History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2: Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as CitizensWilliams, George Washington
History
History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2: Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as Citizens
Williams, George Washington
African Americans -- History; Liberia; Sierra Leone
"The said contractors shall further agree to carry to Liberia so
many emigrants being free persons of color, and not exceeding
twenty-five hundred for each voyage, as the American Colonization
Society may require, upon the payment by said Society of ten
dollars for each emigrant over twelve years of age, and five
dollars for each one under that age, these sums, respectively, to
include all charges for baggage of emigrants and the daily supply
of sailors' rations. The contractors, also, to carry, bring back,
and accommodate, free from charge, all necessary agents of the
said Society.
"The Secretary of the Navy shall further stipulate to advance to
said contractors, as the building of said ships shall progress,
two thirds of the amount expended thereon; such advances to be
made in the bonds of the United States, payable thirty years
after date, and bearing five per cent. interest, and not to
exceed six hundred thousand dollars for each ship. And the said
contractors shall stipulate to repay the said advances in equal
annual instalments, with interest from the date of the completion
of said ships until the termination of the contract, which shall
continue fifteen years from the commencement of the service. The
Secretary of the Navy to require ample security for the faithful
performance of the contract, and to reserve a lien upon the ships
for the sum advanced. The Government to pay said contractors
forty thousand dollars for each trip, or four hundred and eighty
thousand dollars per annum.
"SEC. 2. _And be it further enacted_, That the President of the
United States shall cause to be issued the bonds of the United
States, as the same may, from time to time, be required by the
Secretary of the Navy to carry out the contract aforesaid."
Public sentiment, North and South, was greatly in favor of the
measure. T. J. Durant, Esq., of New Orleans, in an elaborate letter
addressed to the "Commercial Bulletin" of New Orleans, under date of
September 12, 1850, answered objections, and warmly urged the passage
of the bill. The Chaplain of the U. S. Senate, Rev. R. R. Gurley,
wrote a letter on the 10th of October, 1850, to George N. Saunders,
Esq., urging the measure as of paramount importance to both America
and Africa. The press of the country generally endorsed the bill, and
commented upon the general good to follow in numerous editorials. A
scheme of such gigantic proportions poorly set forth the profound
thought that harassed the public mind in regard to the crime of
keeping men in slavery. A few extracts from the papers will suffice to
show how the matter was regarded.
EXTRACTS FROM THE PRESS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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