very promising.

Gurley, _Life of Jehudi Ashmun_, appendix, p. 158.

ADDRESS

BY THE CITIZENS OF MONROVIA, TO THE FREE COLOURED PEOPLE OF THE
UNITED STATES

As much speculation and uncertainty continue to prevail among the
free people of colour in the United States, respecting our
situation and prospects in Africa; and many misrepresentations
have been put in circulation there, of a nature slanderous to
_us_, and in their effects injurious to _them_; we feel it our
duty by a true statement of our circumstances to endeavor to
correct them.

The first consideration which caused our voluntary removal to
this country, and the object which we still regard with the
deepest concern, is liberty--liberty, in the sober, simple, but
complete sense of the word:--not a licentious liberty--nor a
liberty without government--or which should place us without the
restraint of salutary laws. But that liberty of speech, action,
and conscience, which distinguished the free, enfranchised
citizens of a free state. We did not enjoy that freedom in our
native country, and from causes which, as respects ourselves, we
shall soon forget forever, we were certain it was not there
attainable for ourselves, or our children. This then being the
first object of our pursuit in coming to Africa, is probably the
first subject on which you will ask for information. And we must
truly declare to you, that our expectations and hopes in this
respect have been realized. Our Constitution secures to us, so
far as our condition allows, "all the rights and privileges
enjoyed by the citizens of the United States," and these rights
and these privileges are ours. We are proprietors of the soil we
live on; and possess the rights of freeholders; our suffrages,
and what is of more importance our _sentiments_, and our
_opinions_, have their due weight in the government we live
under. Our laws are altogether our own; they grow out of our
circumstances; are framed for our exclusive benefit; and
administered either by officers of our own appointment, or such
as possess our confidence. We have a judiciary chosen from among
ourselves; we serve as jurors in the trial of others; and are
liable to be tried only by juries of our fellow-citizens,
ourselves. We have all that is meant