with a view to our emigrating, ought to be
frowned upon by us, and we ought to teach the people that they
may as well come here and agitate the emigration of the Jays, the
Rings, the Adamses, the Otises, the Hancocks, et al., as to
agitate our removal. We are all alike constituents of the same
government, and members of the same rising family. Although we
come up much more slowly, our rise is to be none the less sure.
This subject is pressed upon us, because we not infrequently meet
some of our brethren in this unsettled state of mind, who, though
by no means colonizationists yet adopt the colonization motto,
and say they can not see how or when we are going to rise here.
Perhaps, if we looked only to the selfishness of man, and to him
as absolute, we should think so, too. But while we know that God
lives and governs, and always will; that He is just, and has
declared that righteousness shall prevail; and that one day with
Him is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; we
believe that, despite all corruption and caste, we shall yet be
elevated with the American people here.

"It appears to us most conclusive, that our destinies in this
country are for the better, not for the worse, in view of the
many schemes introduced to our notice for emigrating to other
countries having failed; thus teaching us that our rights, hopes,
and prospects, are in this country; and it is a waste of time and
of power to look for them under another government; and also,
that God, in His providence, is instructing us to remain at home,
where are all our interests and claims and to adopt proper
measures and pursue them, and we yet shall participate in all the
immunities and privileges the American nation holds out to her
citizens, and be happy. We are also strongly American in our
character and disposition.

"We believe, therefore, in view of all the facts, that it is our
duty and privilege to claim an equal place among the American
people; to identify ourselves with American interests, and to
exert all the power and influence we have, to break down all the
disabilities under which we labor, and thus look to become a
happy people in this extensive country."[11]

Ray rendered equally as valuable services to the Negroes as a promoter
of the Underground Railr