The American citizen. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1888-1909, 1889-01-18

ed that tue natives were not iriendly
TO the colored American settlement.
who inter!ered with their savage Gus
toms and melted By the white traders
made many vars upon them, in all 81
which the Liberians were victorious,
acquiring additional territories, 90
that the area Of what now constitutes
the Republic il 800 miles Of sea
coast and % miles interior. The
colony was at first under the manage
ment of white american, named
Phramcy, sent out by the Coloniza-
ton Society, who founded several
settlements along the coast the more
efectually to suppress the slave trade,
the result being that they all remain-
ed weak and struggling up to now.
The political condition was very an
omlous. Ii VAS not an American nor
any other colony, and therefore not
under anybody's p.oic tim; and III
prepared a. they were, II vas thought
best that they should claim nssion-
ality, 50 as to become under the oper.
alton Of the laws Of nations. Asso-
ciated in the management of the col
ony, was d young colored man by the
name Of Joseph Jenkins Roberts, :
native of Petersburg, Va, with whom
subsequently became intimately -
quaintcd. lie was sent to England
to negotiate for the recognition Of the
Independence Of the Republic; but
whileso engaged, circumstances we're
made by the English merchants
against its recognition, on the ground
that very extensive tracts Of land
claimed BY the Liberians, had been
previously acquired by them which
claim was supported by indesputable
documentary evidences. The minis.
try Notwithstanding recognized the
struggling Republic, being the first
power who thus gave It's moral en-
enlargement, as we'll as a small man
| of war vessel to the Liberians. France,
Belgium, Russia, Holland and Spain
Of European powers followed and
Brazil Of South America, and It vas
not until the administration Of Presi.
| dent Lincoln, the first Republican,
| that the u. :. welded in line, in &C.
knopledging the nationality Of IL
own olTshoot.
The legislature, composed Of .
House Of representatives and senate,
adopted the common Law Of England
a. its codes. Everybody was Amer.
can and American forms prevailed
| everywhere The state Is composed
of 1 counties, Montserrado, Bassa,
Suion and Cape Palmas. The AmeF-
leans were very largely from the
southern states; few went, most were
sent under some clause Of their mas
ters will, who In this way hoped 70
atone for this sin. They were gen.
orally poor, ignorant, and degraded,
with no adequate conception Of the
blessings If liberty requiring sacri-
fees, and they looked upon their
transportation in the light Of Danish
mfnt. II must BE conceded that these
people furnished very poor material
: Tor the founding of republican and
representative governments.
Tie free colored people Of The
norsh. from The very start, aided and
abc.tel by The aboIiiionists strenuous
IL opposed colonization, and fought
it Professionally all successfully; TeFy
fsv having gone there, and they had
been relied gn IL furnish tie inieih'
eeuce. means aad tie nobler impulses
ia framing and directing The launch
Of tbjs great mereaent, The want q
ahich delayed aud crippled tie enter
prize considerably
: In ia closing remarks, Mr- De
RanIgnris sroke II The kindess terms
of she L.berians ard paid Crane
rleu,e ID tha carly missionaries aas
all poaserty weuld accord then
saat IL regard they hare meriied