They are a mildew upon our fields, a scourge to our backs, and a stain upon our escutcheon." Memorial of Kentucky Col. Soc. to Congress.

"I will look no farther when I seek for the most degraded, the most abandoned race on the earth, but rest my eye on this people." Address before the Lynchburgh Col.

Soc.

"There is a class (free blacks) among us, introduced by violence, notoriously ignorant, degraded and miserable, mentally diseased, broken spirited, acted upon by no motives to honorable exertions, scarcely reached in their debasement by the heavenly light." Editorial Article, Afr. Rep. I. 68.

We may here remark, that the tone of these extracts is very different from that used when the speaker desires to excite sympathy for the wretched. We are told that these people are vicious and debased, but no hint is given that their vice and debasement are the result of sinful prejudices and cruel laws.-No appeal is made to the spirit of Christianity to pour oil and wine into the wound of suffering humanity. We are not reminded that these wretches are our brethren for whom Christ died. Nothing is omitted to impress us with a sense of the depth of the misery into which they are plunged; but for what object are these frightful pictures presented to us? Is it to urge us to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to instruct the ignorant, and to reform the wieked! No, but to transport them to Africa!

To an unsophisticated Christian it would seem that the true way of relieving the wretchedness and vice of these people would be, first to protest against their unrighteous oppression, and to procure the repeal of those laws which forbid their instruction; and then to make them partakers of the blessings of education and religion. But far from the Colonization Society are all such old fashioned ways of doing good. Instead of protesting against the causes of all this misery, THE SOCIETY EXCUSES AND JUSTIFIES THE OPPRESSION OF THE FREE NEGROES, AND THE PREJUDICES AGAINST THEM.

"SEVERE NECESSITY places them (free negroes) in a class of degraded beings." Address of Mr. Rives to Lynchburgh Col. Soc. Afr. Rep. V. 238.

"The severe legislation, I will not say that under all circumstances it is too severe, the severe legislation of the slave States which drives their emancipated blacks to the free States, and scatters the NUISANCE there, attests that we have a share in this evil." Speech of G. Smith, Esq. Vice President. 14th Report, p. xiii.

"This law," (a law by which a manumitted negro becomes again a slave if he remains twelve months in the state) "odious and unjust as it may at first view appear, and hard as it may seem to bear upon the liberated negro, was doubtless dictated by sound policy, and its repeal would be regarded by none with more unfeigned regret than by the friends of African colonization. It has restrained many masters from giving freedom to their slaves, and has thereby contributed to check the growth of an evil already too great and formidable." Memorial from Powhattan Col. Soc. to Virginia Legislature.

"I am clear that whether we consider it with reference to the welfare of the state, or the happiness of the blacks, it were better to have left them in CHAINS, than to have liberated them to receive such freedom as they enjoy, and greater freedom we cannot, must not allow them.' Af. Rep. III. 197.

"The habits, the feelings, all the prejudices of society -prejudices which neither refinement, nor argument, nor education, NOR RELIGION ITSELF CAN subdue, mark the people of color, whether bond or free, as the subjects of a degradation inevitable and incurable." Address of the

Connecticut Col. Soc.

"The managers consider it clear that causes exist and are now operating to prevent their improvement and elevation to any considerable extent as a class in this country, which are fixed not only beyond the control of the friends of humanity, but of any human power: CHRISTIANITY cannot do for them here what it will do for them in Africa. This is not the fault of the colored man, nor of the white man, but AN ORDINATION OF PROVIDENCE, and no more to be changed than the laws of nature." 15th Report, p. 47. "We do not ask that the provisions of our Constitution and statute book should be so modified as to relieve and exalt the condition of the colored people whilst they remain

with us. Let these provisions stand in ALL THEIR RIGOR to 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 color 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 some of the States, if a free man of color is accused of crime, he is denied the benefit of those forms of trial which the Common Law has established for the protection of innocence. Thus, in South Carolina, it is thought quite unnecessary to give a Grand and Petit Jury the trouble of inquiring into his case: he can be hung without so much ceremony. But who is a colored man? We answer, the

DER

"" of

fairest man in Carolina, if it can be proved that a drop of negro blood flowed in the veins of his mother. The following extract from a late Charleston paper gives us a curious instance of the administration of criminal justice in a Christian country in the 19th Century. "TRIAL FOR MUR-William Tann, a free colored man, was tried on Friday last at John's Island, for the murder of Moses, the slave of Jos. D. Jenkins, Esq. of that place. The Court consisted of William H. Inglesby and Alexander H. Brown, Esqrs. Judicial Magistrates" (Justices of the Peace) this City, together with five freeholders-The murder was committed at John's Island on the 4th July, 1832, Tann shooting down Moses with a musket loaded with buckshot. Tann was at that time overseer of a Mr. Murray, and from the fairness of his complexion was thought to be and passed for a WHITE MAN. He was accordingly bound over to answer for this offence to the COURT OF SESSIONS, but it having been decided on an issue ordered and tried at Walterborough, for the purpose of ascertaining his caste, that he was of MIXED BLOOD, he was turned over by the Court, to the jurisdiction of Magistrates, and Freeholders— -the Court found him guilty, and sentenced him to be hung on Friday the 24th April next," 1835.-Charleston Courier.

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 color 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 colored man, whatever may be his attainments or ecclesiastical authority, to preach the gospel.

In 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 North Carolina, 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 thirtynine lashes.

The laws of Ohio against the free blacks are peculiarly detestable, because not originating from the fears and pre