THE COLONIZATION ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY ante-dated any of the other organizations. Benjamin Lundy was one of the earliest advocates of colonization. The object of colonizationists was to transport to Liberia, on the West Coast of Africa, all manumitted slaves. Only _free_ Negroes were to be colonized. It was claimed by the advocates of the scheme that this was the only hope of the free Negro; that the proscription everywhere directed against his social and intellectual endeavors cramped and lamed him in the race of life; that in Liberia he could build his own government, schools, and business; and there would be nothing to hinder him in his ambition for the highest places in Church or State. Moreover, they claimed that the free Negro owed something to his benighted brethren who were still in pagan darkness; that a free Negro government on the West Coast of Africa could exert a missionary influence upon the natives, and thus the evangelization of Africa could be effected by the free Negro himself.[21] To this method Henry Clay, of Kentucky, Horace Mann, of Massachusetts; Rev. Howard Malcom, of Pennsylvania; Rev. R. R. Gurley, of New York; and many other persons of distinction, gave their endorsement and assistance. The American Colonization Society was organized in 1817. Its earliest supporters were from the Southern and Middle States. A fair idea can be had of the character of the men who sustained the cause of colonization by an examination of the following list of officers elected in March, 1834. "_President._--JAMES MADISON, of Virginia. "_Vice-Presidents._--Chief-Justice MARSHALL; General LAFAYETTE, of France, Hon. WM. H. CRAWFORD, of Georgia; Hon. HENRY CLAY, of Lexington, Kentucky; Hon. JOHN C. HERBERT, of Maryland; ROBERT RALSTON, Esq., of Philadelphia; Gen. JOHN MASON, of Georgetown, D. C.; SAMUEL BAYARD, Esq., of New Jersey; ISAAC MCKIM, Esq., of Maryland; Gen. JOHN HARTWELL COCKE, of Virginia; Rt. Rev. Bishop WHITE, of Pennsylvania; Hon. DANIEL WEBSTER, of Boston; Hon. CHARLES F. MERCER, of Virginia; JEREMIAH DAY, D.D., of Yale College; Hon. RICHARD RUSH, of Pennsylvania; Bishop MCKENDREE; PHILIP E. THOMAS, Esq., of Maryland; Dr. THOMAS C. JAMES, of Philadelphia; Hon. JOHN COTTON SMITH, of Connecticut; Hon. THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEN, of New Jersey; Hon. LOUIS MCLANE, of Washington City; GERRIT SMITH, of New York; J. H. M'CLURE, Esq., of New Jersey; Gen. ALEXANDER MACOMB, of Washington City; MOSES ALLEN, Esq., of New York; Gen. WALTER JONES, of Washington City; F. S. KEY, Esq., of Georgetown, D. C.; SAMUEL H. SMITH, Esq., of Washington City; JOSEPH GALES, Jr., Esq., of Washington City; Rt. Rev. WM. MEADE, D.D., Assistant Bishop of Virginia; Hon. ALEXANDER PORTER, of Louisiana; JOHN MCDONOUGH, Esq., of Louisiana; Hon. SAMUEL L. SOUTHARD, of New Jersey.