Book Description
Excerpt from Maryland Colonization Journal, 1849, Vol. 4 Here was England's position, and here was Liberia. The old empire, shaken by powerful rivals, and driven to extremity, was seeking a prop of sufficient strength to support her. The young Republic, in the feebleness of infancy, was needing a protector. That secret, unseen, hidden, invincible, and all-controlling power which had impelled England onward in her giant efforts to extirpate the slave trade and to abolish slavery, and which had inspired the hearts of American christians to restore the colored man to Africa, and had watched over and protected the feeble colony until it could assume a national position; that Providence which had made England's crimes of former years to re-act upon and embarrass her in all her relations, had now brought face to face the prime minister of England and the President of the Republic of Liberia. The first was the representative of that unscrupulous but powerful government, whose participation in the slave trade, to build up an extensive commerce and aggrandize herself, had doomed the children of Africa to perpetual bondage; but who was now, as a consequence of that very slave trade, compelled to the most powerful exertions for its suppression to save herself from commercial embarrassment and national decline; the second was the executive of a new nation - himself a descendant of one of the victims of the English slave traders - seeking the admission of an African Republic into the family of nations. The old Monarchy and the new Republic thus found themselves standing in the relation of mutual dependence - the one to secure a field for the immediate commencement of her grand experiment, of rendering free labor more productive than slave labor, and of creating new markets for her manufacturers - the other to obtain protection, and to offer the products of the labor of the freeman of Liberia to the commerce of the world." Latest From the Colony. It is near six months since our last previous advice, a remarkably long period to intervene without direct communication between this country and Cape Palmas. Although little is said of the present position of affairs in the Colony, still, from the general tone of the following letters, we are led to call ' our news, good news." Doubtless, ere our next, the Packet will be in port. Cape Palmas, January 20, 1849. Dr. J. Hall - Dear Sir - This bark returns home via South America, and it may be months before this comes to hand, but, perhaps, no other opportunity may occur to inform you of our welfare, &c. You will rejoice with us that the native war is over, and our native trade in palm oil will soon commence again. We had to contend hard for peace, as we found Freeman, old sinner, was the sole cause of the war being continued. We were exposed ourself in defending two from H. Cavalry, the purpose of spewing water, preparatory to the war being finished. I have had no intercourse with him since. At present, we sell no guns or powder to Freeman's subjects. They don't like it - we don't care. We are all well. The new emigrants are doing well. I remain, dear sir, your obedient servant, John B. Russwurn. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com