EARLY SCHEMES OF COLONIZATION
In January, 1805, the Legislature passed another resolution requesting Virginia's representatives in Congress to use every effort to secure a portion of the territory of Louisiana for the colonization "of such people of color as have been or shall be emancipated in Virginia."
The difficulties with France and England at this time prevented further prosecution of the subject, but, after the termination of the war between the United States and England, a resolution was passed by the General Assembly of Virginia, in December, 1816, requesting the Governor to correspond with the President with a view of acquiring upon the coast of Africa, or at some point in the United States, an asylum "for such persons of color as are now free and desire the same," or "that may hereafter be emancipated in Virginia."
AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY
About the time of this action of the Virginia Legislature there assembled at Washington on the 21st of December 1816, a body of prominent citizens from various states, who effected a tentative organization, from which resulted the American Colonization Society. Over this meeting Henry Clay presided, and among the notable persons present were Daniel Webster, Bushrod Washington and John Randolph of Roanoke. The Rev. Robert Finley, of New Jersey, and Mr. E. B. Caldwell, at that time Clerk of the Supreme Court at Washington, were especially active in bringing about the assemblage. Charles Fenton Mercer, of Virginia, and Francis Scott Key, of Maryland, were also among the most zealous friends of the enterprise. In addition to Randolph and Washington, Bishop William Meade, Rev. William H. Wilmer, John Taylor, Edmund I. Lee and other Virginians were also present. Mr. Clay has left upon record that "the original conception of the project is to be traced to a date long anterior," to the meeting and that "the State of Virginia, always prominent in works of benevolence, prior to the formation of the American Colonization Society ... had expressed her approbation of the plan of colonization."[[81]]
On the first of January, 1817, the permanent organization of the society was effected by the selection of Mr. Justice Bushrod Washington, of Virginia, as President, a position which he held for thirteen years. Judge Washington was succeeded by Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, James Madison, Henry Clay and John H. B. Latrobe, the last named holding office until after the Civil War.
FOUNDING OF COLONY OF LIBERIA
The Society having been organized, immediate steps were taken to acquire land upon the coast of Africa upon which to establish the colony. For this purpose Samuel J. Mills, so well known and venerated for his missionary labors, and Ebenezer Burgess were sent to Africa, the money to defray their expenses being raised by Charles Fenton Mercer and Bishop Meade, of Virginia.[[82]] The report of these commissioners established the practicability of securing the necessary land on the coast of Africa and establishing the emigrants in their new home. The Society, however, was without sufficient means for the successful initiation of its great work and possessed no relation to the government, state or National. By a fortuitous train of circumstances and the zeal of certain of its members, among whom Virginians bore an active part, all of these objects were in a measure attained.
Under the terms of the Federal statute prohibiting the foreign slave trade it was provided that any slave whose importation was attempted in violation of the act should be seized by the authorities of the state where the importation occurred, and disposed of at its pleasure. The State of Georgia had, accordingly, acquired possession of a number of imported negroes and had advertised them for sale at Milledgeville, May 4, 1819. Such an event and such a policy would have defeated the statute, one of whose objects was to prevent the increase of the slave population. Learning of these facts, Bishop Meade, of Virginia, was sent as the representative of the Colonization Society, to Georgia, where he secured the release of the negroes advertised to be sold, upon condition that the Society would reimburse the state for the costs incurred in their maintenance.[[83]] George Washington Parke Custis, of Virginia, offered an island near Cape Charles, Virginia, as a place of refuge until they could be transported to Africa.[[84]] Knowledge of the foregoing facts induced Charles Fenton Mercer and John Floyd, of Virginia, to present to Congress, of which they were members, a bill which became a law in 1819, whereby all negroes imported since the passage of the act should be returned to their own country, appointing agents upon the coast of Africa to receive them; and appropriating $100,000.00 to carry this law into effect. President Monroe was zealous in enforcing the provisions of this law, and acted in cordial co-operation with the Colonization Society to effectuate its purposes. Under the provisions of the act, territory was acquired upon the coast of Africa, and there the colony of Liberia was established. In 1824, in recognition of Mr. Monroe's services, the inhabitants of the colony named their capital Monrovia.
VIRGINIA'S EFFORTS AT COLONIZATION