Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-09-30
LIBERIA.
Extract from the Journal of an Officer Of me
limited States Nary.

4 -
Tbe town of Monroyia is on the south side OF
| the link or Mesurado River, and contains aooul
1 1o00 inhabitants The bank upon WHICH eiiH 1
town is built is 80 high, that they nave the iuh
benefit of the land and sea breezes-a I'M
portant consideration in this not chlia.e ~
| There are several good stone wnarVes up1n .',e
river, and large we'll filled store houses. in an.,,
diately upon landing We were mee py Pr CO..,
of well dressed gentlemen, OF various hues' loln
coal black TO bright yellow, by wnom we were
Conducted to the honse Of Mr.. M'Gili, the pre-
sent Vice Agent for the Colonization society.
| Here we mel most of the dignitaries OF the CO.
lony, Judge Johnson, Colonei baroou'' NIL
Warner, MIR. Lewis, and others A.. ,o
After partaking of refreshments, na' .he
rheraIlv provded. we visited the houses OF the
different gentlemen, and were treated win uni
yersal poIiteness Our arrival appears 10 nave
given rise to general rejoicing. we iouhu d
monp the colonists many intelligent ana res
| nectable men. VINO answered all our questiohs
politely and satisfactorily. Our intercourse
somewhat constrained al nrst; We 'e'' Ia'. ",
awkwark and there was some dimoehce Oh INC
part of the colored gentry; hut in snort ume;
all this was thrown aside, and we coh'erseu
and associated with the utmost treedom. MY
name attracted the attention OF Judge Johnsoi',
who was originally from New Jersey, where inc
name is common. Although could not cia,iil
the honor of previous acquaintance WIN lIe
|
Their ofthe party, received an invitation 10 aile
with him. The rest of the officers were distri-
buted among the other gentlemen. tounc the
house of the Judge, a comfortable, well furnish
ed two story frame one, and the dlnner sucn as
you would get at the house oil any OF our iiioS'
opulent farmers. e
Besides ourselves, the company consisted OF
the Judge and his two sons, captain ana ieu'
tenant OF artillery Judge Johnson is natiVe
of Trenton, New Jersey, about htty years oio'
and f may Judge from the color oil MS skl1,
| not drop of white blood turks in his veins; a
man of good sound sense, not much ASSISTED oy
education, the Inconvenience OF which ne leeis
sensibly; and that his sons may not LABOR unaer
| the same disadvantage, every possible atentlon
has been paid to the cultivation OF their MINDS
They were so young when they left the United
States, that they have but little recollection OF
their relative standing with the whites, and OF
consequence are in great measure dlvested OF
that awkwardness still observable among the
older men, and those who have emigrated more
recently We were much pleased with the con-
versation of these gentlemen. They gave US
deal of information relative to the colony,
| of the many difficulties they had encountered,
and of its present state and prospects. There
was one remark made by the Judge, so replete
with good sense, that it deserves to be remem-
bered Speaking Of the United States, he sald
that when there, his greatest ambition was TO
which he believed he had succeeded; and had
he remained there his life might have been
dragged out comfortably enough; but he was
| induced to leave purely on account OF his sons
| They were now, he was proud to say, Young
men Of the first consideration in the colony; and
| in the United States he would have been DEEM
ed fortunate in procuring them good situations
as house walters or coach-men. The Judge
does not confine himself TO the bench; he some
timee ofioiete. in the pulpit and displayed great
| skill and courage at the head OF the colonlal
troops, in some Of their wars with the natives
| The reputation he there earned has given him
the name of the Washington OF West Africa
There are several shades of society here, out
no distinct intermediate grades: all are divided
into two, the good and the arorthtess. This last
class are by no means numerous. Nine-tenths
of those who fall victims to the lever are the
law and dissipated; and those whom found
Discontinued and willing to return to their for
mer state Of bondage, were invariably among
this class of people.
After visiting two-thirds of the houses in Mon
rovia, rich and poor, we embarked ior the sup
just before sunset.
In my remarks made to you some time since,
was ungallant enough to say nothing OF the
ladies-(fdir ser would be a palpaole misno-
mer;) and however disa greeable may ind the
duty, yet am compelled to say, that the man
ners of the softer sex did not excite my admi-
ration in an unbounded degree: the COOK and
chamber maid turned lady, was too evident
However, there were some exceptions. IL is
fact attributable perhaps to the irregular habits of
the men, that in the sickly seasons, the morta-
ty prevails to much greater extent among
them than the women. In consequence, 1t Is
supposed, at the present time, the proportion OF
men to women is as one to three. This superb
bundance Of women is the cause oil the great IN
convenience to the men, and discomfort among
themselves.
There is considerable trade carried or here
ivory, cam wood, and gold dust, are Obtained
from the natives, in EXCHANGE for rum, tobacco,
trinkets, &C. Many Of the colonists are engag-
ed in this traffic. Some have made fortunes; this
has been so tempting bait, that too many have
embarked in the business; much time and mo-
new have been lost that would have been better
employed in cultivatng the soil. Although a
uxurant soil, its productions fall far short of
being sufficient for the consumption of the colo
ny. Recently some fine farms have been open
ed, and they are beginning to turn their atten-
ton to them One Of the principal merchants,
Mr. Daily, a mulatto, and his chief clerk, Mr..
Hicks, an ebony -colored gentleman, breakfast: