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COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA. 161 COLONNA. It is composed of State societies, of which tliore is one in each of the thirteen original States and in the District of Columliia, together with asso- ciated societies in the non-cokmial SUtes of California, Illinois, JMichigan. Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Colorado, Maine, Missonri, Wisconsin, Ten- nessee, Louisiana, Kansas, Indiana, Alahaina, Texas, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi, Oregon, and Vermont. The objects of the society are the collection and preservation of manu- scripts and relics of Colonial days; the restora- tion of historic buildings; the more general dif- fusion of information concerning the Colonies, and the stimulatinn of a spirit of true patriot- ism. Membership in the society is limited to women who are especially invited, and who are descended from some ancestor of worthy life who came to reside in an American colony prior to 1750. Much valuable historical work has been accomplished by various State societies in lo- cating and preserving sites by means of tal>lets and other memorials. The total membership of the society is about .TOOO. COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA, So- ciety OF. A women's patriotic society, organ- ized in Xew York City in 1890. incorporated' in ISItl. and having for its purposes the col- lection of manuscripts, traditions, relics, and mementos of Colonial and Revolutionary times, and the commemoration of the success of the Revolutionary War. ilembership in the so- ciety proceeds by invitation, and is restricted to women wlio are directly descended from some ancestor of distinction who came to reside in an American colony liefore 1770. This society was the first organization of women to be founded for ])atriotic purjjoses, and now has chapters in New York. I'liiladelphia. and Baltimore. COLONIAL EDUCATION. See Education, CoLO>ri.L. COLONIAL WARS, Society of. A patri- otic society, organized in New Y'ork City in 1893. It consists of a general society made up of general officers and of delegates from the various State societies as follows, in the order of their institution : Nev York, Penn- sylvania, Mar>dand, IMassachusetts, Connecticut, District of Columbia, New Jersey, Virginia, New Hampshire, Vermont, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Nebraska, ^Minnesota, Kentucky, California, Colorado, Iowa, Georgia, Michigan. Wisconsin, Delaware, Rhode Island, Wasliington, and Maine. The various State societies have, for their gen- eral object, to perpetuate the memoiy of Colonial events, and of the men who, in military, naval, and civil positions of high trust and responsi- bility, by their acts of counsel assisted in the establishment, defense, and preservation of the American Colonies. With this end in view, they seek to collect and preserve records of every kind relating to the Colonial period of American his- tory and to inspire in their members the fra- ternal and patriotic spirit of those who made American freedom and unity possible. They admit to membership male descendants of those who assisted in the establishment, defense, and preservation of the American Colonies. The publications of the general society include gen- eral registers and historical papers and registers by the various local societies. The general so- ciety has caused the erection of a monument at Louisburg, on Cape Breton Island, and memorial tablets have been placed by the New York so- ciety on the sites of Fort Oswego and Fort Ticon- deroga. The membership is about 4000. COLONIES OF Pl. t.s ok Anfmals. See CuvXoniA and Polyp. COLONIZATION SOCIETY, The Natio.nai., OF A.MIMUCA. An a.-.siniatinn organized in 1810, l)y Robert, I'inlcy (q.v.), "to i)nimote a plan for colonizing (with their consent) the free people of color residing in our country, in .frica, or such other place as Congress may deem most expedient." Branches were established through- out the country and an active propaganda was conducted in almost every State, the official agents of the society speaking frequently in public and soliciting the co<ii)cration of the Vari- ous State legislatures. The first colonists were sent out to Sherbro Island, Africa, in 1820; and two years later Liberia was founded. Bushrod 'ashington, Charles Carroll, James ]Iadison, Henry Clay, and J. H. B. Latrobe served suc- cessively as presidents of the society, while such men as Bishop Hopkins, Rufus Kiiig, Dr. Chan- ning, Benjamin Lundy, Gerrit Smith, and James G. Birne}' were at one time zealous members. -After about 1831, however, when the movement for abolition may be said to have first attracted general attention, the inadequacy and imprac- ticability of the society's aims became increasing- ly apparent, and many of its more influential members withdrew their support. Its persistent refusal to interfere in any way with slavery, moreover, and its apparent encouragement of the racial prejudices of the whites against the blacks alienated many others who, though strongly opposing the radicalism of Garrison, believed iii a policy of gradual abolition, and had faith in the negro's capacity for improvement. The gen- eral idea of colonization seems to have originated with the Rev. Samuel Hopkins, of Newport, in 1770. Consult: Wilson, History of the Rise and Fall of the Slave Power in America, vol. i. (Bos- ton, 1875) ; and Alexander, A History of Coloni- sation on the AVestern Coast of Africa (Phila- delphia, 1846). The shortcomings of the society's aims, judged from an abolitionist standpoint, are admirably set forth in Garrison. Thoughts on Colonization (Boston, 1832) ; Birney. Letter on Colonization (New York, 1834) ; and .Jay, An Inquiry into the Character and Tendency of the American Colonization and Anti-Slavery Societies (New Y'ork. 18.34). COLON'NA. A celebrated Italian family, prominent in the history of Rome from the twelfth century to the sixteenth. They were hereditary enemies of the Orsini (q.v.), aiid their numerous strongholds around ftome made them at all times formidable enemies to the Papacy, and on occasion its masters. To Rome, the Co- lonnas gave a pope, thirty cardinals, and a great number of senators and military commanders. The name of the family was probably derived from Colonna, a small settlement near the fort- ress of Palestrina ; and Pietro of the Column, lord of Palestrina in 1100, is commonly regarded as the ancestor of all the princely branches of Colonna. comprising at present the houses of Colonna-Paliano, Colonna di Sciarra, and Colon- na-Stigliano. — Ecino Coi.oxna was born at Rome about 1247. He entered the Augustine Order and pursued the study of theologj^ at Paris, where he