Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-30

ADMIRAL FooTE ON LIBERIA.-The prin-
cipal speech at the last annual meeting of the
American Colonization society was made by
that gallant veteran, Rear Admiral Foote. 1t
abounds in interesting personal observations
on the condition of Liberia and in some sug-
gestve remarks on the negro, as will be seen
by the following extract:
Sin the first place, have had all expert
ence Of two years in command of an African
cruiser, for the suppression of the slave trade
and the protection of American commerce on
that coast, and, in cooperation with the Bri-
fish squadron, under the Ashburton treaty,
when we captured three slaverS and suppress
ed the atrocious traffic in Southern Africa.
Liberia embraces an extent of 600 miles in
northern Africa and has crushed forever that
trade within its domain; and just so far as
Africa is colonized, SO far the slave trade will
be annihilated.
In the second place-what is the character
and influence Of Liberia upon Africa and up
on its colonists? | visited Liberia several
times during my cruise ON the African coast,
where we found in full operation republic,
whose independence had been acknowledged
by England, France, Prussia, Brazil, and
since then by our own government. We Wis
tied the people in their schools, on their farms,
in their workshops, in their religious assem-
blies, courts Of justice, and in their congress,
and bearing in mind the character and condi-
ton of their race in this country, we found
comparatively degree of order, intelligence
and thrift far surprising that of any of the
colored people in the United States. The de-
bates in congress, in many instances, would
have done no discredt to many OF our debat-
ing societies, while the messages of president
Roberts will compare not unfavorably with
those of many of the governors of our states.
As the country becomes settled and the char
acter of its diseases better understood, the
accimating fever is less dreaded. In fact, it
now rarely proves fatal. The statistics, as
president Roberts informed me, show some
three per cent. smaller number of deaths than
in New England and Canada, among the same
population. The thermometer seldom rises
higher than So degrees, nor falls below 70
degrees during the year.
The products of the soil are varied and
abundant, capable of sustaining an immense
population: The want of agricultural indus
try, rather than the ncapacity of the country
to yield richly the fruits of the earth, has been
the difficulty with the Liberians. With we'll
directed labor, of one-half the amount re-
quired among the farmers of the United States
a large surplus Of the earths productions, over
the demands of home consumption, might be
gathered The country certainly possesses
elements of great prosperity. The country
now belongs to the colonists, they are lords of
the soil, and in intercourse with them it is
soon observed that they are free from that
oppressive sense of inferiority which marks
the colored people of this country.
In religion, Liberia compares favorably
with any country. The number of christian
churches is large, and on Sunday quietness
prevails rarely seen in any country. 1t is
true that some of the lower forms in the vivid
connection of spiritual things may character
ize the people, but far preferable is that than
the tendency of our higher civilization toward
attempting to bring the mysteries of our holy
faith within the scope of human reason. 1t is
true that Liberia, like all other places, fur
nishes its full quota of people showing the de-
prayity Of human nature. You will find there
men who will rob hen roosts, and intrigue for
office, but this does not arise from the people
being black, but because men are men.
1t should not be forgotten that the expert
ment in respect to the colored race is essen
TALLY a new one. The idea that Hannibal, one
of the five great generals Of the world-his