MARYLAND IN LIBERIA--CAPE PALMAS--HALL AND RUSSWURM--CHASTISEMENT
OF THE NATIVES AT BEREBEE BY THE U. S. SQUADRON--LINE OF
PACKETS--PROPOSAL OF INDEPENDENCE--ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE COLONIZATION
SCHEME--CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
The Maryland Colonization Society resolved to establish a colony at
Cape Palmas. Dr. James Hall, their agent, secured the consent of the
chiefs to cede the required territory, without employing the wretched
medium of rum. These kings, to their credit, have retained sensible
names of their own, redolent of good taste and patriotism, being
Parmah, Weah Boleo, and Baphro. As has ever been done by all wise
people on that coast, a fort was expeditiously erected, overlooking
in a peremptory way the native villages and the anchorage; since it
is not, for a time at least, safe to trust in such affairs to the
conscience of the natives.
Cape Palmas is well suited for such an establishment; the climate is as
good as any in tropical Africa. The Cape itself is a small elevation or
insulated hill, sloping down towards the continent, into the general
expanse of wooded plain or forest; this, to the north and east of the
Cape, stretches out into a wide fertile flat, the waters of which drain
towards the long line of sea-beach, receiving the heavy surf of the
equatorial Atlantic. The surf throws a long bulwark of sand along the
mouths of the fresh-water streams, and checks them in a lagoon of ten
miles in length, by about a quarter of a mile in breadth. This water is
fresh or brackish, according as either element gains the mastery, and
serves the natives as a precious and fruitful fish-pond.
Of this region, a tract extending about twenty miles along the
sea-shore, and as much inland, was, by purchase, brought under the
jurisdiction of the Maryland Society. Provision was made for retaining
the resident natives on the lands they cultivated. Here, in the month
of February, 1834, the Maryland Colonization Society attached itself to
Africa, by landing fifty-three emigrants from that State.
Their temporary dwellings were soon put up; and their fortifications
erected near to populous towns crowded with natives supplied with
fire-arms and ready to use them. Vessels continued to arrive, bringing
more settlers to their shores. In 1836, an additional tract of country,
east of the Cape, was procured; extending the colonial territories
along the broad, rapid stream of the Cavally, to the distance of thirty
miles from its mouth. In succeeding years new settlers arrived to
occupy the lands so acquired; yet all these acquisitive proceedings
gave rise to scarcely any noticeable opposition. A little blustering
occurred on the part of one chief, who attempted to monopolize the
selling of rice to the colonists when in want; but a kind and resolute
firmness removed the difficulty. Scarcely, in fact, does an instance
occur in history, of an administration so uniformly successful in the
operations for which it was established; and, whatever the future may
offer to equal it, nothing certainly in the past has a higher claim for
sympathy, than these efforts of Maryland for the benefit of her colored
population.
With the same wisdom which had characterized the previous measures
of the society, in 1837 Mr. Russwurm, a colored man, was appointed
governor of the colony. He fulfilled the expectations formed of him.
Thus one step was judiciously taken, to disengage the colored men of
Africa from dependence on foreign management.
Considering, however, that Cape Palmas has been colonized from a slave
state alone, and that the government has been retained in the hands
of the state society, it is scarcely to be expected that the same
vigor and activity should be found in its internal operations, or the
same amount of influence exercised over the surrounding natives, as
has been manifested in Liberia. Notwithstanding this, the beneficial
influence of this colony also, on the surrounding natives, has been
considerable. Six kings, of their own accord, applied to Governor
Russwurm, and ceded their territories, that they might be incorporated
with the colony. Every treaty contained an absolute prohibition of the
slave-trade.
Cape Palmas colony, then, may be considered as now extending from the
confines of her elder sister at the river Jarraway, as far to the
eastward as Cape Lahou. The inland boundary may be anywhere, as the
future shall settle it. The cultivated or cleared land extends parallel
to the coast, over distances varying from twenty-five to fifty miles.
Here comes on the dark verdure of forest, undulating over the rising
lands which lead to the mountains, or whatever they may be, which feed
the rivers. These streams act as lines of communication. But here also
the old Portuguese influence has aimed at a monopoly of trade. Some
explorations have disclosed the fact that there are powerful tribes in
these lands, who, in spite of an obstacle of this kind, will soon be
brought within the commercial influence of the colony.
This line of coast has at many points been a frequent haunt of slavers,
and the atrocities due to native superstition have been shocking, and
rendered more villanous by European trade. Commodore Perry, in 1843,
as will be seen in the notice of squadrons, did justice on some of
their villages, convicted of murder and robbery of an American vessel.
The officers delivered several of the natives from torture under
the accusations of sorcery. To control such fierce materials into
quietness, or melt them to Christian brotherhood, will require much
grace from Providence, and much kind and patient dealing from men.
In carrying out the objects of the colony, an effort was made by the
Maryland Colonization Society, which seemed in its nature singularly
promising. This consisted in establishing a joint-stock trading
company, or line of packets for carrying out emigrants and returning
with produce. It was expected that the colored people of the state
would, to some considerable extent, invest capital in shares. With
these expectations the “Liberia Packet” was launched in 1846, and made
many voyages. It was found necessary to increase the size of vessels
thus employed. But these operations were checked by the wreck of the
“Ralph Cross.” It was also found that comparatively little interest in
this undertaking was awakened among the colored population, or that
they had not the means for investment in it, as only about one-eighth
of the whole amount of stock was held by them. It is, however, an
incident of value in the history of Africa, that through facilities
thus afforded, many emigrants revisited this country for short periods,
and thus established a return line of intercourse, inquiry, or
business, which binds Africa more strongly to this land.
A movement for the elevation of the colony into an independent state,
has been made by the people at Cape Palmas, and a commission has
visited this country to make arrangements for the purpose. That there
be full political independence granted to this people, is requisite,
as an element of the great achievement now going on. This contemplates
something far higher than creating merely a refuge for black men, or
sticking on a patch of colored America on the coast of Africa like an
ill-assorted graft, for which the old stock is none the better. Liberia
is the restoration of the African in his highest intellectual condition
to that country in which his condition had become the most degraded.
The question is to be settled whether that condition can be retained,
or so improved that he may keep pace with the rest of the world.
It is a necessary element in this proceeding that he be self-governing.
It is to the establishment of this point that all men look to decide
the dispute, whether negro races are to remain forever degraded or
not. Time and patience, however, and much kind watchfulness, may be
required before this experiment be deemed conclusive. Let many failures
be anticipated ere a certain result is secured. Let no higher claims be
made on the negro than on other races. Would a colony of Frenchmen,
Spaniards, Portuguese, Sicilians, if left to themselves, offer a fairer
prospect of success than Liberia now offers? Few persons would have
confidence in the stability of republican institutions among these
races, if so placed.
Let then the black man be judged fairly, and not presumed to have
become all at once and by miracle, of a higher order than old historic
nations, through many generations of whom the political organization
of the world has been slowly developing itself. There will be among
them men who are covetous, or men who are tyrannical, or men who would
sacrifice the public interests or any others to their own: men who
would now go into the slave-trade if they could, or rob hen-roosts, or
intrigue for office, or pick pockets, rather than trouble their heads
or their hands with more honorable occupations. It should be remembered
by visitors that such things will be found in Liberia; not because men
are black, but because men are men.
It should not be forgotten that the experiment in respect to this race
is essentially a new one. The nonsense about Hannibal, and Terence,
and Cyprian, and Augustine, being negro Africans, should have been out
of the heads of people long ago. A woolly-headed, flat-nosed African,
in ancient times, would have created as great a sensation at the head
of an army, or in the chair of a professor, as it would now in the
United States or in England. These men were Asiatics or Europeans,
rather than Africans: the Great Desert being properly the northern
boundary of the African race. The African has never reached in fact,
until the settlement of Liberia, a higher rank than a king of Dahomey,
or the inventor of the last fashionable grisgris to prevent the devil
from stealing sugar-plums. No philosopher among them has caught sight
of the mysteries of nature; no poet has illustrated heaven, or earth,
or the life of man; no statesman has done any thing to lighten or
brighten the links of human policy. In fact, if all that negroes of all
generations have ever done, were to be obliterated from recollection
forever, the world would lose no great truth, no profitable art, no
exemplary form of life. The loss of all that is African would offer no
memorable deduction from any thing but the earth’s black catalogue of
crimes. Africa is guilty of the slavery under which she suffered; for
her people made it, as well as suffered it.
The great experiment, therefore, is as to the effect of instruction
given to such a race from a higher one. It has had its success, and
promises more. But many patient endeavors must still be used. The
heroism of the missionary is still needed. Such men as Mills, Ashmun,
Wilson, and Bishop Payne, will be required to give energy to this work
in various forms. But there will be henceforth, it is to be hoped, less
demand for the exposure of American life. There should be found in the
colored people of the United States, with whom the climate agrees, the
source of supply for African missions, till, in a few years, Liberia
itself send them forth, with words of life to their brethren throughout
the length and breadth of the continent.
Like all sinful men, the African needs faith. But you must dig deeper
in him, before you find any thing to plant it on. The grain of
mustard-seed meets a very hard soil there, and the thorns are deep. It
is a conquest to get him to believe that there is any virtue in man.
They have never had a Socrates, to talk wisdom to them; nor a Cyrus,
who was not a slave-merchant; nor a Pythagoras, to teach that kindness
was a virtue. Hence the difficulty which the Christian missionary has
had with them, has been to satisfy their minds as to the miraculous
phenomenon of there being a good man. It has been always found that
there was many a consultation among their sages as to the peculiar
trade or purpose the missionary might have in view, in coming as he
came; and very generally the more good they saw, the more evil they
suspected. The first thing which, in most instances, opened their eyes,
has been in his inculcating peace; for they saw no fees coming to him
for it, and of course no looking out for plunder.
The civilized world, as well as the savage, need the example of the
missionary. The true courage of faith is a blessing to mankind. Besides
his devotion to the highest interests of men, the world also owes much
to the educated and enlightened missionary, who has not only greatly
contributed to the cause of science and literature, but has often been
the means of developing the commercial resources of the countries
where he has been stationed. Women, with their own peculiar heroism,
which consists in fearless tenderness and patience, have also shared
in this work of faith. Mrs. Judson is seen wandering through a Burman
village teaching the people, with a sick child in her arms, while her
husband lies in prison. And Mrs. Wilson, highly cultivated and refined,
sacrificing her property, and surrendering a position in the best
society of the country, is found teaching negro children in the dull
and fetid atmosphere of African schools. This is true heroism, such as
the gospel alone can inspire.
Christianity has, with watchful kindness, been seeking to penetrate
Africa from various points of the coast. Abyssinia has long professed
the Christian faith, although in a corrupt form. Its church, and
that of Egypt, must soon fall under the influence of the line of
communication through the Red Sea. English missionaries are at
Zanzibar, and have brought to light, by their explorations in the
interior, the group of mountains which raise their snowy heads south of
the equator in that neighborhood. Missionaries from the same country
are also to be found at Sierra Leone and in the Bight of Benin. From
the extremity of the continent they have, in conjunction with those of
five other nations, been penetrating all the interior of the southern
angle.
The United States have also missionaries at four or five points.
There are those of the Liberian republic, Cape Palmas, and the Mendi
mission. In these places different denominations work kindly and
earnestly together. The first obvious sign of their presence is peace.
Nowhere in the world was this more needed, or more welcome, than in
the regions north and east of Liberia, where men, for many years, had
had to fight for their own persons, that they might remain their own,
and not be sold. Every thing, as might be expected, had fallen into
utter confusion. Tribes of historic character were in fragments; towns
depopulated, cultivation suspended, and the small knots of families
which kept together, were perishing. “The women and children,” says
Mr. Thompson, “were often obliged to go out in search of berries and
fruits to keep themselves from starving.” To this country, which lies
along the sources of the Sierra Leone and the Gallinas rivers on the
northern confines of Liberia, the captives on board the _Amistad_ had
gone in 1842. But such was the confusion in that quarter, that it was
not until 1851, that the missionary found it practicable to commence
his efforts for peace. They told Mr. Thompson, “that no one but a white
man could have brought it about;” and that “they had long been praying
to God to send a white man to stop the war.”
The Gaboon mission, since its disturbance by the French in 1844, has
been re-established, and has experienced courteous treatment at the
hands of the French authorities. This mission occupies the important
position at which the great southern nation and language come in
contact with the more energetic men of the equatorial region, and at
which great light is likely to be thrown on their relations. The French
also have a mission at the Gaboon.
The mission to the Zulus, in the healthy region at the southern end
of the Mozambique Channel, was at one time divided between the two
branches of that tribe; but in consequence of wars, was afterwards
united and established in the colony of Natal. The commercial crisis in
the United States in 1837, led to the proposal that this mission should
be abandoned. But its influence had been so beneficial, that the Cape
colonists and their government proposed to take measures to support
it. Circumstances, however, enabled the American Board to decline
this proposal, and they continue their operations. An effort is being
made by this mission to unite all similarly engaged, in a common and
uniform mode of treating the language of the south.
The Portuguese have missions, both on the east and west side of the
continent.
Commander Forbes, R. N., says: “In all the countries which have given
up the traffic in their fellow-men, the preaching of the Gospel and the
spread of education have most materially assisted the effects of the
coercive measures of our squadron.”