theless, still occupying a miserable position in the community,
wherever we live; and what we most desire is, to draw the attention of
our people to this fact, and point out what, in our opinion, we conceive
to be a proper remedy.

III

AMERICAN COLONIZATION

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 in Richmond, Virginia, in 1817, under the
influence of Mr. Henry Clay of Ky., Judge Bushrod Washington of Va., and
other Southern slaveholders, 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.

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 every where
received the news, and at once endorsed with heart and soul, the doings
of the Anti-Colonization Meeting 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 every 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 himself into the greater part of
the Church and other institutions of the country, which having once
entered there, leave