Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-01-29
From the Baltimore American

Memorials have been presented TO the Legs
,,,ure of Virginia, BY the people OF that State,
the object OF which is 10 induce inc ue"ers'
Assembly Of Virginia TO avail itself OF inc OF
fer Of the American Colonization Society, 10 re-
cei,e and project within its settlement on inc
coast Of Africa, any portion Of the Tree co'o!.e
population Of America. To this course inc
memoriaiists think the Legislature lnSi:eo oy
the mos, powerful consideration OF Stale Poii
cy and national justice; and they desire that the
importan, work Of providing for The graooa'
removal of such As are already Tree, or may
hereafter be liberated, should be commenced al
once.
The committee Of the legislature to whom
the memorials were referred, have given their
views Of the subject in . very able and lucid re-
por,. 1t is their opinion that the establish
ment Of large community Of individuals wuh-
in the limits OF any State, essentially diHe' ent
from The great mass OF the inhabitants, would
be matter Of questionable e1pediency. But
If the community be made up OF slaves, dis'in,
guished by q PECULIARLY Of colour. and dIffusrd
over every part Of a country, there Is no room
to doubt the baueful aud dangerous influence
arising from it. The distinctive complexion
by which it i. marked, necessarily debars Its
members from all familiar intercourse with the
society tina, surrounds il, and denies them all
hone Of either social or political elevation by
NEAR Of individual merit. All incentives 10
moral aud political ree,iude being thus with
drawn, none could anticipate course Of con-
duct calculated to exalt themselves or beneht
the country IN which they live. Such COM
muni,y is at present TO be found in the midst
of the numerous and increasing slave popula'
ton Of Virginia. The laws allow emancipa-
ton only on the condition Of the early removal
of the individual smancipsted. But rigorous
as this policy may seem, aud revolving a. II is
to the feelings Of the community, it is justified,
say the Committee, by the most powerful con.
sideralions Of pubic necessity, and is essential
in preventing the extension OF an evil that
threatens to destroy the peace and tranquility
OF the State. Under the influence OF this poli-
c., justice and humanity require that its risors
should be softened as much as possible BY le-
gislative inlerposilicn. "And how" ask the
Committee, "can this be SO effectually accom>
plished, as by providing safe and suitable asy.
lum, together with the means Of emigration 10
II, for those whose removal from the state is
positively enjoinsd?" In following the course
pointed out by policy and required by humanity
that of providing the'means Of emigration TO
Atrica-the Legislature will be applying the
oGiy safe and efficient remedy TO an evil, whose
presence auG magnitude is acknowledged, and
whose future increase is dreaded by all. And
# the effects OF this operation should not be the
entire extinction Of slavery, - will Al least open
drain for The coloured population, lha, will
be amply ST. ffcienl for all the purposes OF pub
lie security, Should these an icips,ions be re-
allied, and the great mass OF the coloured pop
uIatIon be drawn off without single ih.erfer-
ence with individual rights, or single viols-
ton Of indv lduai wishes, Virginia will b ais
ed to that ascendancy among her sister States,
OF which il may be safely affirmed, that slavery
alone mas deprived her.
Under the influence Of these sentiments, the
Commi,,ee moss earnestly recommend the pro.
vision Of permanent fund for defraying The
expenses of sucn free colored people as may
choose to emlgrate 10 Liberia. II ID under
stood that there are at this moment nearly six
hundred applicants for emigration, most Of
whom are natives Of Virginia. The public re-
venue derived from the annual sales Of colour.
ed convicls, though small in amount, is consi-
dered sufficiently large at present, for the pro-
posed Object; and arising as il does from The
crimes and misfortunes Of the coloured popu-
lalion, It's origin would seem to recommend it
as particularly appropriate for improving their
condition. The committee accordingly recon-.
mend the following resolutions:-
/. hesolved, That i, is e1pedient to provide
for the removal of the free coloured people Of
Virginia to The coast Of Africa.
2. Resolved, That the Committee Of Finance
be directed to prepare bill appropriatiDg to
this purpose so much Of the annual revenue az
arises from the sales Of convicts.
Just Published,