The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-06-01
THE VOICE OF FREEDOM.
MONTPELIER, SATURDAY, JUNE l, 1889.
American Colonization Society.

sidered assertion. We repeat the charye and
now propose to offer some remarks in its sunnort
Let us premise, however, that we are far enough
from supposmg that all who lend their countenance
! TO the scheme, are unprncipled men, Time has
been' when we ranged ourselves among its friends
and supporters; but this was when we had very
inadequate conceptions of its real character and
tendency. Multitudes at the North, have hon.
estly but ignoranty fallen into the like error. II
is not too much to say that many persons have lent
| their aid to colonization without even examining
the constitution of the society, and who, when in
qured Of os to its aims, are quite at loss 10 give
an intelligent reply.
Should one inquire after the fundamental prin-
lciples of the Federal Government, it would mani
testify be proper to refer him to the Constitution of
the United States, as containing an authoritative
statement of those principles. Our fathers well
considered, that decent respect for the opinions
of mankind as we'll as the success of tho embryo
government, called Cor frank and unambguous
avowal not only of the reasons of their great en-
terprize, but of the foundation principles on which
lit was proposed to conduct it to its consummation.
Hence the preamble to the constitution of the Uni
ted States, with its narration of objects,-the
studied arrangement and avowal of principles
the careful distribution and Limitation of powers.
The same remarks are applicable to all our state
constitutions. With equal caution and forethought,
the founders of most of the benevolent associations
which have sprung up to bless the land in the last
forty years, have considered it necessary as well
as respectful to an inqusitlve age, to pause, at
the Threshold ofther organizations and inform the
world of the reasons which impelled them to their
undertakings. The Bible Society, itself, did not
feel warranted in preerring its claims to the public
favor, without most explicit annunciation of rea-
sons. Its kindred sisters in the family of benevo-
lent institutions, the Foreign and Home Missions,
the Seamans Friend the Tract, the Temperance,
the Peace, and the Anti Slavery Societies, each
and all, though clad in garments of charity, had
not the presumption to come to the baptismal fount
without giving reason of the faith that was in
them They all have their honest and plain.spo-
ken achereas Their principles are laid down in
tangible shape. No man, on scanning their or
ganic laws, need be in doubt ms to their aims nor
| is he liable to meet with different and conflicting
interpretations Inv every degree oflatitudc
| We viii now look at the American Colonization
Society, in thelght of its own constitution The
first two articles are the only ones affordns any
clue to its object. They are as follows:
ART. |. This Society shall be called the AM
erlcan Society for colonizing the free people of col
or of the United States.
ART. II. The object to which its attention is
to be exclusively directed is to promote and execute
plan for colonizing with their consenD the free
people of color residing in our country in Africa,
or such other place as Congress shall deem most
expedient. And the Society shall act to effect this
object in cooperation with the general government,
and such of the States as may adopt regulations
on the subject
| Unlike the benevolent associations before aud-
ed to- the colonization society was ushered before
the American people without preamble, setting
forth the motives which led to its formation. A.
Judge Jay well remarks, its constitution has no
single principle Of duty policy recognized in it,
and the members, may, without inconsistency, be
christians or nfdels they may be the friends or
the enemies of slavery and may be actuated by
kindness or by hatred towards the free people of
color"
The crclasire object which the society in its
constitution, processes, is, wholly devoid of moral
character. The removal Of class of men from
one spot on the earth to another is, for aught we
can see, purely physical act. Circumstances
may, indeed be superadded, which would attach
to it moral or an immoral complexion. If, when
Sodom was threatened with shower of fire, Lot
had conceived and executed plan for colonizing
certain portion of its Inhabitants the act of re-
moval" might have been set down in the category
either of good, or evil deeds-wheher of the first
Or the last, it is unimportant here to inquire. Or
if a class of men were threatened with pestilence,
or famine, their removal" even without their
!" consent" to q salubrious and penteous land,
might properly be termed merciful act. But,
that the removal" of 100000 men, black, white,