inclosure, having outside cleared patches here and there, intermingled with clumps of brush.

"The assailants were received with a sharp fire from swivels and muskets, which was warmly returned. Buchanan ordered Roberts (afterwards president) to lead a reserved company round from the left, so as to take in reverse the face attacked. This so confounded Gaytumba's garrison that they retreated, leaving everything behind. The hungry colonists became their successors at the simmering cooking-pots. So rapid had the onslaught been, that the second division did not reach in time to take a hand in it. The operation was thus completely successful, with the ultimate loss of only two men.

"The place was burnt, and a lesson given which established beyond all future challenge the power of civilization on that coast. The banks of the St. Paul's river, with its graceful meanderings, palm-covered islands, and glorious basin spreading round into the eastward expanse of the interior, were secured for the habitations of peace and prosperity."

The commonwealth flourished under the administration of Buchanan. Every district was supplied with a free school, and lyceums were established. Almshouses were erected, with manual labor schools attached. Rules were established for the treatment of apprentices, or recaptured Africans who were not able to take care of themselves.

We are compelled to add the name of Buchanan to the catalogue of victims to the African fever. He died September 3, 1841.

Joseph J. Roberts, a colored man, was his successor as governor of the commonwealth. The early part of his administration was signalized by an expedition far into the interior, for the purpose of making treaties and establishing commercial intercourse. Taking a small number of men with him, he proceeded up the St. Paul's river, visited the Camwood country, about seventy miles inland, and found the forests greatly wasted, and the main source of supply, at that time, about one hundred miles farther back. Kings were visited and relieved of their fears, although not of their wonder, that the "governor should be at that distance from home without engaging in war." The party had left the canoe, and after a circuit round to the eastward, they reached "Captain Sam's" town, one hundred and twenty miles east of Monrovia.

Several kings met with the president in his excursion, with whom a conversation was held, "on the subject of trade, the course and extent of the river, native wars, religion, &c." One, "who was seated in state, on a sofa of raised earth, gave us a hearty shake of the hand, and said he was glad to see us;" adding, "this country be your country, all this people be your countryman, you be first king." This king was informed by the president, "that he and his people must agree to abandon the slave-trade, to discontinue the use of sassywood, engage in no war except by permission of the colonial government.' On one occasion, "Ballasada, the principal war-man of the Golah tribe, made his appearance; he entered the gate of the barricade, at the head of some twenty or thirty armed warriors, with drums beating, horns blowing, dressed in a large robe, and stepping with all the majesty of a great monarch." At

Yando's town, arrangements were made for establishing a school. At Gelby, one of the missionaries preached to a large congregation-the king with most of his people being present. The audience was attentive, and, with the king, gave "a nod of the head at almost every word uttered by the interpreter."

At "Captain Sam's town," a place of great trade, they met three strangers from different tribes, anxious to have a question settled, viz: "whether, if they carried their produce to the American settlement for sale, the colonists would beat them, take their property away, and put them in jail." Their intermediate friends had persuaded them that such would be the case, and consequently had themselves, in the meantime, become their agents, and plundered them at discretion. They had, at that time, brought a considerable quantity of produce for sale, and some of them had been kept waiting for many months. All this was fully cleared up to their satisfaction, and great extension of trade was promised. The governor says: "I have traveled considerably in the United States, but have never seen anywhere a more beautiful country than the one passed through, well timbered and watered, and the soil, I venture to assert, equal to any in the world."

In order to obtain exclusive and complete jurisdiction over the territory of Liberia, it was a necessary measure to establish a national independence. The leading men saw the necessity of making the experiment. A constitution was framed, borrowed from that of the United States, and a declaration of independence was drawn up and proclaimed. On the 24th day of August, 1847, the flag of the Republic of Liberia was displayed, and Joseph J. Roberts was elected first president of the republic. England, France, Belgium, Prussia, and Brazil acknowledged its independence. England presented the republic with a man-of-war schooner, with armament and stores complete, and France presented it with a large quantity of arms. Treaties of amity and commerce were formed with both nations.

On the 22d of February, 1849, the French flag steam frigate Penelope, accompanied by another cruiser, arrived at Monrovia. On the following day, the commander, with the officers and two hundred men, landed for the purpose of saluting the flag of the republic. They were received by three uniform companies of Monrovia, in front of Colonel Yates's residence, where three field-pieces had been placed. The procession was then formed and moved up Broad street to the president's house, where the flag-staff, bearing the Liberian colors, was standing. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired from the field-pieces, which was repeated by the French cruisers, and returned by the Liberian guns. Refreshments were provided for the men, and the officers dined with the president.

In March, 1849, several English and French cruisers placed themselves at the disposal of President Roberts for an expedition against the slave establishments at New Sestos. Roberts embarked 400 men in the cruisers, and accompanied by the U. S. sloop-of-war Yorktown, proceeded to the scene of action. Some of the native chiefs had been induced to defend the slavers, but a shell from the French steamer bursting over their heads, the natives made

tracks for the jungle. Roberts marched his men upon the barracoons. The defense was abandoned and the buildings fired. The slaves were liberated and New Sestos annexed.

In the north, along the Gallinas river, the slave-trade lingered. President Roberts, by the aid of Mr. Gurney, Lord Ashley, and benevolent individuals. in the United States and England, purchased the territory for nine thousand dollars. By the annexation of this territory, and in May, 1852, of the Cassa territory, Liberia virtually extends its dominion over six hundred miles of sea coast, exterminating the slave-trade from near Cape Palmas to Sierra Leone.

Liberia is well watered, and its natural resources are immense. Cotton is indigenous, and yields two crops a year. Coffee thrives well; a single tree at Monrovia yielding thirty pounds at one gathering. Sugar-cane grows in unrivaled luxuriance, and cam-wood in unlimited quantities; red-wood, bar-wood, and other dyes, are likewise plentiful; the oil-palm is abundant; and indigo, caoutchouc, ginger, arrow-root, cocoa, cocoa-nuts, pine-apples, castor-nuts, yams, plantains, bananas, figs, olives, tamarinds, limes, oranges, lemons, &c., may be added to the list of vegetable products, many of which are exported to a greater or less extent. Ivory is easily obtainable; and rich metallic veins also exist. An important export and import trade is now carried on; and a large number of the inhabitants of the interior depend upon Liberia for their supplies of imported goods.

The exports amount to about eight hundred thousand dollars per annum, and are on the increase. The soil is capable of sustaining an immense population, but the want of agricultural industry has been felt. As the country becomes settled, and the character of its diseases better understood, the acclimating fever is less dreaded, and now rarely proves fatal. This having been. passed through, the colored emigrants enjoy far better health than they did in most parts of the United States. The statistics of President Roberts exhibit about three per cent. less number of deaths than among the same class of people in Canada and New England. The thermometer ranges from 70° to 85°;

seldom higher or lower.

A thirst for education has been awakened among the surrounding aborigines of Liberia, many of whom send their children 400 and 500 miles, to be educated in the republic. The Liberians have built for themselves above thirty thurches of brick and stone; and possess numerous schools, and a considerable umber of printing-presses. More than 20,000 natives have requested to be taken under the protection of the state, while not less than 100,000 live on its territory, and 350,000 are bound to it by treaties to abolish the slave-trade. At different times, ten buildings, erected by slave-traders for the storage of slaves, have been burned down by the Liberians, and hundreds of their fellowcreatures, therein confined, liberated; and they at all times afford refuge to the weak and the oppressed. Monrovia, the capital and port of the colony, is situated on Cape Mesurado. There are, besides, above twenty towns and villages in the territory. The government of the country is precisely on the American model; consisting of a president, a vice-president, a senate, and a

house of representatives; the number of members in the former being six, and in the latter twenty-eight. A company has recently been organized in the United States for establishing steam communication between Liberia and this country. Population in 1850, 250,000.*

The yearly income of the American Colonization Society, it appears, has only ranged from $3,000 to $50,000. The annual average of the first six years was $3,276. A liberal bequest of $25,000 per annum for forty years was made to the society by Mr. M'Donough, of New Orleans. From a table published in the Colonization Herald for April, 1857, it appears that since the first settlement of the colony, 9,502 emigrants have been sent out. Of these, 3,676 were born free; 226 purchased their own liberty; and the remaining 5,500 were emancipated for emigration. Of the whole number, 3,315 have gone from Virginia.

The Maryland Colonization Society established its colony at Cape Palmas in 1834. A tract extending about twenty miles along the sea coast, and as many inland, was purchased of the natives by Dr. James Hall, the agent of the society. Fifty-three emigrants commenced the settlement, but vessels continued to arrive with more settlers An additional tract was procured in 1836, and in succeeding years new settlers arrived. The state had voted $20,000 per annum for twenty years. In 1837, Mr. Russworm, a colored man, was appointed governor of the colony, and fulfilled the high expectations formed of him. Six chiefs ceded to him their territories, which became incorporated in the colony. Every treaty contained an absolute prohibition of the slave-trade. A line of packets was established in 1846, to carry out emigrants and bring home produce. It is now contemplated to erect the colony into an independent state.

From an address put forth by the colonists of Liberia to the free people of color of the United States, we make a few extracts:

"The first consideration which caused our voluntary removal to this country, and the object which we still regard with the deepest concern, is liberty-liberty in the sober, simple, but complete sense of the word; not a licentious liberty, nor a liberty without government, or which should place us without the restraint of salutary laws; but that liberty of speech and conscience which distinguishes the free enfranchised citizens of a free state. We did not enjoy that freedom in our native country; and from causes which, as respects ourselves, we shall soon forget forever, we were certain it was not there attainable for ourselves or our children. This, then, being the first object of our pursuit in coming to Africa, is probably the first subject on which you will ask for information; and we must truly declare to you that our expectations and hopes, in this respect, have been realized. Our constitution secures to us, so far as our condition allows, 'all the rights and privileges enjoyed by the citizens of the United States,' and these rights and privileges are ours. We are proprietors of the soil we live on, and possess the rights of freeholders. Our suf

*Lippincott's Gaze. er of the World.