that position the Rev. Francis Burns. It is a judicious election, as Mr. Burns has been Superintendent of the Methodist Mission in Liberia for a long time, and no one is better acquainted than he with the condition and wants of this people. He expects to visit the United States during the ensuing summer for the purpose of being ordained. President Benson writes, under date of Monrovia, January 30, 1858:

5. Your very fine ship, the M. C. Stevens, is in port, homeward bound, and I embrace the opportunity of reacknowledging your interesting favors by her, all of which have been perused and their contents duly noted. I perceive by yours, as well as other journals, that Liberia and the great Colonization cause, have been malignantly, and somewhat ingeniously, attacked, by that unreasonable portion of the press of your country which invariably expects a demonstration of greater perfection in intelligence, morality, and industry, in Liberia, by Liberians, than they ever expect to witness in countries (including their own and themselves) which have had twenty times the advantages of Liberia. A single delinquency of emphatic occurrence in Liberia, creates more pretended surprise and disrespectful animadversion among and by a class in the United States, than do the tens of thousands of similar daily occurrences among themselves, with all the advantages under which they have been raised.

6. I am happy to say that our public affairs are moving on as usual; some particulars in regard to them you will have no doubt gathered from my Message to the Legislature, of the 10th ult. (copies of which I sent you via England, per December mail). The report of the Adju dicating Committee of the National Fair, held in this city on the 14th to the 21st ult., is now in course of printing. It has produced an almost magical effect upon the industrial skill and energy of our citizens, so that the Legislature have made a standing arrangement to hold them successively in the different counties every year.

7. I consider that we are now approximating nearer to substantial prosperity than ever. It is true, times are hard for money, and we sensibly feel the falling off of the oil trade during the last year; yet, after all, the people raise enough to eat, and the failure of the oil season, together with other things, have caused them not only to see the propriety of raising something for exportation, but actually to prepare and commence doing so; and if no untoward circumstance arises, I think you and other friends of this Republic will become increasingly gratified and encouraged by authentic annual reports of manly progress in all those industrial pursuits that are so essential to individual and national prosperity.

8. And if nothing but a temporary failure in the oil trade will induce some of our principal men to see the folly of basing our commerce upon what should be regarded as an auxiliary, instead of principal, commodity; if nothing else can bring them to see that the Americo-Liberians must be their own producers, and are not to depend upon the native Africans otherwise than as auxiliaries, then I hope that a blight may rest upon the palm-tree, until they begin to practically demonstrate that this lesson is effectually learned. The more intelligent citizens are particularly encouraged; and notwithstanding the tightness of the monetary market, and the great responsibility resting upon me (attended with a proportionate degree of cares and perplexity), yet never was I more encouraged in my life than during the last eight months; for during the most gloomy times last year, I plainly recognized the hand of Providence; I knew it would all be for our good, individually and nationally.

CHAPTER LXVII.

NEW SETTLEMENT.

(FROM REV. G. L. SEYMOUR.)

BUCHANAN, February 1, 1858.

1. I RECEIVED your kind letter of December 16th, 1857, which found me in this place, preparing to return to my station in Pessay, after an absence of a few weeks, for the purpose of obtaining aid from the Government and individuals to assist in defraying the expenses of an exploration interior of Liberia.

2. And I have to say that I have been blessed in my exertions to the amount of about three hundred dollars; and as I received aid from Government (of course in service of the same) in the important enterprise, about which all appear interested, I feel compensated for the letter I sent in answer, if but one good idea is advanced in behalf of Africa, and do trust that it will awaken the sympathy of our colored brethren in the United States for their fatherland; for be assured, sir, that it is Africa's own children who are to do the work, under God.

3. I do not know that it would be well to undertake the purchase of any part of the camwood country alone, with a view to secure the wealth thereof; for the natives think it common property; and, of course, many would disregard the contract and impose upon the owners.

4. The three head men referred to, are constant in their solicitations for Americans to reside with them; each of them will be pleased to hear from you on the important subject of interior settlements at or near their dominions; and I believe they will perform all they promise. I shall deem it a pleasure to inform them that I have an answer to the communication in their behalf; if it is but a few lines in my letter, it will please them, for they have an

idea that the Society can accomplish much toward settling Americans in their midst. I am compelled to regard this as one of the indications of the harvest, ripening fast.

5. The extension of settlements interiorward is not so dangerous an experiment as may be supposed, if the right kind of persons can be employed; and the Government will have but little to do in affording protection, if a friendly intercourse is maintained by those that go, in the first instance. Our Government is at this time cramped for want of means. Therefore they can do but little toward defraying the expenses of a wagon-road now, but will take hold of the thing in due time if the necessary means can be secured.

6. I need not remind you, that the means to perpetuate the work on a broad plan is at the disposal of any and all, who take hold of it in a masterly way; and the Government will no doubt undertake it in a few months. You are correct in the supposition, that the wood country and our station are beyond the jurisdiction of the Republicthey are about seventy-five or eighty miles beyond.

7. There would be difficulty in transporting a company of emigrants with luggage to our place, yet it can be done for about twenty-five or thirty dollars apiece, and perhaps less on an average. I have thought it best to begin a settlement with old citizens, and heartily adopt your sentiments as to their moral and religious character.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

THE FUTURE OF AFRICA.

1. THE friends of African colonization have every reason for substantial encouragement in the great work in which they are engaged. Erroneous impressions of the capabilities of the African race are entertained by many in this

country, arising from the fact of so many of them having long been in slavery within the bounds of this republic. The impression is strengthened by the other fact, that so great a number of the free sink into a state of degradation. It were easy to account for so deplorable a result on natural and well-known principles, without contravening the theory of African capability.

2. The wonder is, that so many promising cases have been found, in which genius and energy have developed themselves in a striking degree. We know a jet-black negro, who, by the courtesy of the professors and students of one of our medical institutions, was permitted to attend the course of lectures, and passed his examinations with an ability equal to most of his fellow-students, and superior to many. Indeed, everything about him seemed white, except his color. None could be more quiet and respectful in his manners, none graduated under the seal of a deeper approbation from the professors, who are coloniza tionists. He is now practicing with success in Liberia.

3. The effect of the principles of colonization on welldisposed minds among our native colored people is seen in various forms. Take, for example, the commercial firms in Liberia, who have studied the mercantile theory, and have applied the knowledge they acquired to the production of wealth. Some of them have succeeded to admiration. As few have failed there as in this favored country, perhaps fewer in proportion to the number engaged in business.

4. A poor colored boy, who was a common newspaper carrier in one of our cities, was smitten with an ambition to "be something," and he went to Liberia. There he became quite a scholar for a Liberian, a noted lawyer, and an orator. We have read his letters with surprise, and a printed oration of his on the life of a deceased officer of the Republic excited our admiration. The flowers of an African imagination were freely distributed through his composition; but this was natural to him. He might not