the coast of Africa, a sum not exceeding fifty dollars for the support of each recaptured African negro delivered to the Agents of the said Society. Provided, the said Society, or their Agents, will agree to receive them on the terms specified in this and the preceding section.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the sum of thirty thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the Treasury, for carrying into effect the aforesaid provisions, and also for the purpose hereinafter stated.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Navy be authorized to pay, out of the sum herein appropriated, the claim of the administrator of the state of Taliaferro Livingston, late United States' Marshal for the District of Alabama, for the maintenance of sundry Africans, captured in one thousand eight hundred and eighteen: Provided, the said administrator shall produce satisfactory evidence of the reasonableness of the charges for the said maintenance; and that the sums received by the said Livingston for the hire of the said Africans, be accounted for, and deducted.

NOTE. In the course of the proceedings on this bill, the 1st, 2d, and 3d sections were stricken out, leaving the 4th and 5th sections only, which were passed into a law, and received the approbation and signature of the President of the United States on the 24th of May, 1828.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1828.

Mr. MERCER moved the following resolution; which was read, and laid on the table, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be directed to lay before this House such intelligence as his Department may supply, respecting the present condition and probable annual expense of the United States' Agency for recaptured Africans upon the coast of Africa; and to comprehend therein any information possessed by the said Department, illustrative of the present circumstances of the settlement of free colored people at Liberia, and of those liberated Africans who have been restored to that continent in pursuance of the act of Congress of 1819.

This resolution was adopted by the House on the day after its introduction; and the Secretary of the Navy, in obedience to its requirements, communicated to the House the following:

NAVY DEPARTMENT,

11th March, 1828.

SIR: In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 3th instant, directing the Secretary of the Navy to lay before the House "such intelligence as his Department may supply, respecting the present condition and probable annual expense of the United States' Agency for recaptured Africans upon the coast of Africa; and to comprehend therein any information possessed by said Department, illustrative of the present circumstances of the settlement of free colored people at Liberia, and of those liberated Africans who have been restored to that continent in pursuance of the act of Congress of 1819," the Secretary of the Navy has the honor to

lay before the House a copy of two letters from J. Ashmun, who is temporarily the acting Agent at Cape Mesurado: one dated 28th August, and the other 22d December, 1827; a schedule of the public buildings and other property, with their estimated value; a statement of the disposition made of the Africans sent from Georgia by the ship Norfolk; and an extract of a letter from Master Commandant J. B. Nicholson, dated 20th February, 1828.

These papers contain all the information, recently received, of the present condition of the Agency, which is represented as prosperous and encouraging.

It will be perceived that all the liberated Africans have, by this time, ceased to be a charge to the United States.

be

Should no further captures be made, the only expense, under existing regulations, will be for the care of the public property and the salaries of the agents. It may proper, however, to state that 121 Africans, landed from the wreck of a Spanish vessel, have lately been seized at Key West, and measures adopted by the Marshal of East Florida for their removal to St. Augustine, preparatory to a trial. The decision respecting them cannot be anticipated, but it is possible that the case may be considered as coming within the acts of Congress; in which event, the duty will devolve upon the Executive of removing them from the United States. Provision was made for such an emergency, in the estimate presented at the commencement of the session.

Accounts of the expenditures at and for the Agency have been furnished to the close of the last year; those subsequently received have not yet been settled.

Orders were given on the 10th December, not to expend any more money on the public buildings, and the Agent was directed to prepare a schedule of them and their cost; this was partly anticipated by one of the accompanying papers; but the current estimated value is substituted for the actual cost, which is probably not more than one-half the amount stated.

A map of the country having been engraved, a copy of it is herewith scnt, showing the position of the several settlements.

The Department is not in possession of any other information, particularly "illustrative of the present circumstances of the settlement of free colored people at Liberia." Reports on that subject are addressed to the Colonization Society; nor has the Department any knowledge, further than what arises from the unavoidable connexion existing between the Agency and the settlement of free people, and which connexion has heretofore been explained in communications to Congress.

All which is respectfully submitted.

SAM'L L. SOUTHARD.

The SPEAKER of the House of Representatives.

UNITED STATES' AGENCY FOR RECAPTURED AFRICANS,
Cape Mesurado, August 28, 1827.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, through Doctor Todson, per the ship "Norfolk," arrived here on the 20th instant, forty-one days from Savannah, of your letter of the 11th of June, and copies of instructions therein referred to: those originally addressed to the late Doctor

Peaco, dated April 2, and those given to Doctor Todson, dated the 11th June; all of the present year.

In obedience to those instructions, I have received 142 Africans at the Agency, (the number embarked at Savannah having been diminished by two, from the death of a child and an aged paralytic,) and proceeded to dispose of them in the way judged most conducive to their own welfare, and most conformable to the views and instructions of the Department. Under this disposition of these people, of which the particulars shall be forwarded by the return of the Norfolk, three-fourths of them will cease to be a charge to the United States at the end of one month, and all (except the sick) at the end of six months. All the adults are to receive lands, and will be admitted to the privileges of colonial settlers at the expiration of twelve months, provided their conduct within that term shall not prove them unworthy of the civil rights attaching to landed property in the colony.

Conformably with the same instructions, I have reorganized the service of the Agency, with a view to diminish and reduce, to the lowest estimated amount, its future expenses.

W. L. Weaver, the bookkeeper and assistant, appointed by the late Dr. Peaco, is discharged after the 31st of the present month.

The storekeeper, E. Johnson, whose services in keeping, distributing, and exchanging the stores and other property belonging to the Norfolk's cargo, cannot be dispensed with, is retained at a compensation of $333 per annum, for six months from the same date.

A. D. Williams, the former Superintendent, is also retained at a compen sation of $400, for the same term.

The reason for retaining Mr. Williams is, that his superintendency and other services are absolutely necessary to place the Africans in situations, accustom them to such employments, and form them to such habits, as shall enable them, some from the first, all at the end of six months, to support themselves.

On the supposition that no more Africans are to be sent to the Agency, I beg to submit an estimate of its future expenses in this country-anticipating its expiration on the first of September, 1828-exclusive of draughts on the Department previous to the present time, some of which appear not to have been received on the eleventh June last, and of the stores, &c. received per the Norfolk.

Estimate.

1. Compensation due to W. L. Weaver, in full for past services up to the time of his discharge, August 31, 1827

2. Do. due to E. Johnson, storekeeper, in full for services up to the 31st August, 1827

3. Do. due to E. Johnson, storekeeper, in full for services to be rendered the ensuing six months, when they are to terminate

4. Do. due to Griffin, Steward, and Clarke, associate carpenters, for carpenters' work accomplished and doing on the United States' buildings for recaptured Africans and Superintendent at Stocktontown

5. Do. due to the same carpenters for work done and doing on Fort Norris Battery, Cape Mesurado

$175 00

75.00

166 50

200 00

95 00

6. Compensation due to Nelson's services as carpenter, Stockton buildings

7. Estimated amount of masons' and painters' bills for underpinning and painting the Stockton buildings

8. Bills of William Draper, employed, in 1826, by Doctor Peaco, to build a very expensive double piazza, with Venetian work, quite around the large agency house, involving alterations in the house

9. Do. of masons, carpenters, and painters, for work necessary to complete the new agency house

10. Do. carpenters and smiths for completing the large schooner boat now on the stocks

250 00

275 00

2,400 00

300 00

650 00

Materials for the same, and for repairing the Catharine 11. Do. of painters, and for materials for painting the United States' ware, gun, and other remaining houses

400 00

240 00

12. Expenses incurred about Fort Norris Battery, for the protection of the Roads, estimated at

165 00

13. Do. for compensation to A. D. Williams, Superintendent recaptured Africans, February 28, 1828

400 00

14. Incidentals. Agent's personal expenses during the year to end August 31st, 1828, $100, or (exclusive of pay) extra services and fixtures about the public stores, $50; salutes to foreign national vessels, $50; compensation for military and ordnance storekeeper, 36

15. Amount of draught for purchases made of the schooner Eclipse, in favor of William De La Roche.

Note. The

amount of this draught, dated to day, is $1,602 974, com-
prehending-

Of the 1st item of the preceding estimate,

$72 87

236 00

1

And leaving, after abating this general estimate, $604 872 for purchases properly belonging to item 15

Making, exclusive of my own or substitute's pay through the year beginning September 1, 1827, in full for all future expenses to that date, and supposing the expiration of the Agency at that date, six thousand nine hundred and eighty-five dollars and sixty cents

998 10

$6,985 60

In the foregoing estimate I have most anxiously studied economy on the one hand; but I have, also, on the other, not been regardless of the mode of closing a concern of so interesting a nature, situated in a foreign country, which becomes the justice and dignity of the Government of the United States. The actual state of the United States' dwelling, ware, and gun-houses, its fortifications and their armament, the buildings for recaptured Africans

and the boats, &c. belonging to the Agency (worth, at a moderate estimate, $14,000,) requires also a large part of the additional expense included in this estimate, in order to furnish and put them in a condition to fit them either for sale or preservation.

Doctor Todson will furnish himself with a properly authenticated schedule of all the permanent property belonging to the United States at this date, attaching to the Agency, which probably will not materially vary at the year's end.

Having formed the above estimate in the exercise of my best discretion, I beg leave, in conclusion, to observe, that, until further instructions from the Department, to which I beg most respectfully to submit it for approval, I shall regulate my expenditures by it, and, without the most extraordinary necessity, shall not exceed any one of the items.

Hon. SAMUEL L. SOUTHARD,

Respectfully, sir,

Your obedient servant,

Sec'ry United States' Navy, Washington City.

J. ASHMUN.

P. S. A general statement of my accounts since the departure of Doctor Peaco was forwarded by the United States' schooner Shark, which sailed from Mesurado for the West Indies, 12th February last; and a full statement of my accounts up to the 30th of April, 1827, went by the Doris, which sailed hence for Baltimore, on the 22d June last. If my health, which has been bad for two months past, proves sufficient, I shall forward by Dr. Todson a further statement of the accounts to the date of the Norfolk's arrival, August 20th (inst.)

J. ASHMUN.

Understanding a vessel, to be chartered by the American Colonization Society, is expected to sail from the United States for Cape Mesurado some time in Autumn, I have to request. that twenty-five thousand of juniper, cypress, or yellow pine shingles may be forwarded by that conveyance, in order to cover the most valuable of the United States' houses, &c. in this country. The shingles of the country are dear, and too indifferent to last longer than two seasons. Some require to be annually renewed

J. ASHMUN.

U. S. AGENCY FOR RECAPTURED AFRICANS,
Cape Mesurado, December 22, 1827.

SIR: The United States' ship Ontario, having arrived in Mesurado Roads last evening, ten days from Sierra Leone, and forty-one from Gibraltar, on her return to the United States, will be the bearer of this communication.

I have the satisfaction of being able to state, that all the recaptured Africans at the Agency are, with nearly every individual of the American settlers, in perfect health, with the exception of nine cases (of which two are recaptured Africans) of ulcerated legs. The sufferers from this malady' have, however, been convalescent since the termination of the rainy season, which the present year was unusually protracted, and scarcely terminated at the beginning of the present month.