The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-20
O.ss.us history II she Isbers,n Rsr.hI,e.


colony Of Liberia, as an American project, MIRA
cling the twoi0ld Onjet OF ameliOrating tie Slave 10
ehtution and civihzing Africa. Il IL not woDderf
that New Highlander should he prepossessed in
hver oi M enterprise which was honofed by Msdl-
sen being its first President and Clay its second,
and which has interested, at ore time or another,
almost every benevolent man and perplexed politi-
cian in the United States Our correspondent might
have cited many names Of greater weight IN TINS
country Than those of Webster AMI Everett
- having hoped great things from the Co,o-
nizstiOn society. Northern politicians who
have subserSed Southern interests at the ex'
pense OF the republic do not WIN Eoropean
appreciation to projects headed and worked by South
ern men in the interests of slavery But there
Is long array Of greater names than these In the
subscription books of the Colonization Society, nj
abolinonist who did not become sueo by o passage
through the Colonization Society--by benevolent
hspe in the first instance passing into discourage
ment: doubt, and finally indignant contempt Such
facts as we have room for are these:
The society was first generally heard OF in England
In 1892, when missionary, named Elliot Ores5on,
came ever ard lectured from end end Of the king
dom. His narrative was singuary varied according
to the supposed views of his audiences; but the
leading points these By this society. of which
ex Pre- sHent Madison was then the head It was pro-
posed to bring slavery to an end IN nerica by
transporting negroes In increasing Numbers accord
ing to the subscription Gs) 70 the coast or Africa,
where they might civze the natives, aud evangelze
the beatben, while providing a natural expiration
for slavery in the States Mr.. Cresson told of various
appIoi riations ma de, and expected to be made by
STATE legislatures, in support OF the project; and he
press home upon his heareTs-m0,t emphatcally
when they wee wealthy Quakers-tha5 Ct los.
would transform an American slave, freed Tor the
purp'se into free African citizen. Merchant audi
torres amused with glowing pictures OF the vast
trade In African products which was a, the command
OF all who took sufficient interest in the o0lOnz alton
scben The religious world was entreaed to help the
haf py enancipa.d slaves to make Christians Of the
Yha le.fu had pnp
to obtain considerable fuads from British benevo
ieDce, though he was very prudish about taking
money at all. What has become Of their bounty IT
is for the donors 10 ascertain. Many school BOY gave
his siSpence-many child gave it's first coin-many
maize servant her hard earned shilling, TO help to
send freed slave to Liberia. There was good sense
enough among us, however, to lead to some awk ward
questions, which eventually put an end to Mr..
CIessoDs British travels, at least for that time. 1t
was asked whether this subscribing Of f7 los head
Tor negroes was not in fact, slave rade and then
followed the consideration whether II was certain
that the negroes liked to go; whether there was
any right any where to transport them, II IN
willing, to barbarOus country; whether 1t was not
rather strange 10 be deporng aborers IN very ex.
psnsive way from the SOnth, while laborers could
not flo in fast EN-, ugh al the North; and finally,
rough and simple calculations were made as 70
the proportion Of slaves in the United States and
that of immigrants who could possibly be received
INTO any new settlement IN barbarOus country, sup
posing the immigrants to be we'll qualified for CO.
IonizaOn slaves peces ary unified for it by
all their antecedents. In short time a movement.
MADE to ascertain the truth OF tue case on the
other SIDE the water; and the state Of things was
found to be this, at precisely the halfway point be-
tween The propose of the scheme and the present
day-that is, IN 1886.
Lecturers and other agents were agitating the
pubic on behalf of the Colonization Society, and
their success was considerable. At Washington 1t
was great Sermons IN aid OF the funds were preached
In churches of various denOminato,s North and
South; and Legislatures OF both se tons made ap-
mn oriaf in fayo al ibprl
Palnas, which then the two leading districts.
Mr. Madison, then iDfrn and confined TO his house,
where be died In the DcXt June, deputed such
management there was to Mr.. Clay, then Vice
Pm sdept, and destined to he Mr.. Madison's sue
Mr. Madison said to vslters, and 10 letters,
Whatever could be said behalf OF The scheme but
his testimony went for nothing when II appeared that
ne bad Just kOld twelve Of his negroes 90 masters.
Mr.. Clay took the chair at the annual meetings,
talked TO every European he met of the evils OF sa
very and Of the glorious prospect OF riddanoe OF 1t
by this society: he was necessarily complaining Of
bsing eaten out Of house and home by Icy slaves,
yet he freed none during his life and by his will Sc
cured his negroes fr0m emancipation for term
longer than, by his oSn declarations, he believed
slavery could last in his country. The provisions Of
his celebrated will probably reno mbered by
readers, who may well be perp!eXed by such strin-
gent arrangements for the protection OF slavery In
his family by the head patron Of the Liberia enter
prise The Colonization Society had the Held TO
itef for fifteen years before the aboltonists arose.
With the help OF plenty Of money, the appreciation
OF Congress and State Legislatures, the pulpit tn
press aud strong personal interest the part OF all
ssvebolders What had IL achieved in twenty years!
In 1886 the annual increase Of the slave population
was, by the lowest computation, $1,000. The an
nuai number sent 10 Africa by The Colonization No
s1sfp sonehng inapprfcia6fe IN comparison, for
the total number r,norsd IN The t,rcnty years
der three thousand. When the President Of the
society was questioned about numbers, be Away
said the society hoped in fes years 70 carry
away the annual increase that annual increase
being then more than twenty times "a many a.
had ceen removed from the beginning When
asked whether the whole disposable marine Of the
country would carry away the annual increase as 1t
would be by that time, he could only shuttle away
from the point. The great complaint OF slave
holders at that time was the advantage tn
North enjoyed in its supply Of labor and this was
the first objection they always made TO emanciPa-
ton--taking granted that abolition must deprive
them Of their laborers. When urged by the CUES
ton-wby then they prop sed to dcport their slaves
TO Africa, they had no reply bat the true one-'hat
they sent away none but those whom they could
spare. This was exceedingly true. They sent away
those negroes who we're expensive from incompetent
cy, dangerous from ability and reslessness "We
have our slaves, and We mean 70 Keep them, Was
the ordinary avowal in the South but, when the
Colonization Society in question this declaration
dropped. and some future tran-erenoe OF the en-
tire coortd race 10 Africa was spoken 81 "a feasible
thing. The fact was tina. the profitable slaves were
KEEP , and the troublesome slaves sent away. What
Numbers remained unaccounted for in this way were
mainly due 10 requests from persons who could
spare their slaves after they were dead but not be
fore. Our readers need not be told that since that
time the worlds shipping has not Teen going 20 and
fro, like buckets in well, carving white laborers
20 America, and deporting black laborers from it.
The South admits white aborcrs and IL IL 20 far
from being able TO spare the black that scheme OF
ne opening the African slave trade " actually dis
cussed by the press aud the rulers Of the lani
AS for the New Enqlanders plea that the schcme
rs for the elevation OF the free colorcd race the
free men Of color do not 70 regard it. They refuse
10 20, urgent as have been the means OF al kinds
used 10 induce compel them. They say they am
Americans. and do not choose 10 bc cxiled TO
Africa. They prefer rising social position in
the republic in which they were born, TO bong set
down among savage tribes In a sa<barous country.
They are in an impr wing condition At home, aud
they mean 10 remain there and II they did remove
II would not be 10 Africe. II the New Highlander
wishes 10 Know the real state Of the caae rs 70 num-
bers, he must remember that there are two sides to
the fact. He would do wen 10 learn ,rhaf
has beeome. at the years md, Of s'y ennuai