The value of this method of recommending our Society's work in Africa, was strongly impressed upon my mind during a meeting of inquiry for Africa held at the seat of Sir Culling Eardly Smith, in Hertfordshire.

This meeting was attended by some influential members of the establishment, officers of different missionary institutions in London, the Secretary of the Niger Expedition, and missionaries from South Africa and Sierra Leone, and among them that extraordinary man the Rev. Robert Moffat. All accessible parts of that field were to be examined. As may well be supposed, I was not a little desirous of knowing the judg. ment of such a body of men respecting our enterprize in Liberia, and the grounds on which such judgment had been formed.

This part of the inquiry was undertaken by the Hon, and Rev. Baptist W. Noel and conducted by a simple examination of facts. With these he seemed to be but partially supplied, presenting a list by no means so favorable as one which it would be easy for us to authenticate; yet on the ground of such as he had been able to procure, he expressed his decided and warm approbation of the work done by the Society in Africa., Although this was a voluntary meeting, it was obviously composed of men who from their knowledge, their stations and their enlarged benevolence, were accustomed to give direction to public sentiment and public charities. Such men are not to be moved by eloq tent speeches for or against an avowed benevolent institution. They must have facts, when from the nature of the enterprize they may be justly called for. And this points out to us the short and sure method of procuring for this Society the sym pathy and co-operation of the friends of Africa in England, and the importance of a good understanding with that country can hardly be over estimated when we remem. ber her predominant influence upon the whole western coast of Africa.

THE MENDI MISSION.

Mr.

Rev. William Raymond and wife, who went to Sierra Leone with the Africans of the Amistad, have returned, we perceive, in the schooner Ida, which arrived at this port a few days since. They have come here, we understand, on a visit for the purpose of recruiting their health, and explaining to the friends of the mission its situation and encouraging prospects, with a view to return to their field of labor after the rainy season is over. Raymond, accompanied by Rev. Thomas Raston, an English Missionary, visited King Thomas Tucker at Kaw-Mendi, who resides about a hundred miles south of Sierre Leone, some twenty-five or thirty miles inland, on the banks of the river Jong, to make a nego tiation for land, &c., preparatory to the removal of Mr. Raymond from York, Sierre Leone, with the Mendians, and the permanent establishment of the mission. They were kindly received, and the King and his son readily consented to leasing land near the village where he resides, for the purposes mentioned. He waives requiring that the present, as has been usual, should be in rum, powder, &c., and will receive it in other articles, or in coin. The present, amounting to about $150, he should, he said, distribute among the five chiefs under his authority. The annual rent of the land required for the missionary station will be $150.-Tribune.

It will be recollected that three Missionaries, and their wives, were sent out together, when the Amistad captives returned home. These were Rev, Mr. Wilson, (colored,) and Rev. Messrs. Steele and Raymond. Mr. Wilson and wife were "dismissed" from the service of the Society that sent them out, soon after their arrival in Africa, on the grounds of their conduct previous to their entering upon the service of the Society. What that conduct was we have never heard. Rev. Mr. Steele, whose "previous" conduct while at Oberlin Institute is well known was not dismissed, but returned to this country some time ago, after his unsuccessful negotiation with the African chief, who laughed in his face when Mr. Steel refused to give him rum for land, but would give him money with which he must buy the rum for himself. And now Mr. Raymond has returned.-New York Observer.

From a letter addressed by Mr. Raymond to the Committee of the Mendian Mission, in New York, it appears, that he recently visited Mr. Daniel Coker, at Sherbro Island, one of the first emigrants sent to Africa by the Colonization Society, and who is established as a trader at that place. We copy the following extract, giving account of Mr. Raymond's visit, in January, to Mr. Coker, and subsequently to King Henry Tucker:

"About 10 o'clock we came to Mr. Coker's vessel, which lay at anchor between the Sherbro and York Islands. We were very cordially received on board by Mr. Coker, and upon learning that we had spent the night at his place he appeared highly gratified, though sorry he was not at home to make us more comfortable. By his advice we stopped at York Island till the tide turned. About 3 o'clock, P. M., we left York Island and proceeded up the river, and arrived at Toog-bah about 8 o'clock, where we were very cordially and hospitably entertained by Mr. Charles Tucker, a son of King Henry Tucker.

"The next morning (Saturday) we left Toog-bah and arrived at Haw-mendi, the residence of the King, about 9 o'clock, A. M.

"The King received us with a very hearty welcome, and expressed considerable surprise that I had not come to see him before, having heard of me by Brother Stub, who visited this place the previous February, and by the Mendians. He said he was about writing to me to invite me to come. Frequently, during the day, we talked with him about the object of our mission. He appeared very desirous of having a mission established among his people, but could make no agreement till his son Charles came from Toog-bah, whom he expected that day. Charles is his secretary. I told him we could not supply him with any rum, and explained to him the reasons, with which he appeared very well satisfied.

"The day passed away and his son did not come, and, consequently, no business was done. We, however, looked about for a suitable site for our intended mission premises. The next day Sunday) was a court day, which engaged the king and all who understood the English, and consequently we were deprived of the opportunity of having religious worship.

"Were I able to give you an account of the court, it would doubtless be interesting to you. The 'palaver house' was situated in a remote part of the town. It consisted of merely a roof supported by posts, under which the ground was raised some two feet high, the outside of which is a little higher than the middle, which served for seats for spectators. At one end the King was seated upon a mat, and around him sat several elderly men, whom I supposed answered to our jurors. The other end was occupied by witnesses and spectators.

"Near one corner was the 'gree-gree,' by which the witnesses had to swear when giving in their testimony. The 'gree-gree' in this case consisted of a 'bush cat' skin stuffed, a bunch of porcupine quills, a small earthen country made vessel about half the size of a tea-cup filled with some red preparation, &c., bound together on a little rack, or litter, which rested upon four crotched posts about two feet high. After all the testimony on both sides has been given, the king and his council consult together, and then the king delivers the judgment of the court, and pronounces the sentences. The trial before the court at this time was a difficult one, and has lasted several days. It was respecting some slaves. As I was unable to obtain the facts in the case, I am unable to give you an account of it.

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Early on Monday morning we informed the king that we must return that morning, and that we must do our business, though his son had not come. Accordingly, he took me out and showed me the different places he had in his own mind as suitable for our purpose; but of the three which he showed me, I chose the one we had previously selected. When we returned from our little excursion, breakfast was ready. After breakfast we made an agreement, of which the following is the import:

"The king is to give me and my successors the privilege of preaching the gospel in Kaw-mendi, and in any other place we may see fit in the king's dominions, without molestation. He is also to grant me a portion of land in Kaw-mendi or elsewhere, as I may see fit, suitable for mission premises, and also sufficient land for farms for myself (should I wish one) and for the people connected with the mission for which I am to pay him an annual rent of $150 in cash. The mission is to have full and entire protection.

"Perhaps it is due to the king for me to say he did not ask of me any rum either for himself or others. He did not ask anything of me as a present for himself, but for the

five surrounding chiefs, which must be called together, he wished goods, which, if purchased in Sierre Leone, would amount to between $100 and $150, to which I agreed. "After the above agreement was committed to writing, and with a duplicate of it signed and sealed by both parties, we took our leave of the king and started on our way homeward. When we had nearly arrived at Toog-bah we met Mr. Charles Tucker, just on his way to Kaw-mendi. We showed him the agreement, with which he was highly pleased, and he was desirous that his name should be attached to it."

Mr. Raymond proceeded to Kaw-mendi, in reference to which, we copy the following statement:

"Kaw-mendi is a beautiful village situated about thirty miles up the Jong river, and is about sixty miles from the Mendi country, and is about one hundred miles south of Sierra Leone. It contains about three hundred inhabitants. There are quite a number of towns near to which we would have free access. The land at Kaw-mendi is very good and will grow any thing. Tucker is one of the most powerful and influential chiefs in that part of the country, and without doubt is quite an extensive slavetrader. When we were at Kaw-mendi, there was a Spaniard there, whose pretended business was to get provision, but whose real object, doubtless, was to get a drove of slaves to take overland to the Gallinas. The chains and handcuffs with which the king's public room was decorated, were too sure evidence that the slave-trade had a lively existence.

"A great portion of the inhabitants are slaves. The slavery in Tucker's dominions, however, is very different from that in the neighbouring tribes, and widely different from that practised in the United States.

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Although Tucker is a slave-trader he never sells one of his domestic slaves. He never calls them slaves, nor allows others to. He calls them his people. When he buys a slave for his own service, if a man, he provides him with a wife, a house and a farm. The slave then carries on the farin as he pleases, gives half of the produce to the king, with the rest he supports his family and does what he pleases. He never sells him or his children. He permits his people to own property, and does not take it from them without paying them an equivalent. An instance of this happened white we were there. He wished a goat to kill for our entertainment. He had none of his own at hand: he, therefore, went to one of his people, and told him he had some friends come to see himn, and he wanted a goat, and would give him thus and so for it, I did know the articles, but have forgotten them. Though slavery, even in this form, is an obstacle in our way, yet we shall be free to preach the gospel to his people, and instruct their children in our schools.

"I have made inquiries of those best acquainted with the subject, as to what protection we might expect from the barbarous chiefs, and the universal opinion is that neither our persons nor our property will be in any danger, we shall be continually liable to a demand of presents from Tucker.

"We shall, doubtless, find the sterility of their language a great obstacle in the way of presenting gospel truths. All the African languages, are, as the Rev. Mr. Knibb describes them, merely capable of expressing "bread and cheese;" and it is impossible to preach the gospel in them without making a multitude of words, which would almost be like making a new language.

"I believe with Mr, Knibb, that the English language will become the prevailing language on the coast. They are very anxious to learn it, and to have their children learn it. In one instance, when the English missionaries were trying to teach the Timmany children to read their own language, their parents would not allow it, saying they knew bush language already, but they wanted them to learn white man's language.

It is a fact worth noticing also that no slave-trader will buy a man who speaks the English language. The presumption is that if they know that, they know something else, which would disqualify them for slavery.

"The people, in common, with all heathen, are very superstitious, though they have no regular system of idolatry."

With these facts stated by their own missionary, we believe the Committee of the Mendian Mission are opposed to Colonization, which is doing more than all other things to diffuse a knowledge of our language, institutions, and christianity among the African tribes!!! We know not whether the Mendian Mission is to be further prosecuted.

INTELLIGENCE.

Colonization Herald.

THE Pennsylvania Colonization Society has revived this semi-monthly journal, at the price of one dollar per year. The first number of the new series appeared on the 12th of April. It contains a variety of interesting and useful articles, and is not confined in its design to the advancement of African Colonization, but will bring before the community valuable information on subjects moral, economical, and scientific, so as to gratify the taste of individuals and contribute to the happiness and improvement of social life. We extract the following from the leading article:

"Christians of every sect,-philanthropists and patriots of all parties, and by whatever title designated! We invoke your aid in favor of a cause which gives such ample scope to your zeal and labors.

Cast your eyes on the map of Africa, and you will see that this great central and and most fertile and fairest region is, and, from time immemorial, has been, the home of the negro race. Hitherto, evil has predominated in fearful excess, as the horrors and atrocities of the slave-trade too long and too fully testify. But the dawn of a brighter day appears, and shows to the philanthropist and the christian the operations of new principles and inotives of action.

"On this western coast are now found descendants of those very Africans who had been carried way into bondage, bringing with them a pure religion which their forefathers never kne y, and a knowledge and practice of institutions calculated to secure national independence and individual liberty to all. LIBERIA is the home of these messengers of good, of these friends and instructors of their brethren, who. in proportion as they extend the settlements along the coast, will cut off forever the infernal traffic in slaves between the barbarous and pagan people in the interior, and the equally barbarous and pagan wretches who come in vessels from abroad. If it is desired, then, to extinguish for ever this traffic, and to substitute in its place lawful commerce and the arts and sciences, foster by all allowable means the settlement of christian free negroes on the western coast of central Africa. Much may be done by the large naval police now kept up by various christian nations: but the evil can only be destroyed by getting at its very source. Sanitary cordons are of little avail to cure the pestilence in the districts which they surround or in the countries whose boundaries they merely watch.

"Transferring your regard from Africa to America, what do you behold? A large and increasing population of the people of the negro race, for the most part in servitude. What are the causes retarding their liberation, in addition to those of self-interest and avarice? Are they not, mainly, the fears that the love of freedom will be merely nominal, and may prove a curse to both donor and receiver?

"Would you substitute for those fears and the apathy which attends them, impelling motives to action and high hopes of future good from measures of liberation, you need only point to Liberia and to African colonization. The chains of the slave will be loosened,-bis mind and his morals cared for, and he be prepared by his master for that higher standard of life and wider sphere of duties which await him in Africa."

THE SLAVE TRADE.

From the London Times of March 13.

GALLANT CAPTURE OF A SLAVER.-The Persian 16, sloop, Commander T. N. Eden, appears to be very fortunate in her cruises against pirates and slavers. Another gallant exploit of an officer belonging to this slo p, is narrated in a letter brought to this port by a vessel from the coast of Africa. The Persian was off Whydah, in the Bight of Benin, when early in the morning of the 17th of December a large suspicious looking vessel was descried at some distance. The master of the Persian, Mr. Birdwood, who was in command of two boats, with a crew of six men in each, immediately pushed toward her, and, finding that she was desirous to avoid communication, Mr. B., although with so small a force, determine to board her, and after four hours' chase-tugging at the oars under a broiling sun-the Persian's boats got alongside. The vessel, in the mean time, used every effort to escape. As the boats advanced, she endeavored to retard them by using the guns

with which she was armed; and when the boats closed, she was inclined to make a stout resistance. But the boat's crews, headed by the master, grappled the vessel, fearlessly dashed on board, and in a few seconds, although their opponents were treble in number, and armed with muskets, cutlasses and pistols, drove them below, and established themselves in possession without the loss of a man. They found their prize to be a Portuguese slaver, a fine brig of 248 tons. She had mounted two long guns, which were loaded with cannister shot, and had a compliment of thirty-six men. The prisoners were put on shore at Whydah, and their valuable prize sent into Sierre Leone for adjudication.

A SPANISH SLAVER ESCAPED WITH IMPUNITY!-A letter from on board the U. S. Ship Vincennes, states that on the 20th February, they overhauled a schooner with three Spanish Custom-House Officers on board, having Spanish papers and Spanish colors, which prevented their seizing her. She had 550 slaves on board-thirty-four had diedtwo jumped overboard in frantic despair;—she was twenty-eight days from the coast of Africa, making for Cuba. The vessel was built in New York in 1835 or 1836!-New York Observer.

FROM AFRICA.

Captain Dayley, of brig Ceylon, arrived at Salem from Africa, reports, as we learn from the Salem Register, that the barque Roderick Dhu, of Providence, commanded by Captain Richard T. Sims, of Salem, was at Accra, December 10, to sail for windward coast. Capt. Sims had been boarded by an officer of H. B. M. brig Spy, and treated in a most shameful and insulting manner, insomuch that Capt. S. had felt bound to make a representation of the case to the British Commandant of the station. Captain Sims' statement was fully corroborated by an English gentleman, a passenger with him at the time.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

I have recently seen several appeals-thrilling appeals-to aid that cause in which you know I feel a deep interest. At such times, when I read such appeals, I always lament that I am not rich. It is in my heart, instead of units, to give tens, hundreds, yes thousands. I enclose $5; it will do some good.

I received your Mission to England by Mr, Mathiot, and have read it with great interest. The first part of it-I mean that part relating to the early part of your sojourn in England—did excite in my bosom feelings which I cannot describe. For all this, we are indebted to the abolitionists. I hope that the ten thousand of our honest, wellmeaning men in our country, who are now deceived by them, will one day be undeceived, and that the colored man will yet be elevated.

From a friend in Washington city.

*

APRIL 13, 1843.

I think deeply of the great, the amazing interests of the world-and one mighty subject is slavery—colonizution—and all the concerns of this mighty item in our own field of patriotism.

I think we may within one year accomplish wonders for our cause. Nations are moving, and our own country's legislation will move in relation to the subject. *

It is self-evident that all you want now is money. Oh, that an earthquake might open wide the hearts of those loaded with wealth! Money, as you know, would give you every thing territory and improvement of every kind in Africa—and here, enough who would go if there were means to carry them-and enough of means to carry those who wished to go. Cannot we get up a standard pledge from thousands-tens of thousands of philanthropic, christian, glorious liberty-loving, and patriotic spirits in the land—a sort of auxiliary body-to subscribe $50 each? Au heroic, numerous