Finley was instrumental in getting such luminaries as Francis Scott Key, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson to lend their names to the movement. The Society's first President was Bushrod Washington, nephew of the great man himself. It can certainly be said that the initial seed of the movement was high-minded. It grew out of the benevolent impulses current after the War of 1812. It was not until it later drew many disparate groups wishing to march under its banner that its motives came into question.
Early leaders seem to have sincerely believed that the scheme was the best for all involved.
They realized that African-Americans would never be accepted by the vast majority of white America. By removing people of color they hoped to enable them to embark upon a better life, while at the same time relieving a source of tension in the nation. Some also thought of it as a plan that would encourage slaveowners to free their charges. Clergymen were among the Society's staunchest supporters. Initially rebuffed when it sought funding from the federal government, the Society relied on donations to implement its programs.