File No. 882.032/15.
[Inclosure—Extracts.]
[Untitled]
For several years past a state of unrest has characterized the Kru
coast in Sinoe County, occasionally manifesting itself in sporadic
outbreaks. In September of the present year, taking as a pretext the
rumor that the Government intended to send tax collectors among
them, they commenced hostilities by blockading with war canoes the
port of Greenville and firing upon the town, by seizing and robbing
the boats of peaceful foreigners trading on the coast, by capturing
and destroying mails despatched to Sinoe and Cape Palmas in open
boats, by threatening and ill-treating missionaries and their
dependents, and by setting up a farcical government with all the
appurtenances of cabinet officials. As soon as your Executive heard
of the first of these movements, we despatched messengers to the
chiefs of the several communities reported to be involved, but
without results.
With a sincere desire to exhaust every reasonable resource to settle
this trouble by peaceful means, our situation was made fully known
to the Government of the United States coupled with a request that a
war vessel be despatched to Liberian waters, the commander of which
might act as an impartial mediator. Further, a special commission
was appointed to investigate and settle peacefully the questions
between the Krus and the Government. That commission was composed of
the following gentlemen: Honorable B. W. Payne, Secretary of
Education, a native Liberian of the Bassa tribe; Reed Paige Clark,
Esq., a citizen of the United States and General Receiver of
Customs; Mr. B. J. Davis, Governor of Monrovia Krutown, a native
Liberian of the Kru tribe; and Mr. J. F. Cooper, Commissioner of
Internal Revenue. Your Executive felt assured that with a commission
so composed, any real grievance which might be brought before it by
the Krus would have sympathetic hearing and investigation, and any
wrong proved, redressed.
The United States Cruiser Chester arrived at Monrovia on the 8th of
November, and proceeded the next day to Sinoe with the above
commission on board. The good offices of Captain Schofield of the
Chester had been requested in the attempt
to adjust these difficulties, and I may state that he was most
painstaking and persevering and did everything in his power to bring
about a settlement.
The efforts of the commission have so far proved of no avail in
achieving peaceful conditions, notwithstanding the fact that every
just and honorable [Page 627]
overture was made the Krus to accomplish the end of the Government
without bloodshed. These were all scorned; the Krus wanted to fight;
the Government was challenged in a noisy and insolent manner by a
show of their war power. In view of the efforts which have so often
been made to impress the world with the idea that Liberia is
disposed and takes every opportunity to ill-treat and oppress the
native population, the commission has been able to produce this good
effect, namely: that the citizens of the United States who acted in
connection with the commission, and other foreign residents, are new
satisfied, or should be, that the Krus have no real grievances, that
this revolt was initiated for the purpose of subverting, if
possible, the Government of Liberia, and that it is not without
foreign sympathy and encouragement.
I feel that your Honorable Body will share the sincere disappointment
caused by the departure of Major Charles Young, Military Attaché of
the American Legation, who has rendered such unselfish and
constructive service in his capacity as Military Adviser to the War
Department. Major Young has worked with unflagging zeal to assist in
the bringing of the Frontier Force up to a remarkable state of
efficiency and system, in the rehabilitation of the Militia and
along other lines converging towards the perfection point of the
defensive arm of the State. The counsel and cooperation of a man
representing as much optimistic energy and work as Major Young does,
will most assuredly be missed.
