Haiti. and Portugal. It has been said that recognition by the United States was delayed because it was pointed out that Washington would be compelled to receive a colored envoy. About 1 year after the adoption of the constitution. and when the new Government was well on Its way toward the completion of its labors in setting up and placing in operation the various subdivisions of the Government. the directors of the society and the commissioners of the Republic. on behalf of the American Colonization Society and the Republic of Liberia. in the city of New York. on the 20th day of July 1848. entered into articles of agreement whereby the society ceded all of its public lands within the limits of Liberia to the Republic. subject to 10 provisions. one of which was that when the Gov. ernment sells any of the public lands. every alternate lot. or farm. or section. or square mile. or miles shall be left unsold to be assigned to emigrants. It was further provided that the tracts reserved for emigrants may. with the assent 9f the society. be exchanged for others of equal value. or sold and the proceeds devoted to the purposes of education. It was provided also that the society shall retain the right of locating emigrants in any of the present settlements. and that any settlements are to be formed by the concurrence and agreement of the Government of Liberia and the society. If Senators have time to read my bill. which I hope they will. they will find that I provide that the American Colonization Society. which is still an organization domiciled in Washington. shall have a part in connection with allocation of the lands acquired for the resettlement of Americans in Liberia. The agreement stipulated that the Government of Liberia should hold the land theretofore appropriated to the Kentucky society for the occupancy of emigrants from that State. the land assigned to the Mississippi society should be held for emigrants from that State. and the Blueberrie land should be assigned to emigrants from the State of Louisiana. These several State societies were auxiliaries of the American Colonization Society. By this agreement the active participation of the American Colonization Society in administering the affairs of the people of Liberia was practically terminated. and only such rights were reserved and such cooperation in the matter of establishing new settlements was permitted as were to be found stipulated in the articles of agreement of July 20. 1848. * * * * * It may be of interest to know that since I have been working on this problem. through the activities of the Ethiopian League. headed by President Gordon. of Chicago. two commissioners were sent to Liberia to interview the President of Liberia and definitely ascertain whether or not the President of Liberia would be willing to accept the American Negroes if the Congress should pass legislation providing for their settlement in Liberia.
Keywords matched
emigrants