XVIII

“REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA”

That we desire the civilization and enlightenment of Africa—­the high and elevated position of Liberia among the nations of the earth, may not be doubted, as the writer was among the first, seven or eight years ago, to make the suggestion and call upon the Liberians to hold up their heads like men; take courage, having confidence in their own capacity to govern themselves, and come out from their disparaging position, by formally declaring their Independence.

As our desire is to impart information, and enlighten the minds of our readers on the various subjects herein contained, we present below a large extract from the “First Annual Report of the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia.”  This Extract will make a convenient statistic reference for matters concerning Liberia.  We could only wish that many of our readers possessed more historical and geographical information of the world, and there could be little fears of their going anywhere that might be incongenial and unfavorable to their success.  We certainly do intend to deal fairly with Liberia, and give the reader every information that may tend to enlighten them.  What the colored people most need, is intelligence; give them this, and there is no danger of them being duped into anything they do not desire.  This Board was incorporated by the Legislature of Massachusetts, March 19th, 1850—­Ensign H. Kellogg, Speaker of the House, Marshall P. Wilder, President of the Senate.  Trustees of the Board—­Hon. George N. Briggs, LL.D., Hon. Simon Greenleaf, LL.D., Hon. Stephen Fairbanks, Hon. William J. Hubbard, Hon. Joel Giles, Hon. Albert Fearing, Amos A. Lawrence, Esq.  Officers of the Board—­Hon. G.N.  Briggs, President; Hon. S. Fairbanks, Treasurer; Rev. J. Tracy, Secretary.  The conclusion of the Report says:—­“In view of such considerations, the Trustees cannot doubt the patrons of learning will sustain them in their attempt to plant the FIRST COLLEGE on the only continent which yet remains without one.”  In this, the learned Trustees have fallen into a statistical and geographical error, which we design to correct.  The continent is not without a College.  There are now in Egypt, erected under the patronage of that singularly wonderful man, Mehemet Ahi, four colleges conducted on the European principle—­Scientific, Medical, Legal, and Military.[4] These are in successful operation; the Military College having an average of eleven hundred students annually.  The continent of Africa then, is not without a college, but though benighted enough, even to an apparent hopeless degeneration, she is still the seat of learning, and must some day rise, in the majesty of ancient grandeur, and vindicate the rights and claims of her own children, against the incalculable wrongs perpetrated through the period of sixty ages by professedly enlightened Christians, against them.