ROBERTS’ ADMINISTRATION--EFFORTS IN REFERENCE TO ENGLISH
TRADERS--INTERNAL CONDITION OF LIBERIA--INSUBORDINATION--TREATIES WITH
THE NATIVE KINGS--EXPEDITION TO THE INTERIOR--CAUSES LEADING TO A
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
The election of Roberts, a colored man, as governor of the commonwealth
of Liberia, totally separated and individualized the African race as
the managers of local affairs, and made, as to internal concerns, all
things their own. He attempted to root out the interlopers, with energy
more patriotic than potent, and stood up strongly for the rights of
his community. He purchased, negotiated, threatened; and in every way
did his best to accomplish the object. It was soon seen, however, that
the termination of Liberian progress as a dependent commonwealth had
arrived, and that a change was indispensable.
Liberia was, after all, as to its physical means, only a few thousands
of enlightened and determined men, amidst an ocean of barbarism. All
the emigrants were by no means among the enlightened. Some curious
practical difficulties occurred in any political co-operation with
their American brethren. A gang of hard-headed fellows seemed to
think that it was rather a joke, a kind of playing at government,
meaning nothing serious; therefore their respect and obedience to the
constituted authorities were very limited.
It should never be forgotten, that no change could be greater than that
to which these men were subjected, in coming from countries where no
power, authority, or public respect, could ever rest on their race, to
a country where colored men might exercise dominion, enact laws and
enforce them, and by their personal qualities exact and attain eminence
and respect. The best possible laws are only for the best state of
society, and men must grow to them; otherwise they are only like a
giant’s helmet on a child’s head--more a burden than a defence.
The Liberians had no laws admitting of imprisonment for debt. There
is no harm in this, where a man has to borrow before he can become a
debtor. But the case is not so easily settled, when roguery is the
source of debt. A man who is fined when he has nothing to pay, laughs
at the judge. So it happened in Liberia, to the embarrassment of the
better class of men.
Governor Roberts had to keep an eye on grog-selling and grog-drinking.
From the style of his reflections, he gives fair promise of becoming a
strong advocate of the “Maine law.” There was no small number of cases
of idleness, obstinacy and heedlessness of the future; very natural to
men whose independence of station was of very recent date, and whose
independence of character was yet to come. The more credit is therefore
due to the firm, industrious and upright, stationed on the threshold of
this vast, dark continent, with its fury and its vice ready to burst
out upon them.
The governor’s resources, never very great, were called for to regulate
the intercourse between civilization and barbarism; and he found
that the high moral influence of a few hundred men around him, was a
tower of strength in dealing with the savage. All the kings of the
northern and western districts were induced to assemble in convention
in the early part of 1843, at King Bromley’s town, to settle their
great disputes of long standing, and to draw up a set of rules and
regulations for their future guidance. This was a great step gained: a
moral victory over the furious enormities of savage life.
The kings asked the countenance and advice of the colony, acknowledging
fully its jurisdiction over them. King Ballasada, however, sent his
respectful compliments, with a petition that he might be allowed to cut
the throat of King Gogomina, if opportunity offered; or might at least
have the pleasure of shooting some of his people, because the said
Gogomina had killed six of Ballasada’s “boys.” Information, however,
was given by Governor Roberts to King Ballasada, that the time had
passed for such summary proceedings, but that the matter of shooting
the six boys should be inquired into by the governor himself. Gogomina
thereupon produced the six “boys” alive, and sent them home.
Much interest now began to be manifested to learn something of the
interior. It was not known whither the wide valleys of the rivers
might lead, or what they might contain. It was ascertained that there
were the Mandingoes and other noted people somewhere beyond the deep
forests, with whom communication had been held, and with whom it might
be held again. The natives on a line northeast, as far as the Niger,
were entirely unknown: little was really ascertained, except that the
Niger was there. They knew that there were jealous tribes interposing,
who stopped all commercial intercourse that did not pass through their
own bloody and avaricious hands.
The governor, relying on the reputation for power and good faith which
the colony had acquired, resolved to head in person an expedition of
exploration along the St. Paul’s River. Taking a small number of men
with him, he proceeded up the river, visited the camwood country, about
seventy miles inland, and found the forests greatly wasted, and the
main source of supply at that time one hundred miles farther back.
Kings were visited and relieved of their fears, although not of their
wonder, that “the governor should be at that distance from home without
engaging in war.” The party had left the canoe, and after a circuit
round to the eastward, they reached “Captain Sam’s” town, one hundred
and twenty miles east of Monrovia.
Several kings met with the president in his excursion, with whom a
conversation was held, “on the subject of trade, the course and extent
of the river, native wars, religion, &c.” One, “who was seated in
state, on a sofa of raised earth, gave us a hearty shake of the hand,
and said he was glad to see us;” adding, “this country be your country,
all this people be your countryman, you be first king.” This king
was informed by the president, “that he and his people must agree to
abandon the slave-trade, to discontinue the use of sassywood, engage
in no war except by permission of the colonial government.” On one
occasion, “Ballasada, the principal war-man of the Golah tribe, made
his appearance; he entered the gate of the barricade, at the head
of some twenty or thirty armed warriors, with drums beating, horns
blowing, dressed in a large robe, and stepping with all the majesty
of a great monarch.” At Yando’s town, arrangements were made for
establishing a school. At Gelby, one of the missionaries preached to a
large congregation--the king with most of his people being present. The
audience was attentive, and, with the king, gave “a nod of the head at
almost every word uttered by the interpreter.”
At “Captain Sam’s town,” a place of great trade, they met three
strangers from different tribes, anxious to have a question settled,
viz.: “whether, if they carried their produce to the American
settlement for sale, the colonists would beat them, take their property
away, and put them in jail.” Their intermediate friends had persuaded
them that such would be the case, and consequently had themselves, in
the mean time, become their agents, and plundered them at discretion.
They had, at that time, brought a considerable quantity of produce for
sale, and some of them had been kept waiting for many months. All this
was fully cleared up to their satisfaction, and great extension of
trade was promised. The governor says: “I have travelled considerably
in the United States, but have never seen anywhere a more beautiful
country than the one passed through, well timbered and watered, and the
soil, I venture to assert, equal to any in the world.”
President Roberts, at Monrovia, in 1850, stated to the writer, that in
the interior, ore was found so pure as to be capable of being beaten
into malleable iron, without the process of smelting.
Treaties were formed with all the kings, and sundry fractions of kings;
introducing everywhere peace and facilities for commerce. It may be
presumed, therefore, that now the tidings are circulating through the
depths of the interior, that peace has come from the west; and that
an African people has returned to bless their old dark continent with
light and truth.