Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-03-15

not the most lmineSiate.
The advantages oi this undertaking
to which have hitherto alyerted, are
confined to ourselves. They consist in
Kidding as of the free people Of colonr,
and preparing the way Tor getting rid OF.
the slaves and of slavery. Ia these points.
! OF view they are undoubtedly very
great. But there are advantages to the
tree blacks themselves, 10 the slaves,
and to the immense population Of mid
die and southern Africa, which no less
recommend this undertaking, TO our
cordial and Jealous support
To tho free blacks themselves tlIe be.
petits are the most obvious, aud win be
tho most immediate. Here they are
condemned to state Of hopeless inferi-
ority, and consequent degradation. As
they cannot emerge from this state, they
hose by degrees Tire hope and at last
the desire oil emerging, With this hope
and desire they lose tie most powerful
indictments to industry, frugslity, good
conduct, and honoufable exertion. For
want of this Indictment. this noble and
ennobhng emulation, they sink for the
| most part into state OF slpth wfe teh-
cdness and proiiigacy. The few bon.
oiable exceptions serve merely To shew,
of what the race il capable Ia a proper
Situation. Transplanted 20 colony
composed Of Themselves alone, they
would enjoy real equality: in other
| words real freedom. They would become
! proprietofs of land, master mechanics,
ship owners, navigators and merchants,
and by degrees school masters, justices
of the pence, militia officers, ministers
Of religion. judges, aud Legislators
| There would be no white population to
remind them Of, and to prepeiuaie, their
original inferiofty; but enjoying all the
| privileges of freedom, they would soon
enjoy all IFS advantages, and aIlits Dig
| nifty. The whites who ruight visit theu.
would visit them as equals, for the pur
poses OF q commerce mutually advania-
| geous. They would soon ;eel the noble
e1 ulation TO excel. which is tie fruit
/ ful source of excellence, in all the var.
ious departments Of lie, and under The
| influence of this generous and powerful
/ sentiment, united with the desire and
hope OF improving their condition, the
most universal and active enciiements
/ 10 exertion among men, they would rise
| rapidly in The scale OF existence, aud.
soon become equal 10 the people Of
Europe or of European origin, 80 long
theii. masters nnd oppressors. Of all
J this the most intelligent among them
would soon become sensible. The o.
theirs would learn il fsom them; and the
prospect and hope Of snch blessings
would basean imrns diats aud most ben
| cficial effect, on their condition end
character For il will be easy to adopt
I such regulations, as 10 excl,ijs from
this colony all but those VINO shall de
serve by their condnc, 10 be Omitted;
| thus rendering the hope Of admission y
! powerful incentive, to induAsry, honesty,
and religion.
To The slaves that advantages, tho
not so obvious or immediats, are yet
| certain and great
| In the FIRST place they would be great
~ benefited by the removal Of the free
blacks, who now corrupt them, and
render them Disconnected: thus expo
sing them 10 harsher treatment, and
greater priyations. In the next place,
this measure would open the way TO
their more frequent and easier manu-
mission, for many persons who are now
| restrained from manumitting their slaves
by the conviction that they generally
become nuisance when manumitted 10
the country, would gladly give them
freedom, If they were 10 be sent to a
place where they might enjoy il, useful
~ to themselves and to Society. And
lastly, as thi, species Of manumission,
attended by removal to country where
they might obtain all the advantages oil
freedom, would be great bles ing, and !
would soon be go considered ~ the |
slaves, the hope Of deserving and OBJ
tanning il would be great solace to |
their sunerings, and powerful inciie. !
mentie good conduct. II would thus
tend to make them happier and better
before II came, and to fit them better
for usefulness and happiness afterwards. |
such colony. too, would enlarge the
range of civilization and commerce, and I
thus tend to the benefit of all civilized |
and commercial nations. In this benefit I
our own natien would most largely par
ticipate: because having founded the |
fnicrv and sr.u:s,a, II cnnsta M rt,nnl,rs y e