James Hall

“ At the outset, I will affirm, that the result of my long intercourse with the race to which you belong, the native African, the slave, and the free, in this and other lands, is a firm conviction, that, as a race—or a variety of the human species—you are capable of attaining the full stature of Manhood: not equalling some other varieties in intellectual power and ability, but surpassing others, and inferior to none in moral endowments and the capabilities for the rational enjoyment of human life. ”

“ To a certain extent, and in a certain sense, as individuals, you may have this right, but collectively—not. As a body of people, under the like circumstances, your cause is one, and each one is bound to act for the good of all. Each head of a family is bound to act for the good of that family, and the parent, who permits his children to grow up under influences that tend to destroy every thing noble and great in them, has much to answer for, more than he can answer satisfactorily, even to himself, if he will but reflect. ”

“ The West Indies offer you a more desirable home than can be found this side the Atlantic; but in all, save Haiti, the Government is colonial, and the white man the land holder and superior in power. The Haitian Government is an absolute Monarchy, a Military Despotism; the French language only is spoken; the people debased and licentious, with whom you could and ought not to assimilate. ”

“ Just suppose, for a moment, that the remaining here affected the body instead of the mind and spirit; that it became dwarfed and stooping; that the limbs crooked, the senses paralized, and the whole skin foul and scaly—who would hesitate, for a moment, to leave a climate so detestable. Yet the effect on the mind is analogous. Your children are told that they can never arrive at any honorable distinction; that they can never perform any of the functions of government; that all the avenues of the higher walks of life, and even the mechanic arts, are shut to them ”

“ Now, what greater absurdity could be imagined than for a black man to present himself at the polls. You all must know that the Legislation of the State, in regard to the "free people of color," is becoming more and more stringent, that every session of the Legislature adds one or more chapters to the statute book, curtailing, in some degree, your shadowy rights and privileges. ”

“ Africa is your fatherland, in which, through aid of a munificent philanthropy, your brethren from this and other states have founded the free and independent Government of Liberia—the merit of which, as a home for yourselves and your children, for all coming time, I propose now to examine. ”

“ But the society of Liberia admits of the same variety as elsewhere. You will there find people of all classes and grades, from the President in his chair of State, to the drunken vagabond in the street, or the felon within the walls of a jail. If you emigrate, it will rest mainly with yourselves as to what class you will be associated with. There, the highest position, either political or social, is not beyond your reach. Your destiny will be, in a great degree, in your own hands. You cannot there say you are oppressed and borne down by law or by a dominant race. ”

“ General Condition of the People and Social Life in Liberia. It must be well known to you that the majority of those who emigrate are poor and ignorant. Many manumitted slaves, consisting of whole families, of both sexes and all ages, from the decrepid grandsire to the infant at the breast. Therefore, it is to be expected that a large proportion of the citizens of Liberia are poor people, many destitute, and dependent to a greater or less degree upon charity, either an extension of aid from the Colonization Society or upon the Liberians themselves, individually or associated. ”

“ In enumerating the advantages of emigrating to Liberia, and a residence in the tropics, I have endeavored to state every point clearly, and put you in possession of all important facts, with one only exception viz:—the African fever, of which I will now speak. Every person, not born in Africa, is subject to an attack of a peculiar disease on going there, called the African coast fever, or acclimating fever. It varies in severity in different individuals, depending upon peculiarity of physical constitution, upon habits of life, previously, and after arrival in Africa. ”

“ In a legal point of view, you are disfranchised, you cannot hold any office of trust or profit in the government. You have not the right of trial by a jury of your peers—your jurors are of your masters. ”

“ You are declared not citizens of the United States, or of any State, by a decision of the highest tribunal in the land. You are not allowed to take part in any election or vote for any office. You are not permitted to bear arms in defence of the country in which you live, or for personal protection. You are taxed for the support of a Government in which you can take no part, and of schools, from which your own children can receive no benefit—and lastly, you are subject to a special legislation, from time to time, further circumscribing your personal liberties in various ways. ”

“ In all this world, but one spot offers, what you would desire. No where else, but in Liberia, does the man of color live under a free Government of his own organization and administration. Go where else you will, and um but partially relieve yourself from the disabilities under which you now labor. In the free States of the North, you meet a stronger prejudice against your color then here, and in many places with a legislation depriving you of many kinds of labor, at present open to you. ”

“ Taking the emigrants as they land let us see what becomes of them, as a general rule. First, orphan children; as said before, they are provided for by the Agent of the Society for six months; they are then bound out, as apprentices to trades, or with farmers, till they become of age. They are oftentimes adopted into families soon after their arrival. The next class—single men and women, without, family connexions—these generally seek a home among the people or hire, in various employments. Sometimes the men fill their land, build and make ready for a family. ”

“ The country people generally spend their time at home, working on their own land, grubbing, planting or fretting out timber for their own use or market. The men do the out-door work, except digging and pulling vegetables, raising poultry and the like. They generally visit the towns or villages on Saturdays, which is a kind of market day, to make purchases, sell produce, &c. In the towns the greater part of the mercantile business is done in the forenoon, and I may say mechanical business also, for I am forced to confess to the indolence of the Liberian mechanic. ”

“ They have open and unrestrained commerce with many civilized nations, and through their hands pass the great native productions of the interior before referred to, as ivory, camwood and palm oil. All this is done and being done by men of color—every one of whom, once occupied, the same position in this country that you now do—almost every one now there, and many others who have "fought the good fight, and finished their course," have been recipients of the bounty of the Colonization Society, and gone out in its vessels, and been for a time supported and cared for by its Assents. ”

“ Productions, Grains, Vegetables and Fruits.—As you are only acquainted with the productions of this climate, or the Temperate region of the earth, I cannot well give you a correct idea of the productions of the Tropics, as some of their principal articles of diet are unknown to you. It is enough, perhaps, to say, that they far surpass those to which you are accustomed, in richness and variety There are some, however, with which you are acquainted. Rice, a kind decidedly richer and sweeter than that from the Southern States, may be said to form the main article of food to the native African. ”

“ Of the Geography or Locality and Climate of Liberia.—The earth is divided into three parts, each having a peculiar climate, which, for our present purpose, I will designate as the cold, the temperate and the tropical. In the cold regions, winter prevails almost the entire year; there is little grass, no grains, few vegetables and no wood or forests. The people live principally on meat and fish, of which they have but little variety. They are generally very ignorant and barbarous, and few in number. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Vessels of war of all maritime nations visit its ports, as also those of trade or commerce, and Liberia has a seat among the nations of the earth. She has all the institutions requisite for the growth and prosperity of a State, which you see around you in this country. They have common schools and higher seminaries of learning, churches of various denominations—a well organized militia for defence, and most of the mechanic arts are pursued, not excepting printing. ”

“ Sometimes months elapse before an effort is made to do any tiling for themselves or their families, and oftentimes they never make an effort, but return in some vessel to this country, filling the land with reports of pestilence, starvation, Government oppression, slave trade, big snakes, monkey soup, and the like marvels. Others of this class, who cannot get back, after a while begin to come to, and cast about for some means of livelihood and often become good citizens. ”

“ The noble men who first projected the plan of providing a home for the free people of color of these United States, where they could exercise the functions and privileges so dear to all men, after much deliberation, wisely fixed upon the West Coast of Africa, where but a few generations back, your forefathers were born ”

“ The general course with emigrants is this. On leaving home, getting on ship-board, and on the early part of their passage out, they suffer extreme depression from the combined influence of home-sickness and sea-sickness. As they get into the latitude of the Tropics, and feel the delightful influence of its balmy air, they become more cheerful. The sight of land excites them still more, and on landing they are delighted and charmed with their new home. ”

“ In the Tropics, necessity only requires that the dwellings should shelter from sun and rain; few garments and of the lightest materials are required, and there is scarce a month in the year, but food can be gathered from the earth It is alledged, and undoubtedly true, that the delightful temperature of the Tropics, and the almost spontaneous bountiful supply of food from the earth, found in them, has tended much to deteriorate the races of men inhabiting this region of the globe—hence, the enslavement of your forefathers, and your present condition in this land. ”

“ The more you advance in intelligence, the more you elevate yourselves, the nearer you assume an erect, independent position, the more obnoxious you become to the dominant race. Hence, your exclusion from many employments in the free cities of the North, and hence, the Legislation in various Northern States preventing your immigration.
As you can never be citizens, you must be considered aliens, although born on the soil, and the Legislature of the State consider your residence in it prejudicial to its interest ”

“ And if so, what and where is the remedy, for I cannot believe you so lost to all sense of independence, manhood and self respect, that you are content to live and die in such a state of absolute inferiority. Is there hope of improvement in the future? To judge the future by the past—none. ”

“ In the Tropics are found fewer domestic animals and grains than in the Temperate regions, but vegetables and fruits in much greater abundance and variety, and of superior qualities; also, the great luxuries of mankind, sugar, coffee, spices, gums, &c. The Tropics are the most extensive regions of the earth, and in natural productions, animals, vegetables and minerals, richer than all the others. In Temperate regions, near one-half of man's life is spent in providing against the rigors of the seasons, warm houses, warm clothing and food for the winter. ”

“ All of the above are mainly raised by the American colonists. But the great export staple of Liberia is palm oil, made by the natives of the country. This is a most valuable article of commerce, and is yearly growing in greater demand. It is not unreasonable to calculate that it will scarcely be second to any other in the world, in time—nor is it too much, to aver, that the amount exported from Liberia alone, will, in a few years exceed in value the entire tobacco crop of Maryland. ”

“ The country around it has a population of some hundred thousands of natives, who generally live on terms of friendship and good will with the American settlers, and are ready for annexation and submission to the Government; so that Liberia may be considered large enough to contain the entire free colored population of the United States, in addition to its present inhabitants. ”

“ The water of all is sweet and good; no one ever suffers, even inconvenience, for want of good water in Liberia.
Soil—The quantity of timber generally indicates the richness and strength of the soil, and one only need to look at the immense forests, where trees from five to ten feet in diameter are common, and those of twenty feet are to be found, to know that, they can only spring from deep, rich soil. But, were the soil less rich, it could not fail to be productive where the climate is so mild and uniform. ”