The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-11-06
BACK FROM LIBERIA.

An Intelligent Georgia Negroes Gives Her
Impressions of the African Republic.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
Juna Hudson has arrived in Atlanta,
after an absence OF over seventeen
years from Georgia. She was one of
the negroes who went to Liberia soon
after the close of the war. She be-
longed to Major J. w. Warren of the
Executive Office, and was the nurse OF
his children. The crazefo Liberia did
not captivate Juna, but it caught her
husband, skilful mechanic, who was
d free negro in slavery times, and had
accumulated property.
In the latter part of 1867 there was
II very large emigration ofnegroes from
the cotton States to Liberia. Aparty
Of about fifty was made up in Mus
cogee and adjoining counties, of which
Hudson and his family were prominent
members. The negroes who composed
this colony were nearly all old servants
Of well-known Georgia families. They
reached Liberia safely, and founded a
town which they named Fortsville, in
honor OF the well-known Georgia
family. The history OF the colony is a
sad one. Most of it's members died of
the fever. Hudson prospered and ac-
few months ago he died. His widow
determined to return to Georgia with
her two children and spend the reni-
nant OF her days among her old friends.
She reached Atlanta, and went at once
to see "Mars Joe" Warren at the Cap
itol, who gave her cordial welcome.
Juna Hudson is O. woman of remark
able intelligence, and appears to be
well educated When asked what she
thought of that country, she said: 81
never liked it. 1t is remarkably rich
country and the climate is generally
agreeable. don't know when l have
felt day as hot as this. The trouble
is with the fever, which never fails to
attack settlers, and it is very fatal.
1t takes two years at least to become
acclimated, and don't think the eli
mate ever agrees well with anybody
but the natives
els the population growing"
fsNo, sir. 1 think not. The natives
may be increasing, but there are fewer
American negroes there now than
there use to be. Nearly all of the ff-
ty that went over in our party died.
Some came back. On the vessel that
brought me back to New York were
twenty-one emigrants returning to
this country. They generally get
enough of Liberia in six months"
'What about the Government"
cit is modelled after ours. All the
officers are negroes, and there are a
good many politicians"
''Do the people generally seem to be
haPPyn" !!}Ry;, 1o.ooo ,,o : ,o
happy in their way, but I don't think
the country would satisfy those who
had been raised in Georgia."
What is the religion of the people?"
"Among the emigrants there are the
various denominations we have here.
The natives worship idols.
''Why don't they send missionaries
among them?"
"They do, but it is hopeless task,I
think. Among the thousands of ma
tives saw while there, only three had
been civilized and Christianized. Mis-
sionaries are scattered all over the
country, and they find no trouble in
getting crowds of the natives into their
churches and schools. Many of these
profess conversion, and are enrolled as
Christians, but almost invariably they
go back to idolatry when they return
to their tribes. The missionary work
in Liberia seems to be making no pro-
gress."
''You don't think the future of the
country looks bright?"
"No, sir. The emigrants who have
gone there from this country as a rule
arenot contehted. Many of them come
back, and many more would come if
they had the means. The country is
not going to fill up with intelligent
American negroes, and don't believe
thenatives will ever be madeinto good
citizens. They are ignorant ana brutal.
They are happy when they can come
down from the forests loaded with
fruits to sell in the towns, and then go
back to their miserable huts."