The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-01-11

ings hitherto degraded in the scale Of human exist.
ence How would this pride swell into emulation
IL yon could see the s,ar-sPangled banner floating
over the sable batialions of Africa, in their march
oyerhrowing the strongholds Of despotism and esla
bishng free institutions the whole continent of
| poor, ignorant, enslaved, degraded Africa But
how W ud this exuliation burst into inward rejoic-
ing fyou should live to see in part this great reality
| this great work, the product Of your care your
TOLL and your beneyoence far secured 10 leave
no doubt Of ultimate success Perseyere, and such
will be the glorious result OF your uniring and be-
nevolent exertions; and when you have done H. you
may embrace in your benevolent contemplation the
whole world of mankind, and cordially unite with
the poet in his warm and enthusiastic invocation:
"Take, freedom, take thy radiant round
When dnnm'd revive when lost return,
Till not shrine through earth be found
On WHICH thy glories shall not burn
As addressed to our patriotism II proposes 10 rid
The nation of population dangerous not only 10 the
quiet peace and tranquility of the whole country
but presents theatre on which the North aud the
I South may rally in mutual confidence, and dry up
one Of the great sources of discord which now dis
tracts and divides them. Let the probable success
Of this scheme but be demonstrated, and do not
doubt that i will supplant in the affection and con-
fdence of the whole nation the abolition societies
and produce, instead of discord and division union
and emulation among the people OF both sections. Ii
IS the fear OF this that prompts the abolition presses
TO purue with such reckless and relentless hostility
the American Colonization Society. Whenever il
shall be known that the Society can accommodate
the emancipated as fast emancipation shall pre-
vail there is no doubt that all eyes will be directed
10 its operations, and the abolition societies dwinde
into that insignifcance and contempt which their
unhallowed designs richly merit.
As addressed 10 their beRerolence This asSocia- |
ton is worthy Of all confidence, and the most ardent
and perscvering support. Il proposes to remove a
class OF our felIow-beings from location in which
the policy and actual safety OF another and more nu-
merous class forbid their instruction in the arts and
sciences and that mental and intellectual improve
ment which can alone elevate them TO that standard Of
dfgnily which properly attaches To man-to a land |
where, under the fostering of the Society," they
may enjoy life, liberty, and religion TO the fullest
extent and receive that Of instruction in the
arts, sciences, and literature which will enable them
TO maintain the true dignity OF human existence, and
secure the supremacy Of that system Of Government
and laws calculated 10 promote their happiness
and prosperity, and transmit them richer inheri-
lance 10 their posterity In this work you not only
promote the welfare and happiness Of few indipi
duals, but you aid in advancing and extending the
great causes of religion and liberty. How power
fully does the end to be accomplished invoke the
ergetic and untiring exerons of every humane and
benevolent heart. To US these unfortunate people
have right TO appeal on they have irresistible
claims They are here by our policy and our cocr-
cion; they have no means of their own. The laws
of the saveholding States, founded upon sound po-
Icy will not permit them 10 remain there; the laws
OF the non saveholding States will not permit them
to emigrate to them: what then is to be done? Are
they to be sent among the merciless savages of the
w est, tneTe 10 De destroyed by lOIndndWh ana
scaping knife Humanity says, no. Are they 10
be planted amidst the ice and snow of the arctic re-
gions 2 This cannot be done. Where then are
they goa Send them to The land of their fathers
where they may enjoy peace, life liberty, and secu
ry Send them to theland their fathers that they
may enjoy, in undistuibed security, the product of
their industry, and the fruits of their labor This
4 they cannot do without means. They have them
not; and to you they appeal-on you they call
Shall the call be in vain2 Your future operations
must respond.
The practicabiiy of the scheme has been, to my
mind, most satisfactorily demonstrated. Already
you have acquired territory sufficiently capaciouS
for double the whole black population Of the United
States. Already colony has been planted which
is making rapid progress in agriculture, in art sci
ence, government and religion. Already their
safety is secured against any hostile aggression of
the neighboring tribes. Already the improvements
in the condition Of the colonsts, moral and religious,
demonstrate their capacity for still farther and more
extended improvements What then is the him
drancel Nothing but the want of enlarged means,
increased effort, and more daring enterprise.
MIR. President, in the providence Of God, why and
wherefore, il is in vain for frail faibe, finite
to inquire man has, in all ages of the world, been
made the instrument through which great events
either moral, political or religious, have been ac-
complished So now, this great this important, this
magnificent, this benevolent scheme is to be accom-
plished through human agency sir. We have the
means il we had only the bcnevolence and the enter
prise to apply them. nation Of people Astounding
this is in such extensive wealth. to talk of the in
cation of our free people Of color, is absolutely ri
dicuous--the means are ample. fear the spirit of
beneyolence is restricted by the love of the purse
within too narrow limits; and that is the material
inadeqpacy of which you complain. There is ex-
pended in The idle and giddy rounds of dissipation,
every year, sum more than sufficient to accom-
plish this great, this benevolent and glorious enter
prise. The objects of no society ever were or ever
will be accomplished by annual meetings, the adop
ton of few resolutions and few pretty eloquent
speeches, unless these displays be accompanied with
untirng energy and perseverance, Nor sir, will your
meeting here every hearing address
and an annual report read, hearing few speech
es and adopting few resolutions, ever accomplish
| your designs They will not supply the great de-
Sderatum-lhc means. You must apply your purses,
your energy, and your enterprise, in action action,
energetic action is the secret of success in all I'M
dertakngs; and the want OF il is the secret of your
present embarrassed and languid condition.
MIR. President the hostility TO your Society is not
| singular all associations however benevolent the
| object or innocent the design, have had the same
hostility encounter. Christianity ITSELF the best
gift of God to man. has made its way through hosts
OF enemies who have aSSailed it with every sort OF
weapon. Could this Society have calculated know
| ing human nature as ii is, TO escape opposition
| Surely not Opposition should not depresS or dis
courage you in the prosecution of your designs; IL
should stimulate your determination 10 succeed with
| more nfexibity The enemies Of the Society have
resorted to many Stratagems, not only TO discourage
and embarrass you but 10 deter the objects Of your
baneyoence from emigrating. Among other mis-
| representations they speak OF the insalubriy and
sickness of the climate of the colony, and charge
every death which takes place among the colonisis
10 the climate alone. do not doubt that the change
of climate has been fatal TO many of the emigrans
yet do not doubt that the nsaubrity and unhealth-
ness Of the climate is greatly exaggerated If it is
expected that colony is TO be planted where there
will Be neither death nor disease, then indeed will
there be sad dsappointments; such spot cannot be
found on earth Have we forgotten so soon the his
tory of the first settlements OF every colony which
| has ever been founded Have we forgotten the