Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-20

Colonization Society have been in session in
this city for several days. This Board is
composed of delegates from the several State
societies, and has charge Of the foreign
relations and other general interests of the
society not reserved to the State institu-
tons. Among the delegates are many men
eminent in the political, religious and literary
circles Of the States they severally represent.
On the present occasion there were members
of Congress of both political parties, clergyman
of different denominations of Christians, pro-
fessors Of literary institutions, &c.
]. Fl. B. Latrobe, of Baltimore, presided,
and DR.. Reese, of New York, was secretary.
The Board has been diligently engaged in the
transaction of business, and the debates we're
very decorous and sometimes very interesting.
On some future occasion, we may recur to
them and give general outline of the topics
discussed. Upon the present occasion we mo-
tice, with qualification, some resolutions offered
by the delegates from Virginia, as indicating
the conservative principles and policy Of an as
ISOLATION which is not without weight in the
country.
The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas, the exclusive design of the Ameri-
can Colonization Society, as declared in its
fundamental law, is to remove, with their own
consent, the free colored people Of the United
States to Africa; and whereas, in carrying out
this principle, this Board has ordered that all
suggestions and schemes Of emancipation shall
be excluded from the African Depository and
other official documents of this society; and
whereas,it is necessary to the contamination
Of this policy that the same principle should
be applied to the conduct of the public meet
ings of the Society, therefore,
Resolced, That the Executive Committee
should have strict regard to this principlein all
arrangements for our annual meetings
Resolved, That no persons, other than those
permitted to make speeches at our public
meetings, without vote of the society.
The Rev. Mr.. Slaughter, distinguished
minister of Virginia, who moved the resolutions,
accompanied them with speech, in which he
took the following grounds, viz:
The principle upon which this society is
based is a simple one, and is clearly defined in
the first article Of the constitution, which de-
clares it to be the exclusive design of the
society, to remove withtheir own consent, thefree
colored people Of the United States to Africa.
He insisted that the society was bound by
the express letter Of the fundamental law, to
address itself exclusively to this work. He
maintained that, certain results would follow the
operation Of this principle AS for instance,
the colony had been planted in the very centre
Of African barbarism and the slave-trade-the
success of the colony would be the extension
Of the trade. This effect had been coincident
with the jurisdiction of the colony. This was
a legitimate argument in support of colon
ization, but this society had no constitutional
authority to war directly against the slave
trade by memorials to Congress, &c. Another
incident to the success of colonization, would
be, that it would afford to Shareholders desiring
to emancipate their slaves, facilities for trans
porting them to Africa and provide homes
for them there. This is literally carrying
out the idea of the Legislature of Virginia,
when in 1906, and again in 1916, they re-
solved that ait was desirable to procure an
asylum in Africa for free negroes, and such
negroes as may be emancipated." This is an
incidental result not the direct object of the
Colonization Society. 1t is no part of our
business to concern ourselves with emancipa-
ton. We transcend our powers when we do
so. II is only when slaves are emancipated
spontaneously by their masters, and become free
negroes, that they come within the sphere of
our labors. These are the only grounds on
which this society can stand Departures from
its principles in these respects have created
prejudices, and retarded operations. We must
return to first principles.
After somewhat warm debate, in which
Mr.. S. and his colleagues and many northern
gentlemen declined Withdrawing or modifying
the resolutions, so as to change the principle of
them, they were passed with, we believe, but
one dissenting voice. The principles of the
resolutions were generally admitted TO be
sound, but some doubted the expediency of
enunciating them at this time.
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