[1] Benjamin Coates, Esq., a merchant of Philadelphia, we believe to be
an honest hearted man, and real friend of the colored people, and a
true, though as yet, rather undecided philanthropist. Mr. Coates, to our
knowledge, has supported three or four papers published by colored men,
for the elevation of colored people in the United States, and given, as
he continues to do, considerable sums to their support. We have recently
learned from himself, that, though he still advocates Colonization,
simply as a means of elevating the colored race of the United States,
that he has _left_ the Colonization Society, and prefers seeing colored
people located on this continent, to going to Liberia, or elsewhere off
of it--though his zeal for the enlightenment of Africa, is unabated, as
every good man's should be; and we are satisfied, that Mr. Coates is
neither well understood, nor rightly appreciated by the friends of our
cause. One thing we do know, that he left the Colonization Society,
because he could not conscientiously subscribe to its measures.




IV

OUR ELEVATION IN THE UNITED STATES


That very little comparatively as yet has been done, to attain a
respectable position as a class in this country, will not be denied, and
that the successful accomplishment of this end is also possible, must
also be admitted; but in what manner, and by what means, has long been,
and is even now, by the best thinking minds among the colored people
themselves, a matter of difference of opinion.