Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-07

The following account of the colony of Liberia
is extracted from the Amulet, British Annual for
1852, and forms part of an interesting article on
the subject of the Slave Trade taken from the iour
nal of an English Naval Officer. We copy it, us
evidence from impartial source, of the situation
and prospects of the important settlement under
the caro- of the Colonization Society. After desert
bling the situation of the African coast from the
straits of Gibraltar to Sierra Leone he proceeds:
''Thls is a bold promontory, called originally
Monte Senado, but corrupted as all names here
are, by negro pronunciation, into Mesarado. The
American Colonization Society located here
number of free people of colour, the offspring of
African slaves, born in America, and liberated.
They were sent from the United States and the
settlement was called by the appropriate name of
Lt6er'a There are but few white people among
them, and none who possess any land. When tho
colony was first established the land was procured
from the native chiefs by purchase and treaty; but
some misunderstanding arose, the real objects of
the colonists were not understood and several SAN
gunary conflicts ensued with the natives, which
had nearly destroyed the establishment in it's infap-
cy. But under the prudent management of Mr.
Ashmun, the agent for the society, these dfcren
ces were reconciled and amity and good will esia-
biIshed between the motives and the strangers
The settlement consists of two establishments
The first is Monroe, on Cape Mesarado, and the
other C0tdUeH seven miles up the river ST. Paul
Il no whole population amounts to about three
hundred families, comprising more than 1900 per
sons VINO have each farms allotted to them, some
a
regular and most improved system of husbandrv is
inaistcd on.-~-The males formed into regular
militia, which being well trained and served rem
ders the colony respectable in the eyes OF its neph
bors, and secures ihem from any act of aggression;
and this force has been efficiently called out moro
than once to punish deprodations and robberies
committed by natives on individual colonists while
IN pursuit oftheir commercial specuatons either
copstwise or in the interior, and always with the
best results This mode of well regulated self
defence, not only gives them courage and conf
dcDce in themselves, but it cxompts them from the
degrading and domoralizIng effects of regular
soldiery sent from the parent country, which being
generally of the worst and most desperate descrip
tons of men, set examples of the most dissoluto
and prohigate lives, our coIonists in Africa
know by melancholy experience. This imposing
domestic force gives perfect security to these poo
pie in their dealings with the natives; and a very
profitable and advantageous trade is carried or for
gold, camwood and ivory, with the Ganas and
Cape Mount, to the north OF their settlement and
as far coastwise as Tradcstown, to the east Of it,
Nothing has tended more TO suppress the slave
trade in this quarter than the constant intercourse
and communication ofthe natives with these indus
trious COonsts. The American agent, Mr.. Ashmuu
took every opportunity and means in his power TO
extnguish traffic injurious in every way TO
the fair trader; and at Cape Mcsarado rood
and correct information was always to be OBJ
tanned of any slave vessels on the coast with
in the communication influence of the col
ony. This active, respectable and intelligent
is since dead; but his spirit still actuates all
his people. They have several large boats and small
decked vessels belonging to their community
and others in progress of building. These arc &C.
lively employed in trading along the coast and in