6. Encourage and a.s.sist exploring expeditions into the interior of Africa and Madagascar.
IV. That Subscribers of not less than Half a Guinea annually be Members of this Society, during the continuance of their subscriptions; that the subscriptions be payable in advance, and be considered due at the commencement of each year; that Donors of Ten Guineas and Collectors of Twenty Guineas be Life Members.
V. That the management of the Society be vested in a Patron, Vice-Patrons, President, Vice-Presidents, and a Council consisting of not less than Twenty Members.
VI. That a general Meeting of the Members of the Society be held in London in the spring of each year, when the financial statement shall be presented, and the Council elected for the year ensuing, who shall appoint an Executive Committee to conduct the business of the Society.
VII. That the Honorary and Corresponding Members may be nominated by the Council.
VIII. That any funded property of the Society be invested in the names of three Trustees, to be chosen by the Council, and that all orders for payments on account of the Society be signed by two Members of the Executive Committee and the Secretary.
IX. That the accounts of the Society be audited annually by a professional auditor, to be chosen by the General Meeting.
X. That the Council shall have power to appoint such officers and a.s.sistants as they shall deem necessary for the efficient conduct of the affairs of the Society, subject to the approval of the next Annual Meeting.
XI. That the Council shall have power to convene Special General Meetings of the Members of the Society when necessary.
XII. That no alteration shall be effected in the const.i.tution of the Society, except at the Annual Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose on the requisition of Twenty Members.
In furtherance of the objects of this Society, the Executive Committee, with the generous aid of friends to this movement, have already a.s.sisted Dr. Delany and Professor Campbell (two colored gentlemen from America) with funds to enable them to continue their labors and to lay before the colored people of America the reports of the Pioneer Exploration Expedition into Abbeokuta, in West Africa, from which they have lately returned.
A correspondence has already been opened with Jamaica, Lagos in West Africa, Natal, the United States of America, and "The Fugitive-Aid Society"--which for the last _ten years_ has been receiving and instructing fugitive Africans in agricultural and other pursuits on the Elgin settlement--at Buxton, Canada West.
The a.s.sistance of all friends to Christianity, Freedom, and lawful Commerce, as opposed to the Slave Trade and Slavery, is earnestly solicited.
"COTTON IS KING! IN AMERICA"
"COTTON IS BREAD! IN ENGLAND"
The free colored people of America are said to be looking forward to their ultimate removal from the United States, and are anxiously seeking for locations suitable for their final settlement in Africa or other intertropical regions; where they may obtain that freedom which is the inherent right of man, and by their industry acquire adequate independence.
The African Aid Society has been formed to a.s.sist this movement, and to annihilate the slave trade, by encouraging the development of the resources of those countries inhabited by the African races generally, as well as to cause African free labor to supersede African slavery and degradation.
In Canada West no less than 45,000 colored persons, flying from slavery, have now taken refuge; willing to meet the rigors of the climate, so that they are a.s.sured of personal freedom under the aegis of the British flag. From the enactments lately made in some States of the Union, for the purpose of compelling all the free people of color either to leave the country or to be again reduced to a state of slavery, a considerable addition will, no doubt, shortly be made to the number of those who have already found their way to Canada; while, from physical causes, Canada can be looked upon by the colored only as a "CITY OF REFUGE."
Great Britain has for half a century been employing physical force for the suppression of the slave trade, which after the expenditure of upwards of forty millions sterling, and the n.o.ble sacrifice of the lives of some of the best and bravest of her sons, still exists. It is but just to state that the exportation of slaves from Africa has been reduced from 150,000 to 50,000 per annum, by the persevering effort of those who are opposed to a traffic disgraceful to Christianity.
Is the ultimate object of those who are opposed to this traffic its suppression or its annihilation? The annihilation of the slave trade and slavery in Africa was unquestionably the aim of the philanthropists who originated this great movement.
The experience of half a century has proved that physical force cannot destroy the traffic while there is a demand for slave labor. Diplomacy must be baffled in its well-intentioned efforts to oppose this traffic while the profits for carrying each slave from the continent of Africa to the island of Cuba amount to the enormous return of fourteen hundred percent.
It is a well-attested fact, that the same quality of cotton may be obtained from Africa for twenty millions of money for which Great Britain pays the slaveholders in America thirty millions per annum. If cotton can be sold in the Liverpool market at anything less than 4-3/4d.
per lb., the slaveholders in America will cease to grow what, under altered circ.u.mstances, would be unprofitable. Cotton of middling quality (which is in the greatest demand) may be obtained in West and Eastern Africa at 4d. per lb.; and, already, cotton from Western Africa (Liberia) has been sent to Liverpool, there re-shipped, and sold at Boston, in the United States, at a less cost than cotton of a similar quality could be supplied from the Southern States of the Union.
The Executive Committee feel a.s.sured that the peaceful means adopted by this society for the Christian civilization of the African races require only the advocacy of _Christian Ministers_ and the _Press_ generally to be responded to by the people of Great Britain.
The horrors of the slave trade, as perpetrated on the continent of Africa and during the middle pa.s.sage, can only be put an end to by the establishment of a lawful and a lucrative, a powerful and a permanent, trade between this country and Africa; which will have the effect of destroying the slave trade, spreading the Gospel of Christ, and civilizing the African races. For this purpose the support of the mercantile cla.s.s is earnestly solicited for a movement which--commenced by the colored people of America flying from oppression--bids fair to open new cotton fields for the supply of British industry, and new markets for our commerce, realizing the sublime promise of Scripture, "Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many days it shall return unto thee."
Alarmists point to the sparks in the cotton fields of America, while thoughtful men reflect that the commercial prosperity of this great country hangs upon a thread of cotton, which a blight of the plant, an insurrection among the slaves, an untimely frost, or an increased demand in the Northern States of the Union, might destroy; bringing to Lancashire first, and then to the whole kingdom, a return of the Irish famine of 1847, which reduced the population of that portion of the kingdom from eight to six millions.
The Southern States of the American Union are following the example of the infatuated Louis the Fourteenth of France. As he drove into exile thousands of his subjects engaged in manufactures and trade, who sought refuge in England and laid the foundation of our manufacturing supremacy, so are the Slave States now driving from their confines thousands of freed colored men. Where are the exiles to go? The Free States are too crowded, and Canada too cold for them. Can we not offer them an asylum in Jamaica and other colonies? They are the cream, the best of their race; for it is by long-continued industry and economy that they have been enabled to purchase their freedom, and joyfully will they seize the hand of deliverance which Great Britain holds out to them. We only want additional labor; give us that, and we shall very soon cultivate our own cotton.--_Slavery Doomed._
FUGITIVE-AID SOCIETY IN CANADA
At a meeting held in the Town Hall, Manchester, on the 8th of August inst., the following remarks were made by Thomas Clegg, Esq., who presided on the occasion.
The Chairman said that they held but one opinion as to the horrors and evils of slavery; and he thought that most of them believed that one of the great benefits which would result from Africans trained in Canada being sent to Africa, would be that they could there, for the advantage of themselves and their country, grow cotton, sugar, and fifty other articles, which we much needed. During his first year"s operations in getting cotton from Africa, all his efforts only purchased 235 lbs.; but in 1858, he got 219,615 lbs.; and he saw from one of the London papers of the previous day, that not less than 3,447 bales, or 417,087 lbs., were received from the West Coast during 1860. This rapid increase, in the early history of the movement, showed that Africa was the place that could grow cotton, and that Africans were the men who ought to grow it.
(Hear, hear.) There was no part of Africa, of which he had heard, where cotton did not grow wild; there was no part of the world, except India, perhaps, in which cotton was cultivated, where it was not sought to obtain Africans as cultivators. Wild African cotton was worth from 1-1/2 d. to 2-1/4 d. a pound more than the wild produce of India; cultivated cotton from the West Coast was worth, on an average, as much as New Orleans possibly could be. (Hear, hear.) He would undertake that good African cotton could be laid down free in Liverpool at 4-1/4 d. per pound; that it should be equal to New Orleans; and at this moment such cotton was worth probably 6-1/4 d. per pound. (Hear, hear.) He looked upon this question as affecting not only the success of missions, but as affecting also the eternal welfare of the Africans and the temporal welfare of our people.
HEATHEN AND SLAVE-TRADE HORRORS
At Lagos, communication between the town and the shipping had been suspended for ten days, in consequence of the high surf at the entrance of the river and along the beach, and great difficulty was experienced in getting off the mails. The war in the interior, between the chiefs of Ibadan and Ijaye, continued with unabated fury; the former district is said to contain 100,000 inhabitants, and the latter 50,000. Abbeokuta had taken side with Ijaye, but at the last battle, which took place on the 5th of June, his people are reported to have suffered severely. The King of Dahomey was about to make an immense sacrifice of human life to the memory of the late King, his father. The _West African Herald_, of the 13th ult., referring to this intention, says: His Majesty Badahung, King of Dahomey, is about to make the "Grand Custom" in honor of the late King Gezo. Determined to surpa.s.s all former monarchs in the magnitude of the ceremonies to be performed on this occasion, Badahung has made the most extensive preparations for the celebration of the Grand Custom. A great pit has been dug which is to contain human blood enough to float a canoe. Two thousand persons will be sacrificed on this occasion. The expedition to Abbeokuta is postponed, but the King has sent his army to make some excursions at the expense of some weaker tribes, and has succeeded in capturing many unfortunate creatures. The young people among these prisoners will be sold into slavery, and the old persons will be killed at the Grand Custom. Would to G.o.d this might meet the eyes of some of those philanthropic Englishmen who have some feeling for Africa! Oh! for some man of eloquence and influence to point out to the people of England the comparative uselessness of their expensive squadron out here, and the enormous benefits that must result to this country, and ultimately to England herself, morally and materially, if she would extend her establishments on this coast! Take away two-thirds of your squadron, and spend one-half its cost in creating more stations on sh.o.r.e, and greatly strengthening your old stations.--_The Times_, August 13, 1860.
The following extract from the _Times_, August 11, 1860, shows that n.o.ble hearts across the Atlantic are ready to respond to our call:--
A n.o.bLE LADY--Miss Cornelia Barbour, a daughter of the Hon. James Barbour, of Virginia, formerly Governor of that State, and a Member of President J. Q. Adams" Cabinet, has resolved to emanc.i.p.ate her numerous slaves, and locate them in a Free State, where they can enjoy liberty and (if they will) acquire property.--_New York Tribune._
_Contributions to the Funds of this Society may be paid to the Chairman, the Hon. Secretary, or to the Society"s account at the London and Westminster Bank, I, St. James"s square. P.O. Orders to be made payable to the Honorary Secretaries at Charing-cross._--AUGUST, 1860.
The subjoined paper has been issued by the African Aid Society, London, England, which I give for the benefit of those desirous of going out under its auspices, as it will be seen that the Society is determined on guarding well against aiding such persons as are objectionable to us, and likely to be detrimental to our scheme:
AFRICAN AID SOCIETY
PAPER FOR INTENDING SETTLERS IN AFRICA
1. Are you desirous to leave ---- and go to the Land of your Forefathers. 2. Name. 3. Age. 4. Married or Single. 5. What Children (state ages:) Boys ----, aged years; ---- Girls ----, aged years. 6. How many of these will you take with you? 7. Of what church are you a member? 8. How long have you been so? 9. Can you read and write? 10. Will you strive to spread the truths of the Gospel among the natives? 11. What work are you now doing? 12. What other work can you do well? 13. Have you worked on a plantation?
14. What did you do there? 15. Will you, in the event of the African Aid Society sending you and your family to Africa, repay to it the sum of ---- Dollars, as part of the cost of your pa.s.sage and settlement there, ---- as soon as possible, that the same money may a.s.sist others to go there also?
N.B.--It is expected that persons desiring to settle in Africa, under the auspices of this society, should obtain Certificates from their Minister, and if possible from their Employer, or other competent person, as to their respectability, habits, and character. These certificates should be attached to this paper.
I have every confidence in the sincerity of the Christian gentlemen who compose the African Aid Society, and for the information of those who are unacquainted with the names of those n.o.blemen and gentlemen, would state that the Lord Alfred Churchill is the learned Oriental traveler and Christian philanthropist, brother to His Grace the Duke of Marlborough and son-in-law of Right Hon. Lord Calthorpe; Right Hon. Lord Calthorpe is the great Christian n.o.bleman who does so much for Churches in Great Britain, and member of Her Majesty"s Privy Council; Sir Culling Eardley Eardley is the great promoter of the Evangelical Alliance; George Thompson, Esq., is the distinguished traveler and faithful friend of the slave, known in America as a Garrisonian Abolitionist; and J.
Lyons Macleod, Esq., the indefatigable British Consul who so praiseworthily exerted himself, and brought the whole of his official power to bear against the slave-trade on the Mozambique Channel. There are other gentlemen of great distinction, whose positions are not explained in the council list, and a want of knowledge prevents my explaining.
Before leaving England for Scotland, I received while at Brighton, the following letter, which indicates somewhat the importance of our project, and shows, in a measure, the superiority of the people in our part of Africa, and what may be expected of them compared with some in other parts; and how the Portuguese influence has ruined them. I may add, that the writer, Mr. Clarence, is a gentleman of respectability, brother-in-law to Edmund Fry, Esq., the distinguished Secretary of the London Peace Society. Mr. Clarence has resided in that part of Africa for twenty-five years, and was then on a visit to his relatives: