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benevolent individuals in the United
States, and until it be recognized as
an independent nation or as an Ame-
rican Colony, the difficulties and col-
lisions with British, French, and
other naval commanders may be ex-
pected, however much to be lament-
ed and deplored. I hope most sin-
cerely that Liberia will be declared
a free and independent State, and I
have no doubt that we can procure
its acknowledgment by the govern-
ments of France and England, pro-
vided our American Government set
the example. I have already spoken
on this subject to the Duke de Broglie,
last March when in Paris, and he
appeared very favorably disposed,
and has a warm and friendly feeling
in favor of this germ of what, I trust,
will become a great and respectable
nation. Dr. Hodgkin most liberally
and benevolently offered to lodge the
envoy of Liberia should one be sent
to London, and he and I will do
every thing in our power to promote
his views in coming here. He might
be the envoy near the French gov-
ernment, as well as the envoy to the To the Rev. WM. McLAIN,
English government, and thus di-

minish the expense of sending such an
indispensable messenger to Europe.
After the colored man (I hope none
other will be sent) shall have ar-
ranged all that is necessary to be
done, he might return to his own
country, and let the excellent Dr.
Hodgkin act for the Liberian govern-
ment. There is not a more warm-
hearted and true friend of the African
and of Liberia than Dr. H., who is
benevolence itself. Besides, every
one loves and reveres him, and in
consequence he has great influence,
and he can do more for any cause
that he advocates than most men.
I have written to my friend, Mr. E.
Cresson, on this subject, and I beg
to refer you to him.

Hoping, whenever I can serve the cause of Liberia, in which I feel the deepest possible interest, that you will employ me, I beg to subscribe myself, dear sir, though personally unknown to you, yours most truly and respectfully,

GERARD RALSTON.

Washington City.

Latest from Liberia.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

Monrovia, Aug. 2, 1845.

Among

ones undergoing repairs.
the former, we have going up in town
a commodious and permanent market
house, which we hope to have finish-
soon, as such a building is very
much needed.

SIR-Having written to you so recently, I have nothing at presented worth communicating. The affairs of the colony are progressing in their regular order, peace and quietness prevail throughout our borders.

The health of the colony is remarkably good, and the colonists turning their attention more than ever to agriculture.

In consequence of the great quantity of rain that has fallen within the In consequence of the death of the last two months, the commercial ope- officer who took Mr. Benson's vessel rations of the colony have rather flag- to Sierra Leone, her trial has been deged-still considerable improvement, layed, and will probably not proceed is going on. Several respectable for several weeks, as the examination buildings are being erected and old, cannot take place until the return of

the "Lily" to Sierra Leone, (the vessel that captured her.)

We have had no visit from any of Her Majesty's officers since my last letter; I suppose they are waiting for instructions from their government.

I think we have never been longer without American news; now six months since we have had a line from you, and upwards of four months since the latest dates of American papers.

We are anxious to learn something respecting the existing difficulties between the United States and Great Britain-rumor has it, that a war is inevitable; this, however, I cannot bring my mind to believe-but we are particularly anxious to hear from you, and to see the last annual report of the Board of Directors; and have our minds placed at rest respecting the encroachments of British traders. I am sure the subject must have claimed the attention of the Board; and hope to find that they have settled definitely this unpleasant controversy. For, sir, until these colonies are placed in a situation, or their position so defined, as will enable them, according to the law of nations, to exercise national rights, and compel foreign

ers to respect their rights, we must remain the subjects of continual British persecution,and suffer all the abuse and annoyances that unprincipled British traders may think proper to heap upon us, even within our own territory.

This vessel brings us sad intelligence respecting the M. B. C. F. M. Mission establishment at the Gaboon. Mr. Wilson, it seems, in consequence of repeated annoyances, and some recent outrage committed by the French, has determined to abandon the station :—this will be unfortunate.

A few weeks ago one of Her Majesty's brigs, the Pantaloon, fell in with a slaver, to leeward, a large ship heavily armed, and was beaten off with a loss of twenty-six men killed and one officer wounded.

Accompanying you will receive the accounts from the store for the quarter ending 30th June.

I am, sir, respectfully,
Yours, &c., &c.,

J. J. ROBERTS.

Rev. WM. MCLAIN,
Sec. Am. Col. Soc'y,
Washington City, D. C.

agent, who is entrusted with great powers. The judiciary consists of the agent, and a competent number of justices of the peace, who are appointed by him, and two of whom, together with the agent, constitute the supreme court. A single justice has jurisdiction in small criminal cases, and in all civil cases where the claim does not exceed twenty dollars.

Extracts from the Journal of an African Cruiser. ANCHORED at Cape Palmas. This || minor officers are appointed by the colony is independent of Liberia proper, and is under the jurisdiction and patronage of the Maryland State Colonization Society. Its title is Maryland in Liberia. The local government is composed of an agent and an assistant agent, both to be appointed by the Society at home for two years; a secretary, to be appointed by the agents annually; and a vice agent, two counsellors, a register, a sheriff, a treasurer, and a committee on new emigrants, to be chosen by the people. Several

Male colored people, at twenty years of age, are entitled to vote, if they hold land in their own right,

or pay a tax of one dollar. Every emigrant must sign a pledge to support the constitution, and to refrain from the use of ardent spirits, except in case of sickness. By a provision of the constitution, emigration is never to be prohibited.

Our boat attempted to land at some rocks, just outside of the port, in order to avoid crossing the bar; but as the tide was low and the surf troublesome, we found it impracticable. I hate a bar; there is no fair play about it. The long rollers come in from the sea, and, in consequence of the shallowness of the water, seem to pile themselves up so as inevitably to overwhelm you, unless you have skillful rowers, a good helmsman, and a lively boat. At one moment, perhaps, your keel touches the sand; the next, you are lifted upon a wave and come swiftly along for many yards, while the men lie on their oars, or only pull an occasional stroke to keep the boat's head right. Now they give away with a will, to escape a white-crested wave that comes trembling and roaring after them; and now again they cease rowing, or back-water, awaiting a favorable moment to cross. Should you get into a trough of the sea, you stand a very pretty chance to be swamped, and have your boat rolled over and over upon its crew; while, perchance, a hungry shark may help himself to a leg or arm.

Pulling across this ugly barrier, we landed at the only wharf of which the colony can boast. There is here a stone warehouse, but of no great size. In front of it lay a large log, some thirty feet long, on which twelve or fourteen full grown natives were roosting, precisely like turkeys on a pole. They are accustomed to sit for hours together, in this position, resting upon their heels. A girl presented us with a note, informing all whom it might concern, that Mrs.

would do our washing; but as the ship's stay was to be short, we turned our attention to the cattle, of which a score or two were feeding in the vicinity. They are small, but having been acclimated, are sleek and well-conditioned. As I have before observed, it is a well-established fact, that all four-footed emigrants are not less subject to the coast fever than bipeds. Horses, cattle, and even fowls, whether imported or brought from the interior to the coast, speedily sicken and often die.

I dined with Mr. Russwurm, the colonial agent, a man of distinguished ability and of collegiate education. He gave me some monkey skins and other curiosities, and favored me with much information respecting the establishment. The mean temperature of the place is eighty degrees of Fahrenheit, which is something less than that of Monrovia, on account of its being more open to the sea. The colony comprises six hundred and fifty inhabitants, all of whom dwell within four miles of the cape. Besides the settlement of Harper, situated on the cape itself, there is that of Mount Tubman, (named in honor of Mr. T. of Georgia,) which lies beyond Mount Vaughan, and three and a half miles from Cape Palmas. There is no road to the interior of the country, except a native path. The agents, with a party of twenty, recently penetrated about seventy miles into the Bush, passing through two tribes, and coming to a third, of large numbers and strength. The king of the latter tribe has a large town, where many manufactures are carried on, such as iron implements and wooden furniture of various kinds. He refused Mr. Russwurm an escort, alleging that there was war, but sent his son to the coast to see the black-white people and their improvements.

A large native tribe, the Grebo,

dwells at Cape Palmas in the midst || printing office of the Liberia Herald,

where two workmen were printing the colonial laws. The publication of the newspaper had been suspended for nearly three months, to enable them to accomplish work of more pressing importance. Proceeding onward we came to the governor's

of the colonists. Their conical huts, to the number of some hundreds, presents the most interesting part of the scene. Opposite the town, upon an uninhabited island at no great distance, the dead are exposed, clad in their best apparel, and furnished with food, cloth, crockery and oth-house, and were received with that er articles. A canoe is placed over gentleman's usual courtesy. The the body. This island of the dead house is well furnished, and arranged is called by a name, which, in the for a hot climate; it is situated near plainest of English, signifies "go to the highest point of the principal hell;" a circumstance that seems street, and commands from its piazto imply very gloomy anticipations za a view of most of the edifices in as to the fate of their deceased breth- Monrovia town. ren on the part of these poor Grebos. As a badge of mourning, they wear cloth of dark blue instead of gayer colors. Dark blue is universally along the coast the hue indicative of mourning.

The Fishmen at Cape Palmas, as well as at most other places on the coast, refuse to sell fish to be eaten on board of vessels, believing that the remains of the dead fish will frighten away the living ones.

The fort is on the highest ground in the village, one hundred feet above the sea; it is of stone, triangular in shape, and has a good deal the appearance of an American pound for cattle, but this point the street descends in both directions. About fifty houses are in view. First, the the Government House, opposite to which stands the neat dwellings of Judge Benedict and Doctor Day. Further on you perceive the largest Leaving the ship in one of our house in the village, erected by Rev. boats, pulled by Kroomen, we cross- Mr. Williams, of the Methodist mised the bar at the mouth of the Mesu- sion. On the right is a one-story rado, and in ten minutes afterwards brick house and two or three wooden were alongside of the colonial wharf. ones. A large stone edifice, intended Half a dozen young natives and colo- for a court-house and legislative hall, nists issued from a small house to has recently been completed. The watch our landing; but their curiosi- street itself is wide enough for a spaty was less instructive and annoying, cious pasture, and affords abundance than would have been the same num- of luxuriant grass, through which ber of New York boys, at the lan-runs two or three well-trodden foot ding of a foreign man-of-war's boat. On our part, we looked around us with interest which even common-place objects possess for those whose daily spectacle is nothing more varied than the sea and sky. Even the most ordinary shore scenery becomes captivating, after a week or two on shipboard. Two colonists were sawing plank in the shade of the large stone storehouse of the colony. Ascending the hill we passed the

paths. Apart from the village, on the cape we discerned the light-house, the base of which is about two hundred feet above the sea.

Went ashore in the second cutter. The Kroomen managed her so bunglingly, that on striking the beach, she swung broadside to the sea. In this position, a wave rolled into her, half filled the boat, and drenched us from head to foot. Apprehending she would roll over upon us and break our limbs

or backs, we jumped into the water | Three changes of linen in one day and waded ashore. are altogether too expensive and troublesome.

November 1st.

Went up to St. Paul's river on a pleasure excursion, with the governor and several men of less note. We touched at the public farm, and found only a single man in charge. The sugar-cane was small in size, was ill-weeded, and to my eye did not appear flourishing. The land is apparently good and suitable, but labor is deficient, and my impressions were not favorable in regard to the manner of cultivation. The mill was exposed to the atmos

While in the village, I visited the court-house to hear the trial of a cause involving eight hundred dollars. Governor Roberts acted as judge, and displayed a great deal of dignity in presiding, and much wisdom and good sense in his decision. This is the highest court of the colony. There are no regularly educated lawyers in Liberia, devoting themselves exclusively to the profession; but the pleading seems to be done principally by the medical faculty. Two doctors were of counsel in the case alluded to, and talked of Coke, Black-phere, and the kettles were full of stone, and Kent, as learnedly as if it had been the business of their lives to unravel legal mysteries. The pleadings were simple, and the arguments brief, for the judge kept them strictly to the point. An action for slander was afterwards tried, in which damages were laid at one hundred dollars. One of the medicojuris-counsels opened the cause with an appeal to the feelings, and wrought his own sensibilities to such a pitch as to declare, that, though his client asked only for one hundred dollars, he considered the jury bound in conscience to give him two. The doc-gators. One of them, about three tor afterwards told me that he had walked eighty miles to act as counsel in this court. A tailor argued stoutly for the defendant, but with little success; his client was fined twenty dollars.

On our return, a companion and myself took passage for the ship in a native canoe. These little vessels are scooped out of a log, and are even of less size and capacity than the birch canoes of our Indians, and so light that two men, using each a single hand, may easily carry them from place to place. Our weight caused the frail bark to sit so deep in the water, that before reaching the ship we underwent another drenching.

foul water. We landed likewise at New Georgia, a settlement of recaptured Africans; there was here a pretty good appearance, both of people and farms. We called also at Caldwell, a rich tract of level land, of which a space of about two miles is cultivated by comfortable and happy-looking colonists. A very pleasant dinner was furnished by the governor at what was once a great slave station, and the proprietor of which is still hostile to the colonists, and to both English and Americans, for breaking up the trade. We saw several alli

feet in length, lay on a log with his mouth wide open catching flies.

From the whole course of my observations, I cannot but feel satisfied that the colonists are better off here than in America. They are more independent, as healthy, and much happier. Agriculture will doubtless be their chief employment, but, for years to come, the sugar-cane cannot be carried to any considerable extent. There are many calls upon the resources of the Colonization Society and the inhabitants, more pressing and which promise a readier and greater return. A large capital should be invested in the business, in order to render it profitable. The want of

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