The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-01-11
Jan. II, 1914.

Qhe society," has constantly disclaimed al
intention whatever Of interfering, in the
smallest degree, wi h the tights of proper
IT, or the object Of emancipation, cRADu.
AL OR IMMEDIATE."
Now, sir, with these foil and explicit
avowals Of Shareholders themselves, who
can fail TO perceive that the American Col
onization Society is a slavehoiding, and
not slave emancipatiug, slavery abolish
ing society 2-,hat the removal of the free
blacks to a returnless distance from their
slaves. was The primary object. the grand
desderaum in the formation of the Socie.
tv2 Thus also the second article in the
constitution of the society has expressed
it, "The eaclusice object of this society
shall be, to colonze with their own con-
sent. free people fcolor, on the coast of
Afica, or elsewhere, as congress may
deem expedient." Yet in the face Of all
these declarations. and others without
number Of similar import which might be
given, added TO the whole tenor OF the So.
ciety's doings, from its origin 10 the pres
ent time The anthor comes out & AYERS that
the society aims al The final abolition Of
slarery IN the United States, and among
oil cirilized nations" Can the au-
thor OF the discourse reconcile this his
broad and sweeping declaration, with the
aGlauets (I may SO call them) OF slave
holding members and officers of that socIA
ely given above, TO the contrary? II ne
can, will he? To me nothing could have
been uttered by any man more obviously
at variance with truth, or remote from
matter Of fact in the case, Shareholders
themselves, and their :" i'll fated" bondmen
being judges. since its organization in
1915. TIE society lp l2l has aided in
"g,viog civil and religious freedom 10
f.qc thousand bondmen." During the
same period ii has assisted (has it moi p
Shareholders 10 retaining In bondage many
hundreds Of thousands Of heir bondmen
unplued and uoblessed by is prayers or
its aims. In 1920 there were in the Unit
eI S a,es $50, O64 slaves. In 1870, q
$3.50 Hence, ii appears, that since
the American Colonization Society, com
mencpd lis operation tor the 6 final aboli-
'ion Of s'aVery in the United Sta,es," a
period of tWeny-six years, the number OF
slaves has been constantly increasing in
The ratio ofabout J0J,000 every ten years,
or FIVE pr cent per annum. Mr.. Clay,
in his speech in the Senate Of the United
S ates, in 1889, estimates The total value
of slave properly in The United States, at
l2 100000 dollars. Can it be believed
thar The shareholders will eyer be induced
to give up all this amount of property
And yet we are gravel; told that Socie-
ty, composed q chiefly Of Shareholders"
ard from the FIRST, Obtaining " It's most de-
ciaed and cGIcient support from tie sIare
Aolding States, who "hoId their slaves
as Msy do Meif otter prqpettNsAcRED"-
wearetod, 10y he author oflhis pamphlet,
that this Society GAINS at the abolition Of
slavery it the United Staes"! No! the
aaterminaJk duration not the extinction
of Siarery,,is the object OF the organizl,
tion OF the Society, or there is no definite
meaning 10 language, and we can not tell
wnat men intend, whatever they may say.
4 But the discourse carries with it inter.
nal evidence Of its pro.slavery character.
Ll1e pity is expressed for the millions Of
down.;rodden victims of oppression and
wrong, lying at the very doors of our
churches aud our dwellings, while every
page glows with apparent sympathy for
far Of ",I.faled Africa" for "much in
injured Africa" for benighted,' "neg-
lec,ed," "long,oppressed" Africa. No ray
Of hope to the slave pierces the gloom of
his prison. house; no warning voice Of
cnlrea'y or rebuke reaches the ear Of the
master; no recognition ofthe sin of slave
~, as a violation OF the law of God, and
Of is actual aud threatening evils TO our
comNon country. But the peculiar strnc-
ture Of our National and State Govern
meeis, our prejudice against color, The
danger Of sudden emancipation, the qGes'
ton, whether they would be better off, if