The Washington herald., 1909-04-22
WASHINGTON CHAT.
D. THE sPECTAToR.

/ commission 70 investigate. brings 10 mind
the history Of that little black re-
public" which has almost been forgotten
by this generation. Liberia IS insepsrsbly
connected with the United States, 10
whom she owes her very existence. In
| happily. she has not fulfilled the sanguine
prophecies for her future made nearly
a hundred years ago. It will be recalled
that this republic was created by the
American Colonization Society as a
refuge for free negroes and recaptured
slaves. The movement for Transporting
them 70 country Of their own, where
| they could govern themselves. was a
| popular one al the time. Go 10 Liberia,
was the cry OF large party who had the
welfare Of the negroes at heart. and Il
/ seemed an ideal way TO dispose Of the
unwelcOme blacks The first steamer
sailed for the land OF promise IN March.
ISIS. with party of commissioners 10
I investigate the country and make ar
! rsngements for establishing the colony.
/ and three years later the Elizabeth
carried eighty-eight emigrants. many Of
whom were recaptured slaves, to the new
republic. For the first fifty years Of
It's existence the colony did fairly well.
and at its centennial. MT. Warner. the
president OF the Colonization Society,
said
/ Notwithstanding many evil reports have goni
/ abroad against our land q promise deteTrns
many IN smsTica- ard perhaps eueWheTs. from con-
ins 70 help rs possess it-snd there are yvt being
uttered Trodn'Tl0us that re must eventually fail
| and come 70 nauEht'-yet both you and have
/ He who has begun the work q Afncz's redemp-
ton viii caTy il CD to a El0rioEs completion.
The gTeat ATchitect ~ the universe has given Is
already t00 many assgrauces q His good VII 10
Wasd us-and He + abe 70 make that good Uill
/ sbundsntiy eTectual-t0 allow Us 10 doubt cns
moment His faithfuiness in 81 things pertaining
/ 20 His creatures. or % believe He VIII abandon
Us while We are yet trusting in Him
/ But the land Of promise has failed.
and Is now almost in q state Of anarchy,
4 II those who have made recent visits
/ there are 10 be believed. Affairs. both
political and financial, are in a deplor-
able state. and even the most hopeful
among its citizens ere forced 70 admit
that the Inhabitants are lapsing into a
state Of barbarism, and that the neigh
boring savage tribes are overrunuing The
place. and instead Of being educated and
/ elevated BY the Liberians. they dominate
! them-a sad condition surely, when one
turns back the pages Of history and
notes with what enthusiasm and by what
good and noble men the place was
/ founded and how firm their faith was that
the Black Republic would make for
the betterment OF the whole Of Africa.
The first president Of the Colonization
Society was Bushrod washington. and
with him were associated the greatest
humanitarians OF that day. Henry Clay
was in thorough sympathy with the
movement Francis s Key devoted both
/ his energy and his wealth 10 furthering
] 81. and some OF the other names con-
| nected with its early history are Gen.
| Winfield Scott, William " Seaton. who
was one Of the active and most highly
/ priced members Of the executive com
/ mittee OF the society: Gen. John II.
Cooke. and Dr.. Oliver Wendell Holmes.
/ who was for a time temporary agent Of
/ this government in Liberia
/ So little is known about Liberia that
when its flag was displayew by some re-
cent visitors from there no one recognized
70 what country II belonged. Il has six red
stripes with five white stripes. alternately
displayed longitudinally. In the upper
angle OF the flag. next 10 the spear. a
square blue ground covers ia depth five
stripes In the center OF the blue is one
white star This flag was. OF course, sug-
gested oy that OF the United States. The
seal OF the republic Is interesting. hand
some even Il represents a dove on the
wing. with an open scroll IN its claws;
view OF the ocean, with a ship under
SAIL the sun, Just emerging from the
waters; palm tree. and al its base a
plow and spade; beneath the emblems
I ENe~rs Ff- - Z
above the emblems the national MOTTO.
The love OF liberty brought Us here
Il IS good news that q statue OF John
Paul Jones is 10 be erected in Washing
ton There Is no hero in the history OF
the republic that so appeals To the in
agination- De was not only a brave and
gallant officer. but a clever. interesting
man OF the world and the story Of his
life reads ike a novel. in fact he has
/ figured as the hero IN several works OF
fiction. and there Is no more stirnulsr-
ing character in the whole range Of liz
eratUre- One Of the latest and most in
/ Jeresting works regarding him Is that BY
Alfred Henry Lewis. which was first pub
lished IN one OF the magazines. Mr.
Lewis has succeeded in painting the man
so that he really lives and his book is
devoured by the patriotic small boy with
Z a relish.
The alleged remains Of John Paul Jones
are deposited for the present, and until a
crypt in the chapel is built for their t.
ception, in Bancroft Hall at Annapolis.
where the coffin, draped in an American
flag. IS fenced OF in a small lncIcsure by
an excellent portrait OF the great comman-
= f'-r ira
90 not always treat this popular hero
with due reverence, and many Jokes are
told in which the spook Of John Paul
Jones figures. Before his bones were re-
moved from a temporary resting place
in the grounds to their present sanctuary.
they were constantly guarded by marines
detailed for that purpose. An irrepressi-
bic youngster hid himself one dark night
al the back OF the tomb and as the guard
paced 10 and fro he called out in sepul-
chraI tones:
Bring me g whisky and soda" The
marine could hardly believe his ears at
first, but listened tremblingly and the de-
mand was again repeated. this time in
hOarse and husky whisper Bring II
quick, [ say added the voice. supposed
TO be that Of the famous John Paul. For
1 am living in hot place and have got
! a thirst on me a mile long" The prac-
teal joker had not come 10 the end Of
the sentence before the valiant guard had
taken 70 his heels and ran away.
The Greek Minister, Mr.. Coromilas. Is
winning golden opinions, and in the two
years since he was received here, he
has become one Of the most popular
members Of the diplomatic corps. In
the last half century there have been only
three ministers accredited from Greece
10 the United States Alexandra Rige
Rangsbe presented his credentials as
minister IN 1851, and remained just
year. During that time no affairs Of i'm
portance engaged his attention, and he
frrrrlE -