The Agent of the Board could not seek out the individual mem bers of a class of population scattered throughout the State; nor could his representations to those whom he might visit, have much weight with them, unless he were sustained by the influence of those in whom the coloured population might have that confidence which would be derived from a knowledge of them, and a conviction of the benevolence of their motives.

To accomplish, in the most effectual manner, the objects of the Board, they prepared, and caused to be published, two pamphlets, one of which was designed for circulation among the citizens of the State, and the other among the coloured population. These were freely distributed throughout the State, and were productive, as the Board have reason to believe, of very beneficial effects. They also entered into correspondence with a number of gentlemen in different sections of the State, to whose active and zealous exertions they acknowledge themselves to be much indebted. Copies of the publications made by the Board, are respectfully submitted with this Report, as also are copies of pamphlets, published by Matthew Carey, of Philadelphia, of which a number were purchased, and a limited circulation given them by the Board.

Soon after the organization of the Board, they found it necessary to appoint an Agent to visit the different counties in succession; and they were fortunate in securing the services of Mr. Robert S. Finley; a gentleman of ardent zeal, and distinguished abilities, who had gained much experience on the subject, du- . ring his previous efficient exertions as an Agent of the American Colonization Society. Mr. Finley visited many parts of the State, and his services were of the greatest value; but he was compelled to leave the State in August last, in order to attend to his private affairs. The Board then appointed as their Agent, the Rev. Wm. McKenney, a gentleman who had also acted as an Agent of the American Colonization Society. The late period of the year at which Mr. McKenney was appointed, rendered it impracticable for him to visit more than one section of the State; and his exertions were therefore confined to the Eastern Shore, the place of his nativity. In the opinion which the Board had entertained of his zeal and talents, they found themselves amply justified by the results of his labours. The interest which had been previously excited, was confirmed and increased; and the Board have reason to believe, that the subject of removing and colonizing the free people of colour, is now looked upon in Maryland, as one of the most important to her future prosperity and welfare, which can occupy the attention of her citizens.

The whole number of persons who have removed from the State at the charge of the Board, is one hundred and seventyfive (175); of whom twenty-nine (29) emigrated to the Island of Hayti; and one hundred and forty-six (146) to Liberia, in

Africa: of the latter, twenty (20) were manumitted for the parpose of their emigrating. The emigrants to Liberia were taken by the American Colonization Society, and are to be maintained by them after their arrival, until they are settled in the Colony, for a certain sum paid by the Board for each individual.— They were provided with all necessary comforts, and with the means of establishing themselves most advantageously in their new abode; and if the accounts which shall be received from them, are of such a nature as there is no reason to doubt that they will be, there are a large number of coloured persons in different quarters of the State, who have expressed their determination of following them during the ensuing year. Many more, indeed, it is believed, would have emigrated this year, had it not been for the prevalence of the epidemic which visited the State, just about the period at which the Board had determined to despatch the first expedition. The exertions of the Board were of course paralyzed by the fear of the general spreading of this fatal disease, as it was considered imprudent to take any steps for the collecting together of numbers of persons; and the Board had at one time, abandoned the idea of sending out any emigrants this year. The returning health, however, with which the state was blessed; and the anxiety of many of the emigrants not to postpone their departure, induced the Board to change their plan; and the fine Ship La Fayette accordingly sailed from Baltimore with the emigrants for Liberia, on the ninth of December. In anticipation of a much larger emigration next year, arrangements have been made for the immediate erection in Liberia, of suitable buildings for receptacles, for the accommodation of emigrants on their arrival.

The Board cannot in justice omit to say, that in fitting out the expedition for Liberia, as well as in all the previous measures they had adopted, they received important and efficient assistance from the Eoard of Managers of the Maryland State Colonization Society. This Body, and its various Auxiliary Societies in the counties, have been actively engaged in promoting the scheme of colonization; and it is owing, in a great measure, to their exertions, that the Board were finally enabled to despatch a vessel this year for Liberia, with emigrants so abundantly provided with the means of attaining that state of prosperity to which they nave such just cause to aspire. The number of manumissions reported to the Board by the Registers of Wills, and Clerks of the different County Courts, is four hundred and fifty-three (453); of which, however, many are prospective; with regard to those whose manumissions have already taken effeet, the Board have taken all the means in their power to fulfil their duty towards them, in such manner as appeared to them consonant with the benevolent provisions of the act of the General Assembly.

The Board have received returns, with lists of the free people

of colour residing in the counties respectively, from the Sheriffs of all the counties of the State, with the exception of those of Prince Georges, Baltimore, Harford and Worcester counties, from which none have been received.

The amount drawn by the Board from the Treasury of the State, during the year, is eight thousand dollars ($8000); and a full account of the disbursements of so much thereof as has been expended, is herewith respectfully submitted. The vouchers for such expenditures, together with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, and all their other books and papers, they hold subject to such examination as your honourable body may be pleased to direct; and they would respectfully ask leave to refer to the same, for all such further details of their acts and proceedings as may be required, and which they may have erred in judging it unnecessary to introduce into this Report.

It will be observed, that a considerable portion of the amount expended by the Board, has been for objects of which the benefit is expected to be of a permanent character; and the expenses of the Board, in many items, would not have increased, had a much larger emigration taken place. The reasons which prevented this, have been before alluded to; but so much information has now been diffused among the free coloured population; and such is the spirit prevailing amongst many of them, that it is believed that numbers will gladly avail themselves, during the ensuing year, of the privileges offered them, and there is every reason to hope, that the great and philanthropic enterprise in which the State of Maryland has embarked, will be crowned with complete success. Respectfully submitted,

Baltimore, December 24, 1832.

MOSES SHEPHARD,
CHARLES HOWARD,
CHARLES C. HARPER.

( C. )

PUBLIC LANDS.

Early in the present session of Congress, the Hon. Henry Clay introduced a Bill into the Senate, providing for a distribution of the proceeds of the sales of the Public Lands (for a limited time), among the several States; to be applied by these States, according to their discretion, to three great objects; Education, Internal Improvement, and the Colonization of Free Persons of Colour. The following is a copy of this Bill as it passed the Senate, January 25, 1832.

An Act to appropriate, for a limited time, the proceeds of the sales of the Public Lands of the United States, and for granting land to certain States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, there be allowed and paid to each of the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Ala

bama, Missouri, Mississippi, and Louisiana, over and above what each of the said States is entitled to by the terms of the compacts entered into between them, respectively, upon their admission into the Union, and the United States, the sum of twelve and a half per centum upon the nett amount of the sales of the public lands, which, subsequent to the day aforesaid, shall be made within the several limits of the said States; which said sum of twelve and a half per centum shall be applied to some object or objects of internal improvement, or education, within the said States, under the direction of their respective Legislatures: provided, that said dividend and distribution, or the proportion of any State therein, shall be in no wise affected or diminished on account of any sums which have been heretofore, or shall be hereafter, applied to the construction or continuance of the Cumberland road, but that the same shall remain as heretofore, chargeable on the two per centum fund provided for by the compacts with the new States. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That, after deducting the said twelve and a half per centum, and what, by the compacts aforesaid, has heretofore been allowed to the States aforesaid, the residue of the nett proceeds of all the public lands of the United States, wherever situated, which shall be sold subsequent to the said thirty-first day of December, shall be divided among the twenty-four States of the Union, according to their respective federal representative population, as ascertained by the last census, to be applied by the Legislatures of the said States to such objects of education, internal improvement, colonization of free persons of colour, or reimbursement of any existing debt contracted for internal improvements, as the said Legislatures may severally designate and authorize: provided, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to the prejudice of future applications for a reduction of the price of the public lands, or to the prejudice of appli cations for a transfer of the public lands, on reasonable terms, to the States within which they lie, not to impair the power of Congress to make such future disposition of the public lands, or any part thereof, as it may see fit.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said several sums of money shall be paid at the Treasury of the United States, half yearly, to such person or persons as the respective Legislatures of the said States may authorize and direct. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall continue and be in force for the term of five years from the said thirty-first day of December, unless the United States shall become involved in war with any foreign power; in which event, from the commencement of hostilities, this Act shall cease, and be no longer in force: provided, nevertheless, That if, prior to the expiration of this Act, any new State or States shall be admitted into the Union, the power is reserved of assigning, by law, to such new State or States, the proportion to which such State or States may be entitled, upon the principles of this Act, and upon the principles of any of the compacts made as aforesaid with either of the seven States first mentioned.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That, during the period in which the nett proceeds of the sales of the public lands shall be distributed among the several States, according to the provisions of this Act, there shall be annually appropriated for completing the surveys of said lands, a sum not less than eighty thousand dollars; and the minimum price at which the public lands are now sold at private sale, shall not be increased; and in case the same shall be increased, by law, within the period aforesaid, so much of this Act as provides that the nett proceeds of the sales of the public lands shall be distributed among the several States, shall, from and after the increase of the minimum price thereof, cease and become utterly null and of no effect, any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That whenever, for two successive years, it shall appear to the Secretary of the Treasury, that the nett proceeds of the sales of the public lands, within any land district now established, or which may hereafter be established, by law, shall not be sufficient to discharge the salaries of the officers employed by the United States within such district, he may discontinue such officers, and the lands contained in such district remaining unsold, shall, in such case, be annexed to the adjoining district.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That there shall be granted to each of the States of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Missouri, the quantity of five hundred thousand acres of land: to the State of Indiana, one hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred and seventy-two acres; to the State of Illinois, twenty thousand acres; and to the State of Alabama, one hundred thousand acres of land, lying within the limits of said States, respectively; to be selected in such manner as the Legisla tures thereof shall direct, and located in parcels, conformably to sectional divisions and subdivisions, of not less than three hundred and twenty acres in any one location on any public and subject to entry at private sale; which said locations may be made at any time within five years after the lands of the United States in said States, respectively, shall have been surveyed, and offered at public sale according to existing laws.

BEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the lands herein granted to the States above named, shall not be disposed of at a price less than one dollar and twentyfive cents per acre, until otherwise directed by law; and the nett proceeds of the sales of said lands shall be faithfully applied to objects of internal improvement within the States aforesaid, respectively; namely: roads, bridges, canals, and im provement of water courses, and draining swamps; and such roads, canals, bridges, and water courses, when made or improved, shall be free for the transportation of the United States' mail, and munitions of war, and for the passage of their troops, without the payment of any toll whatever.

STATEMENT showing the dividend of each State (according to its federal population) in the proceeds of the public lands, after deducting therefrom fifteen per cent. as an additional dividend for the States in which the public land is situated.

Estimated proceeds of lands $3,000,000; deduct 15 per cent., $450,000, and $2,550,000 remains to be divided among all the States according to their population.