The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-18
THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA.
>oNN>~~>N~~~Ss>~>Nsoy>>
CONDENSED REPORT OF THE REV R.R.GURLEY
TO THE
GOyERSMENT OF TIM UNITED STATES.
Condition, Resources, and Prospects
Of Liberia.
IN PRODUCTION

quiriss, during a recent snr rrpubc of Ii
IBERIA, and also to the COLONY founded oy the Colo
nzation Society and Sac at Mary and at Cape
Palmas, under your instruct 'ns, nave nov the
honor to submit to the Consider auon OF your do
partment, and 10 the Presidt 81 thr Ualtrd States.
On the LIST OF August, tork pass4gc al Bastl-
more in the Liberia Pack, "aich made Cape
Mount, on the African coast On the morning OF
the 18th Of September For srvei Il dass previously,
the aspect of the tropical B-avras had been rich.
The sun over Atnca th,sogh gorgeous
drapery OF clouds, in which acre hieaded all bril-
liant hues ; and wheR he sunk iAto ne ocean, one
reminded OF those Ialtn snusets. OF which
Chaleaubriand said, - II Il . though all the
purple OF Rome consuis and (se-lTs we're spread
out under the last footsteps at n- god of day =
When we tirst saw Cape Mount. the day Was de-
hghtul and, with gentle ~ ~, aud II. fult view
of the shore, which curves ulh round from that
eminence 10 Montserado Ga ot.t4nse If more thau
forty mles), we sailed do@ n h. cost and, in the
evening, cast anchor al Muurnvit, as the light
house on the summit OF the cape hogan 10 emit its
teams, and the illuminated d " rieg ~ aad churches
bf the town gave evidence of tht tact tha' ciyza-
ION and Christianity had there established their
abode.
From my experience o 49, months on the coast
OF Liberia, may be dIloAte say, TIA my I'M
pressioDs OF the African ctIna arr m".e favorable
than those had derived froun 1.,uks for, though
our arrival occurred during M latter portion of
what Is called the rainy l>ob, Jno @e continued
on the coast during most - b. transIuon period
from that 10 the dry season, IN W alber was gene
rally clear and pleasant seldom de-
tered for an entire day n. ing the sAore,
rom moderate phys exc ttun.
During the African raj -, sttal gers notice not
only an extraordinary mois q, ~ n atmosphere,
but peculiar power i'll the lays. though the
heat at all seasons Is less, uuc oY the taeT
mometer, than that occasi"ua ~ known in the
United States We passed firuu2n what 10 called
The tornado season without cap r.raclug any storm
which could with proprIey te termed tornado;
and the weather, during b. Whole t1mr w were
on the coast was not greatly different from the or
dnary summer weather OF our own Southern
States.
No one can look upon the athletic, inely. proper
toned and developed forms II the ave Africans,
or upon a congregation OF thr Inhabitants OF Mon
IOWA, or of the other towns aad villages or the
Liberian republic and retain the ldr that health
cannot be enjoyed en- the Afflcen coast. Ths gen
eral aspect OF the people OF brra - healthy; and
J. am convinced, from much Conservation and many
inquiries that the dangers OF b. climate 10 coored
immigrants are becoming les sud rss formidable,
and that soon they will, % good degree, be
averted, by the cultivation at rr sali, approprI-
ate regimen, and increased dI al vxperirnce and
skill. have seen large fimIilss ~ LIh-rla, who,
after residence there Ut soair wears had suffered
no invasion from death, ana - no. doubtless, found
their security under PTosid nee, III their watchful
ness against excuses III or-t ahi ex-rtlon, IN
moderation approaching 10 -bsdDencr in the use
OF medicine, and in the possession Of ample supplies
of the necessaries and CONT ut ie Tue trlends
OF our colored people, and Of mr. PaPhc 81 u aeria
cannot be TOO emphaticall, reminded that 10 send
emigrants with inadequate suril r. 10 feel ali The
depression Of want, whle .x.,usrd 10 the uutred
influences of the AfrceB cin4t-, a error which
furious to their great enterprise Far better IS II
TO enable few Immigrants a. tstabllsn Gneraselyes
in health and comfort IN L. arrd 10 III large
bodies OF them on that shore, win sut :lent
means OF subsisten nee, during tor time whrn such
means can be secured by 10 eN-ruous ~ theirs
thus aUgmenting vastly ihe penis ~ mir conti-
ton, or impoeing burdens UPON n charity Of that
but recent community which ~ a zrns must tad
IL difficult, IL not imposs nl-, : ala.
Having visited Africa IN ms ~ ltn aud Witnessed
in company with the aisupli -n~d and idmentsd
A.hr Hr2f nj. xpNEf
tIan life on Cape MoatSrTaiO, d y re readily I'M
agiEed that could not, alter quarter ~ 4 century,
look again upon that verdrnt nem"n ory-that
could not again tread the streets - MOnrovi1-that
/ could not meet those who. may years ago,
extended 10 me their husall4li'ies-could not oe-
hold that humble community, who. when hrs.
stood there, were makipg me narrow openings
IN the dense forest, and shrIfrriag themselves be-
meath some thirty or fary Jhdchtd roofs, few,
feeble, and exposed 10 hafbar"us ioes, nov risen,
through the favoring hand - thr Almghy, BY
their foriItude and energy, ~ ths elevation Vi 40
INDEPENDENT republic, ackuo.y4 og-d such b.
two OF the most powerful naiioLs-e hour deep
sense OF the divine gOOdutss I'D The prepe " Libe-
Tie, and 10 the writer, ia th1 ~ PENAL led 70
see that shore the rruOv ting poser o. govern.
mens Of constitutional Lb-rs, psyaded hY The
Christian spirit, and enC0uIpdsstd by the highest
MOVIES to benehcrnce
On cur arrival severed ye. i were moofsd Ia
the barbor of Monrova. tarnoas them III Amer
can man Of war schooner Dec etur. Captain bYrne,
and the Lark, a sun Ill be- III fu aTm-d vessel, pre-
scented TO the authorities II Lih-ria by The English
government y and, ~ ~ dtup.~d cur auchof, the
steamer Of her ButopniC MuJesy winch had
brought out the commrrcia tray ratified between
Great Britain and the repuDhc "as tsting her de-
pafture. The reception Of this freely was
nOuncfd by the thunder ~ cannon from the heights
of MOnroyia and the summit ~ the e. =, and sig
nalIZed by mutual congratulations among 10 citi-
zens, and by signs and e1pe ri1us ~ universal Joy.
To President Roberts eId the members 81 hla
cabinet ] am indebted ior lat.smauOn Oa great
vauety oftOpics, Cheeriuly COMMUNICATED IA every
instance; aud 10 the cuuttrsy ~ these gentlemen,
and 70 That Of the officers ADD = izsAs y ha re-
pubic generally, for UNITED 40 Jealous eno-avors
90 open 70 me all avenues l7r personal examina-
naiO6 q The condition, Ic stoL-, aud prospects o.
Their commonwealth Tie people ~ M0afOyia,
and Of the neighbonng - lsntns, after due 40
tice, sembled IN a public me- uuH, a3d appointed
committee ~ tiye OF their luHibrr % report &c
state end PROSPECTS, 81 90 r~ruhhci and tber ex-
ample ami aied 81 tlr ttiLt ~ Of tue two
counties Of Grand Bes-a aud ~l9pu
The facts and s'afem-tfs have the hoarg %
submit, IA reply 70 The qurs oas specihrd 70 my "a
and sources Of Iufpfmatcl ~ which could tnd
access; dud, though have nor the v40ity t0 in.
spine lha' they ar uupri 81 ~ error, have con-
hdenCe that IN the man, All ~ ala essential raf-
ticulsit, hey are correct
TUp0GRApttit AL TfrIrx
In regard 70 the "huIs &I.hHn which The flpub-
hc claims and exercises llrs tlcNon. !, should be
stated that The errforfes Goth III The republic AMI
OF the Maryland Colony in1ufsd st CAPE Palmas
are included under the gearral nane oi Liberia As
the result ri actual purct from the na' 5e pro-
pristCrs the republic huifs IgAtiCsl jurisdiction
over the country from Marn a poiut toFd- ring On
the notorious Galensf, On LIZ northwest, - Grand
Sesiers The eesf, distance, ou the coast,
three hundred snd hhy miles, = az average ex-
tent interior Of forty mtlts-the boundary hue en-
ClesipR a SPACE ~ about lUHrt"en thOuslnt square
miles The authority II thr M44l lana Colony rs
tends from Grand Stsiera t0 the uyer F-dro die
taHce by water Of one hundred and tweay wits
and by land II one hundred HBd tpry Cr my
miles. Important acquisitions II territory have
been made within the lesl ~ mouth. ~ tfe re-
public. aud also by ths N fyiaud Cooav IN 1870
Mr. a. hmuD spoke ~ 6ultenas ~ Nithin tn pros
yectiyt sphere ~ Liberan influence aud We sntrs
recent overthrow OF The sl4ye tfide y the .asiish
a. that tOint and the measures noW - pr sf, - 10
SECURE Its suneNauon - the republic, Hivr couh-
dence that this expectation viii soon be rtalz-df
For H. purchase # Gaiieu8s, u wealthy EuEhsh