FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR Colonizing the Free People of Colour OF THE UNITED STATES. WITH AN APPENDIX. WASHINGTON: ........ 1832. PRINTED BY JAMES C. DUNN, GEORGETOWN, D. C. PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY, AT THEIR FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. The Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the American Colonization Society was held on Monday evening, the 16th of January, in the Hall of the House of Representatives of the United States. At the hour appointed, (half past 6 o'clock) the Hall was filled to overflowing with an assembly comprising many of the Officers of Government, Members of both Houses of Congress, distinguished strangers and citizens, among whom were seen a large number of the fair Ladies of our Metropolis. Many were compelled to retire, being unable to obtain admission. The Hon. CHARLES FENTON MERCER, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society, took the Chair. The Rev. Dr. LAURIE, after the organization of the Meeting, addressed the Throne of Grace. The following Gentlemen gave in their names as Delegates to the Meeting: From the Aux. Col. Society of Canfield, Trumbull county, Ohio. Hon. ELISHA WHITTLESEY. From the Worcester County Col. Society, Mass. Hon. JAMES G. KENDALL. From the Albemarle Colonization Society, Va. JAMES H. TERRIL. From the Wilmington Society, Delaware. Hon. ARNOLD NAUDAIN. From the Newark Col. Society, New Jersey. Hon. THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEN, Hon. SILAS CONDICT. From the Zanesville and Putnam County Society, Ohio. From the Crawford County Society, Penn. Hon. JOHN BANKS. From the N. H. State Colonization Society. From the Washington Aux. Col. Society, Penn. From Caldwell County Aux. Col. Society, N. C. From the Westchester County Society, Penn. From the Society of Friends in N. Carolina. ALLEN HILL. From the Georgetown Col. Society, D. C. James Dunlop, Esq. THOMAS TURNER, Esq. From the State Col. Society of Va. Hon. Governor TYLER, Hon. ANDREW STEPHENSON, Chief Justice MARSHALL. From the Alexandria Col. Society, D. C. Rev. Mr. HARRISON, HUGH C. SMITH, Esq. Vermont State Col. Society. Hon. Mr. PRENTISS, Hon. Mr. SEYMOUR. Windham County Society, Conn. Hon. Mr. YOUNG. From the Young Men's Missionary Society. Rev. Mr. DURBIN. Parts of the Annual Report of the Board of Managers, with the following highly interesting letters from the venerable Lafayette, Ex-President James Madison and Chief Justice Marshall, were read by the Rev. R. R. Gurley, the Secretary, to whom they were addressed. PARIS, October 29, 1831. My Dear Sir: I am much obliged to you for the Reports you have the kindness to send. The progressing state of our Liberia establishment is to me a source of enjoyment, and the most lively interest. Proud as I am of the honor of being one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society, I only regret that I cannot make myself more useful. Permit me to request every information in your power. My whole family join in the desire to receive, besides the Reports, the regular files of the Liberia Herald, extracts of which, we shall take care to have published. Remember me to our friends, and believe me most truly, your affectionate friend, LAFAYETTE. When the Society meet, be pleased to present my wishes, gratitude, and respect. MONTPELIER, December 29, 1831. Dear Sir: I received, in due time, your letter of the 21st ult. and with due sensibility to the subject of it. Such, however, has been the effect of a painful rheumatism on my general condition, as well as in disqualifying my fingers for the use of the pen, that I could not do justice "to the principles and measures of the Colonization Society in all the great and various relations they sustain to our own country and to Africa," if my views of them could have the value which your partiality supposes. I may observe, in brief, that the Society had always my good wishes, though with hopes of its success less sanguine than were entertained by others found to have been the better judges; and, that I feel the greatest pleasure at the progress already made by the Society, and the encouragement to encounter remaining difficulties afforded by the earlier and greater ones already overcome. Many circumstances at the present moment seem to concur in brightening the prospects of the Society and cherishing the hope that the time will come, when the dreadful calamity which has so long afflicted our country and filled so many with despair, will be gradually removed and by means consistent with justice, peace and the general satisfaction: thus giving to our country the full enjoyment of the blessings of liberty, and to the world the full benefit of its great example. I never considered the main difficulty of the great work as lying in the deficiency of emancipations, but in an inadequacy of asylums for such a growing mass of popu lation, and in the great expense of removing it to its new home. The spirit of private manumission as the laws may permit and the exiles may consent, is increasing and will increase; and there are sufficient indications that the public authorities in slave holding States are looking forward to interpositions in different forms that must have a powerful effect. With respect to the new abode for the emigrants, all agree that the choice made |