Liberia: Description, History, ProblemsStarr, Frederick
History
Liberia: Description, History, Problems
Starr, Frederick
Liberia
It was also during Mechlin’s agency that the colonization of Maryland in
Africa began. In 1831 Dr. James Hall with 31 colonists from the Maryland
Colonization Society stopped at Monrovia; they had been sent out to
locate a settlement where the colonists should devote themselves
exclusively to agriculture (refusing trade) and should be devoted to
temperance principles; they were not received with cordiality by the
people at Monrovia, and no particular inclination was shown to aid them
in securing a site for their purposes; Dr. Hall, therefore, left them
temporarily at Monrovia, while he returned to the United States for
advice and further supplies; he returned in 1833 with 28 new colonists;
taking those who were at Monrovia, all sailed farther down the coast
until, at Cape Palmas, they found a location to their satisfaction; they
landed there, engaged in negotiations with the native chiefs, and
founded what was at first known as Maryland in Africa; it was entirely
distinct from the settlements under the direction of the American
Colonization Society.
About this time there was a tendency for local branch organizations of
the American Colonization Society to be formed and to undertake their
own settlements, although these were not considered to be actually
independent of the mother society and of the people at Monrovia.
Considerable settlements had been made in the neighborhood of Grand
Bassa. Among these, one of the most promising was Edina which was laid
out upon a tongue of land upon the north side of the St. John’s River;
it was named Edina from Edinburgh, Scotland, citizens of which had
contributed quite liberally to the funds of the American Colonization
Society. After Edina was founded, a neighboring settlement was made
through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Young Men’s Colonization
Society--an organization of Friends; it was organized with the idea that
agriculture should be the chief interest; that trade as a means of
income should be forbidden; that temperance and sobriety, involving a
pledge of abstinence, should be demanded; and that war and resistance
should be forbidden. Non-resistance and peace-principles, however, were
not in place at that time and region; in 1835 this little colony was
wiped out of existence by a brutal attack on the part of natives
instigated by a slave trader who feared that the presence of the
colonists would interrupt his trade. Joe Harris and King Peter,
brothers, were the active agents of destruction; for several days their
people spied upon the settlers, informing themselves whether any arms
were in the place; there was one gun only there; the assault took place
at night, and about 20 persons, mostly women and children, were killed;
the agent Hankinson and his wife were rescued by a Kruman who concealed
them; those who escaped were taken to Monrovia and cared for; the
authorities at Monrovia took immediate action, marched an armed force
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