"How can an honourable mind, a patriot and a lover of his country, bear to see this ancient Dominion, rendered illustrious by the noble devotion and patriotism of her sons in the cause of liberty, converted into one grand menagerie where men are to be reared for market like oxen for the shambles?"[[213]]
In the third note Mr. Smith cites an extract from the report of the "American Colonization Society, 1833."
MR. SMITH'S ERRONEOUS CITATIONS
A careful examination of the report of the American Colonization Society, submitted at its meeting 1833, fails to show any such statement—or any phrases or sentiments from which such an accusation could be inferred. The report in its whole tenor and contents is just to the contrary. Thus at page 16, referring to the condition of public sentiment in Virginia, it says:
"That mighty evil (slavery) beneath which the minds of men had bowed in despair, has been looked at as no longer incurable. A remedy has been proposed; the sentiments of humanity, the secret wishes of the heart on this momentous topic have found a voice and the wide air has rung with it."
Again, at page 17 it says: "Nearly half the colonists in Liberia have emigrated from Virginia; and many citizens of that state have sought aid from the Society for removing thither their liberated slaves during the last year."[[214]]
A like inspection of the reports of the Society for the years from 1827 to 1837 inclusive shows no such statement as that cited by Mr. Smith in his footnote. The leading officers of the Society were Virginians and its work had their cordial sympathy and co-operation. Mr. Smith has evidently accepted the statement of some other writer without examining for himself the original sources of information.[[215]]
| [212] | A Political History of Slavery, William Henry Smith, 1903, Vol. I, p. 3. |
| [213] | Slavery Debate, Virginia Legislature, 1833, Speech of T. J. Randolph, p. 13. |