This demand was made in conformity with a treaty existing between the parties.

10. The Deys pleaded ignorance of the murder and robbery, stating their weakness to be such that they were forced to submit to see their own property taken and carried away at pleasure by the Mandingoes and Gourahs; and although they admitted their obligations to protect Americans and their property, they alleged a want of ability to do so, and agreed to a proposal to relinquish a part of their territory, which would enable the Colony to extend their jurisdiction and settlements in a direction that would give protection to the Dey people. Twenty-five square miles on the St. Paul's was transferred to the Colony. The Board of Managers doubted the justice of these proceedings, and directed a full report to be made of all the circumstances in the case before assenting to the possession.

CHAPTER XLIX.

A REPUBLIC TALKED OF-THE GOVERNOR MURDERED.

1. SOME of the evils anticipated by many of the friends of the American Colonization Society in the establishment of separate settlements in Liberia, independent of each other, and under distinct governments, began to be realized. In reference to this subject, the Lieutenant-Governor, in a communication dated May 8th, 1838, wrote as follows: "I regret to say our neighbors of Bassa Cove and Edina seem to entertain the most hostile feeling toward the old Colony, and everything connected with it. They have manifested such a disposition as will, if continued, lead to serious difficulties between the settlements.

2. "The policy which the colonizationists are now pursuing is assuredly a bad one, and will inevitably defeat the

object they aim to accomplish. Nothing can be conceived more destructive to the general good than separate and conflicting interests among the different colonies. And this consequence will certainly follow the establishment of separate and distinct sovereignties contiguous to each other. If societies must file off and have separate establishments, their very existence depends upon their union by some general and well-settled relations. They might be so far separate as to have peculiar local and internal regulations, but they should be controlled by general laws, and general supervision, and be so connected as to move on to one object in harmonious operation." The editor of the Liberia Herald expressed his views on the same subject in the following article from the July number for 1836:

3. "The formation of colonies along the coast is beyond doubt the surest way of breaking up the slave trade, as far as their influence may extend. But while we view with much satisfaction the success of the colonization scheme and the formation of new settlements, we would observe that we deem it highly necessary that the several, and all the colonies now in existence, and those that may hereafter be formed, should be under the guidance of general laws; such a connection would promote union, without which they could never prosper. Each settlement, independently, should have its own laws and regulations for its internal government, like the several States of the Union in America, and, like them, should be bound and cemented together by one general government and by one common interest.

4. "Such a union, of so much vital importance to the future prosperity and peace of the whole, would elevate the character of the colonies in a degree to which they could not otherwise attain. By it, moreover, their strength would be increased, as well as their permanency, according to a common but true saying, 'united we stand.' Instead of a few isolated settlements, often at variance with each other from selfish motives and conflicting interests, they

would then present to the view of the beholder a number of small settlements, or states if you please, forming a rising republic in Africa of one people and of one language, after the model of the great Union of America."

5. On the 9th of July a company of emigrants arrived at the Mississippi Colony,* by the brig Mail, from New Orleans. These emigrants were well provided with clothes, tools, and farming utensils; working animals were purchased for them at the Cape de Verd Islands, and with great cheerfulness they commenced improving their farms, which were already laid out. An agent had been employed to prepare houses, clear land, and plant vegetables, so that the emigrants on their arrival found good quarters and an abundance of cassada, rice, and potatoes.

6. Their town, Greenville, is on the Sinoe River, five miles from the mouth, and about two miles in a direct line from the sea. This settlement is deemed as healthy as any part of the State of Mississippi, and the land as rich. The territory purchased by the Mississippi Society is narrow on the ocean, widening as it runs back, and contains over 100 square miles. Of the thirty-seven emigrants by the brig Mail, twenty-six had been set free by Mr. Anketell, who had taken much pains to prepare them for freedom and usefulness.

7. An event occurred in the autumn of this year which cast a gloom over the infant but prosperous settlement of Greenville, and, in some measure, disturbed the peaceful relations existing between the colonists and natives. About the 10th of September the Governor left Greenville for Monrovia on business as well as for his health. On his way he attempted to visit Bassa Cove. Landing about two miles below the settlement, he was robbed and murdered by the natives. The Governor seems to have placed too much confidence in a native whom he had with him,

* If errors are found in the brief notices given of the Sinoe and Bassa Cove settlements, it is because the desired information in relation to them could not be obtained.

170

and to whom he had exposed the fact of his having a large sum of money about him. The faithlessness of this fellow in disclosing the circumstance of the money no doubt occasioned the murder.

8. This outrage led to a war between the natives and the settlers of Bassa Cove, who had one or two of their people killed, several wounded, and some of their horses destroyed. Previous to the news of this outbreak the most cheering intelligence had been received from the Bassa Cove settlement, of their health, their temporal and spiritual prosperity. Accounts from all the colonies were generally encouraging, though the Monrovia settlements were in want of adequate funds to carry forward their contemplated improvements, having for some time received but little pecuniary aid from the Society.

9. An official communication from Lieutenant-Governor Williams, dated July 31st, contained the following: “The interest manifested on the subject of agriculture is daily increasing, and the prospect brightening. All here feel the necessity of raising such articles of food as are required for our own wants, and in such quantities as to supply those wants. The greatest and only difficulty is to believe that, with the most abundant supply of African produce, the articles to which we were accustomed in America are not indispensable to our existence.

10. "The country is comparatively quiet; how long it will remain so can not be conjectured. The elements of war and discord are always existent in African society. Your suggestions in regard to the propriety of altering and amending the constitution I have thought best to submit to the consideration of the people at large. For this purpose I called a meeting in each settlement, in order to ascertain the public sentiment. The suggestion was immediately acted upon, and a committee of ten persons was appointed, who now have the subject under consideration. These persons are authorized to suggest such alterations and amendments, to any extent, as they may think adapt

ed to our present state, and submit them to the Board. We are again destitute of stationery, and are very much in want of animals for draught work on farms."

11. It is much to be regretted that suitable working animals, with wagons, carts, plows, and drags, had not been early introduced into the Colony. With these, agriculture would have advanced rapidly, and buildings would have been erected with comparative ease. To substitute the hoe for the plow, in agriculture, and manual labor for teams, in conveying building timber from the forest, and stone from the quarry, was tedious, expensive, and discouraging. That so much has been accomplished under such privations and disadvantages, excites our wonder.

CHAPTER L.

A LYCEUM-PAPER CURRENCY.

1. HAD the colonists been enabled, in 1825, to use the plow and drag in cultivation, they could, for the last ten years, have furnished provisions for all the emigrants as they arrived. Dr. Taylor wrote from Millsburg in August: "With regard to the last emigration, it must be said they have done wonderfully well. They are all at work with very few exceptions. I hope and pray that the Society may soon raise her head; that her coffers may be filled to overflowing. I think that if the bitter opponents of the colonization scheme would only come to Millsburg and look at the prospect, and see that all that is wanting to make this a splendid place, and the people independent in means, they could but say, I will give my support to this enterprise; though I advocate the elevation of the man of color in America, I am now convinced that this is the place where he can enjoy real freedom."