Liberia -^ 



a code of laws had been drawn up, and about the same time a, 

 printing press had started, and the first newspaper, the Liberia 

 Herald, edited by John Baptist Russwurm, a mulatto, was 

 born. Four companies of militia, raised from among the 

 twelve hundred colonists, kept the peace. Churches and schools 

 were built. 



But in the spring of 1828 Ashmun's health, never very 

 strong, gave way completely, and in an almost dying condition 

 he left Liberia for America on the ship Doris. 



Ashmun sailed towards America, but was so ill that he 

 had to be landed at St. Bartholomew Island in the British West 

 Indies to endeavour to attain convalescence. On August 4th, 

 1828, he returned to the United States, and died on the 

 25th of that month at Newhaven (Connecticut). Before his 

 death he had induced the American Colonisation Society to 

 accord a greater measure of independence and self-government 

 to this little colony on the West Coast of Africa. By this new 

 arrangement, which practically came into force on October 28th, 

 1828, the direction of the Colony of Liberia was entrusted 

 to an agent and vice-agent, who were to be appointed direct 

 by the American Colonisation Society. All the other officials 

 were to be elected by the colonists themselves, and then to 

 receive their appointment at the hands of the agent, provided 

 he approved of the selection. Every adult black or coloured 

 man in Liberia was to have the vote who had taken an oath 

 to the constitution. 



When Ashmun left Liberia no other white man existed 

 in the colony. He had chosen Lot Carey to succeed him as 

 agent ; but Carey was killed by an explosion of gunpowder 

 in a fight which the colonists undertook against a chief called 

 Bristol in December, 1828. 



The American Colonisation Society, however, appointed 



150 



