The Express.
London, England, 1852-10-09 00:00:00

THE REPUBLIC OF LIliEltIA.

(From the haiiy New..)
AT the conclusion of " Uncle Tom's Cabin "_t
romantic tale now attracting so much attenti
the authoress alludes to Liberia, and express s
hope that the Free Black Republic on the coast of
Africa may yet prove a source of redemption to the
negro race. All Mrs. Srowe's readers wi I feel a new
interest in the African community thus referred to..
Liberia the flee state, specially founded in the origi.
sal country and native climate of the segroes, sad
designed as the means of civilising the dusky race is
Afnea, and affording a home to black (*hoists from
the States of America. Upon the success or failure
of Liberia a variety of opinions prevail amongst per.
sons who have studied its history and condition.
As on most other social subjects, suggvets
ing largo prospects, the enthusiasts take re 7
sanguine, and the sceptics very desponding, views.
And, as generally prevails at the coinmenexinent of
social experiments of novel kinds, the feet, upon
which judgment is to be founded are either doubtful
or denied. In the present state of Liberia we have
no desire to act as moderators between those who
take very opposite courses concerning this Free
Black Itepublic. We rather desire to fix the wee.
Lion of our readers upon the interesting tact that the
exp riment, upon a large /Wale, of a Free Black cues.
try is about being tried under circumstances which
will make it a very decisive one upon the vexed
question of the capabilities of the negroes for tns
higher functions of social civilisation.
Liberia is a tract of country, extending about 140
miles on the coast of Western Africa, lying to the
north of the equator, between 4 deg. 20 min. and
7 deg. north latitude. It extends along the
coast from Clallinas (that notorious spot in the
history of the stare trade) down to What is caw
called " Maryland in Liberia,"—situate near Ceps
Palmas. The first company of emigrants sent bout
America to Liberia, under the auspices of the "
rican Colonisation Society," embarked at New Ynek
in February, 1820, so that a growth of upwardc ofe
quarter of a century can be claimed for this Illack
Republic. The colony progressed amidst 'areal
trials until 1839, when the " commonwealth"aaa
founded. The Colonisation Society of America wattled
over and tended its progress, and at lust, in the
month of Jule, 1847, a convention of delegates met
at Moravia, the capital of this new Mate, issued a
declaration of independence, and founded the Re pc,hlie
and government of Liberia, which has been duly
recognised and acknowledged by Great It: ituin and
France. The civil constitution of Liberia it. a model
in miniature of the United States, with one remark-
able and sufficiently significant exception, viz.— are
white person is allowed to become a citizen of Liberal;
consequently white residents cannot hold any offioS
in the Itepublic.
The main object of those who have founded Li-
beria has been to endeavour to civilise the negroes by
means of colonising in Africa with tree and edit-
cated negroes from America. For this purpose they
purchased at various times from the Aborigines the
various tracts of country now incorporate d a. LilAry
and with a view to the wants and habits of the saes
they chose the locality and climate most adapt d tit
the experiment. The population of the "tb putia"
is not very exactly ascertained. We bind a him: of
a lecture delivered by the Rev. Mr. tit RLEY. as
American clergyman, who visited the settlement in
1850, and he states the population at "about six
thousand settlers, and between two hundred and
two hundred and fifty thousand of the Abori-
gines." On the other hand, the author of " Sketches
of Liberia" (Washington, 1830), says that no census
has been taken for some yearn, but adds, " I think,
however, that the whole number of the inhabitants
of the Republic, exclusive of the Aborigines, may be
set down at about four thousand."

It will naturally be asked by our readers upon
what sources of profit and reproduction do the found-
ers of Liberia look for its maintenance and prop is?
It appears by their statements that they rely on the
production of coffee, and cotton, and palm oil. as
sources of wealth to Liberia. The coffee plant is in-
digenous there, and bears well, and most observers;of
the country appear to concur in the fact that it is
well suited for raising coffee. They arc rather less
confident about cotton, but it would seem that
the soil and situation are well adapted for the
growth of the cotton plant, excellent specinica: of
which have been raised there. In general, it is anti-
cipated that the productions of high tropical latitudes
may be looked for from Liberia, and that a large
trade in palm oil, ginger, sugar cane, ground nuts,
and indigo, may be calculated upon, iu case the set-
tlement should thrive.
Instead of pronouncing any premature opinionoti the
likelihood of Liberia being successful or not as an ex-
periment, we prefer to notice the fact, that as vet there
is only, a comparatively small supply of educated or
semi-civilised negro colonists to maintain what wo
may call ita stamina of civilisation. While the abo-
rigines are counted as a quarter of a million, the
imported colonists are not ten thousand in num-
ber. Thus the American negro is to the African
at Liberia in the ratio cf one to fifty,—a very small
proportion to infuse the element of civilisation. Re-
collecting that the imported colonists are not them-
selves of a superior race,—that they have limited
powers and cducation,—wc may be excused from en-
tering into the very bright anticipations formed
about Liberia, though we watch the experiment with
deep interest, and should be heartily glad fur it to sue-
Med. There is one point connected with the history
of Liberia, that has struck some persona with u-
prise. They ask why none of the free American
negroes have not settled there in preference to remain
ing in the United States, where they are obnoxious to
all the prejudices against people of colour ? It will
be recollected that the free negro population of the
States are not very far from half a million ; and in a
hasty view it certainly might appear strange that
Liberia does not tempt more of them to settle there.
But the simple facts speak for themselves, and ex-
plain the paucity of free negro colonists at Liberia.
The free negro has been born, bred, and reared is
America. It is his home and his country, and contains
his kindred. Moat of his associations are connected
with it, and despite of the prejudice of co-
lour, it presents him a vastly better field
for his energy, and more sources of interest
and pleasure than an infant colony on the western
coast of Africa. Between the nature of the free
American negro and the aborigines in Liberia there
is probably as much real ditiOrenoe as between the
best part of the Anglo-Saxon race and the free
negroes themselves. If the free negro cannot stand
on a level in the social scale with the white man in
the States, he does not, on the other hand, feel an;
community of feeling with the aborigines of Liberia;
he is of their race by descent, but not of their coun-
try, either by birth or adoption. Hence is derived
the cause that the negro colonists in Liberia arc re
few in number.

On the other hand, however, we must remember
that it is only very lately that public attentior. is
America, as well as England, is becoming fixed upon
Liberia. The ultra party in the Abolitionists in the
States for some time looked very coldly upon the
Liberia plantation. They treated it as a diversion
from the real question that they sought to agitate
and raise, and they considered that the whole scheme
was too much in accordance with the mod
rate and guarded views of the CLAY party,
who desired to act with caution in the
whole question of emancipation. The fact that
Mrs. BEECHER STOWE has turned attention ta
strongly towards Liberia is regarded by the fol-
lowers of the late HENRY CLAY as a divided Im-
provement in the mode of arguing the abolition
question. We are aware that sonic of those who
have taken the strongest interest in Liberia (nee
hopefully recommended by Mrs. IILECIIEtt Sit,"
have not joined in the admiration felt in so macY
quarters for " Uncle Tom's Cabin." They say that
its exaggeration has even already roused very bitter
feelings, and that its production will probably do dis-
service to the cause of speedy abolition. But tliat
is a matter of speculation, outside the praetiod
question as to whether Liberia will grow and prowl
as a free state ; and whatever may become of the
abolition question in the United States, the experl-
ment of Liberia, or the attempt to civilise the native
African population by means of an African race.,
need not, therefore, be considered hopeless. if Li-
beria fail, the fact will only prove that some thou-
sands of partially civilised negroes cannot maintains
free and progressive political state with the
dead weight of a vast aboriginal population of
savages
hand,if hangingiberia uponshn them.
uldiargolOa the
suentvd other
and
prosper, it will be one of the most !'}leer-
nog facts that the historian can mord in the

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bistory of the blacks. At present we think that many
foods to abolition stake too much upon the expert-
cunt of Liberia. Enough has not yet been proved
by it to warrant decided opinions. In the mean-
while she should remember that it is Only an experi-
ment just commenced, and content ourselves wit►
„,tchivic its progress, with the moral intermit
due to the great social question ea which it bean.