INHABITANTS AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THEY LIVE 35 
that Her Majesty’s Government should be accurately informed of the degree 
of official patronage and protection that the United States Government extended 
to the colony of Liberia, and how far, if at all, the United States Government 
recognized the colony of Liberia as a national establishment. He also pointed 
out that the authorities of Liberia had shown a disposition to considerably en- 
large the limits of their territory and to assume the right to monopolize trade 
with the natives along a considerable part of the coast where the trade had 
hitherto been free. 
From what has already been said, it seems obvious that the United States 
had given both aid and protection to the early colonists. Also, the American 
Government gave official assistance to the founding of the Liberian Republic 
when Congress, in an act in 1819, authorized the President to employ American 
armed vessels for the suppression of the slave trade along the coast of Africa, 
and appointed agents resident on the coast of Africa to receive recaptured 
Africans.” In addition, President Monroe sent two agents to cooperate with the 
American Colonization Society, and the American Government aided in sending 
nearly six thousand recaptured Africans to the country. The American Govern- 
ment also, on several occasions, sent cruisers to assist the Liberian Government 
in the suppression of native revolts and to prevent foreign intervention. 
In reply to the letter from the British Minister, referred to above, the Amer- 
ican Secretary of State informed Her Majesty’s Government that the United 
States regarded Liberia as occupying a peculiar position and as possessing claims 
to the friendly consideration of all Christian powers; that the United States 
would at all times be prepared to interpose its good offices to prevent any en- 
croachment by the Colony on any just right of any nation, and that it would 
be very unwilling to see it despoiled of its territory rightfully acquired, or im- 
properly restrained in the exercise of its necessary rights and powers as an 
independent settlement.’ 
After considerable discussion it was agreed by those most interested in the 
Colony and especially by the settlers themselves, that a fully independent gov- 
ernment should be recognized, and the American Colonization Society severed 
all political connections with Liberia in 1846. 
In 1847 a declaration of independence was made by the settlers, in which, 
after discussing the disadvantages and hardships which they had undergone in 
the United States, they recited their desire and their right to establish the Re- 
public of Liberia. The constitution was evidently drafted with the Constitution 
of the United States as a model. It contains a declaration of rights, defines 
legislative and executive powers, and outlines the organization of a judicial de- 
partment much in the fashion of our own constitution. Section 12 provides that 
‘““No person shall be entitled to hold real estate in this Republic unless he be 
a citizen of the same”’ (which obviously excludes all white persons) and Section 4 
states that there shall be no slavery within the Republic. 
1 American Journal International Law (1910), IV, 211. 
2 United States Statutes at large (1813-1823), IIT, 532. 
3 Ibid., p. 214. 
