work out the ultimate and unbounded good of these people." Memorial of the New-York State Col. Soc. to the Legislature.

"If we were constrained to admire so uncommon a being" (a pious, highly cultivated, scientific negro), "our very admiration would be mingled with disgust, because in the physical organization of his frame we meet an insurmountable barrier even to approach to social intercourse, and in the Egyptian colour, which Nature has stamped on his features, a principle of repulsion so strong as to forbid the idea of a communion either of interest or of feeling as utterly abhorrent." Af. Rep. VII. p. 331.

We find from the foregoing extracts that the Board of Managers of the American Colonization Society officially declare that no human power can counteract the causes which prevent the elevation and improvement of the free black in this country; that not even the religion of Christ can in this land of light, of Bibles, and of temples, do for him what it can amid the darkness and paganism of Africa. And we find a powerful State Society recommending to the Legislature to do evil that good may come. Now if it be true, that the degradation of the free blacks is inevitable, and cannot even be removed by Christianity, then indeed, as the Society affirms, it is not the "fault" of the white man, and he, not being in fault, there is no reason why he should change his conduct towards them, or repeal those laws which Mr. Smith will not say are, under all circumstances, "too severe." Let us see what are these laws, which a most worthy Colonizationist, and a distinguished officer of the Society, intimates, are not too severe; and what are those causes of degradation which we are assured by the Board of Managers, are an ordination of Providence, and no more to be changed than the laws of Nature.

In South-Carolina, if a free negro entertains" a runaway slave, he forfeits ten pounds, and if unable to pay the fine, which must be the case ninety-nine times in a hundred, he is to be sold as a slave for life. In 1827 a free woman and her three children were thus sold, for harbouring two slave children.

In Mississippi every negro or mulatto, not being able to

prove himself free, may be sold as a slave. Should the certificate of his manumission, or the evidence of his parent's freedom, be lost or stolen, he is reduced to hopeless bondage. This provision extends to most of the slave States, and is in full operation in the district of Columbia.

In South-Carolina, any assembly of free negroes, even in the presence of white persons, "in a confined or secret place for the purpose of mental instruction," is an unlawful assembly, and may be dispersed by a magistrate, who is authorized to inflict twenty lashes on each free negro attending the meeting.

In the city of Savannah, any person who teaches a free negro to read or write incurs a penalty of thirty dollars. Of course a father may not instruct his own children.

In

In Maryland, a Justice of the Peace may order a free negro's ears to be cut off for striking a white man. Kentucky, for the same offence, he is to receive thirty lashes, "well laid on." The law of Louisiana declares "free people of colour ought never to insult or strike white people, nor presume to conceive themselves equal to the whites; but, on the contrary, they ought to yield to them on every occasion, and never speak or answer them but with respect, under the penalty of imprisonment according to the nature of the case."

The corporation of Georgetown, in the district of Columbia, passed an ordinance making it penal for any free negro to receive from the post-office, have in his possession, or circulate any publication or writing whatsoever of a seditious character.

In North-Carolina, the law prohibits a free coloured man, whatever may be his attainments or ecclesiastical authority, to preach the Gospel.

İn Georgia, a white man is liable to a fine of five hundred dollars for teaching a free negro to read or write. If one free negro teach another, he is to be fined and whipped at the discretion of the court! Should a free negro presume to preach to, or exhort his companions, he may be seized without warrant, and whipped thirty-nine lashes, and the same number of lashes may be applied to each one of his congregation.

In Virginia, should free negroes or their children assemble

at a school to learn reading and writing, any Justice of the Peace may dismiss the school with twenty stripes on the back of each pupil.

In some States, free negroes may not assemble together for any purpose, to a greater number than seven. In NorthCarolina, free negroes may not trade, buy, or sell, out of the cities or towns in which they reside, under the penalty of forfeiting their goods, and receiving in lieu thereof thirty-nine lashes.

The laws of Ohio against the free blacks are peculiarly detestable, because not originating from the fears and prejudices of slave holders. Not only are the blacks excluded in that State from the benefit of public schools, but with a refinement of cruelty unparalleled, they are doomed to idleness and poverty, by a law which renders a white man, who employs a coloured one to labour for him one hour, liable for his support through life!

By a late law of Maryland, a free negro coming into the State, is liable to a fine of fifty dollars for every week he remains in it. If he cannot pay the fine he is SOLD.

In Louisiana, the penalty for instructing a free black in a Sunday School, is, for the first offence, five hundred dollars; for the second offence, DEATH!

Such, in a greater or less degree, is the situation of three hundred thousand of our fellow-citizens; and the only com-fort, the only consolation, the only mitigation of their sufferings, which a Society, said to be "full of benevolence and the hallowed impulses of Heaven's own mercy," proposes, or even wishes for them, is their transportation to Africa!

Is this a harsh assertion? Let us attend to the proofs that THE SOCIETY DISCOURAGES ALL ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE FREE BLACKS.

We have already seen, that the managers of the American Colonization Society officially declare, that, in their opinion, no human power can remove the causes which prevent the improvement and elevation of the free negroes to any considerable extent in this country; and that the New-York Society, in addressing the Legislature, express their desire, that the provisions in the constitution and statute-book of

that State relative to the blacks, may "stand in all their rigour." The provision in the constitution here alluded to, is that recent one, which virtually deprived the blacks of the right of suffrage which the fathers of the Revolution had given them, by requiring a freehold qualification. In the Convention by which the new constitution was formed, many of the most distinguished citizens and able lawyers, including Rufus King and Chancellor Kent, had protested against this proscription as unjust and anti-republican; but the Colonization Society are free from scruples of this sort in relation to men with black skins, and they declare to the Legislature, without whose consent this provision in the constitution cannot be changed, that they wish it to stand in all its rigour. But not contented with giving their sanction to past acts of injustice, the Society use their influence with the Legislature to prevent its benevolent operation in future. Their Memorial proceeds: "Persuaded that their condition here is not susceptible of a radical and permanent improvement, we would deprecate any legislation that should encourage the vain and injurious hope of it."

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The Connecticut Colonization Society, in their address already quoted, denies that even religion itself" can subdue the prejudices existing against these people. The same address authoritatively decides, that the free blacks constitute a class by themselves, a class out of which no individual can be elevated."

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The Kentucky State Colonization Society, in their official address, say, "It is against this increase of coloured persons, who take but a nominal freedom, and cannot rise from their degraded condition, that this Society attempts to provide." Af. Rep. VI. 82.

"The people of colour must in this country remain for ages, probably for ever, a separate and distinct caste, weighed down by causes powerful, universal, invincible, which neither legislation NOR CHRISTIANITY can remove.' Af. Rep., Edit. Art., VII. 196.

"We have endeavoured, but in vain, to restore them (the free negroes) either to self-respect or to the respect of others. It is not our fault that we have failed. It is not theirs. It has resulted from a cause over which neither we nor they

can ever have control." Speech of Rev. Dr. Nott before NewYork Col. Soc.

This last extract claims attention from the extraordinary assertions it contains, and from the high character of the author. No explanations are given of the vain endeavours which have been made to restore the blacks either to selfrespect or to the respect of others. When, where, by whom, and how were these efforts made? Dr. Nott is addressing the State Society, and speaks in the plural number. We confess we see nothing like such efforts in the Memorial of that Society to the Legislature. It is moreover to be recollected, that the American Society, in its address to its auxiliaries, warns them against such efforts. "The moral, intellectual, and political improvement of people of colour within the United States, are objects foreign to the powers of this Society." Address of the Am. Col. Soc. to its auxiliaries. Af. Rep. VII. 291.

Let us see also what two religious colonization papers say on this subject.

"If the free people of colour were generally taught to read, it might be an inducement to them to remain in this country; we would offer them no such inducements." Southern Religious Telegraph, February 19, 1831.

"It must appear evident to all, that every endeavour to divert the attention of the community, or even a portion of the means which the present crisis so imperatively calls for, from the Colonization Society, to measures calculated to bind the coloured population to this country, and seeking to raise them to a level with the whites, whether by founding colleges, or in any other way, tends directly in the proportion that it succeeds, to counteract and thwart the whole plan of Colonization." New-Haven Religious Intelligencer, July, 1831.

We perceive from these extracts, that the improvement of the free blacks is represented by Colonizationists as impossible, and of course it is folly to attempt what is impracticable. The very attempt, moreover, is calculated to counteract and thwart the whole plan of Colonization, as far as it succeeds. But this is not all. Some might think the obligations of Christianity required us to instruct the ignorant, and to succour the oppressed. To remove this