rably
considered.

'But it is not in themselves merely that the free people of
color are a nuisance and burthen. They contribute greatly to the
corruption of the slaves, and to aggravate the evils of their
condition, by rendering them idle, discontented and disobedient.
This also arises from the necessity under which the free blacks
are, of remaining incorporated with the slaves, of associating
habitually with them, and forming part of the same class in
society. The slave seeing his free companion live in idleness,
or subsist however scantily or precariously by occasional and
desultory employment, is apt to grow discontented with his own
condition, and to regard as tyranny and injustice the authority
which compels him to labor.[P]

'Great, however, as the benefits are, which we may thus promise
ourselves, from the colonization of the free people of color, by
its tendency to prevent the discontent and corruption of our
slaves,' &c. * * 'The considerations stated in the first part of
this letter, have long since produced a thorough conviction in
my mind, that the existence of a class of free people of color
in this country is highly injurious to the whites, the slaves
and the free people of color themselves: consequently that all
emancipation, to however small an extent, which permits the
persons emancipated to remain in this country, is an evil, which
must increase with the increase of the operation, and would
become altogether intolerable, if extended to the whole, or even
to a very large part of the black population. I am therefore
strongly opposed to emancipation, in every shape and degree,
unless accompanied by colonization.'--[General Harper's
Letter--First Annual Report, pp. 29, 31, 32, 33, 36.]

'The slaves would be greatly benefitted by the removal of the
free blacks, who now corrupt them and render them
discontented.'--[Second An. Rep.]

'What are these objects? They are in the first place to aid
ourselves, by relieving us from a species of population pregnant
with future danger and present inconvenience.'--[Seventh
Report.]

'They are dangerous to the community, and this danger ought to
be removed. Their wretchedness arises not only from their
bondage, but from their political and moral degradation. The
danger is not so much that we have a