m be deemed expedient, for the
purposes of science and for general information; and without any
reference to, and with the Board being entirely opposed to any
Emigration there as such. Provided, however, that nothing in this
Instrument be so construed as to interfere with the right of the
Commissioners to negotiate in their own behalf, or that of any other
parties, or organization for territory.

The Chief-Commissioner is hereby authorized to add one or more
competent Commissioners to their number; it being agreed and
understood that this organization is, and is to be exempted from the
pecuniary responsibility of sending out this Expedition.

Dated at the Office of the Executive Council, Chatham, county of
Kent, Province of Canada, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-eight.

By the President,
WILLIAM HOWARD DAY
ISAAC D. SHADD, Vice-President[1]
GEORGE W. BRODIE, Secretary

So soon as these names with their destined mission were officially
published, there arose at once from mistaken persons (_white_) in
Philadelphia, a torrent of opposition, who presuming to know more about
us (the blacks) and our own business than we did ourselves, went even so
far as to speak to one of our party, and tell him that we were _not
ready_ for any such _important_ undertaking, nor could be in _three
years yet to come_! Of course, as necessary to sustain this, it was
followed up with a dissertation on the _disqualification_ of the Chief
of the Party, mentally and physically, _external_ appearances and all.
So effectually was this opposition prosecuted, that colored people in
many directions in the United States and the Canadas, were not only
affected by it, but a "Party" of three had already been chosen and
appointed to supersede us! Even without any knowledge on my part, claims
were made in England in behalf of the "Niger Valley Exploring Party,"
solely through the instrumentality of these Philadelphians.

Such were the effects of this, that our preparatory progress was not
only seriously retarded (I having to spend eight months in New York city
to counteract the influence, where six weeks only would have been
required), but three years originally intended to be spent in exploring
had to be reduced to one, and the number of Commissioners from five to
two, thereby depriving Mr. Robert Douglass from going, an old f