The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-05

The American Colonization Society as
Sc mbled in its 6Sth anniversary meeting
at Washington last Sunday. Since it's or
ganization there have been great changes. il
the relation of the colored race to civil
cation and government. It's original OBJ
ject was the colonization of the blacks IL
Africa. Through its efforts and infu
ence the Republic of Liberia was insti
tuted, and now that the dark continent is
to be opened to commerce and the agencies
OF modern trade and enterprise, through
the joint action of. the great civilized
powers OF the globe, it is appropriate that
the society should renew it's deliberations
and consider the vast interests involved il
the new conditions which are opening.
The council now in session at Berlin. pre-
sided over by Prince Bismarck, and il
which American representatives are par
ticipating, is of great Importance to this
country-more so than to any other of the
governments represented in the discus
sion. 1t has been through the enterprise
and daring of an American that the interior
Of Africa has been explored and its won
derfulresources brought to the attention
of the world. 1t is in the United States
that the descendants Of the African are
the most numerous, and from whose emf
grafton to-that country ithe influence OF
civilization would be the most strongly
felt in the reclamation of Africa from
the domination of barbarism. What has
been done for Liberia may be done for
other portions of that rich domain, and
the agencies set in motion which will be
fruitful of great results for the natives
there and the commerce of this country.
Referring to the meeting of the Coloni-
cation Society, the Washington Critic
says:
This anniversary of the Colonization
Society will be the most interesting ever
held, for the reason that all the nations of
Europe are now striving to plant colonies
in negro-land, Africa, which our country
accomplished successfully sixty-eight years
ago. The International Congo Conference
at Berlin, presided over by Prince Bis
marck, in which the United States took a
prominent part proves the great desire of
European nations for African possessions.
colonization and commerce They all now
recognize that colonization is the regenera-
tioE of the earth, of which America is the
most illuStrious example, which they now
wish to emulate in Africa. But it should
be distinctly noted that while European
emigrants cannot live in the African tor
rid zone, hence the United States holds
advantage in 100000 At
rican black men precisely adapted to these
hot, malarial regions, of whom at least
l ,0OO,O 900 are now anxious to return to the
homes of their foretathers if they had the
means, which many of them will soon have
and greater facilities for emigration by
steam.
Liberia is the largest and most success
full colony of blacks in Africa, but needs
many more colonists and capital to develop
and extend its rich resources of tropical
products, both of which our country pos
seses in abundance. It has been truly
called the ''open door, through which to
colonize, civilize, Christianize and com
mercialize the equatorial regions of the
vast African continent. Soudan, to the
east, on territory about the size of the
United States, has fully 50,0OO.000 people,
with cities of from 10000 to 125, 900 inhab-
ltants, with excellent agriculture. vast
focks and herds, some coarse manufac-
lures, and is far better civilized than the
Congo region. TO open up this region a
steamship line is needed from our ports to
carry out thousands of colored emigrants
yearly, and a railroad from Liberia to the
rich and populous interior of the Niger
and Congo valleys, ultimately to cross the
entire continent to the Nile and the Red
Sea. Nowhere could our surplus capital
be better employed to increase our de-
pressed commerce and furnish an abund-
ant market for our enormous and con-
mountaineering surplus manufactures
than in penetrating the rich tropical re-
gions of Africa, with their 200 ,O00, 900 half
people, wanting nearly all kinds
OF manufactures. And if we do not act
promptly the English, and especially the
French, will surpass there as in the Pan
anna Ship Canal. All the nations of Eu-
rope are colonizing and annexing new
countries. but the United States, the
greatest of the nations, ignores this policy
of civilization