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informations or personal knowledge upon which your lordship has characterized a great part of the clergy in Virginia, may afford you equal concern with my character of them. I dare avow a more noble spirit than to catch at it with a malignant satisfaction as a confirmation of mine: and therefore I humbly request, nay, demand, as a piece of justice, that your lordship would not look on my remark on it as the language of such a disposition. I only remind you of it for my own defence, and it shall never be officiously propagated by me. If, as your lordship observes, of those that come from England,' (and the most of them come from thence), a great part are of the Scotch or Irish, who can get no employment at home, and enter into service more out of necessity than choice;' if 'others go abroad to retreive either lost fortunes, or lost characters;' how can it be expected, my lord, that persons who enter into holy orders, or come to Virginia, from such sordid views as these, should deserve a better character than I gave of them, to the Dr. more than I have now given your lordship? But I forbear, your lordship will forgive the inaccuracies of this postscript, as I have written it in unavoidable haste."

ART. II. A concise History of the Commencement, Progress, and Present Condition of the American Colonies, in Liberia. By Samuel Wilkinson. Washington, Madisonian Office. 1839. pp. 88.

THE subject of African Colonization was at first considered by many a scheme so impracticable and visionary, that they gave it no serious attention. But now, when the practicability of the thing is no longer a problem, but a matter of fact, the subject begins to assume an importance in the eyes of all; and as the scheme advances, both friends and enemies became more animated; the former in its support and advancement, the latter in virulent hostility, viewing it as conceived and prosecuted with the design of perpetuating slavery where it exists, and rendering the slaves more profitable by a removal of all free persons of colour from among them. Now it is reasonable to believe, that different persons may have had different means and motives, in promoting this enterprise.

Some of these may be purer and nobler than others: this is the undisputed fact in regard to most things in which men engage. Even the profession of the Christian religion, and zeal for its support, proceed from different motives in different persons. Every undertaking or institution should be judged of, not by the motives of some who may engage in its prosecution, but by its own merits. The scheme for colonizing the western coast of Africa, by the free people of colour, was commenced in Great Britain, by men whom none will suspect of a design to perpetuate slavery. They were the very men whose zeal in seeking the abolition of the slave trade had inclined them to devote their lives, their influence and their talents to this one object. Before colonization was thought of in the United States, the colony of Sierra Leone was firmly established and in a flourishing condition. And before any society was formed in America for this object, the business of conveying free coloured persons to Africa was commenced by a single individual, himself a coloured man of New England. As early as the year 1815, Paul Cuffee, whose name will be indelible in the annals of the free republic rising now in Africa, carried out emigrants from New England to the colony of Sierra Leone. This remarkable man was born at New Bedford, Mass., in 1759. He was descended from the two races of people who have been so deeply injured by Europeans and their American descendants; for while his father was an African, his mother was one of the aboriginal tribes of this country. His early years were spent in poverty and obscurity, but possessing a religious mind, by industry and perseverance, guided by practical good sense, he rose to wealth and respectability. He was largely engaged in navigation, and in many voyages to foreign countries commanded his own vessel. His desire to raise his coloured brethren of this country to civil and religious liberty, in the land of their forefathers, induced him to offer some of the free people of colour a passage to the western coast of Africa. About forty embarked with him at Boston, and landed at Sierra Leone, where they were kindly received.

Only eight of these were able to pay their passage; the whole of the expense of the remainder amounted to a sum a little less than four thousand dollars. Here was an example of philanthropy which has never been exceeded in this or any other country. Here was a single coloured man, born in obscurity and poverty, who undertook, without aid or encouragement from any society, or as far as appears, from any

individual, to transport thirty-two persons to the western coast of Africa, at his own expense! And this was but the commencement of a colonization enterprise, which he would have prosecuted to a far greater extent, had not his life been cut short. His death occurred the following year, in which year the secret resolution was passed in the Virginia legislature requesting Mr. Jefferson, to endeavour to obtain, through the general government, a territory on the coast of Africa or elsewhere, for the colonization of the free negroes of Virginia. In the close of this year the Rev. Dr. Finley went to Washington, and by the aid of several friends, who entered warmly into his views, instituted "The American Colonization Society," which dates from December, 1816. It appears then that the scheme of colonizing the free people of colour did not originate among the slave holders in the south, as ex-president Adams has published to the world to be the fact, but was commenced in his own state by a man who deserves to be as much honoured for his noble, elevated and disinterested views as any man, to whom the Bay State ever gave birth. Yes; posterity shall know that Paul Cuffee is of right the father of the noble scheme of American colonization: and we verily believe, that the name of this humble but nobleminded man, will stand out in bold relief in the history of colonization, when many other names, once celebrated, shall be covered with the rust of oblivion.

And it will be here proper to remark, that we have good reason for believing, that it was the noble and disinterested enterprise of Paul Cuffee, which suggested to the Rev. Dr. Finley of Baskingridge, New Jersey, the idea of forming a society for colonizing the free people of colour; and not any knowledge which he had obtained of the secret resolution of the Virginia legislature. For besides, that this was secret and had not transpired, so as to come to his ears, before he had his mind occupied with this object, it was by no means probable that he should feel disposed to interfere with a plan devised by the legislature of a large slave holding state which was yet in its infancy. We feel that we have a right to speak of the views and motives of Dr. Finley, in relation to this matter; as during the time that he was engaged in meditating this benevolent scheme, we were in habits of intimate intercourse with him, and have heard him repeatedly expound his accurate views of the benefits to be derived from the successful prosecution of this enterprise; and although many of his friends were of opinion that he was en

thusiastic, and that his projected plan never could be realized; yet they were and are now unanimous in believing, that his motives were of the purest and noblest kind. Few men have possessed the confidence of all their friends in a higher degree than Dr. Finley. Possessing good talents, and having received a finished education, he entered the sacred ministry, and became one of the most powerful and successful preachers that we have known. He was also an eminent instructer of youth; for when he settled as a pastor, finding that a good classical school was needed in Baskingridge, he engaged in the enterprise of erecting an academy, which he superintended for many years with unrivalled skill and success. Many of his pupils, are among the first men of the country for solid learning and well disciplined minds. Among these it will not be considered invidious to mention a Frelinghuysen, a Southard, and a Lindsly. We recollect to have heard Dr. Finley speak in the warmest terms of admiration, of the benevolent enterprise of Paul Cuffee, but never heard him mention the secret resolution of the Virginia legislature, which was a thing then utterly unknown to us, though in frequent correspondence with many persons residing in Virginia. We conclude then, that the true father of American colonization was Paul Cuffee; and the proper founder of the American Colonization Society, was the Rev. Robert Finley, D.D. After the gentleman last named had conversed freely and fully with his brethren and friends, respecting this project, which had taken complete possession of his mind, he appointed a public meeting in this place, which was held in the Presbyterian church, at which some of us attended, and assisted him in explaining to the people who had assembled, the benefits which might be expected from the success of such a plan. Among those who attended, we well remember that there were a number of respectable and intelligent Quakers, of the neighbourhood. The benefits expected from this scheme were, first, the melioration of the condition of the free people of colour, by removing them from a country in which they could never rise to respectability, or equality with the whites, to the country of their forefathers, where, by the blessing of a kind providence, they might enjoy all the privileges of freemen; and where they would be no longer pressed down by feelings and prejudices, from the effect of which they cannot escape while they remain in this country. The second benefit expected from this plan of colonization, by its founder, related to Africa.

It was confidently expected by him, that the successful establishment of a colony on the western coast of Africa, would be the means of introducing the gospel, and, consequently, eivilization into that dark continent. It was also believed that colonies along the coast would have a salutary effect, as far as they should acquire strength, in checking the nefarious traffic in slaves along the whole extent of the western coast of Africa. As to slavery, it was the deliberate purpose of Dr. Finley not to meddle with the subject, nor to have it in any measure implicated with the plan of colonization, which related solely to the free people of colour. No doubt, he foresaw that one effect would follow the success of this enterprise as it relates to slavery; namely, that such persons as were prevented from manumitting their slaves, only by the want of a place to which they could send them, would be able, when this plan was carried into operation, to accomplish their wishes, or to relieve their consciences. It was well known that many slave-holders were in this situation, and they have evinced the sincerity of their professions by availing themselves of the opportunity which this society has offered of emancipating their slaves and sending them to Liberia. Still the American Colonization Society has nothing to do with slavery; for it cannot recognise any persons as properly within the constitutional sphere of its operation, until they are free. Yet it is true, and we do not wish to conceal it, that many of the friends of the society greatly rejoice in this collateral effect of the institution. And who can possibly find fault with the society on this account? Who is there, that would wish to prevent those who, from principles of benevolence, or from conscientious motives, wish to liberate their own slaves, from having an opportunity of doing so in a way satisfactory to their own minds? As to any other effect which the institution of this society would have on slavery, such as has been ascribed to its organization, it certainly never entered into the benevolent mind of Dr. Finley. He had no desire to see slavery perpetuated in this, or any other country. With all enlightened patriots and politicians, he lamented it as an evil, for the removal of which Providence had not yet opened any safe way.

It is true, that at the meeting of a number of distinguished men in Washington, to form this society, there were some things said by some of the distinguished speakers, of which a great advantage has been taken by the assailants of the so