There were in that city not so many Negroes as frequented some other northern communities of this time but enough to make for that city a decidedly perplexing problem.

It was the usual situation of ignorant, helpless fugitives and free Negroes going, they knew not where, to find a better country.

The situation at times became so grave that it not only caused prejudice but gave rise to intense opposition against those who defended the cause of the blacks as in the case of the abolition riots which occurred at several places in the State in 1834.[10] To relieve this situation, Gerrit Smith, an unusually philanthropic gentleman, came forward with an interesting plan.

Having large tracts of land in the southeastern counties of New York, he proposed to settle on small farms a large number of those Negroes huddled together in the congested districts of New York City.

Desiring to obtain only the best class, he requested that the Negroes to be thus colonized be recommended by Reverend Charles B.Ray, Reverend Theodore S.Wright and Dr.J.McCune Smith, three Negroes of New York City, known to be representative of the best of the race.