e
in the Union. If the laws were found more oppressive in Maryland, how
did it come that the free blacks congregated there from all other
parts of America? Or if they were set free by the people so much
opposed to their increase, why did they not rather go to Pennsylvania,
which was separated from Maryland only by an imaginary line, and where
free blacks enjoyed almost the same rights as white men? But, again,
it was said, that that colonization scheme was an awfully wicked
scheme, because it sought to prevent the increase of free persons of
color in Maryland. But if this were a grievous sin, were the people of
Great Britain not equally guilty in sending away out of the country
ship loads of paupers, free whites, to other parts of the globe, in
order to prevent the increase of pauperism in this country? Why had
not this branch of the subject been adverted to by Mr. Thompson? Why
had he not, in the paroxysms of his enfuriated eloquence, while
abusing the American colonizationists, not included the king and
parliament of Britain for allowing the existence of laws, or if there
be no such law, for a practice rife in England, of expatriating
thousands of paupers not only by contributions, but at the public
expense. He would be told that the paupers were sent away to distant
parts of the globe, where they would be more comfortable in every
respect than they were at present. And had Mr. T. bowels of compassion
only for the black man? Is it lawful to export a white man against his
will, at the public charge, while it is unlawful to export a black
man, with his free consent, by private benevolence? Is America so
detestable a place, that England may lawfully make her the receptacle
of the refuse of the poor houses of the realm; while Africa is so
sacred a place, that no one that can even do her good is to be
permitted to go there from America, if his skin is dark? May Britain
say, she has more paupers than she can support, and so make it state
policy to force emigration from Ireland, by a system which makes a
quarter of the people there beg bread eight months out of twelve, and
produces inexpressible distress; and yet is Maryland to be precluded,
on any account, or upon any terms, from seeking the diminution, or
rather preventing the disproportionate increase, of a population,
anomalous, and difficult of proper regulation? He should be most happy
to receive an explanation of these strange contradictions! There was
another feature