The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-11

against llufuB pispi w Jul ocit, VIC pfc-
scented il TO his breast, and asked him II we should
try the effect of IL; he became very much alarmed,
and instantly put aside the pistol, and said Il would
only protect him from the balls Of guns fired by
his own color--it had no virtue against white
mans bullet. Several similar incidents occurred
with these people; and, from these facts we deduced
opinion that their intercourse with Christians had
shaken their former faith.
also met with many who had some knowledge
OF the Bible and these discovered had been taught
in the missionary schools--among the most useful
and prominent of which, is the one established at
Settra Kroo.
II is to be lamented that the coloniss do not yet
sufficiently understand their own interests with ref
erence to the naves;-it is fact, that, instead Of
fostering and teaching them, they keep them at a
distance, and treat them often very harshly, 1t
would seem that they take pleasure IN depressing,
instead Of instructing them. They complain that
they are so ignorant and indoent, they can do
nothing with them and we were particularly struck
with the arrogant and repulsve manners OF one of
the coonists at Snow. One of the chiefs, and a
very intelligent native of the Snow tribe, followed
us into the house Of this person; while talking to
him, he sat down on chair, when he was roughly
and very uncourteously ordered to rise, and not
dare to sit down in his presence. As far as blood
went, the chief was his superior; and we rather
think the native had the advantage of him in point
Of decorum; because he took off his hat when he
entered the house, while the proprietor kept his on
lnese instances OF har5nness are less common IN
the other settlements on the coast
With all these mpediments, the progress Of civil
zation must still go on. There many benevolent
and intelligent clergymen among the coloniss, who
are desirous of advancing the naves and there are
now several natives who far advanced in their
studies, that they can take charge of the mission
schools in the absence of the missionaries. One,
in particular, whom we several times met, was the
principal teacher of the mssion-house at Cavaly
river and of great assistance to the missionary
when Yslio,o WiH, King of Cavally, attempted to
seize from the school the children who had been
sent there to be educated.
The plan adopted by the missionaries to obtain
pupils is not what consider the best for the pro-
mitigation of christianity and education among the
native tribes, but well enough until better can be
adopted. Each child received into the school is, as
it were, purchased by the missionary, giving the
parent twenty dollars for the privilege Of instrucng
his child. The children then taken to the mission
houses, comfortably clad, and well fed. They are
taught to read write, and cipher, geography, and
other useful studies. During the intermediate time
between their study hours, they taught all use
full pursuits necessary to housekeeper, If females,
ard to useful field and other labor, if males. No
one who has seen these native children in their
schools, and has heard them read, and seen them
write, can for moment entertain the opinion that
they in any degree inferior to the whites, taken
mass, in point ofcapaeity for receiving nstruc-
ton.
That they are now in state of the most abject
degradation, is very rue and they may remain so for
ages to come. What we state is, that they have
mental capacity which only requires to be developed
by proper means and had traders been con-
scienous, and less selfish their intercourse with the
natives of the coast of Africa would have induced
them to try to nstil little civilization among them.
They did not do it, because they were afraid these
people would ask more for their trading articles
than they otherwise would do, if kept in ignorance.
We are sorry to say that the traders on the coast
treat these people badly, in many instances; it is
therefore not surprising that they should at times
commit acts of rapine and murder upon their ves-
sells and crews
As among all savages, the females do all the la
bor-the males doing little or nothing. These lat
ter, when they establish settlement, cut down
the trees and clear the land; the women plant and
gather They are the slaves Of their husbands, who
purchase them from their parents. The price of a
wife is bullock, two copper pans, one piece Of
Bafta muslin, some gunpowder, and sometimes q
little rum, when they get il to dispose of. If
you ask man if he be rich, he answers, eyes; me
got plenty rife" Those who have no wife they
call "boys," be they old or young. All that the
children make belongs to the parent until they get
wife, when they become free, and the fruit Of their
labor ia their own. All the head men who are
ployed on board of vessels, either in the merchant
service ships Of war, receive certain amount of
the wages Of those whom they employ.
Until the people along the coast of Africa become
civilized, the sove-trade will ever be carried on.
Cvize the coastcut off, by line of civilized Arr
cans, oil communication to the nterior--and the
save-trade will die for want of support. The con-
sequence will be, that the wars carried on be-
tween the native tribes, principally TO obtain prison
ers to sell slaves would ceases and the same state
of things would exist along the whole coast, as now
does along that where the Liberian colonies extend
their influence.
AN OFFICER OF THE NAVY.