Part 6 (1/2)
William L. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, manumitted 11 slaves, who sailed a few weeks ago from New-Orleans.
”In this work of benevolence, the Society of Friends, as in so many other cases, have n.o.bly distinguished themselves, and a.s.sumed a prominent att.i.tude. 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 performance of these acts of benevolence, they expended $12,759. They had remaining 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 emanc.i.p.ated on condition of removal to Liberia, _far exceed its means_. There are, in North Carolina _and the adjacent states_, from _three to four thousand_ of both descriptions, ready to embark, were the society in a situation to send them away.
”_R. S. Finlay_, Esq., at a late anniversary says,--
”I know that much pains have been taken to _calumniate_ our brethren of the south, by representing them to be the advocates of perpetual despotism. From an _extensive and familiar acquaintance_ with their views and sentiments, formed upon actual observation, I know this not to be the fact. I have publicly discussed this subject _everywhere in the southern states_, from the eastern sh.o.r.e of _Maryland to the Gulf of Mexico_, in the presence of hundreds of slaves at a time, and with the general approbation of the audience to which my addresses were delivered,--and have uniformly represented it as affording the best and only safe means of _gradually_ and _entirely abolis.h.i.+ng slavery_. Indeed, so well is the moral influence of the operations of this society understood in the extreme south, that all _the advocates of perpetual slavery are bitterly opposed to it_, and _none are its advocates, but the friends of gradual, peaceful, and ultimate entire emanc.i.p.ation_!” 16th _Report_.
”In a letter, dated Nov. 4, 1831, Mr. Clarkson says,
”For myself, I freely confess, that of all the things which have occurred in our favour since the year 1787, when the abolition of the slave trade was first seriously proposed, that which is now going on in the United States, under the auspices of the American Colonization Society, is most important. It surpa.s.ses anything which has yet occurred. _No sooner had the colony been founded at Cape Montserado, than there appeared a disposition among the owners of slaves in the United States to give them freedom voluntarily, without one farthing of compensation, and to allow them to be sent to the land of their ancestors._ This is to me truly astonis.h.i.+ng! a total change of heart in the planters, _so that many thousands of slaves may be redeemed without any cost of their redemption_! Can this almost universal feeling have taken place without the intervention of the Spirit of G.o.d!”
”_Within one year it is said that more than 2000 slaves have been offered the Colonization Society from five different States, with the desire expressed on the part of both master and slave, for a pa.s.sage to Liberia. As Colonization gains ground, the freedom of untold thousands, it is to be hoped, will be secured, and Africa gladdened yet more and more with the light of civilization and christianity._”
Abolitionists a.s.sert, with a degree of confidence that not unfrequently makes an unreflecting audience receive that for unquestionable truth, which has not a shadow of truth in it, that the Colonization Society has done nothing as yet in the cause of the afflicted man of colour!
However satisfactorily the preceding instances expose the fallacy of this accusation; yet that which this Society has done, and is doing, is not confined to these cases; but extends to still further, and more important operations, which may be divided into two distinct heads.
First, the happiness and comfort bestowed on those who have gone to Liberia; and secondly, the considerable check already given to the African slave-trade, by its _total suppression along the whole coast of Liberia_.
I shall prove the first of these statements by doc.u.ments drawn up and signed by the coloured inhabitants of Liberia, who themselves had once been slaves, which is, it is presumed, the very best possible evidence that could be adduced.
At a PUBLIC MEETING, held pursuant to notice, in MONROVIA (_Liberia_) on Wednesday, Sept. 29th, 1836, J. C. Barbour, Esq., in the chair, the following resolutions were proposed and carried unanimously--
1. ”On motion of the Rev. J. Revey,
”_Resolved_, That this meeting entertain the warmest grat.i.tude for what the Colonization Society have done for the people of colour, and for us particularly, and that we regard the scheme as ent.i.tled to the highest confidence of every man of colour.
2. ”On motion of S. Benedict, Esq.,
”_Resolved_, That we return our grateful acknowledgments to * * * *, * * * *, Esqrs., and other early and devoted friends of colonization; names for which we shall ever cherish the highest esteem; that we hear with regret, _from misrepresentation or want of accurate information_, they have abandoned the n.o.ble scheme; and that we hope the day is not far distant in which they will again reunite their energies to advance the high and benevolent object.
3. ”On motion of Mr. H. Teage,
”_Resolved_, That this meeting regard the colonizing inst.i.tution as one of the highest, holiest, and most benevolent enterprises of the present day; that as a plan for the amelioration of the coloured race it takes the precedence of all that have been presented to the attention of the modern world: that in its operations it is peaceful and safe; in its tendencies, beneficial and advantageous; that it is ent.i.tled to the highest veneration and unbounded confidence of every man of colour; that what it has already accomplished demands our devout thanks and grat.i.tude to those n.o.ble and disinterested philanthropists that compose it, as being, under G.o.d, the greatest earthly benefactors of a despised and depressed portion of the human family.
”The hour being late, on motion of Rev. B. R. Wilson,
”_Resolved_, That the meeting adjourn until to-morrow, 10 o'clock, A. M., to the First Baptist Meeting-house.
”_Thursday_, 10th.--Met according to adjournment.
4. ”On motion of James Brown, Esq.--_Resolved_, That the thanks of this meeting be presented to those ladies of the United States, particularly to those of New-York, Philadelphia, and Richmond, for their disinterested efforts to educate the children of this colony; and that they be a.s.sured that, in no department of the colony, do the effects of colonization s.h.i.+ne more conspicuously than in the schools supported by their benevolence.
5. ”On motion of Doctor J. W. Prout,--_Resolved_, That this meeting entertain grateful remembrance of General Robert G.
Harper of Baltimore, an early and devoted friend of colonization; also of the name of the late Daniel Murray, Esq.
of Baltimore, and that we regard the Colonization Society and its friends as powerfully efficient in elevating the man of colour.
”Whereas it has been widely and maliciously circulated, in the United States of America, that the inhabitants of this colony are unhappy in their situation, and anxious to return: