Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-03-26

form commercial relations with Liberia; and TO this end
the first step is 10 acknowledge the nationality of the
Government which has the power TO control the subject
England has seized the first opportunity to form these
relations And why has she done 50? Not that she has
any peculiar regard for this young republic for her
institutions, but simply because she sees in that in
FAINT Government weak and feeble it is the germ Of
national power which will hereafter direct and control
vast region Of commercial dominion
If we refuse neglect to acknowledge the national
existence of Liberia have nothing to say against
the partaty of any treaty she may form with those ma
tons who may recognise her nationality And if England
France should to-day obtain for any Of their subjects
the exclusive right to trade in palm OIL or the privilege
of introducing their manufactures free duty into West
ern Africa could not justly complain for by cold
neglect shall be presumed not to know that there is
such countryas Liberia, or if did know of its
istence deemed her not worthy Of our international
But sir desire to present higher view Of this sub
ject than that derived from the ucre of trade There
is mighty moral power in commerce, the power Of eiv
lization and humanity.
The early foreign commerce Of half civilized country
frequently gives tone and character to its inhabitants
which and felt during many years of their future
progress 1t not unfrequently mpresses deep influence
upon the very soil ITSELF Africa is striking example
of this result For many years her only foreign
the slave trade, the exchange of her children
for the things Of other countries The result of this
natural intercourse was to bring upon that benghted re-
gion two-fod curseaddtonal brutality to its ilhab
tants and increased serility upon its SOIL Thus it
that commerce. deprived OF its moral power, i'm
pressed upon both people and land deep that
ii will require centuries to eradicate the evil We have
other examples Of the effects of illicit commerce in the
opium trade Of the East the early slave trade of Span
sh America, and in our whskey dealings with the
northern tribes Of Indians.
But and happier has opened upon Africa.
The Republic of Liberia has put end the slave trade
In Western Africa. She has done what the three great
christian Powers Of the earth--England, France and
America-could not accomplish. She has done IT. not
by force, not by fleets and armies yet by premiums
and prize money, but simply BY working out one of the
simple rules Of legitimate commerce. plainly that even
the dull mind of the native negro may comprehend it, by
teaching him that the productions of the forests the
fruits of the trees and the vegetables of the SOIL which
God has planted all about him. may by the aid of his la
bor bring to him and to his family more comfort and
wealth than all the gains of the unnatural slave trade And
now, along coast of hundred miles, where but
few years since the only mars of trade the slave
pens to which the chiefs dragged their brothers and their
children barter for foreign productions to be found
safe harbors in which English steamers and American
packets may be seen inviting the natives bring the
table oils the coffee and the Spices with all the other rapid
and rich productions of that sunny land and exchange
them equal terms fer foreign merchandise. Civilized
and christian has taken the place Of the bar
barous traffic in human blood Legal trade has suppressed
ed piracy and the flag of Republic and the laws of
constitutional Government Defend protect, and encour
age the honest labor Of free and christian people
Thus has legitimate become the efficient in
strument for the regeneration of Africa The Coloniza
tn Society has done its work. private charity and Chris
tan benevoence have performed their duty. Through
agency law ana HDerty, religion cvlHzauon,
have been carried into Africa and there embodied In free
national institutions. new power and influence
required to sustain and to protect those institutions
as to enable them to accomplish the final and glorious
result for which they established That power is
national that influence is commercial 1t is duty,
it will be interest to exercise that power and di
rect that influence If we will do so, shall accomplish
the two grand results contemplated by the friends of
African coonizatonthe civilization of Africa, and the
removal from this country of that anomalous class of
called free people Of color have already shown the
mighty influence of commerce upon the rstnamed object:
will endeavor to show its efficiency to accomplish
the latter The negro is timd creature; he lives and
by sight than by faith he feels in his soul
that which the white boldly ayowsthat he is an in
eror being and therefore the subject Of deception and
wrong.
Hence it is that few of the free people of color have
been found willing leave this land of their degra
dation for better home and country in Africa
Here in my opinion, lies the difficulty in the way of
more rapid emigration Of these people to Liberia. But
sir let them know by public official act of this Govern
ment that the country to which you desire to send them
has name and position in te family Of nations that
the people and the institutions Of that country
spected by the great Powers of the earth let them under
stand that you have interest in their commerce. let
them the ships returning from Africa laden with rich
cargoes of merchandise of native production and
Ship let them the flag Of their country waving in
your harbor side by side with the merchant flags of Eu
rope in word give to the free negro occular demon
straton that money may be made in Liberia that for
tunes may be accumulated and that social and public
positions of honor and profit there at his command
and shall that the degraded and susp
cious negro is subject to tire laws and influences
which govern the white emigrant The negro is not the
only emgrant who is moved by sight than by faith
All the speeches, reports and books that made and
published about the wealth and commercial advantages of
California produced but little effect upon our people
they wondered and talked but they did believe and
it not until adyenturer returned from the mines
and presented to sight and touch the shining ngot
and the golden sands fresh from the diggngs that
people reused to that spirit Of emigration which has
since them in thousands by sea and by land to the
shores Of the Pacific.
So sir it viii be with emigration to Africa It win
cautiously and slowly until shall expose
the eye Of the world the rich mines of natural wealth
which lie hidden in the dark forests of that neglect
ed continent When this expose is made have doubt
the free negro will have many white competitor in the
race Of emigration TO Africa.
In urging this subject upon the consideration Of the
Senate have not been Indifferent the fact that there
difficulties in the way Of forming full interna-
tiona relations with Liberia They arc Of domestic
character applicable alone to this COUNT and required
be treated with delcacy and prudence. My desire is
keep clear Of these difficulties and have therefore made
my resolution Of inquiry merely leaving il to the
Committee Foreign Relations decide the proper way
and manner Of accomplishing the object
My desire is to obtain simple recognition of the ma
tonaty Of Liberia, preparatory to forming commercial
relations with that Government reserving the deli
cate question Of diplomatic relations the future action
of the Executive under the advice Of the Senate When
under what circumstances and in what form this Govern
ment will enter into diplomatic relations with Liberia
whether shall send representative there receive
from her here is not necessarily involved in the ac
acknowledgement OF her independence.
That question have desire to obtrude upon the
Senate and which, whenever presented should be treated
with reference to peculiar domestic institutions and
I..~ e T. IL n