James Spriggs Payne
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James Spriggs Payne
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| In office January 6, 1868 – January 3, 1870 January 3, 1876 – January 7, 1878 |
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| Vice President | Unknown (1868) Unknown (1876) |
| Preceded by | Daniel Bashiel Warner (1868) Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1876) |
| Succeeded by | Edward James Roye (1868) Anthony W. Gardiner (1876) |
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| Born | December 19, 1819 Richmond, Virginia |
| Died | January 31, 1882 (aged 62) Monrovia, Liberia |
| Political party | Republican |
James Spriggs Payne (December 19, 1819 – January 31, 1882) served as the fourth (1868 to 1870) and eighth (1876 to 1878) President of Liberia. He was the last President to belong to Liberia's Republican Party.
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[edit] Early life
Born in Richmond, Virginia to former slaves, Payne grew up in a highly religious Methodist family and was a devout Christian.[1] Payne was nearly white and could have passed for a white man; he was said to be only 1/8th African American. When he was ten years old, his family emigrated to Liberia on the ship Harriet. On the same ship was Joseph Jenkins Roberts, Liberia's future first president.[2]
Aside from religion, he showed interest in politics and economics, areas he later became a successful writer.[1] An Americo-Liberian, he was appointed by the Liberian government to work finalizing the breakage of Liberia's ties to the American Colonization Society.[1]
[edit] First presidency (1868-1870)
[edit] Relations with indigenous people
During his presidency, Payne fought to end the slave trade existing on Liberia's coast.[1] (Other reports though (History of Liberia and Joseph Jenkins Roberts) say: “The slave trade from Liberian ports was ended by the British Navy in the 1850s”). He also improved government relations with the natives, who he felt politics had for the most part ignored.[1]
[edit] Economy
Over the decades after 1868, escalating economic difficulties began to weaken the state's dominance over the coastal indigenous population. When the financially burdened ACS withdrew its support, conditions worsened as Liberia tried desperately to modernize its largely agricultural economy. The cost of imports was far greater than the income generated by exports of coffee, rice, palm oil, sugarcane, and timber. Payne increased the country's foreign trade.
[edit] Foreign relations
Early into Payne's first term, Liberia sought to expand its trading and political ties to Europe.[3]
Denmark recognized Liberia either in 1869 or 1849 (accounts differ).
[edit] Second presidency (1876-1878)
He left office in 1870, and was re-elected in 1876.
[edit] Troubles with indigenous people
The decades after 1868, escalating economic difficulties weakened the state's dominance over the coastal indigenous population. Conditions worsened, the cost of imports was far greater than the income generated by exports of coffee, rice, palm oil, sugarcane, and timber. Liberia tried desperately to modernize its largely agricultural economy.
Immediately after his inauguration in January 1876 Payne turned his attention to the war that had broken out in Cape Palmas, Maryland County, the previous September. The situation in this area was particularly serious as Britain was supplying ammunition to the contesting parties. Payne appealed to the U.S. for assistance and was taken to Cape Palmas to negotiate in an American man-of-war. These negotiations were successful and a peace treaty was signed on 1 March 1876. Payne returned to Monrovia but his financial scope for policies was greatly reduced during his term due to the war, estimated at around 60,000 pounds.
[edit] Later life and family
On leaving political office in 1878, Payne continued his life-long involvement in church work. In 1880, he was the Liberian delegate at the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.[1] The next year, he was elected president of the Methodist Annual Conference of Liberia.[1] In January 1882, he was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree by Liberia College (now University of Liberia) for his life achievements.[1]
James Spriggs Payne died in Monrovia in 1882. Spriggs Payne Airport in the Monrovia area is named after him.
Besides Payne's descendants in Liberia the Krio branch of the Blyden family are descended from Payne through Anna Erskine, the partner of Edward Wilmot Blyden.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dictionary Of African Christian Biography; "Payne, James Spriggs"
- ^ Roll Of Emigrants That Have Been Sent To The Colony Of Liberia, Western Africa, By The American Colonization Society And Its Auxiliaries, To September 1843
- ^ Thomas Morris Chester & R.J.M. Blackett, Thomas Morris Chester, Black Civil War Correspondent
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Daniel Bashiel Warner |
President of Liberia 1868–1870 |
Succeeded by Edward James Roye |
| Preceded by Joseph Jenkins Roberts |
President of Liberia 1876–1878 |
Succeeded by Anthony W. Gardiner |
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