Ask the Scholar

Henry Egbert Benson writes to William Lloyd Garrison describing his efforts "to impress upon the free People of color the importance of Sending one or two delegates to represent them in the Philad[elphi]a Convention [likely the 2nd Annual Convention for the Improvement of the Free People of Color]." He says they have succeeded in calling a meeting to consider the matter and then discusses Liberator subscriptions, promising to send Garrison money at the first opportunity. Benson adds that Garrison's "Thoughts on African Colonization' shall probably obtain 20 subscribers or upwards." He then describes a visit to Providence by an agent of the American Colonization Society who lectured for two nights and "probably collected about fifty dollars - which will, as he says, transport two blacks to plant them in Liberia, happy men for life," he comments sarcastically. Benson tells Garrison he was so "ashamed" of the colonizationist's arguments that he wrote an article refuting them in the local paper. This article was challenged by one in support of colonization, and as a result the newspaper's editor "agreed to admit articles (say of a column) on either side, once a week." He then asks Garrison if he would write some articles against colonization but asks him to leave his signature off "as we do not wish the public to know it is from your pen." Benson also addresses charges in an article he sent to Garrison about Quakerism, stating that those who have "departed from the principles of true Quakerism, as to support the colonizing scheme need censuring," while those that "have nobly sustained their Christian principles and contended for the education of the colored people here, need to be defended against the assertions fo that writer."