, that it is not only proper, but would
ultimately tend to the benefit and advantage of a great portion
of our suffering fellow creatures, to be colonized; but while we
thus express our approbation of a measure laudable in its
purposes, and beneficial in its designs, it may not be improper
in us to say, that we prefer being colonized in the most remote
corner of the land of our nativity, to being exiled to a foreign
country--and whereas the president and board of managers of the
said Society have been pleased to leave it to the entire
discretion of Congress to provide a suitable place for carrying
these laudable intentions into effect--Be it therefore

'"Resolved, That we respectfully submit to the wisdom of
Congress whether it would not be an act of charity to grant us a
small portion of their territory, either on the Missouri river,
or any place that may seem to them most conducive to the public
good and our future welfare, subject, however, to such rules and
regulations as the government of the United States may think
proper to adopt."

'WM. BOWLER, Chairman.

'LENTEY CRAW, Secretary.'[AO]

'The _colonization craft_ is a diabolical pursuit, which a great
part of our christian community are engaged in. Now, brethren, I
need not enlarge on this point. You that have been observing,
have already seen the trap under the bait; and although some of
our population have been foolish enough to sell their birthright
for a mess of pottage, yet I doubt whether the Colonization
Society will entrap many more. It is too bare-faced, and
contrary to all reason, to suppose, that there is any good
design in this project. If they are willing to restore
four-fold for what they have taken by false accusation, they
can do it to better advantage in the bosom of our country, than
at several thousand miles off. How would you do, brethren, if
your object was really to benefit the poor? Would you send them
into a neighboring forest, and there deal out that food which
they were famishing for? Now we stand different from beggars.
Our ancestors were stolen property, and property which belonged
to God. This is well known by our religious community; and they
find that the owner is about to detect them. Now if they can
slip away the stolen goods, by smuggling all those out of