Stephen Allen Benson

“ Having attempted in this address a brief review of Liberia, past, and a view of her present condition, and what I firmly believe her future prospects and objects are; as I also have alluded to the course of policy I believe best adapted to the consummation of our cherished desires, the object for which this government was instituted. I now beg in closing this address to say, that the government of Liberia is one in which every citizen should feel particularly interested; there are reasons for this perhaps which do not exist so strongly with citizens of most other governments. ”

“ If we impartially look at the aborigines of this land, and carefully study their organizations, and method of government, we cannot avoid discovering incontrovertible proof of their possessing the elements of a great nation. We are ofttimes constrained to admire the facility with which most of the chiefs rule their subjects, and the cheerful, and ofttimes dignified obedience and respect, rendered by subjects to their chiefs and the laws ”

“ The history of Liberia, from its incipiency to the present, is almost synonymous with the narration of a train of miracles; almost every incident and feature of it are significantly fraught with interest. I have ofttimes wondered how those good, and great, and wise men, who first projected the scheme of African colonization, could have possibly believed under the circumstances in the feasibility of their plans ”

“ They respond affirmatively, louder than words can possibly express it, that she has had under the administration of my illustrious predecessor, a hopeful and healthy growth commensurate with her eight years existence; so that the most incredulous as to the capacity of our race to aspire, and for self government, have had to confess with reference to this christian republic, that indeed, a luminary of hope and promise to Africa's sons has arisen in this distant land of darkness ”

“ Very few persons (if any) who are acquainted with the history of Liberia, will deny, that Divine Providence has from her incipiency up to and during the incumbency of my predecessor, graciously provided a man suited to the times, on every occasion for the administration of government. ”

“ But we find ourselves this day organized into a republican form of government, of eight years existence, blessed with civil and religious liberty, and possessed of the confidence and respect of nearly all the great civilized nations of the earth ”

“ But by the exercise of a becoming discretion, and a strict adherence to that policy which is based upon virtue, there need be no fear of Liberia's onward course being effectually checked; future difficulties and trials if met in the proper spirit, will cause our national character to appear to more advantage abroad, will conduce to increased respect of, and confidence in us, and to a greater permanency of our institutions at home. ”

“ I have ofttimes wondered from whence sprang the silly aspersion, “of the incapacity of the colored race for self government.” I have frequently taxed my mind for a discovery of the instances upon which the stigma is based: with the exception of our own, Hayti I believe is the only professed colored civilized and independent government. It is true that, that unfortunate country has been repeatedly convulsed by revolutions and dethronements, but these were neither restricted nor peculiar to her history ”

“ We should I think award to many of them the virtues of benevolence, and purity of motives, and should confidently look forward to the period which is fast approaching, and will most certainly reach us, when prejudice and opposition to such a laudible enterprise will cease, and when the great, and good, and wise of every land in christendom, will harmoniously vie with each other in the furtherance of this great benevolent enterprise. ”

“ In fact, the great improbability of success attending such an enterprise under such circumstances, according to human reasoning, will perhaps account for the versatility of sentiment and action of some of Liberia's early and for a while devoted patrons; good, honest and devoted men no doubt they were, but their faith faltered ”

“ The south American states almost without exception have been equally prolific in civil wars and revolutions, in fact we can even trace them into highly civilized Europe, and as not unfrequently occurring among some of the most refined nations of that enlightened continent ”