Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-08-19
DISC listed Wf4H LIBERfA.
The Experience Of Tennessee Colored
Man who does not Relish Diet Of Roots.
Snakes, Lixzards and Scorpions.
[Fron tho Knoxville (Tcnn.) chroniclc.l


[Fro,n the Knoxville (Tenn.) chronicle.l
STRAWBERRY PLAINS, June 12.-Dan
Price, u bright, intelligent mulatto, who
left this neighborhood the 23d day OF
last November in company with thirty
two others for Liberia, arrived in our
town on the 10 o'clock train this morn
ing, on his return from old Africa, the
native country of his race across the
deep blue sea. Dan tells us very
distressing story of his trip and of the
fate Of many of his relatives and friends.
lie says they had not been in Libe-
ria a month till they had buried nine
of their little party, all Of whom died
of fever including his wife, mother,
grandmother, and his oldest child. He
brought two of his little children back
with him, who were fortunate enough
to escape the fatal disease.
The remainder of the party are
nearly all sick and anxious to get back
to America, but as trip this way costs
$50, none of them can get the funds TO
return ON. But few of them have been
able TO do a days work since they ar
rived in Liberia, and when they can
work they get only twenty-five cents
a day.
Hesaysthat the agent ofthe Coloniza-
ton Society grossly misrepresented the
country to them or they would never
have thought of leaving East Tennes-
see. The natives with but few excep-
tons are of the rudest type, and nearly
all of them live upon roots, frogs, snakes,
scorpions, Lizards and insects Of vari-
ous kinds. Bacon being fifty cents per
pound, and -four from Sl2 TO Sl5 per
hundred, Of course can be used only by
the rich. Corn, wheat, oats and other
staple productions of this country can
not be grown there TO any advantage.
He never saw q team of horses,
mules or oxen, from the time he left
New York till he returned, the soil be-
ing cultivated principally with the hoe.
No one ever thinks Of going out with
out an umbrella or something to pro
tect him from the intense heat Of the
sun.
Settlers are often overrun by the
different savages from the interior,
themselves killed and their houses rob
bed and burned. Many of the natives
dress in regular barbarian style that
is, they go entirely naked, except when
out from their places Of abode; they
then dress up with one garment, a hip
cloth.
The Offices of the Government arc
all filled by negroes, who are generally
mean and tyrannical toward the com.
mon people The rich viii not in any
way associate with the poor, and when
the poor negro works for the rich one
he is sent TO the kitchen for his meals
He mailed u dozen letters at this
Office, which were written by former
slaves to their old masters in this coun-
try, all asking that money be sent them
that they may be enabled to get back
to their old homes once more. lie
brought the letters TO this country and
mailed them, because none of the writ
ers had the money to pay the high rate
of postage charged in Liberia.
Take It all in all, Dan says ii he
could have his health in Liberia, he
would rather be a slave here than q
freeman there Dan reads and writes
well, and has for years been considered
a leader among his race in this section
He advises his people to quit politics
and go to work, that they may be
prosperous and happy. ss.