Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-15


the African colony in a. lrep .s
j. b Danforth, s PURSE inshe may, his ole
sper in Illinois 1.-The Rock 1slend AfVs Hia s6sfe-
nents surprise US. They differ widely from mshy.
accounts that have been published in Abs country
by the Colonization Society; but Col D. has been
there, and, being shrewd observer, ought TO know
Of what he writes: ri & y & 81 !; ~
g Monrovia is much smaller and less interesting
town than Freetowp, and it gives one very good
idea of what the negroes can accomplish. This is
all the town OF any Importance in the colony of Lii
beria 1t has been petted by the American Coloni-.
cation Society for 40 years. the last nine of which it
has been an Independent, government.
The face of the country around is fiat and uninter-
esting and the population idle lazy, indoent SET
A sluggish stream empties itself into the ocean here,
called the Missurado river 1t is navigable here.
At its mouth is a large sand bar which very
small crafts pass at high tide, and land alongside
pile of rocks they call wharf
S The town is small and its business smaller. They
have streets-that is, an open space between the
lines Of shanties-which are entirely covered with
grass, except here ana there path where the ne
groes cross from one house to another. They have
teams, no horses or mules-not one in town.
The President of the republic, S. A. Benson, did
have mule, but it died. They say that he has
colt up in the country, and will have horse when
it grows up!
Our consul, John L. Forney, Esq, accompanied
me to "see the elephant" We first visited Con-
gress which is now in session. The Senate consists
of eight "fust family" nggers and the House of
Representatives of eleven! The ex-President, Rob
erts, is nearly white, and wears white moustache
The present President Benson, is full booded
darkey as is also the Vice President, Gates. I was
also introduced to the Supreme Court and to the
Attorney General, Payne. They all colonists-
j. c. persons born in the United States, and sent out
here by the Colonization Society.
They had up great question in the House of
Representatives. viz: the proprety of increasing the
salaries of the officers and the speeches highly
amusing One fellow, who did not seem to be in
the secret had ventured to assert that addition Of
$50 to the judges salaries might break the colony
An honorable member replied with much spirit, as
follows:
"Mr. Speaker and Gemmen gemman last up
says Liberia may broke. Liberia can't broke
only rich folks broke. Yah! yah!" Great ap-
plause)
They have four colonies, viz =: Mssurado. Bassa
Since and Cape Palmas, the last of which was for
many years colony of the State of Maryland, and
was called 1.-THE State of Maryland in Liberia Our
State of Maryland had started the colony, and paid
annually $4,000 for its support Recently the State
of Maryland in the United States concluded that she
had paid money enough for that purpose and she
stopped the supplies. The colony therefore annexed
itself to Liberia.
The population of Liberia is estimated to be about
200, O0O-nearly all of which are native 'bushmen.
The colonsts proper number about IL 00O. and cast
about 1000 votes. Their counties Gour) answer to
our States, and their government is modelled after
our own.
They have Jail, three churches, and respect
acle,' house where emgrans are kept until they
can take care of themselves. Their defences are
four small howitzers mounted on a hill near town;
four more which lay unmounted and half covered
with sand the beach, where they were first land
ed; and one more which is in the same condition, on
an unslightly place they call government square.
Their navy insists of little schooner, The Lark,
which was presented to them by Great Britain
The whole business of the colony seems to be con-
trolled by few families, who monopolize all the
oHi.~s, UuHtrU tn. f.,lo, a"a .i.e rri .t,o
extent of their ability to pay. fair opportunity
40 years, and under the aid of the home Colonial
ton Society, has been given to what the negro
can do. What little evidences of civilization they
do exhibit only that reflected from the whites,
and about 20 years more will probably explode the
humbug. l believe now, if the aid afforded them
abroad was withdrawn, that they would nearly all
take to the bush in a very short time."-Mlacaukee
Neos
THE CRoPs-TENNEssEE CEoPs.-So mildly and
gently is the spring opening upon us that farmers
and dealers in produce anticipating the most
abundant crop ever gathered. Very little corn has
yet been planted. the early spring is in advance
of the ploughman. Wheat has never at this season
been more luxuriant in its growth; and if it shall
escape the rust as it is rpenng there will unques-
tionably be much larger crop than has ever before
been gathered at one harvest. The growing oat
and grass crops also promise the greatest abundance
In view of all this, there is manifest tendency to
decline in the price of breadsus aud provender for
cattle For some weeks past the hea, of the sun
has been tempered by the genial showers of April,
and every species of vegetation is advancing with an
almost unprecedented growth.-Southern Citizen
Knorrille, Tenn.
We learn from many of our planting friends that
the young crops in this vicinity promise to be very
fine. This is more particularly true of the grain
crops. There a more favorable spring for wheat
and oats, (barring the recent cold snaps) and the
for planting and bringing up the young
have been so prof tous that the complaint Of good
stands, we believe, is universal Should no serious
disaster intervene, we expect to furnish ourselves
next fall with meal at fifty cents per bushel With
regard to the prospect for cotton bags not
hopeful. The Young plant, thus far, has certainly
not done we'll as could be expected. Two slight
frosts and succession of cold nights have visited it.
and at this stage of its existence it is morbidly
sitve to cold. In some situations we learn that the
stand has been seriously injured by the frost
and we presume that in Tronp and Talbot, and 9TH
counties in that latitude, all that was up has been
destroyed. Bnt we never despair (for friends,
of making enough cotton. There is one considera
ton which always counteracts relieves any dspo
ston to dependency on that account What little
is made can generally be sold and, other things be
ing equal, the price bears an inverse ratio to the
amount produced. But it is too early to speculate
upon the next cotton crop. Whatever we may now
say Of it, within the next four months it will b.
subject to the influence of thousand causes which
may verify our calculations or knock them into ar
Everlasting smash. "-7imes and iSentenel, Column
bus. Ga.
The CRoPs.-On our journey, both going from
Cumberland to Aamance and returning. we wer,
pleased to note the hopeful indications for an abun
dant return to the labors of the husbandman From
present appearances, the farming community hav,
every to hope that their tolls will be amply re
maid md that the harvest will MT d;sonro;,t ~