Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-11-15
Contributions for the Canada FugitivCS.

The last American Missionary contains a re-
port from Rev. George Whipple, who has re-
Gently visited Canada, to investigate the condi-
ton of the colored people We publish the
following extract from his report. The opinion
expressed by Mr.. Whipple is quite in accord
unce with that of our Friend William Stead
man, President of the Western Anti-Slavcry
| Society, who visited Canada last winter to dis
tribute the contributions of the friends in Stark
and Portage Counties:
/ Information obtained in answer to careful
/ inquiries shows most conclusiveiy that the
sending in of clothing for grattlitous and
general distribution among the colUred peo-
pie there is productive OF much more evil
than good. II true that there are some
among them who may need that kind of as
sistuncc, but il hardly admits Of doubt that,
us n whole, the people would ultimately be
gamers ifnn entire stop should be put to this
thing, so that there should not be another
box or barrel sent in to them. The more
intelligent among the people themselves
were united in tcstilying that such contribn-
tiOns would prove curse rather than bles-
sing.
Among the evils resulting from the efforts
10 benefit the cOlored people of Canada in
this way, aud one much complained of 10y
themselves, is the multiplying of associations
and agencies for soliciting money aud cloth
ing, ostensibIy for the fugitive. The diStri-
button of the aid thus received seldom gives
satisfaction to the people and the complaint
was frequently made, that in some instances
clubs of three or four men absorbed all that
was collected by their agents. This hns
caused great deal of hard feeling among
them, creating divisions aud striies that are
much in the way ortliose who would labor
for their benefit. The opinion is becaming
quite general that the friends of the colored
people in Canada had better send in but little
ifany other clothing than such us muy be us
ed in preparing children TO appear decenlly
aud comfortably clad in school.
We would not have our people feel relieved
from responsibility in regard to fugitves. They
have been driven in dostitution from the land
of their birth-thcy have been forbidden among
us the means of education, which would pre-
pare them to compete with cupidity and selfish
ness in n land of strangers. They can justly
make demands upon the people of this nation
for education and the means oflivchood. They
should be furnished, not with food and raimcnt
ready to their hands, but with the means to pro-
cure it with their own labor Thus will they
, and their children be educated to be useful men
and women.
| Tho people of Canada too have a claim upon
us. However this class of persons may appeal
to our sympathes or demand our justice, yet
/ ignorant as they arc, pnd bound with the habits
of their past degradation, they are not on the
/ social account, desirable in great numbers in
any community. If therefore the American
| people to sustain their system of National In
justice, and to crafty their nPtional prejudice,
compel them to seek residence among our moro
just and humane neighbors. we are certainly
bound by every principle of equity or honor
to furnish them the means of becoming intelli-
gent and useful citizens.
flour contributions of food and clothing fos-
ter idlcness, destroy self.reliance and cherish
heart burnings, lot us give the means of educa-
ton let us encourage their hopo of securing
for themselves homes, thus encouraging their
industry and manhood.
The plan now on foot, of purchasing large
tract OF land Of the Canadian Government
laying it out in small farms and selling il to ac-
tual settlers, seems to us emincntly worthy of
encouragement, and we recommend it to the
consideration Of those who feel called upon to
aid our American fugi.ives in their house of
British refuge.