National Republican., 1884-05-06
A CHIP FROM OUR BLOCK.
Seventy Years Good Work of tho American
Colonization Society.
Origin and Growth Of the Little Black
Republic Of Liberia.
II Needs All the Negroes in America 10 Civilizo
Africa,
The New President and His CObinOt-In.
uuguration Ceremonies.

The old Colonization building, at the cor
ner of Four.and-a-half street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue, is one of the historical
structures of the country Within its portals
many years ago, the black republic of Liberia
was conceived and created by tho American
Colonization society. The society was organ
lied in 1916 by Henry Clay, Justice
Bushrod Washington, Elins b. Caldwell, and
other prominent men of that day. Tho
purpose of the founders was TO create and
colonizo black republic on the coast of Africa
and Liberia as the result of their years
of thought and action. In the early days of
the society slaves who became free we're sent
to settlements on the African coast at the
expense of the organization, which main
tanned full control over Liberia until that
country declared its Independence and bo.
came a republic in l547. The English Ian
guage Is the language of Liberia, and its
prosperity is now on established fact.
The society is still in vigorous and
healthy condition, and sends parties of
colored people TO Liberia overy year. The
people SO sent are maintained by the society
for sixth months after their arrival there.
The idea of being sent back to their native
country Is evidently popular among many
colored people in all parts of the United
States, as the secretary of the society, Mr..
William Coppingor, receives thousands of
applications every month. On account of
limited means, however, only few of the
applicants are colonizcd Those selected are
generally mechanics, ministers, and teachers.
The spring expedition of the society was
dispatched from New York on the ship Mon
rovia several weeks ago. 1t consisted of
thirty-four colored people from Pennsylvania,
North Carolina, Kansas, and Nebraska. Those
from Kansas and Nebraska were a portion Of
the exodus movement from the south several
years ago.. The party will locate at Arthing-
ton, settlement on the St. Pauls river,
twenty miles from Monrovia, the capital of
Liberia. They will engage in the great in
dustry of the country-coffee raising
Mr.. Coppinger, who has been tho socety's
secretary for over forty years, was found ut
his office by REPUBLICAN reporter. He Is
q rather small and very intelligent gentle
man, with perfectly white hair and n benevo-
lent countenance. IIo appeared to be very
much interested in tho welfare of Liberia, and
gave the reporter some interesting facts con-
cerning that far away country. He said there
was no. steam communication between the
United States and her negro wards on the
coast of Africa Our mails can go only by
way of England. The latter country does a
thriving business with Liberia, and imports
hundreds of tons of coffee and other products
annually. These products would nearly all
come to this country If we had steam ocean
u transportation,
Mr.. Coppinger read several extracts of let
ters he had received from colored men who
Il were ScnU 10 lIlDerla from inc DultCu states.
Henry Tayloe said: I'VE are in great need
of immigration, and there is no doubt but that
many of the colored race in the United States
could do much here. Our success on tho west
coast of Africa will ever be controlled. by for
eign emigration" Another letter said
Here we have our 20O,0O0O00 native popula-
tion, which needs all of your negroes to civil
ize. We are not worrying over the civil
rights bill or any other bill, but we are here
in our own free country"
Since the organization of tho society 21,377
persons have been sont to Africa. OF that
number 5,122 were recapturcd Africans, and
1867 have been colonized since the war. The
society is informed that numerous aborigincs,
In order to secure the advantages of proximity
to the civilized settlements, are hocking from
the interior and building villages near thu
Liberians. Zodaque, q Pessah chief, has
lately arrived with 200 followers and located
near Crozervile. Another chief with about
F. 300 refugees from heathenism is expected to
settle in the same neighborhood.
II Complaint is made to the society that Eng
land has annexed" about forty miles of
coast line territory to her colony of Sierra
Leone, taking it from the feeble republic of
Liberia aud has appointed Capt Foot, royal
navy, consul in the Myassa country and ad-
joining lake districts; also, that she is max
ing her strong arm felt in other portions of
the continent. Mr.. Coppinger received
= very interesting account of the Inauguration
of the new president of Liberia last
week. 1t stated that the inau.
guration of Hon. Hillary Il, w. johnson,
the new Lberian president took place amid
great popular reioicings. Thousands of peo-
pie assembled at Monrovia, including many
aborigines in their weird native costumes,
and armed with spears and shields. The
American born Libcrians lent dignity to the
occasion and taught their untamed brethren
q lesson in civilization. The new president
was born in Monrovia, Liberia in 1887. His
rst
rom the United States by tho Colonization
ociety. His inauguration address is repre,
ented as very able document The members
pf his cabinet are Hon. William NJ. Davis
secretary Of state Hon. NJ. IT. Worroll, secre-
ary of the treasury; Hon. S. n Williams
ecretary of the interior, and Hon. j. II.
Viles, postmaster general. Tho cabinet
members were all born in the United States
among the last acts of the senate was to
uthorize the president to accept the north.
- vest boundary Of the republic fixed by Great
Britain. Mr.. Charles T. o. King, agent of
he Colonization society, and well known in
Washington, has been elected and inaugurated
|91hayOr of M0nroYia for two years, AdviCes
1 the society also state that the native chiefs
y re allowed to vote in the Liberian congress
NJ Ia questions that affect them or their people
restricting Ownership OF Land by For
eigners.
~ The following Is the text of Senator Van
n Fyck's BILL introduced yesterday, to restrict
be ownership by aliens and foreign corpora.
34 ons and companies of public land, and of
= Ny land in the territories:
BE IL enacted de- That it shall be unlawful
~ any person or association of persons not
tizens of the United States, or for any cor
Pration or company organized under the
ithorty OF any foreign state, province, or
'|U|btenlaLD. to apuuiTa titlp from tho I'nitp1