The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-06-30
THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA.


The scheme of colonizing Liberia with
sixty years ago, the American Colonization
society sending out their first company Of
eighty-six emigrants in 1920. Short sight
ed philanthropists expected through it
solution of the American slavery question,
and also the evangelization Of western Afri-
ca. The American negroes increased
much more rapidly, however, than
they could be transported, even If slavery
had not been an obstacle to emigration,
many of those who started for Liberia died
on the way or soon after arriving there.
The experiment has assumed more and
more of the utopian phase, with sPasmod-
ic leases of life as interested persons of
some influence have seen fit to associate
themselves with it or speak in its favor.
In response to the printed statements of
Secretary Coppinger of the American Col
onization society, which would create the
impression that Liberia is the promised
land to which American negroes should
fly, George =. Stetson, of Boston, publish
es counter assertions, backed up by the
testimony of travellers, missionaries and 9TH
ers. From these it seems that 20 OF the S6
colonist sent out in 1920, and 81 of 149 emf
grants in 1851 died before they had been in
Africa year; up to 1859 the colonization
society had sent out 10000 emigants at an
expense of 81 800, 900, one half of whom
had died or left the country. In 1871, when
the republic was formed, the Africans from
America numbered {, 200 and the aborigi-
ners loo, 600, which in 1878 the figures were
respectively 1o, 900 and 701 600. 1t is safe
to cotlcldde, therefore, that the republic is
unhealthy fo- American negroes, at least.
Slavery is also found in Liberia under
system of apprenticeship" or "invo1untarv
se,vitude," which the authorities can not
destroy. William Nesbit, an intelligent
negro, who has returned from Liberia, and
is now notary public at A:toonn, Pa, says
slavery, as abject and far more tnereiless
than is to be found almost any where else,
exists there universally" the slaves being
purchased from their parents for from $S
10 SIS apiece as they become old and big
enough to work. The government, entirely
in the hands of co1ored people is msrked
with incapacity, corruption, mismanage-
ment. and disaster. The republici is fnanci-
ally bankrupt, An English writer, Keith
johnson, an excellent authority on African
matters, said in 1872: I'm place of having
exercised civiliZing influence on the
to have relapsed into barbarism. The
schools are in q most deplorable condi-
ton, morality at low ebb, and the peo-
pie generally, oppressed with heavy taxes,
are lazy and indolent." The Liberia col
lege, established by Christian philantro-
pists from Boston and elsewhere some |
years ago, is failure. and the buildings, !
erected at great expense, have been al |
lowed to go to ruin. The pay of laborers |
is small, while the prices Of life's neces-
saries are high. Domestic animals do not |
thrive in the Liberian climate, and man |
has to bear many burdens which in Amer
ica would be placed upon beasts. Ill feel
ing is also springing up between the |
natives and the colonists, and there is a !
among the former to prevent |
futher aggressions on their territory.
From present appearances, it seems very |
much as if the Liberian colonists, instead |
of shedding the bright light of ciyillza-
ton and Christianity upon their barbarian |
were drifting into darkness |
khamaalxes