The New York herald., 1878-12-04
OFF TO AFRICA.

THE BARK aloSnovIA sails WITH EdIGRASrs
TO LIBERIA TALK WITH THE Ex-ATroRSEY
GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC.
The American bark Monrova left pier 10 East
River yesterday bound for the port after which she
was named and which is the capital of the Liberian
Republic. The passenger list comprised five cabin
and thirty Storage passengers, all coored whose
friends assembled in large numbers at the dock from
which the vessel sailed Captain l.. II. richardson.
who formerly commanded the bark Liberia. stated
tla: he expects to make the in his vessel in
about tlirty-hye days Tie principal items OF
chandise the bark's manifest tobacco provt
sions and dry goods OF the coored passengers four
teen are from Boston and the remainder from the
Southern States.
leading man among the departing Africans was
Mr.. W. NJ. Davis exAstorney General of the Liberian
Republic. man about forty-dve years OF age. and
lawyer by profession. He is native OF Pennsylvania.
and went to Liberia with his parents is2 Remain.
is Tor six years in Africa he returned to the United
States, taking up his abode in Boston. where he at-
tended school FOR three years. and studied law for
couple more in the office OF Aessrs. Rice & Neil
son. He sailed again TO Monrova just after the attack
on Fort Sumter. remained there for seventeen years
and became Attorney General of the Republic
'Are there many lawyers out there, Mr. Davis?'
asked reporter of the HERALD.
tion of about twenty-five thousand there are half
dozen lawyers who couli pass to the Bar here. and
three four OF these would be able practice any
where"
LIBERIA.
Mr.. Davis gave account of the workings of the
federal system of government pracssed in Liberia
Mr.. A. W. Gardner. virginian by BIRTH the present
President, into Office last January having been
elected for the usual term OF two years. There is
now a party in the Kepublic agitating for
a longer term OF Office, thinking that the
Chief Executive Of Liberia. like that of the
United States. should be in Office four years
The Liberians do large trade with England and an
insignificant one with the United Stats. The Eng
lish have two outward and two honeward bound
steamers that call ut Monrovia every month. The
exports consist chiefly OF palm OIL cocoanuts dye
woods ivory dn large quantitics) sugar coffee GIN
ger. arrow root. indigo, rubber and beeswax There
are about hundred white people in Liberia. rep.
German, Dutch, Portuguese and EnglHh. These peo.
pie are either connected with the missions ara
merchants. Some frlIs there have many as four
or five large vessels engaged in the Libcran trade
do the colored people of the United States like to
'.They do, replied Mr. Davis, safter becoming ac.
clnated. Then they prefer it. but if they get dis
gsted because OF fever or other sickness and
before they get through the process of acclimaza-
tion they bring back fearful accounts of the country
Ihe aDo,risnes m are by degrees adapting thcm
takes to civilized ideas he must be employed in some
occupation depending on his condition. and as
through want OF employment. this cannot al-
ways be done. those who want to become CIV
ilized cannot always follow their inclinatons.
The Christianxing process would be more rapid IL
there were schools for the education Of native women
Az things stand the civilized men cannot get
wives among the American portion OF the population
Besides IT these educated men go back to their native
villages seeking heathen wives they will have to live
there with those women. aad their usefulness win
thus be curtailed. Ia some cases. however educated
aborigines have married American born women"
BRITISH INTRIGUING.
At this point OF the conversation Mr.. Davis said
suddenly
Now, as the HERALD is the greatest newspaper
power in the United States wish you would spread
before the American people this idea:-The progress
and prosperity OF Liberia have been great deares
retarded because OF the nrgues OF the British trad
coasts. instigatng the natives to make war
upon us. to deny our right Of domain to territory
which they and their sorefathers sold to US for .
legal consideration and III embarrassing the operation
of our revenue laws. Some years ago we purchased
territory northwest boundary for which we
hold deeds signed by the local native chiefs and wit
messed by two English officials then present This
is SO far admitted by, the English govern
ssea bS' bS the Ad@rv shey q sv e coast sn
John River northwest boundary alrd on these
charts have even specified the dates on which the
several sections were acquired twenty five or
thirty years ago. al but OF the chiefs who exc
cuted these deeds being dead and he the most in
feror among them, the British traders induced him
and the successors Of the dead leaders to deny that
the country had been sold to u.s. and to assert that
they only gave us right to trade in it. The English
traders then got contracts from the chiefs to
allow them the right OF trading there. Having
CURED this right the English established trading
faQores IN the territory ana flooded the land with
goods on which no revenue had been paid 50
that the Liberians and the foreign traders rosi.
dent in the Republic could not compete with
the. British because they had Ia pay duties.
The surviving. chief who had signed the deed Of
purchase instigated 10 make upon the chiefs
friendly to Us. In 1855 got up an expedition foi
the purpose OF protecting our friends and Of punish
ing Prince Ma,isi who, hnding Us too strong for
getting Libera into trouble with the English govern
nent. The English traders complained to their
Governor vt Sierra Leone, claiming that the Liberi-
ans had destroyed the property. The Governor de-
nandcd that u commissioner should be sent to
him from Monroyia. but the Liborian government,
not willing to appear defendant before =
British tribunal. declined to send any one, and
communicated with the London Cabinet Its mem.
bcrs were influenced by the reports Of the Cover.
OF Sierra Leone that they referred the whole mat
ter back to him and ordered two vessels Mon
rova to enforce his decision. whatever IL might be-
The officer in command demanded payment OF the
Sierra Leone claims forthwith, and the Liberians
were Obliged to pay such portion OF the money as
could be collected the spot and give bonds the
remainder. III 1874 was sent with Sls.OJD gold to
pay the balance of the damages ut Sierra Leone but
saved $i,0oO to the country by not paying the
interest
no AID FROM UNITED STATES.
Why did not Liberia appeal to the United States
for aid y
What could we dor The United states would not
recognize us colony nor conccde protection in
our rights Az citizens Since that time 1t has been
agreed thai the question of the disputed territory
should be settled by arbitration between England and
Liberia. and that the United States should appoint an
Umpire. All this has been done. and the Commission
will meet next month al sierra Leone
With regard to remuneration for labor Mr. Dawn
said that tradesncn. suc ~ carpenters. get 81 day,
which they usually stlpuate shall be pant in gold or
grcenbacks. There plenty Of grecnbacks in Libc-
ria and they are preferred to gold. They are in
troduccd there by merchants and missionaries.
The salaries OF the latter are to a large
amount, paid in drafts convertible into United
States currency and this sort money greatly pre-
ferrcd The paper currency OF the country, whicn Is
about fifty per cent below gold par value receiva-
Bile Tor all sorts OF taxes, ducs, custom House duties
and the like. The notes printed In England.
We would have much preferred a. have them made in
America, but COMMUNICATION with England Is easier.
There IL continuous stream emigration to Lii
IBERIA. The of this outgoing IL that In spite Of
the laws colorcd men cannot get equal rights with
the white citizens In the Untd States, particularly
ut the south Very strong lines still the ditier-
cncc between the races, aud in any country where
two peoples live together without intermarryng one