at Millsburg, and none in the settlements of recaptured Africans at New Georgia.

10. The citizens, in general, felt no due sense of the importance of preparing their children, by education, for usefulness, influence, and self-government. Their sudden elevation of circumstances and privileges, and their rapid acquisition of property, had, to some extent, produced a spirit of emulation, display, and extravagance unfavorable to the moral and religious interests of the Colony. They had yet to learn, from experience, that economy and sober expectations best promote not only public welfare, but private happiness.

11. Friendly relations continued to exist between the colonists and the natives. Early this year, one tribe put themselves under the protection and adopted the laws of the Colony, the king, Long Peter, cheerfully giving up his title, and receiving the appointment of head man from the agent. His people were full of joy when they learned that the agent had determined to adopt them as subjects of the Colony. They were aware of the advantages of such an arrangement, which at once freed them from all the oppressive customs and laws of the surrounding native tribes, and secured them from being sold into slavery, as they were before liable to be at any moment, on account of some frivolous dispute or palaver, got up for the purpose by the head men whenever they wanted a supply of money.

12. Several of the petty kings made application to put themselves and their people under the government of the Colony, that they might not be molested by King Boatswain, who was at this time largely engaged in the slave trade; but the colonial agent hesitated to engage his protection to the more distant tribes. He, however, received Far Gay and his people, who were in the vicinity of the Colony.

13. On the 3d of December the Caroline arrived, bringing 107 colored persons, Dr. Mecklin, Dr. Humphries, as

sistant agent and physician, and Mr. and Mrs. Skinner, missionaries, sent out by the American Board of Foreign Missions. Among the forty-five liberated slaves were the children and grandchildren of Abduhl Rahhahman. Several children of this company died of the measles on the passage, and several adults of fever after their arrival, amounting in all to twenty, including Mrs. Skinner and child. Dr. Mecklin resumed the duties of colonial agent, which, during his absence, had been ably performed by the viceagent, A. D. Williams.

14. Twenty-five substantial stone and frame buildings had been erected in Monrovia; the spirit of enterprise was increasing among the, people, who seemed determined to develop the resources of the country. The first newspaper in Liberia was commenced this year by Mr. Busswurm, and called the Liberia Herald.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

MONROVIA-SCHOOLS-TEMPERANCE.

1. THE brig Valador, with Dr. Todsen and eighty-three emigrants, arrived at Monrovia in January, 1831. Most of these were from the lower parts of Virginia and North Carolina. They arrived in good health, and were immediately transferred to Caldwell, and placed under the care of Dr. Todsen, who providentially continued well until nearly all his patients were recovering from the fever. It was no doubt in part owing to his skill and unremitting attention that, of this whole company, only three children, and not a single adult died, during the acclimation, while the mortality that attended those by the Caroline was partly attributed to their want of a physician, both Dr. Mecklin and Dr. Humphries being sick at the time when

their services were most needed. The latter died in February, of consumption, with which he had long been afflicted in the United States. The Rev. Mr. Skinner took passage for the United States, in hopes of thus recovering his health, but died on the voyage. The death of this devoted missionary and his wife was a great loss.

2. The colonial agent, in obedience to the instructions of the Board, made a sale of some public lots in Monrovia the beginning of the year, by which a considerable fund was raised for the purpose of education. A law was passed about the same time, by the agent and council, taxing all the real estate in the Colony, at the rate of five cents on a hundred dollars, which tax was to be exclusively devoted to the support of public schools. The duties on spirituous liquors were also to be thus appropriated. School-houses were erected at Monrovia, Caldwell, and Millsburg, competent teachers appointed under the supervision of trustees, and a new zeal in the cause of education was awakened throughout the Colony. The system adopted was designed to afford the means of instruction to every child.

3. A most encouraging letter, addressed to the colonists from the Female Colonization Society of Richmond and Manchester, on the importance of education, was published in the February number of the Liberia Herald. The editorial article in this paper, which closed its first year, contained the following paragraph: "The changes which have taken place in the Colony during the publication of the Herald are worthy of notice. Everything has improved our agriculture, our commerce have each shared in the blessing. Monrovia has almost assumed a new garb, and should things continue to prosper as they have, our town will certainly present the most desirable residence, to a stranger, of any on the coast of Africa.

4. "In Monrovia alone, the number of comfortable stone and wooden dwellings erected during the year has been upward of fifty-five; and if we take into consideration that Caldwell, Millsburg, and the recaptured towns have

shared equally in this prosperity, we have abundant reasons to be thankful for the showers of mercy which have been extended to our infant Colony. Our commerce is daily extending, and we believe the day is not far distant when our port will be the emporium of the western coast of Africa.

5. "But the object which we consider of most vital importance to the future prosperity of the Colony is education. The subject has long lain dormant, but the late resolutions of the Board of Managers, and the fixed determination of our executive to carry them into effect, give us every reason to hope that a complete free-school system is about being put into operation."

6. It had been thought that the sale of ardent spirits was almost necessary to the commerce of the Colony, as the natives would prefer selling their brethren to the slave traders, who always supplied them with this pernicious article, rather than to trade with the colonists, if it could not be obtained from them. And besides, the facilities of introducing it clandestinely were such, that the Board of Managers, though they were grieved to have it so extensively introduced into the Colony, thought that to correct the evil by moral influence would be wiser and more effective than by legal restraints.

7. They therefore sent an address to the colonists, expressing their disapprobation of the use and sale of ardent spirits; recommending them to form temperance societies, and in every way to use their influence to produce a correct public sentiment on this subject, with the design of lessening the demand for this article, and of finally banishing it from the commerce of the Colony. This address, together with various pamphlets and tracts on the subject of temperance, was not unavailing. Many of the colonists determined to abandon entirely the use of ardent spirits, and to discourage its introduction into the Colony.

TRADE-THE COURTS-RELIGION.

1. THE excessive disposition to engage in commerce still continued. The substitution of an anchorage for a tonnage duty induced many vessels that formerly passed on to the leeward coast, to anchor now in the harbor of Monrovia, and do business to a considerable amount.

2. The Liberia Herald announced the arrival of eighteen and the departure of fourteen vessels in a single month. Several of these, however, were small schooners owned at the Colony. The Herald of December 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.

3. "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." Forty-six vessels, twenty-one of which were American, visited the Colony in the course of the year. The amount of exports was $88,911.

4. The slave trade, though it had received some check in the immediate vicinity of the Colony, was still prosecuted on nearly every part of the African coast. In June, the colonial schooner Montserado was captured by a Span