and station are almost omnipotent. The
press has been seduced into its support: the press is a potent engine.
Moreover, the Society is artfully based upon and defended by _popular
prejudice_: it takes advantage of wicked and preposterous opinions, and
hence its success. These things grieve, they cannot deter me. 'Truth is
mighty, and will prevail.' It is able to make falsehood blush, and tear
from hypocrisy its mask, and annihilate prejudice, and overthrow
persecution, and break every fetter.

I am constrained to declare, with the utmost sincerity, that I look upon
the colonization scheme as inadequate in its design, injurious in its
operation, and contrary to sound principle; and the more scrupulously I
examine its pretensions, the stronger is my conviction of its
sinfulness. Nay, were Jehovah to speak in an audible voice from his holy
habitation, I am persuaded that his language would be, 'Who hath
required this at your hands?'

It consoles me to believe that no man, who knows me personally or by
reputation, will suspect the honesty of my skepticism. If I were
politic, and intent only on my own preferment or pecuniary interest, I
should swim with the strong tide of public sentiment instead of
breasting its powerful influence. The hazard is too great, the labor too
burdensome, the remuneration too uncertain, the contest too unequal, to
induce a selfish adventurer to assail a combination so formidable.
Disinterested opposition and sincere conviction, however, are not
conclusive proofs of individual rectitude; for a man may very honestly
do mischief, and not be aware of his error. Indeed, it is in this light
I view many of the friends of African colonization. I concede to them
benevolence of purpose and expansiveness of heart; but in my opinion,
they are laboring under the same delusion as that which swayed Saul of
Tarsus--persecuting the blacks even unto a strange country, and verily
believing that they are doing God service. I blame them, nevertheless,
for taking this mighty scheme upon trust; for not perceiving and
rejecting the monstrous doctrines avowed by the master spirits in the
crusade; and for feeling so indifferent to the moral, political and
social advancement of the free people of color in this their only
legitimate home.

In the progress of this discussion I shall have occasion to use very
plain, and sometimes very severe language. This would be an unpleasant
task, did not duty imperiously demand its app