Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-16
Mr.. MORGAN'S PLAN
Favors Negro Emigration to Free
Nations of Africa.
THE AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY
Report of the Work Accomplished
by the Organization.
ADVANTAGES OF ERIA

TIE annual meeting of the American
Colonization Society. its seventy-eighth an
niversary. was held at the First Presby-
terrain Church last evening. The attend
arce was small, but much enthusiasm was
manifested in the society and it's work.
In the absence of Bishop Potter Of New
York. who was unexpectedly called home,
the Rev. DIR. Addison Of Trinity Church
presided. The secretary of the society, MIR.
]. Ormond Wilson, read a very interestin0
report, ami Senator John T. Morgan of
Alabama delivered an eloquent address
At the invitation of the presiding officer
the Rev. DIR. Huntington of Columbian
Unive rsity offered a prayer, in which he
Invoked the Divine blessing upon the So
ciety, it's officers and work. Then Secre-
tary Wilson read his annual report. The
report explained the policy of the society,
which is to aid colonists in reaching Lii
IBERIA and settling there. More inquiries
were being received in respect to 1t than
ever before. and the prospects were bright
err for the success of the work. unfor-
tunately, the journey now to Liberia was
too long, colCHists having to go from New
York TO Liverpool, and from there to Ii
IBERIA, instead OF going direct from TINS
country. While there was limited room foi
mechanics An Liberia the chief pursuits
were. OF course. agricultural. The society
grants to the colony, and hfty-four persons
had paid their own way there. and more
had probably gone that the society had
no record of. Daring the existence of the
society ~. Id people had been sent to Lii
IBERIA. During the past year the society
had distributed 1000 pamphlets, and an
earnest effort was being made to enlist
this country in developing the large COM
mercial trade with Liberia, which was
within the easy reach of America.
In Liberia.
The report referred to the Industrial
school in Liberia, established in 1851 by
Miss Scott. The school had been managed
with much zeal, but 1t had not succeeded.
and the society had recently become the
trustee of the school and would devote it,
self TO making it all it should be. The So
ciety was shipping school books and
supplies to Liberia for the of the
schools there, and the agent of the society
there had taken charge of them as a gem
eral superintendent of the public school
system. During the year Liberia had coded
many miles of its seacoast to France in re-
turn for territory which probably already
was Liberals. Liberia had done so prob
ably more because CT the power of France
than anything else. The coffee trade of
Liberia referred to alone beng able
to support the country. The country was
doing much for the education of it's youth,
and it had purchased a gunboat, which
had added much to the power of the coun-
try in protecting it's interests. Gold was
ii
that due much of the increased pros
perity eff the country. The future Of Lii
IBERIA depended much upon the American
trained and educated negro. and direct
communication between Liberia and the
United States would do more than any
thing else to place the black republic in
that position among the nations of the
earth which it's people and friends hoped
to see 1T occupy.
senator Morgan.
The report was greeted with applause
ard then DIR. Addison introduced Senator
Morgan CT Alabama.
Senator Morgan said the invitation to adj
vance some views to the negroes here and
In Africa was one which he could not de-
cline. The solution of the future of the
negro was one of the greatest and most
perplexing problems. 1t might seem strange
that he. once slave owner. should have
more sympathy and love fer the negro than
had many of those who had advocated the
freedom of the negro through mere senti-
mentality. But that was true, ne was
proud to say, and he could be depended
upon to do all IN his power for the advance
ment OF the negro.
For one, said Senator Morgan. he adVo-
Gated the assistance of the Liberian re-
public in every material way by Congress.
The Colonization Society was the only one
of it's kind, and had done much more good
work than the people of the country even
imagined. The beginning of the society re-
ally had its origin in the benevOlenc OF
They contributed their own means and So
licited others for the purpose of sending
negroes back to their native land-Africa.
They went on in that modest way until
1877. when the American Colonization So
ciety was Incorporated.
Making u Country.
Off the coast of Sierra Leone. at Monro-
via, the society founded it's first settlement
for the ret rning negroes. That is now
the capital of Liberia. But, unlike the set
tiers of this country, the society did not
drive out the natives and rob them of their
land. Instead, 1t did ali it could for the
natives and for the negroes which it sent
there. The settlement made, the society
here made rules for the government of the
colony. Kings were found in all parts of
Liberia, as kings are plentiful villages
in Africa and instead of killing them they
paid them for the land and then formulated
gov eminent. When that simple form OF
government became impracticable a con-
venton was called. and the republic of
Liberia was formed. The United States
recognized it. and the other civilized coun-
tries of the world followed suit.
Liberia, said Senator Morgan, was really
the pioneer of civilized negro governments
In Africa, and he contrasteC it with the
government of Sierra Leone, just beside It,
The latter government was fostered by
Great Britain. which country had spent
f5OoWpUpO on Ii. and yet the country had
remained stationary for 100 years. while
Liberia had steadily advanced in every
way. Inc success or Liberia, said Senator
Morgan. was due to its own people and the
aid 1t had received from the American
Colonization Society. The secret of that
success was also largely due to the negro
himself.
A Contrast.
An extract was read from the annual
message of the President of Liberia n
negro who had never been out of that land
which. said Senator Morgan, was worthy
of any President of the United States be-
cause of the good. sound sense and wisdom
While they Rave no taxes in Liberia he |
explained, yet the country is free of debt |
anu most prosperous, a reflection, Ii may
be. upon the condition of affairs now pre-
vaihng in this country. Senator Morgan |
also read what Henry NJ. Stanley said of
Sierra Leone in which he stated that in |
100 years that country had made no pro- |
gress. and the negroes there were the most
unrel1; ble and worthless in existence The |
reason was, said Senator Morgan, that in |
Sierra Leone England did every thing for the |
negro. while in Liberia he was taught to |
be self-Supportng. And in that lesson of |
selt-support was found the success of the |
advanced negro in the United States