Demoine courier., 1854-12-14
LIB II IL IA.

give more eucclnt account OF tle socla
condition of Liberia than we have else
where seen. He divides the society IN
to three classes: "The intelligent. res.
Peciable. wealthy and refined; the poor
respectable laboring class, into which,
on account Of circumstances, and lnferi
or class link themselves, and the native
population. consisting of several tribes,
as Congoes, Eboes, Vies, Peesa, Gou
lah. " The first class forms a sort oil
aris,ocracy in the Colony. The second
class is generally employed as laborers
in various ways. He says they are
most excessively lazy. In speaking OF
the third class. he gives an accoun, OF
q species of slavery Of the mos. degra-
ding character. We append tha, por-
tion OF the COMMUNICATIONS:
"The natives are very interesting
class, but are moi regarded as part OF
the common people. They seem to be
separated by casie us great as that
which divides the whites and colored
people in America; and in some instances
the casio makes difference between
The Afric American and native, as grea.
almost as that between the Brahmins
anc Shudeas of India. These natives
are humble, snbdued and servile crea-
lures. They are employed in all fami.
lies as domes.ics, dradges, literally "hew-
ers of wood and drawers of waier."-
They cook, wash. iron,. take care OF
children. and willingly do anything that
is required OF ,hem. The less intell-
gent ones can always De lad IN any mum
ber, and will work for nothing, except
the rice and palm oil on which they sub
sist. Some few families allow Them wa.
ges, and thus their servants are decen,ly
clothed. Blu, nearly all Qike thousands
from The bush who visit the town for
trade wear nothing but filthy rag. the
size of common cotton handkerchief
about their loins, or occasionally dirty,
greasy shirt, and in this state they per.
form all duties about houses. In some
houses they are allowed per day guar,
of rice. soule palm oil, and otherwise
wen fed. In other families they are
poorly fed from mere scraps of rice and
cassada. in others again, they are no,
only worked nearly naked. bnt half star
we'd. And in nearly. all families i, is
customary TO keep a rawhi6s or cat o.
nine-tails handy, to flog them when they
please. And this fogging, kicking and
cutting, is done to shameful extent by
upstarl boys. seoldiug, brainless women,
and gentlemen of rank. and standing.
calling themselves Christians. No. only
The poor, but the rich, do the greater part
OF this casiigalion with impunity.
Such state OF things appears strange
TO newcomer; but when We become
accustomed TO seeing lhese things, we
soon learn TO think it no wrong, but a
necessary evil. | have already seen
sufficient evidence of the fac, that the
natives are susceptible of high degree
|of moral and intellectual culture. Yet
there have been but lille means OF fair
developemen,. Missionary efforts have
been mainly directed tow ard the Afric
Americans, and on'them have lef, hope
fut impress, while the aoorigines have
been too much. neglected, both BY the
missionary and the colonist. am daily
becoming more acquainted with their nat.
ural character and disposition, and hope
soon TO communicate with them better
through the medium of their own Ian
guage. They are people Of interest
and promise, and | hope TO refer 10 them
again in some future communication.
BY the way should have mentioned,
/ in. this connection, that the general Gus.
tom of native boys. as they are called,
(men in age is to sit on the ground floor
of our mud Aoored kitchens, and, in
groups of two or four. ca. their rice and
palm oil from an old po, in which they
cook il: they roll their food in balls and
eat with their hands; a, nigh, they sleep
on mat in these kitchens or some old
cellar; sometimes they sleep on country
bedsieads or hammocks. IN most o
their habits they are decidedly heather
and we are so absorbed with the love q
gain that we do not do enough 10 change
their custoris.p
CEDAR RAPiDs.--The Valley Fine.
v Is s. ts4