THE AFRICAN REPOSITORY. Vol. xxxix.] WASHINGTON, MARCH, 1863. [No. 3. EXTRACTS FROM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY. WASHINGTON CITY, January 20, 1863. The Board of Directors of the American Colonization Society met, this day, at 12 o'clock M. in the building of the Society, corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 43 street. The President of the Society, Hon. JOHN H. B. LATROBE, called the Board to order; and the Rev. JOHN MACLEAN, D. D., offered prayer. The Board, in compliance with the seventh article of the ByLaws, proceeded to the appointment of a Secretary; and on motion of Dr. L. A. Smith, of New Jersey, WILLIAM COPPINGER was appointed. The President appointed Rev. J. Tracy, D. D., Dr. L. A Smith, and Rev. Franklin Butler, a Committee on Credentials, who reported the following named gentlemen as Delegates and Life Directors:* Delegates for 1863. Maine.-Rev. Franklin Butler.* Vermont.-Hon. Daniel Baldwin,* George W. Scott, Esq.* *Those marked were present. Massachusetts.-William Ropes, Esq., Rev. John O. Means,* James C. Dunn, William G. Means, Esq.,* Hon. G. Washington Warren, Joseph S. Ropes, Esq.,* Marshall Conant, Esq.* Connecticut. Hon. Ebenezer Flower,* Hon. S. H. Huntington, President Samuel Elliot, Hezekiah Huntington, Esq., E. A. Elliot, Esq., W. W. Wakeman, Esq.,* Rev. John Kennaday, D. D. New York.-Hon. L.. B. Ward,* Richard T. Haines, Esq.* New Jersey.-Lyndas A. Smith, M. D.* Pennsylvania.-William V. Pettit, Esq.,* William Coppinger.* Life Directors. John P. Crozer, Esq., Rev. R. R. Gurley, Dr. James Hall, Rev. John Maclean, D. D., Rev. W. McLain, D. D., Rev. John Orcutt, Rev. Joseph Tracy, D. D. Executive Committee. Dr. H. Lindsly, Hon. P. Parker, William Gunton, Esq., Rev. Dr. Samson. The Rev. R. R. Gurley, Corresponding Secretary of the Society, presented and read the Annual Report; when, on motion of William V. Pettit, Esq., it was Resolved, That the Annual Report be accepted, and that so much as relates to Finances, Auxiliary Societies, Agencies, Accounts, and Emigration, be referred to the several Standing Committees in charge of those subjects respectively. The Rev. Wm. McLain, D. D., Financial Secretary of the Society, presented and read the Annual Statement of the Executive Committee of the Society. On motion of the Financial Secretary, it was Resolved, That the topics embraced in the statement of the Executive Committee be referred as follows: The United States and support of Africans.... Accounts. Account with the Liberian Government.. Agents... Stocks, Bonds, and Mortgages.. Do. Treasurer's account..... Accounts. The following are the Standing Committees, as announced by the President: Foreign Relations, Finance, Auxiliary Societies, Agencies, Accounts, Emigration, Rev. John Maclean, D. D., Rev. Joseph Tracy, D. D., Hon. S. H. Huntington, George W. Scott, Esq., Rev. John B. Pinney, L. L. D, Daniel Baldwin, Esq., William V. Pettit, Esq., Rev. John O. Means, L. B. Ward, Esq. On motion of Rev. Dr. Maclean, it was Resolved, That this Board adjourn to meet to-morrow morning, at 10 o'clock. Adjourned. WASHINGTON CITY, January 21, 1863. The Board met pursuant to adjournment. Prayer was offered by the Corresponding Secretary of the Society. The minutes of yesterday's proceedings were read and approved. On motion of Rev. Dr. Maclean, it was Resolved, That the Committee of Nomination of Officers of the Society be now appointed. The Rev. John Maclean, D. D., D. Baldwin, Esq., and William V. Pettit, Esq., were appointed. The hour of 12 having arrived, the Board took a recess for the meeting of the Society; and after a brief season resumed its session. On motion of John P Crozer, Esq., it was Resolved, That Dr. Robert R. Reed, of Pennsylvania, be invited to sit with the Board as a member. On motion of Mr. Pettit, it was Resolved, That the Board do now adjourn to meet this evening at 7 o'clock. Adjourned. JANUARY 21, 1863-[Evening.] The Board met at 7 o'clock this evening, agreeably to adjournment: the President in the chair. The minutes of the morning session were read and approved. The Annual Report of the Rev. Franklin Butler, as agent for the States of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, was read, and on motion referred to the Standing Committee on Agencies. The Report of Dr. James Hall, January, 1863, as Agent of the packet Mary Caroline Stevens, was read; And on motion, it was Resolved, That the report of Dr. James Hall, with the accompanying papers, be referred to the Standing Committee on Ac counts. A communication was read from the Hon. D. S. Gregory, Jersey City, January 19, expressive of regret at his inability to be present as a delegate from the New York Society. A series of resolutions in regard to basis of representation, was offered by Dr. L. A. Smith: when, On motion of Mr. Pettit, it was Resolved, That the subject of the basis of representation be referred to a special committee, to report at the present meeting of the Board. The Chair appointed William V. Pettit, Esq., Dr. James Hall and Rev. Dr. Tracy, the committee. On motion of Rev. Dr. Maclean, it was Resolved, That while the American Colonization Society leaves it to each of its supporters to determine for himself the grounds on which he joins the Society, yet that irrespective of all these, and uncommitted to any one of them, it confines itself to the sole object of its official existence, viz: "the Colonization of the free people of color of the United States, with their own consent, on the coast of Africa," and holds itself wholly uncommitted to the expression of any opinion of its Agents at its public meetings or elsewhere, or by any other than its own official proceedings or those speeches and declarations which it sanctions by express resolution. The following resolution, offered by R. T. Haines, Esq., was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That this Board express to the Government of Liberia their high appreciation of the services of their Commissioners who lately visited this country, and that this Board regret the necessity of their return to Africa before they had an opportunity to communicate more extensively with the friends of the cause and the colored people of the United States in regard to African Colonization. Mr. Crozer, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Auxiliary Societies, presented the following report: which was read, and on motion accepted: The Committee on Auxiliary Societies annually contributing, respectfully report : That nothing of new or special interest connected with the Auxiliary Society effort, seems to claim the attention of the Board. The agents of the Parent Society report, that they have everywhere been received with interest and kindness, and that gratifying evidence exists, that our cause "is gaining upon the confidence and sympathy of the public mind." "There is "There is a growing willingness to contribute to the object." "That to accomplish all that is desirable and practical, our operations must be characterized by wisdom and harmony." A free interchange of views and corresponding action between the Executive Officers of the Parent Society and its tributary auxiliaries, whether State Societies or those of a more local character, cannot fail to promote the common object in which all are engaged. We The year has been one of trial with ours, as with most other benevolent societies. A diminution of receipts has been the result, but not to an embarrassing extent, not greater than was apprehended from the condition of our country, and the fact that the public mind was so forcibly directed to matters of more pressing interest. believe that under judicious management and well directed effort to keep the single object of our Society, as defined before the American public, by means of State Auxiliary and local Societies, as well as by direct agency, that increased interest will manifest itself from year to year by more enlarged contributions. JOHN P. CROZER, G. WASHINGTON WARREN. Mr. Pettit, Chaiman of the Standing Committee on Emigration, read the subjoined report, which was on motion accepted, and the resolution attached unanimously adopted: The Committee to whom was referred so much of the Annual Report, and of the Statement of the Executive Committee, as relates to Emigration, respectfully report: That they have given to the subject confided to them their careful consideration. It is an occasion of much regret to your Committee, as it must be to the friends of the cause in general, that the report and statement present so un avorable an account of the operations of the Society in this department during the last year. It appears, that notwithstanding the unusual efforts made by the friends of Colonization, both through our own Agents and the Commissioners sent here by the Government of Liberia, to present the inducements held out by that country to the colored race in the United States to emigrate thither, but sixty-five persons were induced to avail themselves of those advantages. Considering the greatly disturbed condition of our country, and the un |