The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-19


two pages
Thihty-Sixth Anniversary Of the American
Colonization Society.
SPEECH OF SECRETARY EVERETT ETC.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1S, 1853
The thirty sixth anniversary Of the American Coonza
ton Society held in the First Presbyt Church.
this evening The edice densely thronged with ladies
and gentlemen including members Of Congress- Judges of
the Supreme Court heads of and other dig
nitarics
The President of the United States occupied seat on
the platform, and next to Hon. Edward Everett
The attendance of delegates from the various auxiliary
associations larger than at any period mum
bering upwards of forty.
Hon c. +. MERCER the Oldest Vice President who could
he present called the meeting to order at O'Clock and
after prayer by Rev. r. R. Gurey an abstract of the
annual report read showing the prospects
of the colonization 1t appears that during the last
year six vessels Liberia carrying six hundred
and sixty coored persons, of whom four hundred and
three were free born two hundred twenty five were
emancpas led and thirty eight purchased their freedom
or their friends for them Mr. Mercer concluded his re-
marks BY introducing
Hon EDWARD EVERETT Secretary ofState who said:-Mr
President-When you invited me, time ago to take
part In the discussions OF this evening it my pur
pose If able to attend the meeting at ALL the
questions connected with the Colonization Society in all
their bearings for have long been of opinion wheth
consider the state Of things in America or Africa
momentous subject engage attention But sir
my time and thoughts during almost the whole interval
have been pre-occuped in which has prevent
ed making any but the hastiest and most nadeaua
preparation to address this audience whose kind in
sulgence therefore, without further apology beg to
throw myself The Colonization Society has been the
subject it seems to me- OF much umerted odum-of
indifference equally unmerited the part of the ma
ority OF the communityof the deep interest which
deserves on the part OF very few Its operations
yet in their infancy They confined to the proceed
ings OF association of private individuals pursuing the
noiseess Tenor of their way, without ostentation
eclat at home, and to the humble fortunes Of the
small State, the germ OF Republic which, under
the auspices Of this association has been planted on
the OF Africa. But before derde these humble
beginnn2before think VACANT to believe tha
allimportant futurtes may be wrapped up them as
7he mighty oak is wrapped up in the should
so wei 10 refresh our recollection Of the first twenty five
years OF te settlement Jamestown or call to mind
that first dismal winter at Plymouth where more than
half the Nayfowers company sunk under the rgors of
the climate and the infinite sufTerngs of their forlorn
adventure. Sir neither Plymouth nor Virginia at the
end Of twenty tve years had attained ythng like such
position as is already occupied by Liberia in the family
oi natons-recognized as she has been, by the most
Powerf, governments OF Europe and sustaining all the
relations OF an independent State.
First, the settlement Of Liberia, the coast of Africa
1nder the auspices the Colonization Society was found
political moral necessity As the measures
adopted for the suppression of the African slave trade
led to the capture OF slave ships it necessary that
provision should be made for restoring the captured Ar
cans to their native country. To the vii
lage where he was born was impossible-coccted, as
they are from every portion of the Interior and often
brought down to the coast from vast distances all thought
of restoring them at least immediately their several
homes out of the question To place them any
OF the usual resorts on the coast OF Africa would be to
throw them back at into the the native chiefs
who the chief agents Tor carrying the foreign trade
settlement on some point of the coast protected by the
influence OF the name OF powerful civilized State seemed
therefore, an indispensable condition Of all
depressing the foreign trade from the necessity furnish
4ng asylum the victims that might be reucued from
its grasp where they might received and sheltered
and civilized and gradually perhaps find their way into
the interior TO their native tribes Allied to this object
OF the colony still important because
pcable TO much larger number of persons and that
10 AFFORD home in Africa to such free of color in
this country deous of emgrating the native
land OF their fathers. This object at first approved it.
self almost unanimously ut the South and at the North
the white and the coored Jeaousies by degrees
crept inPreudices so must think them-arose till at
length the colony has become intensely unpopular with
considerable part OF those whose interest of
the leading objects of the formation OF the society.
Now sir do not intend to discuss the ground these
ealouses to inquire into the policy of the laws Of
some states and the condition OF public opnion-often
poa erfu than lawn others which make the
son the colored in all parts OF the country
Of nteriority and hardship In order to meet the
objections the society that it recognizes and coope
rates with these oppressive laws, and still OPP
pressive public opinion | win admit such to be the
the country in reference TO the free coloed population of
the country But does this furnish any valid practical
argument against colonvaonY Does the fact that the
free colored man is unusty treated in this countryhat
he is Oppessyey excluded from all the eligible
life in the United Statcsfurnish any argument why he
should to the region where his fathers
born--o climate more congenal with the African
stitutiona soil generally fertile and which
l. day becoming probable IL rich in depostes
of goids For myself must that this state of c.
gislaon and public opinion to strong considera
lions In "a yor of emigration cannot reconcile with
ards 0nr
temptS which have been made and with considerable
prevent their enigrating from this country
where their position Is OF hardship and disability
to country which promises them every imaginable ad
vantage. What sort OF kindness would ii have been
toward c pcrsecuted ruritans who in l60s composed
the little dock which afterwards became the Pilgrim
church al Leyden TO endeavor to persuade them at all
hazards not to leave EngandS Or what motive Of real
enlightened kindness could have prompted similar at
tempt in reference to Governor Wnhrops much larger
and efficient company in 1850? Would it have been
the part Of real friendship to 90 among hem and tell
them they tho victims of cruel laws, and still more
cruel pseudices-to bid them remember that they
born in England, that they had good right to live
their rights and Il be- to bleed for them-to depict
the Western continent and their probable fortunes in the
darkest toiorS But this the precise counterpart of the
language continually addressed TO the free colored
population Of the United states by those who claim to
De thei peculiar friends, Or to take case II possible
more nearly paralel-that Of the suffering Scotch Irish
Swiss Germans, Norwegians, and others, who to the
number OF hundreds Of thousands, annually are emgrat
ing to The United Sates-would il be deemed OF
friendship, rather of refined cruelty, least of
most mistaken kindness to go among th~suering popu-
laion Of these several countries, whose thoughts
turned towards America land Of refuge and plenty
and dssuade them hndling in their minds
morbid pa,rotism--a bitter acknowledgements them 10
stay and starve rather than find employment pction,
and prosperity for themselves and children on tas side
of the Aiantic2
Second-But must pass to another very important OBJ
ect Of the Colonization Society in establishing the colony
of Liberia and that is the eectua suppression OF the
slave trade throughout its extent and within the sphere
of its influence II il grevous to reflect, that contem
poraDeouy with the discovery OF continent and
motives kindness TO its natives the whole west
of Africa thrown open to that desolating
traffic which from time immemoral had been carried
from the ports OF the Mediterranean by the Nile,
and along the eastern coasts Of tine continent.
IL ssl more paiafu 70 coasder that tho very peeled