THE

AFRICAN REPOSITORY.

Vol. xxxviii.] WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY, 1862.

[No. 2.

FORTY-FIFTH

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

AMERICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY:

January 21, 1862.

It has pleased Almighty God to remove from this Society, during the last year, several of its Vice-Presidents and other friends to whom it has been long and largely indebted. While we record their names with grief, we feel the inspiration of their example, which survives to animate the labors of the future, as well as present, officers and members of this Society. In General WALTER JONES, over whose remains the grave has but just closed, we mourn the decease of one of the wisest founders, and earliest Vice-Presidents of this Society; the author of its first memorial to Congress, in which the nation was invited, by words of profound thought and eloquence, and prophetic sagacity, to co-operate in a scheme, appealing alike to its sense of interest and duty, and unfolding in the future the most comprehensive and beneficial results. Among other distinguished friends who have since the last general r g finished their earthly labors, should be named the Hon. JOHN MCLEAN, of the Supreme Court, from the State of Ohio; the Hon. THOMAS S. WILLIAMS, Chief Justice of Connecticut, a Vice-President; Dr. DAVID M. REESE, an able and earnest laborer for many years in the cause; the Rev. JOSHUA Noble Danforth, D. D., of Newcastle, Delaware, and the Rev. HEMAN HUMPHREY,

of Massachusetts. For several years the efforts of Dr. DANFORTH were directed especially to the benefit of Africa and her children, and both he and Dr. Humphrey, by their writings and addresses, awoke the sympathy and elicited the contributions of many churches and of widely extended communities. They rest from their labors, but their works shall follow them. We have also to announce the death of ExPresident TYLER, Vice-President of the Virginia State Colonization Society. The report of the Colonization Society of Massachusetts mentions, with high and just commendation, the character and labors of Dr. Humphrey, as well as the loss to the cause in the death of DANIEL COLLINS, Esq., of Williamsburg, and Miss MARY T. TOWNSEND, of Boston, who made liberal bequests to the Society; while the New York Society laments the decease of several citizens of Liberia distinguished for their virtues and piety, the Hon. JOHN HANSON, ANTHONY D. WILLIAMS, Lieutenant Governor of that community before its independence, and the Rev. GEORGE L. SEYMOUR, whose explorations and extraordinary missionary labors deserve perpetual remembrance and an extended memorial.

FOREIGN RELATIONS.

The Foreign Relations of Liberia have been extended and multiplied during the year, and, with one or two exceptions, have remained undisturbed. The purpose of demolishing the barricades among the chiefs near Cape Mount has been accomplished without any hostile demonstration, and the effect to commerce and order proved beneficial. Some of the interior chiefs appear dissatisfied, and difficulties among tribes of Fishmen near Cape Palmas, which were thought to be settled, became disturbed, and several cruel acts of the superstitious trial by poison having been perpetrated, President Benson proceeded against them with one hundred men, in the Seth Grosvenor, joined by others, and compelled them to keep the peace and pay the cost of the war. It is justly remarked by President Benson touching the murderous practices to some extent prevailing among tribes under the protection of the Republic:

"The time has come when such homicidal practices by natives living at least within the vicinity of our settlements should/ be promptly checked. If the government has the right and power to stop them, (which I presume no one will deny,) then it becomes a moral duty, and the neglect of such a duty involves moral delinquency and national guilt."

The honorable vindication of the character of Liberia by her government in the affair of the French vessel, the Regina Coeli, induces

the expectation that she will be able to show the world how unjustifiable was the recent attack of a Spanish man-of-war steamer upon the single man-of-war schooner in the harbor of Monrovia. This assault was not more against Liberia than an affront to the majesty of England, (since the men of an English man-of-war destroyed the Spanish slaver in the Gallinas,) and we may look to the power of Great Britain to maintain her own policy against the slave trade and her sense of the solemn treaty obligations of Spain. We cannot think that the magnanimity of Spain will permit her to attempt to coerce the young and feeble Republic of Liberia, (acknowledged as a free State by at least ten of the civilized powers of the world,) to cast aside her responsibility to God, to herself, and humanity.

In his last message President Benson observes, that it is impossible for Liberian merchants to succeed in honest competition in ports of the United States under the great pressure of existing discriminating duties; and it has been deemed right and proper to impose on the vessels and cargoes of the United States in her ports, similar discriminating duties. This is mutually disadvantageous, but of far greater injury to our citizens than to hers. The acknowledgment of the independence of Liberia, recommended by the President to Congress, would naturally be followed by other measures that would place the commerce, mutually, of that Republic and the United States upon a just basis.

RECAPTURED AFRICANS.

On the first of October of 1860, President Benson wrote:

"We have landed in the Republic within about two months nearly four thousand recaptives, for whom this government will have to render an account in the future."

The proceedings of the Board of Directors on the 24th of October of last year are before the public, and the gratification of the friends of the Society well known at the unanimity with which this Board had appointed Dr. James Hall their commissioner, to convey them to the government of Liberia, and to enter into such a contract with the latter, as shall carry them into full effect, to be binding from its date, but subject to modification if, on being hereafter submitted to the Board, there should seem to be occasion therefor.

The departure of Dr. Hall in the Stevens on the 1st of November, 1860, was announced in the last report. On his arrival he proceeded at once to negotiate a treaty with the Liberian Government satisfactory to its President and people, and having completed his homeward voyage, April 4th, was prepared to submit his work to the examination of this Board. Since this negotiation involves interests of great conse

quence in many directions, its careful review would appear to be highly expedient.

The contract or treaty is submitted herewith to the Board of Directors. The Society was subsequently informed that the Government of Liberia had appointed G. W. S. and James Hall their agents to make their purchases and shipments in the United States.

In conformity with this arrangement the Financial Secretary opened an account directly with the Liberian Government, and has kept the funds belonging to the Government of Liberia separate from the funds of the Society, and held them subject to the order of the Secretary of the Treasury of the said government, and, as far as possible, in the drafts of the Treasurer of the United States upon the Assistant Treasurer in the city of New York.

The ship Nightingale, with 801 slaves, captured by the United States man-of-war sloop Saratoga, near Cabenda, was brought in charge of Lieutenant Guthrie on the 7th of May into the harbor of Monrovia. The sufferings of these people on their way from the point of capture, and the sickly and inevitably confined condition, within the narrow limits of the receptacle, on landing, produced unusual mortality.

On the 4th of July, President Benson wrote: "The recaptives landed in Liberia last and this year, now numbering over 4,000, are getting on astonishingly well. You would really be astonished could you witness the rapid improvement they have made in so short a time, and the people with whom nearly all have been placed and apprenticed treat them very kindly, as a general thing." In September last, one of the best ministers of the Gospel writes from the St. Paul's river: "I cannot but regard the whole matter in relation to these natives being brought among us as a wise and gracious act of Providence, designing them to be a blessing to us and we a blessing to them. Our churches and Sabbath schools are every Sabbath crowded with these people, and in a few years many of them will doubtless come to know and worship the true and living God. Many of those that were brought here a few years ago by the ship Pons are now respectable citizens, and members of the church."

COMMERCIAL AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

President Benson, in his last message, represents "that the exportable articles by our civilized communities, this year, will be more than two hundred cent. in advance of the preceding year. Many

per

of these articles have been for home consumption, and the actual exports over those of the next preceding year have been but about fifty

per cent.; and it is important to consider that in the production of articles of export the industry of the native tribes has its just share. According to the testimony of the Rev. C. C. Hoffman of Cape Palmas, who lately ascended the beautiful stream of the St. Paul's, the owner of one plantation had made 60,000 pounds of sugar the last year, and expected to make 80,000 pounds the present; another had made 40,000 pounds of sugar in one year.

Of the present industrial improvements, the Rev. Alexander Crummell is a most intelligent and unexceptionable witness. He contrasts the uncertainty and discouragements of the days of the colonial existence of Liberia, with its activity and improvement during the few years since its elevation to the rank of an independent Republic.

"Uncertainty gave place to certainty, and the colony began to flourish. The people felt that God had placed them to live there, and they put forth more efforts, with more hope and with more determination. We can see the change already. Take, for instance, the district of Bassa. When I went there, there was a large number of coffee trees planted, but there was but little coffee picked at that time. So it was in regard to other staples. They were neglected; but now the people are engaged in trade and commerce. In Liberia there are about 500,000 coffee trees planted, and the people are so industrious that their industry is beginning to tell upon the coffee market. At Bassa sometimes 100 bags are exported. The climate furnishes a fine field for its cultivation; and so profitable is it becoming, that many citizens begin to turn their attention to it; and there is now more coffee exported from Liberia than in any previous period. So with regard to sugar. Eight years ago one man, Mr. Richardson from New York, commenced its cultivation, and the result is, that extensive tracts are now under cultivation. There are at present nine or ten sugar mills in the Republic, and a large quantity of sugar is exported annually. Some farmers produce 30 or 40,000 pounds of sugar; others 50 or 60,000 pounds of sugar a year."

Of cotton the Republic has produced less; but among the neighboring native tribes it is produced, and to some extent manufactured cotton cloths woven into narrow strips, durable and dyed, are sold in the market on the coast. Some of the natives, says Mr. Crummell, have brought down from four to five thousand pieces of this cloth, 3 to 31 feet in width and 6 long, at one time. 200,000 of these cloths are reported as sent from Lagos to Brazil in one year, and probably 500,000 pounds of cotton are exported annually in this way from the west coast of Africa. It is clearly shown that Africa is capable of producing a great supply of cotton, and most of the twelve English steamers that each year successively visit Lagos and other African ports return with hundreds of bales of cotton to England. Yet at