National Republican., 1883-06-25
A CITIZEN OF LIBERIA.
A Talk With Mr.. Alfred B. King, Coffee
Planter on st. Pauls River.
He Thinks All tho CoIored People Will
Soon Want 90 Go TO the Dark Continent.

tho principal cities of the Atlantic states
He is travelling for pleasure and information,
one of his chief objects being practical obser-
walton of tho condition of the colored people
of this country. A reporter of The REPUBLI-
CAN, who met Mr.. King, found in him gen-
tleman of notable polish of manners and
marked information concerning the resources
and future of Liberia, and, in fact, of all
Africa. Mr.. King is puro black of the stand
dard negro type. In speech ho has . strong
English accent and IL the listeners eyes were
shut he would imagine that thorough LON
doner was talking.
"Havo you over boon in England ~ asked
the reporter.
Never" said Mr.. King. al have only
been in the United States and Liberia. am
now 81 years Of age. l was born q slave in
Georgia. When l was FIVE years old l was
sent, with my mother, by the Colonization
society to Liberia, and have been raised and
educated there. l was never even taught by
a white man, but some of our teachers there
were educated in England, and possibly got
my drawl in that way"
Mr.. King said he has coffee plantation
on tho river, five miles from Monrovia, the
capital of Liberia. The coffee grown there
is the best In the world, the soil and the cli-
mate being especially adapted TO the develop
ment Of the berry. The total productionnow
Is SMALL not being much over 100000 pounds
annually, but there is great future for tho
product moro population and labor being all
that is necessary. As an evidence of the superb
ority Of the African berry, 1t was mentioned
that all coffee-p producing countries, especially
Brazil, had imported seeds and plants from
Liberia. The gentleman thought that Ameri-
can trade was losing golden harvest on the
west coast Of Africa. Not steamer goes
from an American port to that country. An
enterprising firm in New York are running
five sailing vessels from that port on their
own account, and these vessels furnish tho
only direct means of reaching the African
coast from the United States. In contrast
with this want of enterprise there are
twenty-eight splendid steamships plying be-
tween Liverpool and the west coast of Africa,
furnishing weekly trips for the accommoda-
tion of travel and the swift transit of freight.
A line of steamers are also running from &C.
noa. Mr.. King thought that a limo of
steamers from New York would pay hand
somely. So far as Liberia is concerned, the
people look ON the United States as a sort of
parent government, and would do all they
could to turn the trade In this direction. Tho
gold fields on the African coast were attract
ing the attention Of the world now and they
were destined at an early day to form the
nucleus of a wonderful commerce.
Mr. King expressed himself with a great
deal of freedom concerning his race in Africa.
People here" said he, "both white and
black, are in great ignorance concerning tho
condition Of Africa II is no longer the dark
continent The slaves in this country were
captured on the coasts and belong to the in
ferior and savage races. In the interior, not
far from Monrovia, the inhabitants are civ
iliZed and intelligent, and strict followers OF
the Mohsmmedan faith. The mon have
| refined instincts and the women are delicate,
like the white wonasn of this country. As to
II ,kar tlA of Nl,a ant
wanted to demonstrate the ability of the
negro to govern himself, and the laws have
been very strict against the intrusion OF
white mon. Only three white men are
engaged in business in Monrovia. Ono OF
these married an African woman, and has
become citizen. We young men, however,
arc in favor of doing away with these re-
strictions entirely. There is quite a strong
party there now in favor of opening the
doors for white men. We really need their
intelligence and thrift, and their money. 1t
is all foolishness to say that If white man
comes to Liberia and establishes large coffee
| plantation adjoining my small one that he
will necessarily oppress me-, On the con-
trary, he will do me good Ho will bring
machinery and improved methods of culti-
vation, and he will find the best market for
| our products"
AS to the American blacks, Mr.. King Mid
| he believed many of them would rush to
Liberia in few years. They did not know
the opportunities offered them there or they
would be anxious to go now. The liberal
education which tho United States is now
giving its colored population would be the
impelling cause of great emigration in
time. "As the matter stands now" said he,
"the colored people in this country are
hewers of wood and drawers of water.
They can never hope for profess
sional or social elevation except in
extreme and isolated cases. But they are be-
coming educated and can't stand this always
Tho young colored men and girls who are
graduating from the high schools, the normal
schools, and the colleges don't want to be
waiting maids and BARRIERS, and yet that is
about the highest they can hope for in this
country. When this class of educated blacks
increases largely, as it will surely do, the
pressure for higher employment will be 80
strong that they will turn to Liberia as the
only country where negro has full and
equal chance for the honors of life."
A reporter who was at the office Of the
African Colonization society yesterday was
Informed by Mr.. Coppinger, the secretary,
that there had been q remarkabl increase
in The number of inquiries concerning Lii
IBERIA received lately. Thousands Of colored
families all over the country are anxious to
emigrate as soon as they can find the means.
A large number of letters received in the last
few days were shown the reporter. They
were from almost every state in the union.
Many of the writer's spoke of Africa as their
'fatherland," to which they were anxious to
return. Ono enthusiast had wife, ten chill
dren, and $l0,and wanted to know what chance
there was to "git over dar." A colored man in
Pittsburg inquiries if he can take his white
wife. An Arkansas freedman wants to know
If there is room for "musishun-sich as I'D
din and banjer" Mr.. Coppinger, who has
grown gray with over forty years service for
the society, says, with pathetic eye: "There
will come time when the bulk of our 6000,.
600 negroes will be in Liberia"