completion. It has been to us a somewhat difficult job. With so many other expenses upon us, we have been greatly embarrassed to meet the instalments, as well as those of the Receptacle in Bassa County, (Finley,) yet the public treasury has been unauthorizedly taxed to do so, which has been done in confidence that there would be no hesitation in making refundment to this government for all amounts that should properly be refunded. I have directed that no block house be erected at Finley, (Bassa,) until there is an actual necessity; but for all energies to be bent in building the Receptacle and making the road. The Receptacle will be finished, I think, in about two months from this. A fine building it will be, and located on the top of a high mountain, the situation will be both beautiful and healthful. *

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I regret much the existence of the difficulties which now agitate your country. I hope they may be righteously settled without the shedding of blood. And yet I can hardly see how it will be obviated. Believe me, Rev. and dear sir, to be very respectfully yours, STEPHEN A. BENSON.

REV. AND DEAR SIR:

From Rev. John Seys.

MONROVIA, June 20, 1861.

The expected departure in a few days of the bark Cordelia for New York, affords me a convenient opportunity for writing to you, and expressing my regret that I have not been able to do so as fully of late as I could have desired. I wrote to the Rev Mr. McLain officially by the prize ship Nightingale, informing him of the arrival of that vessel in our roadstead with 801 recaptured Africans; but at the time I was suffering from severe indisposition, and was obliged to defer writing to you. *

*

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* The terrible civil war which from the latest accounts was on the point of breaking out in the United States, has already begun to affect us here. The interruption of the regular trips of the M. C. Stevens will be most seriously felt. Many persons who had ordered provisions for their families by your ship will be sadly disappointed. Should other vessels bring meats and breadstuffs, they will sell at exorbitant prices—that the Stevens misses her summer trip will be a serious loss. Besides this, the rains set in so early this year that the natives, on whom we are mainly dependent for the rice crop, could not clear off and burn their farm land in time, and only a small proportion of the rice sown last year, has been planted this

I turn now to a brighter page in our history. Notwithstanding the facts above stated, the recaptives by the four prizes of August and October last year, are generally doing well. I must say that, with a few exceptions, they have fallen into good hands. Many of the citizens of Liberia, whose names I could give, are acting the part of parents to these poor exiles from their homes and friends. They are well fed, clothed, and taught to work, sent a part of the

time to school-if there be any school into which they can get themor taught at home, where their guardians can themselves read. Many living in the towns attend Divine service, and as to the Sunday schools in Monrovia, they crowd these, and it would be a most pleasing sight to American philanthropists to see the scores of orderly, well-behaved, clothed, and happy Congo boys, girls and youth, as they pour into our churches in Monrovia, to attend their Sunday schools. So far as their mental capacities are concerned, I have an excellent opportunity for testing this point. I have three boys in my own household. Two were of the Cora's cargo, and one from the Storm King. I teach them myself regularly every evening, besides occasionally throughout the day. I have also an American lad, a mulatto. I find, after months of careful observation, that they are not a whit behind the half-breed in capacity to learn. Two of these Congoes are already writing neat and legible large hand copies on slates, working out correctly sums in arithmetic, sums in simple addition, and reading in easy lessons in the Christian primer.

I must conclude by saying, that every thing depends on the character of those Liberians into whose hands these native Africans fall. If the lazy, ignorant, and vicious are to form and fashion them, they will become so many curses to this Republic. If, on the other hand, their guardians treat them as fellow creatures, as brethren, and inculcate the morals and precepts of our Holy Christianity, while they teach them letters and some useful art by which to get their living in the future, they may become worthy citizens of this country and blessings to Church and State.

I am, very respectfully, my dear sir, your

Rev. R. R. GURLEY, Cor. Sec. A. C. S.

obedient servant, JOHN SEYS.

July 4. Since the within was written, the Government here have received authority from Mr. McLain to draw on him for the support of the Africans. They issue treasury scrip of various denominations, and when these accumulate in the hands of any one person to the amount of $100, redeem them with a bill of exchange. The people are being paid up, therefore, very regularly, and things are much more favorable. J. S.

Mr. DENNIS, the Society's Agent, writes to the Financial Secretary as follows:

"The Liberia College is up and shut in, the floors are laid and the piazza completed. It will be wholly completed before long. It is a fine building, and adds much to the appearance of our city."

"We are getting pretty hard up here now for American provisions. The Edward brought but little. Numbers are disappointed in the Stevens not returning. We expect pretty tough times for breadstuffs next season, as the rice farms of the natives have not turned out very well, and we have so large a number of recaptives added to our population. I am growing some rice, cassadas, and other things, on my little farm, and if you can possibly make it convenient to send me

the stores I ordered, I think I shall be able to pass comfortably through the hard times. I send by this vessel several packages of the Liberia Herald."

June 21st, Mr. Dennis says:

"I find that the authorities are prosecuting this interior settlement with all vigor imaginable. All the timber and shingle getters are busy, and there are any amount of checks in circulation drawn by the Government for labor and materials, and advance for the Finley settlement.

"I would like to know how far I can go, or what I can or must do. I have no instructions at all about the interior settlement, further than to expend the Society's means under the sanction of the Gov

ernment.

"The Careysburg road moves on slowly. Since Dr. Laing took the contract, two more bridges have been made and materials gotten out for a third. It is not likely that this road will be completed for a long time to come, unless they work faster than they have done for the past six months."

The Congo question, (or questions touching the recaptured Africans recently landed in Liberia,) awakens deep interest in that country as well as in the United States. A writer in the New York Herald, under date of Monrovia, July 1, 1861, says among other things:

"The Congoes by the Niagara have all been apprenticed to our citizens, to learn some useful trade or acquire industrious habits. They can all speak the English language remarkably well, and have given evidence of their appreciation of their new home. They refuse to have any association with the surrounding natives, and have identified themselves with the Liberians in habits, customs, and religion. The introduction of Congoes into this country, thus far, has been a great benefit to the people. Native labor was very unreliable, as they were brought into constant intercourse with their tribes, which neutralized all the good that our citizens endeavored to impress. Along the banks of the St. Paul river the merry song of the Congoes is heard while feeding the steam mills and industriously cultivating

the soil.

"The Congoes by the Bonita, Erie, Storm King, and Cora, have all been bound to our citizens, and are rapidly improving in learning English and acquiring habits of industry.

"The last cargo, per ship Nightingale, have been given out to our citizens, though they have not been formally apprenticed.

"One hundred and eighty have died since their arrival in this port. It is the general impression that this Government did not do its duty by them; that they did not have such medical attention as they ought to have had; that they were kept in a filthy condition; that they were not properly fed, and, in fact, that they were not treated with that consideration and humanity which their sufferings merited."

We fear, from the statements of this writer, and from other sources to which we have access, that important duties towards the negroes by the Nightingale have been neglected, (probably by subordinate agents,) until their sufferings so aroused the attention of the community as to induce the President to adopt measures for their relief. The writer in the Herald says, that since these unfortunate people have been distributed among separate families, they will be "taken and cared for. Each family can easily nurse the two or three Congoes it may receive, and as a general thing they all do it willingly and faithfully." It is obviously the duty of the United States Agent on the coast to see that full justice is done to these Africans, and from his character, as well as that of President Benson and his counsellors, we trust that the liberal appropriation for the support of these recaptives, by the U. S. Government, has been confided to authorities who will apply, in the most strict, humane and faithful manner, the sacred fund, the expenditure of which has by this Society been, at present, entrusted to their hands.

The writer in the New York Herald mentions the arrival on the 7th of June of the bark Edward, owned by Turpin & Dunbar, of Monrovia, having as passengers Mr. Cleaveland Luca, the distinguished pianist, and lady, and Mrs. J. W. Luca, the celebrated singer, also Mr. Peter Downey and lady, and others. Messrs. Turpin & Dunbar have turned the attention of many intelligent colored people to Liberia, and from their success in business, may incline many to seek a home in that Republic. The writer adds:

"Mr. C. Luca and Mrs. J. W. Luca gave a concert in this city a short time ago, which was densely crowded with a highly respectable audience. President Benson, ex-President Roberts, and other distinguished persons, were present. Bouquets of flowers were showered upon both of them, and the spontaneous bursts of enthusiasm at the conclusion of each piece attested the satisfaction and appreciation of the audience. Mr. Luca is now engaged in teaching our ladies the piano, and I understand he is likely to have a large class."

AFRICAN PRESENT TO LORD BROUGHAM.

We are favored by a friend in London, with an account of a tribute of gratitude and respect, presented through the Rev. Edward W. Blyden, a citizen of Liberia, by the young men of that Republic, to Lord Brougham. The deputation consisted of the Rev. E. W. Blyden, of Monrovia, and Dr. Crowther, son of the eminent missionary of that name at Abbeokuta, and they were presented to his Lordship by Gerard

Ralston, Esq., Consul General for Liberia. Mr. Blyden briefly addressed Lord Brougham, having read a series of resolutions, setting forth the admirable labors of his Lordship in the cause of Africa, and presented to this distinguished statesman "a walking-cane, made of ebony wood mounted with gold and ivory," as a token of the high personal esteem of the young men of Liberia, and of their desire that he might long live to labor in the various enterprises of benevolence to which his life has been so earnestly and successfully devoted. Mr. Blyden said:

"MY LORD:-The distinguished honor has been conferred upon me, by my fellow citizens, the young men of Liberia, of being the bearer of this walking cane, a small token to your lordship of the high admiration they entertain for your lordship's character, and their appreciation of the able and valuable services which your lordship has rendered to the cause of Africa and her oppressed descendants. Accompanying the cane, I also bear a set of resolutions adopted at a meeting of the young men of Liberia, held in the city of Monrovia, which I am requested to present. By your lordship's permission, I will read a copy of the resolutions, which I hold in my hand."

Having, as chairman of the meeting of the young men of Liberia, read the resolutions, (altogether just and appropriate,) Mr. Blyden

resumed his address in these words:

"There can be no adequate expression of the lofty sentiments of esteem which my fellow citizens cherish for your lordship. The resolutions which I have just presented give but feeble utterance to it.

"At a time when the greater portion of the civilized and Christian world regarded the African race as an inferior order of beings, and their enslavement as necessary to their own well-being and the well-being of other races, your lordship came forward almost alone, and undertook the cause of the African.

A

There was nothing of personal advantage which could accrue to your lordship from your espousal of the cause of negro slaves. The poor slave had nothing to offer in return. He was unable to make any compensation. He could not appreciate, or even understand, the efforts which were making for his disenthralment. On the contrary, your lordship had every thing to lose. large number of your exasperated countrymen, whose pecuniary interests were largely involved in the slavery of West India blacks, became personal foes. There was, it is true, on the part of some, a vague feeling of the inhumanity of slavery. Wilberforce and Clarkson had not lived and labored in vain. But still the current was powerfully against your lordship personally, and the principles which you advocated.

"All the power which wealth and ingenuity could command was arrayed against you in the battle for West India emancipation. It was represented that the position taken by your lordship and your coadjutors was not only a gross invasion upon the rights of British citizens, but threatened to annihilate every trace of prosperity in those beautiful islands. The popular enthusiasm, which gives life to all bold movements for the welfare of mankind, was enlisted on the other side. We have learned, from the accounts which we have read of that great struggle thirty years ago, that the aspect of the pro-slavery party was not that of men engaged in combating what they regard as erroneous sentiments in their fellow citizens, but that of men pursuing to death a common enemy.

Instead, then, of receiving the homage and encouragement of enthusiastic fellow citizens in their labors of love, the friends of the African were made the objects of derision, of hatred, and contempt. But, conscious of the uprightness and justice of their cause, they persevered: success crowned their efforts, and 300,000 bondmen shouted the songs of freedom.

"For this great act-one of the most brilliant in the annals of the British nation-the African feels deeply indebted to your lordship, as prominent among the agents in bringing it to pass. A leading citizen of Liberia, amid great ap