Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-14
What the American Colonization
Society Hopes For.
EXPANSION IDEAS JUST IN LINE
But Work is Hampered for Want
of Funds.
LIBERIA AND IT'S NECESSITIES

| onization Of Liberia are now hoping for
| greater success of the effort to plant a
great negro republic in Africa, under the
fostering care of the United States, than
| has been achieved during the many years
in which this work has been in progress.
The insuar policy of the United States gov
eminent. IL is believed by many connected
prominently with the American Colonial
ton Society, has prevented not only the
execution of such plans, but even their sug-
gestion because the danger of complications
| with foreign nations by such a course has
been regarded sufficient to make such
suggestions impracticable.
Now that the United States has extended
its borders these people are anticipating
that the day may not be far distant when
Congress will adopt some measure for the
advancement of Liberia, giving an oppor-
tunity to the millions of colored people in
THIS country to seek career in a republic
of their own if they so desire. For many
years the Colonization building at the
southwest corner of Pennsylvania avenue
and AZ street has been a landmark to the
people of this city, although comparatively
little Is generally known of what the Col
onizatlon Society is doing. For many years
the society has not been able to do a great
DEAL Its FUNDS have been limited, and I'M
DER conditions that have prevailed it has
not appeared practicable for it to undertake
a propaganda for any great extension of
tSS II has continued 10 i've, now
ever, and every year a few colored people
are sent to Liberia, and it publishes
monthly bulletins giving information re-
garding the black repuulic
Inc Idea of returning Africans to the
nome from which they had been forcibly
taken to serve in slavery, and at the same
time making them instruments through
wnich Africa should be civilized and evan
SeHLeu, mad Its origin over a century ago
such plan was advocated in Rhode Island
Just before the revolutionary war. An En-
gllsh philanthropist was also the protector
OF the colony of Sierra Leone. founded in
1901 with negro slaves from America who
were loyal to the tories during the reyolu-
tlonary war These early efforts resulted
IN failures. From 1900 to 1905 the legisla-
ture OF Virginia, in cooperation with
James Monroe, governor of the state and
PRESIDENT Jefferson, made an effort to pro-
VIDE some way for the colonization in Afri-
ca OF lree negroes and those who might be
emancipated thereafter in Virginia. but
their eeorts were not successful In 1917
Paul Cufee, a free negro of Massachusetts
VINO acquired considerable property and
was tne owner OF ship, carried forty ne
gro coionfSts from Boston to Sierra Leone
at MS own expense. His death prevented
nun from further pursuing this enterprise
II was out a short time before efforts in
tnrs direction began to assume a systematic
FORM, the immediate agent in organizing
tne american Colonization Society being
the Rev. Robert Finley, Presbyterian
clergyman of New Jersey, who came to
w IoIi IItcSIHDST, 1876. Tor that
purpose The first meeting with this OBJ
Ject In view was presided over by ,.enry
Clay and John Randolph of Roanoke was
participant in it. The meeting was held
IN DAVIS Hotel. A committee was an
pointed to draft a constitution and rules
LOT the government of a colonization socie-
~ AT an adjourned meeting held in the
nan OF the House of Representatives De-
cenoer 2S constitution and rules for the
society were reported by the committee and
adopted. At a second adjourned meeting
held at Davis Hotel Bushrod washington
nePne" OF George Washington, and an
associate justice of the United States Su-
preme Court, was elected president. in
Wnlch capacity he served the society for
Twelve Twelve years The society. fully organized
with twenty-five members was IaTnnbad
January 1, 1917. Within a couple of week.
congress was appealed to to assist the en-
'erprlse in the establishment of a colony
| anu the extension over it of the authority
OF the United States government. The Co
ciety then sent agents to the west coast of
AREA 10 look up a proper place for the
location of the colony. They selected an
Leone 20 et' q
IN 1919 Congress provided for the removal
OF recaptured slaves beyond the limits of
me United States and appropriated 500 600
10 pay attendant expenses Efghfy-njne
emSrants with supplies for the settlement
.! the colony were sent out and arrived AT
sierra Leone in March, 1920 The tsla nd
proved 10 be unhealthful and there was a
Ia
colonlsts. A tract of land was then mr.
CHASED from the king of a native tribe of
the mainland, and in January ISo2 the
eolohists Were removed and relocated on
Ine site OF the present capital of Liberia
When the native tribes learned that the
colony would interfere with the slave trade
they determined to exterminate the colon
lists, but the little band of 100 men We
men and children, only thirty-fiye of whom
We're capable of bearing arms resisted the
attack OF LOO savages, and no further at
tempt was made to disturb them.
The Hayti Project Failed.
In 1880 there was a strong sentiment
among some of the friends of colonization
in favor of selecting Hayti instead of A.
rlca as better place of locating a COLONY
but colonization in that island met no sue
cess. From 1884 to 1910 there was a ten
dency among some of the state societies
toward Independent action. Maryland an
proprlaled s2OooOo, to be expended annual
ly in sums of so. 600 for an independent
colony. The Maryland colony was later am
nexed as a county to the republic of Ii
IBERIA New York and Pennsylvania colon
1zatlon societies also founded colonies,
which in time were annexed to Liberia.
The Pennsylvania society, following the
example of William Penn, made the princi-
pies of love and peace their motto, and
when they had but one gun in the entire
colony they were massacred by native
tribes. In 1887 Mississippi founded a COL
ony; which was also annexed by the re-
public Following the desires Of the So
ciety, the colonists declared their indie
prudence and adopted republican form
OF government in 1S47, and all the land
was coded to that government, with the
provision that ten acres should be ceded
TO every grown single person and twenty
five acres TO each head of a family who
should arrive there to join the colony
AT the present time there are within
Liberia about 10000 negroes civilized and
of American origin, 100000 natives and
about 100 white people Liberia has a ter
ritory with $50 miles of sea coast extending
inland 200 miles and giving an area of TO-
600 square miles. The American colonists
occupy only land near the sea coast. Up to
1861 during a period of fifty years there
had been expended in the colonization Of
Liberia 81, SIS. 9O7. 10. making an average ex-
penditure of $4,000 a year. From the date
of the abolition of slavery In the United
States the public interest In colonization
and contributions for its support began to
decline. The total expenditures for this
colonization to date amount to about 50, 1OO,-
600. During the entire period about u 900
colonists had been sent out at an average
cost of about $50 per capita.