slumbers of the guilty. Colonizationists gather a few leaves which the tree has cast off, and vaunt of the deed: abolitionists lay the axe at once to its roots, and put their united nerve into the steel '- -nor shall their strokes be in vain-for soon shall 'this great poison-tree of lust and blood, and of all abominable and heartless iniquity, fall before them; and law and love, and God and man, shout victory over its ruin.'

Has the reader duly considered the fatal admissions of the advocates of the colonization scheme, presented in the preceding pages ? Some of them it may be serviceable to the cause of truth and justice to recapitulate.

1. The Society does not aim directly at the instruction of the blacks: their moral, intellectual and political improvement within the United States, is foreign to its powers.

2. The public safety forbids either the emancipation or the general instruction of the slaves.

3. The Society properly enough stands aloof from the question of slavery.

4. It is ready to pass censure upon abolition societies.

5. It involves no intrusion on property, nor even upon prejudice.

6. It has no wish, if it could, to interfere in the smallest degree with the system of slavery.

7. It acknowledges the necessity by which the present continuance of the system and the rigorous provisions for its maintenance are justified.

It denies the design of attempting emancipation either partial or general: into its accounts the subject of emancipation does not enter at all: it has no intention to open the door to universal liberty.

9. The rights of masters are to remain sacred in the eyes of the Society.

10. It condemns no man because he is a slaveholder. Each of these particulars deserves a volume of comments, but I am compelled to dismiss them in rotation with a single remark. 1. One reason assigned by the Society for refusing to promote the education of our colored population, is, a dread of exciting the prejudices and terrors of the slaveholding States'! Is it credible? As far, then, as this Society extends its influ

6

[PART I.]

8

ence, more than two millions of ignorant, degraded beings in this boasted land of liberty and light have nothing to hope : their moral, intellectual and political. improvement is foreign to its powers! Cruel neglect! barbarous coalition! A sinful fear of rousing the prejudices of oppressors outweighs the claims of the contemned blacks, the requirements of the gospel, the dictates of humanity, and the convictions of duty. Will this plea avail aught at the bar of God? Millions of our countrymen purposely kept in darkness, although we are able to pour daylight upon their vision, merely to gratify and protect their buyers and sellers!

2. There never was a more abominable or more absurd heresy propagated, than the assumption that the public safety would be jeoparded by an immediate compliance with the demands of justice: yet it has obtained among all orders of society. Even ministers of the gospel, who are bound to cry aloud, and spare not, to lift up their voices like a trumpet, and show this guilty nation its sins,-to say to the holders of slaves, 'Loose the bands of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke,'—even they fly to this subterfuge, and deprecate a general emancipation. On this subject, they know not what they do ;' they reason like madmen or atheists; they advance sentiments which unhinge the moral government of the universe, and directly encourage the commission of the most heinous crimes. How long would any one of their number retain his situation, if he were to preach in explicit terms to his congregation as follows? My dear hearers, if any among you are daily oppressing the weak, or defrauding the poor, do not cease from your robbery and cruelty at once, as you value your own happiness and the welfare of society! Relax your tyrannous grasp gradually from the throat of your neighbor, and steal not quite so much from him this year as you did the last!'-But they emphatically hold this language whenever they advise slaveholders not to repent en masse, or too hastily. The public safety, they say, forbids emancipation! or, in other words, the public safety depends upon your persistance in cheating, whipping, starving, debasing your slaves! Nay, more-many of them, horrible to tell, are traffickers in human flesh! For this thing which it cannot bear, the earth is

disquieted. The gospel of peace and mercy preached by him who steals, buys and sells the purchase of Messiah's blood!rulers of the church making merchandize of their brethren's souls! —and Christians trading the persons of men !'*

3. The system of slavery is full of danger, outrage, desolation and death-' a volcano in full operation'-a monster that is annually supplied with sixty thousand new victims, devoured as soon as born-and yet the Colonization Society 'properly enough stands aloof' from it!! It utters no lamentationsmakes no supplications-gives no rebukes-presents no motives for repentance!

4. The Society is not only ready to pass, but it is constantly bestowing its censure upon abolition societies. It represents their members as guided by a visionary, wild and fanatical spirit, as invaders of rights which are sacred, incendiaries, disturbers of the peace of society, and enemies to the safety and happiness of the planters. Determining itself to avoid the question of emancipation-to leave millions of human beings. to pine in bondage without exposing the guilt of the oppressors -it endeavors to prevent any other association agitating the subject. Hence between colonization and abolition societies there is no affinity of feeling or action; and hence arises the

*

*

* 'If the most guilty and daring transgressor be sought, he is a Gospel Minister, who solemnly avows his belief of the Presbyterian Confession of Faith, or the Methodist Discipline, and notwithstanding himself is a Negro Pedler, who steals, buys, sells, and keeps his brethren in slavery, or supports by his taciturnity, or his smooth prophesying, or his direct defence, the Christian professor who unites in the kidnapping trade. Truth forces the declaration, that every church officer, or member, who is a slaveholder, records himself, by his own creed, a hypocrite!' To pray and kidnap! to commune and rob men's all ! to preach justice, and steal the laborer with his recompense! to recommend mercy to others, and exhibit cruelty in our own conduct! to explain religious duties, and ever impede the performance of them! to propound the example of Christ and his Apostles, and declare that a slaveholder imitates them! to enjoin an observance of the Lord's day, and drive the slaves from the temple of God! to inculcate every social affection, and instantly exterminate them! to expatiate upon bliss eternal, and preclude sinners from obtaining it! to unfold the woes of Tophet, and not drag men from its fire! are the most preposterous delusion, and the most consummate mockery.' * The Church of God groans. It is the utmost Satanic delusion to talk of religion and slavery. Be not deceived: to affirm that a slaveholder is a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ, is most intelligible contradiction. A brother of Him who went about doing good, and steal, enslave, torment, starve and scourge a man because his skin is of a different tinge! Such Christianity is the Devil's manufacture to delude souls to the regions of wo.'-REV. GEORGE BOURNE.

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cause, inexplicable to many, why they cannot pursue their objects amicably together.

5. The attempt of the Society to conciliate the holders of slaves must result either in disappointment, or in an abandonment of the path of duty. If they are guilty of robbery and oppression, they must be arraigned as criminals, or they never will reform for why should honest, benevolent men change their conduct? If, through a false delicacy of feeling or cringing policy, their wickedness be covered up, alas for the slaves, and alas for the regeneration of the south! all hope is lost.

6. The Society has no wish, if it could, to interfere with the system of slavery! Monstrous indifference, or barbarous cruelty! And yet it presumes to occupy the whole ground of the controversy, and to direct the actions of the friends of the blacks throughout the land! By the phrase 'interfere,' is meant no desire to contest the claims of the planters to their bondmen, or to kindle the indignation of the people against their atrocious practices.

7. It appears that all those terrible enactments which have been made for the government of the slaves-such, for example, as forbid their learning to read under the penalty of stripes, and even death-are acknowledged by the Society to be necessary for the maintenance of order! What a concession!

8. Sometimes we are told that the Society is aiming at the liberation of all the slaves, and then that it has no design of attempting either partial or general emancipation so contradictory are its assurances! It is manifest that it does not mean to touch the question of slavery; and hence the imperious necessity of forming abolition societies.

9. The rights of masters are to remain sacred in the eyes of the Society! What rights? Those by which the intelligent creatures of God are bought and sold and used like cattle ? those which are founded upon piracy, cruelty and outrage ?* Yes! This, then, is an abandonment of the ground of right and justice, and ends the controversy between truth and error.

*We are told not to meddle with vested rights: I have a sacred feeling about vested rights; but when vested rights become vested wrongs, I am less serupulous about them.'-Speech of Rev. Mr. Burnett, of England.

10. It condemns no man because he is a slaveholder! Certainly, then, it allows that slaveholders are upright men—not guilty of fraud-not oppressors-not extortioners! and that the slaves are truly and justly their property-not entitled to freedom-not better than cattle-not conscious of evil treatment— not worthy of remuneration for their toil-not rational and accountable beings!

SECTION II.

THE AMERICAN

COLONIZATION SOCIETY APOLOGISES FOR SLAVERY AND SLAVEHOLDERS.

My charges against the American Colonization Society acquire breadth and solemnity as I progress in my task. I have fairly and abundantly sustained my first,—that the Society is not the enemy of the slave-system; and I now proceed to prove my second, that it apologises for slavery and slaveholders.

There is a golden mean, which all who would pursue the solid interest and reputation of their country may discern at the very heart of their confederation, and will both advocate and enforce-a principle, of justice, conciliation and humanity-a principle, sir, which is not inconsistent with itself, and yet can sigh over the degradation of the slave, defend the wisdom and prudence of the South against the charge of studied and pertinacious cruelty,' &c.[Address of Robert F. Stockton, Esq. at the Eighth Annual Meeting of the Parent Society.]

It is a fact, given us on the most unquestionable authority, that there are now in the southern States of our union, hundreds, and even thousands of proprietors, who would gladly give liberty to their slaves, but are deterred by the apprehension of doing injury to their country, and perhaps to the slaves themselves.'-[Discourse by the Rev. Dr. Dana.-African Repository, vol. i. p. 145.]

Guarding that system, the existence of which, though unfortunate, THEY DEEM NECESSARY.'-[African Repository, vol. i. p. 227.]

'We all know from a variety of considerations which it is unnecessary to name, and in consequence of the policy which is obliged to be pursued in the southern States, that it is extremely difficult to free a slave, and hence the enactment of those laws which a fatal necessity seems to demand.'-[African Repository, vol. ii. p. 12.]

They are convinced, that there are now hundreds of masters who are so only from necessity.'-[Memorial of the Society to the several States.-A. R. vol. ii. p. 60.]