Page:A Chapter on Slavery.djvu/94

 Governor of the Colony. This was a wise provision; for it was too much to expect of an assemblage of persons taken, many of them, from the lowest condition, and without education, to be able at once to take the whole management of the affairs of a newly established colony. And the successive agents or governors were some of the most wise, disinterested, and noble-minded men that have ever engaged in the founding of a new state. Many of them — as Mills and Ashmun — fell a sacrifice to their ardent devotion to what they justly considered a great and good cause. Monuments will yet be raised to their memory: one to Ashmun, indeed, has already been raised both in America and in Liberia. The founders of this new thing in the world’s history, a nation of free and enlightened and Christian Africans will in coming ages find their due place in the regard of mankind: their real reward many of them have already found, we may trust, in a higher sphere.

While, however, the Governor or Head of the colony was to. be a white person, the Lieutenant-Governor, Counselors, Judges, Members of the Legislature, and all other officers whatever, were to be men of ‘ color. This arrangement continued for a long time, and worked exceedingly well. A few years since, however — after experience had been gained by the colonists in managing public affairs, and it was found that all things were going on with good order and quietness, as well as efficiency — the Society at home resolved to trust them still further; and, on the death of one of the agents, — a colored person, Lieutenant-Governor Roberts, who had already shown much and