The Colonial Agent, J. Ashmun, esq., went on board the brig
Doris, March 26th, 1828, escorted by three companies of military,
and when taking leave he delivered a short address, which was
truly affecting; never, I suppose, were greater tokens of respect
shown by any community on taking leave of their head. Nearly the
whole (at least two-thirds) of the inhabitants of Monrovia, men,
women, and children, were out on this occasion, and nearly all
parted from him with tears, and in my opinion, the hope of his
return in a few months, alone enabled them to give him up. He is
indeed dear to this people, and it will be a joyful day when we
are again permitted to see him. He has left a written address,
which contains valuable admonitions to Officers, Civil, Military,
and Religious. The brig sailed on the 27th. May she have a
prosperous voyage.
Thursday, March 27.
Feeling very sensibly my incompetency to enter upon the duties of
my office without first making all the Officers of the Colony
well acquainted with the principal objects which should engage
our attention, I invited them to meet at the Agency House on the
27th, at 9 o'clock, which was punctually attended to; and I then
read all the instructions left by Mr. Ashmun without reserve, and
requested their co-operation. I stated that it would be our first
object to put the Jail in complete order, secondly to have our
guns and armaments in a proper state, and thirdly to get the new
settlers located on their lands; as this was a very important
item in my instructions. This explanation will, I think, have a
good effect; as by it the effective part of the Colony is put in
possession of the most important objects of our present pursuit;
and I trust through the blessing of the great Ruler of events,
we shall be able to realize all the expectations of Mr. Ashmun,
and render entire satisfaction to the Board of Managers if they
can reconcile themselves to the necessary expenses.
March 29.
From a note received from Mr. James, dated Millsburg, I learn
that he visited King Boatswain, and that the new road from
Boatswain's to Millsburg will shortly be commenced.--The Headmen
expect, however, to be paid for opening the road. Messrs. James
and Cook, who came down this evening, state, that the Millsburg
Factory will be ready in a few days for the reception of goods,
and wished consignments might be made early. But as I had been on
the 27th paying off the kings towards the Millsburg lands, and
found that one hundred and twenty bars came so far short of
satisfying them, I thought best to see them together before I
should attempt to make any consignments to that place.
Know all men by these presents: That we, Old King Peter, and King
Governor, King James, and King Long Peter, do on this fourth day
of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-eight, grant unto Lott Cary, acting Agent of the Colony of
Liberia, in behalf of the American Colonization Society, to wit:
All that tract of Land on the north side of St. Paul's river,
beginning at King James' line below the establishment called
Millsburg Settlement, and we the Kings as aforesaid do bargain,
sell, and grant, unto the said Lott Cary, acting in behalf of the
American Colonization Society, all the aforesaid tract of land,
situated and bounded as follows: by the St. Paul's river on the
South, and thence running an East Northeast direction up the St.
Paul's river, as far as he, the said Lott Cary, or his successor
in the Agency, or Civil Authority of the Colony of Liberia, shall
think proper to take up and occupy: and bounded on the West by
King Jimmey's, and running thence a North direction as far as our
power and influence extend. We do this day and date, grant as
aforesaid for the consideration (here follow the articles to be
given in payment); and will forever defend the same against all
claims whatsoever.
In witness whereof we set our hands and names:
OLD X KING PETER,
LONG X KING PETER,
KING X GOVERNOR,
KING X JAMES.
Signed in the presence of,
ELIJAH JOHNSON,
FREDERICK JAMES,
DANIEL GEORGE.
June 18, 1828.
I found it necessary, in order to preserve the frame of the
second floors of the Government House, to have the frame and
ceiling painted, which is now doing. I have also been obliged to
employ another workman to make the blinds, or else leave the
house exposed the present season, as ---- refused to do it under
the former contract. On the 13th I visited Millsburg (named after
Mills and Burgess) to ascertain the prospects of that settlement;
and can say with propriety, that according to the quantity of
land which the settlers have put under cultivation, they will
reap a good and plentiful crop. The Company's crop of rice and
cassada is especially promising. The new settlers at that place
have done well; having all, with two or three exceptions, built
houses, so as to render their families comfortable during the
season. They have also each of them a small farm, which I think
after a few months will be sufficient to subsist them. But I find
from a particular examination, that we shall be obliged to allow
them to draw rations longer than I expected, owing to the great
scarcity of country produce, the cassada being so nearly
exhausted, that it is, and will be, impossible to obtain, until
new crops come in, much to aid our provisions, unless by going
some distance into the country. Therefore I think it
indispensably necessary, in order to keep the settlers to their
farming improvements, to continue their rations longer than I at
first intended; as I consider the present too important a crisis
to leave them to neglect their improvements, although it may add
something to our present expenses.
The people at Caldwell are getting on better with their farms
than with their houses. I think some of them are very slow,
notwithstanding I have assisted them in building. The Gun House
at Caldwell is done, and at present preparations are making for
the fourth of July. I think that settlement generally, is rapidly
advancing in farming, building, and I hope, in industry. Our gun
carriages are done; the completion of the iron work alone
prevents us from mounting them all immediately. We have four
mounted, and I think we shall put them all in complete order by
the end of the present week.
Captain Russel will be able to give something like a fair account
of the state of our improvements, as he went with me to visit the
settlements on the 13th and 14th, and seemed pleased with the
project at Millsburg, Caldwell and the Half-way Farms.
Mr. Warner, who has been engaged nearly the whole of the last
twelve months on business of negotiation with the native tribes
to the leeward, is at present down at Tippicanoe, the place which
I mentioned in my former communications, as being a very
important section of country, since it would connect our Sesters
and Bassa districts together. He is not, however, now engaged in
business of negotiation, but only in business of trade.
Gurley, _Life of Jehudi Ashmun_, appendix, pp. 153-156.
In a letter to Mr. Ashmun, Mr. Cary wrote:
Things are nearly as you left them; most of the work that you
directed to be done, is nearly accomplished. The plasterers are
now at work on the Government House, and with what lime I am
having brought down the river, and what shells I am getting, I
think we shall succeed.
The Gun House in Monrovia and the Jail have been done for some
weeks; the mounting of the guns will be done this week, if the
weather permits.
The Houses at Half-way Farms are done; the Gun House at Caldwell
would have been done at this time, had not the rain prevented,
but I think it will be finished in three or four days. The public
farm is doing pretty well. The Millsburg farms are doing very
well. I think it would do you good to see that place at this
time.
The Missionaries, although they have been sick are now, I am
happy to inform you, recovered; and at present are able to attend
to their business, and I regard them as entirely out of danger.
I hope we shall be able to remove all the furniture into the new
house in two or three weeks.
Speaking of the celebration of the 4th of July under date of July
15th, Mr. Cary remarked to Mr. Ashmun:
The companies observed strictly the orders of the day, which I
think were so arranged as to entitle the officers who drew them
up to credit. Upon the whole, I am obliged to say, that I have
never seen the American Independence celebrated with so much
spirit and propriety since the existence of the Colony; the guns
being all mounted and painted, and previously arranged for the
purpose, added very much to the grand salute. Two dinners were
given, one by the Independent Volunteer Company, and one by
Captain Devany.
Mr. Cary wrote to the Secretary of the Colonization Society, July
19th, 1828:
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter,
forwarded by Captain Chase of Providence, also your Report and
Repository, directed to Mr. Ashmun, but owing to his absence,
they have fallen into my hands; and permit me to say, that these
communications are read with pleasure, and that nothing affords
more joy to the Colony, than to hear of the prosperity of the
Colonization Society, and that you have some hopes of aid from
the General Government, which makes us more desirous to enlarge
our habitation and extend the borders of the Colony.
I must say, from the flattering prospects of your Society, I feel
myself very much at a loss how to proceed, in the absence of Mr.
Ashmun, with regard to making provisions for the reception of a
large number of emigrants, which appears to be indispensably
necessary. Therefore, after receiving your communication, we
conceived the following to be the most safe and prudent course.
_First_, to make arrangements to have erected at Millsburg,
houses to answer as receptacles sufficient to shelter from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred persons, I have therefore
extended the duties of Mr. Benson so as to embrace that object. I
was led to this course from the following considerations.
_First_, from the productiveness of the Millsburg lands and the
fewness of their inhabitants. I know if Mr. Ashmun were present,
it would be a principal object with him to push that settlement
forward with all possible speed, and that for this purpose, he
would send the emigrants by the first two or three expeditions to
that place. I think that those from the fresh water rivers, if
carried directly after their arrival here, up to Millsburg, would
suffer very little from change of climate. _Second_, the
fertility of the land is such a temptation to the farmer, that
unless he possesses laziness in its extreme degree, he cannot
resist it; he must and will go to work. _Thirdly_, it is
important to strengthen that settlement against any possible
attack; and though we apprehend no hostilities from the natives,
yet we would have each settlement strong enough to repel them.
I am happy to say, that the health, peace and prosperity of the
Colony, I think, is still advancing, and I hope that the Board of
Managers may have their wishes and expectations realized to their
fullest extent, with regard to the present and future prosperity
of the Colony.
Gurley, _Life of Jehudi Ashmun_, appendix, pp. 156-158.
Letter to the treasurer of the Massachusetts Baptist Education
Society:
Sir,
Here is a mite enclosed for your society. It is part of the
proceeds of a cotton field, for benevolent purposes. I helped to
plough the ground, plant, hoe, pick, gin and pack the cotton with
my own hands. A part of the proceeds is for the Colonization
Society. My servants would shew their large white teeth, when, to
encourage them to do their work well, I informed them that this
cotton was designed to be a means of enlightening their brethren
in Africa. Don't you think that Christians by and by, will act
more like stewards with the property God has given them? I think
it better to give now and then a mite, which the Lord may have
bestowed upon me, to advance his cause, than to lavish it on
profligate and dissipated sons. Will not God at a future day
require the property he has loaned us?
We see you Northern folks seem conscious of this, by the
exertions you are using to advance the Redeemer's cause. This has
become a fortunate legatee, in comparison with what it was fifty
years ago.
We, down here, so near the equator, think we can discover the
upper limb of the millennium sun already. Will he not get clear
above the horizon by 1866.
A Georgia Planter.
_The American Baptist Magazine_, Vol. IV, p. 181.