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Maryland State Archives Maryland Colonization Journal Collection MSA SC 4303 msa_sc4303_scm11070-0143 Enlarge and print image (5M) |
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Maryland State Archives Maryland Colonization Journal Collection MSA SC 4303 msa_sc4303_scm11070-0143 Enlarge and print image (5M) |
| Maryland colonization journal. 147 well. Never could a large assembly of hundred! of men, women, and children, conduct themselves with more decorum than on this occasion; and we doubt whether a ' missionary tea' was ever better managed, even in England. «From the number of tickets sold, we infer that a handsome overplus, after all expenses are paid, will flow into the treasury. The committee of arrangement!, the gentlemen who delivered the addresses, the young gentlemen who spoke the colloquy, the choir of singers—all, all deserve the warmest praise. The simple, yet elegant, rural manner in which the church was decorated, with a series of arches from end to end, and from side to side, constructed of the graceful leaves of the pride of the African forest, the far-famed palm, and these entwined here and there with beautiful vines, placed naturally around them, all gave a most imposing effect to the whole. 'In the small settlement of Sinoe, where the church consists of only fourteen members, the subscription for the same object amounted to sixty seven dollars.' The attempts making to cultivate the sugar- cane, and introduce the manufacture of sugar, af- ford rich promise of success. The plantation upon Bushrod Island, commenced last year, has grown thriftily, the cane being upward of six feet high, growing in clusters of thirty or forty, issuing from but one or two scions planted. Unfortunately the mill sent out by the Colonization Society, for grinding the canes, is defective in parts of its ma- chinery. The soil of Millsburgh and Caldwell is represented to be even better for the growth of the sugar cane than the Island first planted. Among the evidences of progressive civilization in Liberia, we notice the formation of an Anti- Tobacco Society. This is excellent. No people can be strictly temperate until the use of this vile and loathsome weed is entirely abolished. A very encouraging letter is published from the Rev. G. S. Brown, one of the coloured mission- aries at the Heddington mission station, of the influence of the mission there upon King Tom and his people The arrival out of the Saluda, with the North Carolina emigrants, was thus announced : • The New Emigrants.—By the ship Saluda, an accession has been made to the population of these colonies, iti the arrival of forty emigrants. They are principally from Raleigh, N. C. and we are informed, are a fine looking and an industrious company. Among the number are seven recap- tured Africans, whose history is quite interesting. It appears from the information we have received, (and it comes from an authentic source,) that about two years ago, these poor fellows were taken by the slave dealer from their country and friends somewhere near Mozambique, and carried to a part of the north side of the island of Cuba. From thence they were introduced per steam-boat into Tallahasse, East Florida; and information being given of the fact, they were seized by the U. S. marshal, and would have been sent out by the Sa- luda when she made her first trip, but they could not get ready in time. Since then, application was made by the secretary of war to the U. S. marshal to deliver them up, which however was refused, until the expenses incurred in their sei- zure and for their support were reimbursed. This being done, the poor exiles from their country and homes were prepared and sent back to Africa in the Saluda. ' So far, so good. They are again free, again in the climate in which they were born and rear- ed, and which is so congenial to their constitu- tions. But are they at home ? True, they are in Africa, but where are their own thatched huts— their wives and children—their aged parents— their relatives and friends? They are doomed never more to see or embrace these; for the ut- most that colonization can do for them is, to break off their chains, and settle them comlortahly and happily in Liberia. It cannot restore them to their own blessed homes. Here the evils of the slave trade appear irremediable. The wounds this accursed traffic inflicts on thousands of human hearts annually are innumerable—they are incu- rable. But who can help admiring and adoring that Providence, through whose wonder-working hand these unfortunate Africans are brought to a place which, if it possesses not the blessings en- joyed in their former home, yet possesses this ad- vantage over it—it is a land of Bibles, a Christian country; and here they may learn to know the true God; here they may enjoy the blessings of religion; here they may save their souls alive, for hand in hand with colonization, the missionary cause provides for them the means of spiritual culture, and prepares the way for them to sit to- gether in Liberia ' in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.' • We understand that a large proportion of the newly arrived emigrants are settled at Caldwell. This is doubtless a good arrangement.' Extract of a letter from Mr. A. F. Russell, the school teacher at Heddington. ' Heddington, Sept. 25, 1839. ' Rev. Sir—I am well, and we get along finely. The boys improve, and religion prospers. 'There was a large orang outang killed day before yesterday; he wa« about five feet high, thicker and broader across the shoulders than any man I know in the colony. Something had taken part of his left hand off, but it was entirely healed, and gave rise to a great many tales or stories con- cerning that animal. ' I saw a greegree man to-day—a Mandingo—a horrible sight. He had a turtle's back full of black stuff, a little dried guana, a lizard, and a pole about three yards long, full of sticks cut in different shapes, and also several bags. He says the shot from a gun cannot hit him.' We publish below the message of Governor Bu- chanan, on opening the Legislative Council of Liberia, at the re-organization of the government under the new constitution. It is quite an inte- resting document. From Africa's Luminary. Native Improvement.—We have in the office of the Methodist Episcopal Mission Press a native lad, from the White Plains manual labour school. His name is John Clark, and he is a converted boy. On the 18th of August we brought him to the office to make a printer of him. He had until that day never seen a type, or any of the mite. rials for printing. In four or five days he learned the place of the letters. In our last number a small piece was published that was set up by him. In this, there are two or three ; and we have ne- ver seen a lad more apt to learn, more quick at comprehending, or more capable of retaining what he is taught. But he has fallen into the hands of a master workman, one < apt to teach.' The Doings of the Council.—Our readers will observe in our present number, the message of his excellency Governor Buchanan to the coun- cil. The honourable gentlemen, representatives of the county of Grand Bassa, arrived on the 27th ult, the other members were speedily convened, and the whole council commenced its sittings on Thursday, 29th ult. This day's session was taken up in the appointment of committees, to report on the different subjects proposed by the governor. On Friday the general proceedings were inter- rupted by the presentation of certain charges on the part of the hon. Lewis Sheridan against another of this honourable body, Dr. W. W. Davis. The charges, four in number, were all substantiated by witnesses on the spot, members of the council, and the accused called upon to make his defence. This, however, had but little avail, and Dr. W. W. Davis was expelled from the honourable place to which he had been elected by his fellow-ci- tizens. Message of Gov. Buchanan, To the Legislative Council of Liberia. Gentlemen of the Council,—It was my first care on arriving here from America in April last, to convene the councillors of this part of the com- monwealth, (then a distinct government,) and submit to them the new constitution under which I hold my appointment. After some explanations, the council adopted the new constitution nem. con. and I was formally inducted into office by taking the oath administered by the colonial secretary. Immediately thereafter I proceeded to visit the other settlements, accompanied by the colonial secretary, and a member of the council, (Mr. N. Brander.) At each of the settlements of Mills- burgh, Caldwell, and New Georgia, the people were assembled, and the new constitution, with the address of the board of directors to the inhabi- tants of the colony, was read by the secretary, and the proper explanations mane in relation to their new position tinder that constitution as members of a more extended government, &c. On the loth of the same month I proceeded to Grand Bassa, where I arrived on the 12th, and on the 15th convened the citizens of ICdiua and Bassa Cove, and communicated to them the changes made by the societies in America, in the political relations of those settlements. The constitution was unanimously received and adopted at once. The next business which demanded my atten- tion was, the recent hostilities between the govern- ment of that part of the colony, (then distant,) and the Fishmen. Hostilities had been suspended for some time, but the settlement and the Kish- inen still occupied a belligerent attitude. Alter considerable etfort and frequent delays, I suc- ceeded in convening Prince John—the reputed original proprietor of the place occupied by the Fishmen—the chiefs of the Fishmen and Joe Harris, in palaver, for the adjustment of our dif- ficulties. The result of our deliberations on that occasion, was a pledge given by Joe Harris and Prince, that my demands for the surrender of the surviving murderer of Governor Finley should be complied with within three days; or that if the Fishmen should fail to do so, Prince and Joe bound themselves to expel them from the country. At the opening of the palaver, I proposed the immediate surrender of the murderer into my hands, as the only condition on which I would treat for peace; and it was well understood by the Fishmen, and Prince, and Joe Harris, when the pledge was given by these two latter, that a failure on their part to redeem it would be follow- ed by a renewal of hostilities on ours; as I had threatened them with forcible expulsion from our territory in that event. But on the same day of the palaver I was attacked violently with fever, and confined to my bed during the remainder of my stay at Bassa Cove; and, though the promise to surrender the murderer was broken, I was pre- vented from punishing it; as in my early conva- lescence 1 was called away to this place by im- perative dutiei. And this whole matter remains still in the same position; frequent promises have, it is true, been made since then to deliver up the murderer, but I have little hopes that it will be done, unless when they see war on«e more inevitable, and at their doors. While at Bassa Cove I ordered a special elec- tion of the citizens of the country of Grand Bassa, for the choice of four councillors, in order to ef- fect the early consummation of the consolidated government, provided for by the new constitution, for the colonies. Hut though that election was immediately held, a variety of causes have pre- vented the councillors chosen from assembling here until now. On my return from Bassa, I found the Dey country agitated and distracted by wars, partly intestine, and partly waged by a neighbouring tribe. In the capture of one of their towns, some property belonging to two of our citizens was plundered; and, as the tribe had by treaty with the colony become responsible for the property of our citizens in such cases, I immediately de- spatched commissioners to them to demand in- demnification, and to conciliate the belligerents. Arriving at the king's town, however, they found it in possession of the conqueror, Goterah, who declared himself the king of the country, and the only proper person to whom the mission could be directed. 'I he object of their visit was conse- quently communicated; but though he professed himself willing to insure the required sum from the Deys, the means he wished to employ for that purpose were subversive of the principal object of tne mission—peace ; and of course could not be tolerated. Subsequently, I addressed a circular letter to all the resident kings of the country and their conquerors, requesting them to assemble here in grand palaver, to settle all their difficulties, and arrange a peace upon a permanent basis. This attempt like the other tailed, and I was compelled to leave them undisturbed it, the fell work of mutual destruction. The vicinity of our upper settlements to the theatre of war, and the threatening demonstrations occasionally made toward Millsburgh, kept the citizens of those places in constant alarm for some weeks. A night guard was established, and a supply of arms and vmmunition, with one or two small cannon, was sent up to Millsburgh and Caldwell. But happily there was no attack. Soon after my arrival h«re, intelligence was given me of the residence of a slave dealer at Little Bassa, and also of an English trader, both of whom had established factories in known vio- lation of the laws of the colony, I despatched a messenger immediately, with written communica- tion! to each of the traders, and to the two princes of the country, reminding the latter of their trea- ties with the colony, hy which they had ceded the jurisdiction of the territory ; and requesting them, as those foreigners had set down in the country under their authority, to send them away—other- wise they were informed I should do it myself. At the same time I assured them of the continued friendship of the colony. To the traders I explained distinctly the grounds of our jurisdiction over the country, and the na- ture of our laws which they were violating by a residence there, and ordered them to cease trading at once, and leave the place within ten days, on pain of the confiscation of all their property. The Englishman treated the message with great rudeness and contempt. The slaver, on the con- trary, returned a polite reply, manifesting entire submission to my orders, and only requesting time to remove his effects. To this request I answered, that he must remove as soon as possi- ble, and in the mean time abstain from all trade with the natives, except what was necessary to procure food for himself and family. But it soon appeared that he had no intention of removing, and that his semblance ol submission was only intended to gain time, that he might strengthen himself, and engage more certainly the natives in his defence. He continued buying and shipping slaves as before; and even in his in- creased security began to enlarge his establish- ment, and make other demonstrations of a perma- nent residence and an extended traffic. When more than a month elapsed after the date of my last communication, and I had received frequent and full information of his measures for resisting the authority of the colony, I determined to employ more potent means in vindicating that authority, and enforcing its penalties; and ac- cordingly, on the 22d of July, despatched an armed body of volunteers, under the direction of a marshal deputed for that purpose. Positive orders were given to the marshal, Mr. W. N. Lewis, and to Mr. Johnson, the comman- der of the volunteers, to avoid any collision with the natives by every precautionary and prudent measure; and neither in reference to them nor the slavers, to resort to force, except in the last ne- cessity. The marshal was ordered to seize all the property found in the factories, and to remove it to this place if practicable, otherwise to destroy it on the spot; but, in any event, to pour out the rum upon the ground, of which, it was reported, a large quantity was in the baracoon. The expedition was completely successful; the baracoon was captured without the discharge of a gun; the principal of the concern having fled with his slaves on the appioach of our men. While quietly in possession, however, and await- ing the arrival of vessels which were to bring oil the goods, the party was furiously assaulted by a large body of natives; they were received with steady bravery, and after several hours of continu- ous righting, forced back deeper into the woods. Throughout that and the following day, the fight was again and again renewed; but always the result was the same. As often as the natives at- tacked the baracoon they were repulsed, and in several cases driven a considerable distance into the woods by our brave men, who fearlessly sal- lied from the cover of the baracoon, and charged boldly into the thick forest upon an enemy ten times their number. On the third day of the fight, the natives drew off entirely, and soon afterward I had the satisfac- tion of seeing them in the attitude of supplicants for peace. This was offered them on condition of delivering up the slaves that had been in the bara- coon. Bahgay, one of the kings of the country, brought in four; and Prince promised, by his principal chief, to bring in the remainder, which, however, he failed to do; and he has since assured me that they have run away from him. By the treaty made with Bahgay. the supreme jurisdiction over the Little Bassa country is con- ceded to the colony, and the king is hound to put an end for ever to the slave trade there. The whole of the property seized at the bara- coon was brought away, except about thirty pun. cheons of rum, which was poured out upon the sand beach. The value of the goods brought heie, including a small amount seized at the Eng- lishman's factory, is about $8,000, which, alter deducting the whole expenses of the expedition, will leave nearly $4,000 in the treasury. The destruction of this large and well protected slave establishment will, without doubt, produce a lasting and salutary effect, both upon the na- tives and those civilized savages from other lands who have so long cursed this coast with their presence. The traffic will never, it is probable, be resumed at Little Bassa; and there is good reason to be- lieve that the influence of this expedition, and the position of uncompromising hostility assumed by the colony, will have the effect to relieve us, ere long, of it entirely in all our borders. A salutary lesson has also been taught those other traders, who, though engaged in legitimate commerce with the natives, have been proved to trespass on the rights and property of our citizens of late :—and if we continue to visit upon them the penalties of their depredations, we shall soon be freed from their baneful presence, and lelt in undisputed possession of those privileges which have been bought at the price of peril, hardship, and blood, by the people of this commonwealth. With the highest consideration, I have the honour to be your obedient servant, T. Buchanan, Governor. To the Hon. the Council of Liberia. Government House, September 5, 1839. From the Religious Souvenir. Pilgrim's Way-Song. BY MISS H. F. GOULD. I'm bound to the house of my Father; Oh, draw not my feet from the way, Nor stop me these wild flowers to gather; They droop at my touch and decay! I think of the flowers that are blooming In beauty unfading above, The wings of kind angels peifuming, Who fly down on errands of love. Of earth's shallow waters the drinking Is powerless my thirst to allay; Their taste is of tears, while we're sinking. Beside them where quicksands betray. I long from the fount ever living That flows by my Father's own door, With waters so sweet and life-giving, To drink, and to thirst never more. The gold of his bright happy dwelling, Makes all lower gold to look dim ; Its treasure all treasures excelling, Shine forth and allure me to Him. The gems of this world I am treading In dust, where as pebbles they lie ; To win the rich pearl that is shedding Its lustre so pure from on high. For pains a torn spirit is feeling, No balsam from earth it receives, I go to the tree that hath healing, To drop in my wounds from its leaves. A child that is weary with roaming, Returning in gladness to see Its home and its parent, I'm coming- My Father, I hasten to thee I The Young. BY W. G. CLARK. When into dust, like dewy flowers departed. From our dim paths the bright and lovely fade ; The fair in form—the pure—the gentle hearted, Whose looks within the breast a Sabbath made; How like a whisper on the inconstant wind, The memory of their voices stirs the mind ! We hear the sigh, the song, the fitful laughter That from their lips, in balm, were wont to flow. When hope's beguiling wings they hurried after, And drank her siren music long ago ; While joy's bright harp to sweetest lays was strung And poured rich numbers for the loved and young! When the clear stars are burning high in heaven,— When the low night-winds kiss the autumnal tree, And thoughts are deepening in the hush of even. How soft those voices on the heart will be ! They breathe of raptures which have bloomed and died. Of sorrows, by remembrance sanctified. Yet, when the loved have from our pathway van- ished, What potent magic can their smiles restore ? Like some gay sun-burst, by the tempest banished. They passed in darkness—they will come no more. Unlike the day-beams, when the storm hath fled, No light renewed breaks en their lowly bed! African Hemp.—There is in the colonization rooms at Washington, a specimen of African hemp, a small bale of which Gov. Buchanan sent to the board by the Saluda, in June last. Thin hemp is prepared from an indigenous plant which abounds in Liberia. It resembles the manilla in colour, and is pronounced by good judges to equal in strength and fibre the best American hemp. Several of the Kentucky emigrants now on their way to Liberia, are good rope-makers; one of them who for years had the charge of a rope manufactory, remarked on examining this hemp that it was an excellent article and fine enough to make into twine. They were delighted with the prospect of being furnished with so good an article for the prosecution of their trade. Means have been taken to supply the neces- sary tools for enabling these men to commence their trade in Liberia, which will not only be pro- fitable to themselves and important to the colony, but which may introduce an article into our com- merce, that will eventually supply the demand of our country.—African Repository. Mr. Buxton on the Slave Trade. Mr. Buxton's late publication on this subject has attracted considerable attention both in Eng- land and in this country. The conclusion to which he comes is that the slave trade cannot be suppressed by the means which are now employ- ed for that purpose—nor by any which can be brought to bear according to the system, hitherto pursued. The only effectual mode, he contends, for abolishing this traffic is, to introduce civiliza- tion into Africa, to line the coast with colonies and to resuscitate the energies of that great con- tinent so as to make her own strength and re- sources sufficient for self protection. His views on this subject are set forth with a great array of facts and arguments, and they derive additional interest from the consideration that Mr. Buxton has been lor many years a distinguished leader of English abolitionists and of course an opponent of colonization. The conclusion to which he has arrived, we may suppose, was forced upon him by convictions drawn from a full examination ot this subject. It is in keeping with the principles which reflecting men in this country, adopted long since, although for a different end. Yet if, as Mr. Buxlon has shown the slave trade is to be checked only by means of colonization, this great result will give additional importance to the scheme which benevolent men in the United States have devised for ameliorating the condition of the coloured race amongst us by placing them in the country of their ancestors in such a manner as to secure to them freedom and the blessings of self- government. A double good will be thus accom- plished and the interest of many may be now enlisted in behalf of colonization on account of the indirect influence it will exercise towards suppressing a traffic which has been for so many years the disgrace of Christendom—of many who have kept aloof hitherto, through distrust of its efficiency in the way of accomplishing a direct purpose to the extent which it promises. Mr. Buxton shows the impossibility of a perfect union among the different nations for the purpose of putting a stop to the slave trade—and demon- strates, in the second place, that such union if it were practicable would be ineffectual for the ac- complishment of the design. We quote some passages from his work ;— 'When Portugal shall have been persuaded, or compelled to desist from this insulting violation of treaty, it is but too probable that Brazil will step into ber place. We find it stated in a despatch from Her Majesty's commissioners at Rio de Ja- neiro to Lord Palmerston, ol date the 17th No- vember, 1837, that 'the change in the Brazilian government, which took place on the 19th Sep- tember, has had this important consequence in respect to the slave trade, that while the late government appeared to wish to put down the traffic as matter of principle and of compact with Great Britain, the present government has pro- claimed the traffic to be indispensable to the |