Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-08-27
1xles aud 9ketfhts.
TIE ExPxRlKNCE OF A GEORGIA NDGREss
m That COUNTRY.

L 0SA
The EXPERIENCE OF A GEORGIA NEGRxss
N THAT COUNTRY.
| The other day Juna Hudson arrived in
Atlanta, after an absence of over IL years
| from Georgia. She was one OF the negroes
who went tn Liberia soon after the close
of the war. She belonged to Maj J. w.
Warren, of the executive Office. and was
the nurse of bis children. The craze for
Liberia did not captivate Juna. but 1t
caught her husband, q skillful mechanic,
who was free negro in slavery times.
and had accumulated considerable prop
erty.
In the latter part OF 1867 there was a
very large emigration of negroes from
the cotton States of Liberia. A party of
about so was made up in Muscogee and
adjoining counties, OF which Hudson and
his family we're prominent members. The
negroes who composed this colony were
nearly all old servants of we'll known
Georgia families. They reached Liberia
safely and founded town which they
named louisville in honor OF the well
known Georgia family.
The history of the colony is sad one.
Most OF its members died of the fever
Hudson prospered and accumulated con
siderable property. A few months ago
he died His widow determined to return
to Georgia with her two children and spend
the remainder OF her days among her old
friends. She sailed in schooner for New
York. At last she reached Atlanta. and
went at once to see MARS Joe" Warren
at the capitol. who gave her . cordial vel
come. Juna Hudson is q woman of re-
markable intelligence. and appears to be
we'll educated. She is q light mulatto,
though her friends say II years in Liberia
have made her q shade darker than she
used to be.
When asked what she thought of that
country. she said: II never liked it. It
is remarkably rich country and the eli
mate is generally agreeable. l don't
know when have felt q day as hot as
this. The trouble is with the fever which
never fails to attack settlers and is very
fatal. 1t takes two years at least to be-
come acclilnated. and don't think the
climate ever agrees we'll with any body
but the natives"
ais the population growingP"
"No, sir. l think not. The natives
may be increasing. but there are fewer
be. Nearly all the SO that went over in
our party died. Some came back. On
the vessel that brought me to New York
were 2l emigrants returning to this coun-
try. They generally get enough of Lii
IBERIA in six months"
"What inducements are offered to set
tiers"
Every family is given twenty five acres
of land. and they can buy as much more
as they want tor so cents an acre. 1t is
the richest land ever saw, too. 1 had a
beautiful place with many improvements.
There were 10000 bearing coffee trees on
1t. besides thousands of bananas and plan
tains. 1t was valued few years ago at
5000. Yet when sold it to get money
to come back on all realized was about
$500. One reason of this was the trouble
with the currency. Very little money Is
circulated. People are afraid of the mon
ey because it is constantly being depre-
ciated. Trading is done almost altogether
by barter. could take my coffee and get
anything l wanted. So with syrup or
fruit. But when my property was offered
for sale for gold I could hardly get any
thing for it. The legislature is trying now
to make the money of the country good.
Crops are beautiful. but every necessary
of life is high"
whist about the government"
at is modelled after ours. All the Off
GERS are negroes, and there are good
many politicians"
"What is the religion of the peoplep',
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,
think. Among the thousands of natives l
saw while there only three had been civil
lied. Missionaries 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 pro-
| TESS conversion and are enrolled as Christ
ians. but almost invariably they 60 back
to idolatry when they return to their tribes.
The missionary work in Liberia seems to
be making no progress"
You don't think the future of the
country looks bright"
mo, sir. The emigrants who have
gone there from this country as a rule are
not contented. 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 the natives will ever
be made into good citizens. They are ig-
norant and brutal. They are happy when
they come down from the forests loaded
with fruit TO sell in the towns and then 60
back to their miserable huts."
The woman thus conversed, giving evil
dence of close and intelligent observation,
and expressing herself unusually we'll.
Horrors OF Prison Life.