II. AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY.

President; ; JAMES MADISON. - Vice-Presidents; John Marshall, Gen. Lafayette, Wm. H. Crawford, Henry Clay, John C. Herbert, Robert Ralston, John Mason, Samuel Bayard, Isaac McKim, J. H. Cocke, Bishop White, Daniel Webster, Ch. F. Mercer, Jeremiah Day, Richard Rush, Bishop McKendree, Philip E. Thomas, Dr. Th. C. James, John C. Smith, Theodore Frelinghuysen, Louis McLane, Gerritt Smith, J. H. McClure, Gen. Alex. Macomb, Solomon Allen, Gen. Walter Jones, Fr. S. Key, Samuel H. Smith, and Joseph Gales, jr. — Managers. Rev. J. Laurie, Rev. S. B. Balch, Rev. O. B. Brown, Rev. Wm. Hawley, W. W. Seaton, Rev. Wm. Ryland, Dr. H. Hunt, Rev. R. Post, Hugh C. Smith, Moses Sheppard, J. H. B. Latrobe, and R. C. Coxe. — Rev. R. R. Gurley, Secretary. Richard Smith, Treasurer. John Underwood, Recorder. - These were the officers of the society for the year 1833. The officers are elected annually on the 3d Monday in January.

This institution was founded in December, 1816, at the city of Washington, chiefly through the instrumentality of the Rev. Robert Finley, of New Jersey. The subject of colonizing the free people of color was proposed by Mr. Jefferson to the Legislature of Virginia as early as 1777, — the place being left undetermined in the plan. In 1787 Dr. Thornton, of Washington, formed a project for establishing a colony of free blacks on the western coast of Africa, and publicly invited those in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to accompany him; but the plan failed for the want of funds. Previous to 1801, the Legislature of Virginia twice debated, in secret session, the subject of colonizing the free colored population, and in 1801 passed a resolution, instructing Mr. Monroe, then Governor of the State, to apply to the President of the United States, and urge him to institute negotiations with some of the powers of Europe, possessed of colonies on the coast of Africa, to grant an asylum, to which our emancipated blacks might be sent. A negotiation was opened with the Sierra Leone Company, but without success. 1816 a resolution was passed by the Legislature of Virginia, requesting the Executive to correspond with the President "for the purpose of obtaining a territory on the coast of Africa, or at some other place, not within any of the States or territorial governments of the United States, to serve as an asylum for such persons of color as are now free, and may desire the same, and for those who may hereafter be emancipated within this Commonwealth." Thus the existence of the evil of slavery demanded and suggested its remedy. The public mind calling for some action on the subject, it was deemed wise and proper to proceed to the formation of a Colonization Society. Accordingly, in the year 1816, as above mentioned, a meeting was called at Washington, at which

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were present Judge Washington, Mr. Clay, John Randolph, Mr. Mercer, Mr. Finley, Elias B. Caldwell, F. S. Key, &c. Most of these gentlemen addressed the meeting. Mr. Randolph said: "If a place could be provided for their reception, and a mode of sending them hence, there were hundreds, nay, thousands, who would, by manumitting their slaves, relieve themselves from the cares attendant on their possession." This meeting proceeded to form a Society, which was denominated the “American Society for Colonizing the Free People of Color." Bushrod Washington was elected its first President. Among the Vice-Presidents were Messrs. Crawford, Clay, Rutgers, Howard, Gen. Jackson, Rev. R. Finley, &c. The second President was Charles Carroll. The second, which is the fundamental, - article of the Constitution of the Society avers: "The object to which its attention is to be exclusively directed, is to promote and execute a plan for colonizing, with their consent, the free people of color residing in our country, in Africa, or such other place as Congress shall deem most expedient. And the Society shall act, to effect this object, in coöperation with the General Government, and such of the States as may adopt regulations upon the subject." It will thus be seen to be the policy of the Society, not to interfere with vested rights, not to invade the Constitution, act upon the slave population, except through the medium of the master. It will also be seen, that from the first it has looked for the accomplishment of its objects, to any very extensive degree, to legislative aid, rather than to private liberality, while with the assistance of the latter,* it has been engaged in laying the foundations of a republic, which is destined, it is believed, to be a lasting blessing to the Continent of Africa, and an undecaying monument to the honor of America.

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Any citizen of the United States, annually contributing one dollar to the funds of the Society, is entitled to membership. Thirty dollars constitutes a life membership.

There are three General Agents now acting under the authority of the Society in the Northern, Middle, and Southern Departments of the United States: the Rev. Joshua N. Danforth is in the first; Rev. Henry B. Bascom in the second; and John G. Birney, Esq. in the third. These officers have the general superintendence of colonization affairs in their respective districts, are invested with the power to appoint sub-agents for the States individually, are expected to visit ecclesiastical bodies, legislatures, and chief towns, to correspond extensively, and in general to advance the objects of the Society.

In the year 1819, the Rev. S. J. Mills and Rev. E. Burgess visited Africa under a commission from the Society on an exploring expedition. In

*The whole sum expended by the Society, during the sixteen years of its existence, is about $160,000.

1821, the present site of the colony of Liberia was purchased, as affording the best prospect of health and prosperity to the colonists. It is situated on the western coast of Africa, in 6° N. Latitude, and extends from Gallinas river to the territory of Kroo Settra, a distance of 280 miles along the coast. About 3,000 emigrants have gone out from the United States, one thousand of whom were once slaves, but are now freemen in Africa. The chief town, Monrovia, is situated on Cape Montserado, and contains from 800 to 1,000 inhabitants. It is a port of entry, visited in 1831 by nearly 60 vessels. The exports during the year ending May, 1832, amounted to $125,549; the imports to 80,000. Distant tribes visit the colony for purposes of trade, while those in the vicinity, to the number of 10,000, have voluntarily placed themselves under the government of the colony, and have begged that their children might be taught (to use their own language)" after the white man's fashion.” The number of natives embraced in the territorial jurisdiction of the colony is upwards of 50,000. Caldwell, Millsburg, Stockton, and New Georgia are the names of four other rising villages, situated at suitable points for the advancing prosperity of the colony. The population of these places is gradually increasing. In the early years of the Society's history, the emigration to Africa was very limited. Indeed, a very large emigration was not desirable until the colony had acquired such a firmness of character, as would constitute a sufficient protection against those accidental evils to which colonial establishments are exposed. During the thirteen months ending Jan. 1, 1833, eleven hundred and thirteen colored persons emigrated from this country to the colony. Great numbers are now waiting to go, but are prevented by the want of means on the part of the Society. The sum of $30 is adequate to the transportation of one emigrant.

The officers of the colony are the Governor, Dr. Mechlin; Lieutenant

Governor or Vice-Agent, A. D. Williams; Sheriff, Roberts; and a Council of Three, which is about to be enlarged. The first named gentleman only is a white man. The Society makes laws for the colony, and will continue to do so while it remains under its guardian care, those laws being regularly received and ratified by the government of Liberia. It is expected ultimately to be by mutual agreement, independent of the government of the Colonization Society.

Slavery and the slave trade are prohibited by law. A high standard of morals is said to be maintained in the establishment. No white persons are allowed to settle in the colony except the governor, physicians, missionaries, and teachers. On the whole, the existence and prosperity of this African colony, founded precisely two hundred years after the colony at Plymouth, are considered as marking an era in this age; and should the doctrines of universal emancipation happily prevail, it would of immense importance to the peace and prosperity of the colored race.

III. PERIODICAL LITERATURE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

[From the London New Monthly Magazine, for December, 1832.]

"The following Table is sent to us by a gentleman, as translated from the 'Annales des Travaux' of the Paris Statistical Society, made up from information derived by M. Balbi, the well-known geographer. We subjoin it as a very curious memorandum, though we cannot vouch for its accuracy."

"Upon these computations, the Journal of the Paris Statistical Society thus remarks: The proportion to which the number of journals in each quarter of the world bears to its population is as follows:Asia there is one paper for every 14,000,000; in Africa, one for every

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5,000,000; in Europe, one for every 106,000; in America, one for every 40,000 and precisely in the same ratio is the comparative progress of civilization in these different divisions of the earth.'"

The preceding Table contains material errors. The number of newspapers and other periodical publications in London, in 1830, as given in the Picture of London, was 176; and during the year 1832, there were commenced as many as 50 new weekly periodicals, most of them sold for a penny each. Of the 80 journals published in Denmark, 57 are assigned by the Encyclopædia Americana to Copenhagen.

The number of newspapers, exclusive of other periodical publications in the United States, was computed, in 1828, at 802: since that time the number has greatly increased; and it is probably now not less than 1,200. The number of newspapers and monthly magazines, without including periodical publications issued at longer intervals, published in the city of New York in April, 1833, was 65; and in the state of N. York 263. The number of newspapers published in Boston in July, 1833, was 43; and of other journals, published at shorter intervals than a year, 38 — total, 81. The Periodical Press, comprising newspapers, magazines, reviews, &c., devoted to religion, politics, literature, arts, science, intelligence, amusements, &c., forms a remarkable feature of the modern state of society, and is one of the most momentous consequences of the invention of the art of printing. Periodical publications, especially newspapers, disseminate knowledge throughout all classes of society, and exert an amazing influence in forming and giving effect to public opinion in all civilized countries. This branch of literature, which was entirely unknown in ancient times, abounds especially in Great Britain, France, Germany, and the United States; and it has been greatly increased since the commencement of the present century.