The Washington bee., 1886-10-16
THE AMERICAN COLONIAL
TION SOCIETY.


A representative of the BEE
called at the Office of the American
COlonizationSOciety Tuesday to as
certain the progress of the work of
colonizing Liberia which, for the
past seventy years, has been the
mission of this time honored society.
Mr.. Coppinger, who has served so
earnestly and faithfully for many
years as secretary and treasurer
Was found at work at bis desk at
tending to the correspondence with
which he is constantly burdened.
He is a very courteous and digni-
fed gentleman and received the
BEE man with a bland smile and
Was only clever in furnishing all
the information desired.
The office of the American COlOni-
zation ,SJciety is in the second
story of the cOlOniz ltiOn Building,
41 and Pennsylvania Avenne. 1t
is fitted out as we'll perhaps
as any office in the city. The rooms
are spacious, light and airy, carpet
ed floor, walls decorated with por-
trait painting of the early co-labor-
ers in the cause of African ColOni
zation libraries aud all necessary
equipments of a first class office.
Everything pointed to neatness,
order and business.
How is the work of the society
progressing?
Well, we are moving along grad
ually. We have our hands full
and are now arranging to send a
hundred emigrants to Liberia the
last of October.
In May last ship left New York
with several people bound for Lii
IBERIA and we have for years past
been sending two ships a year, one
the 1st. of May and one the 1st. of
November across the ocean. About
twenty five are expected to go on
the next trip from Charlotte NC.
There is an opinion held by many
people that the mission of the Col
OnizatiOn Society entered with the
results of the late war between the
States, wherein the freedom and
citizenship of the colored people in
America has been recognized.
| have heard of these disparag-
ing comments on the work of the
society, but [ am free to say that in
my opinion there is as much reason
for carrying on the work of the
society now as at any time previous.
/ believe the condition of the COL
ored people of this county is but
little removed from what it was ten
years ago, and beside the develop
ment of the rejOin of county lying
back of Liberia and the establish
ment of a great powerful and pro-
gressiye government is consum-
mateur TO which the colored people
of the world should look forward
with unabated interest.
Further conversation developed
valuable information. Stephen A
Benson is president of the Republic
OF Liberia. The Supreme Court is
composed of three justices with
chief justice Parsons and associate
justices Robert and Neil. The
population of Liberia is about
$4,000, colonist and nearly a mil
lion natives. There are seventeen
members of the Legislature.
The commercial Importance of
Liberia is growing and the society
have no reason to tear for the fu-
ture of the Republic which it has
founded and fOstered. No agents
are sent out to arouse. interest IN
emigration to Africa although a
great deal Conformation is convex
ed throughout the country BY
means of the printing press.
Each emigrant cost the society
about 800, $50 for transportation
and $50 expended in the cost oil
living six months after the arrival
of the emigrant. The receipts Of
the society last year amounted te
nearly ten thousand dollars.