Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-10-30

With regard to the last two OF those three In |
struments of our future prosperity, your generos'
tg has assigned TO me relation "hich am
aware would be questioned by others, ana whicn
should he distributed among many, VINO shared
with me- in the councils OF our state or elsewhere
the tolls Of their support, II such LABOR couio DC
toilsome.
To assign to each Of these co.laborers his ap'
nropriate share Of whatever credit may attach 10
these institutions. is task oil no little deicacy
and of greater difficulty. For myself, am more
so,,citous for their success. than to establish
claim to their foundation. Blu! your toast, IN al.
lowing to me SO large a share IN those noble ~.
situations, requires Of me details, 6v which,
! fear, that may weary your attention however
! indulgent With respect to the hrst OF them,
can truly say that the intelligence broke 10 upon
me, like a raw of light through the proioundest
gloom, and by mere accident which occurred
( in the spring of 1876 that upon two several oc'
casions, very early in the present century tne
General Assembly Of Virginia had invited the AID
Of the United States to obtain territory, beyond
their limits, whereon to coloniZe certain portions
of our coIored population. For the evidence OF
these facts, then new to me, was referred to the
Clerk of the Senate, by the friend who revealed
them, and in the private records OF that BODY,
found them verified.
! Ii was, then, too near the close OF the session
Of the Legislature to attempt immediate action
on the subject; but in few weeks after this, l
conc erted with Francis 5. Key Of Georgetown,
and Elias B. Caldwell Of Washington, in the DIS.
! trict of Columbia. plan for doing SO; and bound
to no concealment. myself though the facts which
b cen disc osed to me, were from the secret jour
nails of the Senate, made them publicly known,
in several states. as well as through our own, on
my way to the North, during the ensuing sum-
| mer; receiving, every where, promises OF pecu-
MARY aid, and OF active corporation, provided,
as | announced it to be my intention, | renewed
similar .propostion, at the next session OF our
general assembly.
Accordingly in December 1916, prior to the
| organization of the American Colonization Socie.
". but With view to its approaching formation,
Of which was appraised BY Mr. Key. presented
to the House of Delegates, resolution. which
stands recorded on its journals asking the aid OF
the General Government to procure IN Africa,
or elsewhere, beyond the limits OF the United
States, a territory, on which to culonize our free
people of color who might be disposed to avail
themselves of such an asylum, and such OF our
slaves, as their masters ight please to emancl'
pate. This resolution passed the House OF De-
Iegates with but nine, and the Senate, with but
one dissenting voice 1t was discussed and
| adopted in secret session, but the Injunction OF
secrecy vas taken of at the instance OF the NOV.
or. The American Colonization Society was
formed in the Cry of Washington early in the en-
suing month OF January.
After organizing. in my immediate neishbor.
hood several auxiliary societies. at the request of
the managers of the parent society in Washing.
ton, repaired to the city OF Baltimore where by
sundry addresses to the people, in one OF which
was sustained by Francis S. Key, and by per.
sonal applications to the citizens, in which was
! accompanied from place tn place, Tor many days,
by Robert Purviauce, we succeeded IN obtaining
q subscription Of near $4,000. to defray the
| penses of the expedition of Messrs. Moles and
Burgess, TO explore the coast Of Africa, in order
to select suitable place for the proposed colo
! ny
! At the same time, Bishop Meade. of Virginia,
was alike active and successful 10 procuring Pc
, cunary aid for the same object, in the opnlent
and liberal society in Frederick, Of which he was
then the pastor.
The laws of the United States then allowed
the re-captured Africans liberated by our
public ships, engaged IN the suppression of the
Slave Trade, to be disposed Of, as the several
states might provide, into whose harbours they
might chance 10 be brought and the Legislatures of
the several Southern states, authorised their pub
lie sale, and the division Of the proceeds between
the cap,ors and their own treasury.
The end and 5nd annual reports Of the Colo
nzaton Society, and especially the last, were
written partly with a view TO the establishment
OF a more human policy towards the unfortunate
victims Of al nqutou. traffic and TO the success of
this appeal is to be aScribed the foundation of
the African colony of Liberia, under the auspi-
ces of gracious Providence.
The act of Congress of 1919, for the more
effectuaI suppression oi the Slave Trade, in the
draft of which, had the AID OF my worthy col
league. the present Governor of Virginia,
though LETT by his necessary absence TO ny de.
fence against feeble opposition, in the House
Of Representatives provided for the restoration
Of those unfortunate captives to their native
continent; and rendered place for their recep.
ton indispensable to their safety, and to the jus.
tice and humanity Of our country.
10 the Senate this act met with strenuous re-
sistance, and carried by the zeal and ability
Of MIR Burwell of Rhode Island.
The Just though liberal construction, put on