The encouragement of agriculture at Liberia has been regarded by every Board of Managers, since the foundation of the Society, as a most important instrument in accomplishing the great objects of the Institution.The lamentable neglect of it heretofore, and the failure of the efforts made by the Board to render it popular among the Colonists, have been the source of painful reflection among the best friends of our cause. This state of things is probably ascribable in a great degree to the causes which you assigu for it; and to the general cause of a reluctance among emigrants to undergo physical toil in a country where they had indulged the irrational hope of being exempt from this the ordinary lot of man. Concurring in your sentiments on this essential subject, and cordially approving of your measures in relation to it, the Board will always be eager to afford any suitable facilities for the promotion of agriculture at the Colony. They are especially solicitous that you should encourage by all means in your power, the cultivation of coffee. Your suggestion, that emigrants should hereafter be supported by the Society for twelve, instead of six months as heretofore, has received the deliberate consideration of the Managers. While they perceive much force in your reasons for this change, they are nevertheless not prepared at this time to adopt the suggestion. Though circumstances may often render six months too short a period for the gratuitous subsistence of emigrants, it is believed to be in other cases longer than is necessary; and that in these, habits of indolence are contracted, pernicious to the emigrant, and by the force of example to the Colony at large. The proposed extension would, moreover, double one of the most fruitful sources of expenditure at the Colony: a consideration at all times important, and especially so at our present period of financial exigency. The support of the Colonists for six months, is a circumstance of their condition far more favorable than any to be found in the history of other emigrants. Many settlers on the Western frontier of the United States have repaired to their new abode with no means of subsistence except a few acres of wild land, and their implements of husbandry; and have soon become prosperous. The difference, indeed, between their circumstances and previous habits, and those of the emigrants to Liberia, calls for a provision in the latter case, which in the former might be dispensed with. But due weight is supposed to be given, in the existing arrangement, to this consideration. I am instructed to say that the Board deem it inexpedient at present to extend the time during which emigrants are supported by the Society, beyond the term of six months; but that you are authorized, in cases which, in your judgment, justify a deviation from the general rule, to extend the term according to the special circumstances of each case. Your suggestion will, however, continue to be a subject of deliberation with the Board. In connexion with this topic, I am instructed to urge on you the importance of assigning his land to each emigrant promptly on his arrival; and to refer you to the number of the African Repository for March, 1834, p. 26, for a Preamble and Resolutions adopted by the Board on the 20th of February last. The special Report adopted by the Board on the same day, will apprise you, at p. 13-15 of that number, of their views in regard to education, morals and religion, at the Colony. Any specific regulations on these momentous subjects which it may hereafter be deemed advisable to adopt, will be communicated to you; and any suggestions concerning them which observation and reflection may induce you to offer to the Managers, will be acceptable. They are fully impressed with the necessity that a High-school, on liberal principles, should be established at Liberia. Their unpreparedness to act at present on the subject, results partly from pecuniary inability and partly from the causes intimated in the special Report. In the hope that this essential purpose may soon be accomplished, they would be gratified by your designating a suitable site for the school. You are already apprised of the importance attached by the Board to the formation of Temperance Societies in the Colony, as the most effectual mode of discouraging the use of ardent spirits there, and will of course promote, . as far as you can, the establishment and success of such Societies. On the important subject of Colonial Jurisprudence, the Board have long been aware that much improvement was needed. Their last and most promising effort to effect it, was the appointment of one of their members, a distinguished Jurist, to prepare and report to them a code of laws for the Colony. He has had the advantage, in the execution of this trust, of the detailed information which was given by the Vice-Agent and the High Sheriff of the Colony, during their recent visit to the United States. His labours have not yet been brought to a conclusion. Meanwhile, the Board will be ready to pass any special ordinances, which they can be satisfied will benefit the Colony; and will give the same attentive consideration which they have heretofore afforded to propositions from the Agent or the Colonists, bearing on the subject. On reference had to the amended "plan of civil Government for the Colony of Liberia," noticed in a former part of this communication, it will appear that the old plan has been materially modified, in conformity with the expressed wishes of the Colonists. I return to you, with the official approval of the Managers, the laws passed at the Colony since January 1, 1834, [marked C,] and the port regulations, [marked D.] We have under consideration other Colonial enactments and suggestions; the result of which consideration will be duly made known.Such of the Resolutions passed at a special meeting of the Colonial Agent, Vice-Agent, Council and Magistrates, on the 18th of April, 1833, as are not embraced in the operation of the Resolutions passed by the Board of Managers on the 30th of January, 1834, will be duly regarded in the preparation of the code of Colonial Jurisprudence, already mentioned. You will be pleased to keep continually in view, and to represent on suitable occasions, to the citizens of Liberia, that it is a primary object of the Society to elevate the moral condition of the Colonists; and as a consequence of this object, to enlarge gradually, according to circumstances, their share in the administration of Colonial affairs, and finally to leave them to self-government, whenever the relation of parental control in which the Society now stands to them can be dissolved with safety to themselves. Should this process seem too slow, the Board rely on the good sense of the Colonists to estimate the considerations. arising from views of duty which circumstances render more extensive and more impartial, that may sometimes oblige them to resist their own inclinations, in delaying to comply with requests from the Colony. Another general subject of great moment, is the fiscal relation of the Colony to the Society. Of the importance justly attached by the friends of our cause to the proper management of its pecuniary concerns, some idea may be derived from the Special Report before referred to, and from the Resolution, adopted at the last Annual Meeting, which gave rise to that Report. On a full, long protracted, and most anxious view of their duty in this respect, the Board perceive an absolute necessity that their financial affairs should be managed more methodically and clearly than they have heretofore been, both at home and in the Colony. From the loose manner in which the accounts have been kept at the Colony, it has been found impossible to ascertain with precision in what manner the goods and provisions sent hence were disposed of, or how the heavy debts incurred there were contracted. The Board wish, therefore; to be furnished in future, with more distinct and satisfactory accounts. You have already very properly sent to this office an inventory of the furniture, &c. in the Colonial House, and of the goods remaining in the Colonial Store. You will be pleased to extend your account, so as to include all the public buildings, and other property belonging to the Society in the Colony. In relation to the goods in the Public Store, the better course would be for you and the Colonial Storekeeper to fix a value on the several articles therein, such as you may concur in believing they will bring when sold. This being done, our Treasurer will charge you in account with the amount, and with the amount of all goods, provisions, &c. which may, from time to time hereafter, be forwarded to the Colony from hence, adding to the prime cost the freight and such a per centage as you may consider proper; so as to enable the Storekeeper to dispose of the several articles at a rate as low as, or lower than, the price at which the merchants of the Colony sell the like goods. Of the amount of this per centage, you will be pleased hereafter to inform the Board. The Treasurer will also charge you with all drafts which you may draw on the Board, and with all money, or currency answering the purpose of money, which may at any time be sent you from hence. You will, of course, charge the Colonial Storekeeper with the amount of all such goods as are delivered over to him, giving him directions to charge you with all the articles which you may obtain by yourself or your duly authorized Agents for the use of the Colony; taking care to file away all orders on which such goods are delivered, so that you may be able to make particular and satisfactory half yearly reports to the Board. And by taking an account of the stock on hand in the Store at the close of every year, you will enable the Board to ascertain not only what amount has been expended by the Society on each particular object in the Colony, but also what profits have been made on the goods disposed of at the Colonial Store. You Whatever trade may be carried on by means of the Schooner Margaret Mercer, on the coast, will be accounted for in a similar manner. will furnish the vessel with trading goods from the Colonial Store, charging her with the amount, and giving her credit for whatever articles she may bring to the Colony in return. In this way the Society will know what they gain or lose by this vessel. If you shall be under the necessity of purchasing goods from vessels visiting your port, or from merchants or traders in the Colony, or from any other source, in order to supply the Store or the necessities of the Colony, you will charge them in like manner. In relation to the paper currency which you will receive by the Jupiter, the Board hope that it will prove acceptable to the Colony. The motives which have led to this measure are set forth in the Report [marked E,] which is herewith forwarded to you. Though it will give you some trouble to sign the notes, deliver them out, and keep an account of them, this will, the Board trust, be more than compensated by the facility which the notes will afford to you in the transaction of the business of the Colony.The Treasurer has numbered them, so that you will only have to sign your name, and you can do this from time to time as the notes may be wanted. You will observe, that each sheet contains notes amounting to $4.60.When you give them out to merchants or traders, it would be well to deliver them in sheets or half sheets, without cutting them apart. Of course, as these notes are charged to you in account, you will part with them only in payment of debt, or for goods, or for cash or notes of hand. Supposing the last will probably be the most convenient way for merchants who may desire to obtain these bills as currency, we have, to save trouble, sent you a book of blank forms of notes, and one of receipts, so that when you deliver to a merchant or company, a sheet or two, or more, of Agency notes, you can take his or their note on demand, which will not be considered as bearing interest until the demand is made. This will probably not be the case until you have occasion to transfer the note. These notes will also be convenient to you in payment of such of the printed Agency notes as may, from time to time, be returned to you for payment: and when you have more of them than you think necessary for this purpose, you can use them in purchasing provisions, discharging salaries or other demands which you may have to pay. The receipt book will be found convenient, either for Agency notes paid to officers on account of salary, or for payment on any other account: and the form being printed, trouble will thereby be saved, and being bound, the receipts will be securely kept. If you circulate the Agency notes gradually as wanted, you will, it is supposed, seldom have any return upon you for payment, as they will, no doubt, be always in good credit throughout the Colony. It might be well, before issuing the currency, to converse with some of the merchants and most influential persons at Monrovia, bespeaking their friendly aid in circulating the notes, and assuring them that whenever necessary, you will take up the notes, either with goods, in cash or notes, or by drafts on this Board. The Managers have received from the Colony by the Jupiter, three packets of bills and receipts of payments made by the Agency during the last year; but unaccompanied with any account current, without which they are of no use; for as there is no account for these receipts to vouch, nothing can be done with them. Neither was there any list of these bundles of papers. The Treasurer of the Society has, however, supplied this defect, by making out a list; but having done this, he can do nothing more. He cannot make a single entry on his books that will cast any light on the transactions of the Colony during the past year, for the satisfaction of the Managers, or for the information of the Society at its Annual Meeting. It is hoped that these deficient accounts will be received hereafter. There came with these bills and receipts three quarto pages of post paper, in an envelope endorsed "Balance sheet, January 1, 1834, and amount paid since July 1, 1833, to January 1, 1834." On the first of these pages was written "Accounts paid from July 1, 1833, to January 1, 1834.” Contingent or Agency expenses, $1142 94 | John Leon, Dixon R. Brown, 21 70 167 99 James C. Minor, 115 75 189 84 On the 2nd page, "List of balances due from Colonial Agency." On the 3rd page is the following: "List of balances due Colonial Agency, Jan. 1, 1834.” The Treasurer supposes that the foregoing statements have reference to the accounts of the Colony with this Board; but he needs farther light to enable him to understand their bearing, and to make any entry on the subject. It is the wish of that officer, and it is the most earnest desire of the Board and of the Society at large, that semi-annual returns should be so clearly and amply made to this office, that he may at all times be able to exhibit a satisfactory view of the affairs of the Colony to all who contribute their funds to its support, and who have its prosperity and happiness at heart. In connexion with this topic, I am instructed to transmit to you the fol lowing copy of a Resolution adopted by the Board on the 25th of April, 1834: "Resolved, That MR. PINNEY be requested to have prepared and transmitted to the Board a statement of the amount of money received into the Colonial Treasury from all its sources, specifying the amount from each source under its proper head, and the amount disbursed, specifying the several objects of disbursement from the 1st of January, 1828, to the 1st of January, 1834." In the Special Report before referred to, you will find expressed the views of the Board on the subject of drafts from the Colony. The extent to which this burden has heretofore been thrown on the Society, is the main cause of its present pecuniary distress. The Board have full confidence that your opinion on this subject concurs with their own; and that you will not, except under special circumstances, resort to this expedient. It will be their care to prevent, as far as may be, the occurrence of such contingencies. The drafts which you have drawn are justified by the circumstances in which you were placed, and have been accepted by the Board. Your views of the mode of compensating officers at the Colony, coincide in a remarkable degree with those of the Board, as will appear from the Resolutions of January 30, 1834, before referred to. Your arrange ment in regard to L. R. Johnson, meets the approbation of the Board for such time as you may have agreed on. If, however, you have made no precise agreement as to time, the obligation of the Society to pay his salary will be understood as terminating on the first day of August next, in pursuance of the fourth Resolution of January 30, 1834, hereinbefore communicated; Mr. Johnson's office (that of book-keeper), being one of those of which the support is thrown by the said Resolution on the funds raised in the Colony. This was done, because the Board was satisfied that the duties of book-keeper might be conveniently discharged by either the Colonial Secretary or the Store-keeper, both of whose salaries they consent still to pay. You will also consider these remarks, where applicable, as governing the other cases mentioned by you. In the case of Mr. Williams, which he has not enabled you to state with the precision that is desirable, he refers you to a conversation between himself and Mr. Gurley. On the Secretary's return to Washington, the Board will confer with him on the subject. |
