The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-28

has evevywhere in ell ages, been NJ t0ofai and
intellectual slave Of the inferior organization
which the Almighty has stamped upon him and
no raan who calmly investigates his history for
tIjs lsst two thouaand years, can for u moment
beliexe that any system Ut education or govern
mentean change his intellectual grade. Educii-
ton lab any known causes never did within the
period Of our history, transform one race into
another.
The following extract from an essay recently
read b DR.. Mott before the Mobile Southern
Rights Association, may prove interesting to
some OF our readers:
ut is utterly Uncomfortable to my mind, how
so many men of intelligence could be led to
favor scheme 80 impracticabe, with the history
Of the two races open before them. There AT
rica stands with her fifty million Of blacks, and
there she has stood for the last five thousand
years, with this people occupying the same cour-
tries, without one step towards civilization and
Nil the experiments in the United States, the
West Indivs DC. have failed. The boon has
been presented to them in every possible shape,
and they have never been bic to grasp it. IL
not the delusion the more extraordinary, when
We see sensible men in this country and Europe
forstering, with confident hopes, the republic Of
Liberia-wbile they laugh at the absurdity Of
the French nation, one Of the most intellectual
in the word, in attempting to make a republican,
or any other rational form Of government!
1t is far from my feelings or design, to mis-
represent the facts connected with this scheme
Of colonization, for it has been approved by
many Of the wislst and best men OF the coun
try; but still ! fear We have been grossly de-
ceiyed, not oply by bad, but by we-meaning
men, at home, US well as IN Africa Letters and
statements are published from Liberia; speeches
are made before the Colonization Society in
Washington, and published in the National In
telligencer, giving the most poetic accounts Of
the intelligence, morality and refinement of the
black colorists, and the rapid progress Of civili-
cation in Liberia ! have good reason to be-
eve that these statements are utterly untrue,
and moments reflection would bring any
thinking man to the same conclusion Canary
one believe that such change woudcone over
four or five thousand ignorant, stupid, and for
the most part, vicious free negroes, in few
years "The first settlement was made by
free negroes from the United States, under the
auspices OF the American Colonization Society,
in the year $780," and this class there is the
same as we see it around US here every day /;
and we know full well the nature of the ma
terial on which these mighty changes are to be
wrought Some Of them have made their way
back to the United States in disgust, and con
tradict the statements given. A lamented friend.
who died in Mobile few years ago, Or. Me-
chin,) and who lived in Liberia five years.
part Of which time he was Governor of that
colony-told Inc that he regarded the expert
ment as failure, and that he saw no hope OF
ever rendering the negro race fit for selfgovern-
ment; and no one who knew this gentleman
ever doubted his honesty or Intelligence.
| The colony, so far, has only been held togc-
ther by the fostering care of the Colonization
Socil ty, and support Of foreign governments.
1t is governed, too, directly by the white agents
of the society, and by the white blood coursing
through the veins of the mulatto leaders amongst
the colonists. President Roberts, who was
once blacksmith in Petersburg, Virginia am
informed by those who know him well, is three
| fourths white blood, with Horid complexion, red
hair, and disagreeable expression of counter
ance. He is represented as "a keen shrew, de-
signing fellow,w is turning matters in Liberia
to his own accouat" Most OF the other leading
men are also mulattoes. The colonists have
had many difficulties to contend with, but if the
history of races teaches anything, the deusion
will probably not last much longer"
|