Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-11-25
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To Thomas y. Raichie, ESQ.

AV nkAVAssEsS o9s NAfShsaS, E1Ssas
SIR In my last gave Won some facts in re-
gard to the health of Liberia. showing that the
mortality among the immigrant population is less
than among the people of Philadelphia, n. York
and Boston, and not greater than among the people
of Virginia. will now ask your attention to some
facts and considerations on the religious. educa-
tional and industrial state of the new republic
For one parallel, or rather contrast, take the
following facts, extracted from a Report to the
Boston Union Society for the relief of the colored
| race, made in 1887.
In Liberia more than one in every four are
church members; in Boston less than one in every
seven are church members In Liberia. there are
five hundred and eighty pledged members Of the
Temperance Societies in Boston there is not one
In Liberia every child, of sufficient. age, of the
colonists, is at regular school; in Boston the pro-
portion is so small and so uncertain as to be really
not comparable. In Boston primary school for
colored children had to be discontinued for want
of scholars; in Liberia fifteen schools cannot salts
fly the people, camorous for the education Of them
selves and their offspring.
In Liberia the people support, both by their pc
cunary and literary contributions, an ably con-
Quoted paper {now two papers in 1850 They can
not only read, but write and compose in correct
| and manly style. as quotations frequently made
abundantly testify in Boston, scarcely any of the
adults are able to read. In Boston they attend
church very irregularly; in Liberia they are pc
culary church going people. In Boston they
are numerically decreasing by deaths upon the
natural increase; in Liberia they are increasing
by birth against the inroads of death, notwth-
standing the unusual mortality by war and fever
in its early history. 1t cannot be doubted, there
fore, whether Boston or Liberia is most favorable
to the development of the social, moral and poti-
cal condition of the colored races.
Capt. Nicholson of the u. S. Navy, visited the
coast of Liberia in 1887, and remained some time
at the colony under orders from the U. S. govern
ment to ascertain its true condition and its
wants. He says in his official letter to the Secre-
tary of the Navy: In Monrovia the population
is about 1000; and their exports amount to about
$4,000 annually, in camwood, ivory, palm oil,
and few herbs. The forests abound with medi-
cinal herbs, gums and woods of every description
About seventy vessels touch here annually, of
which one third are Americans. Cotton, coffee,
indigo and the richest sugar cane are indigenous
to the soil, and with encouragement and industry
could be procured in any quantities. The saubrity
of the climate is found to increase as the forests
are cleared away. Vegetables Of many kinds may
be raised in plenty; and hogs, sheep, goats and
cows appear to thrive Fish in abundance are
found in the streams, and it is very generally ad
mitted that very comfortable subsistence can be
procured by any man of moderately industrious
habits. Ihe schools at the settlements are GEN.
orally well attended the children make very GOOD
progress. The morals at the upper settlements
generally stand fair.
AT Bassa Cove we were greatly surprised at
the progress that had been made in clearing the
land, laying out streets, draining piece Of low
land and building houses, as well for the actual
settler as toT those who are expected. Eleven
months only have elapsed since Bassa Cove was
dense wilderness, and it now exhibits the evidence
of a thriving village, and Of an industrious people
obedent to the laws, and understanding their in
terests in maintaining them. The schools apnear
to be well attended by adults and children.
At Cape Palmas, the colonists have already in
cultivation fortyseven farms, generally of FIVE
acres and model farm of fifty acres partly under
cultivation.
The colonies have now taken deep root in the
soil of Africa, and though they may be depressed
at times by adversely, yet BY the gradual devel-
sistance of their friends, they must finally flourish
and be an asylum to the colored man. and an
honor to their founders.
Capt. Bell who visited the colony in 1910, saws:
The editor Of the Liberia Herald man of talent
and education, was slave-so the Colonial Sec.
rotary, the Liet. Governor, and the Storekeeper of
the Colony, "a place of great responsibility were
slaves, and old Col. Johnson the hero of five wars
and many encounters with the nations was also a !
slave. The latter was one Of the first settlers
and with eighteen men defeated upwards of one
thousand, during the time of Ashman, and saved
the colony from extinction.
Lieutenant Payne at the same time writes =
My opinion of the Importance of the colonies is
quite changed from nearer view of their actual
state and capacities. had supposed them weak.
and their influence limited. ! found them exer-
cising moral influence calculated to do more for
the cause of humanity than ! had believed pos
sibe.
Again, Capt. Bell says Previous to the set
Element of Liberia, the mouth of the rivers St. |
Paul, Measurable and St. John were the greatest
marts for slaves on the windward coast. Thou
sands came annually down those streams for trans
portation. Now these rivers are used by the hus
bandman to bring their produce to Monrovia, Grand
Bassa, and Edna, and the negro paddles his canoe
in safety under the protection of the benevolent
institutions founded by the Colonization Society.
Similar testimonials with the foregoing are |
borne by Commodore Stockton, Capt Sherman.
Capt. Kennedy, Capt Abels, Capt Voorhees,, Com
modores Perry and Skinner, and others of our
Navy who have been stationed on the African
Coast, and had the best opportunities to form
close acquaintance with the facts they affirm
And these testimonies are continuous, reaching |
down to the most recent adyces from our squad |
ron on the Liberia coast. Very respectfully,
r. w. BAILEY.
DELIBERATE MURDER.
A case OF what we conceive to have been
deliberate murder, occurred in Russell county, a