NOTES OH GOVERNMENT OP LIBERIAN HINTERLAND 
Liberia divided Into three provinces ** Western, Central, Eastern 
Each of these divided into three districts 
Provincial Commissioners and each district commissioner appointed 
by President® 
Paramount Chief governs each tribe, elected by Council of Clan Chiefs, 
a clan consisting of not less than 20 villages* 
Gian Chiefs elected by popular vote of members of Clan* 
Council of Chiefs, administrative board, meet not less than once a 
month. 
Town Chief elected by people of town* 
Paramount Chief Entitled to a farm, 37 bushels of seed rice, labor and 
sowing but not harvesting. 
Clan Chief 10 bushels of seed rice. 
Paramount Chief entitled to four messengers. Clan Chief to two. 
During farming season no court cases are held except criminal cases 
Marital Law 
In question of dowry no man allowed to refund dowry to husband. All 
dowries paid only to parents or guardians. 
If wife leaves husband she returns to her parents, who refund the dowry 
Legal dowry not to exceed 350*00 
Should a man estrange the affections of a woman from, her husband, the 
husband shall be entitled to damages of 3100. Payment does not entitle 
man to possession of woman. This applies to head wife; with secon™ 
dary wife penalty $10. If woman has represented herself as unmarried 
no penalty. 
No man married with the Christian rite can legally marry according to 
native custom, nor if such man contracts union with pagan woman can he 
recover dowry if marriage dissolved* 
Marriage by native custom legal for Mohammedans and pagans# Should a 
Christian already Mac married by Christian rite or civil marriage 
contract marriage by native custom he may be prosecuted for bigamy. 
Unmarried Christian may contract legal marriage by native custom. 
Offspring will be considered legitimate. While this native marriage 
exists, he can have no legal union with a civilized person. 
