and in the wisdom of Congress
to devise some means to lighten, perhaps to repay, the cost. He
continued by saying: "Many of the free people of color have property
sufficient to transport, and afterward to establish themselves. The
ships of war might be employed occasionally in this service, while
many Negroes themselves could be induced to procure a passage to the
land of their independence. The crews of the national ships which
might be from time to time at the colony, would furnish at least a
part of that protection which would be necessary for the settlers; and
in a little time the trade which the colony would open with the
interior, would more than compensate for every expense, if the colony
were wisely formed." The Negroes, Finley thought, would gladly go, for
they long after happiness and have the common pride and feelings of
men. Already, he pointed out, an association of free blacks existed in
Philadelphia whose purpose was to correspond with Sierra Leone and
investigate the possibilities of an immigration. Finley held that
colonization would gradually reduce slavery, because provision being
made for the emancipated slaves, masters would manumit them.

Samuel J. Mills, "having been providentially made acquainted"[266]
with this movement, about the close of November left New York, where
he was working among the poor, immediately for Washington. What he, as
well as the other workers, did there, is pretty well indicated by
Congressman Elijah J. Mills of Massachusetts in a letter to his wife,
under date of December 25: "Among the great and important objects to
which our attention is called, a project is lately started for
settling, with free blacks which abound in the South and West, a
colony, either on the coast of Africa, or in some remote region in our
own country. It has excited great interest, and I am inclined to think
that in the course of a few years it will be carried into effect. I
enclose you an address which is in circulation here upon the subject.
Agents are attending from different parts of the United States,
soliciting Congress to take the subject up immediately, and I was this
morning called upon by a Mr. Mills (a young clergyman who was at New
Orleans with Smith), who is very zealously engaged in the work. He is
an intelligent young man, and appears completely devoted to the great
work of diffusing the blessings of Christianity to those who are
ignorant of it."[267]

The first general conference