Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-06-15
NORFOLK, June 5th, 1898.
TO THE FREE COLOURED PEOPLE or
ME United STATES

Ahel Il INNluPnft I'll fdtnrf more than one year
III Iiberj0, have returned to the United States.
As my object was 10 satSl, myself respecting the
condition of the colony preparatory to cmipmtmc
thlther, sought every opportunity of acquiring
Information, and latter myself that | am in the
possession of every fact and circumstance that i, ut
all calculated 10 excite interest even 10 crafty
curiosity. The result in part, | lay before You,
simply lor the reason that YER, many conflicting
reports have been III circulation, 81 much SO. rs to
render it most difficult matter to determine
whether or not settlement thithcr would result
advanagcouSly. In consequence of this, many,
very many, am induced 10 believe, have been de
TERED from cmctang, and the colony thereby has
sustained considerable nury.--Somc of the com
municatonS have presented fair and candid eN-
pose of things as heg ctiH, others, prcpnssesscd
and preludiCcd in favour of the colony have given
altogether too favourable an account; while a thrd,
with heart bleeding for the loss of some valued
friend or chagrlned al the loss of propctt, cocoa
stoned by mprndenee IN oSertrading,) have Weld
cd their pens with the avowed design and lnlcn-
ton ol blasting lis prospects and bringing the whole
scheme into disrepulc. Should this communication
correct those erroneous statements, my object shall
haveb been accomplished Liberia for eligibility ofsi-
tuation is not often exceeded, and the facilities held
out lora comfortable living rarely cquallcd industry
and economy are sure to be rewarded and crowned
with generous competency, Tor proof oi winch
remark ! cite youto Williams, to Roberts, 10
Barbonl--and To number OF others, who, few
years apo possessed very limited means, hui who
now live in all the allucncc and STYLE winch cha
ractcrisc the wealthy merchant and gentleman of
Virginia. The successful prosecution OF any
tcrprsc in Africa, Gas in Amerca,) depend, To IA
very great extent upon the amount of capital IN
vestcd-moncy Is power every where, but pnrtC-
ularlN 50 IN Africa, and he who cmigates thhcr
with capital, possesses decided and very great ad-
vanages over every other class of cniierants ; u
small capital ! esteem OF paramount Importance
and would by all means persuade my colourcd
friends who intend to cmigrate, To provide them
selves with the means to commence business pre-
vious to going This lcstecm of vital importance,
and ought not to be neglected.
| The soil of Africa is exceedingly fertile, and
will produce as much to the acre as the ia
mons land, of the Urea, valley of the Mississippi.
Fruits of several kind are abundant, and from cN-
pcrmcn;s made, most of the tropical fruits succeed
AS well in their native cline. But little attcn-
ton thus far has been paid to Agriculture, owing
TO the fact that but few cnerants possess the means
/ To embark IN II. The cultivation Of the land Is al
tended with the same expense there as here, and
the same obstacles present themselves 10 persons
destitute of money!
Timber of various description abouuds some of
which wond not for beauty and durability lose by
IA comparison with the Mahogany of ST. Domingo,
or ofany other country. have seen articles of
| Cabinet Ware manufactured in Monrosa that
would grace om most fashionable houses, and
would vie for beauty and taste with most of the
same articles in thi, country. As it rcearls the
health of the colony, | consider it as good as that
of most of the southern States. The Aborigincs
live TO an advanced period, and are unquesliona-
! bly, the most athletic, hardy race of men that !
have ever seen. They remarkably shrcwd
and cunning, and are very far from being those
= dos' or " idcots,' which they have been repre-
scented to he many of them read and write, and
are very frequently an oro'-motrh or,hc colonis,s
. in trade.
! The African fever (hc Great humbug in This
cenntrv,) is very similar to our ACuc and Fever,
IL attacks the patient precisely IN the same way,
and lis effects are pretty much the same, with this
difference however, that after The first paroNysn,
you apparently restored to health, aud thus
continue for - or 20 days, suffering nconvc
niencc from the attack but slight debility, and an
appetite bordering upon that OF a vuure's. This
respite is deemed the mos, critical time, and the
severity or otherwise of the ID attack depends upon
your attention non-attcntIon to diet and exercise
During this respite, if proper attention Is paid
the attack is slight and YOU will in fact far have
recovered as not 10 regard the Sd or 4th attack
much The morals of the colonsts ! regard as
superior to the same population in almost any
part OF the /. States. 4 drunkard is "A rare spec
tacle, and when exhibited is put under the ban Of
public opinion at once. To the praise of Libc-
ria be it spoken, did not hear during my residence
IN II, solitary oath uttered by settler this abom-
Inablc practice has not vet stained its moral char
acter and reputation and Heaven grant that it
never may. In such dctcstation is the daily use
OF ardent spirits held, that two Of the towns have
already prohibited its sale, rather confined the
sales to the Apothccarics' shops. In Monrovia it
is still viewed as AN article OF traffic and mcrchan-
disc, bu, it is destined there TO share the same fate.
The Temperance Society is in full operation, and
will ore long root it out
The Sabbath Is rgidly observed and respected,
and but few cases occur of disorder, and they are
confined to the bascr sorts, few Of which intcst
Liberia.
Religion and all its Institutions greatly re-
spected i'll fact, decided majority are Religion
lists, and by their pous dcmeanour are exerting a
very sautary influence, not only upon the emf
grants, but also upon the natives, among whom
door has been opened for the propagation of
Christianity. Several have already embraced the
Gospel OF Christ, and many others are anxious
" DESTROYS for an acquaintance with the Word of
Life.
l. Day schools under the superintendent of COM
potent instructors, i'll successful operation. The
advantages of education properly appreciated,