Liberia 



<<- 



1 



States in its flag, but it imported unnecessary political distinc- 

 tions and a system of party government. The Conservative- 

 minded amongst the Liberian voters styled themselves Whigs 

 or Old Whigs, while the more Radical or Progressive section 

 of the people called themselves firstly the " True Liberian 

 Party," and later on " Republicans," The term " Whig " — 

 which, like " Tory," arose as a political nickname in Ireland 

 — travelled across to England, thence to the United States, and 

 from America back to Liberia, where it is in use at the present 

 day.^ 



In May, 1849, Roberts was elected for a second term as 

 President, the term commencing January ist, 1850. He was 

 again chosen for President between 1851 and 1853, and soon 

 till December 31st, 1855. 



In 1850 two Hamburg trading houses established them- 

 selves in Liberia.^ In 1851 the British Government appointed 

 its first Consul at Monrovia, the Rev. Mr, Hanson, a native of 

 Cape Coast Castle, and of African birth ; but he only held 

 the post for a year, as he complained of disrespectful treatment 

 from the Liberians. In this same year Dr. Lugenbeel reported 

 the " sleep disease " (sleeping sickness) to exist in Liberia. 

 This malady still occurs from time to time. The missionary 

 Koelle from Sierra Leone, who visited the Vai country of 

 Liberia in 1850, also alludes to a case of sleeping sickness (the 

 death of the inventor of the Vai alphabet, Doala Bukere). 



' The Whigs in later days have been further differentiated as "True Whigs" 

 and " Old Whigs." As a party they desire to limit and restrain the rights 

 of foreigners in Liberia, and to preserve the commerce and land-settlement as 

 much as possible for Negroes. The True Liberian, called later on the Republic 

 Party, on the other hand, advocated a far more liberal policy, which should admit 

 strangers to nearly all the advantages of Liberia. To this last party belonged 

 President Roberts, and also Stephen Allen Benson for the first part of his career. 

 But Benson afterwards went over to the Whig party, and since i860 this has been 

 the dominant faction, both for the good and for the ill which have come on Liberia. 



^ One of them being the now celebrated house of Woermann. 



230 



