The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-06-09
WHAT SHALL BE OUR COURSE?


Mr.. EDITORIALS there is much being
said and done both to urge and force us
to leave this country, have thought that
| would respectfully ask the use of a small
space in your columns to say word in
reference to this disturbing question Just
at this time we are sorely beset by our en-
emies, both within and without. The old
slave States are passing laws that are more
cruel and harsh in their tendencies than
the edicts which were instigated by Phil
lip H., resulting in the expulsion of the
Moors from Spain, three centuries ago
The free colored people are being driven
out from their homes and from all that is
dear to them, without hope. The recent
acts passed in Kentucky and Tennessee
compel them to leave those States, or, if
they remain, they must positively choose
masters and become slaves forever.
But this wicked persecution does not
stop here. What do we see in the Terri
tory of Oregon, which has been admitted
with (so-called) Free-State Constitution,
which excludes us from that State2 If
we cross its borders, even as seamen from
disabled vessel, it will be at the risk of
our liberties. Kansas is hoping to be ad-
mitted this Congress, with a constitution
framed almost entirely by New England
men; and that too, like Oregon, forbids our
going in in common with other men, to pur-
sue our fortunes there.
Thus all the avenues of improvement
are constantly being closed against us.
The school-house, which is the foundation
and motive power of all civilized nations,
is shut against us in all the States, with
two or three exceptions. The ballot-box,
which is the proof of citizenship, is bolted
and barred against us. The counting
house and mechanics shop, which are the
proof of genius and capacity, are shut
against our children. So, while the race
is held in absolute slavery at the South,
slavery influences the prejudices of the
people of the free States against us. In
the new free States, or those that prohibit
slavery, we see the colonizationists at their
old work, in completely with the slavehold-
er, urging on this barbarous legislation by
which we are expelled from the slave
States, in the hope by so doing to cut off
the medium of communication from the
slave. The Free-State party, anticipating
the legislation of the South, hastens to for
tify itself, and stand ready to drive us
back. The South forces us upon the bay
onets of the Republicans in the Territories,
and they turn us over to the tender mer-
cies of the Colonization Society in the old
free States, where they find ready money
wherewith to ship US to that unknoaon u.s.
land of which Henry Clay spoke and left
on record, that future colonizationists might
not mistake the place.
And now, in connection with this unhap-
Ply state of things, we have an internal en-
envy in our midst, calling itself the "Afri-
can Civilization Society,"" the mission of
whose agents seems to be two things. One
is, they are falsely misrepresenting us in
the large commercial cities, by causing the
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get us out of the country to believe that
there is spirit of emigration existing among
us towards Africa, when it is wholly false
and, secondly, they are doing us great in
jury by unsettling and dividing the minds
of the colored people in the free States up
on subject that is injurious to the anti
slavery cause, by representing that we are
making no progress, and that our prospects
are no better now than they were twenty
years ago-a falsehood that stakeholder
would not admit. But, to give strength to
| the movement, it has been remarked by
some that it was supposed.that this society
would pay the expenses of those who wish
ed to 60 to Africa to engage in the cultiva-
ton of cotton. Now, this seems to have
been raising question that had no real
existence, for we have never seen any call
for this question as coming from the color
ed people; but the contrary is true-we
know that they are trying to crush it out.
And if its agents cannot raise money to
support themselves here, what will be their
resources when they arrive in Africa to en-
gage in this enterprise? l have always
looked upon this Society as an i'll omen to
the colored people, and as long as the col
onizationists can find an element in our
midst that they can use as tool to create
and engender discord among us, they will
always succeed in finding many who, from
Encouragement, are ready to 60 to Africa,
while their children, whether here or in
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