Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-25
Liberia as Pictured by a Northern COlOred
Man.

A colored man of Canandaigua, named Henry
W. Johnson, who studied law and was admit
ted as a practitioner to the bar of the Supreme
Court of New York, went to Liberia with his
family " because he thought he would be more
useful and happy there than in America. "
After a residence of six months, he thus wrote
on the 9Th Of FEBRUARY last to the President and
Board of managers of the New Jersey Colo
nization Society:
All that has transpred since / left America, and
all have witnessed since my arrival here, have only
confirmed me in the belief that Africa is the best
home for TIE oppressed black men Of America
While in America was weighed down with the
thought that was constantly ln the presence OF
those who considered me inferior 70 them for no
other reason than because lrc0r the dark SKIN
giren me by 1nu Creator The wisdom Of a Solo
mon. the virtues Of a saint nor the wealth Of the
Indies can lift that burden from the soul OF sens
tive cOlOred man who UaiueS liberty, independence
SelErespect. and manhood But from the time
landed on the soil of Africa down to the present,
have felt like a new man. have felt as free as the
air we breathe aud the pOHderOuS freight Of human
bondage has rolled of from nay soul my citizen
ship is acknowledged, my rights respected my
WRONGS redresSed and my manhood fully recognized
This is what Liberia will do for every black man
who seeks an asylum on the soil Of Africa.
With regard 10 the means Of obtaining living
here, they ale ample, cheap and abundant, and
sure, II the emigrdnt irlH rely upon the cuirdt1On
IF the soil You must not infer from this that there
are no other means Of obtaining living and amas-
sing fortune in Liberia. By no means. On the
contrary, here is a broad field for the citizen the
merchant, and the mechanic, for those who have
qualified themselves for the learned professions, and
Others The country being new, and It's resources
almost ineNhaustible, no country in the world can
hold out greater inducements for cOored men OF IN
tellgence, industry, and enterprise than Liberia.
In view Of this fact how lamentable IL is that 50
many thousands OF intelligent cOlOred men IN Anne
RIGA possessing fine talents and ample means, will
continue 10 hug their chains kiss the rod that
smites then, finally die in despair and entail upon
their children the same wrongs which they them
selves have endured for ages past and gone, when
they can obtain all they desire within the limits OF
the Republic Of LtberiG , Mercitul God, what stu
pidity and blindness"
This is not the testimony of white man /;
that might be suspected. Nor is it the teSti-
mony Of a slave, OF Of a colOred man born and
reared in a slave State, but it is the testimony
Of a colored man born and reared in free
State, and admitted to the bar of that State.
Hearing as much as we do about negro equality
at the North it would be naturally supposed
that the Northern negro would be contented
and happy. Not so, however. That is all talk.
This man tells US that he was driven by the
sense Of his inferiority before the white man,
and &c the ponderouS weight OF human bon
dagc," meaning, of course, intellectual, social
and moral bondage, TO seek his home where his
" manhood" would be fully recognized-amoug
the blacks of Liberia.
He tells us eXultingly that he has found what
he sought. The sense ofinteriority he felt was
that instinct Of nature which no false gloss, no
shamS, no pretenSeS, no batteries, no priyi-
legeS, no freedoms can eradicate from the mind
of the negro. 1t is common to alas univer- |
sal, indeed as the white mans instructive sense
of superiority. Against this ineradicable in-
Stinct the Radical policy is attempted to be car
ried ont. The abSurdity of the effort is appa- [
rent to all rejecting men. The colOred man,
JOHNSON, saw this. lie went to Liberia, and |
appeals TO the colored people in America to fol- /
low his example. He tells them, in effect, that |
the only mode Of acquiring a sense Of "inde- |
pepdence, selErespect and manhood" is by 60 |
ing where they will not be cowed by having to |
stand before the white man face to face. We |
agree with him; Liberia is the place for all |
who cannot consent to live as interiors. Those |
who are contented with their lot satisfied with |
the condition of inferiority entailed upon |
them by nature, and are willing to work, can
always find cOntentment and employment here.
1t is the same with them whether they live at |
the North OF the simultaneously is now and |
always will he their lot. Laws the most favor |
able cannot cancel it. 1t is natural and will |
last forever.