Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-01
Made Slaves by Liberians.

Made Slaves by Liberians.
2. Since the incorporation of the colony
within the republic of Liberia we and our
fathers have always befriended the Ii
berian republic as a struggling nation Of
our race. but on the other hand, they
having established government that
babe fair to make some sort of show
ing, soon began to despise us, placing us
in their room and they in their masters,
just in the same fashion as in their sIav-
cry days in America. Thus in 1856 feel
ing that we should no longer live in the
same town with themselves, they without
notice and without reason. attacked us
and burned our houses to ashes. thus ex
polling us from the Cape proper of Cape
Palmas. When DR.. Hall, the American
Colonization Society's agent, who had
brought them out, returned toward the
middle OF the same year $3.50, he in
quired into the causes of the war! and
the LlberianS for their unreasonable and
grateful conduct. Then he ordered that
We should still have the use of the sites
OF our towns until they We're paid for by
the colonistS. which to this day has not
been fully met.
3. In 1875, taking advantage of the trib
al schism which exists to tins day among
US, and which is encouraged in every pos
SiDic way ny the the ldtlcl
called upon us to act as baggage carriel S
in a war which they contemplated against
another section of our tribe. To this we
demurred, as we were on friendly terms
with that section Of the tribe, but prom
Used to look we'll after the wives and chill
dren of the Liberians while they were on
their expedition. The then governor
James Tuning, at once interpreted our eX-
cuse into disObedience to the Liberian
government, and again without notice de-
c1aro6 pafnSf H9nnitV a
were successful and we gained the adj
vantage In the conflict. Several other bat
ties have been fought from time to time
between ourselves and the Liberians fer
reasons which could have been otherwise
accommodated, but for the Liberians' de-
sire to parade their power over us. Be
sides these battles the Liberians have
from time to time killed numbers of US in
cold blood and without provOcation. The
numbers of such unfortunate individuals
up to the present is eleven, some shot in
the bush and others in town, without in
any of the cases a satisfactory investiga-
ton leading to the discovery of the Gull
prit. In January this year two others who
were living among them and exhibited
signs of prosperity were shot in the night
and no reasonab BILE and satisfactory inves
tigation of the matter has likewise been
undertaken.
unjust" Taxation.
4. The Liberians have Imposed a tax
besides others to which we do not object
in the shape of customs duty on the
little earnings which. owing to the back
ward condition of the country, we are
compelled to go abroad in search of. AL
though regarding this taxation as unjust
for we do not barter off these earnings
for gain. but merely in exchange for the
necessaries of life and that only in ex-
IRENE cases-we have all along submitted
to 1t to such an extent that they have
given themselves over to abuses in the
assessment of this duty. The law is dis
regarded. and local prices are applied,
which are always higher than the actual
cost on the coast. This arrangement
leaves US perpetually in a state of chronic
poverty.
5. The chief blot upon the Liberian
domination Of our land is that they are
utterly powerless to put to a stop our
intertribal wars, which we ourselves are
helpless to prevent. and by means of
which our best blood Is destroyed in re-
curing years. On the other hand they
choose sides and encourage these deadly