The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-16

|
live in State Of equal freedom under the same
government; so insurmountable are the barriers
which nature, habit, aud opinion have e.tal-
lished between them" This difference between
the races exists, not because the attention OF
the whites has not been called t. conside, lis
operation upon the blacks, for every means
has been used by some whites in all The free
states to bring about change of feeling TO.
ward the blacks, to grant them equal rights and
political privileges with the whites, but the re.
suit has been more marked expression by the
people, they shall be debarred from such asiyanta.
gcs Their color is the bar to their entrance "a
white society.
We will now look at the state Of the free
blacks sent from the United States to reside by
themselves, that they be nation known of ail
men. Liberia on the w estern Coast of Africa
was first settled in 1872 by So blacks sent from
the United States. They were sent by The
American Colonization Society, this Society is
sustained In its work of benevolence by The
voluntary yearly donations Of its friends Each
year since the commencement Of the Colony
of Liberia, blacks have been sent there TO share
in the rights and privileges Of those who had
preceded them. The Society has not been por-
mitted 10 make selections among the blacks as
emigrants. Those who could not read, nor
write were taken, as well as those who had at
best but slight knowledge of letters, with here
and there exception. The materials were
far from being the most suitable, in the sight Of
| the Anglo Saxon race To be the founders Of a
new republic like unto our own. One half
who have emigrated there were slaves emanci-
pateo for that purpose. And what do we sse
there in 1872 Between and 5000 Colonists
settled in different districts but all living under
one government Each settler has given 10
him ten acres of land. None become citizens
without being an owner by gift, of land. The
white man is excluded from citizenship
They have a Governor, n Legislature, and Il
Judicial department each acting in their respeo-
tive duties, to the admiration of those, who are
older in the discharge of the same duties, in our
own land. By well arranged system Of reye-
nue. laws, they defray the annual expenses Of
their government, leaving a sufficiency to BE-
appropriated annually to promote system Of
public education for their children. The Legis-
lature meets annually in, neat stone building
two and half stories high, erected at the ex-
pense Of the inhabitants. Over 80 schools
are taught for the benefit of the children of the,
Colonists and Natives. A High School is sus-
tanned TO give those who seeking il, an edu-
cation that will fit them for the Offices Of law.
medicine and theology; 20 churches OF differ
ent denominations Of Christians have been or
ganized, and in their communion, more than
500 Natives are 10 be found walking orderly.
4
Different mechanical business is conducted at
each of the settlements. Their commerce has in
creased every year with the United States, Eng
land, + ance Holland, anu other nations. They
themselves own sixteen vessels, which trade for
six hundred miles up and down the coast with
the Natives, thus making themselves known as
part of the great family of the blacks, with
TIE inquiry, "Who hath begotten us these.
seeing we have lost childrenl who hath
1 IL. al. Al
been3' They are indeed a wonder among their
brethren. Out of 80 merchants and traders in
the Colony, 90 of them are worth from one TO
seven thousand dollars.
The exports of Liberia are about Sl35,230 a
wear, and the imports 81 10000 The exports
are chiefly eamwOod, palm oil, and ivory. The
productions are coffee, sugar-cane, rice, cotton,
indigo, Indian corn, potatoes, vans, cassada,
arrow root bananas, and fruits of various kinds.
Their rise aad progress in government ana agri-
culture aud commerce, and education and rel-
gion has been observed by adjacent native
tribes. They have felt the influence of what
their eyes have seen, and their ears have heard.
Over Is 900 Of them have voluntarily become
subject 10 the laws of the Colonists and other
tribes. numbering 10000 souls in treaty
with the Liberian government both 10 sustain
peace aud stop supplies 10 the slave trade OF
no colony can we read of such prosperity as has
attended Liberia It's slow progress has given
the colonists an opportunity TO mould them
selves 6iscreety to their new and untried expert
ment Of self-government And they have so far
succeeded, that they have given 10 the world the
example of a moral, well-ordered, and free com
munity of blacks, with wise laws administered
/ by efficient members, and not indebted 10 the
white man for counsel or guidance They re-
spect themselves and command the respect Of
/ Trnl
great things for us by bringing US TO our father
/ land, whereof we are glad. And may not the
church in christian lands look upon Liberia as
a great assistant TO her TO introduce christianity
| into the interior Of Africa. And will not the
natives Immediately connected with the Libe.
rians, become under their influence more suita-
bic for citizenship than the great mass Of for
eigners who come TO our shores are mt 10 become
/ Immediately our fellow citizens. Every tribe
which embraces civilization and christianity
will bu. enlarge Liberia TO become "home, q
sweet home,r for the thousands Of blacks who
will be drawn there from the United States
| Liberia will live. We do not, we Judge, fee
| too ardently in respect to her prosperity We
know il has not vet passed through its child
hood, or at most its forming State But enough
has already appeared TO make il certain it will
i maintain its existence: that il will be a strong
and flourishing republic; and like other repub-
ics, with all its faults il will be refuge Tor the
oppressed that il will have power to drive ths
slave trade from its borders, and TO send tn,
! light Of humanity into the darkness of the con-
tinent. " here it stands like sunlight on the edge
of a black cloud, giving promise that the shadow
shall pass away. Can the condition of the free
blacks I'm any State, or in any other part OF the
! world be spoken of in such a favorable light
| In the United States some Of them may be
| found who have accumulated several thousand
doars--but they stand as the poorest of theil
race stand before the prevailing sentiment, YOU
are incapacitatsd by your very constitution Il
| govern yourselves in this land of the free, anl
| the learned, and the virtuous-nor will we allow
YOU TO share in our society.
The contrast between the blacks in Liberia
| and those having freedom in the United States
can be viewed by the candid mind, and a correct
| Judgment formed, where il is best for the sav,
to have freedom to dwell, in The United States
or in Liberia 7 And where, beside Africa
| can they be colonized with much security e
their peace, and happiness, and permanency al
a nation In Africa, they will be in the lan'
that God has given to their great family, by pos
session and constitution of body, as their ian'
for centuries. And that land has all the rich
ness Of soil, and all the inducements in its pro
ducts TO draw the commerce of the world To IL
shores.
That the blacks in our land can be colonies
there, will be our object to show in our mex
number A COLONIZATIONIST.
Washington College md Female Seminary
Pennsylvania.
Messrs. EpIToRs:
The 37th annual commencement OF Washing
- l.. Al. pls