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Letter to Editor
May 13, 1868
The Southern Enterprise
Greenville, Greenville County, South Carolina
What is this article about?
Henry Lewis, a freedman who emigrated from America, writes from Liberia expressing deep satisfaction with his new life, true freedom, easy land acquisition, and abundant natural resources like coffee, coconuts, lemons, and palm trees. He recommends the country to his brother and others.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Correspondence of the Columbus, (Ga.) Sun
Liberia--A Country for Freedmen.
Buchanan, G. B. Country, January 10, 1868,
I am happy to inform you that I am well and have been well ever since I left home, as have been all my family. I am very well satisfied with the country—better satisfied than I ever was in all the days of my life. I thought I was free in America, but I was not until I stepped ashore in Liberia; and I thank God that I can now declare my freedom without fear. It was twenty-nine days after we left Charleston before we saw any land, and the first land we saw was Cape Verde, inhabited by the Portuguese; the next was Monrovia, and then we landed at our station—Grand Bassa Country; and of all lands that I have never seen before I have seen in this country; and all the trouble you have in getting your land is to walk about and pick it out for yourself. I landed here on the 4th day of January and came ashore on the 6th of January, and on the 8th I went out to inspect land and found it good. On the 9th I went out again and picked out my land between two towns—one mile from each. Of all the fruits I found on the land my tongue is unable to explain, but I will give you the names of some. First, a field of thirty acres of coffee; second, cocoa-nut trees in any quantity. Third, lemons by the bushel. Fourth, the great palm tree the most important and precious tree in the country, from which we get palm oil, cabbage, butter, then the kernel, shingles, then cord and thread, and then, best of all, we can get wine of it to drink. All of these we have on the farm. Tell my brother Washington that this is the country to come to. I will now close by saying I remain yours,
HENRY LEWIS.
Liberia--A Country for Freedmen.
Buchanan, G. B. Country, January 10, 1868,
I am happy to inform you that I am well and have been well ever since I left home, as have been all my family. I am very well satisfied with the country—better satisfied than I ever was in all the days of my life. I thought I was free in America, but I was not until I stepped ashore in Liberia; and I thank God that I can now declare my freedom without fear. It was twenty-nine days after we left Charleston before we saw any land, and the first land we saw was Cape Verde, inhabited by the Portuguese; the next was Monrovia, and then we landed at our station—Grand Bassa Country; and of all lands that I have never seen before I have seen in this country; and all the trouble you have in getting your land is to walk about and pick it out for yourself. I landed here on the 4th day of January and came ashore on the 6th of January, and on the 8th I went out to inspect land and found it good. On the 9th I went out again and picked out my land between two towns—one mile from each. Of all the fruits I found on the land my tongue is unable to explain, but I will give you the names of some. First, a field of thirty acres of coffee; second, cocoa-nut trees in any quantity. Third, lemons by the bushel. Fourth, the great palm tree the most important and precious tree in the country, from which we get palm oil, cabbage, butter, then the kernel, shingles, then cord and thread, and then, best of all, we can get wine of it to drink. All of these we have on the farm. Tell my brother Washington that this is the country to come to. I will now close by saying I remain yours,
HENRY LEWIS.
What sub-type of article is it?
Informative
Reflective
Emotional
What themes does it cover?
Slavery Abolition
Agriculture
Social Issues
What keywords are associated?
Liberia Settlement
Freedmen Emigration
African Colonization
Land Acquisition
Tropical Fruits
True Freedom
What entities or persons were involved?
Henry Lewis
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Henry Lewis
Main Argument
liberia provides true freedom for freedmen, with easy access to fertile land abundant in fruits and resources, far better than life in america; the writer recommends it to his brother and others.
Notable Details
Voyage From Charleston Took 29 Days, First Sighted Cape Verde Then Monrovia, Landed At Grand Bassa On January 4, 1868
Selected Land On January 9 Between Two Towns, One Mile From Each
Land Features: 30 Acres Coffee, Numerous Cocoa Nut Trees, Lemons, Palm Trees Yielding Oil, Cabbage, Butter, Kernels, Shingles, Cord, Thread, And Wine