Year: 1862

tee OF coiored men at the White House
they were introduced by the Rev J. Nit
cheil, commissioner of emiora.;an


T. ~ homas, the chairman, remarked
that they were.there by invitation. to hear
what the executive had to say to them
Having all been seated, the President, af-
ter a few elementary remarks. informed
them that sum Of money had been APP
propri0ted by Congress. and nlaced at
ais disposition for TIE purpose of aiding
the colonization, in some country, of the
people, or q portion Of them, of African
descent, thereby making it his duty, as it.
had for long time been his INCLINATION,
to favor that cause, and who, he asked,
should the people of your race be colon
lzed by, and where Why should they
leave this country? This IS, perhaps, the
first question for consideration You and
we are n different racel We have be-
tween us broader difference than exists
between almost anv other two races
Whether it is right or wrong, / need not
discuss; but this physic3l difference is
great disadvantage to us both, as ! think
your race suffer very greatly. many of
them, by living among US, while ours SUI
fer from your presence. In q word, we
suffer on each side If this is admitted.
1t affords reason, at least, why we should
be separated. You here are freemen, /
suppose 4 voice, Yes, sir


The President: then perhaps Won have
long been free, or all your lives. Your
race Is suffering, in my judgement, the
greatest wrong inflicted on any people,
bat when you cease to be slaves YOU are
yet far removed from being placed on an
equality with the white race Iou are
cut oil from many Of the advantages
which the other race enjoy The aspira
ton OF men Is TO enjoy equality with the
best when free, but on this broad contin-
ent not single men Of your race is mGde
the equal OF q single man of ours. Go
where you are treated the best, and the
ban IS still upon you. / do not promise
to discuss this, but to present it as a fact
with which we have to deal / cannot al
ter it if | would 1t is fact about which
we all think and feel alike We look to
our condition owing to the two races on
this continent.


need not recount TO you the effect upon
white men growing out of the institution
of slavery. | believe in its general evil
effect upon the white race. See our pres
ent condition; the country engaged in
war, our white men cutting one another's s
throats-none knowing how far it will es-





to be the truth but for your race among
us there could not be war, although many
men on either side DO not care for you,
Que way or the ether. Nevertheless, / re
peat, without the institution Of slavery
and the colored race as a basis, the war
could not have an existence. 1t Is better
for us, therefore, to be separated.


know that there are free men among
You. who even If thew could better their
condition, are not as much inclined to 90
out of the country as those who, being
slaves, could obtain their freedom on this
condition / suppose one Of the principal
difficulties IN the way Of civilization is
that the free colored man cannot see that
his comfort would be advanced by it.
Y ou may believe you can live In Wash
ington or elsewhere in the United States
the remainder Of your life, perhaps more
so than you can in any foreign cOUn-
try. This Is, / speak in no Unkind sense,
an extremely selfish Wow of, the case,
but you ought to do something to help
tiose who are not so fortunate as your
selves There is an unwillingress on the
part Of the people, harsh as it may be,
for you free c0lored citizens to remain
with us. Now, if you could give q start
to the white people, you would open
wide door for many to be made free. 1t
we deal with those who are not free at the
beginning and whose inteiiects are cloud
ed by slavery we have very poor material
to start with


If intelligent colored men, such as are
before me, would move III this matter,
much might be accomplished. It is cx-
ceeding}y important that we have men at
the beginning capable Of thinking as
,-,o-, I'D ,,.t fL1-C Who Iav-n 1-rr,
systematically oppressed There IS much
to encourage vou For the sake Of your
race vou should sacrifice something Of
your present comfort, for the purpose Of
being as grand IN that respect as the
white people.


1t is q cheering thought through lie
that something can be cone t. amoiiorate
the condition Of those who have been sub
iect to the hard usage Of the word. tits
difficult to make man miserable whiie ne
feels he IS worthy Of himself and claims
kindred to the great God who made him.


N the American Revolutionary War
s sacrifices were made by men engaged IN
1t. but thev were cheered by the future.
Gen Washington himself endured great
er physical hardships than if he had re-
mained a British subject, Yet Le was q
hapuv man. because he was engaged in
his race; doing something for
the children of his neighbors, having
none Of his own.


The colony Of Liberia has been in ex-
istonce long time. In q certain sense,
1t is a success The old President Of Lii
IBERIA, Roberts, has just been with me,
the first time ever saw him. He says
they have within the bounds of that co..
onv between three and four hundred
thousand people, or more than in some OF
our new states, and less than 10 some OF
our larger ones. They are not ali colon
lists or their descendants. Something less
than 1900 have been sent hither from
this country Many of the original set
tiers have died; vet, like people else
where. their offspring outuumber those Of
the deceased.


The question is if the colored people
are persuaded to 20 anywhere, Why not
there2 One reason for an unwillingness
to do so is that some Of you would rather
remain within reach o. the country OF
YOUR nativity. | do not know how much
attachment ygu may have towards our
race. 1t does not strike me that you have
the greatest reason TO love them, but still
-, al t,t an, o4 a II Tho