Note 162 — Chapter VII

H.M. was not so far wrong. The following, which is an exact copy of a letter addressed to Dr. Harrison, will show what is going on at Abeokuta on the part of the Sierra Leone settlers:—

‘To the Editor of the Iwe Irohin.

‘Lagos, Sept. 28th, 1861.

‘Dear Sir,

‘Sorry you have not inserted the whole of our defence against such notorious falsehood of the W. African of the 26th May.

‘But as you take upon yourselves to refute our defence. We therefore pray you most earnestly to proof the fact, who is this Sierra Leone Emigrants that thus denie, that he is not an emigrant from Sierra Leone, and in the next place to proof, which of the Sierra Leone Emigrants, has at any time claimed to be tried by native law, which is another error, which you must either proof or correct.

‘We belief that whatever is inserted in any such paper for public perusal, must be true and nothing but the truth.

‘We are not forced by the late Consul Foote to register our names as you imagine.

‘With regard to a S. Woman who you said to be exacting five strings out of seven from a boy slave who was servant to a whiteman “Pray Messrs. Editors,” It is in your place to report such one to H.B.M. Consul and to be punished, and if not, you can name such one, but not to charge the whole population with an offence committed by a single individual. It was in order to distinguish one man from another was the reason a name given to every man.

‘We remain, dear Sir,

‘Your Obedient Servants,

‘THE SIERRA LEONE EMIGRANTS.

‘P.S.—Pray to insert the whole of the above.’