Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-08-21
Prom THE NATIONAL ISTELLIcEscER.
COLONIZATION SOCIETY,

nizGt3on society, retoEHg 10 a Journey
through tie southern states.
CaENr1EMEN-You have already re-
ceived, and laid before the public, my
letter, written from Milledgeville, stat
ing the arrangements made in behalf Of
the Africans for whose relief / was spe-
cially sent to that place. will only add,
that they are placed in such a situation as
to incur no further exp nse, and are
awaiting the issue of THAI pending be-
tween the claimants and the state, the re-
suit of which, it is confidently believed,
willthrow them into the arms ola benevo-
lent society, or of just government, to
be restored to their native land.
The interposition of the society, which
seemed to some of our friends not Iusti
fable by the state of its funds, but which
was nevertheless undertaken in spirit
of faith and charity, proved itself to be
most opportune and favorable circum-
stance. 1t attracted public attention by
its novelty, excited public feeling by It's
humanity, and gave assurance to the
world that our society was about to do
something. This was the commence
ment of new era; hope was reused in
the hearts of the humane and pious, that
Africa was now about to receive good
instead of evil from our countlymen.--
Some, indeed, who had but little hope of
the success of our general enterprise,
declared their Willingness to contribute
for the ransom of these: and few, who
intended to have become purchasers at
their sale, expressed a pleasure at the
thought of their restoration to Africa,
and proved their sincerity by uniting with
the society at Milledgcville. To this
suspicious commencement do / ascribe
more than half the success which attend
ed my subsequent efforts.
1t becomes ME, while on this subject,
TO mention, that there are some hundreds
Of these unfortunate beings in Georgia,
held by individuals throughout the state,
to be-returned to the governor IN case OF
their condemnation; in which event, they
will belong to the society, on the same
terms with those at Milledgeville. The
individuals who claim them profess to be
agents of Spanish merchants in the Ha-
vana or elsewhere, who maintain that the
American officers seized them contrary
to the laws of nations. Out of four or five
cargoes thus brought in, surely the
claims of humanity will be able to defeat
some, at least, of the cruel attempts of
fraud and oppression. The formation OF
three auxiliary societies, under the direc-
ton of the first citizens of the state, will
surely have happy effect in urging the
execution of all our laws against the
horrid trade in human beings, which
heretofore has been carried on by aban
doned wretches lowering along the coast,
and smuggling them into the interior.
My appearing in behalf of the Afri-
cans, on the day of sale, produced a very
desirable effect upon the citizens of Mil
ledgeville and the surrounding country.
Many of them came and offered me their
services in any way which could be avail
able to the object ofmy visit, and assured
me, that there were many others, in all
parts of the state, who would cheerfully
cooperate with the society in all its de-
signs.
The method which I5pursued in Mil
1edgevile, and in all other places where
societies were organized, was, to spend
few days in visiting the citizens, pay
ing all that respect which, in an affair OF
this general nature, is due to age, office,
wealth, and influence, to converse freely
with them, and leave for their perusal
such publications as had with me !; then
to spend one or two days carrying about
subscription paper, and, having OBJ
tanned sufficient number of subscribers,
to call meeting and organize society.
In each place where succeeded in es-
Publishing societies, continued my own
personal application for subscriptions,
until twelve or fifteen hundred dollars
were on the paper, as donations or an
nual subscriptions after which,I left it
in the hands of the managers, to conduct
in such manner as should seem best to
them.
The second auxiliary society was for
med at Augusta, where Ipursued the
same plan, where the first citizens in Of
fee, talents, wealth, and influence, lent
their aids, and were chosen to preside
over its management. 1t is also due to
the citizens Of that place to mention,
that, only few weeks before my arrival,
they had contributed between two and
three thousand dollars as donation to a
certain number Of free negroes, who had
been obliged to leave the place bya late