Need fear no competition.

'It sometimes has been said that Europeans will, notwithstanding the planting of colonies along the coast, and after all that can be done for Africa, hold the mouths of the rivers emptying round the Cape of Western Africa; and that the African will always, therefore, be measurably under the influence of a promiscuous white population. To me, however, it seems most obvious, that the elastic pressure of a coloured population in Africa will, and must, ultimately, exclude all other people. It is the land of the coloured; and we may confidently say of Africa,

"Despite of every yoke she bears,

That land of glory still is theirs."

The advantage in physical constitution which the blacks will enjoy, is one which will give them decided superiority to all other people as occupants of the soil. The puny and sickly colonies of other nations can never compete with them. The sceptre of influence will, without a doubt, be ultimately wielded in Africa by those whom heaven has appointed to wield it, the blacks themselves; they will receive their character chiefly, I have no doubt, from emigrants going from our own shores.

'We must now close the subject for the present. Each of us, I trust, can say in conclusion, from the heart, of that vast, injured, benighted, but awaking continent,

"Oh! to thy godlike destiny arise—
Awake, and meet the purpose of the skies!""

Aid from the United States.

CONVERSATION XXIII.

"The removal of our coloured population is, I think, a common object, by no means confined to the slave States, although they are more immediately interested in it. The whole Union would be strengthened by it, and Pelieved from a danger, whose extent can scarcely be estimated."

Chief Justice Marshall.

You said in your last conversation, Pa," said Henry,' that agents of the Government of the United States went out with the first emigrants sent to Africa by the Colonization Society: why were agents sent by the United States?'

In the act of Congress for the suppression of the slavetrade, passed in the year 1807, there was a clause by which Negroes brought into the United States, in consequence of the law authorizing the capture of vessels engaged in the slave-trade, were to be "subject to any regulations not contravening the provisions of the act, which the legislatures of the several States and Territories might make for the disposing of such Negroes."

'By an act of the Georgia legislature, in 1817, captured Negroes brought into Georgia in pursuance of the aforesaid act of Congress, were to be sold, or delivered to the Colonization Society to be returned to Africa. A slaver contain-.

Early trials of the colony.

ing thirty-eight Negroes was captured by one of the United States vessels, and brought into Georgia. The Negroes were, according to law, advertised for sale. The Colonization Society, availing itself of the provisions of the law above referred to, applied for the slaves to be returned to Africa, paid as was necessary the expenses incurred on their account, and rescued the victims of piratical cupidity from perpetual slavery.

'Cases of this kind having previously occurred, had directed the attention of Congress to the necessity of providing somewhere an asylum for recaptured Negroes, and a law had been enacted authorizing the President to make such regulations and arrangements as he might deem expedient for their safe-keeping, support, and removal beyond the limits of the United States, and also to appoint a proper person or persons residing on the coast of Africa, as agent or agents, in the fulfilment of such arrangements in respect to all Negroes seized by United States' vessels.

'It was thought that the ends of this act could be better accomplished by the aid of the Colonization Society; and accordingly, the first expedition to Liberia, in 1820, was by the Colonization Society and the U. S. Government in conjunction. The Elizabeth was chartered, and took to the coast two Government agents, one Colonial agent, and about eighty emigrants, the latter of whom were to be employed at the expense of the Government in preparing accommodations for the reception of the recaptured Negroes.'

This expedition; Sir, you have said, was very unfortunate in their location, which you said was on the river Sherbro is that in Liberia ?'

'No, Henry; it is 200 miles north of Liberia, and 100

Ashmun's defence of the colony.

miles south of Sierra Leone. It was not until 1822, that a permanent location was obtained at Cape Mesurado.'

'The colony had much difficulty with the natives at its commencement, had it not?"

They had; and perhaps it has been correctly said that no struggle of ancient or modern times surpasses the defence which that little band of colonists made. The lamented Ashmun, forced in opposition to all his habits and feelings, to become a warlike commander, acquitted himself in a manner that discovered military skill of the highest order.Without ever aspiring to military renown, he shone forth, a hero in arms, whose coolness, firmness, wisdom, and courage could hardly be surpassed.

6

The little band of thirty-five African emigrants, about one half of whom only were engaged in action, were threatened by a host, whose numbers were untold, and destruction seemed inevitable. Ashmun was himself sick, of fever

and was, besides, in great affliction, having just buried his wife, an amiable and heroic woman who insisted on sharing her husband's toils and dangers in Africa; but notwithstanding, he rose from the bed of sickness, and day by day, after tossing with the delirium of a burning fever through the night, spent his time in directing his little band in constructing their hasty and imperfect defences, and teaching them to manage their artillery, and how to succour each other in their defence.

The result was-the natives were successfully repulsed, and the colony was saved from destruction; whilst such an impression was made on the natives as to put to rest, probably for ever, any thought of a similar attempt.

Ashmun's death.

I suppose,' said Henry, it is in reference to this exploit particularly, that Ashmun is sometimes called the founder of the colony of Liberia?

• Mr. Ashmun died at New Haven-I have seen his monument―he died soon after arriving there from Liberia for his health. But, falling a victim to his devotion to the cause of colonization, I am sure that he nobly died, in a noble cause.'

'Yes: Mr. Ashmun's great and untiring efforts continuing through nearly six years of constant anxiety and labour in Africa, destroyed his physical constitution and brought him to a premature grave; but he fell nobly.

'Mr. Ashmun's life, so far at least as is connected with Africa, in which we are now more particularly interested, you will find full of interest.'

'Where was Mr. Ashmun born, Pa, and how came he to embark in the colonization cause, as an agent to Africa?'

• Mr. A., whose christian name was Jehudi, was born in Champlain, N. Y., in 1794. I will relate, if you please, some of the leading incidents of his history as they occur, on recollection.

In his childhood, Mr. A. was thoughtful and reserved, remarkably fond of books and ambitious of literary distinction. In his studies he made rapid progress. He became a devoted christian in the morning of his days. He graduated at Burlington College, Vt., and soon after entering the ministry was elected Professor in the Theological Seminary at Bangor, Me. After leaving that Seminary, he became a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He prepared the Memoirs of the Rev. Samuel Bacon, the earliest martyr