was captured; and had it not been for the vigilance of one of her Majesty's cruisers, five hundred more would have been stowed in the hold, which information I derived from the Italian captain himself. She arrived at this place in the command of Lieutenant Cogdell, on the 15th instant; and, on the following day, I succeeded in landing all the recaptives who were on board, seven hundred and fifty-six in number; upwards of one hundred and fifty having died during the passage of fourteen days from Cabinda to this place. The large majority of those whom I received were boys, from ten to twenty years of age; only forty-seven girls in the company." A true copy: NOAH FLETCHER, Clerk American Colonization Society. The United States, No. 4. To the American Colonization Society, For expenses attending the location and maintenance of the recaptives by the "Pons" in Liberia, as per the following items: 1. For clothing before they were apprenticed to the citizens, 756, at $8 50 each DR. $6,426 00 2. For officers' fees, papers, &c., for apprenticing them out, 735 of them, at $2 25 each 1,653 50 3. For provisions furnished to them, and to the persons who took them, at sundry times 2,187 75 4. For services of the colonial physician attending them the first year, at $2 each, 735 1,470 00 1,512 00 850 00 5. For services of the colonial physician for the second year, $1 each, and for the third year $1 each, 756 6. For their proportion of amount paid to school-teachers for three years 7. For services of Governor Roberts while looking after 8. For lands assigned them, according to the laws of Li- 10. For provisions, &c., sent them expressly by the Chat- 425 00 4,562 50 22,050 00 6,394 50 47,531 25 COLONIZATION ROOMS, Washington City, April 19, 1848. It may be proper to accompany the foregoing account with some explanations. These people were thrown unexpectedly upon the colony, and their wants had to be immediately supplied. It was not supposed that the United States government would be responsible for the expenditure. The colony had received others previously; the society had supported them, and received no remuneration for it. No minute account was, therefore, kept with them. The foregoing statement is a general estimate, rather than a definite and positive assertion of the actual expenditures; and it is believed to be rather below than above the real amount. The first item in the statement is for clothing. We had in the colonial store, at the time of their landing, a large supply of ready-made clothing and of materials for the same. These were all used for the purpose, together with much purchased from merchants in Monrovia. The second item embraces the usual fees for the duties of apprenticing. The third item is for provisions furnished to them from the colonial store, and to the persons to whom they were apprenticed. Our emigrant ship-the Roanoke-had arrived but a short time before they did, with a large supply of provisions for sale. These were all dealt out with a liberal hand. An unprecedented drought had cut off the crop of rice, and there was great scarcity of provisions both among the natives and the colonists, and there would have been great suffering, but for this timely relief. Hence the necessity of despatching the vessel from New York, mentioned in the last item in the account. Indeed, from, the first to the present time, both the society and the citizens of Liberia have dealt with these people in the most liberal and benevolent manner. But many of the citizens were poor, and could not have sustained their apprentices without aid from the society. The fourth and fifth items are for the services of the colonial physician. We pay him $2,000 a year. The first year of their residence in the colony, he had less than 300 emigrants to attend, while he attended 735 of them. He has continued to attend them to the present time, without receiving any compensation from them. It is but reasonable, therefore, that they should bear a part of the burden of his salary. They have had more than half his time, and the society has furnished all the medicines. In the sixth item, they are charged only according to the number attending the schools, and for which no compensation is received. The seventh item is for the services of the governor and the colonial secretary while looking after the welfare of these people. We pay the governor $2,500, and the secretary $1,100 a year. They both say that the recaptives the first year required more of their time, and gave them more trouble, than all their other duties. The eighth item being pay for the land which by law we are obliged to give them, there cannot be a doubt of its propriety. The ninth item-the largest one in the account-requires but a moment's consideration of the way in which we manged to support the newly arrived emigrants in Liberia. It is indispensable to their health and welfare that we provide them a house and provisions, &c., for six months. In order to do this economically, we place them in families who want domestics, and where by their labor they can greatly aid in their support. But these recaptives filled almost every family in the colony; and this not merely for six months, but for many years. The consequence is, that we have been obliged to build houses in which to place our emigrants, and to support them at greatly increased expense. In the account, we have made a charge only for one year; while the fact is, that we yet feel the increased expense, and shall for several years to come. For the tenth and last item in the account, I present the authority of the President of the New York society, under whose supervision the vessel was chartered and despatched. These provisions, &c., having been sent out and consigned to Governor Roberts for the express purpose of aiding us in the support of these people, there cannot be a doubt in regard to its accuracy. It must be considered, also, that these provisions, &c., are estimated at their cost in New York, while they were worth at least 100 per cent. more in Liberia. All which is respectfully submitted. W. McLAIN, Secretary Am. Col. Society. No. 5. The recaptured Africans in the "Pons," To the "New York State Colonization Society,” 1846. For supplies sent per brig "Chatham," consisting of DR. - $4,394 50 2,000 00 6,394 50 The whole of the above was consigned to Governor Roberts, at Monrovia, who took the charge of distributing the same for the sole benefit of the recaptured Africans in the "Pons," and has since stated to me that the arrival of the "Chatham" with the above named supplies was most providential, as they were in the greatest need. I am satisfied that these supplies might have been valued at a much higher rate, delivered in Africa. ANSON G. PHELPS, President N. Y. State Colonization Society. No. 6. COLONIZATON ROOMS, February 18, 1848. MY DEAR SIR: At length I have obtained from the Navy Department a certificate of the number of recaptives from the slaver Pons. Mr. Dayton says that both the Treasury and Navy Departments were searched twice before it could be found. You will find Mr. Wirt's opinion of the law of 3d March, 1819, in House Document No. 123, page 229, and Mr. Crawford's do. do., page 231. Should the committee desire any other documents that are in reach, I shall be happy to furnish them. I am, dear sir, yours, very truly, Hon. J. R. UNDERWOOD. W. M'LAIN. No. 7. WASHINGTON, April 24, 1848. DEAR SIR: In relation to the bill from the House of Representatives, now before the Committee of Claims of the Senate, for the relief of Thomas P. Jones and others, I beg to refer you to the act of the 3d of March, 1843, chapter 94, at page 626, of the 5th volume of Statutes at Large. By the 5th section of that act, it will be found that the "Secretary of the Navy was authorized to appoint a board of examiners, consisting of three persons, of thorough knowledge as to the structure and use of the steam engine, whose duty it shall be to make experimental trials of such inventions and plans designed to prevent the explosion of steam-boilers and collapsing of flues as they may deem worthy of examination, and report the result of their experiments, with an expression of their opinion as to the relative merits and efficacy of such inventions and plans; which report the Secretary shall cause to be laid before Congress at its next session." There were sundry other matters which the board were to report upon. Their duties were, indeed, such as only educated and scientific men could perform. The act is silent as to the compensation to be allowed; but the Secretary, in whom the discretion was reposed, thought it advisable to stipulate for each member of the board $300 per month; and he offered that as their compensation. They performed their service, and made their report, which was accepted and laid before Congress. Is it law or justice that they shall now be put off with only $100 a month? I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. J. R. UNDERWOOD, U. S. Senate, Washington. D. A. HALL. No. 8. IN SENATE MAY 3, 1848. The Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of the executive committee of the American Colonization Society, respectfully report: That the documents herewith filed, marked Nos. 1, 2, and 3, contain all the information in regard to the amount expended by the Colonization Society, in taking care of the recaptured Africans on board the Pons, which the committee have been able to obtain. The petition sets out fully the grounds upon which the society asks the government to make them some remuneration. These documents, when printed with the petition, will fairly represent the case. The committee are of opinion that a liberal construction of the act of Congress of March 3, 1819, requires the government to support recaptured Africans for a reasonable time after they shall have been landed in Liberia. It would be unbecoming the dignity and resources of the government, to throw the expense exclusively upon a benevolent association, and thereby make the operations of the government onerous upon the benevolent exertions of private individuals. The committee, therefore, report a bill for the relief of the society. Rep.-2 |