Student Anti-Slavery Rebellion 1835

CIRCULAR, IN BEHALF OF THE AFRICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY.

SIR: AS a Commitee on behalf of the AFRICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY, we beg leave to present to your consideration, and we hope to your favourable regard, an object that has hitherto attracted but little notice, and interested but few friends.

A respectable number of the Citizens of the County of Essex, met at Newark, N. J. in the month of February last, to adopt measures for the relief of the degraded children of Africa. The condition of this afflicted people in the United States and on the continent of Africa, has, for many years, been deplored by pious and benevolent individuals, in England and America. WILBERFORCE, SHARP, and CLARKSON, have successfully plead their cause ;—and here, the subject of slavery has been the theme of very general reprobation—and a few philanthropic spirits have ardently laboured to ameliorate its harsher features, and gradually to abolish it altogether.

The AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY, which now, by its prosperity, vindicates its patrons from teh repeated charges of wild and visionary, sprung from their counsels and prayers. To this sacred enterprize, the Rev. ROBERT FINLEY, consecrated the energies of his expanded mind; and the precious memory of the devoted MILLS, becomes more fragrant by the recollection, that not only his labours and prayers, but his very life, were the pledges given of his convinction, that the claims of injured Africa rested with momentous weight upon his country. While his dust sleeps in the bosom of the Atlantic, let his country remember, that it was in seeking a home for oppressed strangers in the land of their fathers, that this man of God received the shock to his constitution, which consigned him to an early grave. The smiles of a benignant Providence, that have in the last two years, signally blessed the efforts of the Colonization Society on the coast of Africa, in the social order of four hundred free and happy coloured emmigrants at Liberia—and the exemplary piety of most of them—the grateful intelligence that the Lord had there, poured out the influences of His Spirit, and called fifty immortal beings out of the darkness of sin, into the light and purity of His Gospel, encouraged the friends of African improvement, to attempt further measures, as well for the welfare of the Colony, as for the moral and intellectual elevation of those who might prefer to remain in the United States.

And at the meeting in February last, incipient steps were taken to assemble a more general meeting on the third Monday in April thereafter—which meeting was accordingly held at Newark, and the subject fully and freely discussed. It was then unanimously resolved, to incorporate, under a law of New-Jersey, (for the promotion of Literary Societies,) as an African Education Society, for the education of free coloured children and youth in the United States. One interesting object of the Society was stated to be, to fit these youth for usefulness in Africa—and it is hoped, that many of them, will, by the blessing of God, be prepared to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, to their heathen brethren—and will yet plant the standard of the Cross in the bosom of that benighted continent. At this meeting in April last, seven Trustees were appointed—This number is limited by the law of Incorporation— but it si intended to obtain leave of the Legislature in November next, to increase the number to twenty-five ; so that we may bring into our counsels, the friends of Africa, from among every denomination of our christian brethren.

The Trustees at present chose, are : the Rev. Dr. Asa Hillyet, the Rev. Mr. William T. Hamilton, Joshua T. Russell and Gideon N. Judd, and Benjamin L. Lear, Joseph C. Hornblower and Theodore Frelinghuysen, Esquires.

At a subsequent meeting of the Trustees, the importance of the object, submitted to their management, was sensibly felt ; and the peculiar embarrassments and difficulties of an enterprise, which had as yet awakened but little else, than prejudice and ridicule, determined the Trustees, to invite a num-

ber of the firm and ardent friends of this unhappy race, to meet with them at Newark, on Monday the 7th instant, and agreeably to such invitation, the following gentlemen attended :

Misionary Rooms Boston 15th Jan. 1827. Dear Sir, your letter of The 12th inst was headed home this morning. In regard to this report;- I have no copy of it- that is- I have nothing but the one which I read. I have looked at it with the design of writing or selecting- I find there is agreement of solid fact in it; and can hardly think its publication would do much, if any, good. - The same is true of all the other matter which I have on hand. It is theory-opinion. & you know people like to be fed with facts- and then form opinions & theories from this own views of these facts; orperhaps they will recieve a little help- in this formation of opinion- if you will, in the first place present your facts. and then make our theories for them by fair and obvious deduction. The amount is, that this is the day of facts. They govern - they have power - the real weight of what I have written of the subject of Slavery & colonization, when weighted in this balace, would be small - this is the reason why I have not published anything as, the Committee talked of, and I intended when I left Anodver- However I must set down

Mr. Amos Blanehan, This Seminary Andover

Office of the Col Soc Washington Jan. 24th 1827.

Dear Sir, In reply to your very obliging letter, I beg leave to state, that I know of no efficient measures in operations to prepare colonial youth for usefulness, in the African Colony, & that there is, at the same time an urgent demand for teachers of this class in Liberia. The {Kosciusko?} school has been projected, but whether the hopes of its founders are soon to be realized or not, I am ignorant. Should requisite funds be obtained, if will prove, I have no doubt, a very important Institution. A Committee of the Theological Seminary in Alexandria have proposed to give instruction to a young man of colour on condition that our Board defray the expenses of his support while under their tuition. This proposal, will I think be accepted.

Your plan meets my present approbation, & I hope it may

be executed. With you be able to defray the expenses of the education of the young man? It would be highly desirable that these should be incurred by some benevolent society in your region, as our funds are very limited, & except under very peculiar circumstances, could not be applied to any but our direct object of colonization. I should think that suitable young men might be found for such a charity. If in making a selection, I can render you any service I shall gladly exert myself for the purpose. In reference to the memorial allow me to say, that we wish as many signatures obtained to it from every part of the Country as possible, & that it should be forwarded with the least possible delay, to the Speaker of the House of Representation, for memorial to both Houses of Congress, will probably be offered today or tomorrow. Our Annual Meeting on Saturday, was by far the most interesting & important event held since the origin of our society. The Hall of the House of Representation was crowded & some of the speeches were very able & eloquent, The Report of Mr Clay's in the Intelligence is Miserable, but it willl soon be republished & circulated in a pamphlet form. We have many Friends in Congress & their number is increasing. Our cause has advanced wonderfully during the year, not less remarkable has been the progress of the Colony. I send a {Controversy?}, which I think you will peruse with pleasure. In a few days I will transmit our annual Report. I trust your Committee will keep this subject before the people of New England, & never suffer them to forget the appalling wretchedness of Chained & bleeding Africa with great respect & esteem Mr Geo Shepard RR Gurley Col Soc ACS

25 Mr Geo. Shepard Andover Massachusetts

R.R. Gurley Jany 24th 1827

Boston. 7th July 1827. Dear Sir, I recieved your letter near a week ago, and should have answered it earlier, had I not seen Dr Stow who told me that he should go up on Thursday, and that there would be no use in answering it earlier.

I have thought some of the plan you propove and see no very strong objection that will certainly lie against it. It must be necessarily be an experiment. The two things of difficulty which occur to me, are first, the danger and health to southern people of color, by change of climate and habit at the same time- the New Zealand and others, in the English Missionary Schools, and the same is true of natives of southern climates of the School of the Am. Board at Cornwall,- did generally enjoy good health until the completion of Studies - How it may be in this case, if proper be taken, of course, cannot be known. It is worth the trial. If it succeeds, much good may be aaffected at Andover and other places, in this way-

The other difficulty which occurs to me, is, danger to the negroes from too much promiscuous intercourse with the students, and others. Such intercourse, with such men, might, at first view seem the very thing needed

for the formation and improvment of their character;-but I suspect, it would make Shipwreck of the whole project. If your committee should undertake this work, it seems to me that the èléves should be under the entire control of some one, two or three, and that they should have, for some time, at Coll, as little intercourse as possible, with others. There should be some plan adopted for the regular cultivation of their mind-which should be adhered to, and those who are not aquainted with this plan, and do not know how far it has been proceeded in, and what is the state of their understanding and feeling,- and who will not, in all they do or say, accommodate themselves to this state, ought not to have much to do with them. However their is an after consideriation and will depend on the state of cultivation in which you find your young men to be - It enters however somewhat into the general plan, and I therefore suggest it for your consideration.

You wish to know whether I can render your any assistanee by getting money for you.

If you will fix on your plan, just as definitely as if you were going to begin tomorrow, and let me have it, I will try, and shall hope to succeed

in rendering some assistance in this way. 1- Can you get promising men?,- you had better settle this question, there is time enough; for if you take them from the Society it will probably not be advisable to bring them on till warmer weather. 2- How will you get them here?- 3- How can you get them boarded - and what will be their circumstances at Andover.- Can they not be furnished with a room in Phillips Hall- and be boarded some way in connexion with Commons? 4-What then will be the expense per month or year? 5- Can not something be subcribed at And either in the Seminary or out of it- for [Illegible] perhaps, or for a quarter board- If they, are whom a project is devised, are willing to make an effort and sacrifices for its execution, it will obtain the more countenance from other quarteres. 6-What do yo expect them to do, when [illegible] Do you expect them to feel obligated to be directed in their course, by your Committee or by the Colonization Society- or not at all? A point, perhaps, where the right in doubtful, but which demands some thoughts at its outset - Perhaps Dr Kiel could give you a better decision of it than any other man.

If you will let me know soon whether you and the Committee think with me on this preparatory course, I will be ready to say or do something further. Let me hear how the matters stand - in their view, even if they cannot decide the whole mater. Your truly D Greene Mr. Blanchard

[sideways] Mr. Amos Blanchard Theo & Seminary, Andover

[sideways] Greene Boston Feb 17th 1827