Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1843-03-16
Correspondence of the N. Y. Journal of Commerce;


continent. Our early impressions of Africa, gained
from the wofu publications of shpwrecked mariners,
and suffering captives, or from the almost equally in
correct biographies of the last generation, diff
fcult to be efaced, that hardly think of the
country without a plentiful intermixture of arid
plains, sandy DESERTS malarous night dews scorch-
ing noons,-enough TO repe the most enterprising
itinerant vender of Yankee land notions from emf
ing its devoted territory. / need not tell you that
all such impressions very wide of the TRUTH and
that country fairer, richer, brighter fer
tile in soil luxurant in vegetation, the blue sky
does not bend Its hills and its plains are covered
with a verdure that never fades its productions
keep on in their growth through every of the
year; The luXuriant and various foliage which over
hangs the bank of every river and recedes back into
the intermnabe forests, gives perpetual freshness
to the scene, which ever anmates and gladdens the
behoder and the bland and delicious atmosphere of
the day. purified by the nightrains, which rarely fail
and seldom exceeding the temperature Of June day
in New England gives to the climate of Liberia all
the heahulness of the temperate zones with all the
luxury of the tropics.
There never was more unfounded opinion, than
that which represents Liberia unhealthy coun-
try The fact that the early settlers exposed
to acclimating fever, and that many of them died.
has nothing to do with the healthtuness of Liberia
You might with equal proprlety pronounce New Eng
land an unhealthy climate because half of the
emigrants to Plymouth died in the first four months /;
or Virginia because the colony at jamestown lost
ninety per cenum Of its population within a single
year-as tax the climate Of Liberia with the charge
of being sickly because emlgrants from distant
country obliged to pass through process Of ac
climation. Every new country on the face of the
earth is obnoxious to the objection and every
new colony Of which history informs us has been OBJ
noxious to the same in a far greater degree This
acclimatng fever is completely under the control of
medical SKILL and is far less to be apprehended now
than the agues of western prairie or the cpl
demc Of the southern river banks. To the colored
emigrants who come from latitude below the 35h
degree, they very light and to all, who will give
n proper attention to diet, clothing, and exposure
they are seldom severe, and never fatal Liberia is
not a sickly country. On the contrary, to the ma
tves, and the emigrants who once thoroughly ac
climated it is among the heathlest countries IN the
world | wish YOU could see the fine, burly frames
redundant with ruddiest health, which saw at New
Georgia the other day. and could witness that hearty
contented gratied and yeoman-like hospitality, with
which these pure, ebon children Of "the land of the
Lion, received us to their houses. And not only at
New Georgia. but at Stockton, Caldwell, Millsburgh
and all over the colony you find evidences of health
in the extreme old age, the hurcuean frames, the
athletic eats, the agile movements and buoyan splr
its of the men and women and the Sleek fat faces
and noisy merriment of the chdren,-evidences
which you cannot doubt of the abundant adaptation
Of the climate robust health and vigorous longevity.
Now Georgia, you aware, is settlement of
recaptured Africans, for whose benefit the govern
ment Of the United States has made some small APP
preparations. And better appropriations upon a
manner, were never made. Imagine yourself in
village of nearly three hundred houses, its wide and
pleasant streets intersectng each other at regular
distances, and its graveled sidewalks clearly swept
and shaded by thick hedges of Cassava and Plum;
with its simple church and humble school houses its
courts, and farms and cottage gardens its orderly
children Fastening, satchcls in hand, at early morn
ing, to give the first greeting to the teacher they
love and the business, tarmer-llke air with which
the good man marches to the field while the dame is
busiCd with the culinary duties of the household ::
and you will get faint idea Of this rural town on the
coast of Africa Take another view, ~ let it be eve
ming twilight. The work of the day is done, the
farmer has come from his fields, and the housewife
has spread out the table in the little court around
which parents and smiling children have gathered TO
parake the evening meal. With broken language,
but an earnest heart the father has asked Gods bles-
sing on the food, and with all the proprietes you
would find in n farmhouse on the banks of the Con-
nectcut does this simple family participate in the
good bountes of Providence. Follow them from the
table to the atar,-sten to the soft voice of child
hood reading Gods holy word to the humble prayer
of the atherto the quiet separation for the night
and to the air of peace and love, sanctfed by reli
gious faith, which breathes around this pleasant cot
tage and then tell me, if to have metamorphosed the
wretched victims Of slave ship TO the happy resi-
dents of such village, be not deed worthy of the
aspirations and of immortal honor 10 the memories,
of the best men of any age of the world | do not
wonder, that, in view of this Buchanan should have
said, "that had the Colonization Society accomplished
more than has been done in the rescue from sla-
very and savage habits of these happy people,
should have been well satisfied"
Across the creek is Stockton, a fine farming town
of emlgrants, whose flourshng coee-trees, and fine
plantations of potatoes and corn and cassada, and
rice, attest their thrift and industry. Some miles
farther is Caldwell resembling in many features an
old hamlet in New England. One street, full mile
and half in length, through the whole village,
planted on either side by of planain and ba-
mana trees, and exhibiting throughout appearance
of more substantial wealth than any one have men
toned. There three churches and three school
houses in the town, and in the crowded attendance
upon the former and the daily routine of tasks and
lessons and busy eyes of the latter there is the kind
OF evidence we want of the permanent good to Ari-
ca which this Colony promises. There is much |
know in its wealth, its soil, its climate its situation
its trade, and all its internal resources to encourage
its friends and founders in their noble efforts But it
is from the high moral and religions tone which
have found in the communication the great
spect which is given to sacred duties-from the OBJ
Of the Sabbath, the attendance upon church,
the efficient discountenancing of every kind of vice,
the sobrety and temperance and order manifested in
these beautiful villages, that have felt more abund-
anty encouraged. And in these schools, who does
not the light kindng which is to shine upon eve
ny mind in this vast continent! Why do you know
in America that here are thousands natipe children
in these schools preparing to become missionaries of
civilization and christianity TO the benuhted millions