The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-07-03
Letter from Africa.

Subjoined will be found u letter from
a frica. written by n colored person who
was a slave Of j. 7. SLATER, Esq before a
false philanthropy, backed by Il majority
o~fbayonets, set him free. OF this philan-
thropy, however, 'let time determine"
We only want just now to say that the
letter will be read with interest by many
whites and blacks who knew him in the
days Of slavery not long ago. He was one
of the most skillful smiths we ever knew.
and learned to read and write before the
wal set him from under the dominion Of
the master to whom lie writes. What he
now says will have no tendency toward
filling up Africa with emigrants of tho
colored ''persuasion" from the United
States. Contrariwise, it will induce them
to remain here and do as the white people
do.
But here in the United States we find
white men of really good sense lin other
respects,) advocating . perfect equality,
which means that the negro shall rule
Ofcourse these men arc demagogues but
what will they say when 1t Is evident that
negroes are not capable of managing their
own natural country1 and how can it be
that they shall rule in the United States?
And yet, they are ruling in Louisiana and
other Southern States under the heel Of
that dirty tyrant whose name is u. S.
Grant, and who is called President of the
United States. But VIZ would despise the
Southern man, so lost to pride and self
respect, as to enlist IN a defence of a
Union cemented by the ~bayonets U. S. 6.
uses to cement his Union. OF this, how
ever, more anon. Read the letter of this
Franklin county negro in Africa, and
draw your own conclusions. We publish
it just as it was written, except US to
spelling and punctuation:
MoNRovIA. THE CAPITAL or LIBERIA,)
WESTERN AFRICA,
April 18th, 1873.
To my Master, j, 7. Slater, the Esq:
SR:-I received your glad, reviving
answer, in print. 1t found me glad to
hear that you had received my letter, and
also received the writing on the paper
sayiug: "When you receive these papers
write to me again" My health is good,
and am glad 10 hear that your health is as
good as It is. l am glad to hear from so
many Of my Winchester people, both
white and black. After this letter l will
look for another from you, and will be glad
to receive it, too. | reckon, if / could see
you all, would have to tell you of many
things you used to tell me about. You
used to tell me that the people in Africa
90 naked 1t is so. l like the country
and its appearance very well. but these
black people do not know what to do with
it. | dou't like these peoples ways of do
ing. 1t may be because | am used to the
white mans government.
The condition which | am in at this
time: bought a house and lot in Monro-
via. The house needs repairing, and lum-
Der is hard to get here, because there is no
saw-mill here. | bought a saw-a cast
steel blade-Dut | am not able to set it up.
l have not drawed any land rs yet, but
waiting to see what is the best for me to
do. ] see a thing here among these old
settlers, or the government OF Liberia,
which | dislike. These people don't do
right with an American emigrant. They
will not do him just in law. They work
all plan1 to disfurnish him-to keep his
industry and knowledge hiG. This they
do to the American emigrant, or to me. |
preach the Gospel among them sometimes,
and they say they don't understand me.
How shall they rule in civilization and
christianization, not knowing the Scrip
ture in its purity? They feel tor me with
their fingers to see i'll brought any money
from America or not. And yet Liberia is
without any improvements. | speak as to
a wise man. Judge ye what say. ], or
we Americans, do not know anything
about England, Switzerland, and the big-I
bellied Dutch bottles which come here full
Of rum, rot-e ut and hald-face. All these
| know nothing about; neither
was | raised up so. But let you patrOnizc
me, and | %patronizo you. The native men
and women believe in the brass kettle,
pot aud gun. No manufacturers here.
America, and America patron
ize Africa; and build up Africa as Amer
lea is built up. a improve the black
smith in tempcring edged-tOols with
palm oil. These people don't study about
building up Africa. They study about
cheating and frauding the emigrants that
come here from America When the
black people come here and make a set
Element. they name it after the place which
they come from in the United States.
Ihave made only a beginning to talk
about the curious things in Africa which
| have seen. Anything you want to know
about Africa, write or print and send it to
me. and l will answer it If possible.
Maria. that you bought from Mr.. Coop
or, sends her compliments to you and all
the rest Of your people.
want some good writing paper.