Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-12-31

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! cs'ied 20 the Chair, and Mr. Thomas Iloueicyfy.
OF thls District, having been appointed Secrets-
! MIR; Gy(on taking the chair said tina the had
! nopedtohave seen called 10 the place, for which
| M had the honor of being selected gentle
'nan' who, from his name, his exalted station
ana lis distinguished virtues would have COM
| 'Annicated an addtiOnalimportance to the pre-
seHt meeting. bnt, as that gentleman was not
| present, hlr. C.regrettcdtO learn, from causes
DcJoudhls control, hcWOuli, with great plea
sure endeavog TO discharge the duties of the
chilr. lie underStoo the object ofthc present
meeting, 10 be TO consider OF tie DrOprietv and
pracucabilityoi coouiziug the free blacks of
coiof in tte United States and of formur an
association III relation to that object Thar
ciHSs, oi the mlNt population Of our country
WAS peculiarly situated They neither en-
oteH the imTnunities of treemcn, nor were they
subject to the incapacities OF slaves but mar
t.oh IN some degree of both. From their con
H'tion, and the unconquerable preiudices re-
s"'ts1n% IRON thcir color, they never could a.
lha'Shfnnfe wlsh the free whites o! this conn
TRY. 10 was desirable, therefore both as il res
Pccted mem, and the residue Of the population
OF 'Ae country 10 drain them Off. Various
s'"eiheS OF cOioniZation had been thought Of l.
y part OF orr own continent, it was snDposed
ny some, might furnish suitable estabIis lment
icr then. But, for his part Mr. c. said hel,,d
a decided preference for some of the coast of
ct!rl1S. mere ample provision might be made
TOR The colony itself, and il might be rerder
cd instrumental to the introduction into that
extensive quarter off the globe OF the arts. CT
Shizauon aud christianity. There was a pecu-
,i"' moral Illness i'll restoring them To Che
ihllh oi their fathers. And IT, instead OF fhe
evils and sufferings which we had been The IN
nocent cause of iniiicting upon the inl,a-
bitants OF Africa, we can transmit to her the
DRESSINGS OF our arts our civilization ami our
reilglon, may we not hone that America viii
eNtingnish great portion Of that moral debt
"ilIch she has contracted TO that unfortunate
continent: We should derive much encou-
iagement m the prosecution of tho obiectwhich
Uaa assembled as together bv The succes.
which had attended the colony of Sierra O.
ono That establishment had commenced a
H,Ut - o. - NearSaSO under tEe NntrOnare
or private individuals in tireat-lritair. Yhe
basis OF the population of the COLONY consisted
OF the might've slaves from the southern states
curing the Revolutionary war, who had bren
hfSt carried TO Nova-Scota and who. after
Yards abont tho year 1892, upon their own an
piication, almost IN mass, had been transported
10 me western coast of Africa. This colony
aiter struggling with the most unheard of dill.
hculties difficulties resulting from the nnnr-
ahce, DafBar'ty aDd preiudices of the natives:
rom the Climate, (Which were however found
10 De not AZ all Insurino untable from wars A.
iFlc1n as we'll as European aud such as are
incidental to all new settiements) had made
Srftnual ana steady progress until it has acoHi-
reg strength and stability which promises to
crown the efforts of its founders with complete
'ucccss. We have their experience before us
ana can there be a nobler cause than that
winch, whilst itproposes tn rid our own conn
ny OF a useless a'ld perricious, if not danger
ouH portion OF its population, coulemrlatcs the
spreading OF the arts of civilized life 4 thepos-
sDie redemption from ignorance & barbarisnl
o. a benigsted quarter OF the globe
, itWas proper AMI necessary distinctly 80 state
t9at ne Understood IL constituted nopart af the
onlect on thts meeting, to touch or aeita:e in
ufe s'iSitet degree, delicate question con
necie' with another portion OF. the colored pop
mH,cH OF our country. I was not proposed TO
uehhcrate upon, or considerat all, any question
or emanCl patton, or that was connected with
the abolition OF slaveTy. IT was upon tl,at con
ditlon alone, he was sure that many gentlemen
from the south and the west whom he saw
present, had attended, or could be expected TO
co oncrate IL was UPON that condition only
that lie had himself attended He would on
~ further add, that he hoped, in their doIbc-
ratioDs, they would be Guided by that nodcra-
u9n, pohteness aud Difference for the opinion
of each other which were essential IN ans, use
full result. BIT when he looked around 4 saw
the respectable assembIage, and recollected
the humane and benevolent purpose which had
prodncedit, he felt it unnecessary TO Insist far
tIef on this topic.
Mr.. Elas y. C,i[lrcV, (of this district) then
rose. DC said he had hoped, that the task of
bringIng forward tic business ofthis iav would
nave dev0vcd on some person better Gualified
tnah WmseiiiOr Inns purpose, and with greater
claims TO the public attention an he felt nc.
c"iiar embarrassmeniil obt u1ing hmsclCui
on lie notice of 50 large and aspect bic meet
iug, N which he fornd some Of tue most dis
uEGnisied characters in or country be-
speak sad he) YOUR indulgence in Offering to
the consideration Of the meeting the res0in-
uons Which hOtl inny hand and toa few cx-
planatory observations. The objerts Of the
meeting rave been feelingly and correctly sta
ted by die honorable chairman The subiccf
seems to be divided into
lst 'Ghe eXpedicncy and 2dv the pracfi-
c1biliiyof the proposed plan. Tie expediency
o. coloniHns the tree people. of colour IN the
United States. may be considered i'm reference
70 its influence on orr civil institutions, on tho
morals and habits nj the people, aud on the f,i-
turc happiness Of the free people Of colour. IT
has been Subject az unCeasiug regret aud
anxious aollciiude, among many Of orr best paf-
rois ana wiscsi statesmen, from the fifs5 Ell Tab
Hshmcntoi orr Independence that this class OF
pcop'c should remain. "a monument frsproacb
g. til0se sacred prncipiesOf civil liberty which
constitute ihe foundation Of all our CONSTITUTE
ons. We say, IN the Declaration Of indcpcn-
dence, " that all men are created cquaip aud
have certain "inliicnable rights" Yet IL Is
considered impossible, consistently with the
safety oil tie state and 10 certainly is iiDpossi-
be. with The present feelings towards these
people, that ;hcy can ever be placed upor this
equality, or admitted % the pnioymerf Of thesc
with as. some persons utiy dcciaiu, and call
itpreutite. No matt pfeiudcc Is as pow
criui motive, and VIII as certainly exclude
them, q. ihc gonndest reason. Nthefs NAV saw
thes are free enough iftEs IS matter OF o.
pinion, let them Judge ifOfreasnn. lct il he
decided BY our repealed and solemn declsra
tons, IN all our public acts. This state Of soci
InIure tie morals aud destroy Tie habits Of in
custFy among Our people This will be sc
hnOwledEtd 0N every pef5,u who has paid a.
ny attention 70 the suJjcci, and II seems to BE