The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-11-06
Liberia.

Monrovia is the capital and seat ofs
government of the negro republic Of
Liberia. 1t is nearly five degrees
within purely tropical climate, hav-
ing but two seasons of six months
each, the 1st of December being the
beginning of the African summer and
the 18th of May the commencement of
the African winter, or the rainy season
as 1t IS called. Monrovia is the largest
and wealthiest city in the republic
situated on Cape Mesurado, the highest
point of which is more than three
thousand feet above the level of the
sea. 1t is high, dry and beautiful
city. OF which the negro ought to be
proud, being, as it is, one of the high
est points of land on the northern coast
of Africa, and therefore free from
many of the diseases common to
parts lying lower on the west coast,
The population must at this time be
more than fifteen thousand, and not
more than thirty of that number are
white persons, who are commercial
agents representing the trade firms of
England, France, and Germany, with
here and there a missionary man or
woman laboring in the cause of the
Lord, and actuated by the highest of
Christian motives. The city is regu-
in America, and some of the buildings
would ornament any city on this side
of the Atlantic. Trinity church, which
is built of stone, is the most stately
structure in the country, and was built
by funds furnished by st. Georges
church, New York, of which Rev. DR..
Stephen II. Tying is pastor. More than
1000 people could be seated in it. The
First Methodist church is also a large
and well-built house, and is capable of
seating eight hundred people. The
Providence Baptist church and the
Presbyterian church are also stone
structures capable of seating 600 each.
The House of Representatives, the Sen
ate, and the Courthouse are stone
buildings, which put to shame many
similar erections in great America.
There are many residences, occupied
by the wealthier citizens and foreign
ministers and commercial agents, that
are not less than elegant. The mansion
of the President, built of brick, would
not disgrace any square in London. I
am often asked where these people
found architects and builders? L an
swer that the same black mechanics
who built New Orleans, Charleston, and
Savannah built Monrovia, as hundreds
of such were liberated by humane
slaveholders and sent to Liberia.
The poorer classes are improving in
their style of building; and, instead of
the log cabin and bamboo house, they
are beginning to build frame, brick and
stone houses. It would look curious to
an American to step into the hall of the
House of Representatives or the Senate
and see none but the sable sons of AT
rica administering law and Justice.
And it IS remarkable to know that in
Africa at the present Tins are the best
educated negroes in the wide world
live men like Bishop Crowther, Prof.
Crumell, Prof. Freeman. Prof. Blyden,
and Prof. johnson. The latter and the
first named are both natives of Africa,
and all of them in learning could lead
Fred. Douglass by the hand into fields
of thought he never reached before.
Liberia is 790 miles long on the sea
coast, and no line is defined interior
ward. We claim indefinitely east aud
wasf Ia. Tn177pe 4 HINT