 His own attempts to sell goods yielded poor results, particularly because of tariff charges resulting from the British mercantile system.On Sunday, April 7, 1811 Cuffe met with the foremost black entrepreneurs of the colony.Together, they wrote a petition for the African Institution in London, stating that the colony's greatest needs were for settlers to work in agriculture, merchandising, and the whaling industry, saying that these three areas would best facilitate the growth of the colony.