The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-19

in them, (as the mighty oak 10 wrapped up In the
acorn,) we should do well to refresh our recollcc
ton of the first twenty-five years of the settlement
at Jamestown, or call to mind that hrzt dismal
winter at Plymouth. where more than half the
Mayflowers company sunk under the rigors of the
climate, and the infinite sufferings OF their fororn
adventure. Sir, neither Plymouth nor Virginia,
at the end oftwenty years, had attained any thing
like such position is already occupied BY Ii
IBERIA in the family of nations, recognised as she
has been by the most powerful governments 9;
Europe, and sustaining all the relations Of an in
dependent State,
Africa under the auspices Of the Colonization So.
cety, was founded on political and ifiofai neces-
styS as the measures adopted for the Suppression
the African slave trade led to the capture Of slave
ships, It was necessary that provision should be
made for restoring. the captured Africans to their
native cioaantss 70 return each to the village
where ne was born was impossible. Collected az
they are from every portion of the interior, and
often brought down to the coast from vast dis
tances, all thought of restoring them, at least i'm
medlately, to their several homes was out of the
question. To place them down at any Of the Usual
resorts on the coast of Africa, would be to throw
them back at once into the power of the native
chiefs, who are the chief agents for carrying on
the foreign trade settlement on some point OF
the coast, protected by the influence and the name
OF powerful civiised State, seemed, therefore, ali
indispensable condition OF all measures for re-
pressing the f8reign trade, from the necessity OF
furhibhing an asylum to the victims that might be
rescued from its grasp, where they might be re-
ceved, and sheltered, and civilized, and gradual
y perhaps find their way into the interior to their
native tribes.
Allied u this object of the colony was one still
more important, because applicable TO a much
larger number of persons and that was to afford
a home in Africa to such free men of color in this
country as were DESTROYS of emigrating to the ha-
tive land of their fathers This object at first APP
proved itself almost Unanimously, at the South
,k.I ~ H. III
race. 5ealousies by degrees crept in-prejudicez
ESQ must think them) arose-tll OF length the
colony has become intensely unpopular with a
considerable part of those whose interest was one
of the leading objects of the formation Of the So
ciety.
Now, sir, 10 hot intend to discuss the ground
OF these jealousies nor to inquire into he policy OF
the laws Of some States, and the condition of pub
TIC opinion, often more powerful than law in oth-
ers, which make the condition of the free coored
man In all parts of the country, one of inferior ty
and hardship. In order to meet the objections to
the Society that recognizes and co-operates with
THESE oppressive laws and still more Oppressive
pubic opinion, will admit such to be the charac-
ter OF the legislation and the public sentiment OF
the country, in reference to the free colored popu-
latlon OF the country. But does this furnish any
vahd practical argument against coloniz atom
Does the fact that the free coored man s unjustIy
treated in this couhtry-that he BoppressiveIy eS
Guided from all the eligible careers of life in the
United StateaTfurnish any argument why he
should not resort to the region where his fathers
were oorn-to climate more congenial with the
tile, and one which, it is every day becoming
more probable, is rich in deposits of gold?
For myself, must own that this state of legis-
latlon and public opinion seem to me strong COM
slderations in favor Of emigration. cannot re-
concile with real kindness toward our free colored
population the attempts which have been made,
and with considerable success, to prevent their
emigrating from this country, where their posi-
ton is one OF hardship and disability, to country
whlch promises them every imaginable adj
vantage
What sort Of a kindness would it have beeh to-
ward the perseGuted Purstans who in 1908 COM
posed the little flock which afterwards became the
pilgrim church at Leyden, to endeavor to per-
suade them at all hazards not to leave England !?
Or what motive of real, enlightened kindness could
have prompted similar attempt in reference to
Governor Winthrop's much larger and more i'm
portant company in 1880! Would it have been
the the part OF real friendship to go among them and
tell them they were the victims of cruel la We and
still more cruel preiudic6s-to bid them remember
that they were born in England-that they had as
good right to live there their oppressors-to
exhort them to stand upon their rights, and if
need be to bleed for them-to depict the western
continent and their probable fortunes in it in the
darkest colors? But this is the precise counter
part of the language continually addressed to the
free coored population Of the United States by
those who claim to be their peculiar friends
Or to take case if possible more nearly paral
lei, that Of the suffering Irish. Scotch, French
Swiss, Germans, Norwegians, and Others who to
the number of hundreds of thousands annually
are emigrating to the United States Would II be
deemed an act Of friendship, rather, refined cru
city, or at least OF most mistaken Kindness to go
among the suffering population of these several
countries, whose thoughts turned toward
America az land OF refuge and plenty and
endeavor to dissuade them; kindling in their
minds morbid patriotism, better nationality
urging them. to stay and starve, rather than
find employment. position, and prosperity for
themselves and children this side of the At
lantic?
2. But | must pass to another very important
object of the Colonization Society in establishing
the colony of Liberia, and that is, the effectual
suppression of the slave trade throughout its ex
tent and within the sphere of its influence 1t is
grievous to reflect that, conternpora neousIy with
the discovery of our own continent and from mo.
tives of kindness to its natives, the whole western
coast of Africa was thrown open to that desolatjng
traffic which from time immemorial had been car
ried on from the ports of the Mediterranean by
the Nile, and along the eastern coasts of the con-
tinept. 1t is still more painful to consider that
the very period at which the modern culture of the
west CT Europe was making the most rapid pro-
gress is that at which Africa began to suffer the
most from its connection with Europe 1t was the
age Of Shakespeare, of Spenser, of Hooker and
Lord Bacon, and OF those other brightest suns in
the armament of Engiand's glory, that her navi-
gators first engaged in This detestable traffic,
and vessels bearing es if in derision the vener
able names of "Jesus" and 'sSolomon', were sent
from Great Britain to the coast Of Africa Alta
time when some of the last remnants of the feudaI
syste m were broken down in England and France
when private had wholly ceased, when men
began to venture from the covert Of the walled
towns and traverse the high roads, and i've in the
open country in safety, these very States the most
civilized in Europe, began to strue gle for the mo.
nopoly OF that cruel trade, which was carried ON
by exciting the barbarous races of Africa to new
fury against each other, and by introducing
state of universal war, not merely between nation
and nation, but between tribe and tribe, VILLAGE
and village, and almost between house and house:
in fact, it is not without example that these be-
nighted beings have delivered their wives and
children to the slaye-de 80.
Thus the western coast of Africa became, like the
northeastern and eastern coasts one great slave
market, and 30 remained for nearly three centu
res. 1t is about seventy years since the
powers of Christendom, excited to activity by NH
lanthroyic associations and benevolent indiyidn.
ais, began heir warfare upon this cruel traffic,
The American colonies, before their independence.
passed laws for its abolition, which were uniform
iy negatived by the crown. The revolutionary
Congress, in the first year of its existence, de-
nounced the traffic, and the Constitution of the
United States appointed date for its prospective
abolition This example has been successfully
followed by other States. The trade is now for.
hidden by the laws of every Christian and several
Of the Mahomedpn powers of Europe and Asia 1t
still exists, however, to frightui extent; and the
more active the means used to suppress it,; by
blockades and cruisers, the greater the cruelty in