The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-01-19
Ma. CLAY ON COLONIZATION.

President Of that Society.-Nat. Int.
GENTLEMEN Of tho Colonization Society.
On the FIRST occasion Of uIeeling you since ! re-
cclved the appointment which nov hold, am
prompted BY NY ratsful feelings to present my
cordial thanks and my respectful Acknowledge
ments. To be called to the high station which
has been successfully occupied BY Washington.
by aCsfroli the most distinguished aud beloved OF
all y ho bore his hunared name aud BY q Madison,
whose long life was ore continued exhibition OF
public and private ylue Of patriotism o. latolli-
sence, and OF benevoience was among the most
graliB public honors which | We ever re-
ceIyed. ana II Will always rualaiH one ct the mosi
cherished fecoleclions Of my lie. Bot, gentle.
men, considering the noble aims and huniane pun
poses Q Ibis Society, there IS az hoaor resulting
from the eflice Of presiding at ils deliberations
gfestcr than any which can be communicated &
ven By their iliusrt0us names. |; was established
twenty years ago; sad lie peaceful acquisition Of
a large territory in Africa, eight fourishlng set
Elements aad towns, containing a population al
ready civilized, or IN the process OF civilization,
sith schools OF instruction as to our duties herr
below, and temples erected 10 tie everything God,
pointing 10 the hopes and blessings of Christian
y above, attest the of the abors Of the So
ciety. aud encourage 10 turtaer and lavi. Grated
I exettiOns
/ The Society was formed 10 demonstrate the
practicsbIty of colonization ~ Africa and, il il
I were unhappliy dissolved ts-morroa, that great
purpose 0i Its founders slIi have been completely
accomplished. No can now COMET that 18th
me sppIicaitoH 81 adequate means, such as III. Co.
veInmen,s Of the seyttsl >tales AID OF The Unlun
could Supply, almost a.ihoul a effort, the coluHi-
cation Of the descendants Of tue African race may
b effected 10 any desirsSie extent. Ias founder
Of Tie Society never imagined that, depending as
lt DOES UPON spontaneous contributions fIom the
good and the benevolent, rreguiar, made, With
out an established revenue, and without poprr, The
society alone Was competent 70 CslOntzs ali the
Tree persons Of color Ia III, United States. They
hoped, and he Society stIl hopes, that, seeing
what has been dose, ADD be done, Gostf--
meat may ,AiHa fiji to ase bold 81 The priatiPe,
and carry !! out as Ear as hey may deem ught.
~ih their ample powers and .buhGdnl resources.
The oolec q the Society Vas to cooniz ~tA
their own voluntary consent, the free persons G
color in The United States. / lad nethnng ceer-
GIVE or compulsory about it. 1t neither he'd the
disposition nor the powsf 10 apply force. Through-
cut ts whole existence II has nVarab.y dhervd
10 that principle. Il never sought to ,naAt or al
Get IA ae slightest degree the tenure hy ~hieh any
property Is held. II believed ibat te s. .iss alone
lH hich the institution OF slavery Alsts, had tbs
exclusive righi 90 decide upon lIs continuance ef
tertEiEa,ion. | hoped 10 be able to do what IT has
done-to point out mode by which any OF them
! az any Of their citizens might fhd home aud
refuge tor liberated saves. Aad, accordingly,
many humane proprstors eli slaves lave embraced
The opportunity thus qttfed.
Il has been objected against the Society that It's
aim aHd tendency have beea to p fpetuale savgsg,
sHd TO draw stiil tighter he bonds The slave
II has, the otAer had. hesn prucilIued that rs
purpose Is TO Dollsh slavery ierhS nh, sas to let
looss the untutored aud unprepsfed slaves upon
society. Both objections c4uho, be founded ~
truth. NoilL.t Is. The Society does 40, meddi,
With slavery, either to pIeong or 10 discontinue
It's sxlsteRee. las abstract opinion, Father iae
abstract opinions Of its oemj,ts IL well known. /
They believe il a deplorabe evil but here IL is ia
be touched II touched al all with the gtsales, cau
tlon and dohcay, and ouly with anhoilzsd hsuas
Both principle and policy rvsraia Tho Spclety trom +
disturbing it--princple. because the S,cety be, 7
Isyes that IL ia matter exclusively appet,aining
10 the States and citizens Immediately concerned
aud policy because 10 sgitats the subject at all /
would deprive HE Saciety Of the cooperation OF . I
large portion OF the Union, and prevGat It rom ae
comprising an altaInabls good, by the pur UT Of
what IL is constrained &c think al lmpracticabls +
and dangerous object.
Blu, the Society attacks no person and no asso- I
ciaion. Ii neither Rssalls those who believe STA !
very blessing, those who bslieslne 1t great
curse, seek its immediate eXtIrpAtion. 1t pursues
the even eaor OF Its Aay, appealing To the under
standing, 10 the humanity, aud 10 the religion OF
an enle htened cem.auulty. II had hoped 10 es
cape unmerIted reproaehss and Cuju>tlfs5Is at
ttcks, but 1t has moi aud ii has oag deleRded H.
sell. Because il cannot agree or cooperate With
II l. Ia. - Il 4 -.
lcves that the agitation Of the question Of abolition
is uswiss and unhappy, alike destructive 10 the
harmony of the whites, anu iujutou. to the cause
OF jhe blacks. which etpoUscd, the motives and
purposes and tendency Of colonization are al mis-
represented and condemned. Why should this
DC The roads df colonization and aeoI ion lead
in dltfsreal directians. but they d. nst each
other We deal only with free persons OF coler
their efforts are Greet d towards the slave. We
seek ts better the condition OF the free person OF
color they the slave. Why sholld oar humsho
design be iapsdsd dsridsd OF ihsarle3 by those
whs profess TO b. 10 the prosecutions OF snshet
but distinct design which they profess to consider
also humane' No. gentlemen, we ere 40 uir.is,s.
We neither seek to perpetuste nor 10 sSeIl.h sls
very. Our object is totally dtfstent trem either,
and has been proclaimed sud eung 20 ltstn the
beg inuiug OF the Society to his hour
IL has been contesdcd thai Colonization is ao-
ge,hsr Incompetent to effect separation o. the
Two races Of our population; that the evil Of dis
esrssnt sHd lseengrueus elemen,s must contlnoe.
unless sons more powerful agency Is discovered
and that the American Colonization Society has
seen able TO accomplish nothing deserving OF any
serious consideration. '
Those who thus assAil us seek to try Us BY an !
magiaary stsnsard Of ihsit own creation. They .
argus that the uhcle OF the African portion Of oor
population amounts 10 two or three millions;
thst in a period OF twsaty years NE have bees a
bic To colcuizs only few thousand, and hsRcs
Lha1 inieL thai Colonization eanAot sIeIcIse any