LOT CAREY--DR. RANDALL--ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIBERIA HERALD--WARS
WITH THE DEYS--SLOOP-OF-WAR “JOHN ADAMS”--DIFFICULTIES OF THE
GOVERNMENT--CONDITION OF THE SETTLERS.
From the hands of Mr. Ashmun, the government of the colony devolved
upon the Rev. Lot Carey, whom necessity and the claims of humanity made
a physician and a governor. Such education as he could obtain when
a slave, terminated in his becoming a Baptist preacher. The colony
was more indebted to him than to any other man, except Ashmun, for
its memorable defence in 1822. During the few months of Dr. Carey’s
administration, the affairs of the colony were prosperous. His death
was caused, with that of eight others, by an explosion, while filling
cartridges in the old agency-house. Mr. Waring was elected to supply
the vacancy occasioned by Carey’s decease.
The society appointed Dr. Richard Randall as successor to Ashmun, who,
accompanied by Dr. Mechlin, the colored surgeon, arrived in December,
1828, and assumed the supervision of the colony. Dr. Randall possessed
great firmness of purpose, and benevolence of disposition, superadded
to extensive scientific knowledge. He had been a surgeon in the army,
and afterwards filled the chair of chemistry in Columbia College. But
his death, in four months after his arrival on the coast, deprived the
colonists of his invaluable services. The agency then devolved upon Dr.
Mechlin.
In the following year, Dr. Anderson, appointed colonial physician and
assistant agent, arrived with sixty emigrants. An emigrant vessel
brought ninety recaptured slaves. She had sailed, the year previous, in
charge of a captain who made a direct course for Monrovia, instead of
keeping his northing until striking the northeast trades; and, after
being at sea ninety days, was compelled to put back. Dr. Mechlin was
induced, from ill health, to return to the United States, when the
government devolved upon Dr. Anderson, who soon afterwards died, and
A. D. Williams, the vice-agent, temporarily filled the vacancy. The
schools, at this period, were sadly in want of competent teachers,
which were partially supplied on the arrival of five Christian
missionaries from Switzerland. The arrival of two more emigrant vessels
and two missionaries from the United States, had a favorable influence
on the colony.
The _Liberia Herald_, established the year previous, announced
eighteen arrivals and the sailing of fourteen vessels in one month. In
December, it says: “The beach is lined with Liberians of all ages,
from twelve to fifty years, eager in the pursuit of traffic, and in
the acquisition of camwood; and it is astonishing what little time is
necessary to qualify, even the youngest, to drive as hard a bargain as
any roving merchant from the land of steady habits, with his assortment
of tin-ware, nutmegs, books, or dry-goods. Here the simile ends; for
it is to be wished that our Liberians would follow their prototype
in the mother country throughout, and be as careful in keeping as
acquiring. The Liberian is certainly a great man; and, what is more,
by the natives he is considered a white man, though many degrees from
that stand; for to be thought acquainted with the white man’s fashions,
and to be treated as one, are considered as marks of great distinction
among the Bassa and other nations.” The amount of exports had reached
the sum of eighty-nine thousand dollars.
Piracy still continued rife. There was no American squadron then on the
coast. The schooner Mesurado was captured off Cape Mount, and all hands
put to death. But while the native commerce was thus exposed and almost
destroyed, the colony was extending its limits. The petty kings offered
to come under its jurisdiction, on condition that settlers should be
placed upon their lands, and schools established for the benefit of the
native children.
The arrivals of emigrants became more frequent: six hundred being added
to the colony during one year. These suffered comparatively little in
the acclimating process.
In the year 1832, the colonists were again called to take the field
against the Deys and a combination of other tribes. Several slaves
had escaped, and sought protection in the colony; upon which the
settlements at Caldwell and Mills were threatened with destruction.
A brisk action, of half an hour, resulted in favor of the Liberians.
This victory made an impression on the minds of the natives favorable
to the future peace of the settlers. The chiefs who had been conquered
appeared in Monrovia, and signed a treaty of peace, guaranteeing that
traders from the interior should be allowed a free passage through
their territories. The agent received a significant message from his
old friend, King Boatswain, stating, that had he known of the hostility
of the chiefs, it would have been unnecessary for the colonists to have
marched against them.
Captain Voorhees, of the U. S. sloop-of-war _John Adams_, on his
homeward-bound passage from the Mediterranean, in a letter to the
Secretary of the Navy, reported favorably of the condition in which he
found the colony.
In January, 1834, the Rev. J. B. Pinney, as colonial agent, and
Dr. G. P. Todsen, as physician, with nine missionaries, arrived
at Monrovia, and were formally received by the civil and military
officers, and uniform companies. Mr. Pinney, in entering upon the
duties of his office, found many abuses, which he promptly corrected.
He resurveyed the lands; repaired the public buildings; satisfied the
public creditors; and extinguished the jealousy between two tribes
of recaptured Africans, by allowing each to elect its own officers.
After a short and efficient administration, he was compelled, from ill
health, to retire, when the agency devolved on Dr. Skinner.
The Liberia Herald, in 1835, was edited by Hilary Teage, a colored man,
who was one of the small party first settled at Cape Mesurado. Mr.
Teage filled various public offices of trust and emolument. He made an
argument before the General Assembly in a divorce case, in 1851 (when
the Perry was at Monrovia), for beauty of diction and sound logic
seldom surpassed. The August number of the Herald states: “On the 9th
instant, the brig Louisa arrived from Norfolk, Virginia, with forty-six
emigrants, thirty-eight of whom are recaptured Africans, principally,
we believe, from the Nunez and Pargos. They are a strolling people. A
number of their countrymen, and among them some acquaintances, have
found their way to this settlement: they were hailed by their redeemed
brethren with the most extravagant expressions of joy.”
From January to September there were nine arrivals of emigrants, which
produced a great sensation among the native tribes: they gravely came
to the conclusion that rice had given out in America, and suggested
to the colonists to send word for the people to plant more, “or black
man will have no place for set down.” Dr. Skinner, suffering from ill
health, returned to the United States, and the government devolved on
A. D. Williams, the vice-agent.
The revenue from imports had disappeared to an extent which the
vouchers of the disbursing officers did not explain. The editor of the
Herald, after noticing the excitement at that period in the United
States, on the passage of the “Sub-Treasury Law,” quaintly remarked
that “their treasury was all sub.”
In the year 1837, the Mississippi Society established its new
settlement, Greenville, on the Sinoe River. There were, therefore,
at this period in Liberia: Monrovia, under the American Colonization
Society; Bassa Cove, of the New York and Pennsylvania Societies;
Greenville, of the Mississippi Society; and Cape Palmas, of the
Maryland Society. These contained ten or twelve towns, and between four
and five thousand emigrants.
Here was a mass of conflicting or disconnected organizations, with
separate sources of authority, and separate systems of management;
without common head or common spirit. Each colony was isolated amid
encompassing barbarism, and far more likely, if left to itself, to fall
back under the power of that which surrounded it, than to establish
good policy or civilization among any portion of the savage African
communities with which they were brought in contact. It was anticipated
that intercourse and example, and the temptation of profit, would make
them slavers; and it was said that they were so. This, although untrue,
was perhaps only prevented by a change; for it now became evident,
that the existing state of things was unsuitable and dangerous to the
objects contemplated.