Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-31

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The next objection is, that the independ-
ence is to be declared upon a soil owned by
another people,
II the soil is not ours, and we have not
competent men TO fill the various offices
which such a Government would require; no
money TO support it's not the idea OF our
declaring ourselves independent, folly in the
eXtremel
With these considerations, we, the people
Of Grand Dassa County, will. be compelled
10 ask the patronage OF some benevolent as
sociaIion, until we eau better provide for our
selves.
We are in a good country we conf, IS, and
if our people were Of such materials as many
parts OF the United States can boast Of, some
thing might be expected of us in the short
space of fifteen years.
They had men 'when uiey were about TO
declare themselves independent, whose minds
had been cultivated in all the liberal arts /;
they had been taught economy from their
youth, and enterprise was their motto in the
New World therefore something was ex-
pected Of them.
But our case is altogether different many
OF our people have spent all of their best
days In bondage, their physical strength has
been exhausted IN America, and their mental
powers have only been cultivated 10 suit
that state of society.
They have not been favored with the OPP
poriuniiy Of cultivating the more elevated
powers Of the body or of the mind, conse-
q%uently they have had all their finest Guali-
ties %blunted, while the paralyzing force Of
oppression has, in many cases, enveloped
their lesser and more digniied capacities,
which, as men, they should possess, if they
arc fO Ip tho fnun1orc IF =, DnNpI1i,
The people in Bassa County have never
had an equal chance with their sister Coun-
ty, (Momovia.) who have always had a ma
jority of Representatives in the Legislature,
and by having a majority they have always
been able TO carry any point that would be 10
their own interest, however injurious TO us.
The churches which we have strained our
selves to build, are occupied as school-hou-
ses for our children, as a court house, and
for other public business.
AT Munrovil there is a good courthouse, a
good iail,a markct-house, and two charitable
schools, in that one nillayr. Hence, it does
appear 10 US, that ins,ead of the interest be-
ing general, :here is every effort made to
keep the upper County, Monrovia, ahead in
point of intelligence, wealth, houses, and ev-
cry thing else.
We are Disguised at the manner in which
things have been conducted heretofore. Ev-
cry effort is made to bind imposition after
imposition upon us, by the sister County,
(Monrovia,) at least by some Of her leading
men, who make it their business to mislead
the ignorant portion of our people. who form
a large majority Of the inhabitants.) that they
may accomplish any designs that they may
have in view. But there is a crisis fast APP
preaching, (~without a cllange,) when lorbea-
rance will be set aside.
We have ever entertained an opinion that
one Of the objects Of the Colonization Socie-
ty, was to establish a respectable Republic
in Liberia, possessing all The excellency Of
that superior form Of Government, and one
which would reflect honor upon its founders
and its subjects, and which would he calcu-
lated to raise up poor neglected Africa to a
stand with other Nations but if the foster
ing hand Of American philanthropy be now
withdrawn, which would be the case imne-
diately, if we assume the stand Of indepcnd.
ence.
AS a people we shall be compelled, yea
constrained to complain of the enterprise o.
Colonization. which we have heretofore Sc
highly appreciated as a system well calcula
ted to better the condition of the coloTed race
both in America and Africa.
You may ask us, would our independence
prevent American philanthropy from bein!
bestowed upon us: we answer, 1t may not
But w well know by being under your pal
ronage, as ColoniSts, (while you are Ameri
can c~itizens) has been a great preventative {
the impositions which otherwise would hav
been practised npon US, and this is the onl
shelter we can expect until we have strength
wealth, wisdom and honor-which woul
place us on the platform of National dign
ty: bu. these qualifications the world We
knows we are destitute of; consequently
has been by American influence that our Ii
tie Colony has stood, lhriven and prospere
for the last twenty-five years, in this wilt
savage land. Now, if that influence be n
moved, which must be, il we separate froI
the American people, calling ourselves ind
pendent, while we are in a hopeless cond
ton, we shall be left exposed to an a~variciol
world, who may trample us under foot, al
our condition then would be worse than 81
very itself, and tho whole system of Color
cation would then prove rather a curse tn
a blessing TO the world.
For though it is true that there are gre
advantages given TO Africa by Colonizatic
and many hearts may rejoice in eternity
cause of the scheme, yet without help
years, the influence of heathenism wot
ONcIDdidnC6 tut advantages "HItH are co
mon among emigrants from America, and
propensity TO degeneracy is so great that
the course Of twenty-five years we would
be able to retain our civilized position wi
out help to keep up our moral and literary
situations.
Such help we have always wanted, a
we have had, nor would we less need it, Il
we were and should call ourselves indepel
ont. which name stands onnOsite IN our n
circumstances, which we should blush
own were our true condition known to I
world at large.
Now, gentlemen, we lay this our con,
ton before you, and we hope you will con
der the same, as you have encouraged us
leave The land that gave us birth 10 col
here that we might better our condition, a
as we are ia so fair a way 10 rise 10 comic
happiness and prosperity, we do hope h
the noble enterprise of Colonization will
no frustrated bV the Dogr cahu3oIinn of n N