File No. 882.032/11.

[Untitled]

Note. The message of President Daniel E. Howard was communicated to the Legislature of Liberia December 17, 1913, and was transmitted to the Secretary of State by the American Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Richard C, Bundy.

[Extracts.]

The trouble at River Cess1 has claimed our serious attention this year. We do not now feel wholly warranted in saying that the disorder has been finally quelled, still peace reigns and law and authority are fully established and being maintained from River Cess to Lower Buchanan. An attempt was made by the Krus in June to take River Cess, but they were successfully repulsed with heavy losses by Lieutenant Smith, of the Frontier Force, of whose gallant conduct Major Ballard speaks in terms of merited praise.

I am pleased to be able to inform you that the troubles in the Gio section, in the rear of Grand Bassa County, where the Rubber Corporation is, or was, operating, have been successfully settled.

Conditions on the Franco-Liberian boundary, and particularly the Cavalla River Section, have been very peaceful save for a little trade incident which happened between the merchants of Maryland County and the natives on our side. We were informed that the traders of the Cavalla formed themselves into a combination and greatly reduced the prices formerly paid for produce, while they maintained in fact the selling prices of their goods. As a retaliation the natives elected to and did carry their produce over to the French side for sale. The matter was brought to our attention and was discussed with the General Receiver of Customs and, while we both preferred having the produce disposed of in our territory, we saw no legal way of compelling the natives to do so, since indeed in trading with the French merchants they complied fully with our laws. This is one of the proofs that we are not placing any barriers in the way of traffic with our neighbors on the southeast.

The Secretary of State will submit to your Honorable Body the findings in the matter of the Attia claims against the Government; also the awards concerning the claims for losses sustained by the German merchants1 at River Cess and points adjacent, at the settlement of Brewerville, and in the case of damages sustained by some clerks of the firm of A. Woermann at the hands of Krumen in Monrovia.

It gives me very great pleasure to convey to you the information that our Consul General at Washington, U. S. A., Dr. Ernest Lyon, notified the Secretary of State on the 9th of October, that he had successfully concluded the transactions relative to the Donovan Fund,2 and [Page 655] that the accumulated sum of sixty-five thousand five hundred eleven dollars and eleven cents had been duly turned over to him by the president of the American Colonization Society for which amount he had given his receipt. He further stated that this sum had been deposited in a bank of which the American Colonization Society is a depositor and whose treasurer is a member of the Colonization Society.

The late Caroline Donovan, of the State of Maryland in the United States of America, being possessed of certain real estate in the City of Baltimore, executed a deed of trust to the American Colonization Society, giving said property in trust to the Society for the transportation annually to Liberia of such colored persons as might desire to emigrate from the United States. Should the transportation of such persons for any one year not require the net income from the said property for that year, such balance remaining should be applied by the Society to the maintenance of public schools for the education of colored children in Liberia. This sixty-five thousand five hundred eleven dollars and eleven cents represents the accumulated balances of the net income of this fund.

It is altogether right and fitting that we should express our appreciation for this donation and for the amount now coming to Liberia, and becoming available as it does at this time when there is a general cry throughout the Republic for an industrial school. I am certain that the wishes of the donor, as well as those of our friends in America, will be adequately carried out. We have already placed ourselves in touch with more than one of the societies in America interested in education in Liberia with a view of securing their advice and cooperation in the procuring of suitable teachers for the establishment of an efficient industrial plant, and from this cooperation, backed by our hearty approval and enthusiasm, we are sanguine that such results will be obtained as will revolutionize our school work.

A bill is being prepared relative to the Donovan Fund governing the appropriation of same towards the establishment and maintenance of an industrial and normal school in honor of the donor of this bequest.

  1. Printed post, pp. 655 et seq. and 682 et seq.
  2. Printed post, pp. 655 et seq. and 682 et seq.
  3. Printed post, pp. 686 et seq.