In 1801, the mission of the Moravians in the Danish Island ofSt. Thomas was deprived of one of the most intelligent anduseful native assistants, who for more than fifty years hadwalked worthily of his calling by the Gospel--the NegroCornelius: a man in many respects distinguished among hiscountrymen.
About the year 1750, he became concerned for the salvationof his soul, and felt a strong impulse to attend the preaching ofthe missionaries, and their private instructions. Being baptized,he ever after remained faithful to the grace conferred upon him.He had an humble and growing sense of the depravity of hisheart, and made daily progress in the knowledge of Christ.
He was blessed with a good natural understanding, andhaving learned the business of a mason, received theappointment of master-mason to the royal buildings, in which
employment he was esteemed by all who knew him, as a clever,upright, and disinterested man. He laid the foundation of sixchapels belonging to the mission in the Danish islands. He wasable to write and speak the Creole, Dutch, Danish, German, andEnglish languages. Till 1767, he was a Slave in the royalplantation, afterwards belonging to Count Schimmelman. Hefirst purchased the freedom of his wife, and then laboured hardto gain his own liberty, which he effected after much entreatyand the payment of a considerable ransom. God blessed himand the work of his hands in such a manner, that he alsopurchased by degrees the emancipation of his six children.
In 1754, he was appointed assistant in the mission. After hisemancipation, he greatly exerted himself in the service of theLord, especially among the people of his own Colour, and spentwhole days and nights in visiting them. He possessed apeculiar talent for expressing his ideas with great clearness,which rendered his discourse pleasing and edifying to Whitepeople as well as to Negroes. Yet he was by no means elated bythe talents he possessed. His character was that of an humbleservant of Christ, who thought too meanly of himself to treatothers with contempt. To distribute to the indigent, and assistthe feeble, was the delight of his heart, and they always foundin him a generous and sympathizing friend, and faithful adviser.
Whilst zealously exerting himself in promoting the welfare ofhis countrymen, he did not neglect the concerns of his family.We have heard how sedulously he cared for their temporalprosperity, in working hard to purchase their freedom. But hewas more solicitous for the welfare of their souls. God blessedhis instructions, and lie had the joy of seeing his whole familyshare in the salvation of the Lord. Being found faithful, theywere employed as assistants in the mission.
The infirmities of age increasing upon him, Corneliusardently longed to depart and be with Christ. A constant
cough and pain in his side damped his great activity, causedoccasional dejection of mind, and seemed at times to shake hisfaith and fortitude. He now and then complained of adeclension of his love to Jesus; and once, while meditating onthat text--"I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast leftthy first love," he exclaimed, "Ah! I too have left my first love!"A few days before his end, being visited by one of themissionaries, he said, "I ought to have done more, and lovedand served my Saviour better. Yet I firmly trust that He willreceive me in mercy, for I come to Him as a poor sinner, havingnothing to plead but His grace, and righteousness through Hisblood." His children and several of his grandchildren havingassembled round his bed, he addressed them in a very solemnand impressive manner to the following effect:--
"I rejoice exceedingly, my dearly beloved children, to see youonce more together before my departure, for I believe that myLord and Saviour will soon come and take your father home tohimself. You know, dear children, what my chief concern hasbeen respecting you, as long as I was with you; how frequentlyI have exhorted you not to neglect the day of grace, but tosurrender ourselves with soul and body to your Redeemer, and to follow Him faithfully. My dear children, attend to my last wish and dyingrequest. Love one another! Do not suffer any quarrels anddisputes to arise among you after my decease. No, mychildren," raising his voice, " love one another cordially: leteach strive to shew proofs of love to his brother or sister; norsuffer yourselves to be tempted by anything to become proud,for by that you may even miss of your soul's salvation, butpray our Saviour to grant you lowly minds and humble hearts. Ifyou follow this advice of your father's, my joy will be complete,when I shall once see you all again in eternal bliss, and be ableto say to our Saviour--Here, Lord, is thy poor unworthyCornelius, and the children Thou hast given me. I am sure
our Saviour will not forsake you; but, I beseech You, do notforsake Him." He fell gently asleep in Jesus, on the 29th ofNovember, being about 84 years of age.
MORAVIAN MISSIONS AMONGST THE NEGROES OF THEWEST INDIES.
The account of Cornelius just related, affords an evidence ofthe success attending the efforts of the early MoravianMissions in the Danish West India Islands, of which mentionwas made, and some interesting particulars given, inPart I. of this volume.
The early attempts towards the conversion of the Negroes metwith great opposition from the Planters. When CountZinzendorf visited these Islands in 1739, a few years after thefirst efforts to introduce Christianity amongst the Slaves, hefound them in a state of unusual oppression because it wasimagined that if they became Christian they would also becomemore intelligent, and then it would be impossible for the triflingnumber of White people--in comparison with whom the Blackswere fifty, if not a hundred, to one--to keep such an immensenumber in awe. Their conversion was also opposed, becausethe Negro women, if converted, would no longer yieldthemselves to a licentious life.
For these, and other causes, the Whites endeavoured toprevent the Blacks from becoming Christians. But the Negroes,unwilling to be restrained, their desire for salvation beingincredibly great, were treated very harshly, and in someinstances with cruelty. A public tumult was once excited in St.Thomas, and the missionaries were threatened to be sent outof the Island, because they taught the Slaves to be betterChristians than their masters. The Negroes' Meeting House wasentered in a boisterous manner, and the poor creatures werebeaten most cruelly, and chased away with oaths, curses, andhorrid blasphemies.
Page 437These things, however, made the Gospel sweeter to them,and they received it with joy and many tears: yet so strong didthe current of persecution become, that Zinzendorf, unable todo anything towards effectually preventing it, determined toreturn to Europe, and refer the matter to the DanishGovernment. The Negroes wept much at the thoughts of losinghim, and assured him they would continue faithful to theSaviour. Before the Count took his departure, the awakenedNegroes in St. Thomas drew up a letter to the King of Denmark,in the Creolian tongue, stating their distress to him in verynatural expressions, and most pathetically entreating that theymight not be prevented from becoming acquainted, through theministry of the missionaries, with our Lord Jesus Christ, fortheir eternal salvation. This was written in 1739, and signed byseveral of them, in the name of 650 Negroes. A similar letter wasaddressed to the Queen of Denmark, and signed by a Negrowoman, in the name of 250 of her own sex, concerned for thesalvation of their souls.
The Count brought with him from St. Thomas, a Negro namedAndrew, who was not only awakened, but an assistant in theNegro Church; a very hopeful young man, whose liberty the Counthad purchased, that he might visit the churches in Germany, andafterwards return to minister to his own people. Andrew isdescribed in the Memoirs of Count Zinzendorf, as "a pleasinginstance of the powerful grace which operated at that time amongstthe Slaves."
Would our limits allow, numerous evidences might beadduced of the operation of divine grace on the hearts of theNegroes in the Danish West Indies. Oldendorp's account of theMoravian Missions in those Islands abounds with evidencesof this kind. To that work I must refer the reader, after giving afew translations from it, kindly made for me by my friendMartha Shipley, of Headingley.
Page 438Abraham was an assistant Missionary in St. Croix, about theyear 1758. He and others are thus mentioned in connection withBrother J. G. Rantsch:--"The native assistants he foundefficient, and some of them eminently useful helpers. Heacknowledged that without their aid he could not have carriedout his extensive plan of labour. "The assistant David, (of whose gifts and successfullabours among his people mention has been several times madein this History) he recognized as a servant of the Lord, and anornament of the Negro congregation, by whom he was muchbeloved and esteemed. Besides him, the helper Abraham wasuseful in holding lectures, different classes, and in speakingpublicly at funerals." Some, both male and female assistants, were socirc*mstanced that they could make visits into districts noteasily accessible to the missionaries. Maria Magdalena, andCatherine Barbara visited the fellow-believers of their own sex,in the south of the island, to endeavour by privatecommunications to promote their growth in the knowledge ofChrist. At another time they visited the west of the island, andwere everywhere received with joy. Similar visits were made bythe helpers David, Nathaniel, Henry, and Abraham. In Susanna, who died in 1755, evidence was afforded howgreat and blessed is the operation of divine grace on the mostcorrupt of human hearts. Before she was brought by the powerof the Gospel from Satan to God, she was known as anuncommonly vicious and profligate person. She became somuch changed as to be the astonishment of all. On her bed ofsickness, she had no greater solicitude than to be with herSaviour. Of the Mandingo nation, was baptized in 1750. He became, through grace, a meek and gentle man, and foundgreat comfort in the knowledge of the Redeemer, to whom hethought he could never be sufficiently grateful, for havingbrought him out of darkness into his marvellous light. Duringhis sickness, which was consumption, the only occupationwhich afforded him comfort and joy, was meditating on theSaviour who had died for him on the cross. His earnest desireto be with Christ was fulfilled by his happy release inNovember, 1755. In 1742, Abraham was chosen as Peter's colleague. Both wereuseful in public teaching. Their discourses were evangelical,and had for their subjects, reconciliation by the death of Jesus,and the grace which the sinner may obtain through Christ. Thecharacter of Peter showed itself in all his communications,which were full of love and gentle feeling, and found anentrance into the hearts of his audience. Abraham was more energetic; his discourses had muchstrength, which carried his hearers along with him. To listen tohim his Coloured brethren hastened in great numbers, ManyWhite persons also came to hear him, and listened withastonishment. By one of his sermons on the occasion of aNegro funeral in 1744, the whole of the congregation was muchaffected. Besides having an excellent special gift in preaching,he also possessed much experience, love, patience, andwisdom. He had an advantage over the White teachers inperfectly understanding the Negro language, in which theformer were deficient, and was also better acquainted than theywere with the Negro character, superstitions, habits, anddispositions. When the Brother Rantsch, during his visit, in1715, heard Abraham's public testimony, he confessed it waswith humiliation and reverence that he considered the powerfulworking of the grace of God in this Slave, and through him inmany others. The decease of this Negro is thus recorded by Oldendorp:--"In 1759, the mission lost the aged assistant Abraham, in a verymelancholy manner. He had lived for nine years at Krumbay,where he not only had the oversight of the Negroes on thatplantation, but also had the charge of testifying to the Negroesof this district the salvation which is in Jesus Christ, andadministering exhortation and consolation to them. In June, hegave to one of the Negroes under him permission to bring abundle of fire-wood to the village to sell, on condition that hefirst carried fodder for the horses. This Negro, whose name wasJoshua, was bringing his wood to market without fulfilling thecondition required. In order to resent this disobedience,Abraham stepped in the way, threw the bundle from his head,and insisted upon his obedience. Joshua refused to turn back,and endeavoured to make his way to the village by anotherpath. At this Abraham became so angry that he endeavoured tocompel him to his duty, when Joshua in a great rage seized hisknife, threw Abraham to the ground, gave him several stabs,and then went away. Abraham's wounds were soon bound up,and he was taken to the village for better assistance, but theywere of such a nature as to leave but little hope of recovery. The believers among his people, hastened in numbers totheir honoured teacher, to wait upon him, and help him, in hispainful situation; and he employed his little remaining strengthin testifying to them, that he remained steadfast to the doctrinehe had so often laid before them, and was ready to leave thisworld with joy, earnestly exhorting them to continue in the samefaith, and not to neglect their day of gracious visitation. Duringthe night, whilst conversing with two of the brethren who satup with him, his purified spirit departed, the 10th of June, 1759.His remains were interred the same day at Newhernhut, onwhich occasion there was a large gathering of both Whitepersons and Negroes, many tears being shed. The Negro congregation lost in him their most gifted teacher, and thelabourers in the mission their most trusty assistant. For morethan twenty years he had laboured for the spreading of theknowledge of Jesus Christ amidst many sufferings, and hislabours were eminently blessed. His public testimonies were fullof power and unction, and even where they did not penetratethe hearts of his hearers, never failed to excite theirastonishment. After his murderer had wandered about the bush for somedays, in despair, he delivered himself up in a repentant state ofmind to the judge, candidly acknowledged his crime, andreceived his punishment from the executioner. Full ofconfidence in the mercy of the Saviour, he submitted to thesentence of death, and showed much firmness at the time ofexecution. It was my intention to have inserted some sketches oroutlines of addresses delivered by the Black assistantmissionaries of the Danish islands on various occasions, butspace will not admit. They may not equal those of Watts orDoddridge in style, but they breathe the same spirit. One of the missionaries at Sierra Leone accompanied theNiger expedition in 1842, sanctioned by government, forextending the missionary operations up the Niger. They tookwith them a liberated African, named Samuel Crowther, who,when a boy, was taken from a Slave ship, and educated in theSociety's school at Sierra Leone, and who made so muchprogress both in theological and general knowledge (being ableto read the Greek Testament) that he was sent to England tobe presented as a candidate for holy orders to the Bishop ofLondon. Another native, named King, likewise accompaniedthe expedition, and when the health of the Europeans failed, hewas deemed competent to be left in charge of the model farm atthe confluence of the Tshadda and the Niger. Another native,Simon Jonas, was employed in forming the treaties whichCaptain Trotter entered into with chiefs below the confluence.The competency of that individual was most striking. Mr. Schondrew up a paper in which he details the proceedings of SimonJonas, in carrying on a communication with King Obi, on thesubject of Slavery. The mode of his carrying on a negotiation isillustrative of the power of the native African, with a moderatedegree of training in Sierra Leone, to become a really efficientagent in imparting knowledge to his countrymen. Dr. Madden has made a translation of the life of a Slaverecently liberated in Cuba, written in Spanish, whose name, forvarious reasons, he thinks it advisable not to publish. It was myintention to have given an outline of this history as well for itsinterest, as exhibiting a clearness of style and compositionhighly creditable to a self-taught Negro Slave. Space will onlyadmit of a few extracts in addition to the information alreadygiven, at pages 130 and 131 of the present volume. It would be tedious, says he, to detail the particulars of myearly history, in which there was nothing but happiness. At theage of twelve years, I had composed some verses in memory,not being wished to learn to write. I dictated them by stealth toa young Mulatto girl named Serafina, which verses were of anamatory character. I passed on without many changes to my fourteenth year;but the important part of my history began when I was abouteighteen, when fortune's bitterest enmity was turned on me. Forthe slightest crime of boyhood, I was shut up in a place forcharcoal, for 24 hours at once. I was extremely timid, and myprison was so obscure that at mid-day no object could bedistinguished in it without a candle. Here, after being flogged, I was placed, with orders tothe Slaves, under threats of the greatest punishment, to abstainfrom giving me a drop of water. What I suffered from hungerand thirst, tormented with fear, in a place so dismal, and almostsuffocated with the vapours arising from the common sinkclose to my dungeon, and terrified by the rats that passed overme, may be easily imagined. My head was filled with frightfulfancies, and I often imagined I was surrounded by evil spirits,and praying aloud for mercy, I would be taken out and almostflayed alive, and again shut up. This kind of punishment wasso frequent that every week I suffered a like martyrdom twice orthrice. I attribute the smallness of my stature and the debility ofmy constitution to the life of suffering I led, daily receivingblows on the face that often made the blood spout from bothmy nostrils. We passed five years in Matanzas, where my employmentwas to sweep and clean the house at sunrise, before any onewas up; this done I had to seat myself at the door of mymistress, that she might find me there when she awoke, then Ihad to follow her about wherever she went, like an automaton,with my arms crossed. When meals were over, I had to gatherup what was left, and clear away the dishes, and when theyrose from table I had to walk behind. Then came the hour ofsewing; I had to seat myself in sight of my mistress to sewwomen's dresses, to make gowns, &c., and mend all kinds ofclothing. At the hour of drawing, which a master taught, I wasstationed behind a chair, and what I saw done, and heardcorrected and explained, made me count myself as one of thepupils of the drawing-class. One of the children gave me an oldtablet and a crayon; and next day I began making mouths, eyes,and ears, until I perfected myself, so as to be able to copy ahead so faithfully, that my master said I would turn out a greatartist. At night I had to go to sleep at some distance, where my mother lived (in the Negro barracones). My only comfort was tofly to her arms, who, with my brother Florence waited up till myarrival. More than twice they sat up for me while I was inconfinement in the stocks for a trifling offence, waiting asorrowful morning. My mother, all anxiety when I did not come,used to approach where the stocks were, and call to me, "Juan,"and I, sighing, would answer her, and then she would sayoutside, "Ah, my child!" and call on her husband in his grave--for at this time my father was dead. Three times I remember the repetition of this scene, at othertimes I used to meet my mother seeking me--once above all, amemorable time to me--when the event which follows happened:-- We were returning from the town late one night, when thecarriage was going very fast, and I was seated as usual, withone hand holding the bar, and having the lanthorn in the other;it fell out of my hand; I jumped down to get it, but such was myterror, I was unable to come up with the carriage. I followed, wellknowing what was to come; when I came to the house, I wasseized by the mayoral. Leading me to the stocks, we met mymother, who giving way to the impulses of her heart, came up tocomplete my misfortunes. On seeing me, she attempted toinquire what I had done, but the mayoral ordered her to besilent, and treated her as one raising a disturbance. Withoutregard to her entreaties, and being irritated at being called up atthat hour, he raised his hand, and struck my mother with thewhip. I felt the blow in my own heart! To utter a loud cry, andfrom a downcast boy, with the timidity of one as meek as a lamb,to become all at once like a raging lion, was a thing of a moment--with all my strength I fell on him with teeth and hands, and itmay be imagined how many cuffs, kicks, and blows, were givenin the struggle that ensued. My mother and myself were carried off and shut up in the same place; two twin children were brought to her to suckle,while her own were left weeping alone in the hut. Scarcely had itdawned, when the mayoral, with two Negroes acting under him,led us as victims to the place of sacrifice. I suffered morepunishment than was ordered, in consequence of my attack onthe mayoral. But who can describe the powers of the laws ofnature on mothers? the fault of my mother was, that seeing theywere going to kill me, as she thought, she inquired what I haddone, and this was sufficient to receive a blow and to be furtherchastised. At beholding my mother in this situation, for the firsttime in her life, (she being exempted from work) stripped andthrown down to be scourged, overwhelmed with grief andtrembling, I asked them to have pity on her for God's sake; butat the sound of the first lash, infuriated like a tiger, I flew at themayoral, and was near losing my life in his hands; but let us throw a veil over the rest of this doleful scene. There never passed a day without bringing some trouble tome; I cannot relate the incredible hardships of my life, full ofsorrows! My heart sickened through sufferings: once afterhaving received many blows on the face, and that happenedalmost daily, my mistress said, "I will make an end of youbefore you are of age." From my infancy I was taught to love and fear God, and mytrust in him was such, that I always employed part of the nightin praying to God to lighten my sufferings, and preserve mefrom mischief; and I firmly believe my prayers were heard, and,to this I attribute the preservation of my life once on occasionof my running away. Although oppressed with so many sufferings, sometimes Igave way to the impulses of my naturally cheerful character. Iused to draw decorations on paper, figures on cards orpasteboard, &c. About this time I went to the lady of Senor Apodaca, agrandee of Havannah. A painter was employed there in painting some emblems. I helped him, and he gave me tendollars for my work, and having for amusem*nt painted somegarlands, he saw that I might be useful to him, and asked mymistress to lend me to him, but she would not consent; at theconclusion of his work he gave me two dollars more. As I was treated with kindness, I began to be more calm andcomposed, and to forget the late harsh behaviour towards me. Iwrote a great many sonnets. Poetry requires an object, but I hadnone to inflame my breast--this was the cause of my versesbeing poor. I was very anxious to read every book or paper thatfell in my way, and if I met with any poetry I learnt it by heart.When my mistress had company she had always some poetinvited, who recited verses and composed sonnets extempore; Ihad in a corner of the room some ink in an egg-shell, and a pen,and while the company applauded and filled their glasses withwine, away I went to my corner, and wrote as many verses as Icould remember. Three or four months after this, my mistress turned cross andpeevish, and was continually threatening me. Believing that if Icould go to Havannah I should have my liberty, I began to thinkseriously about escaping. One morning when all the peoplewere at church, a free servant called me aside, and said in awhisper, "my friend, if you suffer, it is your own fault; makeyour escape, and present yourself before the Captain-General atHavannah, state your ill treatment to him, and he will do youjustice;" at the same time showing me the road. I waited till twelve o'clock; saddled a horse for the first timein my life, and put on a bridle, but with such trembling I hardlyknew what I was about; after that, I knelt down, said a prayer,and mounted. I thought nobody saw me, but knew afterwards Iwas seen by several of the Negroes, who offered no impedimentto my flight. Dr. Madden has translated some of the poems composed bythis Slave, specimens of which must close the foregoingextracts from his life. "A few of these poems," says the Doctor,"I have put into English verse, rendered so as to give the senseof the writer (sometimes purposely obscured in the original) asplainly as practicable. To leave no doubt of their authenticity, Ihave deposited the originals in the Spanish language, in thehands of the Secretary of the Anti-Slavery Society. To form ajust opinion of their merit, it is necessary to consider thecirc*mstances under which they were written, which cannot beestimated by one ignorant of the nature of Cuban Slavery." Was born a Slave, on a plantation in Maryland, about theyear 1817, and remained in that servile condition till abouttwenty-one years of age, when he effected his escape fromfetters and chains. The history of his life of Slavery, which hasbeen widely circulated,* presents a dismal picture of what isendured by the Negro race in the Slaveholding states of theUnion. The narrative of Douglass, written by himself, consideringhow long and dark was the career he had to run as a Slave, inthe poorest school for the human heart and intellect, and howfew have been his opportunities for subsequently improvinghis mind, is highly creditable to his head and heart. He who canperuse it without a tearful eye, a heaving breast, an afflictedspirit,--without being filled with an abhorrence of Slavery andall its abettors, and animated with a determination to seek theimmediate overthrow of that execrable system,--must have aflinty heart indeed. It presents no exaggerated picture ofSlavery. Many have suffered incomparably more, while few onthe plantations have suffered less, than himself. Yet howdeplorable was his situation! what terrible chastisem*nts wereinflicted upon his person! what still more shocking outrageswere perpetrated upon his mind! with all his noble powers andsublime aspirations, how like a brute * Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,written by himself. Dublin: Webb and Chapman. 1845. was he treated, even by those professing to have the samemind in them that was in Christ Jesus! to what dreadfulliabilities he was continually subjected! how destitute offriendly counsel and aid, even in his greatest extremities! Howheavy was the midnight of woe which shrouded in blacknessthe last ray of hope, and filled the future with terror and gloom!What longings after freedom took possession of his breast, andhow his misery augmented, in proportion as he grew reflectiveand intelligent,--thus demonstrating that a happy Slave is anextinct man! How he thought, reasoned, felt, under the lash ofthe driver, with the chains upon his limbs! what perils heencountered in his endeavours to escape from his horribledoom! and how signal have been his deliverance andpreservation in the midst of a nation of pitiless enemies! The narrative of Douglass contains many affecting incidents,many passages of great eloquence and power; perhaps themost thrilling one of all is the description he gives of hisfeelings, as he stood soliloquizing respecting his fate, and thechances of his one day being a free man, on the banks of theChesapeake Bay--viewing the receding vessels as they flew withtheir white wings before the breeze, and apostrophizing them asanimated by the living spirit of freedom. Who can read thatpassage, and be insensible to its pathos and sublimity?"Compressed into it is a whole Alexandrian library of thought,feeling, and sentiment--all that can, all that need be urged, in theform of expostulation, entreaty, rebuke, against the crime ofcrimes,--making man the property of his fellow-man! O, howaccursed is that system, which entombs the god-like mind ofman, defaces the divine image, reduces those who by creationwere crowned with glory and honour, to a level with four-footedbeasts, and exalts the dealer in human flesh above all that iscalled God! Why should its existence be prolonged one hour?Is it not evil, only evil, and that continually? What does itspresence imply but the absence of all fear of God, all regard for man, on the part of the people ofthe United States? Heaven speed its eternal overthrow!" What a disgrace on Free and Enlightened America! Here wehave a man in physical proportions and stature commandingand erect, in intellect richly endowed, in natural eloquence aprodigy, in soul manifestly "created but a little lower than theangels;" yet a Slave, aye, a fugitive Slave, trembling for hissafety on American soil. Capable of high attainments as anintellectual and moral being, almost without an education, anornament to society, and yet, by the law of his country, by thevoice of its people, by the terms of the Slave Code, only a pieceof property, a beast of burden, a chattel personal, nevertheless! It would be superfluous to say much here respecting thetalents of Douglass, which are so self-evident. Few have nothad an opportunity of judging of his abilities for themselves,and thus increasing their respect for him and for his race. As apublic speaker, he excels in pathos, wit, comparison, imitation,strength of reasoning, and fluency of language, frequentlygiving utterance to many noble thoughts and thrillingreflections, and his eloquent appeals have extorted the highestapplause of multitudes on both sides of the Atlantic. "There isin him," says W. L. Garrison, "that union of head and heart,which is indispensable to an enlightenment of the heads, and awinning of the hearts of others. May his strength continue to beequal to his day! May he continue to grow in grace, and in theknowledge of God, that he may be increasingly serviceable inthe cause of bleeding humanity;" and let the calumniators ofthe Coloured race despise themselves for their baseness andilliberality of spirit, and henceforth cease to talk of the naturalinferiority of those who require nothing but time andopportunity to attain to the highest point of human excellence. For more than half a century, I have felt a strong and sincereattachment to the much injured African. In 1792, I went out toAfrica in the service of the Sierra Leone Company, and residedin Free Town four years, as physician to the Colony. Here Ihad, of course, abundant opportunities of observing the Negrocharacter, and if my unbiassed testimony can be of any avail, Ideclare it as my opinion, that the Negro in his native country, isof a mild and benevolent disposition, hospitable, and capableof strong and warm attachment to those who treat him withkindness. I speak from much experience, having repeatedlyvisited the African in his native country, passed the night in hishut, and partaken of his kindness and hospitality. With respect to their powers of mind, I consider the Africansto be upon a level with the generality of Europeans. Theschools of Free Town and the neighbouring districts arecrowded with as fine children as we usually meet with inEngland; and they can produce as perfect specimens of active,intelligent, and sprightly pupils, as are to be found in any of ourBritish schools of the same class. The natives of Africa, in general, live in a state of grossignorance and idolatrous superstition, the Mahometansexcepted. But they duly appreciate the advantages ofeducation, and are, universally, anxious to have their childrentaught to read and write. A Missionary settling in one of theirvillages would be hailed with joy, and meet with the utmostkindness and respect. Allow me to add, that my brother, captain of one of the SierraLeone Company's vessels, accompanied my excellent friend,Mr. Watt, in his visit to Teembo, capital of the Foulah country.They travelled on foot upwards of 500 miles, and were,everywhere, most kindly and hospitably received, particularly atthe capital by the king. In a letter subsequently received from Dr. Winterbottom, thefollowing addition on this subject occurs:-- Upwards of half a century has elapsed since my return fromthat very interesting country, Africa; of course manycirc*mstances have escaped my recollection, but I must everremember with pleasure and with gratitude, the uniformkindness shown to me by my Black brethren. I have been acquainted with several extremely intelligentAfricans. Mr. Cooper, a friend of mine, was particularly noticedby the Governor and Whites of the colony. He was verygentlemanly in his appearance and manners, and well informed.He set to music, for the use of the church, Pope's beautiful ode."Vital Spark," which I have listened to with much pleasure, assung by the sweet voices of the very devout Black women. Among the liberated Africans I have had many instancesrelated to me since I left the colony, of men, who, until the ageof manhood, had never seen or heard of a letter, making suchprogress in reading, writing, and arithmetic as to be now able tomanage the accounts of a store, or large shop, and also thedetails of a vessel's cargo. Many of the women are equallyexpert. The children in the schools are also extremely quick anddocile. From what I have seen, it is my solemn and unbiassedopinion, that education alone constitutes the whole differencebetween the European and the African. I am, dear Sir, yours truly, THOS. M. WINTERBOTTOM. During his last illness, the mind of this enlightened Chiefwas elevated above the world by the hope of eternalblessedness. Feeling that he had but a short time to live, solong as he was able to speak he explained to those around himthe nature and importance of the Christian's hope; exhorting them to faith in Christ, whatever sacrifices theirconstancy might cost them; and he expired in the midst of hispeople, in a truly Christian manner, resigning his soul into thehands of that Saviour who had redeemed him, exclaiming,"Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; I commit my soul into thyhands; it is thine, for thou hast redeemed it by thy blood." Sicana was a poet, and composed hymns, which he repeatedto his people, till they could retain them upon their memories.The following specimen of his poetical abilities, the people arestill accustomed to sing to a low monotonous air. JANE BRAGG. Was born in Africa, in 1714. He was brought to St. Domingoand sold for a Slave, when 22 years of age. Obtaining hisfreedom, he married, and in 1756 established a hospital at theCape for poor Negroes and Mulattoes. More than forty yearswere devoted by him and his wife to this benevolent Institution,and his fortune was subservient to the wants of its inmates Theonly regret they felt, while their time and substance weredevoted to these destitute objects, arose from a fear, that afterthey were gone, the hospital might be abandoned. The Philadelphia Society at the Cape, and the Agricultural,Society at Paris, decreed medals to Jasmsin, who died near theclose of the century. This intelligent, enterprising, and benevolent Negro, was theyoungest son of John Cuffé, a Negro dragged from his homeand connexions, and sold into Slavery, in which he remained most of his life; but at last, by good conductand industry, he amassed sufficient to purchase his freedom,and also a farm of 100 acres. He married a woman of Indiandescent, and brought up a family of four sons and six daughtersrespectably, near New Bedford, Massachusetts. Paul was the youngest son, and when he was aboutfourteen, his father dying, the care of supporting their motherand six sisters devolved jointly upon Paul and his brothers. Theland which their father had left them proving unproductive,afforded but little provision for the family. They thereforelaboured under great disadvantages, and did not possess themeans of acquiring even the rudiments of a good education. Paul, however, was not easily discouraged, and foundopportunities for improvement and of cultivating his mind.Through his own indefatigable exertions, with a little assistanceoccasionally, he soon learned to read and write, and alsoattained a knowledge of arithmetic. Some estimate may beformed of the natural talent with which he was endowed for thespeedy reception of learning, from the fact that he acquiredsuch a knowledge of navigation in two weeks, as enabled himto command a vessel in voyages which he subsequently madeto England, to Russia, to Africa, the West Indies, and severalports of the United States. Paul Cuffés three brothers continued respectable farmers atWestport. Paul, however, was inclined to the pursuit ofcommerce. He conceived that it furnished more ample rewardsto industry than agriculture, and being conscious that hepossessed qualities which, under proper culture, would enablehim to pursue commercial employments with success, heentered at the age of sixteen, as a common hand on board avessel destined to the Bay of Mexico, on a whaling expedition.His second voyage was to the West Indies; but on his third, which was during the American war, he was captured by a British ship. After three months'detention as a prisoner at New York, he returned to Westport,where, owing to the continuance of hostilities, he spent abouttwo years in agricultural pursuits. The Free Negro population of Massachusetts being excludedfrom all participation in the rights of citizenship, bearing,however, a full share of every state burden, Paul, though not yettwenty years of age, felt deeply the injustice done to himself andhis race, and resolved to make an effort to obtain for them therights which were their due. Assisted by his brother, he drew upand presented a respectful petition on the subject to the statelegislature. Notwithstanding the prejudices of the times, thepropriety and justice of the petition were perceived by a majorityof the legislative body, and an act was passed, granting to theFree Negroes all the privileges of White citizens. This was a dayequally honourable to the petitioners and to the legislature; inwhich justice and humanity triumphed over prejudice andoppression; it should be gratefully remembered by every personof Colour, and Paul Cuffé should always be united in itsrecollection. This enactment was not only important as far asregarded the state of Massachusetts; the example was followedat different periods by others of the united provinces, so that theexertions of Paul Cuffé and his brother influenced permanentlythe welfare of the whole Coloured population of North America. Paul, being now about twenty years of age, again turned hisattention to commercial pursuits, encountering many adversecirc*mstances under which most men would have sunk. Hebegan with an open boat, but by prudence and perseverance, hewas at length enabled to obtain a good sized schooner, then abrig, and afterwards a ship. By judicious plans and diligence intheir execution he gradually increased his property. In 1806, heowned a ship' two brigs, and several small vessels, besidesconsiderable property in houses and lands. In a pecuniarypoint of view he became not only independent, but had wherewith tocontribute largely to the relief of others, and of the African raceespecially. Some idea may be formed from the following circ*mstance, ofthe low estimation in which the African race are held, and of heenergy required to rise above the crushing weight of prejudice.One of Paul's voyages was to Vienna in Nantico*ke Bay. On hisarrival, the inhabitants were filled with astonishment, and evenalarm; a vessel owned and commanded by a Black man, andmanned with a crew of the same colour, was unprecedented andsurprising The fear of a revolt on the part of their Slaves wasexcited among the inhabitants of Vienna, and an attempt wasmade to prevent Paul from entering the harbour. Onexamination, his papers proved to be correct, and the custom-house officers could not legally refuse the entry of his vessel.Paul combined prudence with resolution, conducting himselfwith candour, modesty, and firmness; and his crew behaved,not only inoffensively, but with a conciliating propriety. In afew days the inimical association vanished, and the inhabitantstreated the Negro captain and his crew with respect and evenkindness. Many of the principal people visited his vessel, andat the pressing invitation of one of them, Paul dined with hisfamily in the town. He sold his cargo, received in lieu of it threethousand bushels of Indian corn, which he conveyed toWestport, where it was in great demand, and it yielded our heroa clear profit of a thousand dollars. Paul Cuffé experienced the disadvantages of his limitededucation, and he resolved, as far as it was practicable, torelieve his children from similar embarrassments. Theneighbourhood had neither a tutor nor a school, though manywere desirous one should be established. Paul convened ameeting for making arrangements to accomplish this object, thegreat utility of which was so evident. A collision of opinionrespecting mode and place occasioned them to separate without arriving at any conclusion. Perceivingthat all efforts to procure a union of sentiment were fruitless,Paul took the matter into his own hands, and erected a school-house on his own ground, entirely at his own expense, andthrew it open to the public. How gratifying to humanity is thisanecdote! and who that justly appreciates human character,would not prefer Paul Cuffé, the son of an African Slave, to theproudest statesman that ever dealt destruction amongstmankind? In his person, Paul Cuffé was tall, well formed, and athletic;his deportment conciliating, yet dignified and prepossessing;his countenance blending gravity with modesty and sweetness,and firmness with gentleness and humanity; in speech andhabit plain and unostentatious. His whole exterior indicated aman of respectability and piety; and religion, influencing hismind, added, in advancing manhood, to the brightness of hischaracter, and confirmed his disposition to practical good. Hejoined the Society of Friends, and became a minister amongstthem, frequently exercising his gift to comfort and edification. When the state of his affairs were such, as to render itnecessary that all his resources should be employed in thepursuit of his private concerns, Paul Cuffé was still desirous insome way to advance the interests of the community. When hewas prevented from pursuing his business during the rigours ofthe winter, he often devoted his time in teaching navigation tohis sons and the young men in the neighbourhood. On hisvoyages, he imparted a knowledge of this invaluable science tothose under him, and had the honour of training up, bothamongst the White and Coloured population, a considerablenumber of skilful navigators. Paul Cuffé was upright in all his transactions in trade;knowing himself to be accountable to God for the mode of usingand acquiring his possessions, he believed it to be his duty tosacrifice private interest rather than engage in any enterprise, however lawful in the eyes of the world, or howeverprofitable, that had the slightest tendency to injure his fellow-men. On this ground, he would not deal in intoxicating liquorsor in Slaves, though he might have done either, withoutviolating the laws of his country, and with considerablepecuniary gain. What an incalculable decrease would there bein the aggregate of human misery were all Christians willing tofollow the example of this despised son of Ethiopia, and beactuated by a similar spirit. Being naturally possessed of a tender, feeling mind, PaulCuffé deeply mourned over the degraded and miserablecondition of his African brethren; and in his active exertions intheir behalf, he shone forth most conspicuously as a man ofworth. He observed many benevolent men endeavouring torelease them from bondage, and to instil into their minds thelight of knowledge and religion, but the force of interest andprejudice combined, operated so powerfully, as to give theNegro but little encouragement to hope for an advancement torespectability in a state of society where so few incentives toimprovement were afforded them. Such being the case, Paul Cuffé turned his attention to SierraLeone, believing from various communications, that hisendeavours to contribute through it to the welfare of his fellow-men, might not be ineffectual. His affairs being in a flourishingstate, and being desirous to appropriate a portion of what hehad received from an ever-bountiful Providence to the benefit ofhis unhappy race, he embarked in 1811, in his own brig"Traveller," manned entirely by persons of Colour, his nephew,Thomas Wainer, being the captain. After a short passage, theyarrived at Sierra Leone, when he acquainted himself with thestate and condition of the colony, having frequentconversations with the Governor and principal inhabitants, andsuggesting important improvements. Amongst others, he recommended the formation of a society for promoting theinterests of its members and the colonists in general; which wasimmediately formed, and named "The Friendly Society of SierraLeone," being principally composed of respectable Men ofColour. The following epistle emanated from this society. Itbears the marks of native beauty and simplicity, breathing aChristian spirit throughout. "'To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ; grace beunto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the LordJesus Christ.' "We desire to humble ourselves with thankfulacknowledgment to the Father and Fountain of all our mercies,for the liberty and freedom we enjoy. And our prayer to God is,that our brethren who live in distant lands and are held inbondage, groaning under the galling chain of Slavery, may beliberated, and enjoy the freedom that God has granted unto all. "Dearly beloved brethren in the Lord, may the power andpeace of God rule in all your hearts, for we feel, from an awfulexperience, the distresses that many of our African brethrengroan under; therefore our minds are engaged to desire all theprofessors in Christ, diligently to consider our case, and to putit to the Christian query: whether it is agreeable to the testimonyof Jesus Christ, for one professor to make merchandize ofanother? We are desirous that this may be made manifest to theprofessors of all Christian denominations, who have notabolished the holding of Slaves. "We salute you, beloved brethren, in the Lord, with sinceredesires that the work of regeneration may be more and moreexperienced. It would be a consolation to us, to hear from thesaints in distant lands, and to receive all who are disposed tocome unto us, with open arms. "Our dearly beloved African brethren, we also salute you in the love of God. Be obedient unto your masters, withyour prayers lifted up to God, whom we would recommend youto confide in, who is just as able in these days to deliver youfrom the yoke of oppression, as he hath in times past broughtyour forefathers out of the Egyptian bondage. Finally, brethren,may the power and peace of God rule in all your hearts. "'Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, andthe Lord Jesus.' " This epistle was signed by sixteen respectable Men ofColour. Let the candid reader decide who are Christians, suchmen, or their tyrannical oppressors? After remaining about two months at Sierra Leone, Paul Cuffésailed to England; for the African Institution, apprised of hisbenevolent designs, forwarded him an invitation which inducedhim to come over, bringing with him a cargo of African produce.For the more effectual promotion of his primary object, he lefthis nephew, Thomas Wainer, in the colony, and brought withhim to England, Aaron Richards, a native of Sierra Leone, withan intention of educating him, and particularly of instructinghim in the art of navigation. From the exertions of one individual, however ardentlyengaged, we ought not to form too high expectations; but fromthe little information that can be obtained of his endeavoursamong the colonists at Sierra Leone, and the open reception hemet with amongst them, there are strong grounds for hopingthat the seeds of improvement he scattered, were not sownupon an unfruitful soil. Paul Cuffé, with his brig "Traveller," navigated by eightMen of Colour, arrived at Liverpool, in the 8th mo. 1811; andthe crew during their stay, "were remarkable for their goodconduct, and proper behaviour; and the greatest cordialityappeared to prevail amongst them."* They * Liverpool Mercury. remained in England about two months, where Paul met withevery mark of attention and respect. He visited London twice,the second time at the request of the Board of the AfricanInstitution, who were desirous of consulting with him as to thebest means of carrying their benevolent views respecting Africainto effect. Having an opportunity of laying his intentions, andopening his prospects before the association, they cordiallyacquiesced with him in all his plans, and gave him authority tocarry over from the United States a few Coloured persons ofgood character, to instruct the colonists in agriculture andmechanical arts. To the honour of the British government, Cuffé sailed fromEngland with a license from them to prosecute his voyage toSierra Leone, carrying with him some goods as a consignmentto the "Friendly Society," to encourage them in the way oftrade. Is it possible to conceive a more animating spectacle than avessel commanded by a free and enlightened African, trading tothe port of Liverpool, not many years before, the nidus of theSlave Trade! and to see him prosecuting his voyages, with avessel not laden with instruments of destruction, cruelty, andoppression, but manned with Sable, yet free and respectableseamen, rescued from the galling chain of Slavery, and nowemployed in honourable commerce? Having again safely arrived at Sierra Leone, delivered thegoods, and given some salutary instructions, Cuffé once moreset sail for America. Thus terminated his two first missions to Africa; undertakenfrom the purest motives of benevolence, and almost entirely athis own expense and risk. Unwearied, he went about doinggood, devoting most of his time and talents to benevolentpurposes.--Christian reader, canst thou believe that such a manwas possessed of a soul inferior to thine own? On Paul Cuffé's arrival in his native land, he was joyfullywelcomed by his family and friends, and every comfort awaitedhis command. But the sufferings of his fellow-creatures,groaning under cruel oppression, and groping in the dark andhorrible night of heathenish superstition and ignorance, wereindelibly stamped on his mind. He could not rest at ease; northink of enjoying comfort and repose whilst he might beinstrumental in the hand of Providence in meliorating theirsufferings. Far from being discouraged by the labours anddangers he had already undergone, and unmindful of the easewhich the decline of life requires, and to which his longcontinued exertions gave him a peculiar claim, he renewed hisbenevolent labours. Scarcely had the first transports of rejoicingat his return to the bosom of his family and friends subsided, erehe prepared for another voyage to Sierra Leone. In the hope of finding persons of the description given by theAfrican Institution, qualified to instruct the colonists inagriculture and mechanical arts, he visited most of the largecities in the United States, held frequent conferences with themost respectable Men of Colour, and others who haddistinguished themselves as the friends of the Negro;recommending them to form associations for the furtherance ofthe work in which he was engaged. Societies were formed inPhiladelphia and New York, and a number of eligible Colouredpersons were selected, who were willing to go with him andsettle in Africa. Before he was ready for the voyage, the war.commenced between America and Great Britain. This formed abarrier to his operations, which he was so anxious to prosecute,that he travelled to Washington, a distance of about 500 miles,to solicit the favour of Government in his intended undertaking,and to obtain permission to carry with him those persons andtheir effects who had volunteered to accompany him to SierraLeone. Although his plan was highly approved, his applicationproved unsuccessful, the policy of the Government not admitting of such an intercourse withan enemy's colony. He had therefore no other alternative thanto remain quietly at home, and wait the event of the war. The delay thus occasioned, instead of diminishing his ardour,was employed in improving and maturing his plans, and inextending his correspondence, which already embraced some ofthe most distinguished philanthropists. On the termination ofthe war, he prepared for his departure, and towards the end ofthe year 1815, he sailed with thirty-eight Africans, who were togive instruction at Sierra Leone, in farming and the mechanicalarts. After a voyage of fifty-five days, they landed safely on thesoil of their forefathers. In his zeal for the welfare of his race, Paul Cuffé hadconsiderably exceeded the instructions of the African Institution,by which he was advised to carry over in the firstinstance, six or eight persons; he had therefore no claim for thepassage and other expenses attending the removal of any abovethat number. This he had previously considered, generouslyresolving to bear the expense of thirty himself, rather thandeprive any who were engaged, of an opportunity of goingwhere they might be so beneficially employed. When thesepersons were landed at Sierra Leone, it was necessary toprovide for the destitute until they were able to do so forthemselves. For this also, he applied to his own resources; sothat he expended out of his private funds nearly 4000 dollars forthe benefit of [] the colony. On his arrival at Sierra Leone, he presented his passengers tothe Governor, who gave to each family a small piece of groundin the town, and thirty to fifty acres of land, according to theirnumber, about two miles distant. Paul Cuffé remained at the colony this time about twomonths. On this occasion he drew up an address to his Africanbrethren, containing much affectionate advice and pious exhortation, the general tenor of which maybe judged offrom the following extracts:-- "Beloved friends and fellow-countrymen, I earnestlyrecommend to you the propriety of assembling yourselvestogether to worship the Lord your God. God is a Spirit,and they that worship him acceptably, must worship him inspirit and in truth. "Come, my African brethren, let us walk in the light of theLord; in that pure light which bringeth salvation into the world.I recommend sobriety and steadfastness; that so professorsmay be good examples in all things. I recommend that early carebe taken to instruct the youth, while their minds are tender; thatso they may be preserved from the corruptions of the world,from profanity, intemperance, and evil company. "May servants be encouraged to discharge their duty withfaithfulness; may they be brought up to industry, and may theirminds be cultivated for the reception of the good seed, which ispromised to all who seek it. I want that we should be faithful inall things, that so we may become a people giving satisfactionto those who have borne the burden and heat of the day, inliberating us from Slavery." These appear to have been the simple expressions of hisfeelings; the language of his heart. When he took his departure,it was like a father taking leave of his children, receiving thetokens of overflowing affection, commending them with piousadmonition to the protection of Almighty God. "I leave you,"says he, in the concluding part of his address,--"I leave you inthe hands of Him who is able to preserve you through time, andcrown you with that blessing which is prepared for all who arefaithful to the end." In 1817, Paul Cuffé was seized with a complaint which provedfatal. During his illness, which continued about half-a-year, thesubject of ameliorating the condition of his race continueddeeply impressed on his mind, and his decaying powers were occupied in an extensivecorrespondence with their friends. Though now unable to servethem as he had done, he was gratified in finding his viewsadopted by a number of the most benevolent and influentialmen in America. Such then, is a hasty sketch of Paul Cuffé; pourtraying theactivity of his labours in behalf of the African race. His wholelife may be said to have been spent in their service. To theirinterests he devoted the acquisitions of his youth, the time ofhis later years, and even the thoughts of his dying pillow! Hedied in 1817, his labours and his life being thus terminated in the59th year of his age. "As a private man," says Peter Williams, "Paul Cuffé wasjust and upright in all his dealings, an affectionate husband, akind father, a good neighbour, and a faithful friend. Piouswithout ostentation, he manifested in all his deportment that hewas a true disciple of Jesus; and cherished a charitabledisposition to professors of every denomination, who walkedaccording to the leading principles of the gospel. Regardless ofthe honours and pleasures of the world, in humble imitation ofhis Divine master, he went from place to place doing good;looking not for his reward among men, but in the favour of hisheavenly Father. Thus walking in the ways of piety andusefulness, in the smiles of an approving conscience, and thefavour of God, he enjoyed through life, an unusual serenity andsatisfaction of mind; and when the fatal messenger arrived tocut the bonds of mortality, it found him in peace, ready andwilling to depart. In that solemnly interesting period, whennature with him was struggling in the pangs of dissolution, sucha calmness and serenity overspread his soul and manifesteditself in his countenance and actions, that the heart of thegreatest reprobate, at beholding him, would respond to thewish, 'Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last endbe like his.' "A short time previous to his final close, feeling sensible that his end was near, he called his family together to bid themadieu! It was an affecting scene: a scene of inexpressiblesolemnity--of tears and bitter anguish on the one hand, andchristian firmness and resignation on the other. His wife andchildren, and several other relatives being assembled aroundhim, he reached forth his enfeebled hand, and after shakingbands with each, and giving them some pious advice, hecommended them to the tender mercies of Jehovah, and badethem all a final farewell." Having taken leave of his family, and commended them to thecare of God, his mind seemed almost entirely occupied inanticipating the glory of which he would shortly be made apartaker, and in contemplating the blessedness of being forever with his Redeemer. To one of his neighbours who came tovisit him, he said, "Not many days hence and ye shall see theglory of God; I know that my works are all gone to judgmentbefore me; and soon after he added, "It is all well, it is all well." Thus did he experience a happy transition from works torewards, from a state of trial and probation to a glorious never-ending eternity! Whatever the shade of his complexion mightbe, his faith was steadfastly fixed on the Redeemer, in the meritsof whose sufferings and death he most surely believed, andthrough whom he had a well-grounded hope of eternal life. The following extract from an American paper, affords anadditional testimony to the character of this excellent man:-- "Died, at Westport, on the 7th of Sept, Paul Cuffé, a veryrespectable Man of Colour, in the 59th year of his age. Adescendant of Africa, he overcame by native strength of mind,and firm adherence to principle, the prejudices with which itsdescendants are too generally viewed. Industrious, temperate,and prudent, his means of acquiring property, small at first,were gradually increased; and the strict integrity of his conductgained him numerous friends, to whom he never gave occasionto regret the confidence they had placed in him. His mercantile pursuits were generallysuccessful; and, blessed with competence, if not with wealth,the enlarged benevolence of his mind was manifested, not onlyin acts of charity to individuals, and in the promotion of objectsof general utility, but more particularly in the deep interest hefelt for the welfare of his brethren of the African race. "He was concerned, not only to set them a good example byhis own correct conduct, to admonish and counsel them againstthe vices and habits to which he found them most prone--butmore extensively to promote their welfare, and at considerablesacrifice of property, he three times visited the colony of SierraLeone. After his first voyage thither, he went to England, wherehe was much noticed by the members of the African institution,who conferred with him on the best manner of extending themeans of civilization to the people of Africa, some of whomhave since expressed their satisfaction in his pious labours inthe colony; believing them to have been productive of muchusefulness to that settlement. "Grave, humble, and unassuming in his deportment, he wasremarkable for great civility and sound discretion. Throughseveral months' severe affliction, he was preserved in muchchristian patience, fortitude, and resignation; feeling entireconfidence in that grace which had been vouchsafed to him inlife, and by which, through faith and obedience, he fell acomfortable hope of admittance into peace and rest. He has lefta widow and several children to lament the loss of anaffectionate husband and parent. "Many of his neighbours and friends evinced their respectfor his memory by attending his funeral, which was conductedagreeably to the usages of the Society of Friends, of which hewas a member; and at which several lively testimonies wereborne to the truth, that the Almighty parent 'has made of oneblood all the nations of men,' and that, 'in every nation, he that feareth Him and workethrighteousness is accepted by Him.'" We have now concluded the sketch of this interestingdescendant of Africa:--we have followed him in his gradualrise, through a host of difficulties and prejudices to which theunfortunate descendants of Ethiopia are subjected; from a stateof poverty, ignorance, and obscurity, to one of wealth,influence, respectability, and honour. Having thus elevatedhimself with an unsullied conscience by native energy of mind,we have seen him devoting the whole of his time and his talentsto pious and benevolent purposes: we have beheld himtraversing the globe, at the risk of his own life and property, inendeavouring to promote the happiness of his fellow-creatures:--we have seen that his motives were pure and disinterested, forhe dispensed his thousands of dollars at once when occasionrequired:--we have seen him indeed, a man, and a Christian,maintaining a higher standard than that of many professors,refusing to deal in anything, however lawful or lucrative, thatcould injure his fellow men:--we have heard that he was a goodneighbour, an affectionate husband, and a kind parent:--wehave beheld him crossing the mighty deep, visiting the land ofhis forefathers, carrying with him the light of science andreligion, and diffusing it through those vast benighted regions;so that the untutored tribes of Ethiopia learnt to consider him asa father and a friend:--we have seen also that thephilanthropists of Great Britain and America were not ashamedto seek for counsel and advice from this son of a poor AfricanSlave! We have heard him commend his wife and his children tothe Almighty, and die the death of the righteous, in fullassurance of a glorious immortality, through the merits andintercession of a crucified Redeemer. Surely no prejudice willdenounce such a man, because of his I am happy to think as you do as respects trading in man orkeeping him as a Slave; the custom is most iniquitous; neitherconsonant with reason, the laws of God, or of man. Thoseforced from the places of their nativity, are deplorable objects ofcommiseration. I never bought more than two Slaves myself, during 20 yearsresidence here, and one of these proved to be the son of anAfrican Prince; a most comely youth: and having observed hisuncommon good parts, I sent him to school, and used him onlyas a Free man. The Directors of the African Company offering areward for him, I presented the poor creature with his freedom. Ialso gave him an order for the aforesaid reward, and sent him toLondon, from whence he remitted the sum he cost me, andsundry goods to the amount of £300, with a letter in his nativelanguage, which has been translated by Dr. Desaguilliers, ofCambridge. The next Slave I purchased, was a lad who had been stolenfrom his free parents. He decayed and pined so much, andexpressed so sensible a sorrow at his cruel separation from hisaged parents, relations, and countrymen, that I likewise set thispoor creature free, and sent him to his native place. Providenceagain caused my being further rewarded for performing this myduty as a Christian. The truly honest father, from the produceof his plantation, made me presents to the amount of £50, withdirections to draw upon him for the full cost of the poor youth,which I never intend, having been more than paid already by hispresents. I write this to convince you, that the inhabitants of Africa arenot such senseless, brutish creatures, as some thoughtless, andinterested authors have represented them. They areundoubtedly capable of receiving instruction, and far outdo usin many commendable virtues. Their greatest unhappiness apparently, is, in having become acquainted with(those calling themselves) Christians! Was a Slave in St. Vincents, his parents being in Slavery atthe time of his birth. Whilst he was an infant, their master died,and the estate was put to sale that the property might bedivided among his family. Ashton had an aunt, Daphne Crosbie, who had likewise beena Slave, but who was now free, having had some money left herby a Coloured gentleman. Enjoying the blessings of freedomherself, she was desirous of emancipating her friends,particularly the Slaves on the estate on which she was born,and with whom she had shared in her early days all the sorrowsof Negro servitude. Though she was thoroughly black, shepossessed a large and Christian heart, which felt deeply for thewrongs of her oppressed race. The character of this Negrowoman is singularly interesting: though born a Slave, andconsequently labouring under every disadvantage of colourand education, she possessed a spirit of disinterestedbenevolence which might do honour to any nation and to anyrank. She devoted all her little property either in purchasing thefreedom of the Slaves who had formerly been her companions inbondage, or in improving their condition. Daphne Crosbie, by payment of a certain sum, procured theemancipation of Ashton Warner's parents, and he, being thenonly an infant at the breast, was included as a part ofthemselves. For many years they continued to enjoy theblessings of freedom, until their happiness became frustratedby their old master making a very unjust claim upon AshtonWarner when he wasabout ten years old, in consequence ofwhich he was arrested and re-enslaved. He was never subjectedto the most cruel and degrading inflictions which form soprominent and characteristic a feature in the discipline of the Slave system, yet, having oncetasted the sweets of liberty, he was capable of discriminatingbetween the advantages conferred by it, and the evils arisingfrom its deprivation. He regarded a state of freedom as thegreatest of all earthly blessings, and asserted his independencewith the resolution which a sense of justice and a love of libertyalone can give. The Slave grovels in the dust, and passively yields up hisbody to the degrading lash; resistance he feels is useless, andonly increases the miseries of his condition. Animated by nohope, and bound to his employer by no ties of reciprocalinterest, he drags on from day to day his brutalized existence,and looks forward to death as the only termination of his woes.He sinks into a living machine whose actions are guided andenforced by the will of another, and his words and lookscorrespond with his mental and bodily abasem*nt. But inAshton, the inextinguishable spark of liberty, once kindled,repelled all the threats of managers and overseers to degradehim to a Slave. He felt his importance in the scale of humanity,and while yet a boy he asserted his natural rights as a man. The Narrative written by Ashton Warner, of his life inSlavery, contains many painfully interesting incidents, detailedin an impressive manner, for though an uneducated Negro, hewas very intelligent, and spoke remarkably good English. Hesucceeded at last in making his escape, and after a train ofadventures, arrived in England in 1830, where he suffered fromdestitution in a strange land, as well as the effects of exposureto an uncongenial climate, which proved fatal. He died in theLondon Hospital the following year, whilst his Narrative waspassing through the press. After recounting the sufferings to which the Slaves aresubjected, he remarks, "People so harshly treated, and sodestitute of every comfort, cannot be supposed to work with awilling mind. They have no home which they can call their own. They are worked beyond their strength, and livein perpetual fear of the whip. They are insulted, tormented,indecently exposed, and degraded; yet English people wonderthat they are not contented. Some have even said that they arehappy! Let such people place themselves under the same yoke,and see if they could bear it. Such bondage is ruin both to thesoul and body of the Slave; and I hope every good Englishmanwill daily pray to God that the yoke of Slavery may soon bebroken from off the necks of my unfortunate countrymen forever." Our limits preclude any further extracts from the Narrative ofthis Negro Slave. The gentleman who assisted him. in writing it,and who published it after his decease, remarks that he"possessed very prepossessing manners and appearance, andhis amiable disposition and natural intelligence were strikingproofs of what the African is capable, were his mental powerssuffered to expand under the genial influences of civilizationand Christianity." Who is described as being of pure African origin andparentage, is one of the only four episcopally ordainedColoured clergymen in the United States, having been theminister of a church in New York, composed of Colouredpersons, for about ten years, and is a remarkable instance ofwhat an African can become by religious and literarycultivation. I regret being unable to present any outline of hishistory, or insight into the means by which he has arrived at hispresent intellectual attainments. A few particulars respectinghim are given at page 139 of the present volume. As furtherproof of his ability as a writer, I have made the followingextracts from an Address delivered by him in New York, in 1847,entitled "This funeral observance, melancholy as it is in its significance, has yet its softening aspects. Mournful as are theassociations connected with the event which excites ourregrets, yet there are many and peculiar solaces. For distressingas it is to behold the benignant sons of freedom, sink, one afteranother, below the horizon, there is alleviation in the thought,that there were many who rejoiced in the full-orbed glory oftheir open day; and now that they have receded from our skies,the light they have left behind does not stream upon thisgeneration unappreciated and disregarded. It has not alwaysbeen thus. It is but recently that the holy and the good havebeen able to command deserved attention. The world has beenrolling on six thousand years in its course; and now, in theselatter days, the Philanthropist is just beginning to obtain theregard and honour he so richly merits. During this long period,mankind, absorbed in trilling and fruitless anxieties, havepassed by, and neglected, the great good men of earth. Therecord of the past of human history, is a memorial of thisshameful fact; true, with but few exceptions, of nearly allnations, in all periods of time. "The fragments snatched from the almost barren past ofEgyptian history, relate chiefly to the murderous exploits of aSesostris or a Shishak; and the remains of its high andunequalled art, are the obelisks and the urns, commemorative ofbloody conquerors--or the frowning pyramids, upon whosewalls are the hieroglyphic representations of War, Conquest,and Slavery. The annals of Greece and Rome are but slightlyvaried in their aspects, and their teachings. They favour us withbut few of the features of the worthy and the good. They do,indeed, reveal some slight touches of a slowly rising civilization; but restrained ever by the tightened grasp of a cold-hearted heathenism. Theirlargest spaces are devoted to the exploits of infirm and furiousdeities, or to the memories of men chiefly distinguished by thebrutality of animal passions. The literature they havetransmitted to our day, is chiefly the gorgeous representation of sanguinary deeds, dressed up inthe glowing imagery of master poets; or the fulminations ofpassionate men, exciting, by wondrous oratory, to scenes ofstrife and vengeance. "This is the general colouring of history. In the past, its morenumerous pages are given to the names and exploits of suchmen as Cæsar, Hannibal, Alexander, and Tamerlane; and intimes nearer to our own day we find it thus. The records of themiddle ages are mostly narratives of Crusaders andTroubadours. And in our own immediate era, Marlborough andGustavus, Napoleon, Nelson, and Wellington, have attracted asmuch notice and admiration as any of their contemporaries inthe quieter walks of civil life, however distinguished for talent orfor genius. "All this, however, pertains mostly to the past of humanhistory. We have advanced to a different era, and have reacheda more open day. War, conquest, and valour, have no longertheir own way entirely, nor pursue, unmolested, their owncareer. The mind of this age is not wholly absorbed in thesanguinary and the warlike. Moral, benevolent, and Christiancharacteristics begin to attract attention. The dazzlingscintillations of the Chieftain or the War-god, are now decidedlyeclipsed by the steady and enduring lustre of the Moralist, theFriend of Man, the Christian, or the adventurous Missionary.The gods of this world are fast losing rank. Higher, nobler, andworthier objects are now receiving human admiration. Thetribute of the Poet's lays, or the Orator's lofty periods, are asfreely given to the Philanthropist, as heretofore they werebestowed upon the Hero and the Conqueror. Art, Poetry, andEloquence, are his willing votaries to speak his praise. "Such being the change in the world's morals and theworld's sentiments, it is by no means extraordinary, but naturaland befitting, that we have assembled here this evening tocommemorate distinguished worth and eminent moralcharacter." After detailing the incidents of Clarkson's early life, andadverting to the position of the Anti-Slavery cause when firstespoused by the distinguished philanthropist, he continues:-- "Among the various ills, which in consequence of theentrance of sin into the world, have flooded humanity--the wars,diseases, intemperance, impurity, poverty, idolatry, andwretchedness, which have degraded the race--none have beenmore general, none more deadly, than Slavery. No portion of theglobe has been exempt from this curse. Every land on the face ofthe earth has been overshadowed by it. And where now we seethe blooming fruits of art and civilization, and behold the gianttread of progress, there once were erected the shambles of theSlave-dealer, and there were seen the monuments of oppression.The whole western part of Europe was once in a state of abjectvassalage. The system of Feudalism, with its most degradingcharacteristics, is hardly yet entirely extirpated from some of itsforemost nations. In Russia, millions of wretched serfs, evennow, in wretchedness and poverty, suffer the infliction of theknout, and are subject to irresponsible power and unrestrainedtyranny. England herself, grand and mighty empire as she is,can easily trace back the historic foot-prints to the time wheneven she was under the yoke. And the blood which beats highin her children's veins, and mounts their brows, and circles theirhearts, is blood which, though flowing down to them through anoble lineage of many ages, still, in its ancestral sources, wasthe blood of Slaves! Although Christianity had ameliorated thecondition of the lowly poor, and stricken the chain from the vassal, yet she had notobliterated the memory of its ills, nor neutralized the naturalrepugnance to its abominations. Thus, when Slavery was againpresented to the eye of Europe, distressing another class ofvictims, the warm heart of Europe was prompt and punctualwith sympathy and brotherhood." After mentioning many eminent persons who have, invarious ages, manifested their repugnance to Slavery and theSlave Trade, he observes:-- "From this it appears that some sensibility had beenmanifested in behalf of bleeding, suffering Africa. It was not,however, either universal in its prevalence, regular in itsdevelopment, or definite in its aims and objects. It pervaded thewide space of centuries, but lacked clear and evident junctures,and determinate links. From this we may perceive the moralgrandeur of Clarkson's position. He was the first whocommenced a systematic, well-planned effort, for thedestruction of this colossal iniquity. He stood up, andmeasured the broad proportions and the lofty height of thisgrand villainy; and not content with the utterance of hiscondemnation thereof, he determined in the strength of God, nomatter how deep laid might be its foundations, how lofty itsaltitude, nor how gigantic its form, that it should yet beuprooted and lay prostrate in the dust!" Gladly would I transcribe the whole of our Sable writer's"Eulogium on the life and character" of the illustriousphilanthropist, which abounds in pathos and many rich touchesof eloquence, But our limits forbid, and passing over twentyclosely printed pages, I must draw these brief extracts to a closewith his own concluding observations, which are speciallyaddressed to his own oppressed race:-- "Let us not be unmindful," says he, "of the prerogatives and obligations arising from the fact, that the exhibition of thegreatest talent, and the development of the most enlargedphilanthropy in the 19th century, have been bestowed upon ourrace. The names of the great lights of the age--Statesmen,Poets, and Divines, in all the great countries of Europe, and inthis country too, are inseparably connected with the cause anddestiny of the African race. This has been the theme whencemost of them have reaped honour and immortality. This causehas produced the development of the most noble character ofmodern times;--has given the world a Wilberforce and aClarkson. Lowly and depressed as we have been, and as we noware, yet our interests, and our welfare, have agitated the chiefcountries of the world, and now, before all other questions, areshaking this nation to its very centre. The providences of Godhave placed the Negro race, before Europe and America, in themost commanding position. From the sight of us, no nation, nostatesmen, no ecclesiastics, and no ecclesiastical institution, canescape. And by us and our cause, the character and greatnessof individuals and of nations, in this day and generation of theworld, are to be decided, either for good or for evil:--and so, in allcoming times, the memory and the fame of the chief actors nowon the stage will be decided, by their relation to our cause. Thediscoveries of Science, the unfoldings of Literature, thedazzlings of Genius, all fade before the demands of this cause.This is the age Of BROTHERHOOD AND HUMANITY; and the NegroRace is its most distinguished test and criterion. "And for what are all these providences? For nothing? Hewho thinks so must be blinded--must be demented. In thesefacts are wound up a most distinct significance, and with themare connected, most clear and emphatic obligations andresponsibilities. The clear-minded and thoughtful ColouredMen of America must mark the significance of these facts, andbegin to feel their weight. For more than two centuries we have been working our way from the deep anddire degradation into which Slavery had plunged us. We havemade considerable headway. By the vigorous use of theopportunities of our partial freedom, we have been enabled, withthe Divine blessing, to reach a position of respectability andcharacter. We have pressed, somewhat, into the golden avenuesof Science, Intelligence, and Learning. We have madeimpressions there; and some few of our foot-prints have we leftbehind. The mild light of Religion has illumined our pathway,and Superstition and Error have fled apace. The greatestparadoxes are evinced by us. Amid the decay of nations, arekindled life starts up in us. Burdens under which others expire,seem to have lost their influence upon us; and while they are'driven to the wall,' destruction keeps far from us its blastinghand. We live in the region of death, yet seem hardly mortal. Wecling to life in the midst of all reverses: and our nerveful graspthereon cannot easily be relaxed. History reverses its mandatesin our behalf:--our dotage is in the past. 'Time writes not itswrinkles on our brow;' our juvenescence is in the future. All this,with the kindly nature which is acknowledgedly ours--with thegifts of freedom vouchsafed us by the Almighty in this land, inpart, and in the West Indies,--with the intellectual desireeverywhere manifesting itself--and the exceeding interestexhibited for Africa by her own children and by the Christiannations of the world--are indications from which we may notgather a trivial meaning nor a narrow significance. "The teaching of God in all these things, is, undoubtedly,that ours is a great destiny, and that we should open our eyesto it. God is telling us all that, whereas the past has been dark,grim, and repulsive, the future shall be glorious;--that the horridtraffic shall yet be entirely staunched--that the whips andbrands, the shackles and fetters of Slavery shall be cast downto oblivion;-- that the shades of ignorance and superstition, that have solong settled upon the mind of Africa, shall be dispelled;--thatall her sons, on her own broad continent, in the Western Isles,and in this Republic, shall yet stand erect beneath the heavens, "May we be equal to these providences, may we provedeserving of such a destiny! And God grant that when at somefuture day, our ransomed, and cultivated posterity, shall standwhere we now stand, and bear the burdens that we now bear,they may reap the fruits of our foresight, our virtues, and ourhigh endeavours. And may they have the proud satisfaction ofknowing, that we, their ancestors, uncultured and unlearned,amid all trials and temptations, were men of integrity;--recognized with gratefulness their truest friends dishonouredand in peril. Were enabled to resist the seductions of ease andthe intimidations of power. Were true to themselves, the age inwhich they lived, their abject race, and the cause of man.Shrunk not from trial, nor from suffering:--but conscious ofresponsibility, and impelled by duty, gave themselves up to thevindication of the high hopes, and the lofty aims of TRUEHUMANITY!" The foregoing are only brief extracts from nearly 40 closelyprinted 8vo. pages, which, for appropriateness of language, aswell as beauty and chasteness of expression, could not beeasily surpassed. It has been stated that Alexander Crummell visited Englandin 1848, on which occasion he addressed the annual meeting ofthe Anti-Slavery Society in London. He was also in Liverpoolon a visit at Mr. Ewbanks', a clergyman at Everton, in whosechurch (St. George's) he officiated as a minister, by permissionof the Bishop of the diocese. On this occasion, great interest was evinced in hearing the Negropreacher. The church was crowded by a most respectablecongregation to repletion--many parties being unable to obtainseats, and fain to stand at the entrances, and others obliged toretire, hopeless of even this last accommodation. All eyes were rivetted on the preacher as he ascended thepulpit. He is a good-looking man, of small stature, of blackcomplexion, and of an intelligent countenance. His voice isstrong and manly; his articulation so clear, and hispronunciation of the English language so generally accurate,with, at the same time, a rapid flow of words and a modesty ofbearing, that he immediately won the deep attention of hishearers; the first general feeling being that of astonishment. After a brief prayer, he took for his text a clause from the 8thof the 3rd chapter of Paul's Epistle to Titus--"That they whichhave believed in God might be careful to maintain good works."He opened his discourse by an exposition of the nature, duties,and objects of Christianity, dwelling especially on theobligation of all to redeem the human race from sin to salvation.The subject was at once grand and majestic. The promulgationof Christian truth was not only incumbent, but necessary.Science had taken rapid strides of late years; wind and tide hadbeen almost overcome; transit from place to place had beenwonderfully accelerated; the busy wheel of the steamer hadalmost superseded the sluggish sail; and a velocity had beenattained on shore almost approaching the lightning's speed. Butthey must not let physical advancement exceed spiritualadvancement, which last was also proceeding, as was happilymanifested in many parts of the world. He alluded to theretardations as regards the last, by false reasoners and infidelwriters; to the idolatry and paganism that still prevailed over thegreater portion of the earth, and to the Romanism which stillpresented its brazen front. Millions of their fellow-men were yetin chains, and left in ignorance, and the Slave Trade was yet carried on in an aggravatedmanner. He trusted, however, that the time would come whenthese evils would be removed, and that Christians would worktogether until the last Slave-ship had disappeared, the lastgroan of suffering humanity had died away, and all the nationsof the earth should acknowledge Christ as their sole ruler andRedeemer. He appeared before them as one of the most helplessand forlorn of the races of men. His countrymen had had toundergo a fiery ordeal, and had long been subjected to thegrossest tyranny. Africa had long been a prey to fire, famine,and the sword. The Slave Trade had there destroyed domesticpeace and affection, and engendered even murder amongfamilies. From the land of his fathers ascended the cries and thegroans of the oppressed. England had done herself immortalhonour by abolishing Slavery in her colonies. France andGermany had followed the noble example, and it was hopedHolland and other countries would yet join them. They mightdeem it strange that he should come from so opulent a city asNew York to solicit aid in England, but a brief statement wouldserve to explain. There were in the United States a vast numberof Slaves, who were bought and sold like cattle. Husbands weretorn from their wives, children from their parents, and the whipwas applied to the quivering flesh of even women and children.There was not one out of 1000 of them who had ever heard ofthe Gospel. In the Northern States Slavery did not exist; but theAfricans were excluded, by caste, from trades or socialintercourse, as if they were a separate order of beings. If theyattended a church they were placed apart, and dare not (as hehad that day done there) approach the Communion Table. Theywere also excluded from the schools, and their remains, whendead, from the churchyard. Without, therefore, a hope ofadvancement in life, they grew up in vice, and often fell intopremature graves. There were 400,000 of them without culture,and in the Southern States education was forbidden amongst them. In NewYork there were between 20,000 and 30,000, many of whom hadno church to attend. He had come to implore assistance toelevate them to the dignified station of men and Christians,-- for they wanted education, but, still more, the Gospel. He wasdesirous to purchase a site, and to build upon it a church for hisincreasing congregation. The Bishops of London, Oxford, andLandaff, to whom he had been recommended, had approved ofhis mission, and a committee had been formed in London toforward his views. He concluded by a more general application of his text--thedoing of good works. They had, he found, great demands uponthem to support the noble charities of their own country; butthe Apostle enjoined that they should do all good works. Thefield was stony, but if they sowed upon it, the seed would not,by the blessing of God, be unproductive, or be lost, but bringforth fruit. Let them cast their bread upon the waters, and theywould find it after many days. "Do thou thy part, and leave toHIM the rest." The preacher (of whose address this is but an imperfectsketch) evidently made a strong impression upon his auditory,and a general whisper ran through the congregation, expressiveof surprise at his attainments, and admiration of his Christianand philanthropic views. He spoke calmly, not vindictively, ofthe wrongs of his countrymen, and exhibited talents as ascholar and an orator in unobtrusive and neat figures ofspeech, which stamp him as a man of reading and intelligence.His manner is agreeable and energetic, and he is, assuredly, aliving proof of the capability of the African race to be elevatedto a high standard of intellectual and religious culture. Thecountenance of this Negro clergyman, though black, isdescribed as interesting and well-formed, beaming with brightintelligence, and his expression free and manly; and, notwithstanding American prejudice, the Archbishops,Bishops, and Clergymen of Britain, acknowledge him as abrother and an equal. "When I was in America," says he, "ITHOUGHT I was a man;--in England I FEEL,--I KNOW that Iam!" Colonel Ashley dwelt much on the trustiness and strongattachment of Negroes, when well treated. There were nopeople in the world that he would trust his property and lifewith sooner than Negroes. He stated the following fact inconfirmation of this sentiment:-- "During the insurrection of 1816, by which the neighbouringparishes were dreadfully ravaged, he was suddenly called fromhome on military duty. After he had proceeded some distance,he recollected that he had left 5000 dollars in an open desk athome. He immediately told the fact to his Slave who was withhim, and sent him back to take care of it. He knew nothing moreof his money until the rebellion was quelled and peace restored.On returning home, the Slave led him to a cocoa-nut tree nearby the house, and dug up the money which he had buriedunder its roots. He found the whole sum secure. The Negromight have taken the money, and he would never havesuspected him, but would have concluded that it had been, incommon with other large sums, seized upon by the insurgents."History does not furnish many nobler specimens of genuinehonesty and faithfulness. The Bechuana's are tribes inhabiting the eastern parts of South Africa. Thomas Pringle, in his Narrative of a Residencein South Africa, mentions several hundred natives of thesetribes being driven from the North East, mostly in a state of utterstarvation. These refugees had been forced from their homes bythe ravages of banditti, called Bergenaars, aided andencouraged by unprincipled White Colonists, who suppliedthem with arms and ammunition in exchange for cattle, and forthe children and females of the slaughtered tribes. To preventthese unfortunate refugees from being reduced to a state ofabsolute Slavery, they were apprenticed out by the Governmenton certain conditions as to good treatment. "Several families ofthem," says Pringle, "were sent to our location, who provedvery faithful servants. Many of them fell under my personalobservation; and one, Marossi, a poor orphan boy, about tenyears of age, was placed, by a singular accident, under my ownprotection, and afterwards accompanied me to England." "Ik ben alleenig in de waereld!"--"I'm in the world alone!" wasthe touching expression of Marossi, the Bechuana orphan boy,in his broken Dutch, when he first fell under Thomas Pringle'sprotection in 1825, having been carried off from his nativecountry by the Bergenaars. He was sold by a Boor for an oldjacket only a few months previously, when the hamlet of histribe had been sacked by these banditti. Thomas Pringle has immortalized this occurrence in abeautiful and touching poem. The incidents are from the boy'sown simple narrative, with the exception of his flying to thedesert with a tame Springbok,--a poetical license, suggestedby seeing, a few days afterwards, a Slave-child playing with aSpringbok fawn. This elegant animal (Gazella Euchore) is ofthe Antelope family, about the size of the Fallow Deer. Such was Marossi's touching tale, * The Great Karroo is a desert about 300 miles long,and 70 to 80 broad. ** The native appellation of the Orange river. "This little Bechuana," writes the author of the above,["]accompanied us to England; and with the gradual developmentof his feelings and faculties, he became interesting inno ordinary degree. He was indeed a remarkable child.With a great flow of animal spirits and natural hilarity, hewas at the same time docile, observant, reflective, andalways unselfishly considerate of others. He was of a singularlyingenuous and affectionate disposition; and, in proportionas his reason expanded, his heart became daily morethoroughly imbued with the genuine spirit of the Gospel, so that all who knew him, involuntarily and with one consent,applied to this African boy, the benignant words of our Saviour--'Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.' He was baptized in 1827,and took his baptismal vows in the most devout and sensiblemanner. Shortly afterwards, he died of a pulmonary complaint,Under which he had for many months suffered with exemplarymeekness." During the American war, a gentleman with his lady werecoming in a ship, under convoy, from the East Indies: his wifedied whilst on their passage, and left two infant children, thecharge of whom fell to a Negro boy, 17 years of age. During thevoyage, the gentleman, on some account, left the ship and wenton board the commodore's vessel, which was then in company,intending, no doubt, to return to his children. During thisinterval they experienced a dreadful storm, which reduced the ship inwhich the children remained to a sinking state. A boat wasdispatched from the commodore's to save as many of thepassengers and crew as possible. Having almost filled the boat,there was but just room, as the sailor said, for the two infants;or, for the Negro boy, but not for the three. The boy did nothesitate a moment but placing the two children in the boat, hesaid, "Tell Massa that Cuffy has done his duty." The faithfulNegro was quickly lost in the storm, whilst the two infants,through his devoted and heroic conduct, were restored to theiranxious parent. Queen Charlotte, who heard of this extraordinarycirc*mstance, requested Hannah More to write a poem upon it,but she begged to be excused, saying, "That no art couldembellish an act so noble!" Towards the close of 1839, a considerable sensation wasproduced by a vessel of suspicious and piratical character,observed near the coast of the United States, in the vicinity ofNew York. It was represented as a "long, low, black schooner,"and manned by Negroes. A steamer and several revenue cutterswere dispatched after her, and notice was given to the collectorsof the various seaports. This vessel, eventually captured byLieut. Gedney, proved to be the "Amistad," a Spanish Slaver,the Africans on board of which, in consequence of the brutaltreatment received from the Whites, had broken their chains andrisen upon the crew, with the design of returning to their nativecountry. They were now in full possession of the ship, havingspontaneously submitted to the command of one of theirnumber, Cinque, a man of extraordinary natural capacity. An event so unprecedented as the capture of the "Amistad," excited the most lively interest among all classes. The Africans on board, 44 in number, were brought to New Haven, and lodged in jail. A number of gentlemen formed themselves into a committee to watch over their interests, andjudicial proceedings were commenced to determine how theyshould be disposed of. The two White Men claiming to be theowners of the Africans, caused them to be indicted for piracyand murder. It is not within the province of this work to enterinto the minutiæ of the case, but I would just observe, that ifwe draw a comparison between the deeds of the "Gentlemanlyand intelligent Christians," with that of the ruthless gang ofAfrican bucaneers, who had providentially rescued themselvesfrom their first aggressors, it must be confessed that the"heathen and barbarous Negroes," contrast very favourablywith the civilized Christian Spaniards. These Africans proved to be natives of the Mendi Country, and possessed no small degree of intelligence. Bymeans of interpreters, many particulars relative to their crueltreatment were elicited. One of them gave an account of thepassage from Africa. On board the vessel there were a largenumber of men, but the women and children were far the mostnumerous. They were fastened together in couples, by thewrists and legs, and kept in that situation day and night. Two ofthe Africans, in giving this description, laid down upon thefloor, to shew the painful position in which they were obliged tosleep. By day it was no better. The space between decks was sosmall--according to their account, not exceeding four feet--thatthey were obliged, if they attempted to stand, to keep acrouching posture. The decks, fore and aft, were crowded tooverflowing. They said they suffered terribly. They had riceenough to eat, but had very little to drink. If they left any of therice that was given to them uneaten, either from sickness or anyother cause, they were whipped. It was a common thing for themto be forced to eat so much as to vomit. Many died on thepassage. They were landed by night, at a small village near Havana.Several White Men came to buy them, among them the oneclaiming to be their master, who selected such as he liked, andmade them stand in a row. He then felt each of them in everypart of the body; made them open their mouths to see if theirteeth were sound; and carried the examinations to a degree ofminuteness of which only a Slave dealer would be guilty. Ontheir separation at Havana, they said they were almost all intears, because they had come from the same country, and werenow, in all probability, to be parted for ever. After tedious law proceedings, the ultimate decision was,that the Amistad captives were Free men, fully entitled to theirliberty. The friends who had been interested in obtaining theirrights, chartered a ship to convey them to Sierra Leone, fortheir desire to return to their native country was constantly manifesting itself. One day, oneof them remarked "If 'Merica men offer me as much goldas fill this cap full up, and give me houses, land, andevery ting, so dat I stay in this country, I say No!No! I want to see my father, my mother, my brother,my sister." They expressed themselves willing to under-go anything, short of losing their lives, to be enabled toreturn to the Mendi Country. When liberated, they wereanxious to learn, as they said "It would benefit them intheir own country." Many of them learned to read, alsoto write well, and to sing. Of arithmetic they were veryfond. They also cultivated as a garden 15 acres of land,and raised a large quantity of corn, potatoes, onions, beets,&c. The funds contributed in behalf of these poor Africancaptives being nearly expended, it became necessary toraise sufficient to pay their outfit and passage, and ifpossible, something in addition, to sustain a contemplatedmission to the Mendi Country. It was therefore concludedfor Lewis Tappan to accompany ten of the Africans in anexcursion through the United States, to excite compassion,and raise funds for these purposes. At the first meeting, convened at Boston, the audience weremuch gratified, and a good impression was made. It seemed tothem marvellous that these men and children, who, less thanthree years since, were almost naked savages in the interior ofAfrica, should, under the untoward circ*mstances in whichthey had been placed for the largest part of the time since theyhad been in a civilized and Christian country, appear so faradvanced in civilization and knowledge. The second meeting was concluded with the Lord's Prayer,each sentence being repeated in English by the Mendians. Astatement was then made of their past and present condition, oftheir good conduct, their proficiency, of their ardent desire toreturn to Mendi, and the favourable prospect of establishing amission in their country. Three or four of the best readers were then called upon to read apassage in the New Testament, selected by the audience. Oneof them next related, in "Merica language," their condition intheir own country, their being kidnapped, the sufferings of themiddle passage, their stay at Havana, the transactions on boardthe Amistad, &c. They were then requested to sing two or threeof their native songs. This performance afforded great delight tothe audience. As a pleasing contrast, however, they sangimmediately after, one of the songs of Zion:-- This produced a deep impression; and while these latePagans were singing so correctly and impressively a hymn, in aChristian church, numerous weeping eyes testified that the actand its associations touched a chord that vibrated in manyhearts. Cinque was then introduced to the company, andaddressed them in his native tongue. "It is impossible," saysLewis Tappan, "to describe the novel and deeply interestingmanner in which he acquitted himself. The subject of his speechwas similar to that of his countryman who had spoken inEnglish; but he related more minutely and graphically theoccurrences on board the 'Amistad.' The easy manner ofCinque, his natural, graceful, and energetic action, the rapidityof his utterance, and the remarkable and various expressions ofhis countenance, excited admiration and applause. He waspronounced a powerful natural orator, and one born to sway theminds of his fellow-men. Should he be converted and become apreacher of the cross in Africa, what delightful results may beanticipated!" In some places visited, the hearers were astonished at theperformance of Kali, only eleven years of age. He could notonly spell any word in the Gospels, but sentences, without any mistake; such as "Blessed are the meek,for they shall inherit the earth," naming each letter and syllable,and recapitulating as he went along, until he pronounced thewhole sentence. Joseph Sturge being in Philadelphia at the time theseinteresting Africans were there, had an opportunity of beingpresent at one of the public meetings which they attended. "Onthis occasion," he writes, "a very crowded and miscellaneousassembly collected to see and hear the Mendians, although theadmission had been fixed as high as half a dollar, with the viewof raising a fund to carry them to their native country. Fifteen ofthem were present, including one little boy and three girls.Cinque, their Chief, spoke with great fluency in his nativelanguage; and his action and manner were very animated andgraceful. Not much of his speech was translated, yet he greatlyinterested his audience. The little boy could speak our languagewith facility; and each of them read, without hesitation, one ortwo verses in the New Testament. It was impossible for any oneto go away with the impression, that in native intellect thesepeople were inferior to the Whites. The information which Iprivately received from their tutor, and others who had fullopportunities of appreciating their capacities and attainments,fully confirmed my own very favourable impressions." One of the Africans being interrogated by a minister, hestated the Mendians believed in a Great Spirit, adding,afterwards, "We owe everything to God; He keeps us alive andmakes us free. When we go home to Mendi we tell our brethrenabout God--Jesus Christ--and heaven." Another of the Africansbeing asked, "What is faith?" replied, "Believing in JesusChrist, and trusting in him." Their answers to questions showedthey had not only read, but understood the Scriptures, andhopes were entertained that one or two, at least, knewexperimentally the value of religion. The fact that there is nosystem of idolatry in Mendi, for missionaries to oppose, and the nativestenaciously to adhere to, was an encouraging fact with regardto the contemplated mission. Another pleasing and remarkablefact existed--labour was suspended every seventh day, andhas been so from time immemorial. The people do not engage inany religious services, but dress in their best apparel, feast onthat day--as some Christians do--visit, &c. The Mendian Negroes, 30 to 40 in number, embarked fromNew York, for Sierra Leone, towards the close of 1841,accompanied by five missionaries and teachers. The BritishGovernment manifested a praiseworthy interest in their welfare,and assisted them to reach their own country from Sierra Leone.Many of them had parents, wives, brothers, sisters, and childrenat home. What a joyful meeting would it be of relations andfriends, when they were descried on the hills of Mendi. Theirstay in the United States was of great service to the Anti-Slavery cause, and there is reason to hope that under theirauspices, Christianity and civilization may be introduced intotheir native country. Being asked if he believed that "the pure Negro from theinterior was endowed with the same faculties of progression asthe essentially European?" he replied, "I have come to thatconclusion after looking at the subject carefully." On being asked whether he believed any inferiority to exist inthe Coloured man in any of his gradations to the European? hisreply was, "No; I think that he is capable of rising to almostany point in civilization; we may judge from the people in theinterior of Africa, who are Negro, and yet have wise institutions.They have shown that if they had more frequent communicationwith civilized nations, they might have risen to the highest pointof civilization." Was born in South Africa, being a descendant of a celebratedHottentot Chief. When quite young he was sent to Hankey, toattend a missionary school. Edward Williams the missionarythen resident there, was struck with the appearance ofintelligence in the child. A deep interest in the native tribes, anda desire to promote their civilization, induced him to take six oftheir children into his own family, that he might attend to theirmoral and religious instruction himself, with a view to theirbeing ultimately placed as teachers in the native school. Cupidobecame one of these pupils, and by his amiable and gentledisposition, gained the affections of the family. In this guarded situation, his mind appears to have beenearly impressed with the necessity of seeking the Lord, and hefrequently resorted to his "praying spot in the bush," a practicecommon with the native converts in South Africa, and he wasconsidered a hopeful character. In 1843, the declining health of the missionary induced him toreturn to his native land, and he brought the young Hottentotwith him to educate, and become fitted for usefulness. Afterspending a few months in Wales, Cupido was placed in themission school at Walthamstow; and shortly after, EdwardWilliams, his kind protector, died; he had been a faithfullabourer in the Lord's vineyard, and his removal in the prime oflife was deeply felt in the mission field. Previous to his death hecommitted Cupido to the care of James Backhouse, a minister ofthe Society of Friends, who had undertaken to raise the fundsnecessary for his education. He greatly felt the loss of his earlyfriend, but he steadily pursued his studies, and became ageneral favourite in the school. In 1846, his health declining, heleft Walthamstow, and became an inmate in the family ofJames Backhouse, at York. His inquiring mind, combined withmuch intelligence, and simplicity of manners, endeared him tothe family circle; his religious thoughtfulness was very apparent, and his ardent attachment tis own country was often strikingly pourtrayed. He continued todecline rapidly, but it was interesting to observe how much histhoughts were turned to subjects of the highest importance. Hewas frequently engaged in prayer, and several times requestedthat his friends would pray for him. Being told that the doctor considered his recovery verydoubtful, he observed; " I should liked to have lived a littlelonger to have gone to Africa;" but added, "the Lord's willmust be right." He remarked that in looking back to his past life,there were many things which gave him great regret, and saidwith much earnestness, "I do wish that I had lived nearer to theLord." Being asked if he had any message to send to JamesBackhouse, who was absent from home on religious service; hesaid, "Give my dear love to him, and tell him I believe this illnesshas been greatly blessed to me; it has made me feel verythankful for all my blessings, and drawn me nearer to the LordJesus. I hope his work prospers, and that when it is finished, ifwe are permitted to meet, it may be with joy in the Lord." As he was becoming much weaker, the remark being madethat his present state of trial was not likely to last long, he said,that he believed it was not, and requested to have a letter readto him which had been received from Jane Williams, the widowof his first christian caretaker, in which she expressed her desire,that whether he lived or died, the Lord might be his portion forever,&c. With this he was much pleased; he sent a message oflove to her, and spoke of her kind care in keeping him near to her whenhe was a little boy; regarding this as a link in the chain of DivineProvidence, which had been so wonderfully extended to him upto the present time; he spoke with joyful anticipation of meetingher husband in heaven, and continued, "Oh Lord take care ofhis children; watch over them as he used to do over us." He again referred to thehope he had entertained of returning to labour in the Lord'svineyard, in his native land; how his heart had yearned to bemade instrumental in the conversion of his benightedcountrymen, and more especially of his own immediateconnexions, saying, " Oh Lord! take thine own work into thineown hands; and by thy Holy Spirit, visit their hearts, and turnthem unto righteousness." In reference to his own state he said, "I believe that theblood of Jesus has cleansed me from all sin;" and with acountenance beaming with joy and gratitude, he exclaimed, "OhLord, blessed and praised be thy Holy Name." At one time his soul seemed filled with the love of hisSaviour, and he emphatically exclaimed, " Why do not allsinners come to Christ!" Seeing those around him weep, he said,"I wish you to be comforted; do not cry at that which is the willof God; the Lord bless and reward you for all your kindness to me." He then took an affectionate leave of them, and gave directions respecting the distribution of his books. He continued to praise and magnify God, and said, "I amthirsty here, but I shall soon drink of the river of life; I am goingto that place where there will be no want." He died in the 9thmonth, 1846, aged about 17, doubtless to join the ransomed ofall nations, kindreds, people and tongues, who have washedtheir robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Hisremains were interred in the burial ground belonging to theFriends in York. Some years ago, a gentleman who had been possessed ofconsiderable property, became embarrassed in hiscirc*mstances, and was arrested by his creditors, and confinedin the King's Bench; from whence there was no probability ofhis being liberated, unless some law proceedings (upon his succeeding in which, the recovery of great part of hisproperty depended,) should be decided in his favour. Thus situated, he called a Negro who had served him with thegreatest faithfulness, and said, "Robert, you have lived with memany years, but I am now unable to maintain you any longer:you must leave me, and endeavour to find another master." Thepoor Negro, well remembering his master's kindness, replied,"No, Massah! me no leave you; you maintain me many years, menow try what I can do for you." He went and procuredemployment as a day-labourer, and regularly brought hisearnings to his master, on which, although small, they managedto subsist for some time, until the lawsuit was decided in themaster's favour, and he thereby regained possession of a veryconsiderable property. Mindful of his faithful Negro, one of his first acts was tosettle an annuity upon him for the remainder of his life,sufficient to secure to him the enjoyment of those comforts hehad so well deserved. In the dreadful earthquake which made such ravages in St.Domingo, in 1770, a Negress of Port-au-Prince found herselfalone in the house of her master and mistress, with theiryoungest child, whom she nursed. The house shook to itsfoundation. Every one had taken flight; she alone could notescape without leaving her infant charge in danger. She flew tothe chamber, where it lay in the most profound sleep. At thatmoment the walls of the house fell in. Anxious only for thesafety of her foster child, she threw herself over it, and servingas a sort of arch, saved it from destruction. The child wasindeed saved; but the unfortunate Negress died soon after, thevictim of her fidelity. The son of African parents, was born in Jamaica, about theyear 1700. He died when about 70 years of age, a little beforethe publication of Long's History of Jamaica, which appearedin 1774, in which are contained some particulars respectinghim. Struck with the conspicuous talents of this Negro when hewas quite young, the Duke of Montague, governor of theIsland, proposed to try, whether, by an improved education, hewould be equal to a White Man placed in the samecirc*mstances. He accordingly sent him to England, where hecommenced his studies in a private school, and afterwardsentered the University of Cambridge, where he madeconsiderable progress in mathematics and other branches ofscience. During his sojourn in Europe, he published the poemcommencing After remaining several years in England, Williams returnedto Jamaica, where the Duke of Montague offered to obtain him aplace in the Council of the Government, which however hedeclined accepting. Under the patronage of the Governor heopened a school, in which he taught Latin and mathematics. Heprepared himself a successor, in a young Negro, whounfortunately became deranged. The historian Long is veryready to narrate this circ*mstance, as a proof that African headsare incapable of abstruse study, such as is required in the moreadvanced stages of geometry, granting however, that thereexists a greater adaptation to the free exercise of the intellectualpowers in Creoles than in the Natives of Africa. But surely if a general deduction is to be drawn from thecirc*mstances of this particular case, seeing that the exercise ofthe intellectual faculties has proportionally disordered themental perceptions of the learned, and men of letters in everydepartment of society, we must, on the same groundsnecessarily conclude, that neither the one or the other are fittedfor profound study. The historian subsequently refutes his ownhypothesis, for, constrained to acknowledge in Williams theexistence of considerable talent, he has with equal justice drawna conclusion entirely at variance with his former statement. Williams wrote several poems in Latin, a mode of compositionhe made choice of, and it was his custom to present a piece tothe new Governors. That which he addressed to Haldane isinserted in the History of Jamaica; and, although the historianaccuses the author of imitation, and of flattering the Governorsby comparing them to heroes of antiquity, it may be observed,that few of our own poets have escaped similar reproaches,--not excepting Milton himself. To furnish some idea of thetalents of this intelligent Negro, the poem above-mentioned ishere transcribed, addressed to George Haldane, Esq., Governorof Jamaica. The Abbé Gregoire has given a translation of this poem inFrench; and the historian Long, notwithstanding his prejudiceagainst the Negro race, thought it not beneath his notice, for henot only translated it into English, and versified it, but insertedit in his History of Jamaica. When Williams published this poem, the Dean of Middleham, indignant against the Slave holders, who wishedto class the Negroes with monkeys, remarked, "I never heard itsaid that an Orang-outang had composed a poem!" and headds, "we do not find amongst the defenders of Slavery, one-half of the literary merit of Phillis Wheatley and FrancisWilliams." Was born in Maryland, in 1815. His great grandfather was theson of an African Chief, stolen from his native country in hisyouth and sold into Slavery on the shores of Maryland. The branch of his family thus transplanted into America,were all held in slavery till 1822, when they escaped to the non-slave holding States. Henry, the subject of this notice, was thenabout eight years old, and with his father, mother, and sister,and eight other fugitive Slaves, found an asylum in New York. They belonged to a Col. William Spencer, at whose death,the estate passed into the hands of his nephew, who wasover-bearing and cruel; the very personification of tyranny.Henry's mother saw what she and her children had to expectfrom such a wretch, and resolved to make her escape. She was awoman of great energy of character, and performed her workspeedily. Having on one occasion obtained permission to beabsent two days, to attend the funeral of a relative ten milesdistant, they started about sun-set, travelling all night towardsthe land of freedom; biding themselves in the woods by day,till they found themselves safe in New Hope, a village inPennsylvania. At last they reached New York city, where theyremained about seven years, and then it was their misfortuneagain to be hunted by men-stealers, who came upon them attheir residence. The father and mother escaped as by a miracle;the former by leaping from the top of the house into the yard,and the latter by hiding herself in the hall till the men-stealers wentaway. The day following, Henry's only sister was seized, andthrown into prison to await her trial as a fugitive from justice. Thebest legal assistance was obtained by the friends of the Slaveon her behalf, and by great exertions they obtained thedischarge of the girl (who was only seventeen years of age)from custody, and she was borne out of court in the arms of herfriends. While these things were transpiring, Henry Garnett was atWashington in the capacity of cabin-boy on board a schooner.After completing the voyage, he returned to New York, andreceived the terrible intelligence concerning the persecution ofhis family. It came like a thunderbolt to his soul, and he soughtan oportunity to avenge the persecutors, but his friendspossessing greater prudence, removed him to the country,where he remained until 1830. He then returned to New York,and entered the African Free School, where he soon reached thehighest class. In 1833, he was admitted into the Canal StreetCollegiate School, with several other Coloured youths, andcommenced the study of the Latin language. The opportunitieswhich the school offered, were limited; for such was the effectof prejudice, that the Coloured boys were not allowed to meet inthe room with Whites, and as might be expected, but little timeor pains were bestowed on their instruction. In 1835, Henry H. Garnett travelled to New Hampshire, adistance of 500 miles, and became a member of CanaanAcademy. He had been there but three months, when theinhabitants assembled, and with a mob and sixty-five yoke ofoxen, removed and burned the house. They next attacked thehouse in which the Coloured pupils boarded, but met with sternresistance, and were driven back. A gun was fired into H. H.Garnett's room, and another was instantly discharged fromwithin. The very day on which the Academy was destroyed, ayoung and lovely Coloured girl entered the village, hoping todrink from that fountain of learning. She had been a member ofMiss Crandall's school, at Canterbury, until that noble lady wasimprisoned in a dungeon, (which but a little while previous hadbeen occupied by a murderer) for the crime of instructingColoured females in learning and religion. The name of thisyoung woman was Julia Williams. When Henry Garnett beheldher, he admired her modest and gentle demeanour, as well as herheroic spirit, and formed an ardent attachment to her, which wasreciprocated, and resulted in their marriage in 1841. Henry Garnett experienced a religious change of mind in 1835,and united with the Frankfort Street Presbyterian Church, inNew York, at that time under the Pastoral charge of the excellentT. S. Wright. After his conversion he turned his attention to theGospel Ministry, and repaired to the Oneida Institute, in 1836,where he was received with the utmost kindness by thePresident, Beriah Green, and was treated with equality by theprofessors and his fellow-students. There he gained thereputation of a courteous and accomplished man, an able andeloquent debater, and a good writer. His first public appearancewas before the American Anti-Slavery Society, in 1837, and hisaddress at once secured for him a standing among the first classof speakers. Henry Garnett graduated at the school at Whitestoun in1840, and received his diploma. He then repaired to the city ofTroy, State of New York. He was ordained a minister of thePresbyterian Church there in 1843, and continues to be thepastor. Henry Garnett is a most strenuous advocate of freedom,temperance, and education. He has had a bearing in relation tothe restoration of the elective franchise to his oppressedbrethren, before the Legislatures of New York and Connecticut.He is an acceptable preacher, his discourses being evangelical and poetical. He usually speaks from notes,rarely appearing with written sermons. Having completecommand of his voice, he uses it with skill, never failing to fillthe largest houses with perfect ease. One of his most remarkablespeeches was an address to the Negroes, at a NationalConvention at Buffalo, in 1843, when, for the space of twohours, the mighty assembly was swayed as he pleased.Sometimes they wept, and sometimes they cried for revenge;and frequently they shouted aloud for joy or for sorrow. Hemade another very remarkable speech at Old Fanuil Hall,Boston, and has also published A Discourse upon the Past andPresent Condition, and Destiny of the Coloured Race. He wasfor some time connected with the "National Watchman." He is apure Black, about 32 years of age, and is scrupulously careful ofhis personal attire.* The following particulars are extracted chiefly from aNarrative of Solomon Bayley, formerly a Slave, written byhimself, and published for his benefit by Robert Hurnard. "During the early part of my residence in America," says R.Hurnard, "I met with the account of Bayley's escape fromSlavery, with the mental and bodily trials he underwent,resulting from that step. Being much interested in the perusal ofthis simple and unadorned narrative, I was induced to makesome inquiry into the character and circ*mstances of a man, therecital of whose sufferings and wrongs had deeply excited mysympathy. The information I obtained was in all respectsgratifying, so far as related to himself. He was described to beestimable as a religious character, remarkably humble, patient ofwrong, poor as * In a pamphlet recently published by the Author, on behalf of theBoston Anti-Slavery Bazaar, entitled "CALUMNY REFUTED, ByFACTS FROM LIBERIA, &c.," some extracts from Garnett's Discourseare inserted. May be had of Charles Gilpin, and through all Booksellers. to worldly possessions, but rich in faith, and in many otherChristian virtues. "Feeling a strong inclination to see and converse with him, Irequested a friend who had known him many years, and whomhe sometimes visited, to introduce me to him, and from anintimate knowledge, obtained at frequent interviews, thefavourable sentiments I at first conceived of his integrity andworth, were fully and satisfactorily confirmed, heightened, asthey were, by his solid, instructive conversation, and the justsense he appeared to entertain of divine things. While narratingin my family the particulars of some severe domesticbereavements, with great feeling and sensibility, it was evidentthat he was no stranger to the source from whence trueconsolation is derived. "I had long felt a warm interest towards the descendants ofAfrica generally; but the peculiar regard which was awakened inmy mind towards this deserving individual, made me anxious toobtain more of his history, and I wrote him two or three times onthe subject. We lived fifty miles apart, and my avocations, aswell as his, precluded our meeting again. I wished to possess itin his own simple, unvarnished style; but Solomon, being aself-taught penman, and ignorant of orthography, made manyobjections on the ground of his incapacity, and the advancedperiod of his life: he was, however, at length induced to complywith my request, and forwarded such parts as I had particularlyrequested, which I now offer to the candid public, presumingthat every indulgence will be granted to a man, whose life hasbeen chiefly spent in Slavery." In reference to his early life, he says: "The Lord tried toteach me his fear when I was a little boy. I delighted in vanityand foolishness, and went astray; but he found out a way toovercome me, and to cause me to desire his favour, and hisgreat help; and although I thought no one could be more unworthy of his favour, yet He looked on me, andpitied me in my great distress. "I was born a Slave in the State of Delaware, and was carriedinto Virginia; and the laws of Delaware said that Slaves carriedout of that State should be free. I asserted my right, for which Iwas sent to Richmond, and put in jail and irons, and from thencesent in a waggon back into the country. After we left Richmond,in the bitterness of my heart I cried out, 'I am past all hope;' butit pleased the Father of mercies to look upon me, and he sent astrengthening thought into my heart--that He that made theheavens and the earth, was able to deliver me. I looked up to thesky, and then on the trees and ground, and I believed in amoment, that if He could make all these he was able to deliverme. Then did that Scripture come into my mind:--'They thattrust in the Lord, shall never be confounded.' I believed it, andwent unperceived into the bushes. When they missed me, theylooked for me, but not finding me, went on; and that night Itravelled through thunder, lightning, and rain, a considerabledistance." His trials and difficulties in getting along were many andvarious. In relating one of these he says, "I cried to the Makerof heaven and earth to save me, and he did so. I prayed to theLord, and when night came on, I felt as if the great God hadheard my cry. Oh! how marvellous is his loving kindnesstowards men of every description and complexion. Though he ishigh, yet hath he respect unto the lowly, and will hear the cry ofthe distressed. when they call upon him, and will make knownhis goodness and his power." At Petersburg he met with a Coloured man from his ownneighbourhood, circ*mstanced like himself: they got a smallboat, went down the James River, and landed in ChesapeakeBay. "But," says he, "we were hunted like partridges on themountains." His companion was pursued and killed, having hisbrains knocked out; on which Solomon makes the following remarks:--"Now, reader, you haveheard of the end of my fellow-sufferer, but I remain yet as amonument of mercy, thrown up and down on life's tempestuoussea; sometimes feeling an earnest desire to go away and be atrest; but I travel on, in hopes of overcoming at my last combat." It being thought best for him to leave Virginia, he went toDover, in Delaware, a distance of about 120 miles. By travellingin the night, and lying by in the day time, he at length reachedthat place with great difficulty, being closely hunted andpursued. In concluding this part of his Narrative, he says:--"Oh!what pains God takes to help his otherwise helpless creatures!O that his kindness and care were more considered and laid toheart!" In the second part of his Narrative, he remarks:--"I got toCamden, when my master found me. He had not seen me sincehe put me on the back country waggon, near 350 miles fromCamden. He asked me what I was going to do. I said:--'How,master, I have suffered a great deal, and seen a great deal oftrouble; I think you might let me go for little or nothing.' He said:--'I won't do that, but if you will give me forty pounds bond, andgood security, you may be free.'" After much conversationbetween them on the subject of his right to freedom, hecontinues:--"Finally he sold my time for 80 dollars, and I went towork, and worked it out in a shorter time than he gave me, andthen I was a free man. And when I came to think that the yokewas off my neck, and how it was taken off, I was made to wonderand admire, and to adore the orderings of kind Providence, whoassisted me in all my way." Here he very feelingly recites the trials and exercises of mindthat attended him, for not adhering to that wisdom andgoodness of God, which had been so marvellouslymanifested for his deliverance. "And now, reader," says he, "I will here record, that God is rich in mercy towardssinners of the deepest dye; for when every other method failed,he sent a little boy to me, with his finger at a text, 'The wicked isdriven away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope inhis death.' I began to read, and it pleased infinite goodness tolook upon me, and being unwilling that I should perish eternally,he sent down his awakening power, and I was made to quakeand tremble; and an impression abode on my mind, that God wastrue, a just and a holy God, and that no unclean thing could restin his holy habitation. I saw I was a sinner condemned to die,but a call reached my soul, 'take heed that you entertain nohopes of heaven, but what are built on a solid foundation.' Aquestion arose in my mind, what foundation I had to hope forheaven? I examined, and found I had none but what was builton the sand. I resolved to amend my ways, but a secondthought came powerfully into my mind, if I made anotherresolution, and broke it as I had done, the door of mercy wouldbe for ever shut against me. Then the good Spirit brought to mymind the dangers and deaths from which I had been delivered,through the mercy of an indulgent God, and how I had called onhim in trouble and he had delivered me, and had answered me inthe secret place of thunder. At the same time, the Spirit of truthbrought all things to my remembrance, and I saw how hatefulwere all my sins in the sight of a holy God. Let the Lord bepraised, both now and for ever, for the exceeding riches of hisgrace to all who will look at their sins, and his goodness, andconsider, before it be too late, and turn from the evil of theirways, that they may understand the truth. "The word sent to me in my distress was this:--'Believe onthe Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' Then, and nottill then, did I ever desire saving faith; but I could not attain toit by all the exertion I could make; but I found in my distress,that faith is the gift of God, and that grace is not sown in the heart, till the heart, is brokenand contrite: that is, in earnest to study and enter into thesaving plan of life and salvation; which is--'Let the wickedforsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let himturn unto the Lord, and lie will have mercy upon him, andabundantly pardon all that is passed.' But when I was put to thetest, to try my faith, I found I had none; then, in the bitternessof my spirit, I desired the Lord to give me to feel the power ofsaving faith; and I struggled to lay hold on that word, 'Ask, andye shall receive, seek, and ye shall find' but this question mademe quake, 'Is your heart right?' Then I trembled, and while Idesired to know myself, this passed through my mind:--'Areyou willing now to renounce the devil and his works, and all thepomp and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts ofthe flesh? and I was enabled, in my sinking, distressed state, toforsake every forbidden way for the sake of peace and pardon.Then did God send down the power of saving faith; then, Oh!how terrible I saw the length, and breadth, and depth, andheight, of God's eternal law: I also saw that heaven and earthwould pass away, before one jot or tittle of his law should fail,or fall to the ground. Man must be converted, or never enterinto the kingdom of heaven. I went out to some secret place topray; and as I walked I trembled; and when I got to the place, Icould only pray, 'Lord have mercy upon me.' I cried as if fallinginto despair; and having consented to forsake every wrongway, God had mercy on me, and pardoned my sins: Glory be toGod, for ever and ever, Amen. Oh! praise the Lord, whose mercyis over all his works, from generation to generation. How faithfuland true he is to all who will yield to the striving of his Spirit intheir own hearts, before it takes its everlasting flight. Howcareful ought we to be, for fear we be left to ourselves; then,blindness and hardness of heart will take place, and the soul beleft on the dark mountains of unbelief, on which many have stumbled for notfollowing the light that visits their minds, which appears inyouth, and continues shorter or longer, according to theentertainment this heavenly messenger gets in the heart.Reader, think how many are now on the road to ruin, who arestill slighting the call of grace, and if they continue on, mustovertake them that are already ruined. I pray that none that eversee this, may go another step towards the pit from whence thereis no return. The reader will be interested in perusing the followingextracts from letters written by this pious Negro. To John Reynolds, Wilmington, Delaware. DEAR FRIEND,PARTICULARS RESPECTING DAVID, ABRAHAM, AND OTHERS OF THE BLACK ASSISTANT MISSIONARIES.
SUSANNA.
JOAS,
PETER AND ABRAHAM.
INTELLIGENT AFRICANS.
A NEGRO SLAVE AND POET.
TO CALUMNY.
SILENCE, audacious wickedness which aims
At honour's breast, or strikes with driftless breath,
The lightest word that's spoken thus defames,
And where it falls inflicts a moral death.
If, with malign, deliberate intent,
The shaft is sped, the bow that vibrates yet
One day will hurt the hand by which 'tis bent,
And leave a wound its malice justly met.
For once the winged arrow is sent forth,
Who then may tell where, when, or how 'twill fall?
Or, who may pluck its barb from wounded worth,
And send it back, and swiftly too withal.RELIGION.
YES, tho' in gloom and sadness I may rise,
One blessed strain can soothe my troubled soul,
No sooner wakened than with streaming eyes,
Upward I look, and there I seek my goal.
Soaring in spirit o'er the things of earth,
The spark imprisoned bursts its bonds of clay;
I feel delight above all human mirth,
And wrapt in love, I live but then to pray;
To thee, dear Father!--mighty and supreme!
Immense! eternal! infinite! and blest!
Oh, how the grandeur of the theme doth seem
To enlarge my thoughts, and to inflame my breast.
Hail, blessed faith! thou only hope and trust,
Solace most sweet, and stay of hope most sure;
Thou sole support and shield of the opprest,
The weak, the wronged, the wretched, and the poor.
In thee, all trouble is absorbed and lost;
In ev'ry breath of thine there's vital air;
Whose mild and genial influence, the just
Rejoice to find, the wretched e'en may share.
For thee, when darkness brooded o'er the land,
A remnant, faithful to the law they feared,
Still wept and sighed--'till mercy's hour at hand,
The mighty standard of the cross was reared.
Then in the depths of fear, as by a spell,
The voice of hope was heard, the tidings glad,
Of truth eternal, far and wide were spread,
And demons trembled as their idols fell;
But soon the foe of truth and justice came,
Far worse there's none than tyranny can prove,
That fitting agent of a spirit's aim,
Indocile ever to the God of love.
But vain was all that monster's rage renewed,
Thousands of martyrs fell beneath its sway;
Still in that cradle purpled with their blood,
The infant faith waxed stronger every day.
Now the triumphant gospel is our guide,
Our sure conductor to eternal light:
The future vast; the heavenly portals hide
Their joys no longer from our spirit's sight.
'Tis thou, O God, by faith who dost reveal
Mysterious wonder to our senses weak:
When thou dost speak to hearts that deeply feel,
And humbly hear when thou dost deign to speak.
Oh, when the mantle of thy peace descends,
How the soul then exults in her attire!
The garb of grace to every thought extends,
And wraps reflection in seraphic fire.
In thee, I find all purity and peace,
All truth and goodness, wisdom far above
All worldly wisdom, might beyond increase,
And yet surpassing these, unbounded love.
Oh, that its lights were shed on those whose deeds
Belie the doctrines of the church they claim;
Whose impious tongues profane their father's creeds,
And sanction wrong, e'en in religion's name.
Oh, God of mercy, throned in glory high,
O'er earth and all its miseries, look down
Behold the wretched, hear the captive's cry,
And call thy exiled children round thy throne!
There would I fain in contemplation gaze,
On thy eternal beauty, and would make
Of love one lasting canticle of praise,
And every theme but that henceforth forsake.THIRTY YEARS.
WHEN I think on the course I have run,
From my childhood itself to this day,
I tremble, and fain would I shun,
The remembrance its terrors array.
I marvel at struggles endured,
With a destiny frightful as mine,
At the strength for such efforts:--assured
Tho' I am, 'tis in vain to repine.
I have known this sad life thirty years,
And to me, thirty years it has been
Of suff'ring, of sorrow and tears,
Ev'ry day of its bondage I've seen.
But 'tis nothing the past--or the pains,
Hitherto I have struggled to bear,
When I think, oh, my God! on the chains,
That I know I'm yet destined to wear.THE CUCUYA; OR FIRE-FLY,
THE fire-fly is heedlessly wandering about,
Through field and through forest is winging his route,
As free as the butterfly sporting in air,
From flower to flower it flits here and there:
Now glowing with beautiful phosphoric light,
Then paling its lustre and waning in night:
It bears no effulgence in rivalry near,
But shrouds ev'ry gleam as the dawn doth appear.
It sparkles alone in the soft summer's eve,
Itself, though unseen, by the track it doth leave,
The youth of the village at night-fall pursue
O'er hill and o'er dale, as it comes into view;
Now shining before them, now lost to their eyes,
The sparkle they catch at, just twinkles and die;
And the mead is one moment all spangled with fire,
And the next, every sparklet is sure to expire.
On the leaf of the orange awhile it disports,
When the blossom is there, to its cup it resorts,
And still the more brightly and dazzling it shines,
It baffles its tiny pursuer's designs.
But see the sweet maiden, the innocent child,
The pride of the village--as fair as the wild
And beautiful flowers she twines in her hair--
How light is her step, and how joyous her air!
And oft as one looks on such brightness and bloom,
On such beauty as hers, one might envy the doom
Of a captive "Cucuya," that's destined like this,
To be touched by her hand, and revived by her kiss;
Imprisoned itself, by a mistress so kind,
It hardly can seem to be closely confined,
And a prisoner thus tenderly treated in fine,
By a keeper so gentle, might cease to repine.
In the cage which her delicate hands have prepared,
The captive "Cucuya" is shining unscared,
Suspended before her, with others as bright,
In beauty's own bondage revealing their light.
But this amongst all is her favourite one,
And she hears it at dusk to her alcove alone,
'Tis fed by her hand on the cane that's most choice,
And in secret it gleams, at the sound of her voice.
Thus cherished, the honey of Hybla would now
Scarce tempt the "Cucuya" her care to forego;
And daily it seems to grow brighter, and gain
Increasing effulgence, forgetting its pain.
Oh! beautiful maiden, may heaven accord,
Thy care of the captive, its fitting reward;
And never may fortune the fetters remove,
Of a heart that is thine in the bondage of love.THE CLOCK THAT GAINS.
THE Clock's too fast they say;
But what matter how it gains!
Time will not pass away
Any faster for its pains.
The tiny hands may race
Round the circle, they may range,
The Sun has but one pace,
And his course he cannot change.
The beams that daily shine
On the dial, err not so,
For they're ruled by laws divine,
And they vary not, we know.
But though the Clock is fast,
Yet the moments I must say,
More slowly never passed,
Than they seemed to pass to-day.THE DREAM.
ADDRESSED TO My YOUNGER BROTHER.
THOU knowest, dear Florence, my sufferings of old,
The struggles maintained with oppression for years,
We shared them together, and each was consoled
With the whispers of love that were mingled with tears.
But now, far apart, this sad pleasure is gone,
We mingle our sighs and our sorrows no more;
The course is a new one that each has to run,
And dreary the prospect for either in store.
But in slumber, our spirits, at least, shall commune,
Behold, how they meet in the visions of sleep;
In dreams that recal early days, like the one
In my brother's remembrance, I fondly would keep.
For solitude pining, in anguish of late
The heights of Quintana I sought, for repose,
And there of seclusion enamoured, the weight
Of my cares was forgotten--I felt not my woes.
Exhausted and weary, the spell of the place
Soon weighed down my eyelids, and slumber then stole
So softly o'er nature, it left not a trace
Of trouble or sorrow, o'ercasting my soul.
I seemed to ascend like a bird in the air,
And the pinions that bore me, amazed me the more;
I gazed on the plumage of beauty so rare,
As they waved in the sun, at each effort to soar.
My spirit aspired to a happier sphere,
The buoyancy even of youth was surpassed;
One effort at fight not divested of fear,
And the flutter ensued, was successful at last.
And leaving the earth and its toils, I look down,
Or upwards I glance, and behold with surprise,
The wonders of God, and the firmament strewn
With myriads of brilliants, that spangle the skies.
The ocean of ether around me, each star
Of the zodiac shining, above either pole
Of the earth as a point in the distance afar,
And one flap of the wing, serves to traverse the whole.
The bounds which confine the wide sea, and the height
Which separates earth from the heavenly spheres;
The moon as a shield I behold in my flight,
And each spot on its surface distinctly appears.
The valley well known of Matanzas is nigh,
And trembling, my brother, I gaze on that place,
Where, cold and forgotten, the ashes now lie
Of the parents we clung to in boyhood's embrace.
How the sight of that place sent the blood to my heart,
I shudder e'en now to recal it, and yet
I'd remind you of wrongs we were wont to impart,
And to weep o'er in secret at night when we met.
I gazed on that spot, where together we played,
Our innocent pastimes came fresh to my mind;
Our mother's caresses, the fondness displayed,
In each word and each look of a parent so kind.
The ridge of that mountain, whose fastnesses wild
The fugitives seek, I beheld, and around
Plantations were scattered of late where they toiled,
And the graves of their comrades are now to be found.
The mill-house was there and its turmoil of old,
But sick of these scenes, for too well they were known
I looked for the stream, where in childhood I strolled
By its banks when a moment of peace was my own.
But no recollections of pleasure or pain
Could drive the remembrance of thee from my core;
I sought my dear brother, embraced him again,
But found him a Slave, as I left him before.
"Oh, Florence," I cried, "let us fly from this place,
The gloom of a dungeon is here to affright!
'Tis dreadful as death or its terrors to face,
And hateful itself as the scaffold to sight.
"Let us fly on the wings of the wind, let us fly,
And for ever abandon so hostile a soil
As this place of our birth, where our doom is to sigh
In hapless despair, and in bondage to toil."
To my bosom I clasped him, and winging once more
My flight in the air, I ascend with my charge,
The sultan I seem of the winds, as I soar,
A monarch whose will sets the prisoner at large.
Like Icarus boldly ascending on high,
I laugh at the anger of Minos, and see
A haven of freedom aloft, where I fly,
And the place where the Slave from his master is free.
The rapture which Daedalus inly approved
To Athens from Crete, when pursuing his flight,
On impetuous pinions, I felt when I moved
Through an ocean of ether, so boundless and bright.
But the moment I triumphed o'er earth and its fears,
And dreamt of aspiring to heavenly joys:
Of hearing the music divine of the spheres,
And tasting of pleasure that care never cloys,
I saw in an instant, the face of the skies,
So bright and serene but a moment before,
Enveloped in gloom, and there seemed to arise
The murmur preceding the tempest's wild roar.
Beneath me, the sea into fury was lashed,
Above me, the thunder rolled loudly, and now
The hurricane round me in turbulence dashed,
And the glare of the lightning e'en flashed on my brow.
The elements all seemed in warfare to be,
And succour or help there was none to be sought;
The fate of poor Icarus seemed now for me,
And my daring attempt its own punishment brought.
'Twas then, oh, my God! that a thunder-clap came,
And the noise of its crash broke the slumbers so light,
That stole o'er my senses and fettered my frame,
And the dream was soon over, of freedom's first flight.
And waking, I saw thee, my brother, once more;
The sky was serene and my terrors were past;
But doubt there was none of the tempests of yore,
And the clouds that of old, our young hopes overcast.FREDERICK DOUGLASS
OBSERVATIONS ON NEGRO CHARACTER AND ABILITY,COMMUNICATED BY DR. WINTERBOTTOM, OF SOUTH SHIELDS, IN A LETTER TO THE AUTHOR DATED MARCH 9TH, 1848.
SICANA, A KAFIR CHIEF.
Ulin guba inkulu siambata tina
Ulodali bom' uadali pezula,
Umdala uadala idala izula,
Yebinza iuquinquis zixeliela,
UTIKA umkula gozizuline,
Yebinza inquinquis nozilimele.
Umze uakonana subiziele,
Umkokeli na sikokeli tina,
Uenza infama zenza go bomi;
Imali inkula subiziele,
Wena wena q'abs inyaniza,
Wena wena kaka linyaniza,
Wena wena klati linyaniza;
Invena inh'inani subiziele,
Ugaze laku ziman'heba wena,
Usanhla zaku ziman'heba wena,
Umkokili ua, sikokeli tina:
Ulodali bom' uadali pezula,
Umdala uadala idala izula.TRANSLATION.
Mantle of Comfort! God of Love!
The Ancient One on High!
Who guides the firmament above,
The heavens and starry sky;
Creator--Ruler--Mighty One;
The Only Good,--All-wise;
To Him, the Great Eternal God,
Our fervent prayers arise.
Giver of life, we call on Him,
On His high throne above,
Our Rock of Refuge still to be,
Of safety and of love.
Our trusty shield, our sure defence,
Our leader still to be,
We call upon our pitying God,
Who makes the blind to see.
We supplicate the Holy Lamb
Whose blood for us was shed,
Whose feet were pierced for guilty man,
Whose hands for us have bled.
Even our God who gave us life,
From Heaven, His throne above,
The great Creator of the world,
Father, and God of Love.JASMIN THOUMAZEAU
PAUL CUFFE.
"EPISTLE OF THE FRIENDLY SOCIETY OF SIERRA LEONE.
"Fleecy looks and black complexion,"
as being possessed of an inferior soul.EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM MARYLAND, RESPECTINGTWO LIBERATED SLAVES.
ASHTON WARNER
ALEXANDER CRUMMELL,
"A EULOGY ON THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THOMAS CLARKSON."
'--The Historic Muse,
Proud of the treasure, marches with it down
To latest times; and Sculpture in her turn
Gives bond in stone and all-enduring brass
To guard them, and immortalize her trust.'
'With freedom chartered on their manly brows,'
their bosoms swelling with its noblest raptures--treading theface of Earth in the links of Brotherhood and Equality, and inthe possession of an enlarged and glorious Liberty!ANECDOTE ILLUSTRATIVE OF FAITHFULNESS.
MAROSSI; THE BECHUANA BOY.
"This poor heathen Bechuan
Bore on his brow the port of man;
A naked, homeless, exile he--
But not debased by Slavery."
"I sat at noontide in my tent,
And looked across the Desert dun,
Beneath the cloudless firmament
Far gleaming in the sun,
When from the bosom of the waste
A swarthy Stripling came in haste,
With foot unshod and naked limb,
And a tame Springbok followed him.
"With open aspect, frank yet bland,
And with a modest mien he stood,
Caressing with a gentle hand
That beast of gentle blood;
Then, meekly gazing in my face,
Said, in the language of his race,
With silent look, yet pensive tone,
'Stranger--I'm in the world alone!'
"'Poor boy!' I said, 'thy native home
Lies far behind the Stormberg blue:
Why hast thou left it, boy! to roam
This desolate Karroo?'*
His face grow sadder while I spoke;
The smile forsook it; and he broke
Short silence with a sob-like sigh,
And told his hapless history.
"'I have no home!' replied the boy:
'The Bergenaars--by night they came,
And raised their wolfish howl of joy,
While o'er our huts the flame
Resistless rushed; and, aye, their yell
Pealed louder as our warriors fell
In helpless heaps beneath their shot;
--One living man they left us not!
" 'The slaughter o'er, they gave the slain
To feast the foul-beaked birds of prey;
And, with our herds, across the plain
They hurried us away--
The widowed mothers and their brood.
Oft, in despair, for drink and food
We vainly cried: they heeded not,
But with sharp lash the captive smote.
"'Three days we tracked that dreary wild,
Where thirst and anguish pressed us sore
And many a mother and her child
Lay down to rise no more.
Behind us, on the desert brown,
We saw the vultures swooping down;
And heard, as the grim night was falling,
The wolf to his gorged comrade calling.
" 'At length was heard a river sounding
'Midst that dry and dismal land,
And, like a troop of wild deer bounding,
We hurried to its strand--
Among the maddened cattle rushing;
The crowd behind still forward pushing,
Till in the flood our limbs were drenched,
And the fierce rage of thirst was quenched.
" 'Hoarse-roaring, dark, the broad Gareep,**
In turbid streams was sweeping past,
Huge sea-cows*** in its eddies deep
Loud snorting as we passed;
But that relentless robber clan
Right through those waters wild and wan,
Drove on like sheep our wearied band:
--Some never reached the farther strand.
" 'All shivering from the foaming flood,
We stood upon the stranger's ground,
When, with proud looks and gestures rude,
The White Men gathered round:
And there, like cattle from the fold,
By Christians we were bought and sold,
'Midst laughter loud and looks of scorn--
And roughly from each other torn.
" 'My mother's scream, so long and shrill,
My little sister's wailing cry,
(In dreams I often hear them still!)
Rose wildly to the sky.
A tiger's heart came to me then,
And fiercely on those ruthless men
I sprang.--Alas! dashed on the sand,
Bleeding, they bound me foot and hand.
"'Away--away, on prancing steeds,
The stout man stealers blithely go,
Through long low vallies fringed with reeds,
O'er mountains capped with snow,
Each with his captive, far and fast;
Until yon rock-bound ridge we passed,
And distant stripes of cultured soil
Bespoke the land of tears and toil.
" 'And tears and toil have been my lot,
Since I the White Man's Slave became,
And sorer griefs I wish forgot--
Harsh blows, and scorn, and shame!
Oh! Englishman! thou n'er canst know
The injured bond-man's bitter woe,
When round his breast, like scorpions, cling
Black thoughts, that madden while they sting!
"'Yet this hard fate I might have borne,
And taught in time my soul to bend,
Had my sad yearning heart forlorn
But found a single friend:
My race extinct, or far removed,
The Boor's rough brood I could have loved;
But each to whom my bosom turned
E'en like a hound the Black Boy spurned.
"'While, friendless thus, my master's flock
I tended on the upland waste,
It chanced this fawn leapt from the rocks,
By wolfish wild dogs**** chased:
I rescued it, though wounded sore
And dabbled in its mother's gore;
And nursed it in a cavern wild,
Until it loved me like a child.
"'Gently I nursed it; for I thought
(Its hapless fate so like to mine)
By good Utika***** it was brought,
To bid me not repine,--
Since in this world of wrong and ill,
One creature lived that loved me still,
Although its dark and dazzling eye
Beamed not with human sympathy.
"'Thus lived I, a lone orphan lad,
My task the proud Boor's flocks to tend;
And this poor fawn was all I had
To love, or call my friend;
When suddenly, with haughty look
And taunting words, the tyrant took
My playmate for his pampered boy,
Who envied me my only joy.
"'High swelled my heart!--But when the star
Of midnight gleamed, I softly led
My bounding favourite forth, and far
Into the Desert fled.
And here, from human kind exiled,
Three moons on roots and berries wild
I've fared; and braved the beasts of prey,
To 'scape from spoilers worse than they.
"'But yester morn a Bushman brought
The tidings that thy tents were near;
And now with hasty foot I've sought
Thy presence, void of fear;
Because they say, O English Chief,
Thou scornest not the Captive's grief:
Then let me serve thee, as thine own--
For I am in the world alone!'
Our breasts they were not made of stone:
His words, his winning looks prevail--
We took him for 'our own.'
And one, with woman's gentle art,
Unlocked the fountains of his heart;
And love gushed forth--till he became
Her child in every thing but name."EXTRAORDINARY FIDELITY OF A NEGRO BOY.
THE "AMISTAD" CAPTIVES, AFRICANS FROM THE MENDI COUNTRY.
"When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I'll bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes."
TESTIMONY OF Dr. THOMPSON IN PARLIAMENTARYREPORT ON THE SLAVE TRADE.
LLEWELLYN CUPIDO MICHELS,
THE GRATEFUL NEGRO.
THE FAITHFUL NEGRESS.
FRANCIS WILLIAMS,
"Welcome, welcome, brother debtor."
This piece obtained so much vogue in England, that certainindividuals, irritated in discovering anything meritoriousemanating from a Negro, attempted, but without success, todispute its being exclusively his own production.
Integerrimo et fortissimo viro
Georgio Haldano, armigero,
Insulæ Jamaicensis gubernatori;
Cui,omnes morum, virtutumque dotes bellicarum,
In cumulum accesserunt.
CARMEN.
Denique venturum fatis volventibus annum,
Cuncta per extensum læta videnda diem,
Excussis adsunt curis, sub imagine clarâ
Felices populi, terraque lege virens.
Te duce, quæ fuerant malesuada mente peracta
Irrita conspectu non reditura tuo.
Ergo omnis populus, nec non plebecula cernot
Hæsurum collo te â jugum,
Et mala, quæ diris quondam cruciatibus, insons
Insula passa fuit; condoluisset onus,
Ni vixtrix tua Marte manus prius inclyta, nostris
Sponte ruinosis rebus adesse velit.
Optimus es servus regi servire Britanno,
Dum gaudet genio Scotica terra tuo:
Optimus herôum populi fulcire ruinam;
Insula dum superest ipse superstes eris.
Victorem agnosect te Guadaloupa, suorum
Despiciet merito diruta castra ducum,
Aurea vexillis flebit jactantibus Iris,
Cumque suis populis, oppida victa gemet.
Crede, meum non est, vir Marti chare, Minerva
Denegat Æthiopi bella sonare ducum.
Concilio, caneret te Buchananus et armis,
Carmine Peleidæ, scriberet ille parem.
Ille poeta, decus patriae, tua facta referre
Dignior, altisono vixque Marone minor.
Flammiferos agitante suos sub sole jugales
Vivimus; eloquium deficit omno focis.
Hoc demum accipias multâ fuligine fusum.
Ore sonaturo; non cute, corde valet.
Pollenti stabilita manu, Deus almus, eandem
Omnigeuis animam, nil prohibente dedit.
Ipsa coloris egens virtus, prudentia; honesto
Nullus inest animo, nullus in arte color.
Cur timæs, quamvis dubitesve, nigerrima celsam
Cæsaris occidui, scandere musa domum?
Vade salutatum, nec sit tibi causa pudoris,
Candida quod nigra corpora pelle geris!
Integritas moram Maurum magis ornat, et ardor
Ingenii, et docto dulcis in ore decor,
Hune, mage cor sapiens, patriæ virtutis armorque,
Eximit è sociis, conspicuumque facit.
Insula me genuit, celebres aluere Britanni
Insula, te salvo non dolitura patre.
Hoc precor ô nullo videant te fine regentem
Florentes populos, terra, deique locus!HENRY HIGHLAND GARNETT,
SOLOMON BAYLEY.
'O that all may taste and see,
The riches of His grace;
The arms of love that compass me,
Would all mankind embrace! '"
I received thy* very acceptable letter, and was not a littlecomforted; I was glad to hear from thee and thy dear family andfriends. I believe thou art trying to be a beloved John, indeed, ora son of Abraham: for they that are of faith are children ofAbraham, and heirs according to the promises. And the Lordgave a testimony concerning him, saying, "I know him, that hewill command his children and his household after him."
O! I pray that thou mayest continue to study the business oflife, which is to prepare for a blessed immortality, and eternal lifewith the Father and the Son, according to the Spirit of holinesswhich works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure;and, if not resisted, will make * Solomon Bayley was in the Methodist connexion. The phraseologyhe used is not unusual in some parts of America amongst persons ofdifferent denominations.
us one in Him in spirit and in truth. O that we might be enabled towalk before the Lord unto all pleasing!
I thank thee, dear brother, for mentioning a thought for mytemporal and spiritual concerns. I am daily at a loss bow toexpress my thanks to the great Giver of every blessing, whodaily loads me with benefits. I think I am enabled by his grace toesteem the cross of Christ more than I used to do; for I learn bythe cross I must be crucified to the world, and the world untome.
But O! dear friend, I find that knowledge puffeth up; but it ischarity alone that edifieth. True charity is not puffed up. Nowno man can have true charity without he love God, and keep hiscommandments; defined by the blessed Jesus himself in thesewords:--"As you would that men should do to you, do ye evenso to them."
O! if all the world was engaged to run after this command, andfollow this best of all rules, then harmony and peace would flowthrough the minds of all people, nations, tongues, andlanguages at once; then righteousness would cover the earth,as the waters do the great deep; then, his kingdom would come,and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven; then, all wouldbe happy and free from all fear, which hath torment--live happy--die happy--and all go to heaven, according to the will of God, ourHeavenly Father, "who would have all men to be saved, and come to theknowledge of the truth."
Now unto the King immortal, invisible, to the only wise Godour Saviour, be honour and praise both now and for ever. Amen.
With good wishes to thee and thine, I conclude,
Thy friend,
SOLOMON BAYLEY.
Extracts of a letter to Robert Hurnard.
3rd Month, 26th 1824.
I thank thee, dear Robert, for spending a thought on
Page 521so poor and unworthy a thing as I am; but especially thank God forputting it into thy heart to inquire anything about the work of grace onmy mind. I trust it is with gratitude I now write unto thee of mycall to the ministry; and first I may say,
"God works in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform."
Secondly, He knows how to get himself honour and praiseby the most feeble; for, to undertake to make such a creature asI am work in his vineyard, was amazing to me; but there was agreat work to do, to make me fit for any thing at all. Surely hecalled me oftener than he did Samuel, when he was a child. Butafter I was savingly converted to God, he was pleased to pour into my heart ameasure of his universal love; and when my heart was filledwith love towards God, and good will to all mankind, then alonging desire that all people might taste and see the riches ofhis grace continued with me day and night; then a strongimpression to go on in the fear of the Lord was felt; and tospeak to men of all descriptions seemed to be required of me.
But O! dear friend, after my mind was thus prepared, I had agreat warfare and strife; first with man-fear, and a man-pleasingspirit; then with shame, desire of praise, and a good name.
Now, dear friend, in this exercise of mind, there were somescriptures came into my mind, to encourage and strengthen me;as the 2 Corinthians xii. 9; 2 Kings v. 4 (enumerating many ofthis description.) All these scriptures mightily helped toencourage me to go forward in speaking to a dying people thewords of eternal life.
O! what an affecting view of the worth of souls came intomy mind; and I thought if I could be made instrumental in thehand of the Lord in saving one soul, it would be matter ofrejoicing to all eternity. So I went on, trusting in the Lord; butI should soon have fainted in my
Page 522mind, had it not been for the encouragement I met with bothfrom God and man. Now to him that sits upon the throne, behonour and praise, world without end. Amen.
With good wishes to thee and thine, I conclude,
Thy friend,
SOLOMON BAYLEY.
In a subsequent letter, this pious Negro comments on "the loveof God manifested towards so unworthy a creature." And inallusion to his afflicted race, he says, "I have great heavinessand continual sorrowing in heart for their oppressions; but I feelalmost as much for the oppressor as the oppressed, because theLord will shortly bring them to judgment."
Being desirous of advancing the kingdom of the Redeemeramongst his countrymen, he went over to Liberia about the year1830. I have been able to obtain very little further informationrespecting him. The proceeds of the Narrative were forwardedto him there, by Robert Hurnard, amounting to £25, which hegratefully acknowledged. The following remarks appear to haveallusion to this:--"May the good Shepherd bless the friendswho have remembered me for good, and have thought tobenefit me at so great a distance," &c.In a letter written from Monrovia in 1832, found amongst thepapers of the late Hannah Kilham, he alludes to a prospect ofreturning to America again, to furnish some informationrespecting the Liberian Colony, which he accomplished in 1833.Whether he visited Africa again is not quite clear; theprobability is, that he has, ere this, been permitted to enter intothat rest which is prepared for the people of God.
The venerable Thomas Clarkson, in speaking of his havingperused the Narrative of this pious Negro with much pleasureand interest, makes the following just observation: --"If theSlaves in our Islands and elsewhere are capable
Page 523(and what should hinder them under divine grace) of bearingsuch visible marks of the Image of God upon their minds, how,beyond all example, abandoned must be the wickedness ofthose who systematically treat them as brutes that perish?"
HANNIBAL, or ANNIBAL.
The Czar Peter I., during his travels, became acquainted withHannibal, a Negro who had received a good education, andwho, under this monarch, became, in Russia, a lieutenant-general and director of artillery. He was decorated with the redribband of the order of St. Alexander Neuski. Bernardin St. Pierreand Colonel La Harpe knew his son, a Mulatto who had thereputation of talents. In 1784, he was lieutenant-general in acorps of artillery. It was he who, under the orders of PrincePotemkin, minister of war, commenced the establishment of aport and fortress at Cherson, near the mouth of the Dnieper.
FACTS FROM LIBERIA.
The capabilities of the Negro race have been remarkablyexhibited within a few years on a portion of the Western coastof Africa, colonized by Free Blacks from the United States, mostof them formerly Slaves, including aborigines re-captured fromSlave-vessels, as well as Negroes from the adjoining districts.From this interesting locality, recently constituted into the FreeRepublic of Liberia, overwhelming evidence might be adducedof the ability, sound judgment, and Christian character of its Sable inhabitants and legislators. Probably no government exists founded more nearly on Christian principles; and the community in general isperhaps as purely moral as any in the world.
Several public schools have been established in the country,and all parents and guardians are required to send
Page 524their children to them, or be subject to a pecuniary fine;so that there is scarcely a child over six years old that cannotboth read and write. The state of religion and morality amongstthe people is progressing. The exertions of the authorities havebeen directed to the exclusion of ardent spirits. A short timeago, one of the colonists assisted in procuring a barrel of rum,which was landed twelve miles distant from the colony; he wasfined one hundred dollars, deprived of his license as a trader,and considered no longer eligible to any office in the colony.Such are the stringent efforts to keep down a vice, which, ifonce suffered to exist, would no doubt prove detrimental.Internal improvements keep pace with the increase of commerce,and the steady revenue which arises therefrom, enables theauthorities to effect various public improvements.
These are remarkable facts. Here we behold a community ofBlacks, in almost a defenceless state, located on the border of avast country, the swarming inhabitants of which areenshrouded in ignorance;--a regularly organised government,still, however, in comparative embryo, the germ of what maybecome a great and powerful nation, the nucleus of a vastpolitical and religious empire, from which may radiate, far intothe interior of this land of moral and intellectual degradation, theelevating and ennobling principles of civilization, and thebenign and heavenly influences of Christianity.--Liberia, amidstthe gloom of midnight darkness which envelopes the minds ofthe millions of Africa's benighted children, stands as a beacon-light to direct them to the port of freedom and the haven ofeverlasting rest.
The present Governor of this interesting African Republic,
J. J. ROBERTS,
Under discouraging circ*mstances, left Virginia some ten ortwelve years ago, and, unaided by any culture beyond thatattainable on the spot, has placed himself among the
most prominent of the citizens of the new republic. Hiscorrespondence with the commanders of British cruizers on thecoast of Africa, and his state papers, exhibit a superior force ofcharacter and diplomatic ability. The inaugural address, annualmessages, and speeches of this Coloured statesman, before aColoured Legislature, are highly interesting and satisfactory.Having already reprinted considerable extracts from theinaugural address of President Roberts, I will only heretranscribe a single paragraph which occurs towards theconclusion of it.
"Let us inflexibly persevere," says he to his Colouredbrethren, "in exciting our most strenuous efforts, in an humbleand rational dependence on the great Governor of all the world,and we have the fairest prospects of surmounting all thedifficulties which may be thrown in our way. That we mayexpect, and that we shall have difficulties, sore difficulties yet tocontend against, in our progress to maturity, is certain: and, asthe political happiness or wretchedness of ourselves and ourchildren, and of generations yet unborn, is in our hands, nay,more, the redemption of Africa from the deep degradation,superstition, and idolatry in which she has so long beeninvolved, it becomes us to lay our shoulders to the wheel, andmanfully resist every obstacle which may oppose our progressin the great work which lies before us. The Gospel is yet to bepreached to vast numbers inhabiting this dark continent, and Ihave the highest reason to believe, that it was one of the greatobjects of the Almighty in establishing these colonies, that theymight be the means of introducing civilization and religionamong the barbarous nations of this country; and to what workmore noble could our powers be applied, than that of bringingup from darkness, debasem*nt, and misery, our fellow-men, andshedding abroad over them the light of science andChristianity? The means of doing so, fellow-citizens, are withinour reach, and if we neglect, or do not make use of them, whatexcuse
Page 526shall we make to our Creator and final Judge? This is a questionof the deepest concern to us all, and which, in my opinion, willmaterially affect our happiness in the world to come. Andsurely, if ever it has been incumbent on the people of Liberia toknow truth and to follow it, it is now. Rouse, therefore, fellow-citizens, and do your duty like men: and be persuaded, thatDivine Providence, as heretofore, will continue to bless all yourvirtuous efforts."
The author was much gratified in perusing, a short time ago,an anniversary speech delivered in 1846, at Monrovia, thecapital of Liberia, by
HILARY TEAGE,
A Coloured senator of the infant republic. Independent of itsembracing a beautiful exposition of the history, trials, exertions,and aspirations of the Coloured colonists, it is a continued flowof eloquence, whilst it breathes throughout a truly Christianspirit. When I read it, I concluded the speaker must be a"classical scholar," probably a "graduate in some easterncollege." To my surprise, I afterwards ascertained he had nevereven seen a college, his father having been a Slave in Virginia,which place Hilary Teage left when very young, and went toLiberia, where he received his education. Here he made rapidadvances in learning, soon overcoming the difficulties ofseveral languages, both ancient and modern.
The following are a few extracts from the eloquent speech ofthis Negro orator:
"As far back towards the infancy of our race as history andtradition are able to conduct us, we have found the customeverywhere prevailing among mankind, to mark by somestriking exhibition, those events which were important andinteresting, either in their immediate bearing or in their remoteconsequences upon the destiny of those among whom theyoccurred. These events are epochs in the history of man--theymark the rise and fall of kingdoms and
Page 527of dynasties--they record the movements of the human mind,and the influence of those movements upon the destinies of therace; and whilst they frequently disclose to us the sad andsickening spectacle of innocence bending under the weight ofinjustice, and of weakness robbed and despoiled by the hand ofan unscrupulous oppression, they occasionally display as atheme for admiring contemplation, the sublime spectacle of thehuman mind, roused by a concurrence of circ*mstances, tovigorous advances in the career of improvement. To trace theoperations of these circ*mstances from their first appearance,as effects from the workings of the human passions, until, as acause, they revert with combined and concentrated energyupon those minds from which they at first evolved, would be atonce a most interesting and difficult task; and, let it be borne inmind, requires far higher ability and more varied talent than hepossesses who this day has the honour to address you.
"The utility of thus marking the progress of time--ofrecording the occurrence of events--and of holding upremarkable personages to the contemplation of mankind--is tooobvious to need remark. It arises from the instincts of mankind,the irrepressible spirit of emulation, and the ardent longingsafter immortality; and this restless passion to perpetuate theirexistence which they find it impossible to suppress, impels themto secure the admiration of succeeding generations in theperformance of deeds, by which, although dead, they may yetspeak. In commemorating events thus powerful in forming themanners and sentiments of mankind, and in rousing them tostrenuous exertion and to high and sustained emulation, it isobvious that such, and such only should be selected, as virtueand humanity would approve; and that, if any of an oppositecharacter be held up, they should be displayed only asbeacons, or as a towering Pharos throwing a strong but luridlight to mark the melancholy grave of mad ambition,
Page 528and to warn the inexperienced voyager of the existing danger.
"Thanks to the improved and humanised spirit--should I not rather say, the chastened and pacific civilization of the age in which we live,--that laurels gathered upon the field of mortal strife, and bedewed with the tearsof the widow and the orphan, are regarded now, not with admiration but with horror--that the armed warrior, reekingwith the gore of murdered thousands, who, in the age thatis just passing away, would have been hailed with noisyacclamation by the senseless crowd, is now regarded onlyas the savage commissioner of an unsparing oppression, orat best, as the ghostly executioner of an unpitying justice.--He who would embalm his name in the grateful remembranceof coming generations--he who would secure forhimself a niche in the temple of undying fame--he whowould hew out for himself a monument of which hiscountry may boast--he who would entail upon heirs aname which they may be proud to wear, must seek someother field than that of battle as the theatre of his exploits."
Passing over a portion of the speech of this enlightened andtalented Negro; he continues:--
"We have not yet numbered twenty-six years since he whois the oldest colonist amongst us was the inhabitant--not thecitizen--of a country--and that too the country of his birth--wherethe prevailing sentiment is, that he and his race areincapacitated by an inherent defect in their mental constitution,to enjoy that greatest of all blessings, and to exercise thatgreatest of all rights, bestowed by a beneficent God upon hisrational creatures--namely, the government of themselves.Acting upon this opinion, an opinion as false as it is foul--actingupon this opinion, as upon a self-evident proposition, thosewho held it proceeded with a fiendish consistency to deny the rights of citizens to those whom they had declared incapable of
Page 529performing the duties of citizens. It is not necessary, andtherefore I will not disgust you with the hideous picture of thatstate of things which followed upon the prevalence of thisblasphemous opinion. The bare mention that such an opinionprevailed, would be sufficient to call up in the mind, even ofthose who had never witnessed its operation, images of themost sickening and revolting character. Under the iron reign ofthis crushing sentiment, most of us who are assembled here to-daydrew our first breath, and sighed away the years of ouryouth. No hope cheered us: no noble object looming in the dimand distant future kindled our ambition. Oppression--cold,cheerless oppression, like the dreary region of an eternal winter,chilled every noble passion and fettered and paralysed everyarm. And if among the oppressed millions there were found hereand there one in whose bosom the last glimmer of a generouspassion was not yet extinguished--one, who, from the midst ofthe inglorious slumberers in the deep degradation around him,would lift up his voice and demand those rights which the Godof nature hath bestowed in equal gift upon all His rationalcreatures, he was met at once by those who had at first deniedand then enforced with the stern reply, that for him and for allhis race--LIBERTY and EXPATRIATION are inseparable.
"Dreadful as the alternative was--fearful as was theexperiment now proposed to be tried, there were hearts equal tothe task--hearts which quailed not at the dangers whichloomed and frowned in the distance, but calm, cool, and fixed intheir purpose, prepared to meet them with the watchword--Give me Liberty or give me death.
"Passing by intermediate events, which, did the time allow, itwould be interesting to notice, we hasten to the grand event--the era of our separate existence, when the American flag firstthrew out its graceful folds to the breeze on the heights ofMesurado, and the pilgrims, relying upon the protection ofHeaven and the moral grandeur
Page 530of their cause, took solemn possession of the land in the nameof virtue, humanity, and religion.
"It would discover an unpardonable apathy were we to passon without pausing a moment to reflect upon the emotionswhich heaved the bosoms of the pilgrims, when they stood forthe first time where we now stand. What a prospect spread outbefore them!! They stood in the midst of an ancientwilderness, rank and compacted by the growth of a thousandyears, unthinned and unreclaimed by a single stroke of thewoodman's axe. Few and far between might be foundinconsiderable openings, where the ignorant native erected hisrude habitation, or savage as his patrimonial wilderness,celebrated his bloody rights, and presented his votive gifts todemons. The rainy season, that terrible ordeal of foreignconstitutions, was about setting in; the lurid lightning shot itsfiery bolt into the forest around them, the thunder muttered itsangry tones over their head, and the frail tenements, the bestwhich their circ*mstances would afford, to shield them from ascorching sun by day and drenching rains at night, had not yetbeen completed. To suppose that at this time, when all thingsabove and around them seemed to combine their influenceagainst them--to suppose they did not perceive the full dangerand magnitude of the enterprise they had embarked in, would beto suppose, not that they were heroes, but that they had lostthe sensibility of men. True courage is equally remote from blindrecklessness and unmanning timidity; and true heroism doesnot consist in insensibility to danger. He is a hero who calmlymeets, and fearlessly grapples the dangers which duty andhonour forbid him to decline. The pilgrims rose to a fullperception of all the circ*mstances of their condition. But whenthey looked back to that country from which they had come out,and remembered the degradations in that house of bondage outof which they had been so fortunate as to escape, theybethought themselves; and, recollecting the
Page 531high satisfaction with which they knew success would gladdentheir hearts, the rich inheritance they would entail upon theirchildren, and the powerful aid it would lend to the cause ofuniversal humanity, they yielded to the noble inspiration andgirded them to the battle, either for doing or for suffering.
"Let it not be supposed, because I have laid universalhumanity under a tribute of gratitude to the founders of Liberia,that I have attached to their humble achievements too importantan influence in that grand system of agencies which is now atwork, renovating human society, and purifying and enlargingthe sources of its enjoyment. In the system of that AlmightyBeing, without whose notice not a sparrow falls to the ground:
'Who sees with equal eye as God of all,
A hero perish, or a sparrow fall:
Atoms or systems into ruin hurled,
And now a bubble burst, and now a world':--
"In the system of the Almighty One, no action of a mortalbeing is unimportant. Every action of every rational creaturehath its assigned place in his system of operations, and is madeto bear, however undesigned by the agent, with force upon theend which his wisdom and goodness have in view toaccomplish."
I have already given more copious extracts from the speechof this Negro senator than I had intended.. His concludingremarks are so beautifully appropriate I cannot omit them.
"The last remark time will allow me to make under this head,is, that 'Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach toany people.' All attempts to correct the depravity of man, tostay the head-long propensity to vice--to abate the madness ofambition, will be found deplorably inefficient, unless we apply therestrictions and the tremendous sanctions of religion. Aprofound regard and deference for
Page 532religion, a constant recognition of our dependence upon God,and of our obligation and accountability to Him; an ever-present,ever-pressing sense of His universal and all controllingprovidence, this, and only this, can give energy to the arm oflaw, cool the raging fever of the passions, and abate the loftypretensions of mad ambition. In prosperity, let us bring out ourthank-offering, and present it with cheerful hearts in orderly,virtuous, and religious conduct. In adversity, let us consider,confess our sins, and abase ourselves before the throne of God.In danger, let us go to Him, whose prerogative it is to deliver;let us go to Him, with the humility and confidence which a deepconviction that the battle is not to the strong nor the race to theswift, is calculated to inspire.
"Fellow-Citizens! we stand now on ground never occupiedby a people before. However insignificant we may regardourselves, the eyes of Europe and America are upon us, as agerm, destined to burst from its enclosure in the earth, unfold itspetals to the genial air, rise to the height and swell to thedimensions of the full-grown tree, or (inglorious fate!) toshrivel, to die, and to be buried in oblivion. Rise, fellow-citizens, rise to a clear and full perception of your tremendousresponsibilities!! Upon you, rely upon it, depends in a measureyou can hardly conceive, the future destiny of your race. You--you are to give the answer, whether the African race is doomedto interminable degradation; a hideous blot on the fair face ofCreation, a libel upon the dignity of human nature, or whetherthey are incapable to take an honourable rank amongst the greatfamily of nations! The friends of the colony are trembling; theenemies of the Coloured man are hoping. Say, fellow-citizens,will you palsy the hands of your friends and sicken their hearts,and gladden the souls of your enemies, by a base refusal toenter upon the career of glory which is now opening sopropitiously before you? The genius of universal emancipation,bending from her lofty
Page 533seat, invites you to accept the wreath of national independence.The voice of your friends, swelling upon the breeze, cries to youfrom afar--Raise your standard! assert your independence!!throw out your banners to the wind!! And will the descendantsof the mighty pharaohs, that awed the world--will the sons of himwho drove back the serried legions of Rome and laid siege to the'eternal city'--will they, the achievements of whose fathers areyet the wonder and admiration of the world--will they refuse theproffered boon, and basely cling to the chains of slavery anddependence? Never! never!! never!!! Shades of the mightydead!--spirits of departed great ones! inspire us, animate us tothe task--nerve us for the battle! Pour into our bosom a portionof that ardour and patriotism which bore you on to battle, tovictory, and to conquest.
"Shall Liberia live? Yes; in the generous emotions nowswelling in your bosoms--in the high and noble purpose nowfixing itself in your mind, and ripening into the unyieldingnessof indomitable principle, we hear the inspiring response--Liberiashall live before God, and before the nations of the earth.
"The night is passing away--the dusky shades are fleeing,and even now
'Second day stands tiptoe
On the misty mountain top.'"
I should have been glad to have given more copious extractsfrom this eloquent address, which affords throughout suchstriking evidence of the capacity and attainments of a Negro,whose education and life from early boyhood are thoroughlyAfrican. It was my intention to have inserted the speech entire,but, owing to its length and press of other matter, I amcompelled to exclude any further portion of it from the presentvolume. It exhibits, however, such an ample refutation of thecalumnious charge of Negro inferiority, that I have sent it topress entire, in the
Page 534form of a pamphlet, entitled, "CALUMNY REFUTED, BY FACTSFROM LIBERIA, &c.," which also includes copious extracts from theinaugural address of President Roberts, as well as from thediscourse of H. H. Garnett (a fugitive Slave), on the Past andPresent Condition, and Destiny of the Coloured Race.*
With all their advantages of education and opulence, Ichallenge the abettors of Negro Slavery, who justify theiroppressive conduct towards their fellow--creatures on theground of their inferiority, to exhibit half the talent and abilityevinced in the eloquent addresses of these Colouredlegislators. Yet these are the men who are described as adeterioration of our species, who, through vulgar prejudice andpopular insult, combined with political and legislativeenactments, have been degraded to a level with the brute.
JOANNES JAAGER
Was residing among the Karree Mountains in South Africa,when some of the people of Lily Fountain, passing that way,spoke to him respecting the great truths of the Gospel. Onreferring to this circ*mstance, he said, "I was living ignorant ofall spiritual things, and without God in the world. I became soterrified ou account of my sins, that I fled to the rocks to hidemyself. But I could find no refuge from the frowning eye of God,which appeared to be everywhere present."
He resolved to go to the mission station, more than 100 milesdistant, and hear for himself. He soon heartily embraced theGospel, the sound of which was so delightful to him, that hisjoy was as "the joy of harvest, and as men * "Calumny Refuted" is printed in aid of the Boston Anti-SlaveryBazaar. The Author of "A Tribute for the Negro" will have pleasure insupplying it, postage free, on receipt of 12 postage stamps.--Publishedalso by Charles Gilpin, Bishopsgate Street, London; and may be had of G.W. Taylor, Philadelphia, and William Harned, Anti-Slavery Office, NewYork, and through all Booksellers.
rejoice when they divide the spoil." He sought the Lord withmany tears, and went forth weeping, but he found in theGospel a healing balm, and the peace of God, which passeth theunderstanding.
Leaving the Karree country, he took up his residence amongthe Christian converts. He was so desirous of learning to read,that he used to carry his book into the fields with him, and if hemet with any of the school-children, he would engage themto sit down and become his instructors. He was soon able toread the Scriptures, which he greatly loved, and was generallyseen, whether on a journey or at work, with a leathern bagunder his arm, containing the precious treasure. He also becameso industrious in building and cultivating the ground, that heexcelled many who had been much longer on the station.
The zeal of Joannes was variously manifested. The lateWilliam Threlfall chose him on going to Great Namacqualand asa companion, and mentions him as one who had his fullconfidence. A letter of W. Threlfall's states, that some personsthey had met with, gave alarming accounts of the people andcountry beyond the Orange River. "They said all they could,"writes Threlfall, "to discourage Joannes and Jacob Links,another South African, who were my companions; but thesetwo brave fellows had their courage and confidence steeled,and declared themselves fearless through grace; and that theywere not only willing to suffer, but to die, in the cause of theLord Jesus." "I am sure," he adds, "they had more couragethan I had, for my heart fainted within me; but seeing theirstrength of faith, I got the better of my fears. They arecompanions to my liking, and often do my soul good, and putme to blush for the weakness of my faith."
About five weeks after the date of this letter of W. Threlfall's,himself, Joannes, and the other companion, were all cruellymurdered in the vicinity of Fish River. From the generaldeportment of Joannes, who was a man of deep
Page 536piety and of fervent zeal for the glory of God, as well as from theabove extract, all who knew him believe that he is now with thespirits of the just made perfect.
The murder of these apostolic labourers has beencommemorated in the following lines, by James Montgomery,the Bard of Christianity, and the Negro's Friend. They will beread with the same melancholy pleasure that his "West Indies"will ever be perused by an African; and both will hand down hisname to posterity as the poet of feeling, of beauty, and ofpower.
IN MEMORY OF THE MISSIONARY, WILLIAM THRELFALL, WHO, WITH TWO NATIVE CONVERTS DEVOTED TO THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN, WERE TREACHEROUSLY MURDERED ON THEIR WAY TO CARRY THE GOSPEL INTO GREATNAMACQUALAND, IN 1825.
"Not by the lion's paw, the serpent's tooth,
By sudden sun-stroke, or by slow decay,
War, famine, plague, meek messenger of truth!
Wert thou arrested on thy pilgrim way.
"Thy march was through the savage wilderness,
Thine errand thither, like thy blessed Lord's,
To seek and save the lost, to heal and bless
Its blind and lame, diseased and dying hordes.
How did the love of Christ,--that, like a chain,
Drew Christ himself to Bethlem from his throne,
And bound Him to the cross,--thy heart constrain,
Thy willing heart, to make that true love known!
The wings of darkness round thy tent were spread,
The wild beasts' howlings brake not thy repose,
The silent stars were watching over head,
Thy friends were nigh thee,--nigh thee were thy foes!
"The sun went down upon thine evening-prayer,
He rose upon thy finish'd sacrifice;
The House of God, the Gate of Heaven was there,
Angels and fiends had fixed on thee their eyes.
At midnight, in a Moment open stood
The eternal doors, to give thy spirit room
At morn, the earth had drunk thy guiltless blood
But where on earth may now be found thy tomb?
The benevolent Hannah Kilham, a well-known and highlyesteemed minister of the Society of Friends in England, wasdeeply interested on behalf of the African race, and under asense of religious duty and the approval of the society to whichshe belonged, she paid several visits to Africa, with a view ofpromoting the welfare of her Coloured brethren and sisters; andestablished schools at Sierra Leone for that purpose. "In observing the kind, lively, affectionate, and sympatheticexpression of countenance and manner of some of my Kossogirls, (who had been some time under her care) I felt comfortedin believing, that, under proper care, the African character mightbe trained to be receptive of good, and become very lovely." In alluding to depressing fears from the discouragingappearance of some newly arrived Negro children, she writesnext day:--"To day, when arrayed in their little garments, andintroduced to the piazza, for me to try to learn their names andnations, the affectionate smile soon began to glisten on theircountenances; but yesterday I had been ready to regard themas almost dead as to mental cultivation, and incapable ofexhibiting that degree of animation which one longs to see onevery human face." "I have certainly cause to be pleased and comforted with mydear children. Many can read the picture-lessons, and alsosome of the Scripture lessons; as well as write from dictationthe same lessons on their slates. It is scarcely eight monthssince these were taken from the Slave--ship. They can answer questions from surrounding objects, areimproving in reading, and learn to repeat hymns." "There is great sweetness and beauty in the character ofsome of the professors of religion among the Africans--anunassuming, humble, yet cheerful and affectionate demeanour,which, combined with their natural simplicity, is exceedinglyinteresting. To bring out this character, a kind and friendlymanner is requisite; for they are soon repelled, and their mindsare closed when they meet with coldness and a disposition tokeep them at a distance." By a colonial ordinance of the Governor of Guadaloupe, aSlave named Felix was emancipated as a reward for generousconduct. 2000 francs were voted for that purpose by theColonial Council, 1500 francs being paid to his master, and 500to Felix himself as a gift. The following is the account ascontained in the report of the Council:-- "On the 8th of February, two brothers were covered with theruins around them. One of them fortunately succeeded inextricating himself unhurt; but the other was wounded anddying, and his more fortunate brother was, for some time,trying, with his precious load, to find his way out; but theobstacles were insurmountable, his strength was exhausted, andthe flames of conflagration were rapidly approaching. At thatdistressing hour he finds Felix by his side. 'My friend,' he says,'if you have a kind heart, help me to save my brother, and I willgive you a doubloon.' 'To day, nothing for money, all for thelove of God,' replied the noble and generous Slave; andcollecting all his strength and energy, he surmounted allobstacles, and arrived on the wharf, where he laid the dying manin a boat. It is with the utmost difficulty that Felix has beendiscovered, so anxious was he to conceal his noble conduct." The devotion, intelligence, and noble spirit of this Negro, areworthy of high commemoration. His whole life evinced that thespirit of gratitude and benevolence may exist and bear fruit,even in the bosom of a Black Slave. He was born in 1773, on theestate of M. Belin de Villeneuve, in St. Domingo, and alwaysconducted himself in such a manner as to gain universalesteem. During a voyage made by M. Belin to Europe, the revolutionbroke out in St. Domingo. Eustace was about twenty. Thencommenced his life of self-devotion, the characteristics of whichwere summed up in these words of a phrenologist, who, withoutknowing him, thus defined the disposition of Eustace, afterexamining his head: "Wisdom and courage, devoted to theservice of goodness and benevolence." This is an undoubtedfact, however much it may be disputed. Soon after the tumults in the island were subsided, M. Belinreturned to St. Domingo. The faithful Slave, who had been themeans of saving many hundred lives, seeing that his masterwas no longer safe, on account of a renewal of the revolt,concealed him in a thick wood, and brought him dailysubsistence for some time. At last an opportunity offered forhis safe retreat in an American vessel from the dangers whichsurrounded him. Eustace made arrangements for his master'spassage, and agreed with the captain to have him conveyed onboard by night. But this was not all. M. Belin, being in a state ofcomplete destitution, Eustace went to the Negroes of theplantation, and, by his eloquence, induced them to supply their formermaster with sufficient to preserve him from absolute want. WhenM. Belin earnestly expressed his gratitude, Eustace only requestedas a return, that he might be permitted to follow and serve him,and they sailed together. At Baltimore they found numbers of the unfortunateinhabitants of St. Domingo, who, formerly opulent, had taken refuge there in the deepest poverty. Their necessities furnishedthe industrious activity of Eustace with an idea which, withgreat exertion, he carried out. He established a sort ofcommercial store, the profits of which he devoted to thesuccour of the most needy of these unfortunates. In 1794, St. Domingo became apparently tranquil, and M.Belin and his preserver returned to the island, but a renewedassault taking place on their arrival, they became accidentallyseparated. Eustace sought M. Belin in vain, but not giving upall hope, he saved from pillage everything belonging to him. Atlast he heard of the safety of his master, who was about toembark for St. Nicholas. He followed him there with the propertyhe had saved, and the devoted Slave was welcomed in a mannerdue to his character, and escorted through the town. Soon afterthis he was liberated, which was a mere formality, changingneither his conduct nor his devotion. He continued faithful tohis master, and became his secretary, having anotheropportunity of saving his life. When M. Belin died, he left all his property to Eustace, whodevoted it to the succour of the unfortunate. After the lastrevolution, inconceivable misery was felt in the island; and therewas Eustace found, always doing good. Some he supplied withmoney, to others he distributed clothes, linen, and furniture; heput orphan children out to nurse at his own expense; heassisted poor soldiers, and when there was no more left for himto do, he offered himself as attendant on General Rochambeau,accompanied him to England, and from thence to France. The useful and benevolent career of Eustace, the Negro,terminated only with his death. He arrived at Paris in 1812, andfrom that time he suffered not a day to pass without exercisinghis charitable disposition. Hearing that a poor widow, with fouryoung children, was reduced to cut grass for cattle to procure asubsistence, Eustace sought her out, clothed her and herchildren, and apprenticed the eldest of them, supplying him with necessary tools, so thatthe boy soon became the prop and support of the family.Another time, knowing that his master was unable to assist apoor relation whom he had long lost sight of, Eustace secretlydevoted all his gains to the support of the feeble man for morethan a year, leaving him to suppose that these benefits flowedfrom the General. The secret was not discovered until the sickman, now cured, came to thank his relative for his supposedgenerous assistance. The French Academy granted to Eustace, in 1832, theprize of virtue, founded by Monthyon. This little history showshow well it was merited. He died in 1833, aged sixty-two. Ifvirtue were honoured equally with fame and genius, this poorNegro would have been considered worthy of a noblemonument. This extraordinary man made his escape from Slavery aboutthirteen years ago. His Narrative is a remarkable one. I haveread it with feelings of deep emotion. The scenes and actionsdescribed in it are enough to "move the very stones to rise andmutiny" against the National Institution which makes thempossible. It presents a different phase of the infernal Slave-system from that exhibited in the touching story of FrederickDouglass, and affords a glimpse of its hideous cruelties in otherportions of its domain. Many harrowing scenes are graphicallyportrayed; and yet with that simplicity and ingenuousnesswhich carry with them a conviction of the truthfulness of thepicture. On his escape from Slavery, the first person he found reallyto befriend him, and treat him as an equal, was a Friend in Ohio,whom he calls "a Quaker of the George Fox stamp," and who,he adds, "took me to his house, and told me I was not only safe, but welcome." He remainedtwelve or fifteen days at the house of this Friend, who providedhim with clothing, and after giving him some money, he startedfor Canada, which he reached, and for some time employedhimself in assisting his fugitive brethren. As a proof of the abilities of this fugitive from Slavery, Ipresent the reader with an article written by him "On theAmerican Slave-trade," inserted in the Liberty Bell, 1848. "Of the many features which American Slavery presents, themost cruel is that of the Slave Trade. A traffic in the bodies andsouls of native-born Americans is carried on in the Slave-holding States to an extent little dreamed of by the great mass ofthe people in the None-Slave-holding States. The precisenumber of Slaves carried from the Slave-raising States, we haveno means of knowing; but it must be very great, as 40,000 weresold and carried out of Virginia in one single year! "This heart-rending and cruel traffic is not confined to anyparticular class of persons. None forfeit their character orstanding in society by being engaged in raising and sellingSlaves, to supply the cotton, sugar, and rice plantations of thesouth. Few persons who have visited the Slave States have not,on their return, told of the gangs of Slaves they had seen ontheir way to the southern market. This trade presents some ofthe most revolting and atrocious scenes which can be imagined.Slave-prisons, Slave-auctions, hand-cuffs, whips, chains, blood-hounds, and other instruments of cruelty, are part of thefurniture which belongs to the American Slave-trade. It isenough to make humanity bleed at every pore, to see theseimplements of torture. "Known to God only is the amount of human agony andsuffering which sends its cry from these Slave-prisons, unheardor unheeded by man, up to His ear; mothers weeping for their children, breaking the night-silence with theshrieks of their breaking hearts. We wish no human being toexperience emotions of needless pain, but we do wish thatevery man, woman, and child in New England, could visit asouthern Slave-prison and auction-stand. "I shall never forget a scene which took place in St. Louis,while I was in Slavery. A man and his wife, both Slaves, werebrought from the country to the city, for sale. They were takento the rooms of the auctioneers. Several Slave-speculators, whoare always to be found at auctions where Slaves are to be sold,were present. The man was first put up, and sold to the highestbidder. The wife was next ordered to ascend the platform. I waspresent, She slowly obeyed the order. The auctioneercommenced, and soon several hundred dollars were bid. Myeyes were intensely fixed on the face of the woman, whosecheeks were wet with tears. But a conversation between theSlave and his new master attracted my attention. I drew nearthem to listen. The Slave was begging his new master topurchase his wife. Said he, 'Master, if you will only buy Fanny, Iknow you will get the worth of your money. She is a good cook,a good washer, and her last mistress liked her very much. If youwill only buy her, how happy I shall be.' The new master repliedthat he did not want her, but if she sold cheap he wouldpurchase her. I watched the countenance of the man while thedifferent persons were bidding on his wife. When his newmaster bid on his wife, you could see the smile upon hiscountenance, and the tears stop; but as soon as another wouldbid, you could see the countenance change, and the tears startafresh. From this change of countenance one could see theworkings of the inmost soul. But this suspense did not lastlong; the wife was struck off to the highest bidder, who provednot to be the owner of her husband. As soon as they becameaware that they were to be separated, they both burst into tears;and as she descended from the auction-stand, the husband, walking up to her, andtaking her by the band, said, 'Well, Fanny, we are to part forever on earth; you have been a good wife to me; I did all that Icould to get my new master to buy you, but he did not wantyou, and all I have to say is, I hope you will try to meet me inheaven. I shall try to meet you there.' The wife made no reply,but her sobs and cries told, too well, her own feelings. I saw thecountenances of a number of Whites who were present, whoseeyes were dim with tears at hearing the man bid his wifefarewell. "Such are but common occurrences in the Slave States. Atthese auction-stands, bones, muscles, sinews, blood, andnerves of human beings are sold with as much indifference as afarmer in the north sells a horse or a sheep. And this greatAmerican nation is, at the present time, engaged in the Slave-trade. I have before me now the 'Washington Union,' the organof the Government, in which I find an advertisem*nt of severalSlaves to be sold for the benefit of the Government. They will,in all human probability, find homes among the rice swamps ofGeorgia, or the cane brakes of Mississippi. "With every disposition on the part of those who areengaged in it to veil the truth, certain facts have, from time totime transpired, sufficient to show, if not the full amount of theevil, at least that it is one of prodigious magnitude. And what ismore to be wondered at, is the fact that the greatest Slave-market is to be found at the capital of the country! TheAmerican Slave-trader marches by the capitol with his 'coffle-gang,' the stars and stripes waving over their heads, and theconstitution of the United States in his pocket! "The Alexandrian Gazette, speaking of the Slave-trade at thecapital, says: 'Here you may behold fathers and mothersleaving behind them the dearest objects of affection, andmoving slowly along in the mute agony of despair; there, theyoung mother, sobbing over the infant whose innocent smile seems but to increase her misery. From someyou will hear the burst of bitter lamentation, while from others,the loud hysteric laugh breaks forth, denoting still deeperagony. Such is but a faint picture of the American Slave-trade.' The "TRIBUTE FOR THE NEGRO" has already exceeded bymany pages the limits originally designed. A mass of facts,further demonstrative of the capabilities of the calumniated raceof Africa, both in a moral and intellectual point of view, stillremain in the Author's hands. A mere enumeration of these,without entering into some particulars, would only be tedious.A few, however, claim a passing notice. The power of Negro character, even in a state untutored andhalf-savage, is strikingly exemplified in the history of Major Laing was astonished with the wisdom. andgoodness of The same traveller gives us some particulars of We have a remarkable monument of what Divine grace caneffect for a Hottentot in LUCY CARDWELL, the power of religion operating on the mind of the Negro. Thelucid intervals of her latter days were chiefly occupied inthanksgiving and praise. The possession of an enlarged and noble heart is evinced inthe history of JOHN WILLIAMS, JACOB LINKS, PETER LINKS, ZILPHA MONTJOY, ALICE, A FEMALE SLAVE zealously attending divine worship till she was 95 years old.The honesty, love of truth, temperance, and industry, of thisNegress, are highly commendable. GEORGE HARDY, A COLOURED YOUTH, QUASHI, A NEGRO SLAVE, MOSES, A NEGRO OF VIRGINIA, The interesting and deeply affecting history of the Slave Respecting the capabilities of two African youths educatedat the Borough Road School in London, The touching account of the sufferings and afflictions of blind, was discarded in a helpless state, is related in a mostaffecting manner. His observations bespeak him to have beenpossessed of an intelligent and reflecting mind. "The prospect ofeternal happiness which events have led to," says he,"infinitely overpays all my sufferings." JACOB HODGES, Who has not been delighted in perusing the Narrative of BELINDA LUCAS, The gratitude and affection evinced towards his formermaster, by AFRIKANER, lawless and resolute robber, so much dreaded that a thousanddollars were offered to any man that would shoot him. Hebecame livingly converted, and having considerable naturaltalents, undissembled piety, and humility, became an ornamentto the profession of Christianity; affording a striking example ofthe complete subjugation of one of the fiercest spirits that evertrod the burning sands of Africa. JUPITER HAMMON, ANGELO SOLIMANN, Most of those whose lives or actions have been recorded inthe present volume, have passed from the stage of life; theirfull claim to brotherhood may have been denied them by theirfellow-men; but in the "life which is to come," whose positionwill be most enviable, that of the oppressor or the oppressed,when they shall stand face to face before the throne of a justand jealous God? A few of those whose names appear in the foregoing pages,still remain to wipe away the reproach of ages--to silence thecalumny of false prejudice, and fearlessly to demand their rightsas Men. Such are Pennington, Douglass, Crummell, Garnett,Tzatzoe, W. Wells Brown, Remond, Dr. Mc. Cune Smith,Edward Frazer, Bissette, Athill, Day, T. S. Wright, StephenGloucester, S. R. Ward, Delany, Van Rensallaer, G. B. Vashon, Symphor L'Instant, W Lynch,and the intelligent legislators of Liberia, from whose eloquentspeeches extracts have been given. But are these all? Nay, verily! a cloud of living witnessesexist as "monumental pillars," to demonstrate before all theworld that the idea of their full equality with the rest of mankindis by no means a merely theoretical one. Though our limits are already so far exceeded, I shall trespassa little further, in order to introduce to the reader's observation afew additional Living Witnesses to the truth of the propositionof an equality in the Black and White races of mankind. None of the statements which follow are made with anyintention of elating the individuals to whom allusion is made,but simply from a desire to elucidate the capabilities of theNegro for occupying that station in society which an all-wiseand beneficent Creator doubtless designed they should enjoy,in common with the rest of mankind. Of Bridgetown, Barbadoes, a gentleman of dark complexion, with Negro features and hair, was born a Slave, and remained in that condition till about twenty years of age. He now employs much of his time in labouringamong the Coloured people in the town and neighbourhood, in the capacity of a lay-preacher, in which he renders himself very useful. Being very competent for the work, both as regards piety and talents, and possessing theconfidence of the Planters, he is admitted to many estatesto lecture on moral and religious duties. He is a memberof the Episcopal Church. Two American travellers observein their Journal:--"By invitation we breakfasted with Mr. Joseph Thorne. In the parlour we met two Colouredgentlemen--Mr. Hamilton, a local Wesleyan preacher, and Mr.Cummins, a merchant of Bridgetown. We were struck with thescientific appearance of Mr. Thorne's parlour. On one side wasa large library of religious, historical, and literary works, theselection of which displayed no small taste and judgment. Onthe opposite side of the room was a fine cabinet of minerals andshells. In one corner stood a number of curious relies of theaboriginal Caribs, with interesting fossil remains, partlygathered from the island, and partly from Demerara. On the topsof the bookcase and mineral stand, were a number of birds ofrare species, procured from the South American Continent. Thecentre table was also ornamented with shells, specimens ofpetrifactions, and elegantly bound books. The remainder of thefurniture of the room was costly and elegant. Before breakfasttwo of Mr. Thorne's children, little boys of six and four, steppedin to salute the company. They were of a bright yellow, withslightly curled hair. When they had shaken hands with each ofthe company, they withdrew from the parlour, and were seen nomore. Their manners and demeanour indicated the teachings ofan admirable mother; and we were not a little curious to see thelady of whose taste and delicate sense of propriety we hadwitnessed so attractive a specimen in her children. At thebreakfast table we were introduced to Mrs. Thorne, and wesoon discovered, from her dignified air, from the chaste andelevated style of her conversation, from her intelligence,modesty, and refinement, that we were in the presence of ahighly accomplished lady." "During our stay in Barbadoes," observe the samewriters, "we had many invitations to the houses of Colouredgentlemen, of which we were glad to avail ourselves whenever it was possible. At an early period after our arrival, wewere invited to dine with Thomas Harris, Esq. He politely senthis chaise for us, as he resided about a mile from our residence.At his table we met two other Coloured gentlemen--Mr. Thorne,of Bridgetown, and Mr. Prescod, a gentleman of muchintelligence and ability. There was also at the table a niece ofMr. Harris, a modest and highly interesting young lady. "The dinner was enlivened by an interesting and well-sustainedconversation respecting the abolition of Slavery, the present stateof the colony, and its prospects for the future. Lively discussionswere maintained on points where there chanced to be a differenceof opinion, and we admired the liberality of the views which werethus elicited. We are certainly prepared to say, and that too withoutfeeling that we draw any invidious distinctions, that in style ofconversation, in soundness of sentiment, in ingenuity and abilityof argument, this company would compare with any company ofWhite gentlemen that we met in the island. There, in that choicecircle of Coloured gentlemen, were the keen sallies of wit, theadmirable repartee, the satire, now severe, now playful, upon themeasures of the colonial government, the able exposure ofaristocratic intolerance, of plantership chicanery, of plottings andcounter-plottings in high places, the strictures on the intrigues ofthe special magistrates and managers, and, withal, the just andindignant reprobation of the uniform oppressions which havedisabled and crushed the Coloured people. "In order that the reader may have a more distinctacquaintance with Mr. Harris, the gentleman at whose table wehad the pleasure to dine, we will state a few facts respectinghim. He was born a Slave, and remained such until he was 17years of age. After obtaining his freedom, he engaged as a clerkin a mercantile establishment, and soon attracted attention byhis business talents. About the same period he warmlyespoused the cause of the Free Coloured people, who were doubly crushed under a load of civil andpolitical impositions, and a still heavier one of prejudice. Hesoon made himself conspicuous by his manly defence of therights of his brethren against the encroachments of the publicauthorities, and personally incurred the marked displeasure ofseveral influential characters, on account of his devotion to theinterests of his friends. After a protracted struggle for the civilimmunities of the Coloured people, during which he repeatedlycame into collision with public men, and was often arraignedbefore the public tribunals, finding his labours ineffectual, heleft the island and went to England. He spent some time thereand in France, moving on a footing of honourable equalityamong the distinguished abolitionists of those countries. There,amidst the free influences and the generous sympathies whichwelcomed and surrounded him, his whole character ripened intothose manly graces and accomplishments which now soeminently distinguish him. "Since his return to Barbadoes, Mr. Harris has not taken sopublic a part in political controversies; but is by no meansindifferent to passing events. There is not, we venture to say,within the colony, a keener or more sagacious observer of itsinstitutions, its public men and their measures. Whenwitnessing the exhibitions of his manly spirit, and listening tohis eloquent and glowing narrative of his struggles against thepolitical oppression which ground to the dust himself and hisbrethren, we could scarcely credit the fact that he was himselfborn and reared to manhood A SLAVE!" "We next had the pleasure," observe the same travellers,of breakfasting with Mr. Prescod. Our esteemed friend, Mr.Harris, was of the company. Mr. Prescod is a young man ofColour, lately married. His wife and himself were both liberally educated in England. He was the late editor of theNew Times, a weekly paper established since the abolition ofSlavery, and devoted chiefly to the interests of the Colouredcommunity. It was the first periodical, and the only one, whichadvocated their rights; and this it did with the utmostfearlessness and independence. It boldly exposed oppressions,whether emanating from the Government-house, or originatingin the Colonial Assembly. The measures of all parties, and theconduct of every public man, were subject to its scrutiny, and,when occasion required it, stern rebuke. "Mr. Prescod exhibits a thorough acquaintance with thepolitics of the country. On the subject of prejudice, he spoke justas a man of keen sensibilities and manly spirit might be expectedto speak, who had himself been its victim. He was accustomed tobeing flouted, scorned, and contemned by those whom he couldnot but regard as his inferiors, both in native talents andeducation. He had submitted to be for ever debarred from officeswhich were filled by men far less worthy, except in the singlequalification of a white skin, which, however, was paramount toall other virtues and acquirements! He had seen himself and hisaccomplished wife excluded from the society of Whites, thoughkeenly conscious of their capacity to move and shine in the mostelevated circles of society. After all this, it may readily beconceived, how he would speak of prejudice. But while he spokebitterly of the past, he was inspired with buoyancy of hope, ashe cast his eye to the future, being confident that prejudicewould disappear. It had already diminished very much, and itwould, ere long, be wholly exterminated. "We are very willing to hold up Mr. Prescod as a specimenof what Coloured people generally may become, with propercultivation; or, to use the language of one of their own number,'with free minds, and space to rise.' " Dr. Lloyd, in his Letters from the West Indies, observes, respecting Mr. Prescod:--"We thought we had seldom met withmore intelligence and refinement," and adds, "in England hewould be esteemed as a gentleman; whilst in Barbadoes he is,in some degree, despised as a Coloured man." "In Jamaica," say Thome and Kimball, "the Coloured peoplehave been marching forward with rapid steps, in every speciesof improvement. All offices are open to them; they are aldermenof the city, justices of the peace, inspectors of the publicinstitutions, trustees of schools, &c. There are at least tenColoured special magistrates of the island, and four Colouredmembers of the Assembly. One of these, Mr. Jordan, now sits inthe same Assembly, side by side with the man who, a few yearsago, ejected him disdainfully from his clerkship. He is a memberof the Assembly for the city of Kingston, where, but lately, hewas imprisoned and tried for his life. He is also alderman of thecity, and one of its local magistrates. He is now inspector of thesame prison in which he was formerly immured as a pestilentfellow, and a mover of sedition. "One of the largest book stores in Jamaica is owned by thisand another Coloured gentleman, Mr. Osborne. Connected withit is an extensive printing office, from which a newspaper isissued twice a week. Another paper, under the control ofColoured men, is published at Spanish town. These are the twoprincipal liberal presses in Jamaica, and are conducted withspirit and ability. Their influence in the political and civil affairsof the island is very great. They are the organs of the Colouredpeople, bond and free; and through them any violation of lawor humanity is exposed to the public, and redress demanded,and generally obtained. In literary merit and correctness ofmoral sentiment, they are not excelled by any press there, while some of their White contemporaries fall far below them in both.Besides the workmen employed in these two offices, there are alarge number of Coloured printers in the other printing offices,of which there are several." A Coloured gentleman, is the secretary of the specialmagistrate department of Jamaica, a member of the Assembly,and one of the first men in the island for integrity,independence, superior abilities, and extensive acquirements."It has seldom been our happiness," say Thome and Kimball, "to meet with a man more illustrious for true nobility of soul, or inwhose countenance there were deeper traces of intellectual andmoral greatness. We are confident that no man can see himwithout being impressed with his rare combination ofexcellencies." The same writers, on another occasion, observe:--"We spentnearly a day with Richard Hill, Esq. He is a Coloured gentleman,and in every respect the noblest man--white or black--whom wemet in the West Indies. He is highly intelligent, and of fine moralfeelings. His manners are free and unassuming, and hislanguage in conversation fluent and well chosen. He isintimately acquainted with English and French authors, and hasstudied thoroughly the history and character of the people withwhom the tie of colour has connected him. He travelled twoyears in Hayti, and his letters, written in a flowing and luxuriantstyle, as a son of the tropics should write, giving an account ofhis observations and inquiries in that interesting island, werepublished extensively in England, and have been copied intothe Anti-Slavery Journals of America. His journal will be givento the public as soon as his official duties will permit him toprepare it. He is at the head of the special magistrates, of whichthere are sixty in the island; and all the correspondence betweenthem and the Governor is carried on through him. The station he holds isa very important one, and the business connected with it is of acharacter and an extent that, were he not a man of superiorabilities, he could not sustain. He is highly respected by thegovernment in the island and at home, and possesses theesteem of his fellow-citizens of all colours. He associates withpersons of the highest rank, dining and attending parties at theGovernment house with all the aristocracy of Jamaica. We hadthe pleasure of spending an evening with him at the Solicitor-General's. Though an African sun has burnt a deep tinge onhim, he is truly one of nature's noblemen. His demeanour issuch--so dignified, yet bland and amiable--that no one can helprespecting him." Richard Hill is undoubtedly a man of uncommonendowments of mind, and of noble personal bearing. He fills theoffice of Secretary to the Governor, and was the main spring ofthe government during the best parts of the administrations ofLord Sligo and Sir Lionel Smith. His information as a naturalist isvery extensive, and lie has recently contributed toornithological literature in a valuable work published by him, inconnexion with another gentleman, entitled "The Birds ofJamaica." After what has already been said to try the patience andirritate the nerves of the prejudiced, if there should be suchamong our readers, they will doubtless deem it quite intolerable,to be introduced to a family in whose faces the lineaments andcomplexion of the White man are not present to relieve the ebonhue;--even to a household of genuine unadulterated Negroes."Having had a previous introduction to Mr. London Bourne,"write Thome and Kimball, "we cordially accepted an invitationto breakfast with him. If the reader's horror of amalgamationdoes not allow him to join us at the table, perhaps he will consent toretire to the parlour, and seat himself ou the elegant sofa,whence, without fear of contamination, he may safely view usthrough the folding doors, and note down our several positionsaround the board. At the head of the table presides, with muchdignity, Mrs. Bourne; at the end opposite, sits Mr. Bourne--both of the glossiest jet; the thick matted hair of Mr. B. slightlyfrosted with age. He has an affable, open countenance, in whichthe radiance of an amiable spirit, and the lustre of a sprightlyintellect, happily commingle, and illuminate the sable covering.On either hand of Mr. B. we sit, occupying the posts of honour.On the right and left of Mrs. B. and at the opposite corner fromus, sit two other guests, one a Coloured merchant, and theother a young son-in-law of Mr. B., whose face is the verydouble extract of blackness; for which, ishis intelligence, and the elegance of his manners, can make, tobe sure, but slight atonement! The middle seats are filled on theone side by an unmarried daughter of Mr. B., and on the otherside by a promising son, of eleven, who is to start on themorrow for Edinburgh, where he is to remain until he hasreceived the honours of Scotland's far-famed university. "We shall doubtless be thought by some of our readers toglory in our shame. Be it so. We did glory in joining thecompany which we have just described. On the presentoccasion, we had a fair opportunity of testing the merits of anunmixed Negro party, and of determining how far the variousexcellencies of the gentlemen and ladies previously noticedwere attributable to the admixture of English blood. We arecompelled in candour to say, that the company of Blacks didnot fall a whit below those of the mixed race, in any respect. Weconversed on the same general topics, which, of course, wereintroduced wherever we went. The gentlemen showed anintimate acquaintance with the state of the Colony, with themerits of the apprenticeship system, and with the movements of thecolonial government. As for Mrs. B., she presided at the tablewith great ease, dignity, self-possession, and grace. Heroccasional remarks, made with genuine modesty, indicatedgood sense and discrimination. Among other topics ofconversation prejudice against Colour was not forgotten. Thecompany were inquisitive as to the extent of it in the UnitedStates. We informed them that it appeared to be strongest inthose States which held no Slaves, that it prevailed amongprofessing Christians, and that it was most manifestly seen inthe house of God. We also intimated, in as delicate a manner aspossible, that in almost any part of the United States such atable scene, as we then presented, would be reprobated anddenounced, if indeed it escaped the summary vengeance of themob. The surprise which these statements occasioned in thecompany was very great. They had not words to express theirsense of the injustice and impiety of the Americans. "We were highly gratified with their views of the proper wayfor the Coloured people to act in respect to prejudice. They saidthat they were persuaded that their policy was to wait patientlyfor the operation of those influences which were now at workfor the removal of prejudice. It was for them, they said, tomaintain an upright, dignified course, to be uniformlycourteous, to seek the cultivation of their minds, and strivezealously for substantial worth; by such means alone, theycould aid in overcoming prejudice. "Mr. Bourne was a Slave until he was twenty-three years old.He was purchased by his father, a Free Negro, who gave 500dollars for him. His mother and four brothers were bought at thesame time, for the sum of 2500 dollars. Since Mr. B. obtained hisfreedom, he has been striving to make himself and his familyrespectable and comfortable. By industry, honesty, and closeattention to business, he has now become a wealthy merchant.He owns three stores in Bridgetown, lives in very genteel style in his ownhouse, and is worth from 20 to 30,000 dollars. One of his storesis on the wharf, in a public, business part of the city, amid thestores of the White merchants. He is highly respected for hisintegrity and business talents. By what means he has acquiredso much general information, we are at a loss to conjecture.Although we did not ourselves need the evidence of hispossessing extraordinary talents, industry, and perseverance,yet we are happy to present our readers with such tangibleproofs--proofs which are read in every language, and whichpass current in every nation." Such, then, are examples of what the Negro race may attainto, and individuals and families of equal merit are by no meansrare among the same people in others of the West India Islands.Many names might be mentioned which deservedly rank ashigh as those already specified. One of the wealthiestmerchants of Bridgetown is a Coloured gentleman, and he hashis mercantile agents in England, English clerks under hisemploy, a branch establishment in the city, and superintendsthe concerns of an extensive and complicated business withdistinguished ability and success. A large portion, if not amajority, of the merchants of Bridgetown, are Coloured. Some ofthe most popular instructors are Coloured (males and females),and one of them ranks high as a teacher of the ancient andmodern languages. The most efficient and enterprisingmechanics of the city are Coloured and Black men; indeed thereis scarcely any line of business which is not either shared orwholly engrossed by Coloured persons. It is pleasing to find the descendants of native Africans, withskins of the darkest hue, some of them born and brought up inSlavery, whose mental and moral culture have been totally andwilfully neglected, thus, by the efforts of that native genius whichthe Creator has not limited to any particular race of men, shining forth among theirfellows, and in their lives and conduct often affording anexample even to their more favoured brethren of a lighter hue. That so many amongst this despised people should haveobtained wealth and education, is matter of astonishment, whenwe consider the numerous obstacles they have to contendagainst, and the discouragements with which they have everbeen doomed to struggle. Their coming in contactwith a race on whom have dawned loftier ideas, and whoboast a constitutional superiority, has been as victims and notas pupils. Rum, gunpowder, the horrors of Slavery, theunblushing knavery of trade, these have been their teachers!And because these have failed to produce a high degree ofmoral and intellectual cultivation, it is coolly declared that theNegroes are made for Slaves--that they cannot be civilized;and that when they come in contact with White men, they musteither consent to be their beasts of burden, or be driven to thewall, and perish. Even where they are permitted, in some degree, to enjoy therights of freedom, they are regarded as an inferior order ofbeings, and the fall benefits of citizenship are withheld fromthem. The path of political distinction is barred against them byan arbitrary denial of the right of suffrage, and consequenteligibility to office. Thus, a large and powerful class ofincitements to mental effort, which have been operatingcontinually upon the Whites, have never once stirred thesensibilities nor waked the ambition of the Coloured community.The depressing influence of prejudice, too, has always weighedupon them. Parents, however wealthy, have had little or noinducement to educate their sons for file learned professions,since no force of talent nor extent of acquirement could hope tobreak down the granite walls and iron bars which prejudice haserected around the pulpit, the bar, and the bench. From the samecause there has been very little encouragement to acquire property, to seek education, to labour for the graces of elevatedmanners, or even to aspire to ordinary respectability, since noteven the poor favour of social intercourse with the Whites, ofparticipating in the civilities and courtesies of every day life, hasbeen granted them. But in the onward progress of events which indicate theapproach of better times, it is obvious that the deep-rooted andunchristian prejudice against the Coloured race is graduallypassing away. Genius, talent, and virtue, will be honoured,whether clad in rags or in broad-cloth, and the nobility of amanly nature will not always continue to be estimated accordingto the colour of the skin. It is consoling to believe, that the blessed time is not far distant,when men of every clime and of every colour shall be united bycommon feelings and kindred affections, and when they shall fullyrejoice together in the blessings of a common salvation. Should thepresent effort be effectual in hastening this glorious era, ineradicating that gigantic and accursed tree which for ages hasnourished beneath its shade, lamentations, mourning, and woe, thelabour bestowed will be abundantly repaid. Under the Divineblessing, may it be instrumental, in some degree, in rescuing Africafrom the abyss of misery and wretchedness into which she has solong been plunged. When we contemplate the depth of this abyss, well, indeed,may we exclaim,--"O! Africa, how vast, how overwhelming thyburthen! How numberless thy wrongs,--the prey of fiendishmen,--the world's great mart of rapine, bondage, blood, andmurder! On no part of the earth's surface, in no state orcondition of mankind, can we find a parallel to thy woes! Thyskies have been obscured with the smoke of towns in flames!--thy lovely landscapes and sunny groves transformed into lions'dens!--thy burning deserts bedewed with the agonizing tears ofbereaved mothers!--and thy winds have re-echoed back to thyblood-stained soil the orphan's cry--the widow's wail! What an accumulated amount of misery and of wrong havebeen inflicted upon thee by the nations of Christendom, whostill annually rob thee of 400,000 of thy children. How long will the professors of a religion of love and good-willcontinue to be the undisguised supporters and perpetratorsof such atrocities? Let past deeds of darkness suffice, and letus endeavour to compensate the enormous debt we owe to therace of Africa, for having robbed her of her children under everyaggravated form of cruelty, to increase our comforts, to augmentour private wealth, and add to our public revenues, by toils,imposing a daily stretch upon their sinews;--tasks, having notermination but in death. Let us imitate the example of Zaccheus,who, if he had done any man wrong, restored unto him four-fold. Let us bring into operation all the machinery we possess toameliorate her wretched condition. Let us apply a remedy to healher bleeding wounds. We on whom the lamp of life has shoneforth resplendently--let us disperse the darkness of her almostunbounded plains. Let us freely disseminate amongst herpeople those rich and abundant blessings which have beenentrusted to us. Let missionaries and schoolmasters--the spadeand the plough--go together. Agriculture will then flourish, theavenues of legitimate commerce will be opened, confidencebetween man and man will be inspired, and civilization willadvance, as the natural effect;--Christianity operating as theproximate cause of the happy change. Then, melancholy as the past history of Africa has been, weare fully warranted in anticipating that the innumerable tribes ofthat immense continent will, ere long, present a scene, in theintelligence, holiness, and happiness of its regenerated millions,which will far exceed the most sanguine expectations of thosewho have laboured, and are still labouring, on behalf of herafflicted children. But it is to the everlasting Gospel that we must look as thechief instrument to chase away the mass of darkness brooding on her bosom. Her unknown regions must be exploredby the messengers of the churches, and her vast moral wastesmust be watered by the streams of life. The truth of God is thegrand engine by which the demon of Slavery must be repelledfrom her shores, and her Sable sons and daughters made to situnder their own vine and under their own fig tree. Then shallher ransomed millions reiterate, from shore to shore, her jubilee! * Josiah Conder
"At rest beneath the ever-shifting sand,
This, thine unsculptured epitaph, remain,
Till the last trump shall summon sea and land,
'To me to live was Christ,--to die was gain.' "TESTIMONIES OF HANNAH KILHAM RESPECTING THE NEGRO.
A NOBLE SLAVE EMANCIPATED.
Page 539EUSTACE.
WILLIAM WELLS BROWN.
ZHINGA, A FAMOUS QUEEN OF ANGOLA;
who embraced Christianity during her sojourn at Loango.
BE SENIERA, KING OF KOORANKO;
who sent his minstrel to play before the traveller, and sing asong of welcome.
ASSANA YEERA, A NEGRO KING,
of strict probity, and universally beloved by his subjects.
JEJANA, A SOUTH AFRICAN WIDOW;
a proof that God is no respecter of persons, but that in everynation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, isaccepted of Him."
a free Negress, of Virginia, was a remarkable instance of
JOSEPH RACHEL, OF BARBADOES,
of whom philanthropists take pleasure in speaking. Havingbecome rich, he consecrated all his fortune to acts ofbenevolence. The unfortunate, without distinction of Colour,had a claim on his affections. He gave to the indigent, lent tothose who could not make a return, visited prisoners, gave themgood advice, and endeavoured to bring back the guilty tovirtue.
a Coloured man of New Jersey, naturally intelligent, wasbrought by conviction to the knowledge of the truth, andended his days in prayer and thanksgiving to God.
a Christian convert of South Africa, with an animatedcountenance, fluency of speech, and fervency of expression,declared the glad tidings of the Gospel, to which he becamea martyr by being horribly murdered. He spent hisbreath, like another Stephen, in praying for his murderers.
a brother of Jacob's, was also a bright light among the Christianconverts in South Africa, and was for a considerable time veryuseful in the mission field.
an aged Negress of New York, afforded a pattern of exemplaryconduct. Her pious and circ*mspect life rendered her an objectof peculiar interest to many.
in Pennsylvania, attained to the advanced age of 116 years,
discovered in his earliest years a quickness of discernmentand readiness of apprehension rarely surpassed, being ableto read the Bible when four years old. Though furnishedwith very scanty sources of information or improvement,he betrayed a vigour of intellect and originality of thought,which a protracted and enervating disease never subdued.
affords in the history of his tragical death, an illustration thatthe despised race are highly capable of gratitude andresentment, friendship and honour.
was a remarkable pattern of piety. His prayers seemed to makeall feel that the Almighty was present. "I thought I could giveup all my learning and worldly prospects," says one, "to havethe humility, the devotional spirit, and the nearness to heavenof this pious Negro."
ZANGARA,
stolen from Africa when very young, is highly demonstrativethat the Negro is by no means excluded from the possession ofall the finer feelings of our nature.
CHARLES KNIGHT AND JOSEPH MAY,
a high testimony is given in the Minutes of Evidence before theCommittee of the House of Commons on the West Coast ofAfrica.
MAQUAIMA,
a Negro Slave stolen from Africa, and who, when old and
a Negro of Canandaigua, furnishes one of the finest illustrationsof the power of divine truth on the most ignorant and wretchedof mankind.
THE NEGRO SERVANT,
related by the worthy Legh Richmond, who testifies of him:--"The more I conversed with this African convert, the moresatisfactory were the evidences of his mind being spirituallyenlightened, and his heart effectually wrought upon by thegrace of God." "He bore the impression of the Saviour's imageon his heart, and exhibited the marks of converting grace in hislife and conversation, accompanied with singular simplicity andunfeigned sincerity."
was stolen from Africa when a child. She purchased her freedomfrom Slavery, and lived to about 100 years of age. Her Narrativeaffords a striking instance, in the despised race, of honest,persevering industry and frugality.
GOMEZ, A NEGRO SLAVE,
so beautifully depicted by Chambers', bespeak him to havebeen in possession of a warm and truly generous heart.
a Namacqua chief of South Africa, whose striking lifehas been portrayed by the missionary Campbell, was amost remarkable monument of redeeming mercy and grace.At one time he was a terror to his country, being a most
a Negro Slave of Long Island, attained to considerableadvancement, both in an intellectual and religious point ofview. He published an Address to the Negroes of New York,which contains much excellent advice, embodied in language soexcellent, that were it not well attested, its genuineness mightbe justly questioned.
the son of an African Prince, who died at Vienna in 1796, wasstolen for a Slave when a youth. He was subsequentlydistinguished by a high degree of culture and extensivelearning, but, above all, for his morality, and the excellence ofcharacter which he sustained.LIVING WITNESSES.
JOSEPH THORNE,
THOMAS HARRIS,
S. J. PRESCOD.
MR. JORDAN.
RICHARD HILL,
LONDON BOURNE.
"Yes, even now thy beams
Suffuse the twilight of the nations. Light
Wakes in regions where gross darkness veiled
The people. They who in death's shadow sat,
Shall hail that glorious rising; for the shade
Prophetic, shrinks before the dawning ray,
That cast it: forms of earth, that interposed,
Shall vanish, scattered like the dusky clouds
Before the exultant morn; and central day,
All shadowless, even to the poles shall reign.
Volume of God! thou art that eastern star
Which leads to Christ; soon shall thy circuit reach
Round earth's circumference,--in every tongue
Revealing to all nations-what the heavens
But shadow forth--the glory of the Lord."* 
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