it, as it may appear in our columns, and we appeal through this publication to each and every one of them who claims the name of Christian, or philanthropist, or lover of the African race, to come to our aid with renewed vigor and diligence and enlarged beneficence, that we may together seek the salvation of the most wretch PART I. The question stated.-Proceedings of Missionary Boards and Colonial Governments.-Charges against the Government of American Colonies at an end.-Charges against the Modividuals,and mode of meeting them. ral Influence of the Colonists as In which cannot be touched by the objections which are sometimes made against colonization, that its bearing upon slavery in this country is bad. Even admitting this to be so, still shall we blot out the only hope of Africa, and delay the redemption of her miserable sons lest some incidental evils may be occasioned to a portion of her exiles in this country? No, we fear-ed and degraded portion of our earth lessly meet the objecting abolitionist the deliverance of a ruined contion this ground, and, ceasing to com-nent-the salvation of Africa. bat his opinions, we ask him to aid us in saving the millions of the race he loves so much, who are perishing in their own land. We shall ask his aid, too, even if (as he may say, though we believe it not,) the slave holder may take occasion through our good and benevolent work to tighten some"If the experiment, in its more what the chains of his slave. In one remote consequences, should ultiword, we think that Mr. Tracy's mately tend to the diffusion of simihistory places colonization in one lar blessings through those vast and unnumbered tribes yet obscure in single light, that is, as it influences primeval darkness, reclaim the rude Africa, in which none but a dark and wanderer from a life of wretchedness prejudiced mind, or a malicious heart to civilization and humanity, and can perceive it, to be aught else than convert the blind idolater from gross and abject superstitions to the holy one of the noblest and most benevo- charities; the sublime morality and lent works of the present or perhaps humanizing discipline of the gospel, the nation or the individual that shall any century. have taken the most conspicuous We, therefore, ask each of our read-lead in achieving the benevolent eners to procure the pamphlet for him- terprise, will have raised a monuself, if possible, and read, and weigh ment of that true and imperishable its facts, and then to give to this no- glory, founded in the moral approbable work all the co-operation which tion and gratitude of the human race, unapproachable to all but the elected such facts call for. But, lest any may instruments of divine beneficence." not be able to get the pamphlet, it is intended to publish part or the whole of it in successive numbers of the Repository. We earnestly invite at tention on the part of our readers to Such was the language addressed by the American Colonization Society to the Congress of the United States, in a memorial presented two weeks after the formation of the Society. To the hope which these words express, we are indebted for a large and valuable part of countenance and aid which we have received. For some years past, however, this hope has been pronounced a delusion. Men who strenuously contend that the colored people of this country are fit for social equality and intercourse with our white population, assert, not very consistently, that when settled in Africa, they corrupt the morals of the idolatrous natives, and actually impede the progress of civilization and Christianity. some time in 1842, in joint representation of their respective Boards, containing serious charges of the nature above mentioned.* It was reported, also, that this document was confidential; and that, for this reason, and especially as three Boards and their missionaries were interested in it, no one Board had a right to divulge its contents. As this was said to be the principal document on the subject, and to contain the substance of all the rest, the Secretary of the American Colonization Society, at an early date, applied to the SecreThese assertions have had the taries of those three Boards for a copy, greater influence, because they have or at least for a perusal of it; but the been thought to be corroborated by request was not granted. We do the representations of American mis- not charge this refusal upon the Sesionaries, laboring for the conver-cretaries as a fault, or even as a mission of the heathen in and around the colonial possessions. These missionaries, it is said, represent the colonies, or the colonists, or something connected with colonization, as serious obstacles to the success of their labors. In this way, some of our former friends have been led to disbelieve, and still greater numbers to doubt, the utility of our labors. The interests of the Society, therefore, and of the colony, and of Africa, and of Christianity, demand an investigation of the subject. It would be easier to meet these charges, if we could ascertain exactly what they are. But this has hitherto proved impracticable. Common fame has reported, that the missionaries of the American, the Presbyterian, and the Protestant Episcocal Boards at Cape Palmas, united, take. We only mention it as the occasion of a serious inconvenience to us. It has also been reported, that about the same time, a certain pastor received a letter from one of those missionaries, which was confidential in this sense-that it might be circulated from hand to hand, and used in various ways to our prejudice, but must not be printed nor copied. This report of its character, of course, precluded any application for a copy. Now, how can any man answer a report, that some or all of several very respectable persons three thousand miles off, have said something to his disadvantage? A man may be seriously injured by such a report; but in ordinary cases, he must bear the injury as best he may, and "live down" its influence if he can. In order to reply, he needs to know tlement of Liberia proper. Some of them had spent a few days at Monrovia as visiters; but for their knowledge of any settlement except Cape Palmas, they were almost wholly dependent on hearsay. Their representations concerning the other settlements, if they made any, are therefore of little value, and no official action has been founded on them. authentically who his accusers are, and what things they testify against him. Let us see, however, whether industry and a good cause may not extricate us, even from a difficulty like this. We may learn something of the grounds of complaint, from the proceedings of the Boards of Missions; and we may learn from common fame, what common fame has led people to suspect. From all that we have heard, the complaints appear to be of two classes; those which relate to the action of the colonial governments, and those which relate to the influence of the colonists as individuals. We will consider them in their order. ן Society, which is not a branch of the American, nor auxiliary to it, nor any way connected with it or under its in fluence. To bring a charge against our colony on account of the laws of Cape Palmas, is as unjust as it would be to blame the government of England for the laws of France. But this difficulty, too, has been settled. A few words will explain its origin and its termination. It was from the beginning, the policy of that colony, as of ours, not to exterminate or expel the natives, but to amalgamate them and the colonists into one people. The missions at Cape Palmas, however, were commenced as missions to the heathen natives, and not to the colonists. They therefore had a tendency to from that of the colonists; to keep the two classes separate, and make them rivals to each other, instead of uniting them as one people. In this respect, the policy of the missions was in direct conflict with that of the co Several years since, there was a controversy between the colonial go-raise up a native interest, distinct vernment of Liberia and the superintendent of the Methodist Mission there, growing out of a dispute concerning duties on goods, imported by the superintendent for the purpose of trade. But that whole matter was soon settled. Another superinten-lony; and this was the true source of dent was sent out; and since his death, the first has gone back, with express instructions to avoid his former errors. It is not known that the government of Liberia has ever had any other collision with any missionary, or missionary society. It appears from the report of the American Board for 1842, that the missionaries complained, and, as the Board thought, with reason, of several laws of the Maryland colony at Cape Palmas, where the mission was located. It has been understood, that the other Boards which had missions there, entertained substantially the same views of those laws. To this it is a sufficient reply, that we have nothing to do with Cape Palmas. The colony there is a distinct colony, with a government of its own. It was planted, and is sustained, by the Maryland Colonization the conflict of opinion and feeling. The case may be better understood, by viewing it in contrast with the Methodist mission in Liberia. That mission is not sent to the heathen exclusively, but to all the inhabitants of the territory on which they labor. Of course, all who come under its influence, colonist or natives, are drawn to the same religious meetings; all are gathered into the same churches; or, if children, brought into the same schools. The whole influence of the mission goes to make natives and colonists one people, and thus coincides with the policy of the colony. The contrary policy at Cape Palmas naturally led to alienation of feeling, and to acts of both the government and the missionaries, which were mutually unpleasant, and some of which appear to have been unjustifiable. The mission of the American Board was removed, for this and other reasons, to the Gaboon river; and that of the Presbyterian Board to Settra Kroo, in Liberia proper. That of the Episcopal Board was continued and strengthened, and has made peace by avoiding the original cause of dissension. The report of that board for the year 1844, says :-"The relations between the colonists and the missionaries at Cape Palmas during the past year appear to have been of a friendly character; and as the desire of the latter to promote, so far as in them lies, the moral and religious interests of the colonists, becomes more and more apparent, it is believed that no obstacles to the beneficial influence of the mission will be interposed." This is a very explicit statement, not only of the fact, that in the judgment of the Episcopal Board, no such "obstacles" now exist, or are expected to exist hereafter, but of the change which has led to their removal. At present, therefore, the government of Cape Palmas, as well as that of Liberia, stands unaccused and unsuspected of any hostile bearing upon the cause of missions. The charge against the influence of individual colonists is less easily ascertained, and therefore less easily met; but by a somewhat diligent inquiry, we believe that we know, very nearly, the substance of it. Ac nists are lazy and improvident; that some make hard bargains with the natives; that many of them feel no interest in the conversion or improvement of the native population; that they neglect the instruction of hired laborers from native families; that, by the practice of various immoralities, they bring reproach upon Christianity; and finally, that their children are more difficult to manage in school, than the children of the natives. Now, to a certain extent, all this is doubtless true. The world never saw, and probably never will see, a Christian community so pure, that such complaints against it would be wholly false. That professors of religion hinder the conversion of sinners, by not living as they ought, is a standing topic of remark at prayer meetings, all over New England; and who doubts that, in a certain sense, there is some truth in it? Much more may we expect it to be true among a people whose opportunities for improvement have been no better than the Liberians have enjoyed. We readily concede, that these complaints have too much foundation in facts. But who, that understands Africa, would, on this account, pronounce the colony a hindrance to the progress of Christian piety, morality and civilization? It cannot be, that those who make such objections, or those who yield to them, know what that part of the world was, before the influence of the colony was felt there. Let that be once understood, and the thought that a colony of free colored cording to our best information, it is not denied that a larger proportion of the colonists are communicants in Protestant churches, than in almost any other community in the world; nor is it pretended that Sabbathbreaking, profaneness, or intemper-people from this country could deance are very prevalent. It is said, however, that most of their religion is mere animal excitement; that many of the communicants are self-deceived, or hypocrites; that cases of church discipline for immorality are numerous; that many of the colo moralize the natives, or render the work of missions among them more difficult, will be effectually banished. Let us inquire, then, what Western Africa was, when first known to Europeans; what influences have since been operating there; what effects. those influences are known to have "cal character, their government, their produced; what was the character of the country when the colony was first planted; and what changes have resulted from its existence. social condition, their superstitions, manners, and morals; and the same influences have been at work among them all. In the middle portion, extending from Sierra Leone to Elmina, and including Liberia, this identity of original character and modifying influence is most complete, and illustrations taken from any part of it, are commonly applicable to the whole. The correctness of these remarks will be more manifest as we proceed. (To be continued.) In pursuing this inquiry, we must gather our facts from the whole coast of Upper Guinea, extending from the mouth of the Senegal to the Bight of Benin; for, with partial exceptions among the Muhammedan tribes near the Senegal, the people are substantially one; the same in their physi [From the Newark Daily Advertiser.] Seventh Annual Meeting of the New Jersey State Colonization Society. TRENTON, Nov. 18th, 1844. On Tuesday evening last, (the 12th,) the seventh annual meeting of the N. J. State Colonization Society, was held in this place at the Town Hall. Chief Justice Hornblower, the President of the society, took the chair, and after prayer by Rev. Mr. Hall, of Trenton, Joseph P. Bradley was appointed secretary pro tem. The minutes of the last meeting being disposed of, the President called on the board of managers for their report, which was presented and read. [The report will be given hereafter.] On motion of Wm. Halsted, Esq., seconded by Rev. Mr. Young, of Trenton, it was resolved that the report be adopted and published under the direction of the executive committee. Mr. Halsted followed his motion by an eloquent and happy address, adverting to the important step which had been taken, since the last meeting of the society, by Great Britain and the United States in the provision of the treaty of Washington, for the suppression of the slave trade. It is the glory and pride of Great Britain to have achieved for herself a name in the cause of liberty and emancipa- On motion of Rev. Mr. Hall, accompanied by some introductory remarks, seconded by Rev. Samuel Cornelius, it was resolved that this society recognizes the importance of adding to the territory of Liberia the entire line of coast from Cape Mount to Cape Palmas, and cordially approves the project of purchasing all the territory between these two points, and not as yet under the jurisdiction of the American Colonization Society. f t |