University of South Carolina Libraries
' '.od Fr rar Cam -p*r~ annum, In advance. Two ~;PflpiiA-K? *t-ana of yoir. SkTENTT-Fitb Cdsts . ?h?crrptfo^'sre-not taken for ?jesi period than, six Months. KATSfoF A OVER TIS TNG.?One Dollar per '?Itifo oi one inch for the first insertion, and Fifty Cedta per square foraubsequent inscrtions'.ess than three, months. No adTertisements counte leas thin a Squire. ' N ? - Liberal contracts wtllbe made with those wishing to adrertUw>for three, tlx or twelve months. Ad Ttrtbing by contract must becsnfined to the im msdUte business oftho Armor individual contrac? ting. *r . Obituary Notices ?xceedinff fire lines, Tribntee of Respect, and all personal communications or racers of individual interest, will be charged for at advertising rates. Announcements of marriages ' and dwtha, and notices of a relisrious character, are . respectfoUr solicited, and will be inserted gratis THE PLANTERS OF LIBERIA. KACH GKNKRATION NEARER TO PER? FECT CrVTLIZATION. Cbrrapondmeejfae* and Corcrier, - tiM Monrovia, Liberia, Jone 17. When I closed my last I was on my way up the St Paul's River, having left Clay-Ashland, and started for further ex? ploration. Five" miles above Clay-Ashland we stopped at the plantation of Jesse Sharp, a native of Columbia, S. C, who left there as a freeman, a number of years be? fore the war, when a young man. He is light colored, and';has'* fine sugar ,plan tatiou, which pleased me more than any? thing of the. sort I saw on the river, giv? ing evidence as it did of thrift and care. He showfd.ua with m uch- pride over- h is cane;fieTo*vof .wiHchTie has 'Boine 150 j acro^vftiicKlookcd'-unusually clean and , fnaajgnra jwaeda anii^s^-Tboir- owner seemed delighted to meet some one from Sqnth]Oa^oliria,!End he and 1 had a long .tajk,,- tanlpariEg notes '"about Columbia, and Columbia people. Most of his knowledge, it is needless to say,. was too deep for me, being too far-back for my kgni3^ 'cbnld and did, however, in? quire regarding the children ana de? scendants of xhoBe whom he had. known. He seemed to have a great admiration ! for. Governor Hampton, whom he says ' he remembers perfectly as a young man: He related with great glee several BSM1NJSCENCES ' OF HIS EXCXLLFixCY, among' others, one of his administering^a severe castigation to a champion who .%ii'-^i*'liVmbscIe'w aid insulted him. The incident the remembrance of which ' BoometfWgive him the greatest delight though, was the Governor's purchasing a horse which .its owner was riding over everybody on? and "bragging" about, and ;> givicg it to his servant to ride to market on. He hutched most heartily over this last anecdote, and remarked that he , would never.f Drget to his dying day how "cut un" tho former owner of the horse haoVidSkedV^ When shown a photograph . nf ^ft.f>T"Tnnr. he evinced so much pleasure that I gave it to him. He has a11 U'lljal? fl'jsT_ ? comfortable fortune at is preparing to retire ' a handsome house at Monrovia. His ?flEWB of AMERICAN politics difiV^mfig^ from 'those o'f the ?t* oral run ofXiBariahs, his idea being th?* the negro can most safely, trust main tereats in the bands of bis former master. The average Libexian derives his im? pressions of^-Americari -life; and politics from the National Republican and the * Toleio Blade, m the News and Cbvrier is only taken for its .superior information regarding the emigration scheme. >I " know too much about newspapers to Ihiub pf^s&vmg^nyt.rrin^ 'S51'^6 onc? careful in handling firearm?'. It can hardly bo denied, however, thzt the Re ad^tniadt^e-5*We-area"leetle" in . v^i^?r|.^p^nblI?uih?m in their.political " " iesV and their utterances do much shading se^twjmtBlhere inVthat'| del The Liberians seem to have leral idea that nobody in the South -d oig i,*" that the ? standing m the com oing tBai feat When it her itually-hunted at the point of the revolver just for fun, and that he has no right} whatever before the law or any? where eise. \Ifflttfatas^T?th:?ne ofU most inteuigebff Cit?e'ns and discussing the ciuses of the decrease of the colored population of the United State?, he said, perfectly seriously and earnestly; "Well, then, I suppose some ten thousand are killed every year." (Notes of admira? tion!! at the reader's- expense.) An? other seemed somewhat astonished and incredulous when I told him that I did ~J the ku-iroac--: v.* end itad never :done a colored brother to death, he apparently believing that every male dtizen south of MftKm and Dixon'B line was a merriber of' that' oiganizatioh, and only a inun:ty by lat I'belonged to one of those horriblft. "riflfl f.lnh?/itheJjsnialea^xf-an. other .family gazed on me with apparent . ly tha same feelings as those with which they would contemplate a caged cannibal ins circus. I fear that the Azorspas "'- eengers. having such sympathetic listen? ers, wiU tell some terrible "yarns.;' -vAU this Is the Tportf surprising from trie fact that most of the more wealthy citizens have travelled. That ? is one feature of Libe:ian life worthy of-commendation. As soon as they acquire means,, (hey seem generally to go out to enlarge, their ideas by travel and observation. 'Many of those whom I met had been to, and generally through, England and Amer? icana several over the Continent of Europe. It is hard to imagine bow any one could go to Europe, and be con? tented to cone back and live in Liberia. It is said, however, that "the Laplander loves his home," (for that reason I'have always regarded the Laplander as an ass.) None of rae"younger men .seem ever to have gone ;'dqw? South much. This is natural, as they have no tics there to in dace them to" brave "the dangers which they believe beset"the path of every col? ored man who'gets,.y3tir side of Balti? more. Beaidea'thLj, they have-?social recognition and associations, in England and in places on the Continent and in the United States, which they certainly could not expect in the South. One or two who have been there expressed them t?^lkMcYdisgDsfod'and disappoint? ed bj" the'general poverty and ignorance of their race. THE GENEBAL LIFE of the older and wealthier planters along the St. Paul's resembles in many par tf^arsCIEft'of'flw "Southern planter in trre^tfood^Id-days^'- Having ?~good brick house built, and his coffee, or sugar plantation well under weigh, the tiller of the soil generally takes his ease, wears good clothes, and smokes, only exercising 1 a supervision of his affairs.. The spirit or wine decanter is almost invariably at - the service of' his guests, and when he goes visiting or to Monrovia, he steps into his canoe, calls his crew together, and 'travels comfortably and sedately. As tl-.e prcsen t generation is growing old, the children tike charge after the return of the heir from his schooling and "fin? ishing tour." In view of all this, it is ridiculous to suppose that the Liberians are relapsing into, barbarism. On. the contrary, it is apparent that each genera? tion jit'brthgirigviejn iteadily nearer to per? fect civilization. While these old lords of the soil in their conscious or uncon? scious aping of their former master's former lives, present occasionally ludi? crous contrasts to their models by igno? rance and lack of culture, their sons and daughters are growing up better edu? cated, trained and supplied with the re? quirements of intelligent men and wo? men. I saw the Liberians" (especially the younger ones) brought into contact, and" consequently contrast, with the A?or's immigrants. It showed there and then that whether the negro is capable of attaining the white man's level or not, he it- capable of becoming much nearer a perfect man than he is' in 'America. It showed that there is more capability in him for improvement than we have de? veloped. It is conclusive evidence that there is a. vast amount of good mental ground lying fallow, wasting or running to noxious weeds, in the negro. It is as well to say it right here?despite their many ignorances, their conceit and their improvidence and inertness, the average Liberian is in most ways immeasurably superior to the average American negro, hud those at Sierra Leone are as far above him in acquirements as the blonds are above the earth.' In the social re? finements the better classes of colored people there seem perfect. In one thing I could, notice distinctly the three degrees of progression, as illustra? ted by the English Colony negro, , the Liberian negro, and the American negro?: THE OBSERVANCES OF TABLE ETI? QUETTE. This is a small matter at first sight, but it tells a story when looked into. History will show; that' in proportion as men have become civilized they' have paid more and more attention to the little' niceties and daintinesses that redeem the taking of food from the. tincleaniy, nnd disgusting obedience to necessity andjsx ercise of. gluttony 'o'f "the savage' to'the pleasurable, graceful and cleanly indul? gence ih a luxury of the well-bred Euro-' pean "of ^American. It is.- very.*well 4? .spout Burns;1 but even.' the moat; rabid universal soda1, equality lunatic would' find it difficult to realize that the man who sits ' opposite, who. makes of -his1 mouth arr opea sepulchre in which he inters all of bis feelings, sensibilities and' intellectual developments, shovels in ci .them huge and indiscriminate ? masses 'of food with his knife and gulps his wine as .if it were a dose, of. medicine, it a man; fof a''that People's style of eating is1 generally a fair' indication of their pro? gress in civilization. The Bushman eats his fish half raw with his hands; the Chinaman conveys it neatly and deftly to his mouth with chopsticks; the Eng? lishman carefully, and as deftly, "scoops" it in with a silver fork. These are the threedegTeea.'' "(I dont mean'tt say"that a man is uncivilized unless he eats his fish with a bit of bread and a fork, but tEe civilized man, however he does han? dle his food.' does it cleanly.) .Tell it not in Oath, publish it not in the streets of Askalon, but almost every, meal I took - while or: African soil was. in company with colored people. A man, and es? pecially a newspaper reporter, has, from Scy and decency both, to subordinate prejudices and habits to politeness, des which O "We can live without knowledge; what is knowledge but grieving? We can .live without hope; what is hope box deceiving? We can live without love; what is love but repjnine? . . .'But where Is the man.who can live without ? dining?' ? ' I can safely asseverate that he isn't in my boots at any rate. The correctness of the-quotation is not vouched for. fit's theonly partof f'LucUle,!' if it is "Lti cille," th3t ever impressed me much.") Bat the Sierra Leone people display a; spontaneous and unconscious scrupulous? ness regarding the observance of all 'points of table etiquette,'such as is hard? ly seen in the beet American households, and puts ah habitnaVsitter at hotel tables to diligently recalling the precepts in-' culcated in his youth regarding the proper manipulation of table furniture, ji &c. The Liberians ace apparently much leas enlightened .on this subject, and seemed, with one or two exceptions, to pay little attention to it, while the AzorY people had each their own original and untrammelled style, the main object seeming to be the consumption of the greatest possible amount of food in the least possible time. Almost everybody, both in Sierra Leone and Liberia, had claret at dinner, and there was usually a glass of sherry or Madeira tendered De fort or after flier nreaK ' ? J TRADE WITH THE SOUTH. But all this is wandering far away from my friend Sharp, which is my last geo? graphical point He displayed a feeling which seems quite prevalent among a large portion of the Liberiaus?a desire to do his trading with the United States, if poasibTe with the~8outh".~*M?re "than one repeated to me his expressed senti? ments, that "in spite of everything" their .sympathies were with'the land of their birth, and they would like to deal with her people. It is a nattering compli? ment to the business men of that section, that they seem to possess the confidence of those who knew them years ago. in the -highestdegree. One Of the leading Li berians said: "Iknow the men who gen? erally do^bnainesa in South Carolina are gentlemen; and that they are above a dirty trick, or taking advantage of a man because he is far away," (the speaker is a Carolin an.) This feeling seems to be Snerally entertained. It may perhaps partly attributed, to the desire to escape from the monopoly held by a New York house, who do much business along the West Coast, and' have been clever enough to obtain almost complete control of the Liberian trade, which seems to be quite a plum. They Bell al? most everything that is sold in Liberia, the Monrovian storekeepers replenishing their stocks from the New Yorker's ships, ,?nd paying-, certainly, very good prices ?in produce/or money. ThiB is, I think, one of the obstacles to Liberian progress. Competition would enable them to sell higher and buy cheaper, thus stimula? ting trade, and necessarily increasing' prosperity. Various Dutch and English -firms have been established from time to time, and, receiving their own- goods -on their own ships, have been enabled to undersell and go away ahead of the Li? berian merchants, making fortunes while they plod along in the same old ruts. THE FIRST ORDER FOR CHARLESTON-. Jesse Sharp, who seems, to be one of those men always willing to back up his words by his acts, showed hia sincerity by sending a cash order to a large Charleston firm for sashes, timber, &c., for his house, the goods to be brought by the Azor on the return trip. While on this subject I will say that the new im? migrants all manifested the same feelings. To precede the narrative a little, when I returned to Monrovia; and in answer to questions told them what I had seen of country cotton, exhibiting the ? samples; they generally and joyfully exclaimed, "Well, you bet the cotton makers are ! here now. We've got lots of cotton seed and tools, and when you come back I again if you don't see cotton bales around here you kin whip tu." The next in? quiry of several of them was as to whether I thought it would be possible to deal with I THEIR OLD FACTORS IN CHARLESTON, and all of the Carolina darkeys seemed anxious on the subject. The matter I may be worthy of consideration. by Charleston business men. If many of the colored people come a valuable di? rect trade may be opened. It may be more of the "sarcasm of fate," but exactly the state of affairs ex? ist-! here now that I imagine made'*lave I lubor necessary in America. . That is, I every man is a landholder, an owner und [ an equal. No lower classes have come in yet to do the manual work. There are no servants, and servants are a ne? cessity, except in an imaginative jack? ass's Utopia. A few of the poorer Li beriaos hire out, hut they are as good as their hirers, and consequently matters don't work smoothly. All such "ser? vants" are addressed by everybody as "Mr." and "Miss." It sounds funny to hear the master of the house say "Miss ?:?, a glass of water, please.'' When I visited, the President I heard him ask: "Mr. Rosa, will you bring in the wine?" This is, of course, a great hindrance to the cultivation of land on any extensive scale, especially when there are no horses. It cramps fearfully the sugar production, where much and cheap labor is indespensablo at certain times. So, disguise it as they will, the Liberiana have to DEPEND ON SLAVE LABOE at last, for it comes to that. They hire from a native king a certain number of his snperstition-bound slaves for so much I rum, so many brass kettles, iron bars and guns, and so much calico paid to him. iThe "hands" work well, and are faithful and obedient until the king, through caprice or having been paid, and want ! ing them to cut rice, sends orders to them to come back... Then they leave in a body, just, maybe, as the planter needs 'them most, and the Liberian government is too weak to enforce the performance of contracts made with its citizens. One secret of my friend Sharp's success I was ibid is that he makes an excellent quali? ty of mm, with which he pays a king for "help," and is shrewd enough to keep on good terms with the potentate by sending him an extra cask now and then. In this way he and a few others manage to secure labor when they want it for their 50, 100 and 150 acre farms. One of a thousand acres, though, it would be dif? ficult to work here. There ' are some comparatively free natives who hire cheaply, but they are unreliable and apt to "knock off" and go at any time. You can pick up a few always, enough to man your canoe or do odd jobs, and if you treat them kindly, they will hire out to yon again, and do any kind of work. They cannot be depended upon in any considerable number, however. These natives are abjectly afraid of the white man, having acquired the idea (probably from the Liberians} that he is not only an habitual cheat, but an habitual cut? throat. It requires several months of acquaintance to get them fairly recon? ciled to the Caucasian. Then unless he be a bastard to the time who doth not smack of observation, they like him above all, and will give bim the prefer? ence in. hiring. These natives will take anything, and the Liberians (who "fled here from the slave holder's lash") do not scruple to administer unto them a 'thrashing when provoked thereto. The native frequently discerns the anger'in his employer's fice and the stick in his hand, and precipitately takes to flight, leaving, if necessary, like Joseph, his garment in the hands of the pursuer. All the revenge he ever takes is to quit and go home. It must be AN INSPIRITING SPECTACLE to see what was described to me in an in? cidental way by the chief actor himself, a free black Liberian man, soundly cudgeling a free black native man with a stick, while two more free black native men were flying over the neighboring hedges to avoid similar castigation, the three free black natives having been caught in the*'act of dragging a bag of rice through the hud. Such things make me weep when I think that Wen dall Phillips' was not there. The native is rarely "sassy," and the most he does is to complain in a sort of whine, in his broken English. It is a universal cus? tom for them to.address all who they consider as superiors as "daddy" and "mammy." (This information was a great comfort to mo, as I had been much scandalized by being addressed as "daddy" by a fat Kroo boy, within an hour after my landing.) THE DIFFICULT? REGARDING- HOUSE 8EBVANT8 is in a great degree obviated by a prac? tice now fortunately becoming common. That is the binding out of native chil? dren by their parents to serve in Libe? rian families until twenty-one years of age. There were from two to six of these youngsters around nearly every house I visited, and very bright, "handy" and honest they seem, in return for their services they are.clothed, fed, learned reading, writing, Christianity and her handmaid Civilization. Quite an at? tachment in some instances seems to ex? ist between master and servant. This shows a long step forward on the part of the natives?an appreciation of their in? feriority to civilized people. A people or a man who can be made to Bee their or his own imperfections, is not beyond hope. Perfect self-satisfaction is the greatest bar to improvement, as it is the most unmistakable mark of a fool. Had the Liberians a little of the humbleness and consciousness of inferiority of the natives, I might have more hopes of them. So far, the civilised natives have made little progress. When they return to their tribes they have to doff Euro? pean clothes, as, if they didn't, the medi? cine man would probably attribute the first misfortune that befell to his viola? tion of the customs of his ancestors, ^which are more honored in the breech clotb than in the observance of panta? loons and paper collars, and a "settling" dose of poison would remove the pro? gressionist. Their knowledge of the reading and writing of the English lan? guage, too, is now generally employed in aiding the king in some villainy. Du? ring their residence with the whites, they usually pick up a knowledge of commer? cial values, which makes them useful in facilitating the trading operations of their tribe. As the numbers of these civilized ones increases, however, their influence is bound to be felt for good. Apropos of the natives, it may be men: tioned that the principal tribes here? abouts are Mandmgoes and Veis, the former noted for their aptness in manu? facturing and trading, and the latter for having invented (patent not yet applied for) an alphabet of their own. These natives generally live in thatch villages, and subsist mainly on rice and cassada, varied by occasional game, or a free lunch composed of black ants, caught by sinking a kettle in the ground and allow? ing them to tumble in. Wheaten bread jis a very rare treat, and they beg or trade for it eagerly. With considerable regret I took leave of my friend, the planter, and we re-embarked for the return trip. Where we stopped was about twenty miles above Monrovia. The St. Paul's I is only navigable some five miles farther up, where the rapids, which are about nine feet high, interrupt progress. No I body in Liberia has taken the trouble to I explore the stream, and little is known of it above these rapids. The natives along its course are reported to bo hos? tile and savage, and its source is un? known. Some persons seem to think that it is A BRANCH OF THE NIGER, which makes a long bend to the west? ward at a point about opposite the Li? berian territory, but they advance noth? ing but theories and vague beliefs in support of their idea. Above Clay Ashland are the settlements of New York, (200 population,) and Louiisiana, (400 population.) Just above the rapids is the flourishing settlement of Arlington, with a population of between 600 and 700. This portiou of the St. Paul's is the most thickly populated in the Re? public, and most of the unoccupied land along the river front is owned by old set? tlers. There are a few settlements along the Junk and Po, and one on the lower portion of the St. Paul's. Then a few families are scattered about here and there, all of the remainder of the popu? lation being in the towns, most of which have already been named, and smaller settlements. Liberia has only received an addition of a few hundred by immi? gration during the past ten years. From Clay-Aabland we came back down the St. Paul's River, stopping at several places to do a little foraging. The result was a bushel or two of butter pears, (a fruit about the size and shape of a very large pear, with a green or pur? ple rind, and containing a soft, buttery interior which is very palatable when eaten with a spoon and well mixed in a disgusting looking mess with sugar and vinegar,) a few sour-saps, (a fruit much commended, which grows on a tree, re? sembles a dropsical cucumber, and tastes like nothing at all, seasoned with weak vinegar,) a few delightful pineapples, a dozen or so chickens, and an equal num? ber of eggs, collected one, two and three at a time; a fevr oranges, plenty of lem? ons and limes, and several large bunches of bananas, and a sheep, which was evi? dently in the laitt stages of consumption, (the. sheep hero have no wool, and I couldn't to save me tell sheep from goat.) For all of theiie we paid good prices. The quadruped just alluded to was de? voured at a single meal, and then we wanted mpre. ft was about the size of an ordinary black and tan dog, but tasted very well. He and his like sell for about two dollars, when they can be gotten, while a pair of turkeys brings five dol? lars. At a few places along the river they grow IKX?IAN CORN in small patches, but it deteriorates great? ly in this soil and climate, producing, however, fair "nubbins," suitable for feeding stock. I saw a few watermelons, generalij of the "Joe Johnson" (or "rat esnake ) pattern, but they, too, were Bmall. although there is little difference between their taste and that of "Hanover County" or "Augusta" rapture. LIBERIAN HOUSES. I had an ogportunity of inspecting the interior of morn of the houses. Nearly all of the dwellings in Liberia, outside of Monrovia, are furnished plainly?very much in* the style prevalent among col? ored folks in America. _ There were the familiar plaster of Paris images, dogs and cats on the mantles, the familiar gaudily gilded and painted china cups and mugs, and the familiar ghastly caricatures of Scriptural scenes, where a knock-kneed Joseph is always being sold into captivity in a yellow shawl by an obviously intoxi? cated gentleman with very pink legs and very large arms, who holds in his other hand a long walking stick, while a blue camel watches the proceedings with an air of personal, interest. Altogether I could easily imagine myself in the best room of a respectable colored family down South. In Monrovia more of an attempt at elegance is made, there being wide settees and more elaborate furniture generally. The pictures, however, are invariably common and poor. THE CONCILIATION POLICY. We got .back to Monrovia some time after dark that evening. Here it trans? pired that Dr. Roberts, who had very kindly acted as my guide, understood the management of Kroomcn much better than I did. He had been stern, exacting and sharp with our crew throughout, while I tried the pacific policy. They refused point blank to row out to the vessel, and it was only after the assump? tion of a threatening tone by us regard? ing the withholding of wages and rum that they finally consented. It was char? acteristic of the animals that, after being Said in full, they came to me and deman ed repayment on the ground that their headman had failed to pay them. This headman followed me around for two days trying to persuade me that he had been promised an extra dollar, until I took occasion to inquire, in his hearing, how much it would cost to break a Kroo man's head. Then he desisted, although he might with impunity have continued dunning to thin hour, as he weighed, apparently, about 225 pounds, and an assault upon his precious person would have cost me (being a white man) about $25. One day Cap t. Holmes and I took heart of grace ana called to see THE PRESIDENT, The Executive mansion is not a very imposing structure, being an ordinary red brick, two-story tenement house, with a; porch in front, to which a flight of common wooden steps leads up from the front gate which opens on the street. The yard in front is shallow, and has apparently little care taken of it, although the building itself is in tolerable repair. On the benches in the front porch there are usually several persons loafing, prob? ably either peti ioners for something or hangers-on. Th; interior is plainly fur? nished, the most noticeable objects in the parlor being two large and elabo? rately gilt, old-fashioned parlor tables, surmounted by large mirrors, in equally elaborately gilt frames. Our cards were taken up, and in a few minutes the Pres? ident, Anthony W. Gardner, came down stairs, and we were introduced by a i Joung man who had taken up our "paste oards"?I as "Mr. ah-um News and Courier," and the captain as "Captain ah-um Azor." The President is tall, thin, apparently about sixty years of age, and a shade or two darker than the octo? roon. He dresses as becomes his years and position, plainly but well, adhering to the old-fashioned high collar with which our ancestors used to make them? selves uncomfortable. . Ho shaves clean except small patches of whiskers close to his cheek bones. Altogether he is a good specimen of the wealthier and more in? telligent free colored man of tho "old school." He received us in a sort of neglige costume with smoking cap and slippers. He is a native of Virginia. The Old Dominion, by the way, retains her ancient prestige as THE MOTHER OF PRESIDENTS, even here, six out of eight Liberian ex? ecutives having sprung -from her soil. Three of the six, singular to say, have come from the immediate neighborhood of Petersburg. ("Northern," "Eastern," "Southwestern," "Valley" and "South side," will probably be each clamoring for representation anon.) His Excellen? cy docs not assume any airs, and talks freely and intelligently. He seems heartily iu sympathy with the exodus movement, and says that "the hand of Jebova is plainly to he seen in it." Ho expressed much pleasure at the arrival of the immigrants, but seemed disap? pointed in them, remarking on their in? digent appearance,and unprepared state. He said, however, that the government would do what it could to help this party, but hoped that no more would come equally unprovided and destitute. He also seid that he intended addressing a communication to the President of the United States on the subject- of the emi? gration, from that country, with a view | to its facilitation. He talks with the deliberate drawl characteristic of the Southerner, white or colored, and seemed fricaseel to have an opportunity of talk ng about Virginia and the old times there. He says that he left that State just as he was "getting big enough to ride the horse to mill." As usual in Li berian households, wine was brought out. it being in this instance a harmless ana pleasant compound wherein ginger was the predominating feature. Of course I appreciated the grandeur of my position, clinking glasses?hop-nobbing?actually chumming in as it were?with one of the rulers of the earth; a president of a re? public. There was a great uplifting of | heart, which was suddenly checked by the remembrance that I fat present the companion of a potentate) would return to my own country and have the bell rung on me by a street car driver just the same au if I had never known any presi? dent beyond the head man in a building and lot.n association. Such is life. The beverage was brought, as heretofore men? tioned, by a colored man addressed as "Mr. B oss," who took up a position be? hind ti e president's chair from whence he silently but actively participated in the conversation, nodding approvingly when (something pleased him that was said, and again expressing unqualified dissent. He was from Bichmond, Va., having come out just at the close of the I war. J3Ce had formerly belonged to one of the most prominent families there, ' and seemed exceedingly delighted when given some tidings of them. We took our leave after a very pleasant visit The president in common with all Libe? ria, seems fully impressed with the im Sortanue of encouraging immigration om America. The question as to the negro's ability to govern himself is not decided by Liberia. That govern? ment iii as yet an experiment, of the re? sult of which it is difficult to form any forecast. The Liberian people have not even a general name, having not attained to the dignity of a nation, and being' beyond a tribe. Whether the world wiM ever see a great negro nationality is yet to be determined. There is nothing now on which to form a judgment. They have borrowed from the United States a form and system of government designed for an intelligent, virtuous and progres? sive people, which they are applying to a people with as little virtue and far less intelligence, and apparently utterly lack? ing the progressiveness of the American. The negro has not had as vet a fair chance. It must be remembered .that this is his first attempt in a really civil? ized state to rule himself by himself. It | is, perhaps, fortunate that there has been no promiscuous streaming in of newly freed f ud ignorant slaves. The absence of toi? has afforded an opportunity for the laying of a foundation of partial ed? ucation and civilization, on which to I build. This, of course, has its evils, | already hinted at Every man is a pro? prietor and master. What is wanted now is manual labor and population. As this opines in, one of two things roust happem. Either the people will learn what is wanted, and improve the govern? ment, or, in blind dissatisfaction, they will overturn it, and anarchy will ensue. The present system of government is too cumbrous and expensive, and en? courages petty ambition for offices.? When Dr. Johnson said that patriotism was the last resort of a scoundrel, he might have added, "and a loafer;" be? sides which it is a well established fact I that riscalRy and loafing are usually the j last resorts of a "patriot" The perni? cious doctrine that to be elected to some office by an unreasoning, dirty and fickle populace is a worthy ambition, seems very prevalent here. Consequently large numbers of men who might be develop? ing the country and themselves, are con? stantly engaged in either seeking or hold? ing of ice. Liberia, with her 3,600 voters, is a pettier and meaner edition of the1 cesspool of American politics. Dozens of miserable small holders of miserable small offices are loafing around destroy? ing themselves and eating up the land. Thero is more than one instance of men who have relinquished business which was a benefit to themselves and the com? munity to participate in the struggle for some trifling office. To sum up, politics seemit destined to be the curse of the country, as it is bf nearly every other. Here is what these three thousand five hundred voters elect, and what they pay: Office. Cost. President, salary.$2,500 Private clerk. 300 Bunner. 50 Butler. 200 Table expenses... 800 -$ 3,850 Vice President. 600 Chief Justice. 900 Secretary of State, salary....$1,000 Clerk. 300 Bunner... 50 - 1,350 Attorney General. 700 Comptroller General. 700 Treasurer... 500 Auditor. 700 Legislative expenses. 13,000 Postmaster General. 200 Associate Justices. 1,500 OfficeholderBgener.il government.$25,350 Four judges' court quarter ses? sions (1 for each county) $700 per annum each.$ 2,800.00 Four judges monthly and pro? bate courts, $300 each. 1,200.00 Three county superintendents and clerks. 1,500.00 Four county attorneys. 1,600.00 Th rce county district attorneys. 235.00 Two local superintendents. 425.00 Sia: collectors of customs. 2,325.00 Four postmasters. 275.00 Throe "chairmen" courts. 300.00 Si j. commissionarics. 635.00 Five jailers. 800.00 Two lighthouso keepers. 380.00 Five sub-treasurers. 1,050.00 Four customhouse clerks. 450.00 Three county auditors. 900.00 Ofliccholdcrs four counties.$14,875.00 Total cost, 116 officeholders.$40,225.00 Besides all this comes contin? gent fund gen'l governments 2,000.00 Ne.vy (one cutter). 5,000.00 Public printing. 1,000.00 Bevising statutes. 3,000.00 Lighthouse expenses. 150.00 Supreme Court. 1,000.00 Englishpostage. 1,168.58 Consul General, London. 600.00 Stationery. 100.00 War expenses. 1,566.16 Liberia College. 600.00 Totat..$16,184.74 Surveying, plotting counties....$ 500.00 Contingent funds of counties... 3,450.00 County judicial expenses. 16,500.00 County public schools. 6,400.00 County pensions. 2,350.00 "Rents" (presumably offices for county officeholders). 920.00 j Stationery (for use or county officeholders). 470.00 "Interest on deposit" in four counties. 3,300.00 Outstanding claims (four coun? ties]. 12,983.15 Fortifications, and other mili? tary expenses. 6,000.00 Public buildings, bridges and improvements. 26,075.00 Total.$77,948.15 Total expenditures general and county governments.$134,357.39 Subtract from this: Publicschoolsand Liberia College.? 7,000 Public buildings, surveying, &c... 26,575 j $38,575 and we havo the cost of running the gov? ernment for 3,500 voters?$101,782.89, or, ciphering in round numbers, about $29 for each voter. I have estimated the number of office-holders from the legisla? tive appropriation list for 1876-77. The above 116 does not include a host of mag? istrates, constables, police and petty court j officials, who generally pick up a preca? rious livelihood from small fees earned from petty squabblings among the neigh? bors, municipal officers, tax collectors, &c. From my observation, I think that a man and two smart boys could easily do all of the work of the general gov? ernment. A. B. Williams. HAMPTON AT EDGEFIELD. I Second Anniversary of Chamberlain's Dis? comfiture. Edoefield, August 12. The circumstances of Gov. Hampton's reception at Ed gene Id have been already detailed with sufficient particularity to inform all your readers familiar with the conduct of the last campaign as to its general features, and what is omitted to be mentioned may readily be supplied from imagination in the recollection of any one familiar with the events and scenes of 1876. ">?? The speaking took place at the Old Academy Green, about a mile from the Village of Edgefield, which spot had been appropriately chosen, as it was the scene of Chamberlain's discomfiture in '76, and of the numerous Radical pow? wows which have been held in the coun? ty since the war. A substantial platform had been erected (great care having been taken to secure it against the possibility of such an ominous fall as Chamberlaiuj experienced at the same spot,) and this was filled with representative gentlemen of the county, and surrounded by a crowd of "both races and all ages," who had assembled to see the campaign well opened. At 11:30 the Governor ascend? ed the stand, and after introduction by the Hon. J. C. Sheppard, ho said: hampton's Sl^ech. My Fellow- Citizens of Edgefield: Your distinguished representative has just well said that in all civilized coun? tries, in all ages, the custom has obtained of celebrating the anniversary of those events which have brought triumph or' prosperity or deliverance to a people.' and in accordance with this time-honored usage you meet here to-day to commem? orate, with pride and with gratitude, this day on which two years ago the great' contests for honest government and' Home Rule was inaugurated In South' Carolina. You come, too, to pledge afresh your faith to those ever-living principles which not only gave life and truth and power to that memorable strug? gle, but won for us a victory unparalleled in the annals of political history. It is, therefore, not only natural but proper that the brave sons and fair daughters of old Edgefield should hail the recurrence of this day with patriotic ardor, and' claim with justifiable pride that it was the first day of that new revolution which lifted the "Prostrate State" from the abyss of shame and ruin into which alien hands had plunged her, to restore her to her proud hereditary place amid the sisterhood of equal States. It is right, too, while the light of our last great victory still glows upon our banner that we should, as we unfold it once again, inscribe upon it the watch? words which led us to triumph. We give it again to-day "to the battle and the breeze," with Right, Truth and Jus? tice emblazoned on its folds, and with our old battle cry, "God and our Father? land," we go forth conquering and to conquer 1 [Applause.] No more appro? priate time could have been chosen to display our honored banner than this day. No more fitting place than here ! Our Convention, with a harmony augur? ing success, and with a unanimity as rare as it was gratifying, have selected as our standard-bearers the same who had the good fortune to bear our flag to vic? tory in '76. For myself, I recognize and appreciate the honor done me, and, in accepting the unanimous nomination tendered me, I do so with a profound sense of the grave responsibility im? posed, with a firm determination to carry out in good faith the principles first reit? erated by the Democratic party, and with the assured and fervent hope that the men who proved in '76 that they could rescue a State from ruin, will show in '78 that they intend to preserve it. It is useless for me to renew the pledges I have given, for I would fain nope that my official record of the past is the best guaranty I can give my fellow-citizens for the future. Their continued confi? dence in the rectitude of my purposes has been the highest honor of my life? the greatest support amid the responsi? bilities of my position, and the most cherished reward of my labors. a riCTUKE op GRANT. We enter this contest under far differ? ent and more auspicious circumstances than the last. Then, the whole power of the Federal and State governments was brought to bear to crush us. All the po tical machinery of the State, wielded by men totally unscrupulous in the use ! of it, was directed to the sole end of per? petuating a rule which was a disgrace to civilization and an offence to Heaven. Bayonets in the bauds of the paid sol? diery of the common country gleamed,' palpable violation of the Constitution of that country, at every polling place in our State. Our people, broken by years of misrule and oppression, were almost hopeless. We had as the Chief Execu? tive of the United States a man whose highest conception of the law was em? bodied in the findings of a court-martial, and whose disgraceful ignorance of the Constitution of the country was only quailed by his shameless disregard of its most sacred obligations. Brutal, igno? rant and drunken, ho hesitated not to crush the people of the South by the power of a paia soldiery. With an arm? ed hand upon their throats he attempted stifle the breath of their liberty, and acing the iron heel of military oppres? sion upon one of the thirteen original States of the Union, he reduced it to military satrapy. We were con? fronted at home by an enemy bold, con? fident and defiant, thoroughly disciplined and bound compactly together by the cohesive power of public plunder. Driv en almost to desperation and trusting alone in the justice of our cause, and recognizing the supreme necessity of saving our State, our people, by a com? mon impulse, with one heart, dedicated themselves to the patriotic work, and after a struggle as arduous and as heroic as ever waged, redeemed the fair land of their fathers and covered themselves with glory. They achieved . success against every probability. They worked out a political miracle greater than any ever achieved by a people, and they ac? complished this because they were true to themselves and. to their principles. HAMPTON'S SKETCH OF HAYES. What, is our position now ? The Chief Executive of the country is one who,' however much we may differ from him politically, we yet recognize as a gentle? man, and one who deserves our respect and gratitude for having, in defiance of the passionate appeals of partisans, re? stored local self-government to Louisiana and South Carolina. By his act the military was subordinated to the civil authority; the armed soldiers of the United States who had for months bivouacked within the walls of our capi? tal, were withdrawn, thus showing his condemnation of that greatest crime ever perpetrated against liberty on this continent. By giving to us our rights he has placed South Carolina on the plane of equality with her sister States, where she may move forward and fulfil the glorious destiny before her. THE DANGER OF FALSE SECURITY. You know how desperate was the strug? gle before the last fight. I do not come now to lull you into a false security. I do not say to you that you have every? thing your own way, and have but to nominate your candidates. I say that I believe this campaign is fraught with almost equal danger as the last. We had then an Open fight to make. We bad an organized and disciplined foe to encounter in the field. We knew just what we had to expect, and every man worked as* though the destiny of the State depended upon his own individual resources. AU this is changed; My opinion is that the Republican Conven? tion did not nominate a State ticket last week because they knew that if they did we would have every man in the State rallying to our standard, and we would gain a victory grander than the last. THE RADICAL CONVENTION. Not having the manliness to endorse the administration of the last two years? though many of them had been sent to Columbia with instructions to do so, and though many had told me they desired to do so?they have endeavored to make political capital for the Northern Radi? cals by enunciating a platform as false as false can be. They charge that they have not put a ticket in the field because they could not do that without personal danger, and they passed that resolution in the capitol of South Carolina, within hearing of the Executive of the State, and when they had entire control of the State House, placed in their hands by the Democracy of South Carolina for the purposes of making such nominations. They did not place a ticket in the field because tbey knew it would meet with certain defeat; and I warn vou now that this course has been pursued (as I warn? ed members of the Legislature months ago that it would be pursued) for the purpose of devoting their every energy to controlling the ensuing Legislature. They have not put a ticket in the field, but I tell you that in every county where they think they have a shadow of a chance of success they will make a de terrain ed fight for the Legislature. INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES. If there is a man in South Carolina, in one single district, who is base enough to forsake his party at this time and head an independent ticket, the Radicals will rally to his support, and you will be stricken down in the house of your friends. You have no easy work before youl The people of this State must again rally to their standard as they did before, and must devote every energy, might, means and work and their prayers to this great cause; for, if we lose the Legislature, we lose all that we have fought for?all that we have so hardly won. A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. It is a matter of very little moment? as I told the people of Anderson?who may be your Governor, but it is a matter of life and death to this old land of ours that we have a Legislature representing the manhood, civilization, intelligence and virtue of South Carolina. That is your objective point; and if my words could reach every man in South Carolina, if I could but incite euch one to renewed efforts, to even greater efforts than in the campaign of '76,1 would say to him in all truth and solemnity, that be must work now, and uhtil the 6th of November, as if the destiny of the State depended on his work alone. I nave warned you of your danger. If, being warned, you are true to yourselves?(I know the people of Edgefield will be true. [Cheers.] I speak to the whole State)?it* the Demo? cratic party of the State will be true to itself, 1 predict that you will win an over? whelming victory. You may remember that when two years ago I stood upon this spot and de? clared then that we would wiu, there were then in the minds of many of my hearers grave doubts as to our 'success ; but never?from the- 15th of August, when I accepted the nomination?never from that day until the 7th of November did I have one doubt that the Democratic farty would win. I knew we would win. knew we had Right and Truth and Justice on our side, and that the God of our fathers would help us if we helped ourselves. WE CAN WIN AGAIN. And you can win again, and victory now means more than you may think. It means giving you the Legislature?di? recting the laws of this county ; shaping them for the common good. It means all that we have cherished in the past and all we hope for in the future. It means more, if possiblo, than that. Victory in 1878 means victory in 1880. and victory in 1880 for the National Democratic party, means peace for the whole country?restoration of harmony and fraternity, and the observance of the Constitution of the country as it was framed by our fathers. That is our high? est aim and object, and we must look to that because, until a National Demo? cratic party comes into power, we never shall be safe from a recurrence of these sporadic efforts of the Republicans against it And you can win by plant? ing yourselves squarely and firmly on tbat glorious platform given to you by the Democratic Convention, by devoting yourselves to this work; and I say to you that you must win 1 I know that the men who in '76 proved tbat they could lift the State from ruin will show in '78 that they intend to preserve it. [Con? tinued and enthusiastic chccriug.l In regard to the pledges he baa made, Governor Hampton appealed to his hear? ers, white and colored alike, to say wheth? er he had not kept them "literally, hon? estly and truly." and was met by an as? suring shout of affirmation set up by his hearers of both colors. LEGAL ADVERTISING.?IT* an comneBed to require cash payment* for advertising ordered by Executors, Administrators and other fiduciaries, and herewith append the rates for the ordinary notices, which will only be inserted when the money comes with the order: Citations, two insertions, .... $3.00 Estate Notices, three insertions, - - 2.00 Final Settlements, fire insertions ? - 8.00 TO CORRESPONDENTS.?In order to receive attention, communications must be accompanied by the true name and address of the writer. Be* jected manuscripts will not be returned, unless the necessary stamps are furnished to repay the pottage thereon. srs- We are not responsible for the views and opinions of our correspondents. All communications should be addressed to "Ed? itors Intelligencer," and all checks, drafts, money orders, Ac, should be made payable to the order of E. B. MURRAY 4 CO., Anderson, B.C. THE COLORED FEOPLE. I intend, be continued, to keep them in the future. I can look into my own heart and say that I have administered the laws with justice and equality, or, if with any partiality at all, it has been more in favor of the colored people than otherwise. They have received more clemency than have white men, and have enjoyed more privileges than ever before, and they continue to enjoy them now. -~ THE STATE DEBT. We have no elements in our approach? ing campaign to disturb us. The only Joint upon which patriotic and able men ivided in the last Legislature was upon the bonded debt of the State, and that question has been happily eliminated from politics and placed before a judicial tribunal of the State. Every one can afford to abide by its decision, and to pledge himself in advance to stand by it. We nave now nothing on the face of the earth to divide us. We are all working for the same end, all living on the same soil, under that Carolina sun all will sleep on the bosom of this Old Mother of ours when we pass hence. Why can? not we all struggle together for her sake. Let us place our differences in the back? ground and march forward together to victory. A MISAPPREHENSION CORRECTED. I am glad to have met you to-day. 1. have come because I was afraid there was some misapprehension on your part in regard to my course. I have seen it stated that I had traduced you. If you, people of Edgefield, never have any man to traduce you until I do, you will ha vo an honored and brilliant career. I have not forgotten what Edgefield has done. I have never failed to recog? nize the fact that the men of Edgefieic, in large proportions, contributed to the Eraise and glory of my old command, ow they stood by me in many 8 fight? and I never intend to forget it. When 1 differ from you it is as one honest ma a differ from another, and as friend diffeis from a friend I [Cheers.] I have come to thank you for what you have done; to appeal to you to work on in the future as yon have nobly work? ed in the.past, and in conclusion I pray that every blessing a munificent Heaven can pour out will descend forever upe n this brave people. [Cheers.] "Married Once but only a Little." Some men are fastidious in selecting w jy es. Others are not at all nice in mat? ters matrimonial. But a breach of prom? ise case in Arkansas, in general, is too rare and serious to leave a loophole for a laugh to come in. Mr. Johnson Topp moved from Ten? nessee across the Mississippi into Arkan? sas. He was a man of means and a bachelor. He was not wholly averse to matrimony, but he had a fear of widows. Grass-widows especially were a terror to him. He had moved from East Tennes? see to Middle Tennessee and from that section to West Tennessee, and finally over into Arkansas to escape from real or fancied matrimonial danger arising from enterprising, perhaps charming, Tennes? see widows. That being Mr. Johnson Topp's history, it surprised his friends that he should appear as defendant in the case of Dublin vs. Topp; suit for breach of promise. But the Circuit Court docket for Crittea den county disclosed the fact of the suit, and the affidavit of Mrs. Melinda Dublin set forth the particulars. The plaintiff was put on the stand to tell how wickedly she had been led into false hopes by the middle-aged bachelor. "I live at home with my old dad," she said, "and this feller kept comin' round thar makin' believe he wanted to trade mules. After he traded a time or two till that was played out, he come wan tin' cotton seed. I knowed he only want^d an excuse to get to see me, and I told Pop when he come again to bring him ana see whether he'd talk turkey or not if he had a fair chance. And that was just what he wanted. You never see a man set up to a woman pearter than he did aa soon as ever Pop introduced us. tellin' him, "This is ray darterJJalindy." He was powerful shy at the^gf&jtjiiut. let him get fairly started oa:'tnnles or shoats, and he was dead sure to end wth sparkin'. And it appeared Ufce. vhe couldn't wait more'n a minit for a woman to say yes. I didn't fool with the man as lots do, but I said yes; and about the next thing that happened he was try in' to crawfish. That's about the whole story." But her lawyer did not think it was the whole story, and he was right?there was more to be told. "Will you state to the jury how it hap? pened that the defendant. Topp, went back on his word after he had asked you to marry him ?" "Well, as I said before, he was Iho most uneasy man until he got his answer, which was yes. The fourth day of July, I allowed, would be soon enough for the wedding day, but he couldn't wait until then?it was impossible. I told him to call Pop in and talk it over. I went over to the kitchen to get up a squar meal, and show the man I could do the tallest cooking in Arkansaw, when I let myself out for it in dead earnest." "And what happened when your father and the defendant, Topp, talked it over?" -'Before I left 'em 1 told Pop the man was on the marry, and I reckined it was all right. Pop allowed they' best have something to take. I set on the whiskey and sugar, and told them thar was cook i u' to do; if they preferred mint in theirs they knowed just where to git it Whea I came back I saw things was wrong. The first thing the man said, and he lookin' soberin' a funeral: 'Curnel Dublin, I allowed your gal, Malindy, was a single gal until this minit. Is she single, or is she ever been married afore?' And Pop he told the truth, looking him plumb.in the eye. 'She's been married once?only a little?only a little.' And I said, 'That's so; he's talking the Gospel facts?only a little.' The man lit out then mighty sudden t; and me and Pop thinks if that's any law in Arkansaw he brter pay." The defendant urged that he didn't want a wife who had been married ever so little. He thought he had been de? ceived. The jury saw it differently. A little married didn't count in Arkansas; he must pay, and he did pay. ? As a conceited young man was singing in company, an old lady burst into tears. The singer, greatly nattered by the old lady's emotion, took an early opportunity to get an introduction to her. When she thanked him cordially for his song and said: "I had an aits I thought a great deal of that died lately, and your voice was so exactly like his, that I could not help thinking of the poor beast as you sang." She clasped her handkerchief to her face again, and the young man silently stole away. ? A clergyman was once forced to say to a congregation which persisted in de? positing buttons in the contribution box: "Brethcrn who wish to contribute but? tons, will please not hammer down the eyes, for, while that process does not in? crease their value as coin, it does impair their usefulness as buttons,"