Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/380

CHAPTER XX.

Historical Sketch of Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Colony of Sierra Leone founded by the English, 1787. — Free negroes colonized. — Present extent and condition of the colony. — Establishment of English factories on the slave coast. — Treaties with the African chiefs. — Scheme of African Colonization agitated in 1783 — by Jefferson and others. — Movements in Va., in 1800 and 1805. — Formation of the American Colonization Society in 1816. — Its object "to colonize the free people of color." — Cape Mesurado purchased and colonized in 1821. — Defense of the infant settlement from an attack by the natives. — Mortality among the early settlers. — Increase of the colony in 1835. — State colonization societies establish settlements. — Consolidation of the state colonies, and establishment of the Commonwealth. — Governor Buchanan's efforts to suppress the slave-trade. — His death, 1841. — Republic of Liberia established 1847. — Joseph J. Roberts (colored) first President. — Its independence acknowledged by European powers. — The Republic attacks the slave establishments. — Natural resources of Liberia — its climate, soil, productions, exports, schools, churches, &c. — Settlements and population. — The Maryland settlement at Cape Palmas.

In connection with the subject of the slave-trade, the English and American colonies deserve notice. Sierra Leone was founded by the English, May 9th, 1787, as a colony for free negroes. At the close of the American war, several hundred were discharged from the army and navy, and were wandering about in a desolate condition. There were others who had gained their freedom under the decision of Lord Mansfield. Granville Sharp had noticed the condition of these negroes in the streets of London, and formed the plan of transporting them to Africa. He obtained the aid of government, and in the year mentioned about four hundred were landed upon a district purchased of the king of Sierra Leone. In 1792, about twelve hundred more were landed from Nova Scotia These last were those who had been seduced from their masters in the States during the revolutionary war. Some five hundred Maroons from Jamaica, were also sent to the colony a few years afterwards. In 1807, the colony was surrendered to the crown. After the employment of British cruisers on the coast to suppress the slave-trade, the vessels which were captured were taken to the colony and the slaves liberated. They were provided with a daily allowance for the first six months, after which lands were assigned them.

The colony at the present time comprises about 25,000 square miles. The soil is very fertile, growing excellent crops of rice, Indian corn, yams, plantains and cassadas. Many of the West India products have been introduced, and sugar, coffee, indigo, ginger and cotton thrive well. The principal fruits are the cocoa, banana, pine-apples, orange, lime, guava, pomegranate and plum. The annual exports, chiefly to Great Britain, amount to about $500,000. Its population, chiefly of native Africans, is being brought under the influence of religious education, and thus fitted to become an important lever in promoting the civilization of their native regions.

For a distance of twelve hundred miles along the coast from Cape Palmas