Litchfield enquirer., 1847-07-29

B, Caldwell, Esq, in the city OF Washing
ton, towards the close of the year 1870 at
which Mr.. Mills was present. he was also
present and participated in the delioera-
lions of the meeting al which the Ameri~
can Colonization Society was formed, hello
on the LIST of January, 1917.
In The commencement of the Society'S
operations, great embarrass ment was felt
through want of information as to the most
eligible places for the establishment of
COLONY. With view to obviate this diff
iculty. i; was resolved to commission some
person of suitable qualifications 10 explore
the western coast of Africa. This com
mission, replete as it was with responslbll
ity, was put into the hands OF Mr. MINIS.
No sooner had he accepted it. than he saw
the importance of having colleague to
share the burthen with him in this arduouS
mission As the funds of the Society
would not then allow of this appointment,
MIR Mills was employed in the formation
of Auxiliary Societies in several of the large
cities. till the Board felt warranted to incur
the additional expense, and gave Mr.. Mills
the privilege of selecting his own compan-
ion on the tour. His thoughts were at
once directed to man of kindred spirit, viz.
the Rev. Eberezer Burgess, Professor of
Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in
the University of Vermont. To him lie
Immediately addressed letter, stating the
objects of The mission, and urging him to
become his fellow laborer in the great work
which he had in view.
Mr.. Burgess signi6ed his acceptance Of
the appointment in letter to MIR. Mills,
dated August 81, 1917
Messrs. Mills and Burgess left America
on the 10Th of November, 1917, and after
short and rerilons voyage, arrived in Eng
land late in December. Early after their
arrival in London, They presented their let
tiers to Zachary Macauley, Esq formerly
Governor of Sierra Leone; to TIE Rev.
MeSsgs. Pratt and Bickersteth, Secretaries
of the Church Missionary Society, who were
partially informed as to The designs of the
Colonization Society and the nature of the
embassy, and gave them many expressions
ofther confidence MIR. Wiberforcc also
received them with great cordially, and
peruS'd their letters and commission with
deep sensibiity and high appreciation. The
Rev. Mr.. Owen, Secretary of the British
and Foreign Bible Society, and the Rev
MIR. Anderson, Agent Of that Society in Rus
STA, were providentially present Mr.. Viii
berforce introduced them To Lords Bathurst
and Gambler, and TO his Royal Hlghness
the Duke of Gloucester, the patron of the
African institution. His Royal HighnesS
received lhen with all condescension, and
showed himself well pleased with the oh.
jets of the American Society,"; Lord Ba
lhurSt gave them letters to the Governor of
n,,tf,,, . ,,,Dn
and Lord Gambler called upon them at their
rooms, and politely profered any services in
his power to promote the views of the mis-
sion.
After adjusting all their concerns in Eng
land, they embarked for Africa on The I'd Of
February, 1918. pleasant passage of
thirty days brought them TO the coast Of
Africa on the 18th of NJ arch. Yhe inci>
dents of the voyage, as we'll as of their jour
ney along the coast in pursuing the objects
of their mission, are graphically related by
Mr.. Mills in his journal.
After spending upwards Of Two months in
exploring the coast, visiting the interior,
and collecting and noting facts, the embark,
ed for The United States, via. England, on
the 22d of May.
The health of Mr.. Mills was feeble when
he left America, and the climate of Africa
and the fatgues which he had undergone
there, had not improved it. 1t was delight
full evening when he left those heather
shores. The sun was just going down, and
the mountains of Sierra Leone appeared in
their majesty and beauty. As he stood on
the quarter deck, taking last glance of E.
Ethiopia, his bosom began TO heave with the
H. II g NJ 4
he to his colleague, be thankful 10 God
and congratulate each other, that the laborS
and dangers Of our mission are past. The
prospect is fair, that we shall once more re
turn with our dear native land, and see the
faces of our beloved parents and friends y
To all human appearance it was; but an
all>wise providence had ordered that this
prospect should not be realized.
On the evening of the 9Th of June, when
abe at two weeks out, he took heavy cold,
became i'll, and expressed some apPrehen,
sions of fever. He continued to grow
worse until the 10Th, when, between 2 and
3P. M, he gently folded his hands on his
breast, as if TO engage in some act of devo-
ton while a celestial smile settled upon
his countenancc, yielded up his spirit.
Thus, in his Both year, did this beloved
man close his life of distinguished piety
and usefulness No monumental marble
records his worth-no fragrant dews shall
descend upon his tomb His dust sleeps
unseen amid the pearls and coral OF the
ocean, and his name shall swell upon the
breeze and be echoed by the wave, until the
dawning Of that day when the sea shall give
up her dead
After the arrival of Mr. Burgess in this conn-
try, the Colonization Society presented a me-
mortal to Congress. through the Speaker, MIR
Clay, from which we extract the following
% In order. to obtain the most accurate IN
formation, from sources OF the most nnquesi
tienahle authority, the Society sent out a,
great expense, two agents, Mr.. Mills and Nh.
Burgess who have proved themselves emf:
nently qualified for the undertaking.. The,
proceeded to the west coast of Africa. where
tley prosecuted their researches with such
zeal, industry and intelligence, as to have con-
trlbuied essentially to the illustration of many
important and interesting facts connected with
the geography, climate, soil, and products, o