Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-07-12

the annual increase Of the free colOuIed
people-That this annual increase can
be removed by "the annual expenditure
of a sum no larger than SIs0, 900, and
the annual employ ment OF 1900 ton Ut
shipping" He has gone further-He has
shewn that II Is within the reach of pa
triotism and sound policy, TO remove the
I annual increase of the wt0ts Jvicon Po'
puiat,0n ui nm The u. States. Now, the
| advantages which would flow from the
| accomplishment of these objects, are
| too obvious to need comment. We
would however, for the present, ~contine
| our attention to the first, viz: the reDoU.
| a. Of the annual increase ct the free co
| Toured population And we would ask,
whether an institution which is opening
Tho way to soch an object, does not come
with irresistible claims upon the sympa-
| ,b;es and support Of every true patriots
If il be asked whether this object can be
| accomplished by the Society alone, we
answer. no; but it ca" be accomplished
| by the general government or by the
! sfafs Governments OF our Union; we
are not which. We believe il to be
| within the powers vested in the general
| gove,nment-bv the Constitution. Ihe
| general government has already dis
bursed for several benevolent purposes.
1t has paid away'money for the Terrific
| ry of Louisiana, and il it has the power
by p~ecuniary appropriations to add to
our blessings, we see not, why the same
| power may not be exercised to d minish
our curses. If the national government
| has any general powers at all, those
powers must cover the project of this
| Society. But even If the general GO
| vernment has no such power, the Socie-
ty NAV at least ask the means to keep
| open its project, for the state govern
| ments to act upon. In one or the other
or both such a power mus be lodged
| and in name OF Heaven, and humanity!
let US not be frighted away from the on
" feasible plan of Riding our country
| Of its greatest curse, by these misguid-
| ed scruples- bis these Constitutional
| phantcmsl which have no legitimate ex-
i~stence; and even if they have such ex-
istence, cannot so far as we can see, set
one solid objection against the progress
Of this Society.
But, my hearers, we viii not divert
YOUR attention from the leading object
by collateral discussions. We shew you
a great national objective shew you
the means of accomplishing it-and we
ask your aid and countenanre of the
Colonization Society, as the pioneer to
this great work 1t is not necessary to
state the length and breadth of our oun
try's worst evil. 1t is not necessary to
lift The curtain of futnrity, for q glimpse
of those tremendous calamities, with
which the many headed monster that we
are now nursing, may one day rend our
nation. But altho' we do not deem the
present a fit occasion to display these e.
yils-be it remembered that there are
eviIs-existiog, growing, and alarming
evils Evils which every man must &C.
knowledge, who reflects at sll-Every
man who has patriotism and philanthro-
py enough, TO look beyond the narrow
circle Of his own generation.
But we have heard IL said that the pro-
secution of the Colonizing scheme, will
exert an unhappy Influence over that
portion of the African population which
will be held in bondage. That it will
render them more discontinued. We do
not believe it. The objection is a gra-
tuitous assumption, unsupported by fact,
in any experience, which we already
have. But admit that some few evils
may be thus produced-will they not be
more than counterbalanced, by remoy-
ing the free coloured population from
their bond brethren, to whom, we well
know, their present daily and nightly
intercourse is morally poisonous and
contaminatings No great political OBJ
iect was ever yet attained without some
collateral ills. The constitution of Great
Britain cost its collateral ills-our WI
more glorious constitution cost its COLA
teral evils-But what then? Shall we
forego the great object of the COLOMBIA
ton Society, from the unfounded dread
Of some smaller ills3 Shall we refuse to
lend our ear and our aid to any and eve-
ry plan for removing one of the greatest
evils which exist among usi Shall We
childishly hide our face from the great
growing i'll? Shall we hush our rational
fears into death like silence1 Nay: shall
we not risk all the trivial consequences
of immediate action? rather thar leave