Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-17
LIBERIA AND SLAVERY.

6TtftSh INuCy.
Ata meeting of the Executive Committee of the
AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY, at the rooms
of said Society, on the lst of May, 1861, the at
tenton of the Committee was called to publication
in the newspapers, from work resently published
bv Lieut.. FORBES, of the British Navy, entitled
.Dahomey and The Dahomans,' in which he states
that domestic slavery" exists in the Republic of
Liberia; that the citizens of that Republic are
largely engaged in the buying and selling" Of
slaves; and that the Republic of Liberia sis, in
reality, new name and form for slavery in enslav-
ed Africa Whereupon the Rev. J. 5. BACON,
DID,, of the Executive Committee, and DIR. ]. w.
LueENBEEL, Recording Secretary of the American
Colonization Society, were appointed committee
to investigate the subject and to report at the next
meeting of the Committee.
Alta meeting of the Executive Committee, held
on the 18th of May, 1851, the Rev. DIR. BACON
presented the following Report, which was unani-
mously adopted, and ordered to be published under
the signatures of the Executive Committee:
"The committee whom referred the consideration
of certain which have recently appeared in the
public prints respecting the existence Of slavery in the Re-
public Of Liberia, said statements Puporing TO be from
book lately by Lieut. Forbes of the British Navy
have attended the duty assigned hem and beg leave TO
cfer the following RePort
Thst from all the evidence which they have been able to
,,ber from the abundant sources within their reach from
public and private documents from the statements both
bal and written persons Of the highest standing for me
eence honor and tuhunes who have visited resided
in Liberia and from the personal observations Of one Of the
committee (Dr Lugenbee) who spent nearly six years IN
that country in an official capacity prior to 1850, during
which time he had the amples opportunities for becoming
fully acquainted with the condition Of that Republic and
with the character and conduct of its citizens they feel
tire confidence in saying that the assertion OF Lieut. fornes
that slavery the buying and selling Of slaves, exists in Ii
bera is utterly gr0undLess.
"Whe,her the statements which he has made this sub
ect originated in ignorance, prejudice, or in willingness
from interested Motives to deprecate the Government and
people Of Liberia in the estimation Of the British public,
for the committee to determine II is enough for them TO
be say they do from the fullest and most authentic
the subject that they without the least
foundation in truth
m any formal reutation of this unjust and beral charge
needed the committee might refer TO the fact that all
the factories establishments which formerly in
full and successful operation within the territory occu
pied by Liberia have been broken up and destroyed Pre-
vous to the settlement of the colony Cape Mesurado the
slave trade extensively carried on IN the immediate vci
ry of the cape and other points along the
now embraced within the limits of the republic. Al all OF
these places it has been utterly abolished vesge of
remains This has been done through the agency and by
the efforts the Lbeansn some instances by the force Of
the hazard and expense Of life, In others by The mo-
raj and social influence Of the Lberan settlements in the
neghborhood of the factories. is that in few
they have received important aid from the armed vessels
on the coast but the work has been mainly done by the LII
bsuans themselves
colony-aterwards a commonwealth, and subsequently
a repubic-was, and is, uncompomising hostility to
the slave trade, bo domestic and foreign This they have
always openly avowed and the committee feel authorized 70
saw there abundant evidence to show that they have at all
times and everywhere carried out this principle to the fullest
Of their moral and physical power Indeed all the
wars and skrmshes which they have had with the native
tribes have arisen from their determination TO maintain TINS
policy all hazards and 10 eIteminae the traffic IN slaves
from every part Of the territory over which they could claim
jurisdiction And, in carrying out this determination seve-
raj Of the citizens Of Liberia have fallen, morsy wounded
in their with the natives thus sealing with their
blood their fidelity this principle Of their constitution
The would here remark that, in breaking up
these factories many instances occurred IN which consdera
Bile numbers of the miserable victims who had been destined
for the save ship and the horrors Of the "mddie
were rescued the Ibean authorities and placed under the
protection Of Government Of Liberia They were treated
with great kindness and hospitality by tie people, were sup
plied with provisions and received every attention which
their necessities required. Those Of adult sge were mme
datey admitted the rights of citizens far as they were
capable exercising he and the children committed to
the respectable persons customary
of apprenticeship until they should arrive suitable age for
enjoying all the privileges Of citizenship Within four
from the time the colony established Qn 1922 more
than two hundred of these capves orcby taken BY
the Liberans from the baracoons, Monrova all oil
whom liberated and placed where they could enjoy the
blessings of freedom Some of these still living and,
with others of the class occupying respectable po
Etions in the Republic DR.. Lugenbee, while residing IN
Liberia had personal knowledge Of numbers of this class Of
persons oil of whom enjoying the same privileges with
emgrants from the United Saes-a large proportion Of them
members Of christian churches scholars in the Sabbath or
day schools During his residence there, sixty capves
taken from slave factories different places within re-
Gently purchased territory One Of these places was the famous
New Cess which had long been noted one OF the pnc-
pal slave windward coast. With the aid gen.
eousy afforded by the French Espedon this
establishment taken by the Lberian forces and entirely
broken up All the property belonging to the traders, who
had prepared for the most determined resistance was De
stroyed and forty slaves recaptured and set at liberty
I'm forming treaties with the native tribes, the Lberiar
authorities have uniformly required solemn written sPua
ton prohibiting the parties from engaging 10 the slave trade
in any form, under any circumstances whatever Mor
than forty such treaties have been made and in this
many of the tribes ia the interior, who were formerly engaged
in it. have been induced to- abandon the trade altogether
The goundessness asthe reckless character of thu
charge made by Lieut. Forbes will beappaent from references
TO the existing constitution and laws of the Republic OF Ii
bera The fourth section of the first article OF the constu
ton reads There shall be slavery within this re-
public Nor shall any citizen OF this republic, or any person
resident therein deal in slaves either within without th
republic directly indirectly. And at the first session
Legislature after the adoption Of the constitution an ac
passed declaring the slave trade equivalent to piracy
and providing that person who shall engage IN oud
S;ra on. earpine. inadin9. otherusa preparne
sending away any vessel knowing intending that she sha
be employed in such trade, any way aiding or abetne
therein, shall be deemed guilty Of piracy, and shall suffer
such pains and penalties by law be attached to the
crime Of piracy The act further provides that nc
citizen Of Liberia other person resident within the ju
dcon OF the shall be permitted TO act agent or ente
into the employ service of any persons engaged
In the slave trade any person in the remoes degree con
neced with them, under the penalty Of indictment and being
twelve months bound hard labor in rons fined in the
sum Of not less than five hundred dollars.
"Surely, in the face OF such constitutional prohibitions