Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-01-24
LAGOON NO. vi.
To The Honorable, the Members Of the House y
Delegates aud Off Senate of TIrginto:

Dec, 1900, adopted a resolution in secret session
requesting the Governor, James Monroe, to col
respond with the President of the United States
Thos. Jefferson, to procure lands in Africa or SOM
other foreign country, for this purposes The fins
resolution on record is dated Dec. 81, 1900. A
second, more definite and full, of the same impor
was passed on January 10th, 1902. Another,
still Feb. 8, iSO4-followed up by still another,
Jan. q, 1895; in which last, the Senators and
Representatives Of Virginia, in Congress, are in
siruAed to use their efforts obtain from the gen.
eral government SEA competent portion Of Territory
in the country of Louisiana" for colonizing our
free people of color.
H. Dec, 1916. again the Legislature Of Vif-
gin. passed the following resolution, with but
nine dissenting voices in the House of Delegates
and one in the Senate :-Resolved, That the Ex-
ecutive be requested to correspond with The Presi-
dent of The United States, for the purpose of OBJ
tanning territory on the coast of Africa, or at
some other place, not within any of the States or
territorial government of the United States, TO
serve for an asylum Of such persons of color as ara
now free, and may desire the same; and for those
| who may be emancipated within this Common
wealth, and that the Senators aad Representatives
OF this State in the Congress of the United States,
be requested TO exert their best efforts to aid the
Presiasst @ the United States in the attainment
!, of the hoSe obecc.
Cotemperaneossly with these measures 10 the
Va. Legislature but few weeks after the fore
going resolution, the american Colonization So
ciety was formed in the city of Washington, thro'
the agency of Gen. Chas. f. Mercer (who was
the mover of The Virginia Iesoution,) and other
noble Virginians before mentioned. Through tho
personal eXertlons of the same gentleman, aided
by f. S. Key Of Georgetown, Robert Puryancs
of Baltimore, aud Bishop Meade of Virginia, u
subscription of $4,000 was obtained to defray the
expenses of Messrs Mills and Burgess who were
employed to explore the coast of Africa in order
to select suitable placeior the proposed colony.
The Colonization Society was formed in the CT
ty ofWashington December 81, 1916, and Bush
rod Washington was appointed President with
thirteen Vice Presidens-oght of whom were
Shareholders, including II. Clay of Kentucky,
VIM. III. Crawford of Georgia. John Taylor of
Virginia Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, and Gen.
Mason of Georgetown, ID. c., ard board of
twelve managers, all of the District Of Columbia.
At the meeting which effected this organization,
the speakers were Henry Clay, John Randolph,
f.. Is. Caldwell, and Robert Wright of MARYLAND.
The Board of Managers were instructed ''to pre-
sent memorial to Congress on the subject of CO.
lonizing, with their own consent, the free people
of color of the United States, in Africa, or else
where" This duty ably and faithfully exc
cuted by the Board, and the memorial was pro-
sented by MIR. Randolph, referred to committee
who reported iavorably, concluding with a joint
resolution for immediate action. While perfect
unanlmty seemed TO prevail, other pressing bust
prevented the resolution from being called up
| Richard Il. Stockton and DIR. Ayres under au-
thorty of the U. ). government and the society eff
ieced purchase of tract of land lOr the colony on
| which NIonrovia now stands, and thus commenced
! THE AFRICAN COLONY in fact, which was con
templated In all the foregoing resolutions of the
| Virginia Legislature, and which was the germ Of
what, in its flower and fruit, is the Republic of
| L'6erta, and which now invites to all the prive-
| ges and protection of free and we'll constituted
government, the free colored people of Virginia
| and her sister States of this Union.
Again in 1923, the Legislature of Vifginia
had the subject of African Colsnigation befors
them, and appropriated 500, 900 to aid in peopling
Liberia with our own free colored population
The law making this appropriation has never
been repealed end may, therefore, be regarded
perhaps, as wanting noihing but another action of
the Legislature providing the ways and means to
make it available, and in equity with an addition
of interest, equslling the principal. All these
several resolutions and enactments have uniformly
met the hearty appreciation Of the people at large.
In view of these iacis--can it be doubted that
the mind OF Virginia is made up2 Do you ask
for public sentiment Read the history of the
Commonwealth for the last half century Trace
the records of her Legislation this subject BY tho
references here made. Ask counsel Of your con-
stltuents in detail, of your fresde sympathies,
your experience, your hopes, your just fears, your
judgment, yonr pockets, your love of your coun-
try's glory and her fame. They all aike-with
one voice, strong, harmonious, admonitory,-eH
say, our free coiored population CAN be renored--
OUGHT TO be remoUed-and reptoued NOW. .Noy,
at the present session, let beginning be made
The completion will require course of years. be-
gin when you may. 30. a..
We have arrived at the following conclu-
sions where respectfully leave the subject with
you.
/. 1t is desirable and necessary to both races
that our free colored people should be removed
without delay from the State.
z. Liberia, in Africa, is their proper home, and
II is Tor their interest to emigrate TO that land Of
liberty and law.
3. We extend 10 them their due share of JUS,
tice and mercy whom we provide for their renewal
there
d. The Colonization Society isa proper, cou.
venent, and economical agency 10 effect this re-
mOval.
5. In making liberal appropriation for this OBJ
ect, the present Legislature is carrying ont the o.
pnons distinctly entertained and repeatedly exr
pressed by former Legislatures of Virginia for half
century ard meet the public sentiment of their
heightened constituency at the present time.
8. Notwithstanding the UNMARRIED opinion ofVif;
gna this subject, expressed aud approved,
through period during which her free negroes
have quadrupl notwithstanding she was early,
if not first in asking for an African Colony, and y
liberal appropriation was once made by her on It's
behalf yet no contribution from our Treasury has
ever been employed in this object, although the
thing desired has been done, and Liberia now
stands out the wonder of the world, and tho en-
duiry is already. one of deep historical interest
who has done this
7. Finally, it belongs 10 the Legislature Of
1S49-while we are asserting our claim t. large
inheritance in the fame Of its iounders-to link our
name TO that of Liberia, by appropriation of au
annuity amply sufficient 10 transfer, within rea.
sonable time, our 10000 free coored people 10
their father land-and preserve all of local affoci
ton they may feel for the good old State Of their