Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-12-07
G. FLOWER.

habits OF slavery.
G. FLOWER.
AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY.
address ef The Board Of Managers.
The period has at length arrived, when
we feel it our duty 10 call upon our
friends for their united aid and exer,ions
We have now a reasonable prospect oi
accomplishing the great object Tor which
the society was formed. The public
have been made acquainted with the diff
fcultles with which il has pleased Provi-
dence TO try our faith, our constancy,
and our zeal. They have been inform
ed by the last Report, that territory had
been purchased, under the direction Of
Lieutenant Stockton and DR.. Ayres, Oh
the 10Th of December last. This terri
tory is situated a, Mon,serado, al the
mouth OF Monserado river. Further &C
counts and fuller obsery alton confirm all
the representations formerly made of the
health, fertility, commercial and agricul-
tural importance Of this place. 1t is
situated in about 50 ~ ofnorlh latitude,
and about $50 miles south east Of Sierra
Leone. Our people who were at Fourah
Bay, in the colony OF Sierra Leone, have
betn removed to their new settlement.
DR.. Ayres and MIR. Wi,berger left then,
on the 4,h OF June, when houses had
been prepared for them. They amount.
ed, at that time, to about eighty. A YES
sci was then on the way to Join them,
with thirtyfve new settlers, and fifteen
captured Africans, with good supply of
provisions and stores. A. The rains will
cease in October, and The season then
commence for active operations, it is Of
importance that such reinforcement RS
will be necessary to place the settle:nc nt
on respectable footing, as to strength
society, and resources, should be for
wsrded without delay. Ii is for this pur-
pose we now call upon the public for aid.
To this period we have always looked,
not without anxiety as 10 the result, bu,
with confident expectation that we
might rely upon the liberali,y, benevo-
lence, and christian zeal OF our fellow
citizens, to supply the necessary funds
Tor laying the foundation of settlement,
which will make Africa rejoice, and
which America shall not be ashamed to
own as her work. Great as have been
our dii'ic ulties, our discouragemen,s, and
Our trials, we view in them all the hand
of kind Providence, who has sen, them,
as we believe, for wise purposes, and
has not failed TO support US under them
We necessarily commenced our opera
tons under much ignorance Of the coun-
try and people Of Africa. BY the delay
which has taken place, we have procur-
ed snch information as, we hope, has
enabled us TO select our situation with
greater ad, vantage, and to direct our fu-
ture operations With greater skill and
Judgement, and to give to some of the
people Of Africa knowledge Of cur OBJ
Iec,s, and confidence in alr agents and
country.
= We are happy 10 learn that many OF
the Most powerful and ,eIligenl Of the
kings along the coast, have become con-
WINGED that The slave trade must soon
cease and they have been led to look
with no small anxiety, for the sources OF
their future supplies: and they now see
in our new settlement that resource, the
object oflhcir solici.ude. Their interest
and their hopes are already enlisted in
Our favor; and the activity and enter
prize OF our cruizcrs, have brought them
to dread the power, and to respect the
name olOur country. We are now seen
and known .hsoug h another medium than
that OF slave traders. and we are now
enabled to place the safety of our people
and the success OF our settlement, on two
Of The strongest passions Of maa--tear
and interest.
Alta grand palavcr called by Dir. Ayres
in April las, at which there were seven
teen Kings, and upwards of thirty bali
Kings, or head men, there were but two
opposed 10 the settlement of our people
at Moniscrado, and all but one offered
Dr. Ayres land, within their own juris-
diclons. AS 10 the disposition Of the
colored people in this country to avail
themselves Of an opportunity 10 join the
colony, we can confidently state that ma
ny hundreds are not only willing, but
anxious to 90, and. that applications for
this purpose are almost daily made TO
the Board. AT the same time it is pro.
per to ssa'. that no persons Of any de-
scription, ought 10 attempt 10 se.-,. 81
the colony without the permission OF the
Board, and that they will not DC received