New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-20
THE FALL OF SLAVERY.
RECOLLECTIONS OF AN ABOlITloNlsl'
BY OLIVER JOHNSON.
TIE WAR wITHTHE COLONIZATION SOCIETY


uent and in his Fourth of July address IN PARK
Street Church. Boston. in 1929. he commended I" III
a few words which showed clearly enough that ne
did NOT regard il as a remedy for slavery. The
friends of Colonization indeed were dissatisfied
with his address. both for its uncomprouislna de-
nunciatons of slavery and its lack OF zeal III theh
favorite enterprise. Having consecrated ms TIC 10
the work OF emancipation. he naturally sought the
acquaintance and sympathy of the free colored pe"-
rle. among whom he was glad 10 ind some men Of
Intelligence. good judy and high moral "or'n'
He was astOnished 10 find that, without exception
they regarded the Colonization Society Win leel
ings Of strong aversion and adherence. lhey Aei"
II Ia be a cunning device Of Southern men 10 avert
some of the dangers that threatened the exist
ence Of slavery, and regarded as an "i'I"n'
to themselves the iniimauon thdt thrS
wcr. something less than citizens of the
limited States and must consent TO be deporteo %
barbarous Africa III order TO enjoy their rights MI
Garrison wa, AT first inclined to rcmoustrate with
them as the victim of mistaken prejudice. but he
soon found that they had studied the question,
while be was ignorant of its bearings and conse-
ouences They had read tie reports OF the Ooi-
on zation Society and the speeches OF It's So"therh
rs well as It's Northern champions, and knew tna'
the scheme rested upon the hateful spirit OF caste
A. Al. chief cornerstone. Mr.. Garrison hnohs
himself wor,tci in the argument by MS cooiou
frinds resolved TO investigate the subject for hun
self lie procured the annual reports OF the AueIl-
can Colonization Society, together WIN hieS Vi 'S
ORGAN The ifrican Repository and copies OF humel-
ons namnhlet, official or friendly, and set himself
t. the task of examining them. lie !0und that us
colorcd friends had not in any respect misrepre-
scented or misunderstood the sOciety-that the case
was even worse than they had represented it. In
The Genius Of Universal Emancipation he reviewed
some of Henry Clay's Colonization speeches and
writings and il is creditable to the latter that this
did not hinder him from entertaining. cordially ana
PROMPTLY Mir. Nhittier's proposition that he shond
nay tie fine Of his critic and release him from the
Baltimore jail.
On returning 10 gland, after his impris-
oument he found that every little rll of honest
sympathy for the negro, whether bond or free. had
been made tributary 10 the Colonization scheme
the agents of which at the North presented II as the
only practicable remedy for slavery, while they De-
nounced immediate emancipation as the widest
fanaticism Tho good people If the North, in their
blind crcdulty. had gwen the Colonization Society
a place in their sympathics side by side with the
Bible missionary and tract societies, and battered
themselves that in supporting IL they were doing all
that was practicable for the abolition Of slavery
l. was easy to persuade them that every attack
upon this society and its scheme was
aimed at the whole family Of be-
nevolont and charitable associations which had
become enticnchcd In the affection and confidence
Of the churches the agencies appointed 81 God for
the conversion If the world. Behind this society
~ rampant. the apologists for slavery entrenched
Themselves hurting the dcadliest missiles at the
heads of the abolitionists IL these circumstances
Mr Garrison was inexoSably compelod tojuStfy
LIS Impeachment of the Colonization scheme TO tear
- ind ftpa
coors, in the light of its own official documents.
Having enlarged Iho LJrator at the beginning Of
the year 1882, and finding himself sup
ported and cheeIed by an organized society, he adj
dressed himself to this task with a courage that no
opposition could subdue. and performed II with
thorOughncss that made any further demonstration
unnecessary. The result Of his lahors was seen in
bulky pamphlet. that came from the press in the
Spring, entitled " Thoughts on African Colonial
ton or Az Impartial Exhibition of the Doctrines
Principle and Purposes of the American COionza-
ton Society together with tho Resolutions, Ad-
dresses and R,monstIances of tie Free People Of
Color As a conpilat on Of iactsa and authorities 1t
was unan,wcrable and overwhelming. 1t con-
demned the Colonization Society out Of its own
mouth and hy a weight OF evidence that was lIIc-
sistihle. There was Just enough Of comment 10
elucidate the testimony from official sources and
hrns II within the comprehension Of the simplest
reader. HIS indictment contained ten ayormcnfs.
viz: l. The American Colonization Society Is
pledged not 20 oppose tie system Of slayery ?. Ii
apologies for slavery and shareholders 3. Ii recog-
Mes slaves as property 1. 1t increases The value
Of slaves: .. Ii is the enemy Of immediate aho.l-
ton g. Ii Is nourisAed by fear aud soliishuess; T.
II aims al tic utter expulsion of the blacks; = II is
the disparagcr of the free black; o. IL denies the
possibility If clcyating the blacks in this
Nation. Zach OF these ayeIments was supported by
pages of citations from the annual reports of the So
cicy from the pages Of lis official organ The dTi-
can Repository and from the speeches of It's leading
champions in all parts of the country. Ii was I'M
possible to sci this evidence aside and equally 50 10
resist the conclusions drawn therefrom. The WORK
could not De. and therefore not answered.
There were iibbhrgs carpnes. and casustical
perversions. but nothing that deserved or even
claimed tie character Of reply IL did not indeed
Kill the Colonization Society, which was founded
upon caste and drew the breath of life from the
fetld atmosphere Of slavery, bat IL snOte II with a
paralysis from which It never rocoyered and sent 1t
FAR to the rear Of the benevolent associations to
whose goodly fellowship il had unwoIthily aspired
Hundreds Of ministers, who still hesitatcd to JON
the ant-slavcry movement, thenceiorth gave no
further support to the Colonization scheme, feeling
that they had been deceived a. its character and
designs and that the claim Of some of its advocates
that At was practical remedy for slavery either
d delusion an impOsture Only the bhndest and
most obstinate Apologies for slavery thereafter
lent 1t their support but this was numerous.
wealthy and influential class, 80 that the treasuI-
srs port still showed a large footing Of receipts
Just before the appearance OF Mr. Garriscu's
"Thoughts,' the American Colonization Society.
taking alarm from his assaults in The LibTatOr. and
from the organization Of the New-Engand Anti
Slavery Society. sent - Massachusetts a CoDgre-
gational clergyman. the Rev. Joshua y. Dantorth,