When we speak of colonization, we wish distinctly to be understood, as speaking of the "American Colonization Society," or that which is under its influence, commenced of Mr. Henry Clay of Ky., Judge Bushrod Washington of Virginia, and other southern slave holders, having for their express object, as their speeches and doings all justify us in asserting in good faith, the removal of the free colored people from the land of their birth, for the security of the slaves, as property to the slave propagandists.
Richard Allen
This scheme had no sooner been propagated, than the old and leading colored men of Philadelphia, Pa. with Richard Allen, James Forten and others at their head, true to their trust and the cause of their brethren, summoned the colored people together, and then and there, in language and with voices pointed and loud, protested against the scheme as an outrage, having no other object in view than the benefit of the slave holding interests of the country, and that as freemen, they would never prove recreant to the cause of their brethren in bondage, by leaving them without hope of redemption from their chains. This determination of the colored patriots of Philadelphia was published in full, authentically, and circulated throughout the length and breadth of the country by the papers of the day. The colored people everywhere received the news, and at once endorsed with heart and soul, the doings of the Anti Colonization Meetings of colored freemen.
From that time forth, the colored people generally have had no sympathy with the colonization scheme, nor confidence in its leaders, looking upon them all, as arrant hypocrites, seeking opportunity to deceive them. In a word, the monster was crippled in its infancy, and has never as yet recovered from the stroke. It is true, that like its ancient sire, that was "more subtile than all the beasts of the field," it has inherited a large portion of his most prominent characteristic, an idiosyncrasy with the animal, that enables him to entwine into the greater part of the Church and other institutions of the country, which having once entered there, leaves his venom, which puts such a spell on the conductors of those institutions, that it is only on condition that a colored person consents to go to the neighborhood of his kindred brother monster the boa, that he may find an admission in the one or the other.
We look upon the American Colonization Society as one of the most arrant enemies of the colored man, ever seeking to discomfit him, and envying him of every privilege that he may enjoy. We believe it to be anti Christian in its character, and misanthropic in its pretended sympathies. Because if this were not the case, men could not be found professing morality and Christianity as to our astonishment we have found them, who unhesitatingly say: "I know it is right," that is in itself, "to do" so and so, "and I am willing and ready to do it, but only on condition, that you go to Africa."
Indeed, a highly talented clergyman informed us in November last (three months ago) in the city of Philadelphia that he was present when the Rev. Doctor J. P. Durbin, late President of Dickinson College, called on Rev. Mr. P. of B. to consult him about going to Liberia, to take charge of the literary departments of an University in contemplation, when the following conversation ensued: Mr. P.: "Doctor, I have as much and more than I can do here, in educating the youth of our own country, and preparing them for usefulness here at home. Dr. D.: "Yes, but do as you may, you can never be elevated here. Mr.P.: "Doctor, do you not believe that the religion of our blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ has morality, humanity, philanthropy, and justices enough in it to elevate us, and enable us to obtain our rights in this our own country?" Dr. D.: "No, indeed, sir, I do not, and if you depend upon that, your hopes are vain!"
Mr. P. turning to Dr. Durbin, looking him solemnly, though affectionately in the face, remarked: "Well, Doctor Durbin, we both profess to be ministers of Christ; but dearly as I love the cause of my Redeemer, if for a moment, I could entertain the opinion you do about Christianity, I would not serve him another hour!" We do not know, as we were not advised, that the Rev. doctor added in fine, "Well, you may quit now, for all your serving him will not avail against the power of the god(hydra) of Colonization." Will any doubt for a single moment, the justice of our strictures on colonization, after reading the conversation between Rev. Dr. Durbin and the colored clergyman? Surely not. We can therefore make no account of it, but that of setting it down as being the worst enemy of the colored people.
Recently there has been a strained effort in the city of New York on the part of the Rev. J. B. Pinney and others of the leading white colonizationists to get up a movement among some poor pitiable colored men; we say pitiable, for certainly the colored persons who are at this period capable of loaning themselves to the enemies of their race, against the best interest of all that we hold sacred to that race, are pitiable in the lowest extreme, far beneath the dignity of an enemy, and therefore, we pass them by with the simple remark, that this is the hobby horse that colonization is riding all over the country, as the "tremendous" access of colored people to their cause within the last twelve months.
We should make another remark here perhaps in justification of governor Pinney's New York allies; that is, report says, that in the short space of some three or five months, one of his confidants, benefited himself to the "reckoning" of from eleven to fifteen hundred dollars, or "such a matter while others were benefited in sums pretty considerable" of but less "reckoning." Well, we do not know after all that they may not have quite as good a right to pocket part of the spoils of this "grabgame" as anybody else. However, they are of little consequence, as the ever watchful eye of those excellent gentlemen and faithful guardians of their people's rights, the Committee of Thirteen, consisting of Messrs. John J. Zuille, Chairman; T. Joiner White, Philip A. Bell, Secretaries; Robert Hamilton, George T. Downing, Jeremiah Powers, John T. Raymond, Wm. Burnett, James McCune Smith, Ezekiel Dias, Junius C. Morel, Thomas Downing, and Wm. J. Wilson, have properly chastised this pet slave of Mr. Pinney, and made it "know its place," by keeping within the bounds of its master's enclosure.
In expressing our honest conviction of the designedly injurious character of the Colonization Society we should do violence to our own sense of individual justice, if we did not express the belief, that there are some honest hearted men, who not having seen things in the proper light, favor that scheme, simply as a means of elevating the colored peope. Such persons, so soon as they become convinced of their error, immediately change their policy, and advocate the elevation of the colored people anywhere and everywhere, in common with other men.
Of such were the early abolitionists as before stated; and the great and good, Dr. F. J. LeMoyne, Gerrit Smith, and Rev. Charles Avery, and a host of others who were Colonizationists before espousing the cause of our elevation, here at home, and nothing but an honorable sense of justice induces us to make these exceptions as there are many good persons within our knowledge, who we believe to be well wishers of the colored people, who may favor colonization.
(NOTE: Benjamin Coates Esq. a merchant of Philadelphia we believe to be an honest hearted man, and real friend of the colored people, and a true, though as yet, rather undecided philanthropist. Mr. Coates, to our knowledge, has supported three or four papers published by colored men for the elevation of colored people in the United States and has given, as he continues to do, considerable sums to their support. We have recently learned from himself that though he still advocates Colonization simply as a means of elevating the colored of the United States, that he has left the Colonization Society and prefers seeing colored people located on this continent to going to Liberia, or elsewhere off of it; though his zeal for the enlightenment of Africa is unabated, as every good man's should be; and we are satisfied that Mr. Coates is neither well understood, nor rightly appreciated by the friends of our cause. One thing we do know, that he left the Colonization Society because he could not conscientiously subscribe to its measures.)
We dismiss this part of the subject, and proceed to consider the mode and means of our elevation in the United States.
