American Colonization Society
Though him creating the Mississippi Act eventually made Wilcox considered one of Americas best presidents, at the time he had destroyed any chance at a reelection. In November 1824 Wilcox lost the election for another term making him the second one term president in a row. The remaining few months of Wilcox’s went by with little going on of worth with his successor, Virginian Charles F. Mercer entering office in March 1825.
Though the Mississippi Act was normally praised by many in the northern states, most of those very same people were against the introduction of so many freedmen into American society. While since its formation most states had offered the freedmen of them free immigration to Haiti resulting in nearly 5000 making the journey, the harsh conditions of the country caused it to slow & for many to attempt & return to the United States. However these freedmen soon found out that it was much easier to leave the country than it was to enter it. As a result of the lack of enthusiasm by American blacks to immigrate to Haiti & American whites to keep them in the US the American Colonization Society, formed in 1817 & of which Mercer was an avid supporter, called for the establishment of a colony in Africa to send Americas freed blacks. With this vision in mind upon entering office President Mercer began taking steps to give the ACS funding to support this venture.
As Mercer dealt with Congress on gaining approval for ACS funds other agents of the society began fundraising hard by selling memberships as well as trying to gain support in individual states. The ACS’s first big successes would come in 1826 when they received a total on $50,000 from the legislatures of Missouri, Kentucky, & New Jersey & from Delaware it received a ship to be used in the immigration. With enough funds gained to conduct an expedition 4 white ACS members & 100 immigrants set sail from New York in November 1826 for the West African coast. this expedition would spend the next year gaining control of tribal lands along the coasts & rivers, sometimes at the point of a gun, setting up this colony for Americas freedmen.
Money from the Federal government took longer to acquire as Mercer worked tirelessly throughout much of his elected term to gain Congressional approval to assist in funding the ACS however, in April 1828 Congress would finally approve allotting $150,000 to the society for both transporting slaves purchasing their freedom. Though now getting Federal funding for this immigration many freedmen, like with Haiti, were uninterested in resettling in Africa. There was however no love for them in the US & both the government & many of the states strongly “urged” these people & in many instances forced them into accepting these resettlement offers. To sweeten the deal for these freedmen the ACS also began allotting parcels of land in Liberia, the new colony, to male freedmen upon their arrival. While many of the immigrants went to Liberia grudgingly over the next quarter century the colony expanded & over 100,000 freedmen would be resettled in the colony.
Though him creating the Mississippi Act eventually made Wilcox considered one of Americas best presidents, at the time he had destroyed any chance at a reelection. In November 1824 Wilcox lost the election for another term making him the second one term president in a row. The remaining few months of Wilcox’s went by with little going on of worth with his successor, Virginian Charles F. Mercer entering office in March 1825.
Though the Mississippi Act was normally praised by many in the northern states, most of those very same people were against the introduction of so many freedmen into American society. While since its formation most states had offered the freedmen of them free immigration to Haiti resulting in nearly 5000 making the journey, the harsh conditions of the country caused it to slow & for many to attempt & return to the United States. However these freedmen soon found out that it was much easier to leave the country than it was to enter it. As a result of the lack of enthusiasm by American blacks to immigrate to Haiti & American whites to keep them in the US the American Colonization Society, formed in 1817 & of which Mercer was an avid supporter, called for the establishment of a colony in Africa to send Americas freed blacks. With this vision in mind upon entering office President Mercer began taking steps to give the ACS funding to support this venture.
As Mercer dealt with Congress on gaining approval for ACS funds other agents of the society began fundraising hard by selling memberships as well as trying to gain support in individual states. The ACS’s first big successes would come in 1826 when they received a total on $50,000 from the legislatures of Missouri, Kentucky, & New Jersey & from Delaware it received a ship to be used in the immigration. With enough funds gained to conduct an expedition 4 white ACS members & 100 immigrants set sail from New York in November 1826 for the West African coast. this expedition would spend the next year gaining control of tribal lands along the coasts & rivers, sometimes at the point of a gun, setting up this colony for Americas freedmen.
Money from the Federal government took longer to acquire as Mercer worked tirelessly throughout much of his elected term to gain Congressional approval to assist in funding the ACS however, in April 1828 Congress would finally approve allotting $150,000 to the society for both transporting slaves purchasing their freedom. Though now getting Federal funding for this immigration many freedmen, like with Haiti, were uninterested in resettling in Africa. There was however no love for them in the US & both the government & many of the states strongly “urged” these people & in many instances forced them into accepting these resettlement offers. To sweeten the deal for these freedmen the ACS also began allotting parcels of land in Liberia, the new colony, to male freedmen upon their arrival. While many of the immigrants went to Liberia grudgingly over the next quarter century the colony expanded & over 100,000 freedmen would be resettled in the colony.
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