New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-21
AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY.
SPEECH OF HENRY CLAY

D. NaA'.-IlsH
/ Ihave been committed TO say few words ha-
/ Their against my wishes. and unexpectedly to my
sell. have been advertised in the newspapers, l
believe to MAKE some address on this occssios- l
have 10 repraches 20 make az aims. those who have
placed me in this position. Bat mus. present my
self before you ia condition to full the expecia-
tons tina, msy have brought ibis large and res
/ pectabie sssemblage together neither sm pre-
pared to DO Justice to this great subject or 70 my
self have jast terminated journey Of consider.
able length and afdsousness. performed in mid
winter. and surrounded at every place where
( have stopped by throngs of friends leaving ALSO
lutely no leisure whatever for that preparation
! which ought slwsys 70 be made before 4 man pre-
sents himself 70 address so respectable and iDtsli
! gent an audience IS this. come before you with
out solitary note. and with very little mental pre-
; paration Of sny sort absolutely with no prepared
ness for an elaborate address. | will therefore ad-
wise all who have come here with the expectation
Of hearing anything extraordinary, 70 leave the
Hall and by so doing they would doubtless leave
I il with much fewer auditors than ct first assem-
bled (Cheers) Yet I confess myself grstied
with the opportunity Of saying few words as well
as with the circumstance repeatedly adverted to In
the course Of the evening, OF my having met here
in company with others thirty years ago for the
foundation Of this Society. IL has been some years
since have had the honor OF standing or sitting in
the place which | occupy this evening and yCu
will Al. " me to say that, in all human probability,
| il vii the last instance Ia which may ever ap-
| pear BE- fore you.
You have been told that sbou, thirty years ago.
! Rev Dr. Finney of " J. and others with him, met
4
principles OF the foundation OF this Society. was
\ one Of that number. At first We did not intend 10
DO more than 70 establish a Colony on the Coast OF
Africa % which the free people of color IN the Jul
| ted States might Voluntarily aud with their own
rec consent without the least restraint, coercion
, or compusion proceed and enjoy untrsmmeled
those social and political privileges which under the
| Circumstances Of the case they could not enjoy
mere. We submitted the whole 10 their uncon-
strained votion. IL was very far from the purpose
of those who came together that occasion, % In.
tcrere with the title 20 slaves we did not wish %
affect that title in the least degree whatever We
saw. what is now manifest ia the country, that the
people Of color and the white race could not posi-.
| bly, live together on terms Of equality. We did
not stop 20 inquire whether this state OF things was
right or wrong We took the fact OF impossbility.
for these two races 70 live together in equal social
conditions aud proceeded 10 operate upon that fact
| | know there are many respectable individuals in
the country who contend that this is al prejudice.
! and should be expelled from the bosoms OF men
! and that we should recognize all as members OF
the same race. entitled 70 the same privileges aud
I immunites with ourselves; This principle M their
| view may be right. But we went on the fact that
| the two races could not live together and on this
foundation proposed, in view OF their religious,
moral and political degradation, that they should be
| removed by their own consent from the United
States 10 country OF institutions and privileges
which would be impossible for them ever % enjoy
in this country | repeat, that we did not attempt
10 the least 10 unsettle the title 70 slaves W. hoped
merely 70 demonstrate tho practicability Of Colon
ization in order that those who had the control OF
slaves might avail themselves of the policy or NOT,
| according 20 their views or wishes. Oar object
nothing farther than to demonstrate before the
world the practcabllity OF establishing Colony OF
| free blacks in Africa.
| Well. as il has been just stated. throughout the
whole progress OF Society from its origin II has
| been surrounded by difficulties. and beset by enc
mics in front and in rear, and on both TANKS
! Cheers The Abolitionsts have sssailed H. as
! well those OF the opposite extreme. Both nave
united IN asssuitIng IT, but on what grounds, | can
4 aot yet well understand. IL is no more a part OF
the object OF the Society interfere with the title
% slaves than &c - 10 object 10 interfere with the
| progress % Abolition We contemplated simply
the improvement of the condition Of the blacks and
so, when the object of the Aboiitonist should be
obtained ia the emancipato Of the blacks u would
become the object and employment OF this society
! % cOlonize them and thus cooperating together. a
vast benefit might accrue 10 the human race which
might consist with the highest purpose Of Abolition
But why should they continued % atta,kus lrepeaf
We do not interfere with them utepiaa aud imprac
ticable We suppose their project 10 be. Ther at
| tempt is TO emancipate without moments delay,
the whole of the black race in the United States
Very well to accomplish this very object in aaoth
er way, Colonization was begun We say 70 them,
gentlemen, we cannot hope 20 accomplish your OBJ
trnf oatI Of fha ms ffxf AZ fha Lack
| race 70 come upon an equality in social aud
| political condition with the whites We will carry
them where they can better enjoy the lmmunities
Of ireemen.
But il ha. been said thatthis Society IS incapable
of accomplishing 10 great an object; and admit
that Us founders have not supposed that without
the aid Of Government, State or National. they
could found ia Africa a very large coiony composed
wholly Of free persons Of color But their purpose
has been b show the practicabiity OF the object
the power Of Colonization IN competent hands 10
carry out the work in all Us great results-tO de-
monstrate this power throughout the whole extent
OF the Continent. II then those who have taken
the lead have been able to demonstrate the prac-
tcability Of Colonization, who can doubt the COM
potency OF Government % transport to the shores
OF Africa all persons Of color who may be emsncl-
pated either by the authority OF States, or the dis
position Of individuals That demonstration has
been made.
But it has been urged particularly by one class
Of our opponents, 70 which We have referred, that
this i the country Of the black man, and therefore
he should not be sent % Africa. which is not his
country. In some sense those blacks who have
been born upon the soil, may claim this for their
country and so couldthe lsraeites ciGim gypt for
their country, because during long period of time
they We're captiyes in Egypt SO could all the Is
raelites the wilderness durins their progress
from Egypt TO the Promised Land, claim the wilder.
ness for their country bu.still in contemplating the
beam which guided the progress thatmost remark
able Of all the families Of man neither Egypt nor
the wilderness, bat Canaan was their home and 10
that home they were finally led Who then, can
doubt in solitary instance that Africa ia the real
home Of the blacks though they may have had
casual birth upon this continent There they were
placed. and remained originally until captured by
the hands Of lewess violence, and there they can
remain happily in the iairest portion Of their origi
nal possession and does Il not seem dspensaIion
Of awise Providence, which has brought them
20 this country, that they may be carried back
% ig.h the holy purposes IS Him whose ways are
iuscrutable, but always Just. But this separation
Of the free people OF color with their own consent
NON the country 10 which they happen to be born