s, they were selected, captured,
brought here as a laboring class, and as a matter of policy held as
such. Nor was the absurd idea of natural inferiority of the African ever
dreamed of, until recently adduced by the slave-holders and their
abettors, in justification of the policy. This, with contemptuous
indignation, we fling back into their face, as a scorpion to a vulture.
And so did our patriots and leaders in the cause of regeneration know
better, and never for a moment yielded to the base doctrine. But they
had discovered the great fact, that a cruel policy was pursued towards
our people, and that they possessed distinctive characteristics which
made them the objects of proscription. These characteristics being
strongly marked in the colored people, as in the Indians, by color,
character of hair and so on, made them the more easily distinguished
from other Americans, and the policies more effectually urged against
us. For this reason they introduced the subject of emigration to Canada,
and a proper institution for the education of the youth.

At this important juncture of their proceedings, the afore named white
gentlemen were introduced to the notice of the Convention, and after
gaining permission to speak, expressed their gratification and surprise
at the qualification and talent manifested by different members of the
Convention, all expressing their determination to give the cause of the
colored people more serious reflection. Mr. Garrison, the youngest of
them all, and none the less honest on account of his youthfulness, being
but 26 years of age at the time, (1831) expressed his determination to
change his course of policy at once, and espouse the cause of the
elevation of the colored people here in their own country. We are not at
present well advised upon this point, it now having escaped our memory,
but we are under the impression that Mr. Jocelyn also, at once changed
his policy.

During the winter of 1832, Mr. Garrison issued his "Thoughts on African
Colonization," and near about the same time or shortly after, issued the
first number of the "Liberator," in both of which, his full convictions
of the enormity of American slavery, and the wickedness of their policy
towards the colored people, were fully expressed. At the sitting of the
Convention in this year, a number, perhaps all of these gentlemen were
present, and those who had denounced the Colonization scheme, and
espoused the cause of the elevation