Liberia <«- 



drastic remarks from time to time to the settlers on their want 

 of self-respect, urging them to become self-supporting. When 

 a settlement or township asked for a school, he told them there 

 was nothing simpler than to start such an institution if they 

 would club together amongst themselves for the necessary- 

 money to support it. He himself was rebuked by the American 

 Colonisation Society for the very poor cargoes of agricultural 

 produce which were sent back from Liberia to the United 

 States by the return voyages of the ships that brought out 

 emigrants. Moreover, during his Governorship several of 

 the sailing vessels that kept up communication between Liberia 

 and the mother-country were lost on the coast, and com- 

 munications with America gradually dwindled. Some years 

 later, the first British steamer from Liverpool came out to the 

 West Coast of Africa (the Macgregor Laird)^ and gradually 

 by this means it became easier and quicker to visit Great 

 Britain than to cross the Atlantic to the United States. From 

 this time perhaps (1840) may be dated the gradual turning 

 towards Great Britain on the part of Liberia, which in spite 

 of a few rebuffs and some harsh treatment has till the present 

 time increased gradually into a very strong sympathy between 

 the two countries, aided no doubt by the brotherly relations 

 which have grown up between Liberia and the very similar 

 Negro colony of Sierra Leone. 



Buchanan was much worried during the last two years of his 

 life by the intrigues and opposition of the Rev. Mr. Seyes, a 

 prominent (? Baptist) missionary. Mr. Seyes appears to have 

 wished to become a sort of religious Dictator or Grand Elector, 

 to control the Government and ignore the American Colonisa- 

 tion Society. 



Governor Buchanan died at Government House, Basa Cove, 

 on September 3rd, 1841, after an illness lasting about ten days. 



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