Year: 1868

American CoiOuIzatiOu Society.


public meeting on behalf OF African colonization
was held last evening In the Presbyterian church
Fifth avenue. OF Nineteenth street. There was
small attendance. The proceedings were opened
with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Haight.


The report for the past year read spoke In IA
vorable terms OF the project OF colonization at Liberia
to which place no person OF color should in accord
ance with the views Of those who favored colonial
ton be sent unless the party went OF his own accord
The funds Of the Colonization Society were, among
other things, devoted to the support Of professor
and for prizes In the College OF Liberia.


WILLIAM @. ALEXANDER then addressed the meet
Ing. He said that after wandering in the Crystal
Palace In this city some years since. he saw case
from Liberia, In which were sent over some speci-
mems OF her manufacture That showed that Liberia
tries Of the world. In 1917 the Liberation Society
was founded. amid considerable doubts to its sue
society would be able to fuinI its mission.
In England, when the early settlers setting out
Of sea and forest, they we're met with doubt and
scos But there was no doubt that the African race OF
America who had knowledge Of Christianity would
DE the means OF bringing the Gospel to their brethren
In Africa. Bishop Clarke had stated In an admirable
address that he did not care whether the image
of God came before him blanched or br0nzed,
and that II he had African blood in his veins he
would not remain In this land but would go to
Africa where he would have the best chance OF get
ting on. Men might talk OF equal rights and natural
rights but 1t was perfectly plain that inequality was
one Of the laws Of their being, and there was no
doubt If the black population wished to get over
those things that depressed their manhood it must
be in another land, and II the black was ever
to fill position Of equality 1t must be In
some other country where the distinction
as to color did not exist, as it did here. The gulf
that separated the two races could not be crossed.
True, the black race In this country free, but


they could not In the nature of things attain to social
equality with the white man. Within the last month
sent to the shores Of Africa, and II the blacks were
ever to attain to social equality 1t could only be In
their own land, where they could walk abroad In the
consciousness OF freedom among those with whom
they would be in every respect equal They might pro-
tect the rights OF the African by legislation but they
could never give him equality. Here the African was
just tolerated, but in Liberia he would feel that he
was in the land Of his fathers, entitled to all the
rights and privileges OF freedom The speaker next
touched upon the point that the operations OF
the society and the establishment of the colony
of the slave trade. Before this society formed it
was calculated that eighty thousand slaves had been
annually shipped across the Atlantic and that twenty
thousand Of them pertshed on the voyage; but the
establishment OF the colony at Liberia had had
most sautary effect in suppressng the abominable
traffic.


Rev. JOHN HALL, D. D., was the next speaker. He
EUROPE f the ea Of Of
establishing colonies at different parts OF the world
had advanced considerably, and twas not unreason-
able to suppose that asocety such as this should be
supported not only by voluntary contributions but
by State aid.


Mr.. James W. BEEKMAN urged that it could not be
thought OF for moment to force the black pOpula.
land Of their forefathers the society would do all 1t
could to help them In dong 30. The speaker put
forward some arguments to prove that 1t would be
possible to cultivate the fields Of the South without


Some other speakers followed, and the proceedings
Of the meeting closed about ten O'Clock