AN ACCOUNT, &c.

An account of the Proceedings of the Young Men's Colonization Society of Pennsylvania, in connexion with their First Expedition of Coloured emigrants to Liberia, to found a New Colony at Bassa Cove.

THE YOUNG MEN'S COLONIZATION SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA, was organized in the month of April last, by the adoption of a Constitution and the election of a Board of Managers. To this measure its members were determined by the following considerations: 1. A belief that a direct appeal, should be made to the benevolence and Christian zeal of the wealthy and populous capital of Pennsylvania, and of the State at large, in favour of the establishment of a new colony on the coast of Africa: 2. The necessity of prompt measures being taken to carry into effect, the testamentary bequest of doctor Aylett Hawes of Virginia, by which he manumitted more than one hundred slaves on condition of their being sent to Liberia. Acting as auxiliary to the parent Board at Washington, this Society proposes to carry into practice in the new colony, certain principles of political economy, which will meet with the approbation of all unprejudiced minds. This will be done by fostering with. more care than hitherto, the agricultural interest; checking the deteriorating influence of petty and itinerant traffickers; maintaining the virtue of sobriety, the nurse and parent of so many other virtues, by obtaining from the colonists a pledge of abstinence from the use of ardent spirits; and by withholding all the common temptations and means for carrying on war, or for engaging in any aggressive steps with the native population of Africa.

The announcement of these views and intentions, at several successive public meetings, at the same time that the cause of colonization in general was ably advocated, made a highly favourable impression on the community. The re sults were shown in the addition of several hundred members to the Society, and the collection of several thousand dollars towards carrying its contemplated measures into effect. The better to ascertain the precise conditions on which freedom was granted by Dr. Hawes to his slaves, and especially how far the laws of the state of Virginia would apply to them in case of any delay in sending them to Africa, a commission,

consisting of Messrs. Cresson and Naylor, was despatched for this purpose by the Board of Managers. These gentlemen were also authorised to confer, on their way to Virginia, with the Board of the American Colonization Society at Washington; and, as the latter was unable, for want of funds, to carry into effect the bequest of Dr. Hawes, to obtain from them due powers to act in the matter.

In conformity with their instructions, (by resolutions of the Board of Managers,) the commission proceeded to Virginia, and visited, in the first place, the county town of Rappahanock, where they procured from the records, a copy of the will of Dr. Hawes. Thence they went to the residence of one of the special executors, Howard F. Thornton, Esq. on whose plantation were, at the time, resident seventyeight of the future emigrants. Of these, forty were males and thirty-eight were females, of various ages, from sixty down to two years of age. Many of the men are well versed in various handicraft employments, four of them being blacksmiths, two carpenters, two shoemakers, two stone-masons, and one weaver. "Most of them are very intelligent; some of them can read and write, and all of excellent characters. Domestic manufactures have been the constant employment of many of the females, and we are assured that they have arrived at great perfection in them; besides, nearly one half of them are accomplished seamstresses. In addition to the slaves above mentioned, the husband of one of them, living in the neighbourhood, has been kindly liberated by his master, the Rev. Francis Thornton, to accompany his family to Liberia. He is a carpenter of most excellent character, hardy and hale, and one of the best workmen in the place; he has a large quantity of tools, and will be a valuable acquisition to the Colony. His master is a warm and devoted colonizationist, and to him we are indebted for much valuable information relative to our mission, as well as for many other favours kindly rendered us.”—Report of the Commission. The thirty-one coloured persons under the care of Mr. Hawes, forming the other division of the slaves manumitted by Dr. Hawes, were represented to the commission as all willing and desirous of going to Liberia. The greater part of the whole number are members of the Baptist Church. They are industrious and temperate, have always been kindly and tenderly taken care of, and abundantly supplied with every thing that could make them comfortable. "We attended," says the commission, "at one of their religious

meetings, and were greatly gratified by their exercises. We submitted to them our project of making them a separate establishment in Africa, and it met with their, their master's, and friends' entire approbation. We conversed with them upon their future prospects in Africa, explained to them the situation of the country, and informed them of its products, resources, and the capabilities of its soil, answered their inquiries, and were equally gratified and surprised at their intelligence. Upon the whole, we think them eminently fitted for good colonists, possessing among themselves all the resources of a little community-we believe that they will ably perform their duty. Let us, therefore, be not remiss in the performance of ours; and, under the favour of Providence, the success of the experiment cannot long remain problematical."*

The next step in the discharge of their delegated trust was for the Commission to ascertain fully the sentiments and views of the Parent Board at Washington, respecting the conditions on which the Young Men's Colonization Society of Pennsylvania should charge itself with the embarkation and transportation to Africa of the liberated slaves of Dr. Hawes; and with the guardianship of these people when settled there. The final result was an acquiescence, in the resolution of the Board at Washington by the Society in Pennsylvania. This resolution is as follows:

"That the Young Men's Colonization Society of Pennsylvania be informed, that, as auxiliary to this [the American Colonization Society,] the slaves of the late Dr. Hawes will be transferred to them, to be sent to Liberia, and supported there by them, in a separate settlement or community under the superintendence of such agent and of such local laws or regulations, as may be adopted by the said Society, and approved of by the Board; but said community to be considered as a part of the Colony of Liberia, and subject to the general laws of the Colony in all respects, as the citizens now there; and that so soon as said Society shall signify their acceptance of said conditions, the said slaves shall be formally transferred to them, together with the sum left for their transportation by the will of Dr. Hawes."

In acceding to this resolution, the Pennsylvania Society

*It ought, to quicken the zeal and benevolence of the friends of humanity, to be known, that during the short career of this Society, many offers of large bodies of slaves have been made to it from several Southern states-the owners generously offering their gratuitous emancipation, so soon as we could extend to them the boon of Colonization.

expressly stipulated for the right of making such modifications and reforms of existing laws as to enable it, in the new Colony, to give more encouragement to agriculture, to prohibit the importation, manufacture, and sale of ardent spirits, and to adopt an improved plan for supplying the public stores, and for the issue, by gift or sale, of their contents, to the coloured and native inhabitants. These reservations have been admitted by the parent Board. It was also understood by the two Boards, (at Washington and Philadelphia,) that in case the preparations at Bassa Cove, for the reception of the new emigrants sent out by the Pennsylvania Society, should not be sufficiently matured to allow of their being landed at once, a temporary asylum is to be furnished for them in some of the present settlements in Liberia.

The preliminaries having been satisfactorily_adjusted, prompt and vigorous measures were taken by the Executive Committee of the Board of Managers of the Young Men's Colonization Society, to make the requisite purchases of stores, utensils, clothing, and other supplies, for the future colonists; and to charter a vessel for the transportation of both persons and goods. Success attended their efforts; and on the 24th of October last, the good ship Ninus set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, with one hundred and twenty-six coloured emigrants on board. Of these, were the manumitted slaves of Dr. Hawes, one hundred and nine in number; the carpenter already mentioned, freed by the Rev. Francis Thornton; a father of a family whose members were emigrants, and who was purchased a few days preceding; and a little girl, also freed by purchase. In addition to these, was a small body of fourteen persons, who had been freed by Mrs. Page, the sister of Bishop Meade, and who were offered a passage, although destined for the old Colony. But for all the particulars connected with the embarkation of the emigrants, the reader is referred to the following report, by Elliott Cresson, Esq. on the part of a Committee deputed by the Board of Managers of the Young Men's Society, for the purpose. It will be seen that even in this early stage of its labours, the Society is fully alive to the importance of education keeping pace with colonization. In the attainments of Mr. Hankinson, all the friends of the cause have abundant reason to indulge in sanguine hopes of success.

It may be well to mention, in this place, that the superindent of public schools, the vice-agent, and the physician, who is a licentiate in Surgery, sailed in June last for the new Colony, from New York, in the Jupiter. Though young, Dr.

McDowell has seen much of the world in his profession, as a voyager and traveller; and he will, it is presumed, be on the spot ready to receive and give such counsel to the newly arrived emigrants, as will be required by a due regard for their health and comfort.

The cost of the present expedition is about $8000, viz. $2500 for charter of ship, and $5500 for stores and appropriate goods.

By the terms of the will of Dr. Hawes, twenty dollars a head were allowed, and have been paid by his executors, towards defraying the expenses of the emigration of his liberated slaves.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE.

The Committee appointed by the Young Men's Colonization Society of Pennsylvania, to superintend the sailing of their First Expedition, respectfully Report:

That they lost no time in complying with the wishes of the Board, and at Fredericksburg, on the 19th inst., found that portion of the slaves (eighty-one in number,) which were from Dr. Hawes' late residence in Rappahannock county, already arrived. These people having become acquainted with one of the Committee last summer, expressed the most lively joy on recognizing a friend in whom they confided; testifying their gratitude for the counsel then imparted, as having been instrumental in counteracting the efforts of individuals interested in defeating the benevolent intentions of their late master, and thus securing them a boon, the very prospect of which filled them with gladness. It was a pleasing indication of their future habits, that most of them were found industriously employed in such labour as they could obtain for the purpose of adding to the slender means they possessed. To foster these valuable characteristics on the voyage, we purchased a supply of leather to give employment to the shoemakers; and instructions were given to have as much of our stock of wollens and cottons made into garments as circumstances would warrant, our complement en bracing shoemakers, taylors, and seamstresses, as well as carpenters, bricklayers, masons, farmers, blacksmiths, weavers, spinners, a dyer, cooper, waggon maker, and collier.