Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-08-10

An African Nationality.

ue'er u-u nationality Of their own until II WAS
t given them by the school Of colonization. As "a
s race, for 1000 years, they have been without
name,-Whclly unknown in his,ory,-except by
the terrible wrongs they have suffered, from
the white man.
But now theJ have EatiCrality,-a common
centre Of at,ractiou,-a well ordered RepubIic,
which holds jurisdiction over a country larger
than the SIX New England Sta e., extending
from the river Shebar, which divides il from the
British Colony Of Sierra Leone, on the north,
TO Cape Paimas, en- the SOUTH seven hundred
miles On the ecast. This Republic. in addition
to the AmericO Lberians, contains, by estimate.
a native population of 100000, who are subject
to its laws, and who are 50 far CIVILIZED that the
males Of adult age are allowed to vote. The
Enshsh language Is spoken more or less perfect
y by these natives. It Is the language Of the
schools Of the missions and Of barter and trade.
The civilization already established among some
Of these trites is Of higher order than that OF
ancient Europe and Asia, for it IS civilization
enlightened, nodded and refined by the peaceful
influences of Christianity, and aiorned by all
/ the arts Of modern times. II secures perfect
social equality, and field for honorable enter
| PRISE American principles ard customs have
taken deep root, and form the manners and hab-
its OF the people.
The constitution of the Reps5hc is modelled
upon our own, embracing its essential features,
'and was written by Vermont nan. And here
l am reminded Of the important part which
Fermonters have borne in this grsa, enterprise.
We have shown former numi er, that the
first permanent Colony was planted 5y an adopt
ell son Of Vermont Liberia College owes its
ezis;erce mainly to Rev Dr. Tracy.-a Yer
mont man. One Of its Professors, Mr.. Martin
J. Freeman, is a native Of Rutland and a COL
orcd graduate Of Nrddlcbury Coll.rc. And the
ablest lawyer probably IN that RcrubHc.-Mr.
Henry ". Johuson,-was a native of Ferris
burgh, Vt
college in Africa Who car estimate the
iufuerce Of such an institution in training IN
class Of men who shall guide sa5ly the des-
tinies Of that young nation Lord Macaulev.
thirty years ago. while expressing hs conf, hnce
IN the plan Of colonization as a civilising DOW
er for Africa, predicted that IL the course Of a
few centuries, there would be 3 DISTINGUISHED
University in africa. Bu, My Lord So pre-
dic;ion was altogether too slow for American
enterprise and philanthropy, for in less than
nttY years. his conception of a college in Africa
has been realized 4 flc; in history.
Sueh ore err-s e 81.
work In lees than halfa century. the slave
trade has been abolished, On 700 miles Of the
coast, where, forty years ago, It lad its chief
ieat;-three hundred THOUSAND # the natives
have been assimi'ated partially. ut least. to the
habits Of a christian civilization; it has opened
a large and fertile region of Western Africa to
the commerce Of tae world.
But there is another and still brighter ASPECT
which strongly eommends the plan Of African
Colonization to the christian heal,. mean its
Missionary results. There are about one hundred
'hurches Plan'ei there. larger proportion of
ne inhabitants attend public worship on the
Sabbath than in New England, "A large pro-
'ortion are members or communicates. There
IRE near 200O converts fr m native heathenism.
n communion with these churches. The
American B0ari' Is noble institution Il
asily claims cur prayers, sympathies and ma
eral aid. Yet, know of 10 mission under the
are Of that Board, that numbers rs many cor
erts from paglnism, if We except the Sandwich
sland mission.
That SO much has been accomplished in so
hort time, and by such meaas-that ben
violent society, limited in numbers and re-
ources, without experience, and while contend
ng with opposition at home, should succeed, in
lrty-fye years, in establishing well regulated
;ePublie, on barbarous colst, 5000 miles
way,-a Republic which is row a center Of at
raetioE to an entire race and an object Of scien-
ii, and commercial interest to all the polished
aious Of the worli,-this is a spectacle which
IAN IN all his generations has never seen before.
ge must believe tba; this Is Gods work, and
hat the pilatiay Of christian colonies in Africa
HIS owy PLAN for the conversion Of that long
'rsaken and oppressed people
July y. JK. CONVERSE
For LIEERA.-Ihe tarque Thomas Pore
allied rom y. /. June 25.h f.r Monrovia
With a large cargo Of merchandise and four
asseugcrs. Among the ht,.- were Nj.
'erot American Consul 10 O.. rocu and Rlv.
Ohm W Roberts who was .rIsiued Mis-
iolary Bishop Tor tie Meth As, Episcopal
'hdEch in Africa at New YoiA in s.. Pauls
'hurch on the evening Of June 20.h.
Bishop Roberts, eJlJrld man. l. brother
b Ex-Pr,sitent Roberts Of L,aeria sod is
bout fifty years OF ssc. lie was born in
'irglnia educated in Lbcra where Tor twen-
y-uine years be has been 4 preacher Of tie
'osp,L He Is the suceessorof The larncnted
Bishop Barns who was the fr-t African
bishop Of the Liberia Methodist Episcopal
hurch.
EARLY CLesNc MoyIHENT.-Some forty of
ur merchants have agreed TO close their
laces Of busmess hereaiter,atS s O'Clock, P.
l., every week day except Saturday,
ntd October lst, 1866. With
lch start, the movement ought
} become general one. We trust there is
o merchant in Burlington, wio will refuse
concur in so reasonable and proper
easure.
VERcESNIs.-The Common Council Of YER
.nnes have called a meeting Of the legal
tiers cf that city Aug. sth, for the purpose
adoptipg some tlan for urnlvinr the c;tv al