The Looking-Glass (Peterson)/Chapter 5
CHAPTER V
The Author goes on shore. Kind reception. Visits the President, Judge, and other distinguished persons. Beauty of the country. Description of the town, the soil, and the inhabitants. Good opportunities in Liberia for emigrants. Mechanics, farmers and schoolmasters wanted in Liberia. Those who lay the foundations of this great nation should be moral, industrious, economical, and religious persons. With the aid of friends in the United States, the cause of colored emigration to Liberia cannot fail to prosper.
During the morning we went on shore at the port, and were received with much joy, and in a very friendly manner, by all the people. I called upon his excellency the President, both at his office and at his dwelling. I found him very competent and much of a gentleman. He has a good library. I was offered a home at many respectable houses, but I preferred a more private residence, as I had much writing to do. I put up at the house of Rev. Henry Teague, an aid to the President. He has a very fine family. I called upon the Judge and Dr. Roberts; also upon Mr. James Magill, and a number of merchants and others.
The President's lady is a very fine looking woman, and so is Mrs. Dr. Roberts. There is no better society to be found in any part of the world. I am very much pleased with it, and with the appearance of things here. The President and his lady are strict members of the Church.
The whole view from this spot is beautiful; and upon summing up, and taking into consideration the country, sea-board, rivers, mountains, vales and plains, I must say that I never saw a more attractive place. Monrovia is perfectly healthy, and contains, at this time, three large stone Churches, an Academy, and High School, and all other conveniences required by a large town. There are four ministers.
The people all look well, and have fine cattle, pigs, and goats. In fact, this place looks more like the Garden of Eden, than any place that I have ever seen or read about.
There are a number of vessels in the harbor, American, English and Spanish, both war vessels and merchantmen, with captains and officers of all kinds. I am now writing in a very pleasant room with six windows, airy, cool, and well carpeted, with a handsome mirror, and other furniture of the best description. The people are all very kind ar.d respectable.
The port is on elevated ground, commanding a full view of the sea, the three rivers, Montserrado, Junk, and St. Paul's.
I am very sorry to say that many false things have been said about this place, and the people who inhabit it: and even in the colored Churches of the United States, currency has been given to slanderous falsehoods of the most glaring description. Thus they talk of things about which they know nothing, instead of preaching the pure Gospel of Christ. I can assure the reader, that the people in Liberia look as respectable as the best of the colored people in the United States, while they enjoy five times as much liberty, as ladies and gentlemen in the possession of all the comforts of life, and this in a nation of their own.
The Legislative body is now in session. Respectable citizens from every county are doing the business of Government; and it is delightful to behold. Ladies and gentlemen from the United States men-of-war came to see those colored men making laws for their young republic, and it is truly wonderful to see how well they get on.
There are several wealthy merchants here. Messrs. Payne and Yeats, J. B. and Uriah Magill, D. B. Warren, and Mr. A. Johns, J. M. Roberts, and Mr. Roy.
If a number of our enterprising citizens of the United States were to turn their attention to this country for a few years, with their modern arts and sciences, and means, they would make a fortune in a few years from minerals and the natural productions of the earth. Not only that, but they would, also, so improve the country that it would be the beauty and desire of the whole world. We want silversmiths and mechanics of all kinds. They would find a great deal to do here. The people of the Eastern and Western States are known to be a peaceful and thriving people, of great enterprise and intelligence. Those are the people that we want here to light up this great quarter of the world with religion, the arts and sciences. Agriculture would also thrive well here, and is much needed. The water, both in the wells and springs, is good. It is very pure and sweet. I find the weather no warmer here than in the United States during the summer.
Money seems to be plenty, but provisions are scarce. We want more men. on the land, so that the earth may bring forth of its abundance.
Judge Benedick, who is a very worthy man, is quite wealthy, and has a beautiful coffee plantation, with numerous flocks and herds. There is here room for plenty of blacksmiths, shoemakers, tailors, carpenters, cabinet-makers and bakers, who could make a noble living in this country. A butcher would do well, as he could get his cattle of the natives extremely low, and supply the shipping. That business would pay well.
A man came out from Indiana, in the last ship, to get land for the free colored people of that State. He is a minister, Rev. Mr. McKay. He preached on Sabbath morning, Christmas day. A great many are coming out at this time, and the most of them are well pleased with the country. The most of those who came out some three or four years since have become wealthy Among these is Rev. Dr. John Moore, from Baltimore, a worthy man, who is not only useful in the Church, but also as a physician. He has two stores, and is also a farmer. A man named Murray, who came here a short time since with $16, is now worth $1,600. He trades with the natives.
Two men went from Charleston, S. C, with the intention of going to Liberia, but the people of the Northern States advised them not to go. That was a great error. If Mr. Payne and Mr. Catto had gone forth according to their covenant, they would have been doubly useful in the Church, and would, by this time, have been men of wealth and eminence. But they are just as they were, and no better, like many others who would rather remain half free and half slave, in a country that they cannot travel without being stopped and examined as though they were thieves and robbers.
I have visited Liberia without fee or reward, or any salary, or any promise of remuneration, trusting only in the promises of my blessed Lord, for the benefit of my beloved and afflicted brethren, and the promotion of the Gospel. I thank the Lord that I was obedient unto the heavenly calling, for it is of great value to me, and a blessing to my fellow-men. I have seen the wonderful works of the Lord both by land and sea, and I can say of a truth unto all mankind, serve the Lord, and it will go well with you forever. If half the time and money that has been spent to oppose this noble enterprise, had been expended to favor and to aid it, one half of Africa might have been civilized by this time, the Gospel preached in the midst thereof, and missions and Sabbath-schools dotting its hills and valleys. The great amount of time spent in contention on the floor of Congress and elsewhere, in relation to this subject, is a clear loss. There is no other way than this by which the colored people can obtain their deliverance and return to their own land—no other way by which they can arrive at self-government.
Since I have visited Africa, I can say of a truth that that noble institution is the most important and beneficial philanthropic movement in the United States of America. It has done, and is still doing, more for the benefit of the colored people than anything else which has been attempted for that object.
It does not appear to me to be anything like wisdom for men to condemn matters they know nothing about. Let them first see and examine, and they may then be able to judge in part; but the judgment of ignorant men is worse than nothing. But it is too late now to oppose this good and noble work. It is going forward. I believe that the Lord is in it, and it will go on, and I trust that the blessed Son will prosper it in all cases. Monrovia stands upon a hill—upon rocks, and a vast bed of iron ore.
There is another thing which would be of great benefit to this settlement. Let men of science, both white and colored, go out to Liberia to instruct the youths of both sexes—to make them acquainted with all useful knowledge, which has been denied to us in by-gone days, by reason of prejudice and slavery. But, thanks be to the Lord, these evils exist not in this country.
We want no drunkards in our land, nor fiddlers, nor dancers, nor gamblers, nor idlers of any kind. But we want good men and good women; upright, honest, sober, industrious, moral and religious persons, economical in their habits and setting good examples to those who come after. These are the kind of people that we want for laying the foundation of a great nation, like unto that which is now about to be laid in Western Africa. By the blessing of the Lord, and the aid of our good friends in the United States of America, we bid fair to become one of the greatest nations upon the earth.
I say that we want farmers, which are the bone and sinew of a country, and mark out the only path which leads to prosperity, wealth and plenty. The earth is pregnant with all kinds of mineral and vegetable productions. All we need is the ways and means, and proper instruction, to enable us to come at them. We are looking to our good friends in America to aid and assist us in all those important enterprises. If they aid us, we shall do well.