page_0010

Andover Theol. Sem. Feb.28.1823
Dear Sir,
The following extract from the minutes of a meeting of
the Society of Inquiry respecting Missions held Feby 8, 1823 will be my
introduction and apology
"Resolved that a Committee of four members to be nominated
by the Prest appointed to inquire whether this Soc. ought, at present, to make
any exertions in favor of the black populations of our Country; + if so,
to report at our next meeting what should be the immediate object
of those exertions + what are the most eligible means for the accom-
plishment of those objects.

"Brethren Leonard Bacon, Solomon Peck, Roiyal Hathburn,
+ Samuel H. Cowles were appointed on this committee.
The reasons which led to the adoption of the adoption of the forgoing resolution
were these. If few members of the Soc had been led by various circum-
stances to turn their attention to the colored population in our country-
not merely the slaves of the South but the negroes in every state of the
Union who enjoy a nominal freedom which confers on them-
I might say- no privilege but the privilege of being more vicious, +
if ? more wretched then slaves can be. They saw that, whether
slavery is ever abolished or not, this portion of our population, as long
as the present state of Socitey continues, must always remain a sepa-