Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-03-26

been established Liberia is living witness Of its truth
and we refusal 10 admit its existence cannot get rid
Of any Of the Legitimate results which must ow from that
living fact.
Nay more sir, this experiment, whether for good
for evil TO is our experiment We have worked out
the problem ourselves and it is too late now after the
demonstration has been made to the world for us to shrink
from the result.
But SIR deny that this successful demonstration in
favor Of the improvement of the African in any
cast odium upon domestic institutions, af
feet the legal rights Of the master his slave but
the contrary this experiment has given to American
sttuons Of slavery moral power and sanction which
neither law constitution could invest them with. 1t
does because IL has opened safe way Of deverance
from the evils Of slavery legal way by which lawful
seryitude may be safely and legally abolished 1t has
taken from slavery many Of its dark aud gloomy features
1t has dspeled that hopeless aspect Of slavery which
clouded the future with fearful forebodings Of evil
The Republic of Liberia is witness Of good and not
Of evil to the Institution Of slavery in the United States
She bears living testimony to the fact that the African
has been improved and debased by servtude in
this country The Government of Liberia could not have
been formed out of the native African negro 1t was upon
the Americanborn negro trained and prepared by chris
an masters that thexperment has proved successful
Slavery in America has brought liberty to Africa Our
free institutions by their benefcent workings have shown
that they are capable OF improving the lowest grades of
humanity and of making our slaves more capable
Of self than many of the subjects Of European
despotisms
much less would seek to the deep wrongs which
the christian world has perperaed upon Africa but if
forgiveness is to be found for criminal aggression upon
Africa must be sought for in the restitution Of her
children TO their fatherand improved and trained under
our domestic Institutions for the enjoyment Of civil and
religious liberty
II this generation can atone for the sins of the past
that atonement only be made by Offering up rich
national sacrifice upon the atars Of liberty and religion
now erected in Liberia.
Why should we hesitate to acknowledge this triumph
of humanity or attempt to up result honora
BILE to xtl be glorious to the world Rather le
proclaim, as with trumpet in the dull ear Of th,
despoc nations that the spirit of American liberty will
penetrate the deepest despotism and enghen the dark
est barbarsm with potency sufficient even to regeneratt
the negro apd to give liberty and civilization to Africa
Mr. President, absorbed have been for the last
month with questions of great national Import questions
involving the peace and the dominion of the world and
exciting by their importance the public mind UP to the
highest point of national pride and glory feel when
surrounded by such influences, that am striking but
low note of public sentiment in advocating the modest
claims of Liberia fear that the Senate has grud
ed the short hour which have consumed in present
ing this humble subject their consideration Yet sir
confess that have designedly taken this occasion to
respass upon your me for the purpose Of aiding the
for which speak My object is to take advantage
of the exuberance Of feeling manifested here in favor
human liberty throughout the wide world and to ask that
its surplus, if nothing may be given to Africa She
will be satisfied with the crumbs which may fall
from your loaded table 1t is true that her claims
do present any Of those striking alurements which
usually excite the popular mind She sounds trumpet
of war. She offers no armed resistance to power.
Neither do kings nor emperors resist Intervention.
Africa lies before us unapproprated and unoccuped
elected and despsed alike by the cupdy and the ambi-
ton of e world Yet she is destitute of some charms
to the true friends of progress and humanity
She presents field Of commerce wide and rich exten-
sve territories to be cultivated and improved barbarous
people to be civilized, heather be chrisanized
continent unoccupied by despotc power, to which God
and nature invite US to come and bless our free
institutions.
If the colony of Liberia had been planted by oar people
in Europe instead Of Africa how should have watched
with jealous care its daily progress resisted with national
power every attempt to impede its Advancement and
would have seized the very first opportunity to acknow
ledge its existence free Republican Government.
There has not been movement in Europe for liberty
howeyereeble that have not looked upon with anxious
eye There has been no country however remote in
significant in which advance towards free government
has been made, that has not commanded sympathy
and attention. So frantic have become in the cause
of free institutions that have been betrayed by
sensblities to endorse spurious movements for civil Ii
bery altogether unworthy of appreciation The late
revolutions IN France and in italy specimens Of th
| character.
character tits people who through years of trial
suffering have shown their devotion to and their capa
bity for free government; young Republic of Amer
can origin with constitution like our own and VIII
aspire to no higher ambition than that Of being nstrr
mental in disseminating Africa our own great prin
| ciples of liberty and humanity
Shall refuse 10 this true republic that niuenc
which continually wasting upon the sham repub
lies Of Europe Shall be deaf the calls Of humanity
and onlyshow love for human liberty where ambito
instgates action? Shall We beat the air to agitat
the morbid political atmosphere Of Europe and refuse
strike blow for liberty when all Africa land and people
lie before us prepared to receive the impression of
power?
Butt after all that have said il is probable that th
subject will be lost sight Of in the absorbing topics
of the hour be showed aside by Cuba, by Japan th
Bay Islands and the existence Of the Republic Of Lbe
ria be forgotten for But, thank God bert,
and law will still live in Africa and the time will
when we shall not only acknowledge the independence
Liberia but in need cry unto her as unto sister,
relieve us from national cursea curse from which thu
dominion Of all America from pole to pole cannot save
us-the national evil Of oyergrown and degraded po
\ pulation of emdHcpdted stdres.
In ordinary cases the recognition Of new Government
by the old Powers Of the world is but national courtesy
cold formality conferrng neither influence charac
ter But not in the present case. The acknowledg
Of the independence Of Liberia by the United States
however formal on our part win confer substantial bene
fits upon that young republic Of vital importance to he
future welfare As she indebted to for national
existence she is still dependant upon our favor and good
win for future life and prosperity An experiment in
government upon the capabilities of degraded
men, with no past history to excite national pride with
no heroic legends to reflect national glory, with
cestral associations 10 confer national characterjus
emerging from centuries Of slavery in America and still
standing beneath the gloomy shadows Of barbarism in
Africa Liberia has but slight and feeble bold upon
tional existence kind word, timely spoken by us, viii
npart 10 her eebeness strength confidence and endur
ing life Shall we not speak that word by declaring that
her national Independence has the confidence Of this Gov
ernment and will be sustained by the friendly regards Of
the people Of the United States'