The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-10-30
esux LIFE IN LIBERIA.
Interesting Information from the Consul
General of the Coiored Republic.

natl Times Star says: Mr. William Cop
pinger, consul general for Liberia and
secretary of the colonization society,
leaves here in day or two for New
York to superintend the work of send
ing to Liberia the regular semi-annual
colony of colored people Every spring
and every fall this society, formed over
sixty years ago, sends out 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
Mr.. Coppinger, as he sat in the, rooms
of the society here. Above his head
as he sat hung a 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, paint
ed by himself at the age of 81. 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 colonistssin Libe-
ria. On mantei. just opposite him,
stood photographs OF the legislature
and supreme court of Liberia. all their
members black. The portrait Of their
present president showed the face Of an
apparently bright and intelligent black
man. He is a native of Liberia"
said Mr.. COppisger, "bOrn there of pa
rents who were slaves in this country;
he is man of marked ability, and a
successful president. This is Rev. DIR.
Blyden," he said, pointing to the pho
tograph of full blGoded negro. He
IL hG of
you know, a man of thorough educa-
ton and ability
You have some educational facili-
ties in Liberia then?"
''Qh, yes, very good ones. There are
public schools, and by the laws of the
republic all children of a certain age
are required to attend school a certain
time in each year. Education is COM
pulsory. Then there are higher grades
of schools, and the college, which cost
$50, 900. and is well equipped and well
patronized. The people who 60 there
appreciate very thoroughly the value of
education. In fact, we do not now take
any who are not of this class. The
number of applications. is so great that
we have opportunity to select our peo-
pie pretty carefully"
"Are your applications for opportu-
nifty to 60 to Liberia numerous, then?"
.'Numerous?" he said with a smile,
glancing at pile of papers before him,
Il should say they were They come
not by hundreds, but by thousands and
tens of thousands. The desire to move
to a new country where men and wom-
en- of color can be on an equality in
every sense with the other men and
women of that country seems to be on
the increase. We get thousands of ap-
plicatiOns from every direction, and
thousands more than we can meet with
the limited means at the disposal of the
society, which is, of course, maintained
by contributions. Yes, the applica-
tions are very numerous. l believe that
il we had ships and means to help all
applicants get start there as we do
with those whom We do send, there
would be half-million of the colored
people OF this country ready to go at
once.''
''How many are you sending now?'
That depends altogether on our
means. This fall we shall send between
thirty and forty, think. -
How many have you sent in all
since the society was formed.
About sixteen thousand who were
residents of this country. Then there
are about hye thousand more natives of
Africa who were captured ON board
vessels which were bringing them to
this country to sell them as slaves.
They were, as a rule, sent to Liberia.
So there have been over twenty thou
sand persons landed there to make
homes in that country since our society
began its work sixty-three years ago"
''And are those who tried the expert
ment satisfied with the receipts?''
Yes, the very large proportion of
those who have gone there have been
contented from the start. We have been
careful, especially in later years. to on
ly take men after they thoroughly un-
derstood all the hardships they would
have to undergo in emigrating to new
country and to one of hotter climate,
and the result is that we have found
them satisfied, and giving satisfaction
also to the managers of the enter
prise"
How does the change in climate
seem to affect their health and consti-
tutiOns?"
mot unfavorably. They are, as q
rule, very healthy. and the percentage
of mortality small"
''And what are the relations of those
who go there to the natives by whom
they must be surrounded"
':Very satisfactory. Their influence
upon the natives is very strongly mark
ed. Liberia, You must know, extends
up and down the coast for distance OF
six hundred miles. and stretches back
into the interior almost indefinitely, so
that the people who go there and who
have gone, are brought into contact
with very large number of the ma
tives. The result has been a gradual
assimilation of the natives with the
civilized element. They have gradu-
ally come to see the advantages of civ
iliZatiOn, As is shown by the fact that
within the past year two of the native
kings have come into the Liberisn
country to remain. expressing a desire
to adopt the habits of civilization.
Some of these kings and others of the
natives have for considerable time
been sending their children to the
schools of Liberia. The influence of the
/ colony is SO marked that it is now pos
! sible for one familiar only with the
English tongue to make himself under.
large percentage of the natives in the
Liberian country speak English and un-
derstand it readily"
And what does your association do
for those whom it sends abroad?"
ut gives them passage to Liberia
from the port of New York only, re-
quiring them TO furnish their own trans
portation to that point. On their ar.
rival there it gives them ten acres oi
land, town lot where they prefer it,
/ and in some cases where there is fam.
lily of considerable sizeit gives twenty.
five acres. This seems like q small
amount of land, but. in fact. il will pro,
duce as much there as one hundred
acres will here. 1t also allows them
$50 for ratiOns and shelter after reach
ing there. Toward this each emigrani
is expected to subscribe at least $25 be.
fore leaving home"
And what are the opportunities fol
self-support there?"
The same a. here. The men who
hare trades are in demand and at good
wages, as are also teachers, clerks and