Africa and the American Flag

by Andrew H. Foote

From the hands of Mr. Ashmun, the government of the colony devolved upon the Rev. Lot Carey, whom necessity and the claims of humanity made a physician and a governor. Such education as he could obtain when a slave, terminated in his becoming a Baptist preacher. The colony was more indebted to him than to any other man, except Ashmun, for its memorable defence in 1822. During the few months of Dr. Carey’s administration, the affairs of the colony were prosperous. His death was caused, with that of eight others, by an explosion, while filling cartridges in the old agency-house. Mr. Waring was elected to supply the vacancy occasioned by Carey’s decease.

The society appointed Dr. Richard Randall as successor to Ashmun, who, accompanied by Dr. Mechlin, the colored surgeon, arrived in December, 1828, and assumed the supervision of the colony. Dr. Randall possessed great firmness of purpose, and benevolence of disposition, superadded to extensive scientific knowledge. He had been a surgeon in the army, and afterwards filled the chair of chemistry in Columbia College. But his death, in four months after his arrival on the coast, deprived the colonists of his invaluable services. The agency then devolved upon Dr. Mechlin.

In the following year, Dr. Anderson, appointed colonial physician and assistant agent, arrived with sixty emigrants. An emigrant vessel brought ninety recaptured slaves. She had sailed, the year previous, in charge of a captain who made a direct course for Monrovia, instead of keeping his northing until striking the northeast trades; and, after being at sea ninety days, was compelled to put back. Dr. Mechlin was induced, from ill health, to return to the United States, when the government devolved upon Dr. Anderson, who soon afterwards died, and A. D. Williams, the vice-agent, temporarily filled the vacancy. The schools, at this period, were sadly in want of competent teachers, which were partially supplied on the arrival of five Christian missionaries from Switzerland. The arrival of two more emigrant vessels and two missionaries from the United States, had a favorable influence on the colony.

The Liberia Herald, established the year previous, announced eighteen arrivals and the sailing of fourteen vessels in one month. In December, it says: “The beach is lined with Liberians of all ages, from twelve to fifty years, eager in the pursuit of traffic, and in the acquisition of camwood; and it is astonishing what little time is necessary to qualify, even the youngest, to drive as hard a bargain as any roving merchant from the land of steady habits, with his assortment of tin-ware, nutmegs, books, or dry-goods. Here the simile ends; for it is to be wished that our Liberians would follow their prototype in the mother country throughout, and be as careful in keeping as acquiring. The Liberian is certainly a great man; and, what is more, by the natives he is considered a white man, though many degrees from that stand; for to be thought acquainted with the white man’s fashions, and to be treated as one, are considered as marks of great distinction among the Bassa and other nations.” The amount of exports had reached the sum of eighty-nine thousand dollars.

Piracy still continued rife. There was no American squadron then on the coast. The schooner Mesurado was captured off Cape Mount, and all hands put to death. But while the native commerce was thus exposed and almost destroyed, the colony was extending its limits. The petty kings offered to come under its jurisdiction, on condition that settlers should be placed upon their lands, and schools established for the benefit of the native children.

The arrivals of emigrants became more frequent: six hundred being added to the colony during one year. These suffered comparatively little in the acclimating process.

In the year 1832, the colonists were again called to take the field against the Deys and a combination of other tribes. Several slaves had escaped, and sought protection in the colony; upon which the settlements at Caldwell and Mills were threatened with destruction. A brisk action, of half an hour, resulted in favor of the Liberians. This victory made an impression on the minds of the natives favorable to the future peace of the settlers. The chiefs who had been conquered appeared in Monrovia, and signed a treaty of peace, guaranteeing that traders from the interior should be allowed a free passage through their territories. The agent received a significant message from his old friend, King Boatswain, stating, that had he known of the hostility of the chiefs, it would have been unnecessary for the colonists to have marched against them.

Captain Voorhees, of the U. S. sloop-of-war John Adams, on his homeward-bound passage from the Mediterranean, in a letter to the Secretary of the Navy, reported favorably of the condition in which he found the colony.

In January, 1834, the Rev. J. B. Pinney, as colonial agent, and Dr. G. P. Todsen, as physician, with nine missionaries, arrived at Monrovia, and were formally received by the civil and military officers, and uniform companies. Mr. Pinney, in entering upon the duties of his office, found many abuses, which he promptly corrected. He resurveyed the lands; repaired the public buildings; satisfied the public creditors; and extinguished the jealousy between two tribes of recaptured Africans, by allowing each to elect its own officers. After a short and efficient administration, he was compelled, from ill health, to retire, when the agency devolved on Dr. Skinner.

The Liberia Herald, in 1835, was edited by Hilary Teage, a colored man, who was one of the small party first settled at Cape Mesurado. Mr. Teage filled various public offices of trust and emolument. He made an argument before the General Assembly in a divorce case, in 1851 (when the Perry was at Monrovia), for beauty of diction and sound logic seldom surpassed. The August number of the Herald states: “On the 9th instant, the brig Louisa arrived from Norfolk, Virginia, with forty-six emigrants, thirty-eight of whom are recaptured Africans, principally, we believe, from the Nunez and Pargos. 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.”