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Show ADDITIONAL NOTE; The following are the two first articles of the constitution :" Article 1.-The Society shall be called, "The American Society for Colonizing the Free People of Colour of the United States." "Article II.-The object to which its attention is to be ex~ elusively directed, i!i to promote and execute a plan for ~~Ionizing {with their consent) the free people of colour, res1dmg in our country, in Africa, or such other places as Oongress &hall dl.!em most expedient." In pursuance of this object, a boar~ of managers hav~ been organized; of which llushrod 'Vashmgton, OHe of the judges of the supreme court of the United States, has been appointed preaident. This body have submitted their views to the Congress, by a memorial.-And, as this memorial. eJ?braces subH jects which concern, more or less, every descrtpuon of population in the United States, its circulation cannot, perhaps, be too widely extended. IN THE IlOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JJJN. 14. Read and ordered to lie on the table. To the honorable the Senate a11d Hotue of Representalivu of the United Statu oflJm.erica, iJt Congre11 assembkd: Th..e Memorial of the President and Board of 1\fanagers of tbe u American Society for Colonizing the Free PeOiliC of Colour of the United States," RESPECTFULLY SIIEWS- 'l.'HAT your memorialists are delegated by a numerous aud highly respectaiJle association of their fel~o~v citizens, rec~ntly ~rgauized at the seat of p;overnment, to sohcat congress to a1d, w1th the power, the patromrge, ami the resources of the .country, the great and beneficial object of their institution; an oi)JcCt deemed worthy of the earnest attention, and of the strenuous and persever· jug exertions, as well of every patriot, in whatevc.r condition of life, as of every enlightened, philanthropic, ami prach?al sl~tcaman. It is now reduced to be a mnxim, equally approved 10 philosophy and politics that the existence of distinct and separate casts or classes, forming exceptions to the general system of ~~~lily adapt~d f.'> the community, is an inherent vice in the composJhon o.f. socaety ; pregnant with bane~il consequences, both moral and pohbcal, and demanding the utmost exerti.ons of.human ene_rgy and foresig~t to rt!medy or remove it. lfth1s max1m be true an the general, 1t applies with peculiar force to the relative condition of the free people of colour in the United States; between whom and the rest of the community, a combination of causes, political, physical and moral, baa created distinctions, unavoidable in their origin, and mo~t unfortunate m their consequences. The actual and prospective condh t\on of that class of I•egple; their anomalous and indefinite relations ADOITJONAL NOTE. 91 to the political institutions arul social ties of the community; their deprivation of most of those independent, political, and social rights, so indispensable to the progressive melioration of our nature rendered by systematic exclusion from all the higher rewards of ex~ cellence, t~ead to nil the elevating hopes thnt migbt prompt n generous ambihon to excel; all these considerations demoostratc that it equally imports the public good, as I he iodil•idual aud sociai happiuess of the persons more ilnrnediately conct>:rned ; that it is equally a 1lebtofpatriolism nml of hurnanil.y, to provide some adequate and effectual r1·rnedy. 'J.'he evil ha:~ become so apparcut, aud the necessity for a remedy so palpahle, that some of the most considera.· ble of the slaye-bolding st11tes have been induced to impose restraints upon the practice of emancipation, by annexing conditions which have the clfect to transfer the evil from one state to another~ or, by inducing other states to adopt countervailing regulations, and in the total abrogation of a right, which benevolent or conscientious }Jropridors had long enjoy ell UIUler all the sanctions of positive law and of ancient usage. Your memorialists beg leave, with Rlldeference, to suggest, thal the fairest ami mo.31 inviting oL'pOrtunities are ~ow prese.ntcd to lh~ _geu~rul. go~ernmeut, for repairing a great evil 1!1 our socual aud poht~calmsltlutwns, and at the same time for ele: vntiug,. from a low ancl hopeless condition, n numerous and rapidly mereasmg race of IOI!n, who want nothing but a proper theatre to ecter 'upon the pursuit of happiness and independence, in the drdinary paths which a. benign Providence has lcrt open to the human race. r.rbose great entl!i, it is con<~eivcd, may be accot13plished by making adequate provision for plauting, in some salubrious and fert~ le region, a colony, to be com(lOSetl. of s;uch of the above descriptiOn or persons as may choose to emwralc; and for extending to it the nuthority and protection of ~he Ur~ted States, until it shall have attained sufficient strength and consis(cncy to bt• Jert in o. stale of indellendcnce. . ~ndepcndently or the motives dcrjvc(l from political foresight and CIVIl prudence on the one hand, and from moral justice and philanthropy on t!•e other; there are additional considerations, and more expanded v•ews to engage the sympathies nml excite the ardor of a liberal and eulightenml people. ll may be resolved for our government (the lirst.to denounce an i11human and abominable traffic in the guilt and di~grace of which most of the civilized nations of1the world were partakers) to IJecomc the honorable instrument under Divine Providence, of conferring n still hin-hcr blessing uPon the ~rg~ ancl interesting p~rtion of mankind, b: ne6tect by that deed of JUSbee; by demonstrating that a race of men C\OIDJlOsing numerous t.ribcs, sp~ead over a couliuent of_ vast and un~xplort>d extent, ferti· laty and r1ches; known to the ~hghtenetl nations of antiquity; 8 nd who had yet made no progress Ill the refineme11ls of civilization· for whom history has preserved no monuments of arts or arms· ihat eveu this, hitherto, ill-fated racb, may cherish the hope of beh~ldiog at last the orient star revealing the best and highe11t aims and attrit butee of ~an. Out of such materials, to rear the glo_rious edifice~ |