ROBERTS’ ADMINISTRATION—EFFORTS IN REFERENCE TO ENGLISH TRADERS—INTERNAL CONDITION OF LIBERIA—INSUBORDINATION—TREATIES WITH THE NATIVE KINGS—EXPEDITION TO THE INTERIOR—CAUSES LEADING TO A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
The election of Roberts, a colored man, as governor of the commonwealth of Liberia, totally separated and individualized the African race as the managers of local affairs, and made, as to internal concerns, all things their own. He attempted to root out the interlopers, with energy more patriotic than potent, and stood up strongly for the rights of his community. He purchased, negotiated, threatened; and in every way did his best to accomplish the object. It was soon seen, however, that the termination of Liberian progress as a dependent commonwealth had arrived, and that a change was indispensable.
Liberia was, after all, as to its physical means, only a few thousands of enlightened and determined men, amidst an ocean of barbarism. All the emigrants were by no means among the enlightened. Some curious practical difficulties occurred in any political co-operation with their American brethren. A gang of hard-headed fellows seemed to think that it was rather a joke, a kind of playing at government, meaning nothing serious; therefore their respect and obedience to the constituted authorities were very limited.
It should never be forgotten, that no change could be greater than that to which these men were subjected, in coming from countries where no power, authority, or public respect, could ever rest on their race, to a country where colored men might exercise dominion, enact laws and enforce them, and by their personal qualities exact and attain eminence and respect. The best possible laws are only for the best state of society, and men must grow to them; otherwise they are only like a giant’s helmet on a child’s head—more a burden than a defence.
The Liberians had no laws admitting of imprisonment for debt. There is no harm in this, where a man has to borrow before he can become a debtor. But the case is not so easily settled, when roguery is the source of debt. A man who is fined when he has nothing to pay, laughs at the judge. So it happened in Liberia, to the embarrassment of the better class of men.
Governor Roberts had to keep an eye on grog-selling and grog-drinking. From the style of his reflections, he gives fair promise of becoming a strong advocate of the “Maine law.” There was no small number of cases of idleness, obstinacy and heedlessness of the future; very natural to men whose independence of station was of very recent date, and whose independence of character was yet to come. The more credit is therefore due to the firm, industrious and upright, stationed on the threshold of this vast, dark continent, with its fury and its vice ready to burst out upon them.
The governor’s resources, never very great, were called for to regulate the intercourse between civilization and barbarism; and he found that the high moral influence of a few hundred men around him, was a tower of strength in dealing with the savage. All the kings of the northern and western districts were induced to assemble in convention in the early part of 1843, at King Bromley’s town, to settle their great disputes of long standing, and to draw up a set of rules and regulations for their future guidance. This was a great step gained: a moral victory over the furious enormities of savage life.
The kings asked the countenance and advice of the colony, acknowledging fully its jurisdiction over them. King Ballasada, however, sent his respectful compliments, with a petition that he might be allowed to cut the throat of King Gogomina, if opportunity offered; or might at least have the pleasure of shooting some of his people, because the said Gogomina had killed six of Ballasada’s “boys.” Information, however, was given by Governor Roberts to King Ballasada, that the time had passed for such summary proceedings, but that the matter of shooting the six boys should be inquired into by the governor himself. Gogomina thereupon produced the six “boys” alive, and sent them home.
Much interest now began to be manifested to learn something of the interior. It was not known whither the wide valleys of the rivers might lead, or what they might contain. It was ascertained that there were the Mandingoes and other noted people somewhere beyond the deep forests, with whom communication had been held, and with whom it might be held again. The natives on a line northeast, as far as the Niger, were entirely unknown: little was really ascertained, except that the Niger was there. They knew that there were jealous tribes interposing, who stopped all commercial intercourse that did not pass through their own bloody and avaricious hands.
The governor, relying on the reputation for power and good faith which the colony had acquired, resolved to head in person an expedition of exploration along the St. Paul’s River. Taking a small number of men with him, he proceeded up the river, visited the camwood country, about seventy miles inland, and found the forests greatly wasted, and the main source of supply at that time one hundred miles farther back. Kings were visited and relieved of their fears, although not of their wonder, that “the governor should be at that distance from home without engaging in war.” The party had left the canoe, and after a circuit round to the eastward, they reached “Captain Sam’s” town, one hundred and twenty miles east of Monrovia.
Several kings met with the president in his excursion, with whom a conversation was held, “on the subject of trade, the course and extent of the river, native wars, religion, &c.” One, “who was seated in state, on a sofa of raised earth, gave us a hearty shake of the hand, and said he was glad to see us;” adding, “this country be your country, all this people be your countryman, you be first king.” This king was informed by the president, “that he and his people must agree to abandon the slave-trade, to discontinue the use of sassywood, engage in no war except by permission of the colonial government.” On one occasion, “Ballasada, the principal war-man of the Golah tribe, made his appearance; he entered the gate of the barricade, at the head of some twenty or thirty armed warriors, with drums beating, horns blowing, dressed in a large robe, and stepping with all the majesty of a great monarch.” At Yando’s town, arrangements were made for establishing a school. At Gelby, one of the missionaries preached to a large congregation—the king with most of his people being present. The audience was attentive, and, with the king, gave “a nod of the head at almost every word uttered by the interpreter.”
At “Captain Sam’s town,” a place of great trade, they met three strangers from different tribes, anxious to have a question settled, viz.: “whether, if they carried their produce to the American settlement for sale, the colonists would beat them, take their property away, and put them in jail.” Their intermediate friends had persuaded them that such would be the case, and consequently had themselves, in the mean time, become their agents, and plundered them at discretion. They had, at that time, brought a considerable quantity of produce for sale, and some of them had been kept waiting for many months. All this was fully cleared up to their satisfaction, and great extension of trade was promised. The governor says: “I have travelled considerably in the United States, but have never seen anywhere a more beautiful country than the one passed through, well timbered and watered, and the soil, I venture to assert, equal to any in the world.”
President Roberts, at Monrovia, in 1850, stated to the writer, that in the interior, ore was found so pure as to be capable of being beaten into malleable iron, without the process of smelting.
Treaties were formed with all the kings, and sundry fractions of kings; introducing everywhere peace and facilities for commerce. It may be presumed, therefore, that now the tidings are circulating through the depths of the interior, that peace has come from the west; and that an African people has returned to bless their old dark continent with light and truth.