Palladium Of Virginia And The Pacific Monitor

The Greenbrier Auxiliary
Colonization Society,
Held its first Annual Meeting on
Monday the 3rd of October, at the
Court House.

On motion, the Officers of the Society
were continued for the ensuing year.

The following gentlemen, J. F.
Caldwell, J. B. Calwell, North and
Henry, were appointed as a Committee
to draft an address for publication, explaining
the nature, the objects, and
present situation, and progress of the
American Colonization Society.

Then the Society adjourned.

The following is the Address of the
Committee:

To the Public.

It is now generally known, that a
few years ago, a number of gentlemen
associated together under the name of
the "American Colonization Society,"
having for their object the establishment
of a "Colony of Free Coloured
People" from the United States, on
the coast of Africa. The principal
actors in, and prime movers of the
project, were strongly persuaded, that
the Society and Colony would be the
medium of directing the public mind
to, one of the greatest political curses
that ever afflicted a nation, and afford
the means by which this unfortunate,
degraded and miserable portion of
our population, might be gradually
drawn off, from the body which it now
sickens and endangers, to a state better
suited to it, by climate, nature, interest
and desire. How far their philanthropic
endeavours have been accomplished,
and wishes realized, let
facts answer the question, as they are
the best reasoners, and demonstrate to
the most common mind, the practicability
of theories that might, without
their concurrence, be subject to suspicion
as chimerical or illusory.

Since the establishment of a Colony
on the coast of Africa, at a place now
called Liberia, the "Slave Trade,"
which was then, (and still is, in other
quarters.) carried on to a surprising
extent, has been stopped in that quarter,
by the Colonists who have established
a fort at the mouth of the river
Messurado, by which the Trader had
formerly introduced himself several
hundred miles into the interior of the
country, to the native Princes whom
he instigated to make war with each
other to take prisoners: and in exchange
for whom, they would give
spirits, toys, &c. It was supposed
by our government that not less than
10,000 Slaves were thus procured,
sold and carried away, the last year
preceeding the settling of the first Colonist:
but this it is hoped, will be the
case no longer, as this Colony effectually
protects the coast and particularly
the mouth of the river, which heretofore
afforded the channel of introduction,
&c. But the consequences in the beginning
was near jeopardizing the Colony;
for the Slave selling Princes
having been so long habituated to this
traffic for a miserable maintenance, had
recourse to arms to repel the cause of
the destruction of this trade--the Colonists
had to contend against their attacks
for their existence-the natives
were repelled with loss--astonished
at the prowess and skill of the American
coloured emigrants, they sued for
peace-it was granted them; and they
were persuaded to turn their attention
to the cultivation of the earth, which
they had neglected ever since the commencement
of that European and
American disgrace--the Slave Trade:
and they now are actively engaged in
agriculture. And from this source
alone, has the cost of transportation
for an individual been reduced from 78
to 10 dollars: for when the first emigrants
landed at Liberia, the vessels
which conveyed them there, had to
return without cargoes; but now they
return richly laden with cotton, coffee
rice, coconut and elephant's teeth.
These articles are native productions of
that country, and can be cultivated
and procured in vast quantities

But is the final stop of the 'Slave
Trade,' and the wars of the natives to
be the only good, this Colony can effect?
If we should stop here, the half
of the benefits arising from it would
not be enumerated, and among some
of the remainder are: A number of
'Free persons of colour' have left this
country and have become residents of
the Colony; and a great number will
do so when they are convinced of the
advantages which it offers them. They
can there set down under their vine
and fig tree, with a government administered
by themselves; which they
cannot do here, however free they may
be, as their complexion will forever,
constitute an insuperable difficulty to
their overcoming the degradation that
now rest upon them, and makes them
aliens in our country. Many persons
here have lately emancipated their
Slaves and sent them to Liberia: and
many more have declared that as soon
as the Colony becomes sufficiently
strong to protect itself, they will do so
likewise Our State Legislature with
a liberal hand has assisted, and will
again assist in supporting it; and several
other State Legislatures have turned
their attention to the propriety of
doing so. And even the General
Government has consented to aid it.
by sending small vessels of war to
protect it. And our most distinguished
men have come out in giving their
sanction to its policy; and among them
we find the names of Chief Justice
Marshall, ex-presidents Madison, Monroe
and Jefferson. And what man,
after mature reflection would condemn
it? There are none that do it; there are
few but what applaud it.

And can a work in which a Madison,
a Marshall and a Jefferson assists
in be futile? Can a scheme which so
many good, great and wise men recommend
fail? We think not, but futurity
must answer the question.