Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-06-02
THE COLONIZATION SOCIETY.
ColrNptAyA. NIaY %. 1853.

ton, to which / wish to call your attention. After
giving q short history Of Slavery in this country.
dwelling sufficiently On its wrongs to excite some
feeling in favor Of his cause, lie tried TO show that
the Colonization Society was not only clear from
Pro-S!avery, but was Anti. Slavcry-using all its
power for the good Of the slaves, by transporting
them to Liberia, the greatest spot Of Christian
enterprise on earth" IIo closed by making a.
strong appeal to the audience, with the view of
getting them TO contribute n generous amount
Rev. Ansley, local minister in the NJ. i. Church
here, then rose, and said that he believed this to
be a good cause, and though he was hard up for
money nj this time in fact, was in debt, yet he was
willing to head the subscription with Sl,00. Others
followed, and / am sorry to say, abolitionists were
among them about $1,000 we're subscribed. l
asked permission to speak while the hat was being
carried round, and was told that 1 could do so after
they got through with their collection. This did
not answer my purpose very well, as my object
was to keep good meaning persons from getting
humbugged out Of their money. But | waited
patiently my time, and then rose and said in sub
substance, 'that our minds had been called to the
oppressed of this country, and also to an associa-
ton claiming to work for their dcliycrancc. Now,
If the American Colonization Society is indeed
Ant-Slavcry, it merits our support; but if it is
Pro-Slaycry, it should le condemned. The latter
! asserted was true, and proceeded tie demonstrate,
but before | canie to my first fact, Rev. Ansley
sprang to his feet and said, Let rs be dismissed !
and stretching out his arms before Heaven, he
contca the old closing phrase, "The grace Of God
be with you all. Amen" The meeting of course
dispersed. Now, as l was not allowed to 60 on
with my remarks, and rs it is important to keep
before the people all TIE obstacles in the way of
Emancipation, that they may be avoided or de-
%stroyed. / beg leave to make a few statements
through the Buglo, which should be carried to cv-
cry one whose credulity or want of information is
such as to make him liable to be imposed upon by
such Reverend gentlemen as Plimpton and Ansley.
| then say:
lst. That the American Colonization Society
originated in the South, with Shareholders, for the
express purpose of giving Slavery support.
End. That it never in the least encouraged Anti
Slavery.
Sd. That it never manifested any kind Of hostil.
ity to Slavery.
4th. That it has always been hostile to the free
colored people.
9th. That the enemies Of Slavery of every name
or party, have always opposed 1t.
There have always been found among the slave
holders of the South, some persons possessed Of hu-
man feelings, who look upon Slavery rs cruel and
unjust, and among them slaves are set free %contin-
ually. The result is the accumulation of a large
number of free colored people in the South. These,
though free, are closely allied to the slaves, the
most of them having fathers, mothers, brothers,
sisters in Slavery, whose sufferings they are not
only compelled to witness, hut are themselves sub
jected to many wrongs and inconvenience which
the masters are interested in ~,heaping upon them
Now, in proof of my first propositions, / say that
the Colonization Society was got up as a kind of
safety-valvc to let off the Anti-Slavery feeling. To
turn it from its natural channel-and to use it in
favor Of bCnishing the whole free colored popula-
ton from the South, and thus secure the lives and
property OF the masters. The idea Of colonizing
the Tree blacks had been talked of rs carly as
III. But no prominent measures were taken to
wards this end until some time in 1900, when an
insurrection was threatened in Virginia, in conse-
quence Of which the Governor Of Virginia YVES
requested to correspond with the President of the
United States on the subject of purchasing lands
without the limits Of the State, whittier persons
obnoxious to the laws, or dangerous to the peace
of society may be removed" This, then, was the
origin-tilo dread Of the rebcllious free blacks. 1t
was an effort to check their RAPIDLY Increasing num-
bers, through emancipation and otherwise. This
fear on the part of the masters and their anxiety
to secure their safety, induced Virginia to call to-
gether her wisest heads, and the result was the Or
ganization of the Colonization Society. In this
meeting numerous Shareholders were represented
and took part in the proceedings. John Randolph
made a flaming speech, and Henry Clay acted MS
Chairman. Judge Washington was made Prcsi-
dent and since that, seventeen of the Vice Presi-
dents have been from the South, and a large por-
ton of the managers have been owners OF slaves.
Southern men and Northern doughfacos have from
the first given it their support. Said Daniel Web
ster: eff Virginia or the South see fit to relieve
themselves from the burden of their colored popu-
lation, they have my consent that the Government
shall pay them out of these proceeds $500, 000, 00O)
any sum of money adequate to that end"
Mr.. Stanton, advocating the Ebony Line of
steamers, said Have we not drjren aray the red
man? Who shall say nay, then, when we say to
the black man, You arc not wanted p"
Mr.. Brodnax, of Virginia, declared himself in
favor of compulsory laws to force the blacks into
exile, and would extort their consent by a species
of oppression calculated to make their condition
here insupportable." lie even ~confssses that
'some ore induced to emigrate by the gentle admo-
milton of a severe dagelation,"
2nd. The Colonization Society was never intend
ed to encourage Anti-Slavery. This follows from
its very nature. But in addition, I will give a
few facts. At a meeting called in 1876, to consid-
err the ~propriety of removing the free blacks, John
Randolph declared publicly that the scheme must
materially tend to secure the property of the mas
ter in his slaves, in the United States" And in
another speech he said: "The measures proposed
will prove the greatest security to enable masters
to keep in possession their own property" Again,
hear Henry Clay st is not proposed to consider
any question of emancipation, or that is connected