Mr. Carbery is also authorized by the society to guarantee to all emigrants, who may accept his offers, maintenance at the colonial expense, and comfortable and commodious lodgings, until they shall succeed in obtaining such employment as they may prefer.
Transferred to a country which opens a vast field to labor, and to all sorts of enterprise, relieved from a weight of prejudice which now rests so heavily upon them, the free colored people of the United States would have an opportunity which they do not now enjoy, of proving, that when allowed to share the same moral and social advantages, they are able successfully to compete with the white man. It is indeed difficult to realize the effect often produced upon a man's conduct and character, when he is removed from the withering effect of the distinction of caste, and raised to an equality of political and social privileges. Persons, who if they remain in the United States, will be confined all their lives to menial and obscure stations, by emigrating to British Guiana, which they may do in twenty days, and without spending a cent, will alter the whole course and prospect of their lives. With industry, application, and sobriety, they will have a moral certainty of rising to a comfortable competency if not to wealth, and of filling with pleasure to themselves and benefit to the community, a respectable station in society. Surely these considerations ought to have great weight with all,—but more especially with the young, who are just coming forward, and with those fathers and mothers who have families of children growing up about them.
There is now opened to the free colored people of the United States, a city of refuge in Guiana, of which it is to be hoped they will not fail to avail themselves; and Mr. Carbery has reason to anticipate, should the free colored people of the United States, and those persons upon whose advice and opinions they most confidently rely, be led to take the same view of the matter which he does, that his visit to the United States may result in great good to a large body of his fellow men, who at present are cut off from many of the chief benefits of society, and by the unfortunate operation of circumstances over which they have no control, are subjected to influences which crush their energies, break their spirits, and prevent them from rising to affluence or consideration. Relieved from these impediments, transferred to a country where they will be secured in the enjoyment of equal social and political rights, they will become new creatures, and many of them will display talents and capacity of which they are not now suspected.
Mr. Carbery, however, has no desire to induce any colored person, to emigrate to Guiana, who is not well satisfied, and whose friends are not also satisfied, that it will be for his benefit to go. Deeply impressed as he is with the manifold advantages which the free colored people of the United States may derive from closing with his proposals, he submits them to the candid consideration of those concerned, expressly desiring that before being adopted by any body, they may be subjected to the closest scrutiny, and most rigorous investigation.
VII. DIRECTIONS TO PERSONS WISHING TO EMIGRATE.
Mr. Carbery is now in Boston, but intends to proceed immediately to New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, for the purpose of establishing Committees of Emigration in each of those cities, whence persons desirous of emigrating may obtain all necessary information. The address of those Committees will be published in the principal newspapers, and due notice will be given of the intended sailing of vessels with emigrants. Persons with families desiring to emigrate will meet with particular encouragement, but no person of good character will be refused a free passage.
Boston, Feb. 1st, 1840.