west (f Europe and America, — iulluences, which, for three hundred years, have been employed through the agency of the slave trade, to depress and barbarize it ; to chain it down to the lowest point of social degradation. I trust these influences are now to be employed in repair- ing the wrongs, in healing the wounds, in gradually improving the condition of Africa. I trust that a great reaction is at hand. Can it be believed that this mighty region, most of it overflov\ing with tro- pical abundance, was created and destined for eter- nal barbarity? Is it possible, in the present state of the public sentiment of the world, with the pre- sent rapid diffusion of knowledge, — with the pre- sent reduction of antiquated errors to the test ol reason, that such a quarter of the world will be per- mitted to derive nothing but barbarianism, ii-om in- tercourse with the countries which stand at the head of civilization ? It is not possible. " I know it is said, that it is impossible to civilize Africa. Why ? Why is it impossible to civilize man m one part of the earth more than in another ! Con- sult historj'. \Vas Italy — uas Greece, the cradle of civilization ? JNo. As lar back as the lights of tra- dition reach, Africa was the cradle of science, white Syria, and Greece, and Italy, were yet covered with, darkness. As far back as we can trace the first ru- diments of improvement, they came from the very head waters of the Ps'ile, far in the interior of Africa : and there are yet to be found, in shapeless ruins, the monumenis of this primeval civilization. To como down to a much later period, while the wcs and north of Europe trere yet hnrliaroiis. the Mtditei - ranean coast of Africa was fllid with cities, acadi ■ mies, min'piims, chcrches, and a hifihly ciiilizcd poj)u- latiou. What has raised the Caul, the Belgium, the Germrinv, the Scandinavia, thr Britain of ancient geography, to tlieir present improved and improving condition ? Africa is not now sunk lower, than most of these countries were eighteen centuries ago; and the engines of social influence are incrrased a thou- sand ibid in numlicrs and cflicacy. It is not elph- Iccn hundred vears, since Scotland, whose nutro- l>ohs has been called the Alhensof niodcni Europe, tlio country of Hume, of Smith, of Kobcrtson. of Blair, of Stewart, of Brown. ol'Jeflrcy, of ( 'bidnicrs, of Scoti, of Bro'ipliain, w;i.-i a wilderness, jnli>stcd by iiainted savages. It is not a thousand years, since ihe norlhof Germany, now filled willi beauti- ful cities, learned universities, and the best educa- ted (wpulatioii in the world, was a dreary, pathless forest." — /•.". Everett. ,, Christianity and jBv^zatioiijfc'ere early in AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. 81 troduced into A&ica. There were several provincial councils held there. At one of them, held in Carthag'e, in 397, the canon of the Roman Catholic Bible was settled. Ano- ther was held hi t!ie same place m 410 — and two others at Milevi. In the fiftii cen- tury, the nuniber of Catholic bishops in Africa, was tour hundred. Origen, TertuUian, Cy- prian, and Augustine, among the great lights of Christianity in their day, were Africans. And it is not too much to expect that future Hannibals, and Terences, and Cyprians, and Augustines will arise, to defend and illumi- nate that now benighted country. Should such a result take place, the merit will, in a great degree belong to the illustrious founders of the Colonization Society. Philadelphia, May 10, 1832. APPENDIX. hatter from the Hon. James Madison, to the Secre- tary of the Society, the Rev. R. R, Gurley. " MoNTPELiER, December 29, 1831. " Drar Sir — I received, in due time, your letter of the 21st ult. and vvitli due sensibility to the sub- ject of it. Such, however, has been the effect of a painful rheumatism on my general condirioii, as well as in disci ualitying my lingers for the use of the pen, that I could not do justice "to the pr-nciples and measures of the Colonization Society, in all the great and various relations they sustain to c-jr own country and to Africa," if my views of them could have the value which your partiality supposes. I may observe, in brief, that the Society had always my good wishes, though with hopes of its success less sanguine than were entertained by others, found to have been the better judges ; and, that I feel the greatest pleasure at the progress already made by the Societj', and the encouragement to en- counter remaining difficulties, afforded by the ear- lier and greater ones already overcome. Many cir- cumstances, at the present moment, seem to concur m brightening the prospects of the Societ)-, and cherishing the hope that the time will come, when the dreadful calami^y, which has so long afflicted our country, and filled so many with despair, will be gradually removed, and by means consistent with justice, peace, and the general satisfaction: thus giving to our countrj' the full enjoyment of the blessings of liberty, and to the world the full bene- fit of its great example. I never considered the main difficulty of the great work, as lying in the de- ficiency of emancipations, but in an inadequacy of asylums for such a growing mass of population, and in the great expense of removing it to its new home. The spirit of private manumissjons, as the laws may ; permit, and the exiles may consent, is increa-sing and will increase ; and there are sufficient indica- tions that the public authorities in slave-holding |Btates, are looking forward to interpositions in ilif- "erent Cox-.tih that must have a powerful effect. tVith respect to the new abode for the emigrants, 11 agree, that the cho'ce i.iade by the Society, is rendered peculiarly appropriate by considerations which need not be repeated ; and if other situations should not be found eligible receptacles for a por- tion of them, the prospects in Africa seem to be ex- panding in a highly encouraging degree. " In contemplating the pecuniary resources needed fir the removal of such a number to so great a dis- tance, mv thoughts and hopes have been long turned to the rich fund iireseiited in the western lands of the nation, which will soon entireV cease to be un- der a pledge for another objoct. The great one in question is trulv of a national character, and it is knowni ftiat distinguished patriots, not dwelling in slave-hoUling states have viewed the object in that light, and would be willing to let the iiational do- main be a resource in eflecting it. " Should it be remarked, that the states, though all may be interested in relieving our country from . the coloured population, are not all equally so ; it j is but fair to recoUect, that the sections most to be benefited, are those whose cessions created the fund to be disposed of " I am aware of the constitutional obstacle which has presented itself; but if the general will be re- conciled to an application of the territorial fund to the removal of the coloured population, a grant to (-ongress of the necessary authority could be car- ried, with little delay, through the forms of the con- stitution. '* Sincerely wishing an increasing success to the labours of the Society, 1 pray you to he assured of my esteem, and to accept my friendly salutation. JAMES MADISON." Extract of a letter from the Hon. John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United Slates, dated Rich- mond, December 14, 1831. " The great object of the Society, I presume, is to obtain pecuniary' aids. Application will undoubt- edly be made, I hope successfully, to the several Stale Legislatures, by the societies formed within them respectively. It is exUemely desirable that they should pass permanent laws on the subject : and the excitement produced by the late insurrec- tion, makes this a favourable moment for the friends of the Colony to press for such acts. It would be also desirable, if such a direction could be given to state legislation, as might have some tendency to incline the people of colour to migrate. This, how- ever, is a subject of much delicacy. Whatever may be the success of our endeavours to obtain acts for permanent aids. 1 have no doubt that our applica- tions for immediate contribution.s, will receive at- tention. It is possible, though not probable, that more people of colour may be disposed to migrate than can be provided for, with the fund the Society may be enabled to command. Under fnis impres- sion 1 suggested, .some years past, to one or two of the Board of Managers, to allow a small additional bounty in lands, to those who would pay their own passage in whole or in part. The suggestion, how- ever, was not approved. " It is undoubtedly of great importance to retain the countenance and protection of the general go- vernment. Some of our cruizTS stationed on the coast of Africa would, af 'he same time, interrupt the slave trade — a horrid Ir'ijfic, defesfed bt/ all good men, and would protect the vessels and commerce of the colony from pirates vho infest those seas. Tlie power of the government to afford this aid, is not, I believe, contested. 1 regret that its fx)wer to grant pecuniary aid, is not equally free from question. On this subject, I have always'thonght, .and still think, that the proposition made by Mr. King, in the Se- nate, is the mo.st unexceptionable, and the most ef- fective that can be devised. " The fund would probably operate as rapidly as would be desirable, when we take into view the other resources which might come in aid of it; and its application would be, perhaps, less exposed to 32 LETTERS, &c. those constitutional objections which are made in the south, than the application of money drawn from the treasury and raised by taxes. The lands are the property of the United States, and have heretofore been disposed of by the government, un- der the idea of absolute ownership." THE AFllICAN CHIEF ENSLAVED. BY W. C. BriY.\NT. Chain'd to the market place he stood, A man of giant frame; Amid the gathering multitude, Thut shrunk to hear his name. — All stern of look, and strong of limb, His dark eye on the ground ; And silently they gaz'd on him, As on a lion bound. Vainly, but well, that chief had fought. He was a captive now : Yet pride, that tijrtune humbles not Wag written on his brow. The scars his dark broad bosom wore, Show'd warrior true and brave ; A prince among his tribe before, He coidd not be a slave. Tlien, to his conqueror he spake — " My brother is a king; " Undo this necklace from my neck, " And take this bracelet ring : «• And send me where my brother reigns, " And I will fill thy hands " With stores of ivory from the plains, " And gold-dust from the sands." " Not for thy ivory, or thy gold " Will I unbind thy chain ; " That bloody hand shall never hold " The battle spear again ! " A price, thy nation never gave, " Shall yet be paid for thee ; " And thou shalt be the Christian's slave, " In lands beyond the sea." Then wept the warrior chief: and bade To shred his locks away ; And one by one, each heavy braid Before the warrior lay. Thick were the plaited locks, and long, And deftly hidden there, Shone many a wedge of gold, among The dark and crisped hair. " Ijxik'. feast thy greedy eyes with gold, " Long kept for sorest need : Take it — thou askcst sums untold, " And say that I am freed : . Take it—my wife, the long, long day " Weeps by the cocoa tree, "And my yoimg children leave their play, " And ask in vain for me." " I fflke thy gold — but 1 have made •■ Thv fellers lixst and strong ; ' And wcfii, that by the cocoa shade "Thy wife shall wait lliec long." Strong was the agony lluit shook The captive's franie, to hear — And the proud meaning of his look. Was chang'd to mortal fear. His heart was l)r<)ken — craz'd his brain, At once iiis eyes grew wild ; He struggled fiercely witli his chain. TVhimper'd, and wept, and smil'd ; Yet wore not long those fatal bands ; And once, at close of day, They drew him forth upon the sands. The foul hyena"s prey. DEATH OF ASHMUN. BY MRS. SIGOriR.VEY. Wliose is yon sable bier? Why move the throng so slow? Why doth that lonely mother's tear. In sudden anguish flow ? Why is that sleeper laid To rest, in manhood's pride ? How gain'd his cheek such pallid shade T- I spake — but none replied. The hoarse wave murmnr'd low. The distant surges roar'd — And o'er the sea, in tones of woe, A deep response was 5X)iir'd I heard sad Afric mourn. Upon her billowv strand ; A shield was from her bosom torn. An anchor from her hand. Ah! well I know thee now. Though foreign suns would trace Deep lines of death upon thy brow — Thou friend of miserj^'s race ; Their leader, when the blast Of ruthless war swept by; Their teacher, when the storm was past. Their guide to worlds on high. But o'er the lowlv tomb. Where thy soul's idol lay, I saw thee rise above the gloom. And hold thy changeless way. Stern sickness woke a flame, That on thy vigour fed — But deathless courage nerv'd the Iramc, When health and strength had fled. Spirit of power — pass on ! Thy homeward wing is free ; Earth luay not cltiim thee for her son — She hath no chain for thee : Toil might not bow thee down, Nor sorrow check thv race — Nor pleasure win thy birthright crown, — Go to thy honour'd place ! • LIBERIA.— BY THE SAME. Winds ! what have ye gather'd from Afric's strand, As ye swept the breadth of that. fragrant land? The breath of the spice-bud— the rich perfume Of balm, and of gum. and of flow'ret's bloom? " We have gather'd nought but the heathen's pray'r, " And the hopeless sigh of the heart's despair." Waves ! what have ye heard on that ancient coast. Where Ecypt the might of her fame di-in, as it briiilnlv glow'd ^ "Oil Afric's breast, whence the blood-drop flow d ; " Pure light it shed on the drear\' sod, " Like the mv'stic stones of the priest of God ; " And we chauntcd that hymn which we sang al " When the sun from the midnight of chaos buret" Hartford, Con. " We may boldly challenge the annals of human nature, for the record of any human plan, for the melioration of the condition or advancement of the happiness of our race, which promised more unmixed good, or more comprehensive beneficence than that of African colonization, if car- ried into full execution. Its benevolent purpose is not limited by the confines of one continent, nor to the prosperity of a solitary race ; but embraces two of the largest quarters of the earth, and the peace and the happiness of both of the descriptions of their present inhabitant"*, with the countless millions of their posterity who are to succeed. It appeals for aid and support to tbe friends of liberty, here and elsewhere. The colonists, reared in the bosom of this republic, with a perfect knowledge of all the blessings which freedom imparts, although they have not always been able themselves to share them, wilt carry a recollection of it to Africa, plant it there, and spread it over her boundless territory. And may we not indulge the hope, that, in a period of time, not surpassing in duration that of our own colonial and national existence, we shall behold a confederation of republican states, on the western shores of Africa, like our own, with their con- gress and annual legislatures, thundering forth in behalf of the rights of man, and making tyrants tremble on their thrones 1" — JMr. Clay. " It will enable them to become a free, independent, civilized, and Christian nation in the land of their forefathers. Elevated in character, and in full enjoyment of the rights of man, they will not only assume a station in the great human family, which it is impossible for them to attain in this country ; but their example and influence will gradually extend over those numerous tribes, which, through all time, have remained in a state of barbarism and degradation, and cruelly sub- jected to slavery by surrounding and distant nations." — Dearborn. " They point to Africa, sitting beneath her own palm trees, ' clothed in sackcloth, and weep- ing for her children, and refusing to be comforted,' because they have been murdered on her de- solated shores, and buried beneath the billows of the ocean, and carried into hopeless and inter- minable slavery. Wretched Africa ! she has indeed fallen among thieves, who have robbed and wounded her, and she is now bleeding from a thousand wounds. Who -will act to her the part of a good Samaritan ? Who will ' bind up her wounds, and pour into them ivine and oil' and protect her from her enemies, and chase away those human vultures, that are perpetually ho- vering on her coasts, and feeding on the flesh and blood of her children 1 Who will light for her the lamp of science, and publish the glad tidings of salvation to her sons and daughters? and raise her from that state of moral degradation, into which she has sunk in the lapse of ages ]" — JM' Kinney, " There is not, we believe, another benevolent enterprise on earth, so well calculated to secure the favourable opinion, and enlist the herrty good will of all men, as this, when its objects and bearings are fully understood. In relation to this society, it is eminently the fact, that opposition and indifference have their origin in prejudice or want of information. Ignorance may raise an objection which it requires knowledge to remove ; and to rest one's refusal to co-operate in what he is told is a good work, on his own ignorance, is both weak and wicked. Especially in relation to a benevolent enterprise of such magnitude as this, and which has been some ten or fifteen years before the public, the plea of ignorance is made with a very ill grace. " Is a nation like this, to be embarrassed by an annual appropriation of little more than a mil- lion of dollars to the cause of humanity 1 A nation, that can extinguish in a year, twelve mil- lions of national debt, and at the same time prosecute with vigour its majestic plans of defence and internal improvement 1 A nation, one of whose states can hazard six millions of dollars on the project of opening a canal 1 — a nation, whose canvass whitens every sea, and proudly en- ters almost every harbour of the globe ] — a nation, whose villages and cities are rising, as by ma- gic, over a fertile territory of two millions of square miles 1 — a nation, destined, within the com- pass of the passing century, to embosom a white population of eighty millions 1 With the past smiles of Divine Providence, our national debt will be soon annihilated. And from that glad hour, let the government provide liberally for all its necessary operations — let it push forward in its splendid machinery of political improvement, and then give to our cause but the surplus of its revenue : and as regards the expense of transportation, it ivill \_at no distant day] furnish the means of g-ranting to every Jlfrican exile among us, a happy home in the land of his fathers." ->~Jtev. B. Dickinson. " Every emigrant to Africa is a missionary, carrying with him credentials in the holy cause of civilization, religion, and free institutions." — Clay. " We know of no cause in which the lovers of mankind, the patriot, and the Christian, can embark, with surer, and more brilliant prospects of success, than in the cause of the colonization of o'lr free blacks on the coast of Africa. The philanthropist and the Christian may lind in that section of Africa, in which this infant colony is located, fifty millions of immortal beings, as wild as the forests they inhabit — where the Slave Trade sweeps annually into captivity its unnum- bered thousands — where all the horrors of savage warfare are perpetual. In this benighted land, a beacon fire is now blazing, which mUst eventually dispel the gloom of paganism, and make her deserts glad with the sentiments of a better nature." — J'olitical Clarion. "To the lasting honour of the American Colonization Society, it has founded a new empire on that continent, of which the basis is Christianity, intelligence, and rational liberty ; has conducted it happily through the jicrilous stages of its inc('i)tion and early growth; — has seen its members in thi! lull i)i)ssession of the means of ac