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Government, Civil and Military—Society.
Of Professional Men, they have a few lawyers of very respectable attainments and standing; several well educated physicians, who obtained their diplomas from colleges in this country, and almost any number of preachers—some well educated, but the greater part without pretensions to more than a common school education.
Among the mechanics, are house and ship carpenters, boat builders, blacksmiths, masons, plasterers, coopers, shoemakers, tanners and brick-makers.
Churches and Schools.—In Liberia may be found churches of the most prevalent Protestant denominations in the United States, viz: Episcopal Methodist, Baptist, Protestant Episcopal and Presbyterian, in number and influence, nearly in the order named, and most of them have large missionary establishments, supported by societies in this country. They have in operation, both common and high schools for children of the colonists. I can say with confidence, that in no part of the world are greater facilities offered for obtaining rudimental education than in Liberia, and all too, free and gratuitous. There are also many Charitable Institutions in Liberia worthy of note and instrumental in doing much good, especially in Monrovia.
Government.—As before stated, the Government of Liberia is republican, or more nearly democratic, copied mainly after that of the United States and the free States of the North. No white person, or not of African descent, can become a citizen. Every colored male emigrant of twenty-one years of age, soon after arrival, is entitled to the privilege of citizenship, and eligible to office. Most of the officers are elective. The President holds the office for two years and is eligible for re-election. Slavery, or any form of involuntary servitude, except for crime, is entirely prohibited under the severest penalties.
The Military Organization is also the same as in this country. The State depends entirely on the militia for defence. More attention is paid to drilling and parade than with us. The Liberians take a special pride in maintaining thorough order and discipline, and many—not only officers, but men—have signally distinguished themselves in various actions with the natives.
Society in Liberia is subject to the same laws which govern elsewhere in civilized lands—wealth, intelligence and morality, one or all, are essentially requisite for admission to what is called the best society, and the best society in Liberia, so far as I can judge, in general deportment and manners will compare well with the best society in any other place of the same number of inhabitants, the same wealth and intelligence, and better than in most, without derogating from any other, for, if there is any one point in which your race excels, it is in ease of manner, genteel deportment and natural politeness, travestied and ridiculed as it often is, in garbled and broken English by the 6lang writers of the day. I have, more than once, been in mixed parties in Liberia, where white ladies and gentlemen, officers of the English and American navies, masters of merchant vessels and others, were present, and have never had occasion to blush
