Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-18
From the Norfolk Herald.
IIREDJA

Java, and now resident of our Borough, to the
Secretary of the American Colonization SOCIETY,
giving an account of the state and prospects of
our colony at Liberia that be very gratifying
to all its friends. The testimony, indeed, of so
competent and intelligent officer to the actual
and eventtul success of the scheme and especially
as he frankly assures that it is in opposition 10
his own preconceived opinions, must be regarded
highly satisfactory, and cannot full, should hope
to remove prejudces from the minds of Others and
gain new friends to the cause. We transfer the
letter to our columns, with great pleasure ONLY
emitting some details which however valuable to
the Board, could hardly be agreeable to readers.
No3FoLR, June %, 1891.
SIE,-l have the honor to acknowledge the re-
cept of yours of the 1lth inst requesting my OPT.
MON of the condition, prospects, and necessities of
the Colony at Liberia, and of the best method to be
adopted by the Society for the more effectua pro-
secution of the great work in which they
gagged.
hope need not assure you that it affords me
great qualification TO comply with your request and
to lay before you statement of the facts which
presented themselves to me during the visit made
to Mesurado, in the frigate Java, under my
mand.
The wisdom and talent which distinguish the
councils of the Society to which you belong; and
the vast materials which your experience ard zeal
have enabled you to collect, cause great diffidcrcS
on my part in the suggestion of any new plan of
operations. was, however, not an idle observer
during my stay among the Colonists, and the con-
illusions which pressed upon my mind, the o.
mitted for your better Judgment and consideration
1t may not be improper to observe in the outset,
that my inquiries were commenced under ideas very
unfavorable to the practcabllity of the scheme Of
your Society; for, while, trust, yielded unfegn-
ed acknowledgment of the piety and purity of
purpose which governed its worthy and disinterest-
ed projectors yet the vast difficulties attending the
prosecution of their labors, and the very problema
teal results in the want of success, left i'm
preston upon my mind altogether unflvorabe to
the 1nstituton-under these impressio therefore,
commenced my inquiry with great caution.
sought out the most shrewd and intelligent of the
Colonsts, many of whom personally known
to me, and by long and weary conversations, en-
deavored to elicit from them, any dissatisfaction
with their condition, (if such exsted) or any latent
design to return to their native country-neither
OF these did observe; on the contrary, thou ght
could perceive that they considered that they had
s. arted into existence, that disencumbered of
the notifying relations in which they formerly
stood in socieythey felt themselves proud in their
attitude, and seemed conscious that while they
were the founders of new Empire, they were pro-
scouting the noble purpose of the regeneration of
the land of their fathers.
was pleased to observe that they were impressed
with the vast inf crtance of proper education, rot
only oftheir children, but of the children of the
tives, and that to this they looked confidently as
the means of their high object namely, the civiliz
| alton of their benighted brothers of Africa.
observed with great satisfaction, that their chill
dren, in many instances, could converse in the Ian
guages of the tribes by which the Colony is sur
rounded nus the OBSTACLES winch formerly
barrassed its commerce with the interior, and which,
by the by, now but ew, must in a very
short time entre to exist. Most of the
ticles of traffic which be protably used in bar
ter with the natives, familiar your readers;
but there yet which have not employed
the enterprise of our citizens and othose embraced
IN their speculations many improvements in quail
ity might advantageously be enumerated The in
habitants of King Boatswain's town, Zone hundred
and eighty miles up the st. Pauls river and TWEEN
ty miles from it, which empties in the bay of Mesu-
! rado) interchange with the most friendly DISPOSE
| ton towards the colonists.
| In the article of salt, more especially, most ad-
vantageous traffic is conducted, and yet suscepti.
Bile of great increase in barering with that article
| the Colonists readily receive in gold dust ivory
| dye-wood &C. at the rate oftwo dollars per quart
| 1t is to matter of astonishment, that our en-.
terprisng citizens have sought in that particu-
lar article, channel for the most profitable specu
| lation. An extent of eight ten leagues South
! West ofthe Cape, is well adapted for the making
of salt by evaporation, with but comparatively lit
tie ilbor-one extended salt port. Indeed, the Isle
| of Mayo, Zone of the Cape de Verds) only eight
nine days sail from Mesurado, would furnish abun-
Ounce Of salt for tho commercial purposes of the
| Colony, at low price.
! would reco nnend for the better prosecution OF
this tr lfi that the salt shold be imported IN iron
pots and kettles of various sizes, they would be
disposed OF at very great price.
1t is hardly necessary to say that guns, pistols,
beads OF vlrous CO ors, che * and va IL Is ed
calicoes, hints, &c. constitute a source of album
dAnt Proi: in this traffic. Powder especially
demands attention; that which is received from TO-
reign vessels land think very likely from own)
is so damaged and worthless that seryes hardly any
seful purposes; inferior is il in strength, that tie
natives IN their attacks upon the Elephant, com
PEELED to load the barrels of their pieces halfway to
the muzzl3, and for the leadcn ball, Substitute
dart or spoir, made expressly 20 fit the cll5re OF
the gun; short muskots clrrying two-ounce ball,
particularly if loaded IN the br1ech like the late
invented rilles0 would be folnd most saloa5le
ar:islc.
1t gives me pleas re to state, thai the Colonists
turning their attention to the cultivation Of cCf
| fee. That this article Of produce is to prove Il
source of vast wealth to the Colonsts there can be
no doubt; the labor and expense of its cultivation
| will DO comparatively SMALL indeed, they have
but to clear away the forest and the plantations
are ready TO their hands. There are too descrtP-
| tons of the plant NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. shrub, owl
dent the slns rs the Mocha, but yelling berry
of superior flavor: the other tree, frequently at
! tlining tho height of 40 feet; specimen of the
| latter brought with TO Cuba in the java, and
| left with Mr.. Shaler, Consul for the Botanic
garden in that city. had also several Of the shrubs
or small growth, but they all persisted by salt water
| getting to them.
| That there many vast resources, yet Cnco~
velopcd ia Liberia, no one entertain doubt;
that thoy will soon be brought forth and mado avail
able by tho enterprise g. intelligence ofthu Coloniss
is equally uu1ucstion able--how earnestly should
then every Philsnlhropist apply himself to aid and
| advance the operations of society, the object OF
which is not only to elevate so large portion Of
our fellow beings from the degrading relations in
which they stand towards thc rest Of the human
race-but TO redeem from the thr7ldom Of igno-
! rance superstition and vice, whole continent.
That these great results are under Providence. to