16. The native tribes on the sea-coast who had leagued together ten years before to destroy the colonists, and met with such signal defeat, had ever since courted their favor, and to save themselves from the attacks of the more powerful nations in the interior, had applied for the protection of the colonies, which was extended to ten kings and head men with their people; all of whom were subject to the jurisdiction of the Colony, and enjoyed the protection of their laws.

17. Dr. Skinner's opinion of the influence of colonization in ameliorating the condition of the native Africans is forcibly expressed in the following extract: "I become daily more convinced that the colonization cause is the cause of God. Slavery in a form far more horrid than in the United States, exists in an unknown extent, spread over this vast continent. A general effort to civilize and Christianize the natives is the only means of putting it down. Slave factories are established all along the coast, Liberia only excepted, from which thousands every year are carried into perpetual bondage. There is no other conceivable means to abolish it but by the establishment of colonies on the coast. I would aid the cause of Christianity and colonization here, if Jew or infidel, and so would every man that knew the facts, and had the least regard for the temporal welfare of millions that are in this land.

18. Had I a thousand lives I would devote them all in such an enterprise as is now going forward here. All the money necessary would be furnished, did the Christian public know the facts, and what was needed. That there are difficulties in our way is true, and that there has been some bad management here is also true; but shall these things discourage us, and lead us to give up the only conceivable means of meliorating the condition of millions of our fellowmen? Shall we forsake the last plank, the only ground of hope, for causes such as these? What would have been the fate of Christianity had such been the dastardly spirit of its first propagators ?"

CHAPTER XLIII.

JUDICIARY-TROUBLE WITH THE NATIVES.

1. Ar the annual meeting of the colonial council in January, 1835, an ordinance was passed giving township powers to the various settlements. This was considered a favorable measure for the cause of temperance, as it enabled the several corporations to prohibit the introduction of ardent spirits by fines. It also gave them power to levy taxes for the support of schools, and the building of roads, bridges, etc. An important improvement was made in the judiciary by creating a Court of Appeals, which measure, however, was not carried without considerable and warm debate.

2. The temperance cause had become the subject of much interest in the Colony. Two meetings were held in January for the purpose of promoting it, a society was formed, and other measures used to enlist popular feeling in its favor. The society, which at first consisted of forty-three persons, was soon increased to 503, upon the pledge of total abstinence. A temperance society was also formed at Edina this year. Captain Outerbridge, of the brig Rover, who spent some time at Monrovia, wrote, “I saw but one man the worse for liquor while I was at Monrovia, that is among the Americans, but before I arrived I expected to see them lying about the streets drunk as we do in the States."

3. On the 18th of January, the brig Bourne, of Baltimore, touched at Monrovia on her way to Cape Palmas, with fifty-four emigrants. In April, the brig Rover, from New Orleans, arrived at Monrovia with seventy-one emigrants. These were not inferior in good character and intelligence to any company of emigrants that had ever come to the Colony. At a public meeting held at New Or

leans before their departure, they all formed themselves into a temperance society on the principle of total abstinence; some of them possessed considerable property.

4. The August number of the Liberia Herald (edited at this time by Hillery Teage) announces the following arrivals: "On the 9th instant, the brig Louisiana, Capt. Williams, arrived from Norfolk, Va., with forty-six emigrants, thirty-eight of whom are recaptured Africans, principally, we believe, from the Nunez and Pongas. 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. 5. "On the 12th instant, the Susan Elizabeth, Capt. Lawlin, arrived from New York. Passengers, Dr. E. Skinner, Rev. Mr. Seys and family,

colonial agent, and daughter. of the Methodist Episcopal Mission. Rev. Messrs. Crocher, and Myln and lady, of the Baptist mission. We hail with joy the arrival of the passengers by this vessel. We are led to hope that this portion of the moral vineyard is about to be regarded with special interest. Surely if any portion of the earth has a claim upon another, Africa has a claim upon the United States. On the 14th instant, the schooner Harmony, Capt. Paschal, from Baltimore, with twentyseven emigrants for Cape Palmas, arrived. This expedition has been long expected at Cape Palmas, and will, no doubt, prove an acceptable reinforcement to Dr. Hall.

6. "On the 19th instant, the ship Indiana, Capt. Wood, arrived from Savannah, with sixty-five emigrants, among whom was Dr. Davis and family. These repeated arrivals, following so closely in the track of each other, seem to have given some degree of uneasiness to the natives. They do not understand it, and imagining that Americans move by the same principles that they do, that is to say, animal motives, they conclude that 'Rice be done for big 'Merica,' and hope they will plant more next year, or 'black man will no have place for set down.””

7. Owing to the unfortunate result of the noble and/ benevolent experiment at Bassa Cove, the emigrants were landed at this place, to wait, as we suppose, orders from home. The Bassa Cove settlement had not been provided with the means of defense. The great anxiety expressed by the native kings to have a colony planted at that place, and their solemn pledges to protect it, induced the Pennsylvania Society to rely on their good faith; and when the colonists complained that a hostile disposition was manifested by the natives, the agent, Mr. Hankinson, took no measures of precaution, and even refused the proffered assistance of the people of Edina, who tendered their services to defend the Colony. On the same night the natives, under King Jo Harris and his brother, King Peter Harris, attacked the Colony, murdered twenty of the defenseless inhabitants, and burnt the town.

8. The agent, Mr. Hankinson, and lady, were saved by the friendly aid of a Kroo, who concealed them and secured their escape. This murderous act was induced by a slave trader, who, on coming to anchor in the harbor, discovered that a colony of Americans had been planted on the river, and refused to land his goods, alleging that the colonists would interrupt his trade. King Jo Harris finding that the trade in slaves was likely to be thus cut off, resolved on the destruction of the settlement. Had the colonists been armed, the attack would not probably have been made. One gun owned by a colonist, and often used by his next neighbor (which fact had been noticed by some of the natives), saved both houses unmolested, and the families uninjured. The colonists who escaped were carried to Monrovia and their wants provided for.

9. The agent at Monrovia took immediate measures to chastise the people who had committed this outrage. After demanding redress, which was refused, an armed force was marched against the aggressors, who were routed and their towns destroyed. The offending kings gladly accepted a peace, agreeing to abandon the slave trade for

ever, and to permit the interior natives to pass through their country to trade with the Colony, and also to build a number of houses to replace those destroyed, and pay for or return the property carried away. As soon as peace was concluded, the agent of the American Colonization Society, Dr. Skinner, proceeded to lay out a town on a site which he described as healthy and beautiful. A part of the town plot was cleared, and buildings commenced for the reception of the dispersed citizens.

10. The native kings in the neighborhood of Cape Mount were engaged in a bloody war, carried on with more than ordinary ferocity; and King Boatswain was at war with several of the more interior nations, who had leagued together to resist this tyrant and prince of slave dealers. Commissioners were sent out by the colonial agent to negotiate a peace. They were well received, but unsuccessful in their mission.

11. A school was established on the Junk River for the instruction of the natives, by Mr. and Mrs. Titler (colored people), under the patronage of the Western Board of Foreign Missions, with very encouraging prospects of success. The head men provided the missionaries with a house, and promised a supply of rice and other necessary provisions for the pupils. The natives placed their girls as well as boys under the missionaries to learn" white man fash." The several schools in the Colony, supported by benevolent people in the United States, were prosperous. But had the colonists been able duly to appreciate the importance of public schools, it was impossible to obtain a sufficient number of suitable teachers from among themselves.

12. For a considerable time dissatisfaction had been expressed by some of the colonists with the administration of the Government, and as the executive power was vested in the colonial agent, who was often changed, and much of the time when in discharge of his official duties was enfeebled by sickness, no doubt some ground for dissatis