The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-05-16
COLONIAL TON.
TO THE FRIENDS OF THE AMERICAN
COLONIZATION SOCIETY.
WASHINGTON, April 3lsi, 1874.

| WASHINGTON, April 3ls, 1874
The undersigned, late Secretary of the Ameri-
can Colonization Society, impelled by a sense Of
duty to cause which has commanded the best
efforts of his life, and to which he cherishes UNI
diminished regard, begs leave 10 state the rea-
sons which induced him to resign his Office, and
also the position he now occupies in relation to
that society. This statement is made from con-
sderations far higher than any merely personal,
and with the sole view of advancing the true in-
terests of cause to which is pledged large por-
ton of the patriotism, humanity, and religion of
the land.
Nothing need be said of the motives which re-
suited in the recent unusual proceedings of the
Board of Directors of the American Colonization
Society, or Of the extraordinary peculiarites, and
the causes from which they sprung, of the consti-
tuition under which they acted. Those curious
to trace the course Of events, which has termina-
ted in the resignation of the writer to its source,
will find II clearly developed in small work,
entitled I" Mission to England" submitted more
than two years ago to public attention.
The office of Secretary Of the American Colo
nization Society has, from its,origin, been con-
nected with its whole history, and nearly all
its important proceedings, with its correspon-
dence in this aud other civilized countries, and
with Africa, with its periodical magazine, the
African Repository, now arrived at lis twentieth
volume, With annual and other reports, with
the transactions of the society with the several
departments OF Government,sand the entire pro-
cess of difusing information, maintaining the
principles, and defending and sustaining the cha
racler Of the society, and increasing the means
and conducting onward lis various operations.
The undersigned will say nothing Of the man
ner in which, while he occupied this Office, its
duties were discharged. He will state merely,
that when, in 1922, he first became connected
with the society, its income for the year v as
$778; that, in 1924. under the joint authority Of
the Government and the sohlety he visited Afri-
ca, and, in conjunction wiihffhe devoted Ashmun,
established (wiln the sanction of the colonists)
the government of Liberia, which, in its essential
features, has continued unchanged 10 the present
hour; that he was elected Secretary in 1926 !;
that, from 1922 to 1882, the income OF the soci-.
ETY. regularly and rapidly increased, in the latter
year amounting 10 $40,365; that, in 1885, it was
about the same amount; that, during these ele-
ven years. ,667 emigranls were sent to the colo
ny; and that, throughout this period, with occa-
sional assistance from single clerk, the execu-
tive duties of the society, under the control and
sanction OF the managers, We're discharged by the
Secretary.
Of the subsequent pecuniary embarrassments
of the Society, and their causes, the writer refers
to two reports made in 1854, under a resolution
of the general meeting Of the Society, by the
these embarrassmens arose from the nature of
the enterprise of the Society, and the urgency of
the public will that it should rapidly advance
not from want of fidelity or sagacity in its man
agement Of the gentlemen with whom the
writer had the honor to be associated in conduct
ing the affairs OF the Society, during its whole
period up to 1889, lie would only here say, that
TO individuals more faithful intelligent, and cir
cumspect, the interests of no similar cause were
ever entrusted.
OF the more recent relations of the writer to
the Society, of his separation from it during his
absence in England, and his reelection to the
Secretaryship on his return, more than two years
since, the public are informed. Those who gave
their votes for his reappointment were not igno-
rant of his principles or purposes. He had avow-
ed both in his published work, and frankly ex-
pressed to the Directors and Executive Commit
tee his opinions in regard to the conditions nds-
pensabe 10 the efficient performance of his Off
cia duties, and the policy demanded, in order to
sustain most vigorously and TO advance most GER
lainly and rapidly the interests of the society,"
1t was soon evident that few individuals had
been hostile to his reelection, and were deter
mined on active opposition to his official connec-
ton with the institution. They sought, by pri-
waite correspondence, to impair the confidence Of
the committee in the Undersigned, and to destroy
his influence with the public. Some months
previous TO the late auuudl injecting, ltSOIuuOHo
were adopted by the Board Of the Pennsylvania
Colonization Society, and transmitted to the
Boards of several other State societies. earnestly
recommending, as measure, highly important,
the election of another individual TO the office OF
| Secretary.
In the spirit of this correspondence, and of
these resolutions, most if not all the delegates
from Philadelphia, and the solitary delegate
from New York, appeared in the recent meeting
= bx~,~
was to annul the office of Corresponding Secre-
tary. Defeated in this, the names of gentlemen
nominated for the Executive Committee were
laid upon the table, in order first to elect the
Secretary, that in accordance WIN me UNI rm
proc,ice OF the society, with single exception,
and that followed by the resignation of that Off
cer,) and with the opinion Of the majority, he
might be appointed on tina, committee This
purpose, so distinctly avowed by the majority as
the reason for poslponing the election of the
| committee until after the election of the secre-
tary, left no doubt in their minds that this off,