Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-08-21

| must here beg leave to mention, for
the qualification ofthe pious and humane,
and in Justice to the character of the
place, that never yet have seen any
town to the south of this where as much
attention was paid to the moral and re-
ligious culture Of the black people,
their attendance in the church where
was invited to ofiiciate, (and it was the
same was told in all the others) was
truly grateful to the soul of the chris
tan. The aisles and other places in the
church, set apart for them, were filled
with young and old, decently dressed,
and many of them having their prayer
books, and joining N all the responses
of the church. Sucha state ofthings as
this must surely favor TIE success of the
objects of our society. Unjust also beg
leave to add genef,l remark concern
ing the whole southern country, in which
| am justified by the iepeatcd assurances
of the most pious aid benevolent, that
the condition of the negroes is greatly
ameliorated in evelT respect. As to
TODD, ralmcnt, houses labor, and correc-
ton, there is yearly less and less over
which religion AID humanity must la
ment.
l shall now proceed in my statement
by mentioning that, on my arrival at
Georgetown, which was the next place
| visited, found the citizens Just break
ing up for the summer and retiring to
more healthy abodes. however, saw
eight or ten of the most wealthy and ine
and obtained assurances of
their most cordial corporation. a few
papers were headed and
several gentlemen promised to make
good use of them during the summer,
and on their return IN the fall to meet
and organize society. y
| proceeded thence to Fayetteville,
where all the citizens were prepared for
cooperation ! had only to- so to their
houses, and take down their names.--
Here | also converscd with number Of
the free people, who took the same i'll
terest in the measure as in other places,
and expressed their belief, that, if the
colony was established, there would be
no difficulty in getting them to co.
They proposed TO me to let them pub
lish the second annual report | carried
with me, for the benefit of their brethren
who were scattered through the state,
and even offered to subscribe to the So
ciety; / answered them that we had bet
ter publish small pamphlet for their
use; and that, If any of Their brethren,
who were poor, wanted to go, then, they
who were better oil might help them.
At Raleigh, ! found the same unani-
nifty Of sentiment. The supreme court
being in session. many of the judges and
lawyers were collected froGa different
parts of the state, who cordially joined
in the society, and testified to the gene
raj prevalence Of good will TO il through
out the state. At meeting for forming
a constitution, the highest talents, all.
and wealth of the state were
present, and UNANIMOUSLY sanctioned the
measure.
also paid visit, while at Raleigh,
to Chape Hill, the scat of their univer-
sity, about % miles distant, where the
annual commencement of the students
assembled trustees and ministers of re-
ligion from different places, whose in
fluence it was desirable to obtain. was
happy to find the same feeling here, and
that small society mad already been
formed. | obtained assurances from
two or three gentlemen that they would
endeavor to forward all our views in the
where they resided, by
the establishment of auxiliary societies,
in which they thought they could sue
coed.
twas my wish and intention to have
visited the towns of Wilmington and
Newbern, but the want Of public con-
veyance prevented; and the friends to
our scheme who dwell there, will, | hope,
do all that is needful to make up this I'M
avoidable neglect.
In passing through the towns Of Cam
den and Columbia, on my way to the
south, I spent a day in each place, and
was assured by some of the leading per-
sons and the ministers of the gospel,
that they would not neglect to afford
their cooperation to this most important
work. From this journal it will appear
that there are six organized societies in
the Carolinas and Georgia, and ten or
twelve other places where societies will
be formed, or some measures pursued
for aiding the American Society. The
amount OF subscriptions which were
made to the agent himself, were from
seven to eight thousand dollars; about
o,,o th;nd Of ,rh;ch -,uiIl be due the en-.