The Rev. Dr. Pinney, as Chairman of the Committee on Accounts, reported (Messrs. Gregory and Delano concurring) that they had examined the statement of bonds, stocks, and other securities, and found them correct, and also the entries and vouchers for cash receipts and payments, and find them correct and authenticated by the Chairman of the Executive Committee as required by the Board.

The Committee have also examined the report and accounts of Dr. James Hall, agent of the ship M. C. Stevens, and recommend that they take their usual course before the Executive Committee, and be published in the minutes with the Annual Report.

The Report was, on motion, accepted and adopted.

Hon. Mr. Gregory, as Chairman of the Special Committee on the nomination of Officers of the Board for the ensuing year, reported the following:

Corresponding Secretary,
Rev. R. R. GURLEY.

Financial Secretary and Treasurer,
Rev. WM. MCLAIN, D. D.

On motion, it was

Travelling Secretary,

Rev. JOHN ORCUTT.

Executive Committee,

HARVEY LINDSLY, M. D.,

JOSEPH H. BRADLEY, ESQ.,

WM. GUNTON, Esq.,

Rev. GEORGE W. SAMSON, D. D.,

Hon. PETER PARKER,

Hon. SAMUEL H. HUNTINGTON,

Hon. ELISHA WHITTLESEY.

Resolved, That the Report of the Committee be accepted and approved, and the Officers named elected.

On motion, the Board, at 11 o'clock, A. M., took a recess to call upon the President of the United States.

12 o'clock, P.M.

The Board having returned from their visit to the President of the

United States, resumed their session.

Rev. Dr. Tracy, as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, presented and read a Report, which was accepted and adopted.

On motion of Rev. Dr. Pinney, it was

Resolved, That the Annual Report of the Society and the Minutes of the Board, be referred to the Executive Committee for publication.

On motion of Mr. Gregory,

Resolved, That the thanks of the Board be presented to the Secretary, for the admirable manner in which he has discharged his duties at the present session.

On putting this motion, the President took occasion to express his own sense of the value of the Secretary's services, not only upon this occasion, but whenever it was in his power, here or elsewhere, to promote the interests of the cause of Colonization: which remarks the Board requested should be placed upon the minutes.

On motion of Rev. Mr. Gurley, it was

Resolved, That the cordial thanks of the Board be presented to the President of the Society for the very able and impartial manner in which he has presided during the present session.

The minutes were then read and approved.

The Board united in Prayer, offered by the Rev. Dr. Tracy, and, on motion, adjourned to meet on the third Tuesday of January, 1863, at 12 o'clock, M.

WM. COPPINGER,

J. H. B. LATROBE,
President American Colonization Society.

Secretary of the Board of Directors.

Receipts and Expenditures of the American Colonization Society, From January 1, to December 31, 1861.

MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT BENSON, OF LIBERIA.

Fellow-citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives:

The revolution of another year has brought us to the period, when it becomes my duty to inform you of the state of the country, and to recommend for your adoption, measures for its welfare. Though the year has been one of a very eventful character to us in the general, as a nation, and in many instances, in particular, as individuals, yet we have abundant cause to recognize with grateful hearts, the innumerable evidences of Divine favor that has been attendant upon us, by and through which we have been thus far safely led through great and many national difficulties and dangers, and are enabled to meet on this occasion under circumstances so encouragingly favorable.

Within a fortnight after the close of your last session, the military force authorized to be employed for the adjustment of misunderstanding between the Poes and Padaes, and for the punishment of the former, in case of persistant obstinacy, was put on foot, consisting of between three and four hundred men, who succeeded in fully accomplishing, within five weeks from the enlistment, to disbandment, all that was reasonably desired The injured tribe received redress, and was reinstated upon its domain. The aggressive tribes were punished. A good understanding was had between the hostile tribes. Intercourse opened in every direction, and the civilized portion of the inhabitants of Maryland County would have since felt more security for their lives and property, and the greater degrees of assurance-by proper management-of future peace and prosperity, than at any previous period, were it not for some untoward occurrences which took place this year, tending greatly to revive the tribal feuds that had been so happily allayed throughout the republic by this government, which I shall make known to you more fully before closing this document, and which cause alone prevents our interchange of congratulations this day on the country being in a state of perfect tranquility.

The arrangement entered into by this government with the American Colonization Society, which went practically into effect the first day of this year, by which the supervision, control, support, &c., &c., of recaptured Africans that had been, during the previous year, and those that should be sent to and landed in Liberia by direction of the United States government, devolved upon this government, as also the law growing out of that arrangement, passed at the last legislative session, have operated as well as could be reasonably expected under the circumstances.

There will be such amendments and additions recommended to be made to the act during this session, as experience may have suggested during the year.

I exceedingly regret, that the unavoidable delay in timely placing this government in possession of the necessary means to enable me to have the receptacles for recaptured Africans erected and completed in the several counties, and to meet other expenses connected with them, has prevented me as yet from inaugurating and prosecuting the system of training for them originally contemplated, and for which provision, by law, was made at the last legislative

Bession.

It was not until the 22d of June, that notice was received by this Government from the Financial Secretary of the American Colonization Society of an amount being in hand for which we could draw. And that amount, together with the consignments of merchandise received in December and March, were barely sufficient to pay to our citizens the amount due to them for two quarters board and clothing of the recaptives, to say nothing of the many other expenses incurred on their account which had to be met. However, with what means could be spared from the Public Treasury, efforts were made and are still in progress for the consummation of that cherished object, as speedily as circumstances will allow.

A contract has been entered into to erect one of the receptacles on the road leading from Whiteplains to Careysburg, about equidistant from each place, and on an area equalling two square miles, selected by Mr. Superintendent Paxton

and Dr. Laing, the cost of which is to be five thousand dollars; and I have no doubt, from the very reliable and enterprising character of the contractor, that if not retarded for w .nt of means he will soon prosecute it to completion.

The one commenced before the transfer, by the American Colonization Society's Agent, about six miles up the St. John's River, Grand Bassa County, has been retarded by the same cause. It has been raised, however, and is now being shut in. It also has a fine location, and an extensive area of land in connection therewith.

Though similar directions were given to the Superintendent of Sinoe County to prosecute the work on the one designed for that county, yet he has found it impracticable to make equal progress, owing in part to deficiency of mechanics in that county. So soon as government shall have sufficient means at command to justify it, mechanics will be employed and sent down for that purpose. The foregoing circumstances, which were no doubt unavoidable in the United States as well as in Liberia, necessitated me to direct the recaptives to be judiciously apprenticed out at the June term of the Probate Court-government continuing to tender the full amount appropriated, and other provisions made for them by law, up to the expiration of the year from the date of landing.

It is very gratifying to me to be able to say that I have been, and am, from personal observation as well as from the Commissioners' report, highly pleased with the humane feeling and great interest manifested generally by our citizens in behalf of the recaptured Africans, in which, should there be no abatement, and I do not believe there will be, we shall most gratifyingly realize in due time our most cherished desire, the complete civilization and Christianizing of those people, who are and must continue to be incorporated with us in the body politic. And here it affords me a great pleasure, to be able to bear testimony to the courtesy and business like demeanor of the United States' Agent for Liberated Africans in all his official intercourse during the year with this government. While he has unswervingly guarded the interests of his government in the prosecution of the duties of his office, and his integrity has been the admiration of all capable of appreciating merit, he has striven in every justifiable manner to render his official intercourse agreeable. A complete report, statistical and otherwise, on the Recaptured Africans for the year, will be presented you by the State Department in a day or two, which I indulge the hope, when published, will prove satisfactory to the country and to all others

concerned.

EDUCATION.

The deficiency in the revenue during the year compelled me to restrict the increase of Public Schools to a few that were established for the special benefit of the recaptives.

COLLEGE.

The causes which for the last two or three years have led to a delay in the erection of the College buildings, have been removed the latter part of last year. That building has since, under the indefatigable supervision of its able President, been progressing, and at this time is, I learn, approximating completion.

AGRICULTURE.

I am pleased to be able to say, that there has been a marked advance in our Agricultural interest during the year. From inquiries and investigations I have made, I am satisfied that the Sugar and Coffee crops of the year are a hundred per cent. advance on those of the preceding year.

There has been progress in the quality as well as quantity of those and other articles. Domestic provisions, than during the year, have never been more cheap and abundant in Liberia. The fact, that the great influx within a year of a recaptive African population equalling nearly one-third the number of our entire civilized citizens, has not raised the price of any article of