Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1884-11-05
LIFE IN LIBERIA.
Interesting Information from the Consul
General of the COlored Rennhlic

cinndti Times Star says: Mr.. William
Coppinger, consul general for Liberia
and secretary of the colonization So
ciety, leaves here in day or two for
New York to superintend the work OF
sending to Liberia the regular semi.
annual colony of colored people.
Every spring and every fall this so.
ciety, formed over sixty years ago,
sends small ship load of black men
and women to the native land of the
African race.
''There Is great unrest among the
colored people of this country" said
MIR. Coppinger, as he sat in the rooms
of the society here. Above his head as
he sat hung the portrait of Henry Clay,
one of the founders of the society. In
the room adjoining were number OF
portraits of the early supporters of the
association, among them the father OF
Mayor Latrobe, of Baltimore, painted
by himself at the age of 82. In the
closets with which the room was lined
were samples of coffee and cotton and
other articles of similar nature, the
production of the colonists in Liberia
On a mantel, just opposite him, stood
photographs of the Legislature and SUI
preme court of Liberia, all their mem
bers black. The portrait of the pres
ent president showed the face of ar
apparently bright and intelligent black
man. "He is native of Liberia, y
said Mr.. Coppinger, "born there OF
parents who were slaves in this coun
try; he is man of marked ability and
a successful president. This is Rev
DR.. Blyden," he said, pointing to the
photograph of a full-blooded negro
''He is the president of our college
there, you know, a man of thorough
education and ability"
"You have some educational facil
tiles in Liberia, thenp"
"Oh, yes, very good ones. There
are public schools, and by the laws OF
the republic all children of certain age
required to attend school giver
time in each year. Education is com
pulsory. There are higher grades OF
schools and the college, which cost
500, and is we'll equipped and wei
patronized. The people who 90 there
appreciate very thoroughly the value
of education. In fact, we do not take
any now who are not of this class
The number of applications is SO great
that we have opportunity to select oul
people pretty carefully"
'Are your applications for opportu
nifty to 90 to Liberia numerous, then?"
"Numerousp' he said with smile
glancing at a pile of papers before
him. Il should say they were. They
come not by hundreds, but by thou
sands and tens of thousands. The de
| sire for removal to new country
where men and women of color NAY
be on an equality in every sense will
the other men and women of tha
country seems to be on the increase
We get thousands of applications from
every direction, and thousands NOR,
than we can meet with the limited
means at the disposal of the society
which, of course, is maintained by con
tributions. Yes, the applications ar,
very numerous. | believe that if W.
had ships and means to help all appli
cants get a start there as we do Will
those whom we do send, there would
| be half million of the colored peopl,
of this country ready to 90 at once. ;
"How many are you sending nowP
THAT depends altogether on ou>
means. This fall we shall send be
tween thirty and forty, think
Chow many have you sent in al
since the society was formed?"
"About sixteen thousand, who wer,
residents of this country. Then ther,
are about five thousand more native
of Africa who were captured on boarC
vessels which were bringing them t.
this country to sell them as slaves
They were, as rule, sent to Liberia
So there have been over twenty thou
sand persons landed there to max,
homes in that country since our so
| cietu heman itS ,uorL -throo ronr