The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-17

county, Texas, to a friend in New York:
| ave have had delightful winter here-no
snow and no sleet. The farmers are plough
ing and planting, with bright hopes in the flu
ture. | have rented out my farm this year,
as could not hire servants at any price. Com
mon field hands hired for the year at from
1926 to $780, and are worth from 81 500 to
$2,0O0---too much money to have invested in
any one piece of ebony humanity.
81 wish the slave trade was reopened, so
that we could buy negroes at reasonable prices.
1t is the very thing that Texas wants-labor to
cultivate her vast domain. We could use Just
half a million of the black rascals proftably to
work tomorrow. They would be better off
than in Africa, and would be great service
to the world at large, and especially to Texas.
There are .teac sn,uggled an occasionally.
'Sir hundred hare been safely landed on oar
coast 'rtthin the last fe,o aceeks, and still more
are on the ,cay. say, let them GOMEZ
|
| INTERESTING FROM LIBERIA.-The Rev. John
Seys, OF Baltimore, the Government agent for
recaptured Africans, and so we'll known for his
missionary labors in Africa, who sailed from
Baltimore few months ago, in the Mary Caro-
line Stevens, has written home to the Ameri-
can Colonization Society an interesting letter.
After stating that the passage out was made in
thirty-two days-an unusually quick one--he
says:
"On Sunday, December 10Th, we made
Grand Cape Mount, and, after pleasant day,
Divine service being held twice, we crept up
with light breeze, a full bright moon and a
cloudless sky over us, and cast anchor at P.
M. You may imagine my surprise, my most
agreeable surprise, when, next morning, very
early, on going upon deck, saw now plainly
what could but very ndistinctly perceive the
night before-a town, rural settlement, with
Its scores and scores of neat, though rudely-
built cottages, with their gardens and young
fruit trees scattered all over the hill side and,
with the noble Receptacle in the midst, form
ing one of the many prominent durable monu-
ments of the incalculable amount of good done
to the African race by means of the American
| Colonization Society.
| "To me, who had gone to that forest in Sep
TENDER, 1856, traversed it again and again,
marked out the site for the Receptacle, saw it
almost completed, and the people under my
care, the pioneer band, measurably occupying
| it, and then leaving for other work assigned me
elsewhere to me, this town of five hundred
inhabitants, covering the beautiful slopes of
that mountain-a town, with its schools, places
of worship, and contented, happy people, the
effect was ndescribable. The change was as
if wrought by magic. No, | will take that
back, and exclaim, "What hath the Lord
wrought Instead of croaking about what
has not been done in two short years, am re-
joiced beyond measure at what has been ac-
complished and while l had opportunity at.
forded me to move around, see the people at
their homes, eat and drink with them, find
out their condition, have come to the DELHI
crate concusion-the evil reports of two or
three dissatisfied liberated slaves notwithstand
ing-that you have a fine hourishing settle
ment at Grand Cape Mount, that by all means
IT ought to be sustained; that it is healthy,
and will prove in the end one of the finest por
tons of this Republic.
" On arriving here lat Monrovia) on the oath
of December, was received, as usual, with the
utmost cordiality and kindness, and my ap-
pointment as agent Of the United States Gov
eminent for recaptured Africans regarded with
universal appreciation, / called on his Elk
celiency President Benson, Immediately was
most kindly received by him, and, in an official
correspondence held since our interview my
commission has been duly recognised and ac-
credited at the seat of Government of this
republic
The national fair was being held on our ar
rival. Instead of crystal palace, they had one
much more appropriate, building made entirely
OF native material, bamboo floor and sides and
the roof covered neatly with the palm thatch.
obtained a season ticket, and mingled in the
throng to see and examine the evidences of
Liberian improvement, vas surprised beyond
all anticipation, and could scarcely realize
where was. | cannot enumerate the articles
on exhibition, but l was truly grati6ed with
every department. The specimens of sugar
cane cannot be exceled in the West Indies,
save in tho Island OF Trinidad Socks made of
the silk of the great silk-cotton tree of the
tropics is decidedly triumph Of Liberian in
genuity. Never did believe that the short
fibre of the article could possibly be spun or
wove, but the daughters of Iibesia nave done
1t. GunpoYdec made here, made by native
4iberian, arrested my attention. Beautiful
furniture, made Of the superior woods of their
forests, claimed admiration from all. But can
only mention, without commenting upon, the
tools manufactured hefe, the superior iron ore,
the c1ttnn, coffee, cocoa, ginger, corn meal, ar.
row root, yams, eddoes, and many more, all
giving indsputable evidence Of the vast fertili-
ty of the soil, of the onward rapid march in the
improvement of the people of Liberia, and of
the consoling fact that those who labor for their
advancement in the arts and sciences, or any
other good thing, do not labor in vain.
of the two hundred Feqapturea Africans
Eho ESrs landed here, ten have since died, AS
they were very much emaciated on arriving at
this port, the commander of the Niagara, in
consultation with your agent here, concluded it
best to land the entire company at this place.
They have been all housed in the society'S
large and commodious receptsqIa, and every
attention paid th29-, and everything done to
FrolAete their Welfare, ~ Mr.. Dennis, the rem
sesehthi9e Of the Colonization Society, aud your
faithful physician, DIR. Roberts. l have visited
them several times, had them called together
addressed them by means Of an interpreter, and
held devotional exercises armong them. They
are cheerful and contented, have improved
wonderfully, q9rd hqt ieg SLOW the remains Of
that er,aciatitn to which they were previously
REDUCED.
HYour indefatigable agent here, after some
official correspondence with his Excellency |
President Benson, decided opon CARRYING out |
lie Instructions of the executive committee. |
But in conformity with the officially-expressed |
views of President RenSGEI ysup agent viii sepd /
to Rasse tBenty-fiys OF the recaptYes, the same |
number of the complement going to Robertport, |
Tinoe, and Cape Palmas. The determination |
of Mr., Dennis I most fally Goneurred in, nay, |
advised; and, i'll order TO facilitate and aid in |
carrying out these measures, | signifed my |
Willingness to accompany these unfortunate |
Africuns to their respective places of destina- |
ton, and see them myself put in aossession Gf |
your several agents, The NJ, Q. Stevens will |
take them down the coast, and Mr.. Dennis was |
pleased to accept my proffered services to 20 |
with them"
PAY OF THE BRITIsH CABISET.-A writeF in |
the Philadelphia Press, who Processes to be |
well posted, says against $4,000 paid away |
in annual salaries to the Cabinet of the United |
States, we have to place $287, 500 Per annum
received by the members of the present Derby |
Ministry. Besides this, the Prime Minister |