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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7f1db67 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #64883 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64883) diff --git a/old/64883-0.txt b/old/64883-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a9465f0..0000000 --- a/old/64883-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9047 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Black Man, by William Wells Brown - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Black Man - His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements - -Author: William Wells Brown - -Release Date: March 20, 2021 [eBook #64883] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: hekula03, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK MAN *** - -+-------------------------------------------------+ -|Transcriber's note: | -| | -|Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | -| | -+-------------------------------------------------+ - - -[Illustration: Eng. by J. W. Watts from a Photograph by Grice Bros. -Port au Prince. _Geffrard_] - - -THE BLACK MAN: - -HIS ANTECEDENTS, HIS GENIUS, AND -HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. - - -BY - -WILLIAM WELLS BROWN. - -[Illustration: Logo] - - -_Boston_: -JAMES REDPATH, PUBLISHER, -221 WASHINGTON STREET. -1863. - - - - -Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by WILLIAM -WELLS BROWN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the -District of Massachusetts. - - -STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. - - - - -TO - -THE ADVOCATES AND FRIENDS - -OF - -NEGRO FREEDOM AND EQUALITY, - -WHEREVER FOUND, - -This Volume is Respectfully Dedicated, - -BY THE AUTHOR. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -The calumniators and traducers of the Negro are to be found, mainly, -among two classes. The first and most relentless are those who -have done them the greatest injury, by being instrumental in their -enslavement and consequent degradation. They delight to descant upon -the "natural inferiority" of the blacks, and claim that we were -destined only for a servile condition, entitled neither to liberty nor -the legitimate pursuit of happiness. The second class are those who are -ignorant of the characteristics of the race, and are the mere echoes of -the first. To meet and refute these misrepresentations, and to supply a -deficiency, long felt in the community, of a work containing sketches -of individuals who, by their own genius, capacity, and intellectual -development, have surmounted the many obstacles which slavery and -prejudice have thrown in their way, and raised themselves to positions -of honor and influence, this volume was written. The characters -represented in most of these biographies are for the first time put in -print. The author's long sojourn in Europe, his opportunity of research -amid the archives of England and France, and his visit to the West -Indies, have given him the advantage of information respecting the -blacks seldom acquired. - -If this work shall aid in vindicating the Negro's character, and show -that he is endowed with those intellectual and amiable qualities which -adorn and dignify human nature, it will meet the most sanguine hopes of -the writer. - -CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASS., 1863. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - PAGE -MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, 11 - -THE BLACK MAN AND HIS ANTECEDENTS, 31 - - -THE BLACK MAN, HIS GENIUS AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. - -BENJAMIN BANNEKER, 51 - -NAT TURNER, 59 - -MADISON WASHINGTON, 75 - -HENRY BIBB, 86 - -PLACIDO, 88 - -JEREMIAH B. SANDERSON, 91 - -TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE, 92 - -CRISPUS ATTUCKS, 106 - -DESSALINES, 110 - -IRA ALDRIDGE, 118 - -JOSEPH CINQUE, 124 - -ALEXANDRE DUMAS, 128 - -HENRI CHRISTOPHE, 132 - -PHILLIS WHEATLEY, 138 - -DENMARK VESEY, 142 - -HENRY HIGHLAND GARNETT, 149 - -JAMES M. WHITFIELD, 152 - -ANDRE RIGAUD, 153 - -FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS, 160 - -EX-PRESIDENT ROBERTS, 163 - -ALEXANDER CRUMMELL, 165 - -ALEXANDRE PETION, 169 - -MARTIN R. DELANY, M. D., 174 - -ROBERT SMALL, 175 - -FREDERICK DOUGLASS, 180 - -CHARLES L. REASON, 187 - -CHARLOTTE L. FORTEN, 190 - -WILLIAM H. SIMPSON, 199 - -JEAN PIERRE BOYER, 202 - -JAMES M'CUNE SMITH, M. D., 205 - -BISHOP PAYNE, 207 - -WILLIAM STILL, 211 - -EDWIN M. BANNISTER, 214 - -LEONARD A. GRIMES, 217 - -PRESIDENT GEFFRARD, 220 - -GEORGE B. VASHON, 223 - -ROBERT MORRIS, 227 - -WILLIAM J. WILSON, 230 - -JOHN MERCER LANGSTON, 235 - -WILLIAM C. NELL, 238 - -JOHN SELLA MARTIN, 241 - -CHARLES LENOX REMOND, 246 - -GEORGE T. DOWNING, 250 - -ROBERT PURVIS, 253 - -JOSEPH JENKINS, 259 - -JOHN S. ROCK, 266 - -WILLIAM DOUGLASS, 271 - -ELYMAS PAYSON ROGERS, 272 - -J. THEODORE HOLLY, 274 - -JAMES W. C. PENNINGTON, 276 - -A MAN WITHOUT A NAME, 278 - -SAMUEL R. WARD, 284 - -SIR EDWARD JORDAN, 286 - -JOSEPH CARTER, 288 - -JAMES LAWSON, 291 - -CAPT. CALLIOUX, 297 - -CAPT. JOSEPH HOWARD, 308 - - - - -MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. - - -I was born at Lexington, Kentucky. My father, as I was informed, was -a member of the Wickliffe family; my mother was of mixed blood; her -father, it was said, was the noted Daniel Boone, and her mother a -negress. My early life on the plantation was such as generally falls to -the lot of the young slave, till I arrived at the age of nine years, -when my position was changed. My master's brother lost his wife, she -leaving an infant son a few months old, whom my mistress took to bring -up. When this boy became old enough to need a playmate to watch over -him, mistress called the young slaves together, to select one for the -purpose. We were all ordered to run, jump, wrestle, turn somersets, -walk on our hands, and go through the various gymnastic exercises that -the imagination of our brain could invent, or the strength and activity -of our limbs could endure. The selection was to be an important one, -both to the mistress and the slave. Whoever should gain the place was -in the future to become a house servant; the ask-cake thrown aside, -that unmentionable garment that buttons around the neck, which we all -wore, and nothing else, was to give way to the whole suit of tow linen. -Every one of us joined heartily in the contest, while old mistress sat -on the piazza, watching our every movement--some fifteen of us, each -dressed in his one garment, sometimes standing on our heads with feet -in the air--still the lady looked on. With me it seemed a matter of -life and death; for, being blood kin to master, I felt that I had more -at stake than my companions. At last the choice was made, and I was -told to step aside as the "lucky boy," which order I obeyed with an -alacrity seldom surpassed. That night I was put to soak, after which I -was scraped, scrubbed, washed, and dried. The next day, the new suit -came down to the quarters; I slipped into it; the young slaves gathered -about me, and I was the star of the plantation. My mother, one of the -best of mothers, placed her hands on my head, and, with tears in her -eyes, said, "I knowed you was born for good luck, for a fortune-teller -told me so when you was a baby layin' in your little sugar trough. -Go up to de great house where you belong." With this blessing I bade -farewell to the log hut and the dirt floor, and started towards the -"big house." Mistress received me, and laid down the law which was to -govern my future actions. "I give your young master over to you," said -she; "and if you let him hurt himself, I'll pull your ears; if you let -him cry, I'll pull your ears; if he wants any thing, and you don't give -it to him, I'll pull your ears; when he goes to sleep, if you let him -wake before it is time, I'll pull your ears." And right well did she -keep her promise, for my ears felt the impress of her tender fingers -and gold rings almost every day, and at times nearly every hour. - -Yet I would not have you suppose, gentle reader, that my old mistress -was of low or common origin; but on the contrary, she boasted that the -best blood of the south coursed through her blue veins. My master, Dr. -John Young, was a man of considerable standing in his section of the -state. A member of the church, his seat was not often empty during -religious service. He was very strict as to the observance of the -Sabbath, held prayer night and morning, and entertained more travelling -preachers than almost any one in his neighborhood. - -The doctor did not surpass his wife in devotedness to religious -observances. Of these travelling ministers, each had a favorite, who in -turn used to spend several days on the plantation, hunting, shooting, -fishing, visiting, and at times preaching. The Rev. Mr. Pinchen was my -mistress's favorite, and he was indeed an interesting character. Short -and stout, somewhat inclined to corpulency, deeply pockmarked, quick in -his motions, and with a strong voice, he was one of the funniest of men -when telling his long stories about his religious and other experience -in the south. - -I had been in the great house nearly three years, when Mr. Pinchen was -expected to make his annual visit. The stir about the dwelling, the -cleaning of paint, the scalding out of the bedbugs, and the orders and -counter-orders from Mrs. Young, showed plainly that something uncommon -was to take place. High and angry words had passed between master -and mistress, one morning, when the latter weepingly and snufflingly -exclaimed, "Never mind; you'll not have me here always to hector and to -worry: I'll die one of these days, and then you'll be glad of it. Never -mind; keep on, and you'll send me to my grave before the time. Never -mind; one of these days the Lord will make up his _jewels, call me home -to glory_, and I'll be out of your way, and I'll be devilish glad of it -too." Her weeping increased, and she continued, "Never mind; brother -Pinchen will be here soon, and then I'll have somebody to talk to me -about religion." At this moment, Hannah, the waiting maid, entered the -room, and Mrs. Young gave orders with regard to Mr. Pinchen's visit. -"Go, Hannah," said she, "and get the chamber ready for brother Pinchen: -put on the new linen sheets, and see that they are dry, and well -aired; if they are not, I'll air _you_, my lady." The arrival of the -clergyman, the next day, was the signal for new and interesting scenes. -After the first morning's breakfast was over, family prayer finished, -the Bible put away, the brandy replaced in the sideboard, and Dr. Young -gone to his office, Mr. Pinchen commenced the delivery of one of those -religious experiences for which he was so celebrated wherever he was -known. Mrs. Young and the minister were seated at the round table, I -standing behind her chair, and Hannah clearing off the breakfast table, -when the servant of God began by saying, "Well, sister Young, I've seen -a heap since I was here last." - -"I am so glad to hear it," responded she, "for I want to hear something -good. Now do give me your experience, brother Pinchen; it always draws -me nearer and nearer to the Lord's side." - -"Well, sister Young, I've had great opportunity in my time to study -the human heart. I've attended a great many camp meetings, revival -meetings, protracted meetings, and death-bed scenes, and I am -satisfied, sister Young, that the heart of man is full of sin and -desperately wicked. This is a wicked world, sister, a wicked world." - -Mrs. Young asked, "Were you ever in Arkansas, brother Pinchen? I've -been told that the people out there are very ungodly." - -Mr. Pinchen said, "O, yes, sister Young; I once spent a year at Little -Rock, and preached in all the towns round about there; and I found some -hard cases out there, I can tell you. I was once spending a week in a -district where there were a great many horse thieves, and one night -somebody stole my pony. Well, I knowed it was no use to make a fuss; -so I told brother Tarbox to say nothing about it, and I'd get my horse -by preaching God's everlasting gospel; for I had faith in the truth, -and knowed that my Saviour would not let me lose my pony. So the next -Sunday I preached on horse-stealing, and told the brethren to come up -in the evenin' with their hearts filled with the grace of God. So that -night the house was crammed brim full with anxious souls, panting for -the bread of life. Brother Bingham opened with prayer, and brother -Tarbox followed, and I saw right off that we were gwine to have a -blessed time. After I got 'em pretty well warmed up, I jumped on to -one of the seats, stretched out my hands, and said: 'I know who stole -my pony; I've found out; and you are here tryin' to make people believe -that you've got religion; but you ain't got it. And if you don't take -my horse back to brother Tarbox's pasture this very night, I'll tell -your name right out in meetin' to-morrow night. Take my pony back, you -vile and wretched sinner, and come up here and give your heart to God.' -So the next mornin', I went out to brother Tarbox's pasture, and sure -enough, there was my bob-tail pony. Yes, sister, there he was, safe and -sound. Ha, ha, ha!" - -With uplifted hands, old mistress exclaimed, "O, how interesting, and -how fortunate for you to get your pony! And what power there is in the -gospel! God's children are very lucky. O, it is so sweet to sit here -and listen to such good news from God's people!" - -Hannah was so entranced with the conversation that she had left her -work, and, with eyes and mouth open, was listening to the preacher. -Turning aside, and in a low voice, Mrs. Young harshly said, "Hannah, -what are you standing there listening for, and neglecting your work? -Never mind, my lady, I'll whip you well when I am done here. Go at your -work this moment, you lazy hussy. Never mind, I'll whip you well." -Then, turning again to the preacher, she said, "Come, do go on, brother -Pinchen, with your godly conversation. It is so sweet! It draws me -nearer and nearer to the Lord's side." - -"Well, sister Young," continued he, "I've had some mighty queer dreams -in my time--that I have. You see, one night I dreamed that I was dead -and in heaven; and such a place I never saw before. As soon as I -entered the gates of the celestial empire, I saw many old and familiar -faces that I had seen before. The first person that I saw was good old -Elder Pike, the preacher that first called my attention to religion. -The next person I saw was Deacon Billings, my first wife's father; and -then I saw a host of godly faces. Why, sister Young, you knew Elder -Goosbee--didn't you?" - -"Yes," replied she; "did you see him there?" - -"O, yes, sister Young, I saw the elder, and he looked for all the world -as if he had just come out of a revival meeting." - -"Did you see my first husband there, brother Pinchen?" - -"No, sister Young, I didn't see brother Pepper, but I've no doubt but -that he was there." - -"Well, I don't know," said she; "I have my doubts. He was not the -happiest man in the world. He was always borrowing trouble about -something or another. Still, I saw some happy moments with Mr. Pepper. -I was happy when I made his acquaintance, happy during our courtship, -happy a while after our marriage, and happy when he died." - -Here she put her handkerchief to her eyes, and wept bitterly for a -moment. At this juncture Hannah asked, "Did you see my husband, Ben, up -in hebben, Massa Pinchen?" - -"No, no, Hannah, I didn't go amongst the blacks," answered he. - -"Of course not," said mistress; "brother Pinchen didn't go among the -niggers." Turning aside to Hannah, and in a whisper, she exclaimed, -"What are you asking questions for? Never mind, my lady, I'll whip you -well when I'm done here. I'll skin you from head to foot. Do go on with -your heavenly conversation, brother Pinchen; it does my very soul good. -This is indeed a precious moment for me. I do love to hear of Christ -and him crucified." - -After the conversation had ceased, and the preacher gone out to call -on Mrs. Daniels, Mrs. Young said to the maid, "Now, Hannah, brother -Pinchen is gone; you get the cowhide, and I'll whip you well, for -aggravating me as you did to-day. It seems as if I can never sit down -to take a little comfort with the Lord, without the devil putting it -into your head to cross me. I've no doubt, Hannah, that I'll miss -going to heaven on your account; but I'll whip you well before I leave -this world--that I will." The servant received a flogging, Mrs. Young -felt easier, and I was in the kitchen amusing my fellow-slaves with -telling over Mr. Pinchen's last experience. Here let me say, that -we regarded the religious profession of the whites around us as a -farce, and our master and mistress, together with their guest, as mere -hypocrites. During the entire visit of the preacher, the servants had a -joyful time over my representations of what was going on in the great -house. - -The removal of my master's family and slaves to the centre of the State -of Missouri about this time, caused some change in our condition. My -young master, William, had now grown to be a stout boy of five years -of age. No restraint thrown around him by the doctor or his wife, aunt -Dolly, his nurse, not permitted to control any of his actions, William -had become impudent, petulant, peevish, and cruel. Sitting at the -tea table, he would often desire to make his entire meal out of the -sweetmeats, the sugar-bowl, or the cake; and when mistress would not -allow him to have them, he, in a fit of anger, would throw any thing -within his reach at me; spoons, knives, forks, and dishes would be -hurled at my head, accompanied with language such as would astonish any -one not well versed in the injurious effects of slavery upon the rising -generation. Thomas Jefferson, in 1788, in a letter to M. Warville, -Paris, writing upon slavery, alludes to its influence upon the young as -follows:-- - -"The parent storms, the child looks on, catches the lineaments of -wrath, puts on the same airs in the circle of smaller slaves, GIVES -LOOSE TO HIS WORST PASSIONS; and, thus _nursed, educated, and daily -exercised in tyranny_, cannot but be stamped by it with odious -peculiarities." - -In the Virginia legislature, in the year 1832, Hon. Lewis Summers -said,-- - -"A slave population exercises the _most pernicious influence_ upon the -manners, habits, and character of those among whom it exists. _Lisping -infancy_ learns the vocabulary of abusive epithets, and struts, the -_embryo tyrant_ of its little domain. The consciousness of _superior -destiny_ takes possession of his mind at its earliest dawning, and -_love of power and rule_ 'grows with his growth and strengthens with -his strength.' Unless enabled to rise above the operation of those -powerful causes, _he enters the world with miserable notions of -self-importance, and under the government of an unbridled temper_." - -Having, by speculation and mismanagement, lost the most of his -property, Dr. Young resumed the practice of medicine in Missouri, and -soon obtained a lucrative run of custom. Here, as in Kentucky, the -doctor took great interest in matters of religion, and was considered -one of the pillars in the church. - -Being sent one Sabbath morning to carry the sacramental wine to the -church, about a mile distant, I could not withstand the temptation it -presented of tasting it. Having had one swallow, I was tempted further -on, till the beverage disappeared out of the neck of the bottle, so -that I felt afraid that if noticed by master, I should be flogged. It -occurred to me that I might fill up the bottle from one of the sap -tubs, as I passed through the sugar camp; for it was the spring of the -year, and we were making maple sugar. I tried to pour the sap into the -bottle, but it flared over the top, leaving the wine still some inches -down the neck. After ransacking my inventive faculties, I fortunately -hit upon a plan and filled it up. Placing the bottle on the ground, and -sucking my mouth full of the juice, I stood directly over the bottle -and let it stream in until it was full. Putting the stopple in, I -started off towards the church, feeling that I had got the advantage of -master once more. - -My fair complexion was a great obstacle to my happiness, both with -whites and blacks, in and about the great house. Often mistaken by -strangers for a white boy, it annoyed my mistress very much. On one -occasion, a visitor came to the place in the absence of the doctor. -While Mrs. Young was entertaining the major (for he was a military -man), I passed through the room, and going near the stranger, he put -out his hand and said to me, "How do you do, bub?" and turning to the -lady, he exclaimed, "Madam, I would have known that he was the doctor's -son, if I had met him in California, for he is so much like his papa." -Mistress ordered me out of the room, and remarked that I was one of -the servants, when the major begged pardon for the mistake. After the -stranger was gone, I was flogged for his blunder. - -Dr. Young sold his large farm, which was situated in the central part -of the state, and removed to St. Louis, where a number of the servants -were let out. I was put to work tending upon the hands in the office -of the "St. Louis Times," a newspaper owned and published by Lovejoy -& Miller, and edited by Elijah P. Lovejoy. Here my young heart began -to feel more longings for liberty. The love of freedom is a sentiment -natural to the human heart, and the want of it is felt by him who does -not possess it. He feels it a reproach; and with this sting, this -wounded pride, hating degradation, and looking forward to the cravings -of the heart, the enslaved is always on the alert for an opportunity -to escape from his oppressors and to avenge his wrongs. What greater -injury and indignity can be offered to man, than to make him the -bond-slave of his fellow-man? - -My sojourn in the printing office was of short duration, and I was -afterwards let out to a slave-trader named Walker. This heartless, -cruel, ungodly man, who neither loved his Maker nor feared Satan, was -a fair representative of thousands of demons in human form that are -engaged in buying and selling God's children. - -One year with Walker, beholding scenes of cruelty that can be better -imagined than described, I was once more taken home, and soon after -hired out as an under steward on the steamer Patriot, running to New -Orleans. This opened to me a new life, and gave me an opportunity to -see different phases of slave life, and to learn something more of the -world. Life on the Mississippi River is an exciting one. I had not -been on the boat but a few weeks when one of those races for which the -southern steamers are so famous took place. - -At eight o'clock on the evening of the third day of the passage, the -lights of another steamer were seen in the distance, and apparently -coming up very fast. This was the signal for a general commotion on -board the Patriot, and every thing indicated that a steamboat race was -at hand. Nothing can exceed the excitement attendant upon the racing of -steamers on the Mississippi. - -By the time the boats had reached Memphis they were side by side, and -each exerting itself to get in advance of the other. The night was -clear, the moon shining brightly, and the boats so near to each other -that the passengers were within speaking distance. On board the Patriot -the firemen were using oil, lard, butter, and even bacon, with wood, -for the purpose of raising the steam to its highest pitch. The blaze -mingled with the black smoke that issued from the pipes of the other -boat, which showed that she also was burning something more combustible -than wood. - -The firemen of both boats, who were slaves, were singing songs such -as can only be heard on board a southern steamer. The boats now came -abreast of each other, and nearer and nearer, until they were locked -so that men could pass from one to the other. The wildest excitement -prevailed among the men employed on the steamers, in which the -passengers freely participated. - -At this moment the engineer of the Patriot was seen to fasten down -the safety-valve, so that no steam should escape. This was indeed a -dangerous resort, and a few who saw what had taken place, fearing that -an explosion would be the consequence, left that part of the boat for -more secure quarters. - -The Patriot now stopped to take in passengers; but still no steam was -permitted to escape. On the starting of the boat again, cold water was -forced into the boilers by the feed-pumps, and, as might have been -expected, one of the boilers exploded with terrific force, carrying -away the boiler deck and tearing to pieces much of the machinery. One -dense fog of steam filled every part of the vessel, while shrieks, -groans, and cries were heard on every side. Men were running hither and -thither looking for their wives, and women were flying about, in the -wildest confusion, seeking for their husbands. Dismay appeared on every -countenance. - -The saloons and cabins soon looked more like hospitals than any thing -else; but by this time the Patriot had drifted to the shore, and the -other steamer had come alongside to render assistance to the disabled -boat. The killed and wounded (nineteen in number) were put on shore, -and the Patriot, taken in tow by the Washington, was once more on her -journey. - -It was half past twelve, and the passengers, instead of retiring -to their berths, once more assembled at the gaming tables. The -practice of gambling on the western waters has long been a source of -annoyance to the more moral persons who travel on our great rivers. -Thousands of dollars often change owners during a passage from St. -Louis or Louisville to New Orleans on a Mississippi steamer. Many -men are completely ruined on such occasions, and duels are often the -consequence. - -"Go call my boy, steward," said Mr. Jones, as he took his cards one by -one from the table. - -In a few minutes a fine-looking, bright-eyed mulatto boy, apparently -about sixteen years of age, was standing by his master's side at the -table. - -"I am broke, all but my boy," said Jones, as he ran his fingers through -his cards; "but he is worth a thousand dollars, and I will bet the half -of him." - -"I will call you," said Thompson, as he laid five hundred dollars at -the feet of the boy, who was standing on the table, and at the same -time throwing down his cards before his adversary. - -"You have beaten me," said Jones; and a roar of laughter followed from -the other gentleman as poor Joe stepped down from the table. - -"Well, I suppose I owe you half the nigger," said Thompson, as he took -hold of Joe and began examining his limbs. - -"Yes," replied Jones, "he is half yours. Let me have five hundred -dollars, and I will give you a bill of sale of the boy." - -"Go back to your bed," said Thompson to his chattel, "and remember that -you now belong to me." - -The poor slave wiped the tears from his eyes, as, in obedience, he -turned to leave the table. - -"My father gave me that boy," said Jones, as he took the money, "and I -hope, Mr. Thompson, that you will allow me to redeem him." - -"Most certainly, sir," replied Thompson; "whenever you hand over the -cool thousand the negro is yours." - -Next morning, as the passengers were assembling in the cabin and on -deck, and while the slaves were running about waiting on or looking for -their masters, poor Joe was seen entering his new master's state-room, -boots in hand. - -Such is the uncertainty of a slave's life. He goes to bed at night -the pampered servant of his young master, with whom he has played -in childhood, and who would not see his slave abused under any -consideration, and gets up in the morning the property of a man whom he -has never before seen. - -To behold five or six tables in the saloon of a steamer, with half a -dozen men playing cards at each, with money, pistols, and bowie-knives -spread in splendid confusion before them, is an ordinary thing on the -Mississippi River. - -Continued intercourse with educated persons, and meeting on the steamer -so many travellers from the free states, caused me to feel more -keenly my degraded and unnatural situation. I gained much information -respecting the north and Canada that was valuable to me, and I resolved -to escape with my mother, who had been sold to a gentleman in St. -Louis. The attempt was made, but we were unsuccessful. I was then sold -to Mr. Samuel Willi, a merchant tailor. I was again let out to be -employed on a Mississippi steamboat, but was soon after sold to Captain -E. Price, of the Chester. To escape from slavery and become my own -master, was now the ruling passion of my life. I would dream at night -that I was free, and, on awaking, weep to find myself still a slave. - - - "I would think of Victoria's domain; - In a moment I seemed to be there; - But the fear of being taken again - Soon hurried me back to despair." - - -Thoughts of the future, and my heart yearning for liberty, kept me -always planning to escape. - -The long-looked-for opportunity came, and I embraced it. Leaving the -steamer upon which my new master had me at work, I started for the -north, travelling at night and lying by during the day. It was in the -winter season, and I suffered much from cold and hunger. Supposing -every person to be my enemy, I was afraid to appeal to any one, even -for a little food, to keep body and soul together. As I pressed -forward, my escape to Canada seemed certain, and this feeling gave me a -light heart; for - - - "Behind I left the whips and chains, - Before me were sweet Freedom's plains." - - -While on my journey at night, and passing farms, I would seek a -corn-crib, and supply myself with some of its contents. The next day, -while buried in the forest, I would make a fire and roast my corn, and -drink from the nearest stream. One night, while in search of corn, -I came upon what I supposed to be a hill of potatoes, buried in the -ground for want of a cellar. I obtained a sharp-pointed piece of wood, -with which I dug away for more than an hour, and on gaining the hidden -treasure, found it to be turnips. However, I did not dig for nothing. -After supplying myself with about half a dozen of the turnips, I again -resumed my journey. This uncooked food was indeed a great luxury, and -gave strength to my fatigued limbs. The weather was very cold,--so -cold, that it drove me one night into a barn, where I lay in the hay -until morning. A storm overtook me when about a week out. The rain fell -in torrents, and froze as it came down. My clothes became stiff with -ice. Here again I took shelter in a barn, and walked about to keep -from freezing. Nothing but the fear of being arrested and returned to -slavery prevented me, at this time, seeking shelter in some dwelling. - -After many days of weary travelling, and sick from exposure, I -determined to seek shelter and aid; and for this purpose, I placed -myself behind some fallen trees near the main road, hoping to see -some colored person, thinking I should be more safe under the care of -one of my own color. Several farmers with their teams passed, but the -appearance of each one frightened me out of the idea of asking for -assistance. After lying on the ground for some time, with my sore, -frost-bitten feet benumbed with cold, I saw an old, white-haired man, -dressed in a suit of drab, with a broad-brimmed hat, walking along, -leading a horse. The man was evidently walking for exercise. I came out -from my hiding-place and told the stranger I must die unless I obtained -some assistance. A moment's conversation satisfied the old man that -I was one of the oppressed, fleeing from the house of bondage. From -the difficulty with which I walked, the shivering of my limbs, and -the trembling of my voice, he became convinced that I had been among -_thieves_, and he acted the part of the Good Samaritan. This was the -first person I had ever seen of the religious sect called "Quakers," -and his name was Wells Brown. I remained here about a fortnight, and -being fitted out with clothes, shoes, and a little money, by these good -people, I was again ready to resume my journey. I entered their house -with the single name that I was known by at the south, "William;" I -left it with the one I now bear. - -A few days more, and I arrived at Cleveland, Ohio, where I found -employment during the remainder of the winter. Having no education, -my first thoughts went in that direction. Obtaining a situation the -following spring on a Lake Erie steamer, I found that I could be very -serviceable to slaves who were escaping from the south to Canada. In -one year alone I assisted _sixty_ fugitives in crossing to the British -queen's dominions. Many of these escapes were attended with much -interest. On one occasion, a fugitive had been hid away in the house -of a noted abolitionist in Cleveland for ten days, while his master -was in town, and watching every steamboat and vessel that left the -port. Several officers were also on the watch, guarding the house of -the abolitionist every night. The slave was a young and valuable man, -of twenty-two years of age, and very black. The friends of the slave -had almost despaired of getting him away from his hiding-place, when I -was called in, and consulted as to the best course to be taken. I at -once inquired if a painter could be found who would paint the fugitive -white. In an hour, by my directions, the black man was as white, and -with as rosy cheeks, as any of the Anglo-Saxon race, and disguised in -the dress of a woman, with a thick veil over her face. As the steamer's -bell was tolling for the passengers to come on board, a tall lady, -dressed in deep mourning, and leaning on the arm of a gentleman of -more than ordinary height, was seen entering the ladies' cabin of the -steamer North America, who took her place with the other _ladies_. Soon -the steamer left the wharf, and the slave-catcher and his officers, who -had been watching the boat since her arrival, went away, satisfied that -their slave had not escaped by the North America, and returned to guard -the house of the abolitionist. After the boat had got out of port, and -fairly on her way to Buffalo, I showed the tall lady to her state-room. -The next morning, the fugitive, dressed in his plantation suit, bade -farewell to his native land, crossed the Niagara River, and took up his -abode in Canada. - -I remained on Lake Erie during the sailing season, and resided in -Buffalo in the winter. In the autumn of 1843 I was invited by the -officers of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society to take an -agency as a lecturer in behalf of my enslaved countrymen, which offer -I accepted, and soon commenced my labors. Mobs were very frequent in -those days. Being advertised to address the citizens of Aurora, Erie -County, New York, on one occasion, I went to fulfil the appointment, -and found the church surrounded by a howling set of men and boys, -waiting to give me a warm reception. I went in, opened the meeting, -and began my address. But they were resolved on having a good time, -and the disturbance was so great that I had to stop. In the mean time, -a bag of flour had been brought to the church, taken up into the -belfry, directly over the entrance door, and a plan laid to throw the -whole of it over me as I should pass out of the house, of all which my -friends and I were unaware. After I had been driven from the pulpit -by the unsalable eggs, which were thrown about very freely, I stopped -in the body of the church to discuss a single point with one of the -respectable rowdies, when the audience became silent, and I went on and -spoke above an hour, all the while receiving the strictest attention -from every one present. At the conclusion the lights were put out, and -preparation made to flour me over, although I had evidently changed the -opinions of many of their company. As we were jamming along towards the -door, one of the mob whispered to me, "They are going to throw a bag of -flour on you; so when you hear any one say, 'Let it slide,' you look -out." Thus on my guard, and in possession of their signal, I determined -to have a little fun at their expense. Therefore, when some of the best -dressed and most respectable looking of their own company, or those who -had no sympathy with my mission, filled up the doorway, I cried out in -a disguised voice, "Let it slide;" and down came the contents of the -bag, to the delight of my friends and the consternation of the _enemy_. -A quarrel arose among the men at the door, and while they were settling -their difficulty, my few friends and I quietly walked away unharmed. - -Invited by influential English abolitionists, and elected a delegate to -the Peace Congress at Paris, I sailed for Liverpool in the Royal Mail -Steamship Canada, in the month of July, 1849. The passage was pleasant, -and we arrived out in less than ten days. - -I visited Dublin, where I partook of the hospitality of Richard -D. Webb, Esq., and went from there to London; thence to Paris, to -discharge the duties of my mission on peace. - -In the French capital I met some of the most noted of the English -philanthropists, who were also there in attendance on the -Congress--Joseph Sturge, Richard Cobden, and men of that class. - -Returning to London after the adjournment of the peace gathering, I was -invited to various parts of the United Kingdom, and remained abroad a -little more than five years, during which time I wrote and published -three books, lectured in every town of any note in England, Ireland, -Scotland, and Wales, besides visiting the continent four times. During -my long sojourn in Great Britain, I witnessed many scenes of interest, -and experienced much that was of an amusing character. It may not be -out of place to give one of these here. On a cold winter's evening, I -found myself seated before the fire, and alone, in the principal hotel -in the ancient and beautiful town of Ludlow, and within a few minutes' -walk of the famous old castle from which the place derives its name. A -long ride by coach had so completely chilled me, that I remained by the -fire to a later hour than I otherwise would have. "Did you ring, sir?" -asked the waiter, as the clock struck twelve. "No," I replied; "but you -may give me a light, and I will retire." I was shown to my chamber, and -was soon in bed. From the weight of the covering, I felt sure that the -extra blanket which I had requested to be put on was there; yet I was -shivering with cold. As the sheets began to get warm, I discovered, to -my astonishment, that they were damp--indeed wet. My first thought was -to ring the bell for the servant, and have them changed; but, after a -moment's consideration, I resolved to adopt a different course. I got -out of bed, pulled the sheets off, rolled them up, raised the window, -and threw them into the street. After disposing of the wet sheets, -I returned to bed, and got in between the blankets, and lay there -trembling with cold till Morpheus came to my relief. The next morning I -said nothing about the sheets, feeling sure that the discovery of their -loss would be made by the chambermaid in due time. Breakfast over, I -visited the ruins of the old castle, and then returned to the hotel, to -await the coach for Hereford. As the hour drew near for me to leave, -I called the waiter, and ordered my bill. "Yes, sir, in a moment," he -replied, and left in haste. Ten or fifteen minutes passed away, and the -servant once more came in, walked to the window, pulled up the blinds, -and then went out. I saw that something was afloat; and it occurred -to me that they had discovered the loss of the sheets, at which I was -pleased; for the London newspapers were, at that time, discussing the -merits and the demerits of the hotel accommodations of the kingdom, and -no letters found a more ready reception in their columns than one on -that subject. I had, therefore, made up my mind to have the wet sheets -put in the bill, pay for them, and send the bill to "The Times." - -The waiter soon returned again, and, in rather an agitated manner, -said, "I beg your pardon, sir, but the landlady is in the hall, and -would like to speak to you." Out I went, and found the finest specimen -of an English landlady that I had seen for many a day. There she stood, -nearly as thick as she was tall, with a red face garnished around with -curls, that seemed to say, "I have just been oiled and brushed." A neat -apron covered a black alpaca dress that swept the floor with modesty, -and a bunch of keys hung at her side. O, that smile! such a smile as -none but an adept could put on. However, I had studied human nature -too successfully not to know that thunder and lightning were concealed -under that smile, and I nerved myself for the occasion. "I am sorry to -have to name it, sir," said she; "but the sheets are missing off your -bed." "O, yes," I replied; "I took them off last night." "Indeed!" -exclaimed she; "and what did you do with them?" "I threw them out of -the window," said I. "What! into the street?" "Yes; into the street," -I said. "What did you do that for?" "They were wet; and I was afraid -that if I left them in the room they would be put on at night, and -give somebody else a cold." "Then, sir," said she, "you'll have to pay -for them." "Make out your bill, madam," I replied, "and put the price -of the wet sheets in it, and I will send it to 'The Times,' and let -the public know how much you charge for wet sheets." I turned upon my -heel, and went back to the sitting room. A moment more, and my bill -was brought in; but nothing said about the sheets, and no charge made -for them. The coach came to the door; and as I passed through the hall -leaving the house, the landlady met me, but with a different smile. "I -hope, sir," said she, "that you will never mention the little incident -about the sheets. I am very sorry for it. It would ruin my house if it -were known." Thinking that she was punished enough in the loss of her -property, I promised not to mention the name of the house, if I ever -did the incident. The following week I returned to the hotel, when I -learned the fact from the waiter that they had suspected that I had -stolen the sheets, and that a police officer was concealed behind the -hall door, on the day that I was talking with the landlady. When I -retired to bed that night, I found two jugs of hot water in the bed, -and the sheets thoroughly dried and aired. - - - - -THE BLACK MAN - -AND - -HIS ANTECEDENTS. - - -Of the great family of man, the negro has, during the last half -century, been more prominently before the world than any other race. He -did not seek this notoriety. Isolated away in his own land, he would -have remained there, had it not been for the avarice of other races, -who sought him out as a victim of slavery. Two and a half centuries of -the negro's enslavement have created, in many minds, the opinion that -he is intellectually inferior to the rest of mankind; and now that the -blacks seem in a fair way to get their freedom in this country, it has -been asserted, and from high authority in the government, that the -natural inferiority of the negro makes it impossible for him to live on -this continent with the white man, unless in a state of bondage. - -In his interview with a committee of the colored citizens of the -District of Columbia, on the 14th of August last, the President of the -United States intimated that the whites and the blacks could not live -together in peace, on account of one race being superior intellectually -to the other. Mr. Postmaster General Blair, in his letter to the Union -mass meeting held at the Cooper Institute, in New York, in March last, -takes this ground. The Boston "Post" and "Courier" both take the same -position. - -I admit that the condition of my race, whether considered in a mental, -moral, or intellectual point of view, at the present time cannot -compare favorably with the Anglo-Saxon. But it does not become the -whites to point the finger of scorn at the blacks, when they have so -long been degrading them. The negro has not always been considered the -inferior race. The time was when he stood at the head of science and -literature. Let us see. - -It is the generally received opinion of the most eminent historians -and ethnologists, that the Ethiopians were really negroes, although -in them the physical characteristics of the race were exhibited in a -less marked manner than in those dwelling on the coast of Guinea, from -whence the stock of American slaves has been chiefly derived. That, in -the earliest periods of history, the Ethiopians had attained a high -degree of civilization, there is every reason to believe; and that -to the learning and science derived from them we must ascribe those -wonderful monuments which still exist to attest the power and skill of -the ancient Egyptians. - -Among those who favor this opinion is our own distinguished countryman, -Alexander H. Everett, and upon this evidence I base my argument. Volney -assumes it as a settled point that the Egyptians were black. Herodotus, -who travelled extensively through that interesting land, set them down -as black, with curled hair, and having the negro features. The sacred -writers were aware of their complexion: hence the question, "Can the -Ethiopian change his skin?" The image of the negro is engraved upon -the monuments of Egypt, not as a bondman, but as the master of art. -The Sphinx, one of the wonders of the world, surviving the wreck of -centuries, exhibits these same features at the present day. Minerva, -the goddess of wisdom, was supposed to have been an African princess. -Atlas, whose shoulders sustained the globe, and even the great Jupiter -Ammon himself, were located by the mythologists in Africa. Though there -may not be much in these fables, they teach us, nevertheless, who -were then considered the nobles of the human race. Tertullian and St. -Augustin were Ethiopians. Terence, the most refined and accomplished -scholar of his time, was of the same race. Hanno, the father of -Hamilcar, and grandfather of Hannibal, was a negro. These are the -antecedents of the enslaved blacks on this continent. - -From whence sprang the Anglo-Saxon? For, mark you, it is he that denies -the equality of the negro. "When the Britons first became known to the -Tyrian mariners," says Macaulay, "they were little superior to the -Sandwich Islanders." - -Hume says they were a rude and barbarous people, divided into numerous -tribes, dressed in the skins of wild beasts. Druidism was their -religion, and they were very superstitious. Such is the first account -we have of the Britons. When the Romans invaded that country, they -reduced the people to a state of vassalage as degrading as that of -slavery in the Southern States. Their king, Caractacus, was captured -and sent a slave to Rome. Still later, Hengist and Horsa, the Saxon -generals, presented another yoke, which the Britons were compelled to -wear. But the last dregs of the bitter cup of humiliation were drunk -when William of Normandy met Harold at Hastings, and, with a single -blow, completely annihilated the nationality of the Britons. Thousands -of the conquered people were then sent to the slave markets of Rome, -where they were sold very cheap on account of their inaptitude to learn. - -This is not very flattering to the President's ancestors, but it is -just. Cæsar, in writing home, said of the Britons, "They are the -most ignorant people I ever conquered. They cannot be taught music." -Cicero, writing to his friend Atticus, advised him not to buy slaves -from England, "because," said he, "they cannot be taught to read, and -are the ugliest and most stupid race I ever saw." I am sorry that Mr. -Lincoln came from such a low origin; but he is not to blame. I only -find fault with him for making mouths at me. - - - "You should not the ignorant negro despise; - Just such your sires appeared in Cæsar's eyes." - - -The Britons lost their nationality, became amalgamated with the Romans, -Saxons, and Normans, and out of this conglomeration sprang the proud -Anglo-Saxon of to-day. I once stood upon the walls of an English city, -built by enslaved Britons when Julius Cæsar was their master. The -image of the ancestors of President Lincoln and Montgomery Blair, as -represented in Britain, was carved upon the monuments of Rome, where -they may still be seen in their chains. Ancestry is something which the -white American should not speak of, unless with his lips to the dust. - -"Nothing," says Macaulay, "in the early existence of Britain, indicated -the greatness which she was destined to attain." Britain has risen, -while proud Rome, once the mistress of the world, has fallen; but -the image of the early Englishman in his chains, as carved twenty -centuries ago, is still to be seen upon her broken monuments. So has -Egypt fallen; and her sable sons and daughters have been scattered -into nearly every land where the white man has introduced slavery and -disgraced the soil with his footprint. As I gazed upon the beautiful -and classic obelisk of Luxor, removed from Thebes, where it had stood -four thousand years, and transplanted to the Place de la Concorde, -at Paris, and contemplated its hieroglyphic inscription of the noble -daring of Sesostris, the African general, who drew kings at his chariot -wheels, and left monumental inscriptions from Ethiopia to India, I felt -proud of my antecedents, proud of the glorious past, which no amount of -hate and prejudice could wipe from history's page, while I had to mourn -over the fall and the degradation of my race. But I do not despair; -for the negro has that intellectual genius which God has planted in -the mind of man, that distinguishes him from the rest of creation, -and which needs only cultivation to make it bring forth fruit. No -nation has ever been found, which, by its own unaided efforts, by some -powerful inward impulse, has arisen from barbarism and degradation to -civilization and respectability. There is nothing in race or blood, -in color or features, that imparts susceptibility of improvement to -one race over another. The mind left to itself from infancy, without -culture, remains a blank. Knowledge is not innate. Development makes -the man. As the Greeks, and Romans, and Jews drew knowledge from the -Egyptians three thousand years ago, and the Europeans received it from -the Romans, so must the blacks of this land rise in the same way. As -one man learns from another, so nation learns from nation. Civilization -is handed from one people to another, its great fountain and source -being God our Father. No one, in the days of Cicero and Tacitus, could -have predicted that the barbarism and savage wildness of the Germans -would give place to the learning, refinement, and culture which that -people now exhibit. Already the blacks on this continent, though kept -down under the heel of the white man, are fast rising in the scale -of intellectual development, and proving their equality with the -brotherhood of man. - -In his address before the Colonization Society, at Washington, on -the 18th of January, 1853, Hon. Edward Everett said, "When I lived -in Cambridge, a few years ago, I used to attend, as one of the board -of visitors, the examinations of a classical school, in which was a -colored boy, the son of a slave in Mississippi, I think. He appeared -to me to be of pure African blood. There were at the same time two -youths from Georgia, and one of my own sons, attending the same school. -I must say that this poor negro boy, Beverly Williams, was one of the -best scholars at the school, and in the Latin language he was the best -scholar in his class. There are others, I am told, which show still -more conclusively the aptitude of the colored race for _every kind of -intellectual culture_." - -Mr. Everett cited several other instances which had fallen under his -notice, and utterly scouted the idea that there was any general -inferiority of the African race. He said, "They have done as well as -persons of European or Anglo-American origin would have done, after -three thousand years of similar depression and hardship. The question -has been asked, 'Does not the negro labor under some incurable, natural -inferiority?' _In this, for myself, I have no belief._" - -I think that this is ample refutation of the charge of the natural -inferiority of the negro. President Lincoln, in the interview to which -I have already referred, said, "But for your race among us there would -not be a war." This reminds me of an incident that occurred while -travelling in the State of Ohio, in 1844. Taking the stage coach at a -small village, one of the passengers (a white man) objected to my being -allowed a seat inside, on account of my color. I persisted, however, in -claiming the right which my ticket gave me, and got in. The objector at -once took a seat on a trunk on the top of the coach. The wire netting -round the top of the stage not being strong, the white passenger, -trunks and all, slid off as we were going down a steep hill. The top -passenger's shoulder was dislocated, and in his pain he cried out, "If -you had not been black, I should not have left my seat inside." - -The "New York Herald," the "Boston Post," the "Boston Courier," and -the "New York Journal of Commerce," take the lead in misrepresenting -the effect which emancipation in the West Indies had upon the welfare -of those islands. It is asserted that general ruin followed the -black man's liberation. As to the British colonies, the fact is well -established that slavery had impoverished the soil, demoralized the -people, bond and free, brought the planters to a state of bankruptcy, -and all the islands to ruin, long before Parliament had passed the act -of emancipation. All the colonies, including Jamaica, had petitioned -the home government for assistance, ten years prior to the liberation -of their slaves. It is a noticeable fact, that the free blacks were the -least embarrassed, in a pecuniary point of view, and that they appeared -in more comfortable circumstances than the whites. There was a large -proportion of free blacks in each of the colonies, Jamaica alone having -fifty-five thousand before the day of emancipation. A large majority -of the West India estates were owned by persons residing in Europe, -and who had never seen the colonies. These plantations were carried on -by agents, overseers, and clerks, whose mismanagement, together with -the blighting influence which chattel slavery takes with it wherever -it goes, brought the islands under impending ruin, and many of the -estates were mortgaged in Europe for more than their value. One man -alone, Neil Malcomb, of London, had forty plantations to fall upon -his hands for money advanced on them before the abolition of slavery. -These European proprietors, despairing of getting any returns from the -West Indies, gladly pocketed their share of the twenty million pounds -sterling, which the home government gave them, and abandoned their -estates to their ruin. Other proprietors residing in the colonies -formed combinations to make the emancipated people labor for scarcely -enough to purchase food for them. If found idle, the tread-wheel, the -chain-gang, the dungeon, with black bread, and water from the moat, and -other modes of legalized torture, were inflicted upon the negroes. -Through the determined and combined efforts of the land owners, the -condition of the freed people was as bad, if not worse, for the first -three years after their liberation, than it was before. Never was an -experiment more severely tested than that of emancipation in the West -Indies. - -Nevertheless, the principles of freedom triumphed; not a drop of blood -was shed by the enfranchised blacks; the colonies have arisen from -the blight which they labored under in the time of slavery; the land -has increased in value; and, above all, that which is more valuable -than cotton, sugar, or rice--the moral and intellectual condition of -both blacks and whites is in a better state now than ever before. Sir -William Colebrook, governor of Antigua, said, six years after the -islands were freed, "At the lowest computation, the land, without a -single slave upon it, is fully as valuable now as it was, including -all the slaves, before emancipation." In a report made to the British -Parliament, in 1859, it was stated that three fifths of the cultivated -land of Jamaica was the _bona fide_ property of the blacks. The land is -in a better state of cultivation now than it was while slavery existed, -and both imports and exports show a great increase. Every thing -demonstrates that emancipation in the West India islands has resulted -in the most satisfactory manner, and fulfilled the expectation of the -friends of freedom throughout the world. - -Rev. Mr. Underhill, secretary of the English Baptist Missionary -Society, who has visited Jamaica, and carefully studied its condition, -said, in a recent speech in London, that the late slaves in that island -had built some two hundred and twenty chapels. The churches that -worship in them number fifty-three thousand communicants, amounting -to one eighth of the total population. The average attendance, in -other than the state churches, is ninety-one thousand--a fourth of the -population. One third of the children--twenty-two thousand--are in the -schools. The blacks voluntarily contribute twenty-two thousand pounds -(one hundred and ten thousand dollars) annually for religious purposes. -Their landed property exceeds five million dollars. Valuing their -cottages at only fifty dollars each, these amount to three million -dollars. They have nearly three hundred thousand dollars deposited in -the savings banks. The sum total of their property is much above eleven -million dollars. All this has been accumulated since their emancipation. - -Thus it is seen that all parties have been benefited by the abolition -of negro slavery in the British possessions. Now we turn to our -own land. Among the many obstacles which have been brought to bear -against emancipation, one of the most formidable has been the series -of objections urged against it upon what has been supposed to be the -slave's want of appreciation of liberty, and his ability to provide for -himself in a state of freedom; and now that slavery seems to be near -its end, these objections are multiplying, and the cry is heard all -over the land, "What shall be done with the slave if freed?" - -It has been clearly demonstrated, I think, that the enslaved of the -south are as capable of self-support as any other class of people in -the country. It is well known that, throughout the entire south, a -large class of slaves have been for years accustomed to hire their -time from their owners. Many of these have paid very high prices for -the privilege. Some able mechanics have been known to pay as high -as six hundred dollars per annum, besides providing themselves with -food and clothing; and this class of slaves, by their industry, have -taken care of themselves so well, and their appearance has been so -respectable, that many of the states have passed laws prohibiting -masters from letting their slaves out to themselves, because, as it was -said, it made the other slaves dissatisfied to see so many of their -fellows well provided, and accumulating something for themselves in the -way of pocket money. - -The Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Adams, whose antecedents have not been such as -to lead to the suspicion that he favors the free colored men, or the -idea of giving to the slaves their liberty, in his "South-Side View," -unconsciously and unintentionally gives a very valuable statement -upon this particular point. Dr. Adams says, "A slave woman having had -three hundred dollars stolen from her by a white man, her master was -questioned in court as to the probability of her having had so much -money. The master said that he not unfrequently had borrowed fifty and -a hundred dollars from her himself, and added that she was always very -strict as to his promised time of payment." There was a slave woman -who had not only kept every agreement with her master--paying him -every cent she had promised--but had accumulated three hundred dollars -towards purchasing her liberty; and it was stolen from her, not by a -black man, but, as Dr. Adams says, by a white man. - -But one of the clearest demonstrations of the ability of the slave -to provide for himself in a state of freedom is to be found in the -prosperous condition of the large free colored population of the -Southern States. Maryland has eighty thousand, Virginia seventy -thousand, and the other slave states have a large number. These free -people have all been slaves, or they are the descendants of those who -were once slaves; what they have gained has been acquired in spite of -the public opinion and laws of the south, in spite of prejudice, and -every thing. They have acquired a large amount of property; and it -is this industry, this sobriety, this intelligence, and this wealth -of the free colored people of the south, that has created so much -prejudice on the part of slaveholders against them. They have felt -that the very presence of a colored man, looking so genteelly and in -such a prosperous condition, made the slaves unhappy and discontented. -In the Southern Rights Convention which assembled at Baltimore, June -8, 1860, a resolution was adopted, calling on the legislature to pass -a law driving the free colored people out of the state. Nearly every -speaker took the ground that the free colored people must be driven out -to make the slave's obedience more secure. Judge Mason, in his speech, -said, "It is the thrifty and well-to-do free negroes, that are seen by -our slaves, that make them dissatisfied." A similar appeal was made to -the legislature of Tennessee. Judge Catron, of the Supreme Court of -the United States, in a long and able letter to the Nashville "Union," -opposed the driving out of the colored people. He said they were -among the best mechanics, the best artisans, and the most industrious -laborers in the state, and that to drive them out would be an injury -to the state itself. This is certainly good evidence in their behalf. - -The New Orleans "True Delta" opposed the passage of a similar law by -the State of Louisiana. Among other things it said, "There are a large -free colored population here, correct in their general deportment, -honorable in their intercourse with society, and free from reproach so -far as the laws are concerned, not surpassed in the inoffensiveness -of their lives by any equal number of persons in any place, north or -south." - -A movement was made in the legislature of South Carolina to expel -the free blacks from that state, and a committee was appointed to -investigate the matter. In their report the committee said, "We find -that the free blacks of this state are among our most industrious -people; in this city (Charleston) we find that they own over two and a -half millions of dollars worth of property; that they pay two thousand -seven hundred dollars tax to the city." - -Dr. Nehemiah Adams, whom I have already quoted, also testifies -to the good character of the free colored people; but he does it -unintentionally; it was not a part of the programme; how it slipped in -I cannot tell. Here it is, however, from page 41 of his "South-Side -View:"-- - -"A prosecuting officer, who had six or eight counties in his district, -told me that, during eight years service, he had made out about two -thousand bills of indictment, of which not more than twelve were -against colored persons." - -Hatred of the free colored people, and abuse of them, have always been -popular with the pro-slavery people of this country; yet, an American -senator from one of the Western States--a man who never lost an -opportunity to vilify and traduce the colored man, and who, in his last -canvass for a seat in the United States Senate, argued that the slaves -were better off in slavery than they would be if set free, and declared -that the blacks were unable to take care of themselves while enjoying -liberty--died, a short time since, twelve thousand dollars in debt to a -black man, who was the descendant of a slave. - -There is a Latin phrase--_De mortuis nil nisi bonum_. It is not saying -any thing against the reputation of Hon. Stephen A. Douglas to tell the -fact that he had borrowed money from a negro. I only find fault with -him that he should traduce the class that befriended him in the time -of need. James Gordon Bennett, of the New York Herald, in a time of -great pecuniary distress, soon after establishing his paper, borrowed -three hundred dollars of a black man; and now he is one of our most -relentless enemies. Thus it is that those who fattened upon us often -turn round and traduce us. Reputation is, indeed, dear to every nation -and race; but to us, the colored people of this country, who have so -many obstacles to surmount, it is doubly dear:-- - - - "Who steals my purse steals trash; - 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; - But he who filches from me my good name, - Robs me of that which not enriches him, - And makes me poor indeed." - - -You know we were told by the slaveholders, just before the breaking -out of the rebellion, that if we got into any difficulty with the -south, their slaves would take up arms and fight to a man for them. -Mr. Toombs, I believe, threatened that he would arm his slaves, and -other men in Congress from the slave states made the same threat. They -were going to arm the slaves and turn them against the north. They -said they could be trusted; and many people here at the north really -believed that the slave did not want his liberty, would not have it if -he could, and that the slave population was a very dangerous element -against the north; but at once, on the approach of our soldiers, the -slaves are seen, with their bundles and baskets, and hats and coats, -and without bundles or baskets, and without hats or coats, rushing -to our lines; demonstrating what we have so often said, that all the -slave was waiting for was the opportunity to get his liberty. Why -should you not have believed this? Why should you have supposed for a -moment, that, because a man's color differs a little from yours, he is -better contented to remain a slave than you would be, or that he has -no inclination, no wish, to escape from the thraldom that holds him so -tight? What is it that does not wish to be free? - - - "Go, let a cage with grates of gold, - And pearly roof, the eagle hold; - Let dainty viands be its fare, - And give the captive tenderest care; - But say, in luxury's limits pent, - Find you the king of birds content? - No; oft he'll sound the startling shriek, - And dash the cage with angry beak: - Precarious freedom's far more dear - Than all the prison's pampering cheer." - - -As with the eagle, so with man. He loves to look upon the bright day -and the stormy night; to gaze upon the broad, free ocean, its eternal -surging tides, its mountain billows, and its foam-crested waves; to -tread the steep mountain side; to sail upon the placid river; to wander -along the gurgling stream; to trace the sunny slope, the beautiful -landscape, the majestic forest, the flowery meadow; to listen to -the howling of the winds and the music of the birds. These are the -aspirations of man, without regard to country, clime, or color. - -"What shall we do with the slave of the south? Expatriate him," say -the haters of the negro. Expatriate him for what? He has cleared up -the swamps of the south, and has put the soil under cultivation; he -has built up her towns, and cities, and villages; he has enriched the -north and Europe with his cotton, and sugar, and rice; and for this -you would drive him out of the country! "What shall be done with the -slaves if they are freed?" You had better ask, "What shall we do with -the slaveholders if the slaves are freed?" The slave has shown himself -better fitted to take care of himself than the slaveholder. He is the -bone and sinew of the south; he is the producer, while the master is -nothing but a consumer, and a very poor consumer at that. The slave -is the producer, and he alone can be relied upon. He has the sinew, -the determination, and the will; and if you will take the free colored -people of the south as the criterion, take their past history as a -sample of what the colored people are capable of doing, every one must -be satisfied that the slaves can take care of themselves. Some say, -"Let them alone; they are well cared for, and that is enough." - - - "O, tell us not they're clothed and fed-- - 'Tis insult, stuff, and a' that; - With freedom gone, all joy is fled, - For Heaven's best gift is a' that." - - -But it is said, "The two races cannot live together in a state of -freedom." Why, that is the cry that rung all over England thirty years -ago: "If you liberate the slaves of the West Indies, they can't live -with the whites in a state of freedom." Thirty years have shown the -contrary. The blacks and the whites live together in Jamaica; they are -all prosperous, and the island in a better condition than it ever was -before the act of emancipation was passed. - -But they tell us, "If the slaves are emancipated, we won't receive -them upon an equality." Why, every man must make equality for himself. -No society, no government, can make this equality. I do not expect -the slave of the south to jump into equality; all I claim for him is, -that he may be allowed to jump into liberty, and let him make equality -for himself. I have some white neighbors around me in Cambridge; they -are not very intellectual; they don't associate with my family; but -whenever they shall improve themselves, and bring themselves up by -their own intellectual and moral worth, I shall not object to their -coming into my society--all things being equal. - -Now, this talk about not letting a man come to this place or that, and -that we won't do this for him, or won't do that for him, is all idle. -The anti-slavery agitators have never demanded that you shall take the -colored man, any more than that you shall take the uncultivated and -uncouth white man, and place him in a certain position in society. -All I demand for the black man is, that the white people shall take -their heels off his neck, and let him have a chance to rise by his own -efforts. - -The idea of colonizing the slaves in some other country, outside of the -United States, seems the height of folly. Whatever may be the mineral -wealth of a country, or the producing capabilities of the soil, neither -can be made available without the laborer. Four millions of strong -hands cannot be spared from the Southern States. All time has shown -that the negro is the best laborer in the tropics. - -The slaves once emancipated and left on the lands, four millions of -new consumers will spring into existence. Heretofore, the bondmen have -consumed nothing scarcely from the north. The cost of keeping a slave -was only about nineteen dollars per annum, including food, clothing, -and doctors' bills. Negro cloth, negro shoes, and negro whips were -all that were sent south by northern manufacturers. Let slavery be -abolished, and stores will be opened and a new trade take place with -the blacks south. Northern manufacturers will have to run on extra -time till this new demand will have been supplied. The slave owner, -having no longer an inducement to be idle, will go to work, and will -not have time to concoct treason against the _stars and stripes_. I -cannot close this appeal without a word about the free blacks in the -non-slaveholding states. - -The majority of the colored people in the Northern States descended -from slaves: many of them were slaves themselves. In education, in -morals, and in the development of mechanical genius, the free blacks -of the Northern States will compare favorably with any laboring class -in the world. And considering the fact that we have been shut out, by -a cruel prejudice, from nearly all the mechanical branches, and all -the professions, it is marvellous that we have attained the position -we now occupy. Notwithstanding these bars, our young men have learned -trades, become artists, gone into the professions, although bitter -prejudice may prevent their having a great deal of practice. When it is -considered that they have mostly come out of bondage, and that their -calling has been the lowest kind in every community, it is still more -strange that the colored people have amassed so much wealth in every -state in the Union. If this is not an exhibition of capacity, I don't -understand the meaning of the term. And if true patriotism and devotion -to the cause of freedom be tests of loyalty, and should establish one's -claim to all the privileges that the government can confer, then surely -the black man can demand his rights with a good grace. From the fall -of Attucks, the first martyr of the American revolution in 1770, down -to the present day, the colored people have shown themselves worthy of -any confidence that the nation can place in its citizens in the time -that tries men's souls. At the battle of Bunker Hill, on the heights of -Groton, at the ever-memorable battle of Red Bank, the sable sons of our -country stood side by side with their white brethren. On Lakes Erie and -Champlain, on the Hudson, and down in the valley of the Mississippi, -they established their valor and their invincibility. Whenever the -rights of the nation have been assailed, the negro has always responded -to his country's call, at once, and with every pulsation of his heart -beating for freedom. And no class of Americans have manifested more -solicitude for the success of the federal arms in the present struggle -with rebellion, than the colored people. At the north, they were among -the earliest to respond to the president's first proclamation, calling -for troops. At the south, they have ever shown a preference for the -_stars and stripes_. In his official despatch to Minister Adams, Mr. -Secretary Seward said,-- - -"Every where the American general receives his most useful and reliable -information from the negro, _who hails his coming as the harbinger of -freedom_." - - - - -THE BLACK MAN, - -HIS GENIUS AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. - - -BENJAMIN BANNEKER. - -The services rendered to science, to liberty, and to the intellectual -character of the negro by Banneker, are too great for us to allow his -name to sleep and his genius and merits to remain hidden from the -world. BENJAMIN BANNEKER was born in the State of Maryland, in the -year 1732, of pure African parentage; their blood never having been -corrupted by the introduction of a drop of Anglo-Saxon. His father -was a slave, and of course could do nothing towards the education of -the child. The mother, however, being free, succeeded in purchasing -the freedom of her husband, and they, with their son, settled on a -few acres of land, where Benjamin remained during the lifetime of -his parents. His entire schooling was gained from an obscure country -school, established for the education of the children of free negroes; -and these advantages were poor, for the boy appears to have finished -studying before he arrived at his fifteenth year. Although out of -school, Banneker was still a student, and read with great care and -attention such books as he could get. Mr. George Ellicott, a gentleman -of fortune and considerable literary taste, and who resided near to -Benjamin, became interested in him, and lent him books from his large -library. Among these books were Mayer's Tables, Fergusson's Astronomy, -and Leadbeater's Lunar Tables. A few old and imperfect astronomical -instruments also found their way into the boy's hands, all of which he -used with great benefit to his own mind. - -Banneker took delight in the study of the languages, and soon mastered -the Latin, Greek, and German. He was also proficient in the French. -The classics were not neglected by him, and the general literary -knowledge which he possessed caused Mr. Ellicott to regard him as the -most learned man in the town, and he never failed to introduce Banneker -to his most distinguished guests. About this time Benjamin turned -his attention particularly to astronomy, and determined on making -calculations for an almanac, and completed a set for the whole year. -Encouraged by this attempt, he entered upon calculations for subsequent -years, which, as well as the former, he began and finished without the -least assistance from any person or books than those already mentioned; -so that whatever merit is attached to his performance is exclusively -his own. He published an almanac in Philadelphia for the years 1792, -'3, '4, and '5, which contained his calculations, exhibiting the -different aspects of the planets, a table of the motions of the sun -and moon, their risings and settings, and the courses of the bodies -of the planetary system. By this time Banneker's acquirements had -become generally known, and the best scholars in the country opened -correspondence with him. Goddard & Angell, the well-known Baltimore -publishers, engaged his pen for their establishment, and became the -publishers of his almanacs. A copy of his first production was sent to -Thomas Jefferson, together with a letter intended to interest the great -statesman in the cause of negro emancipation and the elevation of the -race, in which he says,-- - -"It is a truth too well attested to need a proof here, that we are a -race of beings who have long labored under the abuse and censure of -the world; that we have long been looked upon with an eye of contempt, -and considered rather as brutish than human, and scarcely capable of -mental endowments. I hope I may safely admit, in consequence of the -report which has reached me, that you are a man far less inflexible in -sentiments of this nature than many others; that you are measurably -friendly and well disposed towards us, and that you are willing to -lend your aid and assistance for our relief from those many distresses -and numerous calamities to which we are reduced. If this is founded -in truth, I apprehend you will embrace every opportunity to eradicate -that train of absurd and false ideas and opinions which so generally -prevail with respect to us, and that your sentiments are concurrent -with mine, which are, that one universal Father hath given being to us -all; that he hath not only made us all of one flesh, but that he hath -also, without partiality, afforded us all the same sensations, and -endowed us all with the same faculties; and that, however variable we -may be in society or religion, however diversified in situation or in -color, we are all of the same family, and stand in the same relation -to him. If these are sentiments of which you are fully persuaded, you -cannot but acknowledge that it is the indispensable duty of those who -maintain the rights of human nature, and who profess the obligations -of Christianity, to extend their power and influence to the relief of -every part of the human race from whatever burden or oppression they -may unjustly labor under; and this, I apprehend, a full conviction of -the truth and obligation of these principles should lead all to. I have -long been convinced that if your love for yourselves, and for those -inestimable laws which preserved to you the rights of human nature, -was founded on sincerity, you could not but be solicitous that every -individual, of whatever rank or distinction, might with you equally -enjoy the blessings thereof; neither could you rest satisfied short of -the most active effusion of your exertions, in order to effect their -promotion from any state of degradation to which the unjustifiable -cruelty and barbarism of men may have reduced them. - -"I freely and cheerfully acknowledge that I am one of the African race, -and in that color which is natural to them, of the deepest dye; and it -is under a sense of the most profound gratitude to the Supreme Ruler of -the universe, that I now confess to you that I am not under that state -of tyrannical thraldom and inhuman captivity to which too many of my -brethren are doomed; but that I have abundantly tasted of the fruition -of those blessings which proceed from that free and unequalled liberty -with which you are favored, and which I hope you will willingly allow -you have mercifully received from the immediate hand of that Being from -whom proceedeth every good and perfect gift. - -"Your knowledge of the situation of my brethren is too extensive to -need a recital here; neither shall I presume to prescribe methods by -which they may be relieved, otherwise than by recommending to you -and to others to wean yourselves from those narrow prejudices which -you have imbibed with respect to them, and, as Job proposed to his -friends, 'put your soul in their souls' stead.' Thus shall your hearts -be enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards them; and thus shall -you need neither the direction of myself or others in what manner to -proceed herein.... The calculation for this almanac is the production -of my arduous study in my advanced stage of life; for having long had -unbounded desires to become acquainted with the secrets of nature, -I have had to gratify my curiosity herein through my own assiduous -application to astronomical study, in which I need not recount to you -the many difficulties and disadvantages which I have had to encounter." - -Mr. Jefferson at once replied as follows:-- - - - "PHILADELPHIA, _August 30, 1791_. - - "SIR: I thank you sincerely for your letter and the almanac it - contained. Nobody wishes more than I do to see such proofs as - you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren talents - equal to those of the other colors of men, and that the appearance - of the want of them is owing merely to the degraded condition - of their existence, both in Africa and America. I can add with - truth, that nobody wishes more ardently to see a good system - commenced for raising their condition, both of their body and - their mind, to what it ought to be, as far as the imbecility of - their present existence, and other circumstances, which cannot - be neglected, will admit. I have taken the liberty of sending - your almanac to Monsieur de Condorcet, secretary of the Academy - of Sciences at Paris, and a member of the Philanthropic Society, - because I consider it as a document to which your whole color have - a right for their justification against the doubts which have been - entertained of them. - - "I am, with great esteem, - - "Dear sir, your obedient, &c., - - "THOMAS JEFFERSON. - - "To MR. B. BANNEKER." - - -The letter from Banneker, together with the almanac, created in the -heart of Mr. Jefferson a fresh feeling of enthusiasm in behalf of -freedom, and especially for the negro, which ceased only with his life. -The American statesman wrote to Brissot, the celebrated French writer, -in which he made enthusiastic mention of the "Negro Philosopher." -At the formation of the "Society of the Friends of the Blacks," at -Paris, by Lafayette, Brissot, Barnave, Condorcet, and Gregoire, the -name of Banneker was again and again referred to to prove the equality -of the races. Indeed, the genius of the "Negro Philosopher" did much -towards giving liberty to the people of St. Domingo. In the British -House of Commons, Pitt, Wilberforce, and Buxton often alluded to -Banneker by name, as a man fit to fill any position in society. At -the setting off of the District of Columbia for the capital of the -federal government, Banneker was invited by the Maryland commissioners, -and took an honorable part in the settlement of the territory. But -throughout all his intercourse with men of influence, he never lost -sight of the condition of his race, and ever urged the emancipation -and elevation of the slave. He well knew that every thing that was -founded upon the admitted inferiority of natural right in the African -was calculated to degrade him and bring him nearer to the foot of the -oppressor, and he therefore never failed to allude to the equality of -the races when with those whites whom he could influence. He always -urged self-elevation upon the colored people whom he met. He felt that -to deprive the black man of the inspiration of ambition, of hope, of -health, of standing among his brethren of the earth, was to take from -him all incentives to mental improvement. What husbandman incurs the -toil of seed time and culture, except with a view to the subsequent -enjoyment of a golden harvest? Banneker was endowed by nature with all -those excellent qualifications which are necessary previous to the -accomplishment of a great man. His memory was large and tenacious, yet, -by a curious felicity, chiefly susceptible of the finest impressions -it received from the best authors he read, which he always preserved -in their primitive strength and amiable order. He had a quickness -of apprehension and a vivacity of understanding which easily took -in and surmounted the most subtile and knotty parts of mathematics -and metaphysics. He possessed in a large degree that genius which -constitutes a man of letters; that quality without which judgment is -cold and knowledge is inert; that energy which collects, combines, -amplifies, and animates. - -He knew every branch of history, both natural and civil; he had read -all the original historians of England, France, and Germany, and -was a great antiquarian. Criticism, metaphysics, morals, politics, -voyages and travels, were all studied and well digested by him. With -such a fund of knowledge his conversation was equally interesting, -instructive, and entertaining. Banneker was so favorably appreciated -by the first families in Virginia, that in 1803 he was invited by -Mr. Jefferson, then President of the United States, to visit him at -Monticello, where the statesman had gone for recreation. But he was -too infirm to undertake the journey. He died the following year, aged -seventy-two. Like the golden sun that has sunk beneath the western -horizon, but still throws upon the world, which he sustained and -enlightened in his career, the reflected beams of his departed genius, -his name can only perish with his language. - -Banneker believed in the divinity of reason, and in the omnipotence of -the human understanding with Liberty for its handmaid. The intellect -impregnated by science and multiplied by time, it appeared to him, must -triumph necessarily over all the resistance of matter. He had faith in -liberty, truth, and virtue. His remains still rest in the slave state -where he lived and died, with no stone to mark the spot or tell that it -is the grave of Benjamin Banneker. - -He labored incessantly, lived irreproachably, and died in the literary -harness, universally esteemed and regretted. - - -NAT TURNER. - -Biography is individual history, as distinguished from that of -communities, of nations, and of worlds. Eulogy is that deserved -applause which springs from the virtues and attaches itself to the -characters of men. This is not intended either as a biography or a -eulogy, but simply a sketch of one whose history has hitherto been -neglected, and to the memory of whom the American people are not -prepared to do justice. - -On one of the oldest and largest plantations in Southampton county, -Virginia, owned by Benjamin Turner, Esq., Nat was born a slave, on -the 2d of October, 1800. His parents were of unmixed African descent. -Surrounded as he was by the superstition of the slave quarters, and -being taught by his mother that he was born for a prophet, a preacher, -and a deliverer of his race, it was not strange that the child should -have imbibed the principles which were afterwards developed in his -career. Early impressed with the belief that he had seen visions, and -received communications direct from God, he, like Napoleon, regarded -himself as a being of destiny. In his childhood Nat was of an amiable -disposition; but circumstances in which he was placed as a slave, -brought out incidents that created a change in his disposition, and -turned his kind and docile feeling into the most intense hatred to the -white race. - -Being absent one night from his master's plantation without a pass, -he was caught by Whitlock and Mull, the two district patrolers, and -severely flogged. This act of cruelty inflamed the young slave, and he -resolved upon having revenge. Getting two of the boys of a neighboring -plantation to join him, Nat obtained a long rope, went out at night -on the road through which the officers had their beat, and stationing -his companions, one on each side of the road, he stretched the rope -across, fastening each end to a tree, and drawing it tight. His rope -thus fixed, and his accomplices instructed how to act their part, Nat -started off up the road. The night being dark, and the rope only six or -eight inches from the ground, the slave felt sure that he would give -his enemies a "high fall." - -Nat hearing them, he called out in a disguised voice, "Is dat you, -Jim?" To this Whitlock replied, "Yes, dis is me." Waiting until the -white men were near him, Nat started off upon a run, followed by the -officers. The boy had placed a sheet of white paper in the road, so -that he might know at what point to jump the rope, so as not to be -caught in his own trap. Arriving at the signal he sprung over the rope, -and went down the road like an antelope. But not so with the white men, -for both were caught by the legs and thrown so hard upon the ground -that Mull had his shoulder put out of joint, and his face terribly -lacerated by the fall; while Whitlock's left wrist was broken, and -his head bruised in a shocking manner. Nat hastened home, while his -companions did the same, not forgetting to take with them the clothes -line which had been so serviceable in the conflict. The patrolers were -left on the field of battle, crying, swearing, and calling for help. - -Snow seldom falls as far south as the southern part of Virginia; but -when it does, the boys usually have a good time snow-balling, and on -such occasions the slaves, old and young, women and men, are generally -pelted without mercy, and with no right to retaliate. It was only a -few months after his affair with the patrolers, that Nat was attacked -by a gang of boys, who chased him some distance, snow-balling with all -their power. The slave boy knew the lads, and determined upon revenge. -Waiting till night, he filled his pockets with rocks, and went into -the street. Very soon the same gang of boys were at his heels, and -pelting him. Concealing his face so as not to be known, Nat discharged -his rocks in every direction, until his enemies had all taken to their -heels. - -The ill treatment he experienced at the hands of the whites, and the -visions he claimed to have seen, caused Nat to avoid, as far as he -could, all intercourse with his fellow-slaves, and threw around him a -gloom and melancholy that disappeared only with his life. - -Both the young slave and his friends averred that a full knowledge -of the alphabet came to him in a single night. Impressed with the -belief that his mission was a religious one, and this impression -strengthened by the advice of his grandmother, a pious but ignorant -woman, Nat commenced preaching when about twenty-five of age, but never -went beyond his own master's locality. In stature he was under the -middle size, long armed, round-shouldered, and strongly marked with -the African features. A gloomy fire burned in his looks, and he had a -melancholy expression of countenance. He never tasted a drop of ardent -spirits in his life, and was never known to smile. In the year 1828 new -visions appeared to Nat, and he claimed to have direct communication -with God. Unlike most of those born under the influence of slavery, he -had no faith in conjuring, fortune-telling, or dreams, and always spoke -with contempt of such things. Being hired out to cruel masters, he ran -away, and remained in the woods thirty days, and could have easily -escaped to the free states, as did his father some years before; but he -received, as he says in his confession a communication from the spirit, -which said, "Return to your earthly master, for he who knoweth his -Master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." -It was not the will of his earthly, but his heavenly Master that he -felt bound to do, and therefore Nat returned. His fellow-slaves were -greatly incensed at him for coming back, for they knew well his ability -to reach Canada, or some other land of freedom, if he was so inclined. -He says further, "About this time I had a vision, and saw white spirits -and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened, the -thunder rolled in the heavens, and blood flowed in streams; and I heard -a voice saying, 'Such is your luck; such are you called on to see; and -let it come, rough or smooth, you must surely bear it.'" Some time -after this, Nat had, as he says, another vision, in which the spirit -appeared and said, "The serpent is loosened, and Christ has laid down -the yoke he has borne for the sins of men, and you must take it up, -and fight against the serpent, for the time is fast approaching when -the first shall be last, and the last shall be first." There is no -doubt but that this last sentence filled Nat with enthusiastic feeling -in favor of the liberty of his race, that he had so long dreamed of. -"The last shall be first, and the first shall be last," seemed to him -to mean something. He saw in it the overthrow of the whites, and the -establishing of the blacks in their stead, and to this end he bent -the energies of his mind. In February, 1831, Nat received his last -communication, and beheld his last vision. He said, "I was told I -should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own -weapons." - -The plan of an insurrection was now formed in his own mind, and the -time had arrived for him to take others into the secret; and he at once -communicated his ideas to four of his friends, in whom he had implicit -confidence. Hark Travis, Nelson Williams, Sam Edwards, and Henry Porter -were slaves like himself, and like him had taken their names from their -masters. A meeting must be held with these, and it must take place in -some secluded place, where the whites would not disturb them; and a -meeting was appointed. The spot where they assembled was as wild and -romantic as were the visions that had been impressed upon the mind of -their leader. - -Three miles from where Nat lived was a dark swamp filled with reptiles, -in the middle of which was a dry spot, reached by a narrow, winding -path, and upon which human feet seldom trod, on account of its having -been the place where a slave had been tortured to death by a slow fire, -for the crime of having flogged his cruel and inhuman master. The -night for the meeting arrived, and they came together. Hark brought a -pig; Sam, bread; Nelson, sweet potatoes; and Henry, brandy; and the -gathering was turned into a feast. Others were taken in, and joined -the conspiracy. All partook heartily of the food and drank freely, -except Nat. He fasted and prayed. It was agreed that the revolt -should commence that night, and in their own master's households, -and that each slave should give his oppressor the death blow. Before -they left the swamp Nat made a speech, in which he said, "Friends and -brothers: We are to commence a great work to-night. Our race is to be -delivered from slavery, and God has appointed us as the men to do his -bidding, and let us be worthy of our calling. I am told to slay all -the whites we encounter, without regard to age or sex. We have no arms -or ammunition, but we will find these in the houses of our oppressors, -and as we go on others can join us. Remember that we do not go forth -for the sake of blood and carnage, but it is necessary that in the -commencement of this revolution all the whites we meet should die, -until we shall have an army strong enough to carry on the war upon a -Christian basis. Remember that ours is not a war for robbery and to -satisfy our passions; it is a struggle for freedom. Ours must be deeds, -and not words. Then let's away to the scene of action." - -Among those who had joined the conspirators was Will, a slave, who -scorned the idea of taking his master's name. Though his soul longed -to be free, he evidently became one of the party, as much to satisfy -revenge, as for the liberty that he saw in the dim distance. Will had -seen a dear and beloved wife sold to the negro trader and taken away, -never to be beheld by him again in this life. His own back was covered -with scars, from his shoulders to his feet. A large scar, running from -his right eye down to his chin, showed that he had lived with a cruel -master. Nearly six feet in height, and one of the strongest and most -athletic of his race, he proved to be the most unfeeling of all the -insurrectionists. His only weapon was a broadaxe, sharp and heavy. - -Nat and his accomplices at once started for the plantation of Joseph -Travis, with whom the four lived, and there the first blow was struck. -In his confession, just before his execution, Nat said,-- - -"On returning to the house, Hark went to the door with an axe, for the -purpose of breaking it open, as we knew we were strong enough to murder -the family should they be awakened by the noise; but reflecting that -it might create an alarm in the neighborhood, we determined to enter -the house secretly, and murder them whilst sleeping. Hark got a ladder -and set it against the chimney, on which I ascended, and hoisting a -window, entered and came down stairs, unbarred the doors, and removed -the guns from their places. It was then observed that I must spill the -first blood. On which, armed with a hatchet, and accompanied by Will, -I entered my master's chamber. It being dark, I could not give a death -blow. The hatchet glanced from his head; he sprang from the bed and -called his wife. It was his last word; Will laid him dead with a blow -of his axe, and Mrs. Travis shared the same fate, as she lay in bed. -The murder of this family, five in number, was the work of a moment; -not one of them awoke. There was a little infant sleeping in a cradle, -that was forgotten until we had left the house and gone some distance, -when Henry and Will returned and killed it. We got here four guns that -would shoot, and several old muskets, with a pound or two of powder. We -remained for some time at the barn, where we paraded; I formed them in -line as soldiers, and after carrying them through all the manœuvres I -was master of, marched them off to Mr. Salathiel Francis's, about six -hundred yards distant. - -"Sam and Will went to the door and knocked. Mr. Francis asked who was -there; Sam replied it was he, and he had a letter for him; on this he -got up and came to the door; they immediately seized him and dragging -him out a little from the door, he was despatched by repeated blows on -the head. There was no other white person in the family. We started -from there to Mrs. Reese's, maintaining the most perfect silence on our -march, where, finding the door unlocked, we entered and murdered Mrs. -Reese in her bed while sleeping; her son awoke, but only to sleep the -sleep of death; he had only time to say, 'Who is that?' and he was no -more. From Mrs. Reese's we went to Mrs. Turner's, a mile distant, which -we reached about sunrise, on Monday morning. Henry, Austin, and Sam, -went to the still, where, finding Mr. Peebles, Austin shot him; the -rest of us went to the house. As we approached, the family discovered -us and shut the door. Vain hope! Will, with one stroke of his axe, -opened it, and we entered, and found Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Newsome in -the middle of a room, almost frightened to death. Will immediately -killed Mrs. Turner with one blow of his axe. I took Mrs. Newsome by the -hand, and with the sword I had when apprehended, I struck her several -blows over the head, but was not able to kill her, as the sword was -dull. Will, turning round and discovering it, despatched her also. A -general destruction of property, and search for money and ammunition, -always succeeded the murders. - -"By this time, my company amounted to fifteen, nine men mounted, who -started for Mrs. Whitehead's, (the other six were to go through a -by-way to Mr. Bryant's, and rejoin us at Mrs. Whitehead's.) As we -approached the house we discovered Mr. Richard Whitehead standing in -the cotton patch, near the lane fence; we called him over into the -lane, and Will, the executioner, was near at hand, with his fatal -axe, to send him to an untimely grave. As we pushed on to the house, -I discovered some one running round the garden, and thinking it was -some of the white family, I pursued, but finding it was a servant -girl belonging to the house, I returned to commence the work of -death; but they whom I left had not been idle: all the family were -already murdered but Mrs. Whitehead and her daughter Margaret. As I -came round to the door I saw Will pulling Mrs. Whitehead out of the -house, and at the step he nearly severed her head from her body with -his broadaxe. Miss Margaret, when I discovered her, had concealed -herself in the corner formed by the projection of the cellar cap from -the house; on my approach she fled, but was soon overtaken, and after -repeated blows with a sword, I killed her by a blow over the head -with a fence rail. By this time the six who had gone by Mr. Bryant's -rejoined us, and informed me they had done the work of death assigned -them. We again divided, part going to Mr. Richard Porter's, and from -thence to Nathaniel Francis's, the others to Mr. Howell Harris's and -Mr. T. Doyles's. On my reaching Mr. Porter's, he had escaped with his -family. I understood there that the alarm had already spread, and I -immediately returned to bring up those sent to Mr. Doyles's and Mr. -Howell Harris's; the party I left going on to Mr. Francis's, having -told them I would join them in that neighborhood. I met those sent to -Mr. Doyles's and Mr. Howell Harris's returning, having met Mr. Doyles -on the road and killed him. Learning from some who joined them, that -Mr. Harris was from home, I immediately pursued the course taken by -the party gone on before; but knowing that they would complete the -work of death and pillage at Mr. Francis's before I could get there, -I went to Mr. Peter Edwards's, expecting to find them there; but they -had been there already. I then went to Mr. John T. Barrow's; they had -been there and murdered him. I pursued on their track to Captain Newitt -Harris's. I found the greater part mounted and ready to start; the -men, now amounting to about forty, shouted and hurrahed as I rode up; -some were in the yard loading their guns, others drinking. They said -Captain Harris and his family had escaped; the property in the house -they destroyed, robbing him of money and other valuables. I ordered -them to mount and march instantly; this was about nine or ten o'clock, -Monday morning. I proceeded to Mr. Levi Waller's, two or three miles -distant. I took my station in the rear, and as it was my object to -carry terror and devastation wherever we went, I placed fifteen or -twenty of the best mounted and most to be relied on in front, who -generally approached the houses as fast as their horses could run; this -was for two purposes, to prevent their escape and strike terror to the -inhabitants--on this account I never got to the houses, after leaving -Mrs. Whitehead's, until the murders were committed, except in one case. -I sometimes got in sight in time to see the work of death completed, -viewed the mangled bodies as they lay, in silent satisfaction, and -immediately started in quest of other victims. Having murdered Mrs. -Waller and ten children, we started for Mr. William Williams's. We -killed him and two little boys that were there: while engaged in this, -Mrs. Williams fled, and got some distance from the house; but she was -pursued, overtaken, and compelled to get up behind one of the company, -who brought her back, and after showing her the mangled body of her -lifeless husband, she was told to get down and lie by his side, where -she was shot dead. I then started for Mr. Jacob Williams's, where the -family were murdered. Here we found a young man named Drury, who had -come on business with Mr. Williams; he was pursued, overtaken, and -shot. Mrs. Vaughan's was the next place we visited; and after murdering -the family here, I determined on starting for Jerusalem. Our number -amounted now to fifty or sixty, all mounted and armed with guns, axes, -swords, and clubs. On reaching Mr. James W. Parker's gate, immediately -on the road leading to Jerusalem, and about three miles distant, it was -proposed to me to call there; but I objected, as I knew he was gone -to Jerusalem, and my object was to reach there as soon as possible; -but some of the men having relations at Mr. Parker's, it was agreed -that they might call and get his people. I remained at the gate on -the road, with seven or eight, the others going across the field to -the house, about half a mile off. After waiting some time for them, I -became impatient, and started to the house for them, and on our return -we were met by a party of white men, who had pursued our blood-stained -track, and who had fired on those at the gate, and dispersed them, -which I knew nothing of, not having been at that time rejoined by any -of them. Immediately on discovering the whites, I ordered my men to -halt and form, as they appeared to be alarmed. The white men, eighteen -in number, approached us in about one hundred yards, when one of them -fired, and I discovered about half of them, retreating. I then ordered -my men to fire and rush on them; the few remaining stood their ground -until we approached within fifty yards, when they fired and retreated. -We pursued and overtook some of them, whom we thought we left dead; -after pursuing them about two hundred yards, and rising a little hill, -I discovered they were met by another party, and had halted, and were -reloading their guns, thinking that those who retreated first, and -the party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards distant, had only -fallen back to meet others with ammunition. As I saw them reloading -their guns, and more coming up than I saw at first, and several of my -bravest men being wounded, the others became panic-struck and scattered -over the field; the white men pursued and fired on us several times. -Hark had his horse shot under him, and I caught another for him that -was running by me; five or six of my men were wounded, but none left -on the field. Finding myself defeated here, I instantly determined to -go through a private way, and cross the Nottoway River at the Cypress -Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem, and attack that place in the rear, -as I expected they would look for me on the other road, and I had a -great desire to get there to procure arms and ammunition." - -Reënforcements came to the whites, and the blacks were overpowered and -defeated by the superior numbers of their enemy. In this battle many -were slain on both sides. Will, the bloodthirsty and revengeful slave, -fell with his broadaxe uplifted, after having laid three of the whites -dead at his feet with his own strong arm and his terrible weapon. His -last words were, "Bury my axe with me." For he religiously believed -that in the next world the blacks would have a contest with the whites, -and that he would need his axe. Nat Turner, after fighting to the last -with his short sword, escaped with some others to the woods near by, -and was not captured for nearly two months. When brought to trial he -pleaded "not guilty;" feeling, as he said, that it was always right -for one to strike for his own liberty. After going through a mere form -of trial, he was convicted and executed at Jerusalem, the county seat -for Southampton county, Virginia. Not a limb trembled or a muscle was -observed to move. Thus died Nat Turner, at the early age of thirty-one -years--a martyr to the freedom of his race, and a victim to his own -fanaticism. He meditated upon the wrongs of his oppressed and injured -people, till the idea of their deliverance excluded all other ideas -from his mind, and he devoted his life to its realization. Every thing -appeared to him a vision, and all favorable omens were signs from -God. That he was sincere in all that he professed, there is not the -slightest doubt. After being defeated he might have escaped to the free -states, but the hope of raising a new band kept him from doing so. - -He impressed his image upon the minds of those who once beheld him. His -looks, his sermons, his acts, and his heroism live in the hearts of -his race, on every cotton, sugar, and rice plantation at the south. -The present generation of slaves have a superstitious veneration for -his name, and believe that in another insurrection Nat Turner will -appear and take command. He foretold that at his death the sun would -refuse to shine, and that there would be signs of disapprobation -given from heaven. And it is true that the sun was darkened, a storm -gathered, and more boisterous weather had never appeared in Southampton -county than on the day of Nat's execution. The sheriff, warned by the -prisoner, refused to cut the cord that held the trap. No black man -would touch the rope. A poor old white man, long besotted by drink, -was brought forty miles to be the executioner. And even the planters, -with all their prejudice and hatred, believed him honest and sincere; -for Mr. Gray, who had known Nat from boyhood, and to whom he made his -confession, says of him,-- - -"It has been said that he was ignorant and cowardly, and that his -object was to murder and rob, for the purpose of obtaining money to -make his escape. It is notorious that he was never known to have a -dollar in his life, to swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As -to his ignorance, he certainly never had the advantages of education; -but he can read and write, and for natural intelligence and quickness -of apprehension, is surpassed by few men I have ever seen. As to his -being a coward, his reason, as given, for not resisting Mr. Phipps, -shows the decision of his character. When he saw Mr. Phipps present -his gun, he said he knew it was impossible for him to escape, as the -woods were full of men; he therefore thought it was better for him -to surrender, and trust to fortune for his escape. He is a complete -fanatic, or plays his part most admirably. On other subjects he -possesses an uncommon share of intelligence, with a mind capable of -attaining any thing, but warped and perverted by the influence of -early impressions. He is below the ordinary stature, though strong and -active; having the true negro face, every feature of which is strongly -marked. I shall not attempt to describe the effect of his narrative, as -told and commented on by himself, in the condemned hole of the prison; -the calm, deliberate composure with which he spoke of his late deeds -and intentions; the expressions of his fiend-like face, when excited by -enthusiasm--still bearing the stains of the blood of helpless innocence -about him, clothed with rags and covered with chains, yet daring to -raise his manacled hands to heaven, with a spirit soaring above the -attributes of man; I looked on him, and the blood curdled in my veins." - -Well might he feel the blood curdle in his veins, when he remembered -that in every southern household there may be a Nat Turner, in whose -soul God has lighted a torch of liberty that cannot be extinguished by -the hand of man. The slaveholder should understand that he lives upon a -volcano, which may burst forth at any moment, and give freedom to his -victim. - - - "Great God, hasten on the glad jubilee, - When my brother in bonds shall arise and be free, - And our blotted escutcheon be washed from its stains, - Now the scorn of the world--four millions in chains! - O, then shall Columbia's proud flag be unfurled, - The glory of freemen, and pride of the world, - While earth's strolling millions point hither in glee, - 'To the land of the brave and the home of the free!'" - - -Fifty-five whites and seventy-three blacks lost their lives in the -Southampton rebellion. On the fatal night when Nat and his companions -were dealing death to all they found, Captain Harris, a wealthy -planter, had his life saved by the devotion and timely warning of his -slave Jim, said to have been half-brother to his master. After the -revolt had been put down, and parties of whites were out hunting the -suspected blacks, Captain Harris, with his faithful slave, went into -the woods in search of the negroes. In saving his master's life, Jim -felt that he had done his duty, and could not consent to become a -betrayer of his race, and, on reaching the woods, he handed his pistol -to his master, and said, "I cannot help you hunt down these men; they, -like myself, want to be free. Sir, I am tired of the life of a slave; -please give me my freedom, or shoot me on the spot." Captain Harris -took the weapon and pointed it at the slave. Jim, putting his right -hand upon his heart, said, "This is the spot; aim here." The captain -fired, and the slave fell dead at his feet. - -From this insurrection, and other manifestations of insubordination by -the slave population, the southern people, if they are wise, should -learn a grave lesson; for the experience of the past might give them -some clew to the future. - -Thirty years' free discussion has materially changed public opinion in -the non-slaveholding states, and a negro insurrection, in the present -excited state of the nation, would not receive the condemnation that it -did in 1831. The right of man to the enjoyment of freedom is a settled -point; and where he is deprived of this, without any criminal act of -his own, it is his duty to regain his liberty at every cost. - -If the oppressor is struck down in the contest, his fall will be a just -one, and all the world will applaud the act. - -This is a new era, and we are in the midst of the most important crisis -that our country has yet witnessed. And in the crisis the negro is an -important item. Every eye is now turned towards the south, looking for -another Nat Turner. - - -MADISON WASHINGTON. - -Among the great number of fugitive slaves who arrived in Canada -towards the close of the year 1840, was one whose tall figure, firm -step, and piercing eye attracted at once the attention of all who -beheld him. Nature had treated him as a favorite. His expressive -countenance painted and reflected every emotion of his soul. There was -a fascination in the gaze of his finely-cut eyes that no one could -withstand. Born of African parentage, with no mixture in his blood, -he was one of the handsomest of his race. His dignified, calm, and -unaffected features announced at a glance that he was one endowed with -genius, and created to guide his fellow-men. He called himself Madison -Washington, and said that his birthplace was in the "Old Dominion." He -might have seen twenty-five years; but very few slaves have any correct -idea of their age. Madison was not poorly dressed, and had some money -at the end of his journey, which showed that he was not from among the -worst used slaves of the south. He immediately sought employment at a -neighboring farm, where he remained some months. A strong, able-bodied -man, and a good worker, and apparently satisfied with his situation, -his employer felt that he had a servant who would stay with him a -long while. The farmer would occasionally raise a conversation, and -try to draw from Madison some account of his former life; but in this -he failed, for the fugitive was a man of few words, and kept his own -secrets. His leisure hours were spent in learning to read and write, -and in this he seemed to take the utmost interest. He appeared to take -no interest in the sports and amusements that occupied the attention of -others. Six months had not passed ere Madison began to show signs of -discontent. In vain his employer tried to discover the cause. - -"Do I not pay you enough, and treat you in a becoming manner?" asked -Mr. Dickson one day when the fugitive seemed in a very desponding mood. - -"Yes, sir," replied Madison. - -"Then why do you appear so much dissatisfied, of late?" - -"Well, sir," said the fugitive, "since you have treated me with such -kindness, and seem to take so much interest in me, I will tell you -the reason why I have changed, and appear to you to be dissatisfied. -I was born in slavery, in the State of Virginia. From my earliest -recollections I hated slavery and determined to be free. I have never -yet called any man master, though I have been held by three different -men who claimed me as their property. The birds in the trees and the -wild beasts of the forest made me feel that I, like them, ought to be -free. My feelings were all thus centred in the one idea of liberty, of -which I thought by day and dreamed by night. I had scarcely reached -my twentieth year when I became acquainted with the angelic being who -has since become my wife. It was my intention to have escaped with her -before we were married, but circumstances prevented. - -"I took her to my bosom as my wife, and then resolved to make the -attempt. But unfortunately my plans were discovered, and to save myself -from being caught and sold off to the far south I escaped to the woods, -where I remained during many weary months. As I could not bring my -wife away, I would not come without her. Another reason for remaining -was, that I hoped to get up an insurrection of the slaves, and thereby -be the means of their liberation. In this, too, I failed. At last it -was agreed between my wife and me that I should escape to Canada, get -employment, save my money, and with it purchase her freedom. With the -hope of attaining this end I came into your service. I am now satisfied -that, with the wages I can command here, it will take me not less than -five years to obtain by my labor the amount sufficient to purchase the -liberty of my dear Susan. Five years will be too long for me to wait, -for she may die or be sold away ere I can raise the money. This, sir, -makes me feel low-spirited, and I have come to the rash determination -to return to Virginia for my wife." - -The recital of the story had already brought tears to the eyes of the -farmer, ere the fugitive had concluded. In vain did Mr. Dickson try -to persuade Madison to give up the idea of going back into the very -grasp of the tyrant, and risking the loss of his own freedom without -securing that of his wife. The heroic man had made up his mind, and -nothing could move him. Receiving the amount of wages due him from -his employer, Madison turned his face once more towards the south. -Supplied with papers purporting to have been made out in Virginia, and -certifying to his being a freeman, the fugitive had no difficulty in -reaching the neighborhood of his wife. But these "free papers" were -only calculated to serve him where he was not known. Madison had also -provided himself with files, saws, and other implements with which -to cut his way out of any prison into which he might be cast. These -instruments were so small as to be easily concealed in the lining of -his clothing; and armed with them the fugitive felt sure he should -escape again were he ever captured. On his return, Madison met, in the -State of Ohio, many of those whom he had seen on his journey to Canada, -and all tried to prevail upon him to give up the rash attempt. But to -every one he would reply, "Liberty is worth nothing to me while my wife -is a slave." When near his former home, and unable to travel in open -day without being detected, Madison betook himself to the woods during -the day, and travelled by night. At last he arrived at the old farm at -night, and hid away in the nearest forest. Here he remained several -days, filled with hope and fear, without being able to obtain any -information about his wife. One evening, during this suspense, Madison -heard the singing of a company of slaves, the sound of which appeared -nearer and nearer, until he became convinced that it was a gang going -to a corn-shucking, and the fugitive resolved that he would join it, -and see if he could get any intelligence of his wife. - -In Virginia, as well as in most of the other corn-raising slave -states, there is a custom of having what is termed "a corn-shucking," -to which slaves from the neighboring plantations, with the consent of -their masters, are invited. At the conclusion of the shucking a supper -is provided by the owner of the corn; and thus, together with the bad -whiskey which is freely circulated on such occasions, the slaves are -made to feel very happy. Four or five companies of men may be heard -in different directions and at the same time approaching the place -of rendezvous, slaves joining the gangs along the roads as they pass -their masters' farms. Madison came out upon the highway, and as the -company came along singing, he fell into the ranks and joined in the -song. Through the darkness of the night he was able to keep from being -recognized by the remainder of the company, while he learned from the -general conversation the most important news of the day. - -Although hungry and thirsty, the fugitive dared not go to the supper -table for fear of recognition. However, before he left the company that -night, he gained information enough to satisfy him that his wife was -still with her old master, and he hoped to see her, if possible, on the -following night. The sun had scarcely set the next evening, ere Madison -was wending his way out of the forest and going towards the home of his -loved one, if the slave can be said to have a home. Susan, the object -of his affections, was indeed a woman every way worthy of his love. -Madison knew well where to find the room usually occupied by his wife, -and to that spot he made his way on arriving at the plantation. But in -his zeal and enthusiasm, and his being too confident of success, he -committed a blunder which nearly cost him his life. Fearful that if he -waited until a late hour Susan would be asleep, and in awakening her -she would in her fright alarm the household, Madison ventured to her -room too early in the evening, before the whites in the "great house" -had retired. Observed by the overseer, a sufficient number of whites -were called in, and the fugitive secured ere he could escape with his -wife; but the heroic slave did not yield until he with a club had laid -three of his assailants upon the ground with his manly blows; and not -then until weakened by loss of blood. Madison was at once taken to -Richmond, and sold to a slave trader, then making up a gang of slaves -for the New Orleans market. - -The brig Creole, owned by Johnson & Eperson, of Richmond, and commanded -by Captain Enson, lay at the Richmond dock waiting for her cargo, which -usually consisted of tobacco, hemp, flax, and slaves. There were two -cabins for the slaves, one for the men, the other for the women. The -men were generally kept in chains while on the voyage; but the women -were usually unchained, and allowed to roam at pleasure in their own -cabin. On the 27th of October, 1841, the Creole sailed from Hampton -Roads, bound for New Orleans, with her full load of freight, one -hundred and thirty-five slaves, and three passengers, besides the crew. -Forty of the slaves were owned by Thomas McCargo, nine belonged to -Henry Hewell, and the remainder were held by Johnson & Eperson. Hewell -had once been an overseer for McCargo, and on this occasion was acting -as his agent. - -Among the slaves owned by Johnson & Eperson was Madison Washington. -He was heavily ironed, and chained down to the floor of the cabin -occupied by the men, which was in the forward hold. As it was known by -Madison's purchasers that he had once escaped and had been in Canada, -they kept a watchful eye over him. The two cabins were separated, so -that the men and women had no communication whatever during the passage. - -Although rather gloomy at times, Madison on this occasion seemed very -cheerful, and his owners thought that he had repented of the experience -he had undergone as a runaway, and in the future would prove a more -easily governed chattel. But from the first hour that he had entered -the cabin of the Creole, Madison had been busily engaged in the -selection of men who were to act parts in the great drama. He picked -out each one as if by intuition. Every thing was done at night and in -the dark, as far as the preparation was concerned. The miniature saws -and files were faithfully used when the whites were asleep. - -In the other cabin, among the slave women, was one whose beauty at once -attracted attention. Though not tall, she yet had a majestic figure. -Her well-moulded shoulders, prominent bust, black hair which hung in -ringlets, mild blue eyes, finely-chiselled mouth, with a splendid -set of teeth, a turned and well-rounded chin, skin marbled with the -animation of life, and veined by blood given to her by her master, -she stood as the representative of two races. With only one eighth of -African, she was what is called at the south an "octoroon." It was said -that her grandfather had served his country in the revolutionary war, -as well as in both houses of Congress. This was Susan, the wife of -Madison. Few slaves, even among the best used house servants, had so -good an opportunity to gain general information as she. Accustomed to -travel with her mistress, Susan had often been to Richmond, Norfolk, -White Sulphur Springs, and other places of resort for the aristocracy -of the Old Dominion. Her language was far more correct than most slaves -in her position. Susan was as devoted to Madison as she was beautiful -and accomplished. - -After the arrest of her husband, and his confinement in Richmond -jail, it was suspected that Susan had long been in possession of the -knowledge of his whereabouts when in Canada, and knew of his being in -the neighborhood; and for this crime it was resolved that she should be -sold and sent off to a southern plantation, where all hope of escape -would be at an end. Each was not aware that the other was on board the -Creole, for Madison and Susan were taken to their respective cabins at -different times. On the ninth day out, the Creole encountered a rough -sea, and most of the slaves were sick, and therefore were not watched -with that vigilance that they had been since she first sailed. This -was the time for Madison and his accomplices to work, and nobly did -they perform their duty. Night came on; the first watch had just been -summoned, the wind blowing high, when Madison succeeded in reaching -the quarter deck, followed by eighteen others, all of whom sprang -to different parts of the vessel, seizing whatever they could wield -as weapons. The crew were nearly all on deck. Captain Enson and Mr. -Merritt, the first mate, were standing together, while Hewell was -seated on the companion smoking a cigar. The appearance of the slaves -all at once, and the loud voice and commanding attitude of their -leader, so completely surprised the whites, that-- - - - "They spake not a word; - But, like dumb statues, or breathless stones, - Stared at each other, and looked deadly pale." - - -The officers were all armed; but so swift were the motions of Madison -that they had nearly lost command of the vessel before they attempted -to use their weapons. - -Hewell, the greater part of whose life had been spent on the plantation -in the capacity of a negro-driver, and who knew that the defiant looks -of these men meant something, was the first to start. Drawing his old -horse pistol from under his coat, he fired at one of the blacks and -killed him. The next moment Hewell lay dead upon the deck, for Madison -had struck him with a capstan bar. The fight now became general, the -white passengers, as well as all the crew, taking part. The battle -was Madison's element, and he plunged into it without any care for -his own preservation or safety. He was an instrument of enthusiasm, -whose value and whose place was in his inspiration. "If the fire of -heaven was in my hands, I would throw it at these cowardly whites," -said he to his companions, before leaving their cabin. But in this he -did not mean revenge, only the possession of his freedom and that of -his fellow-slaves. Merritt and Gifford, the first and second mates of -the vessel, both attacked the heroic slave at the same time. Both were -stretched out upon the deck with a single blow each, but were merely -wounded; they were disabled, and that was all that Madison cared for -for the time being. The sailors ran up the rigging for safety, and a -moment more he that had worn the fetters an hour before was master of -the brig Creole. His commanding attitude and daring orders, now that -he was free, and his perfect preparation for the grand alternative of -liberty or death which stood before him, are splendid exemplifications -of the truly heroic. After his accomplices had covered the slaver's -deck, Madison forbade the shedding of more blood, and ordered the -sailors to come down, which they did, and with his own hands he dressed -their wounds. A guard was placed over all except Merritt, who was -retained to navigate the vessel. With a musket doubly charged, and -pointed at Merritt's breast, the slave made him swear that he would -faithfully take the brig into a British port. All things now secure, -and the white men in chains or under guard, Madison ordered that the -fetters should be severed from the limbs of those slaves who still -wore them. The next morning "Captain Washington" (for such was the -name he now bore) ordered the cook to provide the best breakfast that -the store room could furnish, intending to surprise his fellow-slaves, -and especially the females, whom he had not yet seen. But little did -he think that the woman for whom he had risked his liberty and life -would meet him at the breakfast table. The meeting of the hero and his -beautiful and accomplished wife, the tears of joy shed, and the hurrahs -that followed from the men, can better be imagined than described. -Madison's cup of joy was filled to the brim. He had not only gained his -own liberty and that of one hundred and thirty-four others, but his -dear Susan was safe. Only one man, Hewell, had been killed. Captain -Enson and others, who were wounded, soon recovered; and were kindly -treated by Madison; but they nevertheless proved ungrateful; for on the -second night, Captain Enson, Mr. Gifford, and Merritt took advantage -of the absence of Madison from the deck, and attempted to retake the -vessel. The slaves, exasperated at this treachery, fell upon the whites -with deadly weapons. The captain and his men fled to the cabin, pursued -by the blacks. Nothing but the heroism of the negro leader saved the -lives of the white men on this occasion, for as the slaves were rushing -into the cabin, Madison threw himself between them and their victims, -exclaiming, "Stop! no more blood. My life, that was perilled for your -liberty, I will lay down for the protection of these men. They have -proved themselves unworthy of life, which we granted them; still let us -be magnanimous." By the kind heart and noble bearing of Madison, the -vile slave-traders were again permitted to go unwhipped of justice. -This act of humanity raised the uncouth son of Africa far above his -Anglo-Saxon oppressors. - -The next morning the Creole landed at Nassau, New Providence, where the -noble and heroic slaves were warmly greeted by the inhabitants, who at -once offered protection, and extended their hospitality to them. Not -many months since, an American ship went ashore at Nassau, and among -the first to render assistance to the crew was Madison Washington. - - -HENRY BIBB. - -Henry Bibb, like most fugitive slaves, did not know who his father was; -that his mother was a slave was sufficient to decide his lot, and to -send him, under fear of the lash, while yet a mere infant, to labor -on his master's farm: when sufficiently old to be of much use to any -one, he was hired out to one person and another for the space of eight -or ten years, the proceeds of his labor going, we are told, to defray -the expense of educating his owner's daughters. The year of Henry -Bibb's birth was a memorable one--1815; little, however, knew he of -European struggles; he had a great battle of his own to fight against -tremendous odds, and he seems to have fought it bravely. He formed the -determination to be free at a very early age, and nothing could shake -it; starvation, imprisonment, scourging, lacerating, punishments of -every kind, and of every degree of severity short of actual death, were -tried in vain; they could not subdue his indomitable spirit. - -His first attempt to escape was made when he was about ten years of -age, and from that time to 1840 his life was a constant series of -flights and recaptures, the narrative of which makes one thrill and -shudder at the sufferings endured and the barbarities inflicted. -Securing his freedom by his own good legs, Henry Bibb at once began -seeking an education; and in this he succeeded far beyond many white -men who have had all the avenues to learning open to them. In personal -appearance he was tall and slim, a pleasing countenance, half white, -hair brown, eyes gray, and possessed a musical voice, and a wonderful -power of delivery. No one who heard Mr. Bibb, in the years 1847, -'8, and '9, can forget the deep impression that he left behind him. -His natural eloquence and his songs enchained an audience as long -as the speaker wanted them. In 1849, we believe, he went to Canada, -and started a weekly paper called _The Voice of the Fugitives_, at -Windsor. His journal was well conducted, and was long regarded as -indispensable in every fugitive's house. His first wife being left in -slavery, and no hope of her escaping, Mr. Bibb married for his second -wife the well-educated and highly-cultivated Mary E. Miles, of Boston. -After being in Canada a while, the two opened a school for their -escaped brothers and sisters, which proved a lasting benefit to that -much-injured class. His efforts to purchase a tract of land, and to -deal it out in lots to the fugitives at a reasonable price, was only -one of the many kind acts of this good man. There are few characters -more worthy of the student's study and imitation than that of Henry -Bibb. From an ignorant slave, he became an educated free man, by his -own powers, and left a name that will not soon fade away. - -In one of Cassimir de la Vigne's dramas, we met with an expression -which struck us forcibly. It was said of Don John, who was ignorant of -his birth, that perhaps he was a nobody; to which he replied, "That a -man of good character and honorable conduct could never be a nobody." -We consider this an admirable reply, and have endeavored to prove this -truth by the foregoing example. If it is gratifying and noble to bear -with honor the name of one's father, it is surely more noble to make -a name for one's self; and our heart tells us that among our young -readers there is more than one who will exclaim with ardor, and with a -firm resolution to fulfil his promise, _I, too, shall make a name_. - - -PLACIDO. - -In the year 1830, there was a young man in Havana, son of a woman -who had been brought, when a child, from the coast of Africa, and -sold as a slave. Being with a comparatively kind master, he soon -found opportunity to begin developing the genius which at a later -period showed itself. The young slave was called Placido. He took an -especial interest in poetry, and often wrote poems that were set to -music and sung in the drawing rooms of the most refined companies -which assembled in the city. His young master paying his addresses to -a rich heiress, the slave was requested to write a poem embodying the -master's passion for the young lady. Placido acquitted himself to the -entire satisfaction of the lover, who copied the epistle in his own -hand, and sent it on its mission. The slave's compositions were so much -admired that they found their way into the newspaper; but no one knew -the negro as the author. In 1838, these poems, together with a number -which had never appeared in print, were intrusted to a white man, who -sent them to England, where they were published and much praised for -the talent and scholarly attainment which they developed. A number of -young whites, who were well acquainted with Placido and his genius, -resolved to purchase him and present him his freedom, which they did in -the year 1842. But a new field had opened itself to the freed black, -and he began to tread in its paths. Freedom for himself was only the -beginning; he sighed to make others free. The imaginative brain of -the poet produced verses which the slaves sung in their own rude way, -and which kindled in their hearts a more intense desire for liberty. -Placido planned an insurrection of the slaves, in which he was to be -their leader and deliverer; but the scheme failed. After a hasty trial, -he was convicted and sentenced to death. The fatal day came; he walked -to the place of execution with as much calmness as if it had been to an -ordinary resort of pleasure. His manly and heroic bearing excited the -sympathy and admiration of all who saw him. As he arrived at the fatal -spot he began reciting the following hymn, which he had written in his -cell the previous night:-- - - - TO GOD--A PRAYER. - - "Almighty God! whose goodness knows no bound, - To thee I flee in my severe distress; - O let thy potent arm my wrongs redress, - And rend the odious veil by slander wound - About my brow. The base world's arm confound, - Who on my front would now the seal of shame impress. - - God of my sires, to whom all kings must yield, - Be thou alone my shield; protect me now: - All power is His, to whom the sea doth owe - His countless stores; who clothed with light heaven's field, - And made the sun, and air, and polar seas congealed; - All plants with life endowed, and made the rivers flow. - - All power is thine: 'twas thy creative might - This goodly frame of things from chaos brought, - Which unsustained by thee would still be nought, - As erst it lay deep in the womb of night, - Ere thy dread word first called it into light; - Obedient to thy call, it lived, and moved, and thought. - - Thou know'st my heart, O God, supremely wise; - Thine eye, all-seeing, cannot be deceived; - By thee mine inmost soul is clear perceived, - As objects gross are through transparent skies - By mortal ken. Thy mercy exercise, - Lest slander foul exult o'er innocence aggrieved. - - But if 'tis fixed, by thy decree divine, - That I must bear the pain of guilt and shame, - And that my foes this cold and senseless frame - Shall rudely treat with scorn and shouts malign, - Give thou the word, and I my breath resign, - Obedient to thy will. Blest be thy holy name!" - - -When all preparation for the execution had been finished, Placido asked -the privilege of giving the signal, and it was granted. With his face -wearing an expression of almost superhuman courage, he said in Spanish, -"Adieu, O world; there is no justice or pity for me here. Soldiers, -fire!" Five balls entered his body, but did not deprive him of life. -Still unsubdued, he again spoke, and placing his hand on his breast, -said, "Fire here." Two balls from the reserve entered his heart, and he -fell dead. - -Thus died Placido, the slave's poet of freedom. His songs are still -sung in the bondman's hut, and his name is a household word to all. -As the _Marseillaise_ was sung by the revolutionists of France, and -inspired the people with a hatred to oppressors, so will the slaves of -Cuba, at a future day, sing the songs of their poet-martyr, and their -cry will be, "Placido and Liberty." - - -JEREMIAH B. SANDERSON. - -New Bedford has produced a number of highly-intelligent men of the -"doomed race;" men who, by their own efforts, have attained positions, -intellectually, which, if they had been of the more favored class, -would have introduced them into the halls of Congress. One of these -is J. B. Sanderson. An industrious student, and an ardent lover of -literature, he has read more than almost any one of his years within -our circle of acquaintance. History, theology, and the classics, he is -master of. We first met him while he was on a tour through the west, -as a lecturer on slavery, and the impression then made on our mind -became still stronger as we knew more of him. Although not at the time -an ordained minister Mr. Sanderson, in 1848, preached for one of the -religious societies of New Bedford, on Sunday, and attended to his -vocation (hair dresser) during the week. Some of the best educated of -the whites were always in attendance on these occasions. His sermons -were generally beyond the comprehension of his hearers, except those -well read. Emerson, Carlyle, and Theodore Parker, were represented in -his discourses, which were always replete with historical incidents. -Mr. Sanderson has been several years in California, where he now -preaches to an intelligent congregation and is considered one of the -ablest religious teachers in the Pacific state. - - - "Honor and fame from no condition rise: - Act well your part--there all the honor lies." - - - "Who does the best his circumstance allows, - Does well, acts nobly: angels could no more." - - -In stature Mr. Sanderson is somewhat above the medium height, finely -formed, well-developed head, and a pleasing face; an excellent voice, -which he knows how to use. His gestures are correct without being -studied, and his sentences always tell upon his audience. Few speakers -are more happy in their delivery than he. In one of those outbursts -of true eloquence for which he is so noted, we still remember the -impression made upon his hearers, when, on one occasion, he exclaimed, -"Neither men nor governments have a right to sell those of their -species; men and their liberty are neither purchasable nor salable. -This is the law of nature, which is obligatory on all men, at all -times, and in all places." - -All accounts from California speak of J. B. Sanderson as doing more for -the enfranchisement and elevation of his race than any one who has gone -from the Atlantic states. - - -TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE. - -At the commencement of the French revolution, in 1789, there were nine -hundred thousand inhabitants on the Island of St. Domingo. Of these, -seven hundred thousand were Africans, sixty thousand mixed blood, -and the remainder were whites and Caribbeans. Like the involuntary -servitude in our own Southern States, slavery in St. Domingo kept -morality at a low stand. Owing to the amalgamation between masters and -slaves, there arose the mulatto population, which eventually proved to -be the worst enemies of their fathers. - -Many of the planters sent their mulatto sons to France to be educated. -When these young men returned to the island, they were greatly -dissatisfied at the proscription which met them wherever they appeared. -White enough to make them hopeful and aspiring, many of the mulattoes -possessed wealth enough to make them influential. Aware, by their -education, of the principles of freedom that were being advocated in -Europe and the United States, they were ever on the watch to seize -opportunities to better their social and political condition. In the -French part of the island alone, twenty thousand whites lived in the -midst of thirty thousand free mulattoes and five hundred thousand -slaves. In the Spanish portion, the odds were still greater in favor of -the slaves. Thus the advantage of numbers and physical strength was on -the side of the oppressed. Right is the most dangerous of weapons--woe -to him who leaves it to his enemies! - -The efforts of Wilberforce, Sharp, Buxton, and Clarkson to abolish -the African slave trade, and their advocacy of the equality of the -races, were well understood by the men of color. They had also learned -their own strength in the island, and that they had the sympathy of -all Europe with them. The news of the oath of the Tennis Court and the -taking of the Bastile at Paris was received with the wildest enthusiasm -by the people of St. Domingo. - -The announcement of these events was hailed with delight by both the -white planters and the mulattoes; the former, because they hoped -that a revolution in the mother country would secure to them the -independence of the colony; the latter, because they viewed it as a -movement that would give them equal rights with the whites; and even -the slaves regarded it as a precursor to their own emancipation. But -the excitement which the outbreak at Paris had created amongst the -free men of color and the slaves, at once convinced the planters that -a separation from France would be the death-knell of slavery in St. -Domingo. - -Although emancipated by law from the dominion of individuals, the -mulattoes had no rights: shut out from society by their color, deprived -of religious and political privileges, they felt their degradation even -more keenly than the bond slaves. The mulatto son was not allowed to -dine at his father's table, kneel with him in his devotions, bear his -name, inherit his property, nor even to lie in his father's graveyard. -Laboring as they were under the sense of their personal social wrongs, -the mulattoes tolerated, if they did not encourage, low and vindictive -passions. They were haughty and disdainful to the blacks, whom they -scorned, and jealous and turbulent to the whites, whom they hated and -feared. - -The mulattoes at once despatched one of their number to Paris, to lay -before the Constitutional Assembly their claim to equal rights with -the whites. Vincent Ogé, their deputy, was well received at Paris -by Lafayette, Brissot, Barnave, and Gregoire, and was admitted to a -seat in the Assembly, where he eloquently portrayed the wrongs of his -race. In urging his claims, he said, if equality was withheld from the -mulattoes, they would appeal to force. This was seconded by Lafayette -and Barnave, who said, "_Perish the colonies rather than a principle_." - -The Assembly passed a decree granting the demands of the men of color, -and Ogé was made bearer of the news to his brethren. The planters armed -themselves, met the young deputy on his return to the island, and a -battle ensued. The free colored men rallied around Ogé, but they were -defeated and taken, with their brave leader, were first tortured, and -then broken alive on the wheel. - -The prospect of freedom was put down for the time, but the blood of Ogé -and his companions bubbled silently in the hearts of the African race; -they swore to avenge them. - -The announcement of the death of Ogé in the halls of the Assembly -at Paris created considerable excitement, and became the topic of -conversation in the clubs and on the Boulevards. Gregoire defended the -course of the colored men, and said, "If Liberty was right in France, -it was right in St. Domingo." He well knew that the crime for which Ogé -had suffered in the West Indies, had constituted the glory of Mirabeau -and Lafayette at Paris, and Washington and Hancock in the United -States. The planters in the island trembled at their own oppressive -acts, and terror urged them on to greater violence. The blood of Ogé -and his accomplices had sown every where despair and conspiracy. The -French sent an army to St. Domingo to enforce the laws. - -The planters repelled with force the troops sent out by France, -denying its prerogatives and refusing the civic oath. In the midst of -these thickening troubles, the planters who resided in France were -invited to return and assist in vindicating the civil independence of -the island. Then was it that the mulattoes earnestly appealed to the -slaves, and the result was appalling. The slaves awoke as from an -ominous dream, and demanded their rights with sword in hand. Gaining -immediate success, and finding that their liberty would not be granted -by the planters, they rapidly increased in numbers; and in less than a -week from its commencement, the storm had swept over the whole plain -of the north, from east to west, and from the mountains to the sea. -The splendid villas and rich factories yielded to the furies of the -devouring flames; so that the mountains, covered with smoke and burning -cinders, borne upwards by the wind, looked like volcanoes; and the -atmosphere, as if on fire, resembled a furnace. - -Such were the outraged feelings of a people whose ancestors had been -ruthlessly torn from their native land, and sold in the shambles of St. -Domingo. To terrify the blacks and convince them that they could never -be free, the planters were murdering them on every hand by thousands. - -The struggle in St. Domingo was watched with intense interest by the -friends of the blacks, both in Paris and in London, and all appeared -to look with hope to the rising up of a black chief, who should prove -himself adequate to the emergency. Nor did they look in vain. In the -midst of the disorders that threatened on all sides, the negro chief -made his appearance in the person of a slave, named Toussaint. This man -was the grandson of the King of Ardra, one of the most powerful and -wealthy monarchs on the west coast of Africa. By his own energy and -perseverance, Toussaint had learned to read and write, and was held in -high consideration by the surrounding planters as well as their slaves. - -His private virtues were many, and he had a deep and pervading -sense of religion, and in the camp carried it even as far as Oliver -Cromwell. Toussaint was born on the island, and was fifty years of age -when called into the field. One of his chief characteristics was his -humanity. - -Before taking any part in the revolution, he aided his master's family -to escape from the impending danger. After seeing them beyond the reach -of the revolutionary movement, he entered the army as an inferior -officer, but was soon made aid-de-camp to General Bissou. Disorder and -bloodshed reigned throughout the island, and every day brought fresh -intelligence of depredations committed by whites, mulattoes, and blacks. - -Such was the condition of affairs when a decree was passed by the -Colonial Assembly giving equal rights to the mulattoes, and asking -their aid in restoring order and reducing the slaves again to their -chains. Overcome by this decree, and having gained all they wished, the -free colored men joined the planters in a murderous crusade against the -slaves. This union of the whites and mulattoes to prevent the bondman -getting his freedom, created an ill feeling between the two proscribed -classes which seventy years have not been able to efface. The French -government sent a second army to St. Domingo, to enforce the laws -giving freedom to the slaves; and Toussaint joined it on its arrival in -the island, and fought bravely against the planters. - -While the people of St. Domingo were thus fighting amongst themselves, -the revolutionary movement in France had fallen into the hands of -Robespierre and Danton, and the guillotine was beheading its thousands -daily. When the news of the death of Louis XVI. reached St. Domingo, -Toussaint and his companions left the French, and joined the Spanish -army in the eastern part of the island, and fought for the king of -Spain. Here Toussaint was made brigadier general, and appeared in the -field as the most determined foe of the French planters. - -The two armies met; a battle was fought in the streets, and many -thousands were slain on both sides; the planters, however, were -defeated. During the conflict the city was set on fire, and on every -side presented shocking evidence of slaughter, conflagration, and -pillage. The strifes of political and religious partisanship, which -had raged in the clubs and streets of Paris, were transplanted to -St. Domingo, where they raged with all the heat of a tropical clime -and the animosities of a civil war. Truly did the flames of the -French revolution at Paris, and the ignorance and self-will of the -planters, set the island of St. Domingo on fire. The commissioners, -with their retinue, retired from the burning city into the neighboring -highlands, where a camp was formed to protect the ruined town from the -opposing party. Having no confidence in the planters, and fearing a -reaction, the commissioners proclaimed a general emancipation to the -slave population, and invited the blacks who had joined the Spaniards -to return. Toussaint and his followers accepted the invitation, -returned, and were enrolled in the army under the commissioners. Fresh -troops arrived from France, who were no sooner in the island than -they separated--some siding with the planters, and others with the -commissioners. The white republicans of the mother country arrayed -themselves against the white republicans of St. Domingo, whom they -were sent out to assist; the blacks and the mulattoes were at war with -each other; old and young, of both sexes and of all colors, were put -to the sword, while the fury of the flames swept from plantation to -plantation and from town to town. - -During these sad commotions, Toussaint, by his superior knowledge of -the character of his race, his humanity, generosity, and courage, -had gained the confidence of all whom he had under his command. The -rapidity with which he travelled from post to post astonished every -one. By his genius and surpassing activity, Toussaint levied fresh -forces, raised the reputation of the army, and drove the English and -Spanish from the island. - -With the termination of this struggle every vestige of slavery and all -obstacles to freedom disappeared. Toussaint exerted every nerve to make -Hayti what it had formerly been. He did every thing in his power to -promote agriculture; and in this he succeeded beyond the most sanguine -expectations of the friends of freedom, both in England and France. -Even the planters who had remained on the island acknowledged the -prosperity of Hayti under the governorship of the man whose best days -had been spent in slavery. - -The peace of Amiens left Bonaparte without a rival on the continent, -and with a large and experienced army, which he feared to keep idle; -and he determined to send a part of it to St. Domingo. - -The army for the expedition to St. Domingo was fitted out, and no pains -or expense spared to make it an imposing one. Fifty-six ships of war, -with twenty-five thousand men, left France for Hayti. It was, indeed, -the most valiant fleet that had ever sailed from the French dominions. -The Alps, the Nile, the Rhine, and all Italy, had resounded with the -exploits of the men who were now leaving their country for the purpose -of placing the chains again on the limbs of the heroic people of St. -Domingo. There were men in that army that had followed Bonaparte from -the siege of Toulon to the battle under the shades of the pyramids of -Egypt--men who had grown gray in the camp. - -News of the intended invasion reached St. Domingo some days before the -squadron had sailed from Brest; and therefore the blacks had time to -prepare to meet their enemies. Toussaint had concentrated his forces -at such points as he expected would be first attacked. Christophe was -sent to defend Cape City, and Port-au-Prince was left in the hands of -Dessalines. - -With no navy, and but little means of defence, the Haytians determined -to destroy their towns rather than they should fall into the hands of -the enemy. Late in the evening the French ships were seen to change -their position, and Christophe, satisfied that they were about to -effect a landing, set fire to his own house, which was the signal for -the burning of the town. The French general wept as he beheld the ocean -of flames rising from the tops of the houses in the finest city in St. -Domingo. Another part of the fleet landed in Samana, where Toussaint, -with an experienced wing of the army, was ready to meet them. On -seeing the ships enter the harbor, the heroic chief said, "Here come -the enslavers of our race. All France is coming to St. Domingo, to -try again to put the fetters upon our limbs; but not France, with -all her troops of the Rhine, the Alps, the Nile, the Tiber, nor all -Europe to help her, can extinguish the soul of Africa. That soul, when -once the soul of a man, and no longer that of a slave, can overthrow -the pyramids and the Alps themselves, sooner than again be crushed -down into slavery." The French, however, effected a landing, but they -found nothing but smouldering ruins, where once stood splendid cities. -Toussaint and his generals at once abandoned the towns, and betook -themselves to the mountains, those citadels of freedom in St. Domingo, -where the blacks have always proved too much for the whites. - -Toussaint put forth a proclamation to the colored people, in which he -said, "You are now to meet and fight enemies who have neither faith, -law, nor religion. Let us resolve that these French troops shall -never leave our shores alive." The war commenced, and the blacks -were victorious in nearly all the battles. Where the French gained a -victory, they put their prisoners to the most excruciating tortures; -in many instances burning them in pits, and throwing them into boiling -caldrons. This example of cruelty set by the whites was followed by the -blacks. Then it was that Dessalines, the ferocious chief, satisfied his -long pent-up revenge against the white planters and French soldiers -that he made prisoners. The French general saw that he could gain -nothing from the blacks on the field of battle, and he determined upon -a stratagem, in which he succeeded too well. - -A correspondence was opened with Toussaint, in which the -captain-general promised to acknowledge the liberty of the blacks and -the equality of all, if he would yield. Overcome by the persuasions of -his generals and the blacks who surrounded him, and who were sick and -tired of the shedding of blood, Toussaint gave in his adhesion to the -French authorities. This was the great error of his life. - -Vincent, in his "_Reflections on the Present State of the Colony of -St. Domingo_," says, "Toussaint, at the head of his army, is the most -active and indefatigable man of whom we can form an idea; we may say, -with truth, that he is found wherever instructions or danger render -his presence necessary. The particular care which he employs in his -march, of always deceiving the men of whom he has need, and who think -they enjoy a confidence he gives to none, has such an effect that he -is daily expected in all the chief places of the colony. His great -sobriety, the faculty, which none but he possesses, of never reposing, -the facility with which he resumes the affairs of the cabinet after the -most tiresome excursions, of answering daily a hundred letters, and of -habitually tiring five secretaries, render him so superior to all those -around him, that their respect and submission are in most individuals -carried even to fanaticism. It is certain that no man, in the present -times, has possessed such an influence over a mass of people as General -Toussaint possesses over his brethren in St. Domingo." - -The above is the opinion of an enemy--one who regarded the negro chief -as a dangerous man to his interest. - -Invited by the captain-general of the island to attend a council, the -black hero was treacherously seized and sent on board the ship of -war Hero, which set sail at once for France. On the arrival of the -illustrious prisoner at Brest, he was taken in a closed carriage and -transferred to the castle of Joux, in the Lower Pyrenees. The gelid -atmosphere of the mountain region, the cold, damp dungeon in which he -was placed, with the water dripping upon the floor day and night, did -not hasten the death of Toussaint fast enough. By Napoleon's directions -the prisoner's servant was taken from him, sufficient clothing and -bedding to keep him warm were denied, his food curtailed, and his -keeper, after an absence of four days, returned and found the hero of -St. Domingo dead in his cell. Thus terminated the career of a self-made -man. - -Toussaint was of prepossessing appearance, of middle stature, and -possessed an iron frame. His dignified, calm, and unaffected features, -and broad and well-developed forehead, would cause him to be selected, -in any company of men, as one born for a leader. Endowed by nature with -high qualities of mind, he owed his elevation to his own energies and -his devotion to the welfare and freedom of his race. His habits were -thoughtful; and like most men of energetic temperaments, he crowded -much into what he said. So profound and original were his opinions, -that they have been successively drawn upon by all the chiefs of St. -Domingo since his era, and still without loss of adaptation to the -circumstances of the country. The policy of his successors has been -but a repetition of his plans, and his maxims are still the guidance -of the rulers of Hayti. His thoughts were copious and full of vigor, -and what he could express well in his native _patois_ he found tame and -unsatisfactory in the French language, which he was obliged to employ -in the details of his official business. He would never sign what he -did not fully understand, obliging two or three secretaries to re-word -the document, until they had succeeded in furnishing the particular -phrase expressive of his meaning. While at the height of his power, -and when all around him were furnished with every comfort, and his -officers living in splendor, Toussaint himself lived with an austere -sobriety which bordered on abstemiousness. He was entirely master of -his own passions and appetites. It was his custom to set off in his -carriage with the professed object of going to some particular point of -the island, and when he had passed over several miles of the journey, -to quit the carriage, which continued its route under the same escort -of guards, while Toussaint, mounted on horseback and followed by his -officers, made rapid excursions across the country, to places where he -was least expected. It was upon one of these occasions that he owed his -life to his singular mode of travelling. He had just left his carriage -when an ambuscade of mulattoes, concealed in the thickets of Boucassin, -fired upon the guard, and several balls pierced the carriage, and one -of them killed an old domestic who occupied the seat of his master. No -person knew better than he the art of governing the people under his -jurisdiction. The greater part of the population loved him to idolatry. -Veneration for Toussaint was not confined to the boundaries of St. -Domingo; it ran through Europe; and in France his name was frequently -pronounced in the senate with the eulogy of polished eloquence. No one -can look back upon his career without feeling that Toussaint was a -remarkable man. Without being bred to the science of arms, he became a -valiant soldier, and baffled the skill of the most experienced generals -that had followed Napoleon. Without military knowledge he fought like -one born in the camp. Without means he carried on the war. He beat his -enemies in battle, and turned their own weapons against them. He laid -the foundation for the emancipation of his race and the independence -of the island. From ignorance he became educated by his own exertions. -From a slave he rose to be a soldier, a general, and a governor, and -might have been king of St. Domingo. He possessed splendid traits of -genius, which was developed in the private circle, in the council -chamber, and on the field of battle. His very name became a tower -of strength to his friends and a terror to his foes. Toussaint's -career as a Christian, a statesman, and a general, will lose nothing -by a comparison with that of Washington. Each was the leader of an -oppressed and outraged people, each had a powerful enemy to contend -with, and each succeeded in founding a government in the new world. -Toussaint's government made liberty its watchword, incorporated it in -its constitution, abolished the slave trade, and made freedom universal -amongst the people. Washington's government incorporated slavery and -the slave trade, and enacted laws by which chains were fastened upon -the limbs of millions of people. Toussaint liberated his countrymen; -Washington enslaved a portion of his. When impartial history shall -do justice to the St. Domingo revolution, the name of Toussaint -L'Ouverture will be placed high upon the roll of fame. - - -CRISPUS ATTUCKS. - -The principle that taxation and representation were inseparable was -in accordance with the theory, the genius, and the precedents of -British legislation; and this principle was now, for the first time, -intentionally invaded. The American colonies were not represented -in Parliament; yet an act was passed by that body, the tendency of -which was to invalidate all right and title to their property. This -was the "Stamp Act," of March 23, 1765, which ordained that no sale, -bond, note of hand, or other instrument of writing should be valid -unless executed on paper bearing the stamp prescribed by the home -government. The intelligence of the passage of the stamp act at once -roused the indignation of the liberty-loving portion of the people -of the colonies, and meetings were held at various points to protest -against this high-handed measure. Massachusetts was the first to take -a stand in opposition to the mother country. The merchants and traders -of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia entered into non-importation -agreements, with a view of obtaining a repeal of the obnoxious law. -Under the pressure of public sentiment, the stamp act officers gave -in their resignations. The eloquence of William Pitt and the sagacity -of Lord Camden brought about a repeal of the stamp act in the British -Parliament. A new ministry, in 1767, succeeded in getting through the -House of Commons a bill to tax the tea imported into the American -colonies, and it received the royal assent. Massachusetts again took -the lead in opposing the execution of this last act, and Boston began -planning to take the most conspicuous part in the great drama. The -agitation in the colonies provoked the home government, and power -was given to the governor of Massachusetts to take notice of all -persons who might offer any treasonable objections to these oppressive -enactments, that the same might be sent home to England to be tried -there. Lord North was now at the head of affairs, and no leniency was -to be shown to the colonies. The concentration of British troops in -large numbers at Boston convinced the people that their liberties were -at stake, and they began to rally. A crowded and enthusiastic meeting, -held in Boston in the latter part of the year 1769, was addressed by -the ablest talent that the progressive element could produce. Standing -in the back part of the hall, eagerly listening to the speakers, was a -dark mulatto man, very tall, rather good looking, and apparently about -fifty years of age. This was Crispus Attucks. Though taking no part -in the meeting, he was nevertheless destined to be conspicuous in the -first struggle in throwing off the British yoke. Twenty years previous -to this, Attucks was the slave of William Brouno, Esq., of Framingham, -Mass.; but his was a heart beating for freedom, and not to be kept in -the chains of mental or bodily servitude. - -From the Boston Gazette of Tuesday, November 20, 1750, now in -the possession of William C. Nell, Esq., I copy the following -advertisement:-- - -"Ran away from his master William Brouno Framingham, on the 30th of -Sept., last, a Molatto Fellow, about 27 years of Age named Crispus, -well set, six feet 2 inches high, short curl'd Hair, knees nearer -together than common; had on a light coloured Bearskin Coat, brown -Fustian jacket, new Buckskin Breeches, blew yarn Stockins and Checkered -Shirt. Whoever shall take up said Run-away, and convey him to his above -said Master at Framingham, shall have Ten Pounds, old Tenor Reward and -all necessary Charges paid." - -The above is a verbatim et literatim advertisement for a runaway slave -one hundred and twelve years ago. Whether Mr. Brouno succeeded in -recapturing Crispus or not, we are left in the dark. - -Ill-feeling between the mother country and her colonial subjects had -been gaining ground, while British troops were concentrating at Boston. -On the 5th of March, 1770, the people were seen early congregating at -the corners of the principal streets, at Dock Square, and near the -custom house. Captain Preston, with a body of redcoats, started out for -the purpose of keeping order in the disaffected town, and was hissed at -by the crowds in nearly every place where he appeared. The day passed -off without any outward manifestation of disturbance, but all seemed -to feel that something would take place after nightfall. The doubling -of the guard in and about the custom house showed that the authorities -felt an insecurity that they did not care to express. The lamps in -Dock Square threw their light in the angry faces of a large crowd who -appeared to be waiting for the crisis, in whatever form it should -come. A part of Captain Preston's company was making its way from the -custom house, when they were met by the crowd from Dock Square, headed -by the black man Attucks, who was urging them to meet the redcoats, -and drive them from the streets. "These rebels have no business here," -said he; "let's drive them away." The people became enthusiastic, their -brave leader grew more daring in his language and attitude, while the -soldiers under Captain Preston appeared to give way. "Come on! don't -be afraid!" cried Attucks. "They dare not shoot; and if they dare, let -them do it." Stones and sticks, with which the populace was armed, -were freely used, to the great discomfiture of the English soldiers. -"Don't hesitate! come on! We'll drive these rebels out of Boston," -were the last words heard from the lips of the colored man, for the -sharp crack of muskets silenced his voice, and he fell weltering in -his blood. Two balls had pierced his sable breast. Thus died Crispus -Attucks, the first martyr to American liberty, and the inaugurator of -the revolution that was destined to take from the crown of George the -Third its brightest star. An immense concourse of citizens followed -the remains of the hero to its last resting place, and his name was -honorably mentioned in the best circles. The last words, the daring, -and the death of Attucks gave spirit and enthusiasm to the revolution, -and his heroism was imitated by both whites and blacks. His name was -a rallying cry for the brave colored men who fought at the battle of -Bunker's Hill. In the gallant defence of Redbank, where four hundred -blacks met and defeated fifteen hundred Hessians headed by Count Donop, -the thought of Attucks filled them with ardor. When Colonel Greene fell -at Groton, surrounded by his black troops who perished with him, they -went into the battle feeling proud of the opportunity of imitating the -first martyr of the American revolution. - -No monument has yet been erected to him. An effort was made in the -legislature of Massachusetts a few years since, but without success. -Five generations of accumulated prejudice against the negro had -excluded from the American mind all inclination to do justice to one of -her bravest sons. When negro slavery shall be abolished in our land, -then we may hope to see a monument raised to commemorate the heroism of -Crispus Attucks. - - -DESSALINES. - -Jean Jacques Dessalines was a native of Africa. Brought to St. Domingo -at the age of sixteen, he was sold to a black man named Dessalines, -from whom he took his own. His master was a tiler or house-shingler, -and the slave learned that trade, at which he worked until the breaking -out of the revolution of 1789, when he entered the army as a common -soldier, under Toussaint. By his activity and singular fierceness -on the field of battle, Dessalines attracted the attention of his -general, who placed him among his guides and personal attendants; and -he was subsequently rapidly advanced through several intermediate -grades to the dignity of being the third in command. He was entirely -ignorant of learning, as the utmost extent that he ever acquired was -to sign his name. Dessalines was short in stature, but stout and -muscular. His complexion was a dingy black; his eyes were prominent -and scowling, and the lines of his features expressed the untamed -ferocity of his character. He had a haughty and disdainful look. -Hunger, thirst, fatigue, and loss of sleep he seemed made to endure as -if by peculiarity of constitution. He bore upon his arms and breast -the marks of his tribe. Inured by exposure and toil to a hard life, -his frame possessed a wonderful power of endurance. He was a bold and -turbulent spirit, whose barbarous eloquence lay in expressive signs -rather than in words. What is most strange in the history of Dessalines -is, that he was a savage, a slave, a soldier, a general, and died, when -an emperor, under the dagger of a Brutus. - -A more courageous man than he never lived. Fearing that his men, during -the attack upon the fort at Crete-a-Pierrot, would surrender it, he -seized a torch, held it to the door of the magazine, and threatened -to blow up the fort, and himself with it, if they did not defend it. -Nearly all historians have set him down as a bloodthirsty monster, -who delighted in the sufferings of his fellow-creatures. They do not -rightly consider the circumstances that surrounded him, and the foe -that he had to deal with. - -Rochambeau, the commanding general, from the landing of Napoleon's -expedition to the entire expulsion of the French, was a hard-hearted -slaveholder, many of whose years had been spent in St. Domingo, and -who, from the moment that he landed with his forces, treated the -colored men as the worst of barbarians and wild beasts. He imported -bloodhounds from Cuba to hunt them down in the mountains. When caught, -he had them thrown into burning pits and boiling caldrons. When he took -prisoners, he put them to the most excruciating tortures and the most -horrible deaths. His ferocious and sanguinary spirit was too much for -the kind heart of Toussaint, or the gentlemanly bearing of Christophe. -His only match was Dessalines. - -In a battle near Cape François, Rochambeau took five hundred black -prisoners, and put them all to death the same day. Dessalines, hearing -of this, brought five hundred white prisoners in sight of the French, -and hung them up, so that the cruel monster could see the result of his -own barbarous example. - -Although Toussaint was away from the island, the war seemed to rage -with greater fury than at any former period. The blacks grew wild as -they looked upon the flames; they became conscious of their power and -success; gaining confidence and increasing their numbers, all the -pent-up feelings and hatred of years burst forth, and they pushed -forward upon defenceless men, women, and children. The proud, haughty, -and self-sufficient planter, who had been permitted, under the mild -rule of Toussaint, to return and establish himself on his former -estate, had to give way again to the terrible realities which came upon -him. - -The fertile plains that were in the highest state of cultivation, -the lively green of the sugar-cane that filled the landscape through -boundless fields, and the plantations of indigo and coffee, with all -their beautiful hues of vegetation, were destroyed by the flames and -smoke which spread every where. Dessalines was the commander-in-chief -in fact, though he shared the name with Christophe and Clervaux. -Forty thousand French troops had already perished by yellow fever and -the sword. Leclerc, the captain-general of the island, lay sick, the -hospitals were filled, and the blacks had possession of nearly all the -towns. - -Twenty thousand fresh troops arrived from France, but they were not -destined to see Leclerc, for the yellow fever had taken him off. In the -mountains were many barbarous and wild blacks, who had escaped from -slavery soon after being brought from the coast of Africa. One of these -bands of savages was commanded by Lamour de Rance, an adroit, stern, -savage man, half naked, with epaulets tied to his bare shoulders for -his only token of authority. This man had been brought from the coast -of Africa, and sold as a slave in Port au Prince. On being ordered one -day to saddle his master's horse, he did so, then mounted the animal, -fled to the mountains, and ever after made those fearful regions his -home. Lamour passed from mountain to mountain with something of the -ease of the birds of his own native land. Toussaint, Christophe, and -Dessalines, had each in their turn pursued him, but in vain. His mode -of fighting was in keeping with his dress. This savage united with -others like himself, and became complete master of the wilds of St. -Domingo. They came forth from their mountain homes, and made war on the -whites wherever they found them. Rochambeau, surrounded on all sides, -drew his army together for defence rather than aggression. Reduced -to the last extremity by starvation, the French general sued for -peace, and promised that he would immediately leave the island. It was -accepted by the blacks, and Rochambeau prepared to return to France. -The French embarked in their vessels of war, and the standard of the -blacks once more waved over Cape City, the capital of St. Domingo. As -the French sailed from the island, they saw the tops of the mountains -lighted up. It was not a blaze kindled for war, but for freedom. Every -heart beat for liberty, and every voice shouted for joy. From the -ocean to the mountains, and from town to town, the cry was, Freedom! -Freedom! Thus ended Napoleon's expedition to St. Domingo. In less than -two years the French lost more than fifty thousand persons. After the -retirement of the whites, the men of color put forth a Declaration of -Independence, in which they said, "We have sworn to show no mercy to -those who may dare to speak to us of slavery." - -The bravery and military skill which Dessalines had exhibited after -the capture of Toussaint, the bold, resolute manner in which he had -expelled the whites from the island, naturally pointed him out as the -future ruler of St. Domingo. After serving a short time as president, -Dessalines assumed the dignity of emperor, and changed the name of the -island to that of Hayti. - -The population of Hayti had been very much thinned by the ravages of -war, and Dessalines, for the purpose of aiding those of his race, who -had been taken away by force, to return, offered large rewards to -captains of vessels for any that they might bring back as passengers. - -One of the charges against Dessalines is based upon the fact that -he changed his government from a republic to an empire. But we must -consider that the people of Hayti had always lived under a monarchy, -and were wedded to that kind of government. Had Toussaint allowed -himself to be made a king, his power would have been recognized by -Great Britain, and he would never have yielded to the solicitations of -Leclerc, when that general's fleet landed on the island. Napoleon had -just been crowned emperor of France, and it was not at all surprising -that Dessalines should feel inclined to imitate the conqueror of Egypt. - -The empire of Hayti was composed of six military divisions, each to -be under the command of a general officer, who was independent of his -associates who governed in other districts, as he was responsible to -the head of the state alone. The supreme power was formally conferred -upon Jean Jacques Dessalines, the avenger and liberator of his -countrymen, who was to take the title of Emperor and Commander-in-chief -of the Army, and to be addressed by the appellation of His Majesty--a -dignity which was also conferred upon the empress, his wife, and the -persons of both were declared inviolable. The crown was elective, but -the power was conferred upon the reigning emperor to select and appoint -his successor, by a nomination which required the sanction of the -people to give it validity. The emperor was empowered to make the laws -to govern the empire, and to promulgate them under his seal; to appoint -all the functionaries of the state, and remove them at his will; to -hold the purse of the nation; to make peace and war, and in all things -to exercise the rights and privileges of an absolute sovereign. The -monarch was assisted in wielding this mighty authority by a council of -state, composed of generals of division and brigade. No peculiar faith -in religion was established by law, and toleration was extended to the -doctrines and worship of all sects. Surrounded by all the luxuries -that wealth could procure, he was distinguished for the Roman virtues -of abstinence and energy. Scorning effeminacy, he seemed ambitious to -inure himself to the most laborious exercise and to the simplest mode -of living. Dessalines was well schooled in the toils and labors of -the camp. As his life was made up of extremes, so in his habits and -personal endurances were seen great contrasts. Impetuosity and rapid -movement were among his chief characteristics. He prided himself on -his being able to surprise his enemies and taking them unprepared. -Indeed, this was a leading trait in his military character, and places -him alongside of Napoleon, or any other general, ancient or modern. As -time smooths over his footsteps, and wears out the blood that marked -his course, the circumstances attending it will, no doubt, be made -to extenuate some of his many faults, and magnify his virtues as a -general, a ruler, and a man. - -The empress was a woman of rare beauty, and had some education, talent, -and refinement. Her humanity caused her to restrain her husband, upon -many occasions, from acts of cruelty. Though uneducated, Dessalines was -not ignorant even of the classics, for he kept three secretaries, who, -by turns, read to him. - -As soon as he came into power, the emperor exerted every nerve to -fortify the island, and to make it strong in the time of need. Much -has been said of the cruelty of this man, and far be it from me to -apologize for his acts. Yet, to judge rightly of him, we must remember -that he had an ignorant people to govern, on the one hand, and the -former planters to watch and control on the other. This latter class -was scattered all over Europe and the United States, and they lost no -opportunity to poison the minds of the whites against Dessalines and -his government. He discovered many plots of the old white planters -to assassinate him, and this drew out the ferociousness of his -disposition, and made him cruel in the extreme. That he caused the -death of innocent persons, there is not the slightest doubt; but that -such a man as he was needed at the time, all must admit. Had Dessalines -been in the place of Toussaint, he would never have been transferred -from Hayti to France. Unlimited power, conferred upon him, together -with the opposition of the whites in all countries, made him cruel even -to his own race, and they looked forward with a degree of hope to his -removal. The mulattoes, against whom he had never ceased to war, were -ever watchful for an opportunity to take his life. A secret conspiracy -was accordingly planned by this class, and on the 17th of October, -1806, while Dessalines was on a journey from St. Marks to Port au -Prince, a party in ambuscade fired at him, and he fell dead. - -Hayti had much improved under his management, especially in -agriculture. The towns, many of them, had been rebuilt, commerce -extended, and the arts patronized. Military talents have been ascribed -to Dessalines even superior to Toussaint. He certainly had great -courage, but upon the battle field it seemed to be the headlong fury -of the tiger rather than the calm deliberation of L'Ouverture. Of all -the heroic men which the boiling caldron of the St. Domingo revolution -threw upon its surface, for the purpose of meeting the tyrannical -whites, of bringing down upon them terrible retribution for their long -and cruel reign, and of vindicating the rights of the oppressed in that -unfortunate island, the foremost place belongs to the African, the -savage, the soldier, the general, the president, and lastly the emperor -Jean Jacques Dessalines. - - -IRA ALDRIDGE. - -On looking over the columns of _The Times_, one morning, I saw it -announced under the head of "Amusements," that "Ira Aldridge, the -African Roscius," was to appear in the character of Othello, in -Shakspeare's celebrated tragedy of that name, and, having long wished -to see my sable countryman, I resolved at once to attend. Though -the doors had been open but a short time when I reached the Royal -Haymarket, the theatre where the performance was to take place, the -house was well filled, and among the audience I recognized the faces of -several distinguished persons of the nobility, the most noted of whom -was Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, the renowned novelist--his figure neat, -trim, hair done up in the latest fashion--looking as if he had just -come out of a band-box. He is a great lover of the drama, and has a -private theatre at one of his country seats, to which he often invites -his friends, and presses them into the different characters. - -As the time approached for the curtain to rise, it was evident that -the house was to be "jammed." Stuart, the best Iago since the days of -Young, in company with Roderigo, came upon the stage as soon as the -green curtain went up. Iago looked the villain, and acted it to the -highest conception of the character. The scene is changed, all eyes are -turned to the right door, and thunders of applause greet the appearance -of Othello. Mr. Aldridge is of the middle size, and appeared to be -about three quarters African; has a pleasant countenance, frame well -knit, and seemed to me the best Othello that I had ever seen. As Iago -began to work upon his feelings, the Moor's eyes flashed fire, and, -further on in the play, he looked the very demon of despair. When he -seized the deceiver by the throat, and exclaimed, "Villain! be sure -thou prove my love false: be sure of it--give me the ocular proof--or, -by the worth of my eternal soul, thou hadst better have been born a -dog, Iago, than answer my waked wrath," the audience, with one impulse, -rose to their feet amid the wildest enthusiasm. At the end of the third -act, Othello was called before the curtain, and received the applause -of the delighted multitude. I watched the countenance and every motion -of Bulwer Lytton with almost as much interest as I did that of the Moor -of Venice, and saw that none appeared to be better pleased than he. -The following evening I went to witness his Hamlet, and was surprised -to find him as perfect in that as he had been in Othello; for I had -been led to believe that the latter was his greatest character. The -whole court of Denmark was before us; but till the words, "'Tis not -alone my inky cloak, good mother," fell from the lips of Mr. Aldridge, -was the general ear charmed, or the general tongue arrested. The voice -was so low, and sad, and sweet, the modulation so tender, the dignity -so natural, the grace so consummate, that all yielded themselves -silently to the delicious enchantment. When Horatio told him that he -had come to see his father's funeral, the deep melancholy that took -possession of his face showed the great dramatic power of Mr. Aldridge. -"I pray thee do not mock me, fellow-student," seemed to come from his -inmost soul. The animation with which his countenance was lighted -up, during Horatio's recital of the visits that the ghost had paid -him and his companions, was beyond description. "Angels and ministers -of grace defend us," as the ghost appeared in the fourth scene, sent -a thrill through the whole assembly. His rendering of the "Soliloquy -on Death," which Edmund Kean, Charles Kemble, and William C. Macready -have reaped such unfading laurels from, was one of his best efforts. -He read it infinitely better than Charles Kean, whom I had heard at -the "Princess," but a few nights previous. The vigorous starts of -thought, which in the midst of his personal sorrows rise with such -beautiful and striking suddenness from the ever-wakeful mind of the -humanitarian philosopher, are delivered with that varying emphasis that -characterizes the truthful delineator, when he exclaims, "Frailty, thy -name is woman!" In the second scene of the second act, when revealing -to Guildenstern the melancholy which preys upon his mind, the beautiful -and powerful words in which Hamlet explains his feelings are made very -effective in Mr. Aldridge's rendering: "This most excellent canopy, the -air, the brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with -golden fire.... What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! how -infinite in faculties! in form and moving how express and admirable! in -action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a God!" In the last -scene of the second act, when Hamlet's imagination, influenced by the -interview with the actors, suggests to his rich mind so many eloquent -reflections, Mr. Aldridge enters fully into the spirit of the scene, -warms up, and when he exclaims, "He would drown the stage with tears, -and cleave the general ear with horrid speech,--make mad the guilty, -and appall the free," he is very effective; and when this warmth mounts -into a paroxysm of rage, and he calls the King "Bloody, bawdy villain! -Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!" he sweeps the -audience with him, and brings down deserved applause. The fervent soul -and restless imagination, which are ever stirring at the bottom of -the fountain, and sending bright bubbles to the top, find a glowing -reflection on the animated surface of Mr. Aldridge's colored face. I -thought Hamlet one of his best characters, though I saw him afterwards -in several others. - -Mr. Aldridge is a native of Senegal, in Africa. His forefathers were -princes of the Foulah tribe, whose dominions were in Senegal, on the -banks of the river of that name, on the west coast of Africa. To this -shore one of our early missionaries found his way, and took charge of -Ira's father, Daniel Aldridge, in order to qualify him for the work -of civilizing and evangelizing his countrymen. Daniel's father, the -reigning prince, was more enlightened than his subjects, probably -through the instruction of the missionary, and proposed that his -prisoners taken in battle should be exchanged, and not, as was the -custom, sold as slaves. This wish interfered with the notions and -perquisites of his tribe, especially his principal chiefs; and a civil -war raged among the people. During these differences, Daniel, then a -promising youth, was brought to the United States by the missionary, -and sent to Schenectady College to receive the advantages of a -Christian education. Three days after his departure, the revolutionary -storm, which was brewing, broke out openly, and the reigning prince, -the advocate of humanity, was killed. - -Daniel Aldridge remained in America till the death of the rebellious -chief, who had headed the conspiracy, and reigned instead of the -murdered prince. During the interval, Daniel had become a minister -of the gospel, and was regarded by all classes as a man of uncommon -abilities. He was, however, desirous to establish himself at the head -of his tribe, possess himself of his birthright, and advance the cause -of Christianity among his countrymen. For this purpose he returned to -his native country, taking with him a young wife, one of his own color, -whom he had but just married in America. Daniel no sooner appeared -among the people of his slaughtered father, than old disagreements -revived, civil war broke out, the enlightened African was defeated, -barely escaping from the scene of strife with his life, and for some -time unable to quit the country, which was watched by numerous enemies -anxious for his capture. Nine years elapsed before the proscribed -family escaped to America, during the whole of which time they were -concealed in the neighborhood of their foes, enduring vicissitudes and -hardships that can well be imagined, but need not be described. - -Ira Aldridge was born soon after his father's arrival in Senegal, -and on their return to America, was intended by the latter for the -church. Many a white parent has "chalked out" in vain for his son a -similar calling, and the best intentions have been thwarted by an -early predilection quite in an opposite direction. We can well account -for the father's choice in this instance, as in keeping with his -own aspirations; and we can easily imagine his disappointment upon -abandoning all hope of seeing one of his blood and color following -specially in the service of his great Master. The son, however, began -betimes to show his early preference and ultimate passion. At school he -was awarded prizes for declamation, in which he excelled; and there his -curiosity was excited by what he heard of theatrical representations, -which he was told _embodied_ all the fine ideas _shadowed forth_ in -the language he read and committed to memory. It became the wish of -his heart to witness one of these performances, and that wish he soon -contrived to gratify, and finally he became a candidate for histrionic -fame. - -Notwithstanding the progress Ira had made in learning, no qualities of -the mind could compensate, in the eyes of the Americans, for the dark -hue of his skin. The prevailing prejudice, so strong among all classes, -was against him. This induced his removal to England, where he entered -at the Glasgow University, and, under Professor Sandford, obtained -several premiums, and the medal for Latin composition. - -On leaving college, Mr. Aldridge at once commenced preparing for -the stage, and shortly after appeared in a number of Shaksperian -characters, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and other provincial -cities, and soon after appeared on the boards of Drury Lane and Covent -Garden, where he was stamped the "African Roscius." The _London -Weekly Times_ said of him, "Mr. Ira Aldridge is a dark mulatto, with -woolly hair. His features are capable of great expression, his action -is unrestrained and picturesque, and his voice clear, full, and -resonant. His powers of energetic declamation are very marked, and -the whole of his acting appears impulsed by a current of feeling of no -inconsiderable weight and vigor, yet controlled and guided in a manner -that clearly shows the actor to be a person of much study and great -stage ability." The _Morning Chronicle_ recorded his "Shylock" as among -the "finest pieces of acting that a London audience had witnessed since -the days of the elder Kean." - - -JOSEPH CINQUE. - -In the month of August, 1839, there appeared in the newspapers a -shocking story--that a schooner, going coastwise from Havana to -Neuvitas, in the island of Cuba, early in July, with about twenty white -passengers, and a large number of slaves, had been seized by the slaves -in the night time, and the passengers and crew all murdered except two, -who made their escape to land in an open boat. About the 20th of the -same month, a strange craft was seen repeatedly on our coast, which was -believed to be the captured Spanish coaster, in the possession of the -negroes. She was spoken by several pilot-boats and other vessels, and -partially supplied with water, of which she was very much in want. It -was also said, that the blacks appeared to have a great deal of money. -The customhouse department and the officers of the navy were instantly -roused to go in pursuit of the "pirates," as the unknown possessors -of the schooner were spontaneously called. The United States steamer -Fulton, and several revenue cutters were despatched, and notice given -to the collectors at the various seaports. On the 10th of August, the -"mysterious schooner" was near the shore at Culloden Point, on the -east end of Long Island, where a part of the crew came on shore for -water and fresh provisions, for which they paid with undiscriminating -profuseness. Here they were met by Captain Green and another gentleman, -who stated that they had in their possession a large box filled with -gold. Shortly after, on the 26th, the vessel was espied by Captain -Gedney, U. S. N., in command of the brig Washington, employed on the -coast survey, who despatched an officer to board her. The officer found -a large number of negroes, and two Spaniards, Pedro Montez and Jose -Ruiz, one of whom immediately announced himself as the owner of the -negroes, and claimed his protection. The schooner was thereupon taken -possession of by Captain Gedney. - -The leader of the blacks was pointed out by the Spaniards, and his -name given as Joseph Cinque. He was a native of Africa, and one of the -finest specimens of his race ever seen in this country. As soon as he -saw that the vessel was in the hands of others, and all hope of his -taking himself and countrymen back to their home land at an end, he -leaped overboard with the agility of an antelope. The small boat was -immediately sent after him, and for two hours did the sailors strive -to capture him before they succeeded. Cinque swam and dived like an -otter, first upon his back, then upon his breast, sometimes his head -out of water, and sometimes his heels out. His countrymen on board -the captured schooner seemed much amused at the chase, for they knew -Cinque well, and felt proud of the untamableness of his nature. After -baffling them for a time, he swam towards the vessel, was taken on -board, and secured with the rest of the blacks, and they were taken -into New London, Connecticut. - -The schooner proved to be the "Amistad," Captain Ramon Ferrer, from -Havana, bound to Principe, about one hundred leagues distant, with -fifty-four negroes held as slaves, and _two_ passengers instead of -twenty. The Spaniards said that, after being out four days, the negroes -rose in the night, and killed the captain and a mulatto cook; that the -helmsman and another sailor took to the boat and went on shore; that -the only two whites remaining were the said passengers, Montez and -Ruiz, who were confined below until morning; that Montez, the elder, -who had been a sea captain, was required to steer the ship for Africa; -that he steered eastwardly in the day time, because the negroes could -tell his course by the sun, but put the vessel about in the night. They -boxed about some days in the Bahama Channel, and were several times -near the islands, but the negroes would not allow her to enter any -port. Once they were near Long Island, but then put out to sea again, -the Spaniards all the while hoping they might fall in with some ship -of war that would rescue them from their awkward situation. One of the -Spaniards testified that, when the rising took place, he was awaked by -the noise, and that he heard the captain order the cabin boy to get -some bread and throw to the negroes, in hope to pacify them. Cinque, -however, the leader of the revolt, leaped on deck, seized a capstan -bar, and attacked the captain, whom he killed at a single blow, and -took charge of the vessel; his authority being acknowledged by his -companions, who knew him as a prince in his native land. - -The captives were taken before the Circuit Court of the United States -for the District of Connecticut, Hon. Andrew T. Judson presiding. -This was only the commencement in the courts, for the trial ran -through several months. During this time, the Africans were provided -with competent teachers by the abolitionists, and their minds were -undergoing a rapid change, and civilization was taking the place of -ignorance and barbarism. - -Cinque, all this while, did nothing to change the high opinion first -formed of him, and all those who came into his presence felt themselves -before a superior man. After he and his countrymen had embraced -Christianity, and were being questioned by a peace man as to the part -that they had taken in the death of the men on board the Amistad, when -asked if they did not think it wrong to take human life, one of the -Africans replied that, if it was to be acted over again, he would pray -for them instead of killing them. Cinque, hearing this, smiled and -shook his head, whereupon he was asked if he would not pray for them -also. To this he said, "Yes, I would pray for 'em, an' kill 'em too." - -By the sagacity and daring of this man, he and his companions, -fifty-four in number, were rescued from a life-long bondage of the -worst character that ever afflicted the human family. - -Cinque was a man of great intelligence and natural ability; he was -a powerful orator, and although speaking in a tongue foreign to his -audience, by the grace and energy of his motions and attitudes, the -changeful expression of his features, and the intonations of his -voice, made them understand the main incidents of his narrative, and -swayed their minds in an extraordinary manner. Alluding to that point -of his history at which Cinque described how, when on board the Spanish -vessel, he, with the help of a nail, first relieved himself of his -manacles, then assisted his countrymen to get rid of theirs, and then -led them to the attack of the Spaniards, Lewis Tappan, in the account -of the whole proceedings connected with the Amistad captives, which he -published, says, "It is not in my power to give an adequate description -of Cinque when he showed how he did this, and led his comrades to the -conflict, and achieved their freedom. In my younger years I have seen -Kemble and Siddons, and the representation of 'Othello,' at Covent -Garden; but no acting that I have ever witnessed came near that to -which I allude." - - -ALEXANDRE DUMAS. - -I had been in Paris a week without seeing Dumas, for my letter of -introduction from Louis Blanc, who was then in exile in England, to -M. Eugene Sue, had availed me nothing as regarded a sight of the -great colored author. Sue had promised me that I should have an -interview with Dumas before I quitted the French capital; but I had -begun to suspect that the latter felt that it would be too much of -a condescension to give audience to an American slave, and I began -to grow indifferent myself upon the matter. Invited by a friend to -attend the opera, to witness the performances of Grisi and Mario, in -Norma, I gladly accepted, and in company with my friend started for -the place of amusement. Our seats were "reserved," and I took my place -in the immense saloon before raising my eyes to view the vast audience -which had already assembled. The splendid chandeliers, the hundreds of -brilliant gas lights, the highly-colored drapery that hung its rich -folds about the boxes and stalls, were in keeping with the magnificent -diamonds, laces, and jewelry, that adorned the persons of the finest -assembly that I had ever seen. In a double box nearly opposite to me, -containing a party of six or eight, I noticed a light-complexioned -mulatto, apparently about fifty years of age,--curly hair, full face, -dressed in a black coat, white vest, white kids,--who seemed to be -the centre of attraction, not only in his own circle, but in others. -Those in the pit looked up, those in the gallery looked down, while -curtains were drawn aside at other boxes and stalls to get a sight at -the colored man. So recently from America, where caste was so injurious -to my race, I began to think that it was his woolly head that attracted -attention, when I was informed that the mulatto before me was no less -a person than Alexandre Dumas. Every move, look, and gesture of the -celebrated romancer were watched in the closest manner by the audience. -Even Mario appeared to feel that his part on the stage was of less -importance than that of the colored man in the royal box. M. Dumas' -grandfather was the Marquis de la Pailleterie, a wealthy planter of St. -Domingo, while his grandmother was a negress from Congo. Rainsford -makes honorable mention of the father of Dumas, in his _Black Empire_, -as having served in the army in his own native island. Dumas' father -served under Napoleon during the whole of his campaigns, and rose to -high distinction. Once, when near Lisle, Dumas, with four men, attacked -a post of fifty Austrians, killed six, and made sixteen prisoners. -For a long time he commanded a legion of horse composed of blacks and -mulattoes, who were the terror of their enemies. General Dumas was -with the army which Napoleon sent over the Alps; Napoleon crossed it -in June, Marshal Macdonald in December. The latter sent Dumas to say -it was impossible to pass in the winter, when great avalanches of snow -were falling down, threatening to destroy the army. Napoleon's reply -to the messenger was, "Go and tell Marshal Macdonald, where one man -can pass over, an army can pass over in single file. The order is not -to be countermanded." The order was obeyed, though at the cost of many -lives. One of the generals that made the pass was the black General -Dumas, who ascended the St. Bernard, which was defended by a number -of fortifications, took possession of the cannon, and immediately -directed them against the enemy. At the conclusion of the wars, the -father returned to his island home, and after his death, the son went -to France destitute, where he obtained a situation as a writer. Here -he cultivated his literary taste. His imaginative mind and unsurpassed -energies began to develop themselves, which soon placed the young man -in easy circumstances. Dumas is now sixty-three years of age, and has -been a writer for the press thirty-eight years. During this time he -has published more novels, plays, travels, and historical sketches -than any other man that ever lived. It is well understood that he is -not the author of all the works that appear under his name, but that -young writers gain a living by working out the plots and situations -that his fecund brain suggests. When the novel or the play is complete, -Dumas gives it a revision, touches up the dialogue, dashes in here -and there a spirited scene of his own, and then receives from the -publisher an enormous sum. Undeniably a man of great genius, endowed -with true fertility of imagination, and masterly power of expression, -his influence has been great. - -Such is the vivacity of his descriptions, such the _entrainement_ of -his narrative, such the boldness of his invention, such the point of -his dialogue, and the rapidity of his incidents, so matchless often the -felicity and skill of particular passages, that he always inflames the -interest of the reader to the end. You may be angry with him, but you -will confess that he is the opposite of tedious. Certainly no writer -fills a more prominent place in the literature of his country; and none -has exercised a more potent influence upon its recent development than -this son of the negro general, Dumas. His novels are every where, and -the enthusiasm with which his dramatic pieces were received has been of -the most flattering character. - - -HENRI CHRISTOPHE. - -Henri Christophe was a native of the island of New Grenada, where -he was born a slave. He went to St. Domingo at the age of eighteen, -and was employed as _maître d'hôtel_ in the principal _café_ at -Cape François. From strength of natural genius, as well as from his -occupying a station in life above the ordinary condition of his race, -he acquired considerable knowledge of the prevailing manners and -customs of the society of which he was a daily spectator. He was master -of the French, English, and Spanish languages, and was thought to be -the most polished gentleman of all of Toussaint's generals. Being six -feet three inches in height, Christophe made an imposing appearance on -horseback, on the field of battle, in his uniform. He had a majestic -carriage, and an eye full of fire; and a braver man never lived. Though -far inferior to Toussaint in vigor and originality of mind, he was much -his superior in acquaintance with the customs and habits of the world, -and appeared more dignified in his intercourse with society. - -After the breaking out of the revolution, Christophe joined the army -under Toussaint, who soon discovered his good qualities, and made him -his lieutenant; from which position he was soon advanced to second in -command. It has been asserted that he was an abler military man than -either Toussaint or Dessalines. When Napoleon's expedition invaded St. -Domingo, Leclerc, with the largest part of the squadron, came to anchor -off Cape City, and summoned the place to surrender. The reply which -he received from Christophe was such as to teach the captain-general -what he had to expect in the subjugation of St. Domingo. "Go, tell your -general that the French shall march here only over ashes, and that the -ground shall burn beneath their feet," was the answer that Leclerc -obtained in return to his command. The French general sent another -messenger to Christophe, urging him to surrender, and promising the -black chief a commission of high rank in the French army. But he found -he had a man, and not a slave, to deal with. The exasperated Christophe -sent back the heroic reply, "The decision of arms can admit you only -into a city in ashes, and even on these ashes will I fight still." - -After Toussaint had been captured and sent to France, and Leclerc was -disarming the colored population, and the decree of the 30th of April -for maintaining slavery in St. Domingo had been put forth, Christophe -followed the example of Clervaux, and went over to the insurgents, and -met and defeated Rochambeau in one of the hardest fought battles of the -campaign. He soon after shut the French commander up in Cape François, -where the latter remained like a tiger driven to his den. - -During the reign of Dessalines, Christophe lived partly retired, -"biding his time;" for although the former had been made emperor, the -latter was most beloved by all classes. The death of the emperor at -once opened a way for Christophe, for a provisional government was -then constituted, and the latter was proclaimed the head of the state. -This was a virtual revolution, and Christophe regarded himself, by -the provisional appointment, as the chief of the army, to govern ad -interim, until a new government could be formed. But the mulattoes, -who had long been in obscurity, rallied, got a majority in the -convention, and elected Petion president of the republic of Hayti. -Christophe collected together his adherents, and determined to take -by conquest what he thought he had a right to by succession, and, as -he thought, by merit. Failing in this, he set up another government -in the north, with Cape François as its capital. Christophe felt that -his assumption of power was but a usurpation, and that, so long as -his government remained in operation without the formal sanction of -the people, his rival at Port au Prince possessed immense advantage -over him, inasmuch as he had been made the constituted head of the -country by an observance of the forms of the constitution. To remedy -this palpable defect, which weakened his authority, he resolved to -frame another constitution, which would confirm him in the power he -had taken, and furnish him with a legal excuse for maintaining his -present attitude. In accordance with this policy, he convoked another -assembly at Cape François, composed of the generals of his army and -the principal citizens of that province, and after a short session the -legislators terminated their labors by adopting another constitution, -dated upon the 17th of February, 1809. This new enactment declared all -persons residing upon the territory of Hayti free citizens, and that -the government was to be administered by a supreme magistrate, who was -to take the title of president of the state and general-in-chief of -the land and naval forces. Thus firmly seated, Christophe felt himself -more powerful, and more secure from outbreaks. Nevertheless, he was -not destined to hold peaceable possession of all the territory in his -district, for the inhabitants of many of the towns in the vicinity -of Cape François openly threw off their allegiance, and proclaimed -their preference for the more legitimate government of Petion. The -two presidents prepared for war, and Christophe opened the campaign -by marching an immense army against Gonaives, which, in the month of -June, 1807, he invested. Petion's troops were defeated, and, to save -themselves from capture, escaped by sea to Port au Prince. The war -continued three years, when a new competitor appeared in the person of -Rigaud, the other mulatto general. Christophe now ceased for a while; -but when he felt that the time had arrived he again renewed the war, -and, in 1810, captured the Mole St. Nicholas, the strongest fort on -the island. Becoming ambitious to be a monarch, Christophe called his -council together, and on the 20th of March, 1811, the session closed by -adopting a new frame of government The imperial constitution of 1805 -was modified to form an hereditary monarchy in the north, and to place -the crown of Hayti upon Christophe under the title of Henry the First. -When he entered upon the kingly station that had been conferred upon -him, his first act was to promulgate an edict creating an hereditary -nobility, as a natural support of his government. These dignitaries -of the kingdom were taken mostly from the army, the chiefs who had -fought under him in the struggle against the French, and consisted -of two princes, seven dukes, twenty-two counts, thirty-five barons, -and fourteen chevaliers. His coronation was the most magnificent -display ever witnessed out of Europe. To furnish himself with all the -appointments correspondent to his royal dignity, he now began the -erection of a palace, situated a few miles from the cape, upon which -he had bestowed the historical name of Sans Souci. This palace has -the reputation of being the most splendid edifice in the West Indies. -The rugged, mountainous region in the vicinity of his royal residence -was changed from its original condition to form the gardens of the -palace. Hills were levelled with the plain, deep ravines were filled -up, and roads and passages were opened, leading in all directions -from the royal dwelling. The halls and saloons of the palace were -wrought with mahogany, the floors were laid with rich marble, and -numerous jets-d'eau furnished coolness and a supply of pure water to -the different apartments. Christophe held a levee on the Thursday -evening of each week, which was attended by the most fashionable of all -classes, including the foreign ambassadors and consuls. The ceremonial -observances were modelled after the drawing rooms at St. Cloud and -St. James. Though of pure African blood, Christophe was not a jet -black, his complexion being rather a dusky brown. His person had grown -slightly corpulent, and his address was cold, polished, and graceful. -He possessed a certain air of native dignity that corresponded well -with his high official situation. The whites of all countries, and -especially the English, formed a high opinion of his character. That -part of the island which came within his rule had been well cultivated, -his government out of debt, and commerce was in a flourishing condition. - -The removal of Napoleon from the throne of France once more gave to -the French planters residing in the mother country hope of again -possessing their estates. A move was made in the court of Louis -XVIII. to send another expedition to Hayti, to bring the colony back -to her allegiance. On learning this, Christophe issued a proclamation, -in which he said, "If we love the blessings of peace, we fear not -the fatigues and horrors of war. Let our implacable enemies, the -French colonists, who for twenty years have never ceased from their -projects for the reëstablishment of slavery, and who have filled all -the governments of the earth with their importunities,--let them put -themselves at the head of armies, and direct themselves against our -country. They will be the first victims of our vengeance, and the soil -of liberty will eagerly drink the blood of our oppressors. We will show -to the nations of the earth what a warlike people can accomplish, who -are in arms for the best of causes--the defence of their homes, their -wives, their children, their liberty, and their independence." - -A despatch was next sent to Christophe, in which he was threatened with -an invasion by all the forces of combined Europe in case of his refusal -to submit himself to the will of France. This last threat, however, had -no influence over the black monarch, for he felt that no European power -would invade Hayti after the failure of the sixty thousand men sent out -by Napoleon. Nothing was attempted by the French, and the king of Hayti -was left in possession of his government. In the month of August, 1820, -Christophe was attacked, while at mass, with a paralytic disease, and -was immediately conveyed to Sans Souci, where he remained an invalid -until a revolt occurred among his subjects. He ordered his war-horse, -his sword was brought, and he attempted to mount his charger; but in -vain. He gave up the attempt, retired to his chamber, locked the door, -and the report of a pistol alarmed his attendants. They rushed in, but -it was too late; Henri Christophe was no more. - -Christophe's aims were great, and many of them good. He was not only -the patron of the arts, but of industry; and it gave him pleasure to -see his country recovering the ground lost in the revolution and the -civil wars, and advancing in name and wealth. He promoted industry -on the principles laid down by his predecessor, Toussaint. A busy -population covered the land with marks of its labors. Rich crops of -the most coveted produce of nature annually rewarded the toil of the -husbandman. Christophe was also the patron of education; and there are -still on the island schools that were founded by him when king. In one -respect he excelled Charlemagne,--he could write his own name; but that -was all. He dictated letters and despatches, and was an admirable judge -of the fitness and relevancy of words. He kept up a correspondence -with Wilberforce and Clarkson, the English philanthropists, and both -of these distinguished men had a high opinion of him as a man, and a -friend of his race. - - -PHILLIS WHEATLEY. - -In the year 1761, when Boston had her slave market, and the descendants -of the Pilgrims appeared to be the most pious and God-fearing people -in the world, Mrs. John Wheatley went into the market one day, for -the purpose of selecting and purchasing a girl for her own use. Among -the group of children just imported from the African coast was a -delicately built, rather good-looking child of seven or eight years, -apparently suffering from the recent sea voyage and change of climate. -Mrs. Wheatley's heart was touched at the interesting countenance and -humble modesty of this little stranger. The lady bought the child, and -she was named Phillis. Struck with the slave's uncommon brightness, -the mistress determined to teach her to read, which she did with no -difficulty. The child soon mastered the English language, with which -she was totally unacquainted when she landed upon the American shores. -Her school lessons were all perfect, and she drank in the scriptural -teachings as if by intuition. At the age of twelve, she could write -letters and keep up a correspondence that would have done honor to one -double her years. Mrs. Wheatley, seeing her superior genius, no longer -regarded Phillis as a servant, but took her as a companion. It was -not surprising that the slave girl should be an object of attraction, -astonishment, and attention with the refined and highly cultivated -society that weekly assembled in the drawing room of the Wheatleys. As -Phillis grew up to womanhood, her progress and attainments kept pace -with the promise of her earlier years. She drew around her the best -educated of the white ladies, and attracted the attention and notice -of the literary characters of Boston, who supplied her with books and -encouraged the ripening of her intellectual powers. She studied the -Latin tongue, and translated one of Ovid's tales, which was no sooner -put in print in America, than it was republished in London, with -eloquent commendations from the reviews. In 1773, a small volume of -her poems, containing thirty-nine pieces, was published in London, and -dedicated to the Countess of Huntingdon. The genuineness of this work -was established in the first page of the volume, by a document signed -by the governor of Massachusetts, the lieutenant-governor, her master, -and fifteen of the most respectable and influential citizens of Boston, -who were acquainted with her talents and the circumstances of her -life. Her constitution being naturally fragile, she was advised by her -physician to take a sea voyage as the means of restoring her declining -health. - -Phillis was emancipated by her master at the age of twenty-one years, -and sailed for England. On her arrival, she was received and admired -in the first circles of London society; and it was at that time that -her poems were collected and published in a volume, with a portrait and -memoir of the authoress. Phillis returned to America, and married Dr. -Peters, a man of her own color, and of considerable talents. Her health -began rapidly to decline, and she died at the age of twenty-six years, -in 1780. Fortunately rescued from the fate that awaits the victims of -the slave trade, this injured daughter of Africa had an opportunity of -developing the genius that God had given her, and of showing to the -world the great wrong done to her race. The limited place allowed for -this sketch will not permit of our giving more than one short poem from -the pen of the gifted Phillis Wheatley. - - - ON THE DEATH OF A YOUNG GIRL. - - From dark abodes to fair ethereal light, - The enraptured innocent has winged her flight; - On the kind bosom of eternal love - She finds unknown beatitudes above. - This know, ye parents, nor her loss deplore-- - She feels the iron hand of pain no more; - The dispensations of unerring grace - Should turn your sorrows into grateful praise; - Let, then, no tears for her henceforward flow - Nor suffer grief in this dark vale below. - - Her morning sun, which rose divinely bright, - Was quickly mantled with the gloom of night; - But hear, in heaven's best bowers, your child so fair, - And learn to imitate her language there. - Thou, Lord, whom I behold with glory crowned, - By what sweet name, and in what tuneful sound, - Wilt thou be praised? Seraphic powers are faint - Infinite love and majesty to paint. - To thee let all their grateful voices raise, - And saints and angels join their songs of praise - - Perfect in bliss, now from her heavenly home - She looks, and, smiling, beckons you to come; - Why then, fond parents, why these fruitless groans? - Restrain your tears, and cease your plaintive moans. - Freed from a world of sin, and snares, and pain, - Why would ye wish your fair one back again? - Nay, bow resigned; let hope your grief control, - And check the rising tumult of the soul. - Calm in the prosperous and the adverse day, - Adore the God who gives and takes away; - - See him in all, his holy name revere, - Upright your actions, and your hearts sincere, - Till, having sailed through life's tempestuous sea, - And from its rocks and boisterous billows free, - Yourselves, safe landed on the blissful shore, - Shall join your happy child to part no more. - - -DENMARK VESEY. - -No class of persons in the world, who have the name of being free, are -more sorely oppressed than the free colored people of the Southern -States. Each state has its code of black laws, which are rigorously -enforced, and the victim made to feel his degradation at all times and -in all places. An undeveloped discontent pervades the entire black -population, bond and free, in all the slave states. Human bondage is -ever fruitful of insurrection, wherever it exists, and under whatever -circumstances it may be found. Every community the other side of -"Dixon's Line" feels that it lives upon a volcano that is liable -to burst out at any moment; and all are watchful, and fearfully in -earnest, in looking after the colored man's affairs, and inventing -sterner enactments to keep him in subjection. The most oppressive of -all the states is South Carolina. In Charleston, free colored ladies -are not allowed to wear veils about their faces in the streets, -or in any public places. A violation of this law is visited with -"_thirty-nine lashes upon the bare back_." The same is inflicted upon -any free colored man who shall be seen upon the streets with a cigar -in his mouth, or a walking stick in his hand. Both, when walking the -streets, are forbidden to take the inside of the pavement. Punishment -of fine and imprisonment is laid upon any found out after the hour -of nine at night. An extra tax is placed upon every member of a free -colored family. While all these odious edicts were silently borne by -the free colored people of Charleston in 1822 there was a suppressed -feeling of indignation, mortification, and discontent, that was only -appreciated by a few. Among the most dissatisfied of the free blacks -was Denmark Vesey, a man who had purchased his freedom in the year -1800, and since that time had earned his living by his trade, being a -carpenter and joiner. Having been employed on shipboard by his master, -Captain Vesey, Denmark had seen a great deal of the world, and had -acquired a large fund of information, and was regarded as a leading -man among the blacks. He had studied the Scriptures, and never lost an -opportunity of showing that they were opposed to chattel-slavery. He -spoke freely with the slaves upon the subject, and often with whites, -where he found he could do so without risk to his own liberty. After -resolving to incite the slaves to rebellion, he began taking into his -confidence such persons as he could trust, and instructing them to -gain adherents from among the more reliable of both bond and free. -Peter Poyas, a slave of more than ordinary foresight and ability, was -selected by Vesey as his lieutenant; and to him was committed the -arduous duty of arranging the mode of attack, and of acting as the -military leader. - -"His plans showed some natural generalship; he arranged the night -attack; he planned the enrolment of a mounted troop to scour the -streets; and he had a list of all the shops where arms and ammunition -were kept for sale. He voluntarily undertook the management of the -most difficult part of the enterprise,--the capture of the main -guard-house,--and had pledged himself to advance alone and surprise -the sentinel. He was said to have a magnetism in his eye, of which his -confederates stood in great awe; if he once got his eye upon a man, -there was no resisting it." - -Gullah Jack, Tom Russell, and Ned Bennett. The last two were not less -valuable than Peter Poyas; for Tom was an ingenious mechanic, and made -battle-axes, pikes, and other instruments of death, with which to carry -on the war. All of the above were to be generals of brigades, and were -let into all the secrets of the intended rising. It has long been -the custom in Charleston for the country slaves to visit the city in -great numbers on Sunday, and return to their homes in time to commence -work on the following morning. It was therefore determined by Denmark -to have the rising take place on Sunday. The slaves of nearly every -plantation in the vicinity were enlisted, and were to take part. - -"The details of the plan, however, were not rashly committed to the -mass of the confederates; they were known only to a few, and were -finally to have been announced after the evening prayer-meeting on -the appointed Sunday. But each leader had his own company enlisted, -and his own work marked out. When the clock struck twelve, all were -to move. Peter Poyas was to lead a party ordered to assemble at South -Bay, and to be joined by a force from James's Island; he was then to -march up and seize the arsenal and guard-house opposite St. Michael's -Church, and detach a sufficient number to cut off all white citizens -who should appear at the alarm posts. A second body of negroes, from -the country and the Neck, headed by Ned Bennett, was to assemble on -the Neck and seize the arsenal there. A third was to meet at Governor -Bennett's Mills, under command of Rolla, another leader, and, after -putting the governor and intendant to death, to march through the -city, or be posted at Cannon's Bridge, thus preventing the inhabitants -of Cannonsborough from entering the city. A fourth, partly from the -country and partly from the neighboring localities in the city, was -to rendezvous on Gadsden's Wharf and attack the upper guard-house. -A fifth, composed of country and Neck negroes, was to assemble at -Bulkley's farm, two miles and a half from the city, seize the upper -powder magazine, and then march down; and a sixth was to assemble -at Denmark Vesey's and obey his orders. A seventh detachment, under -Gullah Jack, was to assemble in Boundary Street, at the head of King -Street, to capture the arms of the Neck company of militia, and to -take an additional supply from Mr. Duquercron's shop. The naval stores -on Mey's Wharf were also to be attacked. Meanwhile a horse company, -consisting of many draymen, hostlers, and butcher boys, was to meet at -Lightwood's Alley, and then scour the streets to prevent the whites -from assembling. Every white man coming out of his own door was to -be killed, and, if necessary, the city was to be fired in several -places--slow match for this purpose having been purloined from the -public arsenal and placed in an accessible position." - -The secret and plan of attack, however, were incautiously divulged -to a slave named Devany, belonging to Colonel Prioleau, and he at -once informed his master's family. The mayor, on getting possession -of the facts, called the city council together for consultation. The -investigation elicited nothing new, for the slaves persisted in their -ignorance of the matter, and the authorities began to feel that they -had been imposed upon by Devany and his informant, when another of -the conspirators, being bribed, revealed what he knew. Arrests after -arrests were made, and the Mayor's Court held daily examinations for -weeks. After several weeks of incarceration, the accused, one hundred -and twenty in number, were brought to trial: thirty-four were sentenced -to transportation, twenty-seven acquitted by the court, twenty-five -discharged without trial, and thirty-five condemned to death. With but -two or three exceptions, all of the conspirators went to the gallows -feeling that they had acted right, and died like men giving their lives -for the cause of freedom. A report of the trial, written soon after, -says of Denmark Vesey,-- - -"For several years before he disclosed his intentions to any one, he -appears to have been constantly and assiduously engaged in endeavoring -to embitter the minds of the colored population against the white. -He rendered himself perfectly familiar with all those parts of the -Scriptures which he thought he could pervert to his purpose, and would -readily quote them to prove that slavery was contrary to the laws of -God,--that slaves were bound to attempt their emancipation, however -shocking and bloody might be the consequences,--and that such efforts -would not only be pleasing to the Almighty, but were absolutely -enjoined, and their success predicted, in the Scriptures. His favorite -texts, when he addressed those of his own color, were Zechariah xiv. -1-3, and Joshua vi. 21; and in all his conversations he identified -their situation with that of the Israelites. The number of inflammatory -pamphlets on slavery brought into Charleston from some of our sister -states within the last four years, (and once from Sierra Leone,) and -distributed amongst the colored population of the city, for which there -was a great facility, in consequence of the unrestricted intercourse -allowed to persons of color between the different states in the Union, -and the speeches in Congress of those opposed to the admission of -Missouri into the Union, perhaps garbled and misrepresented, furnished -him with ample means for inflaming the minds of the colored population -of this state; and by distorting certain parts of those speeches, or -selecting from them particular passages, he persuaded but too many -that Congress had actually declared them free, and that they were -held in bondage contrary to the laws of the land. Even whilst walking -through the streets in company with another, he was not idle; for if -his companion bowed to a white person, he would rebuke him, and observe -that all men were born equal, and that he was surprised that any one -would degrade himself by such conduct,--that he would never cringe -to the whites, nor ought any one who had the feelings of a man. When -answered, 'We are slaves,' he would sarcastically and indignantly -reply, 'You deserve to remain slaves;' and if he were further asked, -'What can we do?' he would remark, 'Go and buy a spelling-book and read -the fable of Hercules and the Wagoner,' which he would then repeat, -and apply it to their situation. He also sought every opportunity -of entering into conversation with white persons, when they could be -overheard by negroes near by, especially in grog shops; during which -conversation, he would artfully introduce some bold remark on slavery; -and sometimes, when, from the character he was conversing with, he -found he might be still bolder, he would go so far, that, had not -his declarations in such situations been clearly proved, they would -scarcely have been credited. He continued this course until some time -after the commencement of the last winter; by which time he had not -only obtained incredible influence amongst persons of color, but many -feared him more than their owners, and, one of them declared, even more -than his God." - -The excitement which the revelations of the trial occasioned, and -the continual fanning of the flame by the newspapers, were beyond -description. Double guard in the city, the country patrol on -horseback and on foot, the watchfulness that was observed on all -plantations, showed the deep feeling of fear pervading the hearts of -the slaveholders, not only in South Carolina, but the fever extended -to the other Southern States, and all seemed to feel that a great -crisis had been passed. And indeed, their fears seem not to have been -without ground, for a more complicated plan for an insurrection could -scarcely have been conceived. And many were of opinion that, the rising -once begun, they would have taken the city and held it, and might have -sealed the fate of slavery in the south. The best account of this -whole matter is to be found in an able article in the Atlantic Monthly -for June, 1861, from the pen of that eloquent friend of freedom T. W. -Higginson, and to which I am indebted for the extracts contained in -this memoir of Denmark Vesey. - - -HENRY HIGHLAND GARNETT. - -Though born a slave in the State of Maryland, Henry Highland Garnett -is the son of an African chief, stolen from the coast of his native -land. His father's family were all held as slaves till 1822, when they -escaped to the north. In 1835, he became a member of Canaan Academy, -New Hampshire. Three months after entering the school, it was broken up -by a mob, who destroyed the building. Mr. Garnett afterwards entered -Oneida Institute, New York, under the charge of that noble-hearted -friend of man, Beriah Green, where he was treated with equality by the -professors and his fellow-students. There he gained the reputation -of a courteous and accomplished man, an able and eloquent debater, -and a good writer. His first appearance as a public speaker was in -1837, in the city of New York, where his speech at once secured for -him a standing among first-class orators. Mr. Garnett is in every -sense of the term a progressive man. He is a strenuous advocate of -freedom, temperance, education, and the religious, moral, and social -elevation of his race. He is an acceptable preacher, evangelical in his -profession. His discourses, though showing much thought and careful -study, are delivered extemporaneously, and with good effect. Having -complete command of his voice, he uses it with skill, never failing -to fill the largest hall. One of the most noted addresses ever given -by a colored man in this country was delivered by Mr. Garnett at the -National Convention of Colored Americans, at Buffalo, New York, in -1843. None but those who heard that speech have the slightest idea of -the tremendous influence which he exercised over the assembly. He spent -some years over a church at Troy, and another at Geneva, New York, and -in 1850 visited England, where he remained, lecturing, in different -sections of the United Kingdom, upon American slavery, until 1852, we -believe, when, being joined by his family, he went as a missionary to -Jamaica. After spending three years among the people of that island, -he returned to the United States, and is now settled over Shiloh -Church, New York city. Mr. Garnett is about forty-five years of age, -unadulterated in race, tall and commanding in appearance, has an eye -that looks through you, and a clear, ringing voice. He has written -considerably, and has edited one or two journals at different times, -devoted to the elevation of his race. The following from his pen will -give but a faint idea of Mr. Garnett's powers as a writer:-- - -"The woful volume of our history, as it now lies open to the world, is -written with tears and bound with blood. As I trace it, my eyes ache -and my heart is filled with grief. No other people have suffered so -much, and none have been more innocent. If I might apostrophize that -bleeding country, I would say, O Africa, thou hast bled, freely bled, -at every pore. Thy sorrow has been mocked, and thy grief has not been -heeded. Thy children are scattered over the whole earth, and the great -nations have been enriched by them. The wild beasts of thy forests are -treated with more mercy than they. The Libyan lion and the fierce tiger -are caged, to gratify the curiosity of men, and the keeper's hands are -not laid heavily upon them. But thy children are tortured, taunted, -and hurried out of life by unprecedented cruelty. Brave men, formed -in the divinest mould, are bartered, sold, and mortgaged. Stripped of -every sacred right, they are scourged if they affirm that they belong -to God. Women, sustaining the dear relation of mothers, are yoked -with the horned cattle to till the soil, and their heart-strings are -torn to pieces by cruel separations from their children. Our sisters, -ever manifesting the purest kindness, whether in the wilderness of -their fatherland, or amid the sorrows of the middle passage, or in -crowded cities, are unprotected from the lust of tyrants. They have a -regard for virtue, and they possess a sense of honor; but there is no -respect paid to these jewels of noble character. Driven into unwilling -concubinage, their offspring are sold by their Anglo-Saxon fathers. To -them the marriage institution is but a name, for their despoilers break -down the hymeneal altar, and scatter its sacred ashes on the winds. - -"Our young men are brutalized in intellect, and their manly energies -are chilled by the frosts of slavery. Sometimes they are called to -witness the agonies of the mothers who bore them, writhing under -the lash; and as if to fill to overflowing the already full cup of -demonism, they are sometimes compelled to apply the lash with their -own hands. Hell itself cannot overmatch a deed like this; and dark -damnation shudders as it sinks into its bosom, and seeks to hide itself -from the indignant eye of God." - -Mr. Garnett paid a second visit to England a few months since, for -the purpose of creating an interest there in behalf of emigration to -Central Africa. - - -JAMES M. WHITFIELD. - -There has long resided in Buffalo, New York, a barber, noted for his -scholarly attainments and gentlemanly deportment. Men of the most -polished refinement visit his saloon, and, while being shaved, take -pleasure in conversing with him; and all who know him feel that he was -intended by nature for a higher position in life. This is James M. -Whitfield. He is a native of Massachusetts, and removed west some years -since. We give a single extract from one of his poems. - - - "How long, O gracious God, how long - Shall power lord it over right? - The feeble, trampled by the strong, - Remain in slavery's gloomy night? - In every region of the earth - Oppression rules with iron power; - And every man of sterling worth, - Whose soul disdains to cringe or cower - Beneath a haughty tyrant's nod, - And, supplicating, kiss the rod - That, wielded by oppression's might, - Smites to the earth his dearest right,-- - The right to speak, and think, and feel, - And spread his uttered thoughts abroad, - To labor for the common weal, - Responsible to none but God,-- - Is threatened with the dungeon's gloom, - The felon's cell, the traitor's doom, - And treacherous politicians league - With hireling priests to crush and ban - All who expose their vain intrigue, - And vindicate the rights of man. - How long shall Afric raise to thee - Her fettered hand, O Lord, in vain, - And plead in fearful agony - For vengeance for her children slain? - I see the Gambia's swelling flood, - And Niger's darkly-rolling wave, - Bear on their bosoms, stained with blood, - The bound and lacerated slave; - While numerous tribes spread near and far - Fierce, devastating, barbarous war, - Earth's fairest scenes in ruin laid, - To furnish victims for that trade - Which breeds on earth such deeds of shame, - As fiends might blush to hear or name." - - -Mr. Whitfield has written several long poems, all of them in good taste -and excellent language. - - -ANDRE RIGAUD. - -Slavery, in St. Domingo, created three classes--the white planters, -the free mulattoes, and the slaves, the latter being all black. The -revolution brought out several valiant chiefs among the mulattoes, -their first being Vincent Ogé. This man was not calculated for a -leader of rebellion. His mother having been enabled to support him in -France as a gentleman, he had cherished a delicacy of sentiment very -incompatible with the ferocity of revolt. But Andre Rigaud, their next -and greatest chief, was a far different man. A native of Aux Cayes, -educated at Bourdeaux, and afterwards spending some time at Paris, -maturing his mind amid scenes of science and literature, Rigaud's -position among his followers was an exalted one. His father was white -and his mother black. He was tall and slim, with features beautifully -defined. Nature had been profligate in bestowing her gifts upon him. - -While at the Military School at Paris, besides being introduced into -good society, he became acquainted with Lafayette, Condorcet, Gregoire, -and other distinguished statesmen, and his manners were polished -and his language elegant. In religion he was the very opposite of -Toussaint. An admirer of Voltaire and Rousseau, he had made their works -his study. A long residence in the French metropolis had enabled him -to become acquainted with the followers of these two distinguished -philosophers. He had seen two hundred thousand persons following the -bones of Voltaire, when removed to the Pantheon, and, in his admiration -for the great author, had confounded liberty with infidelity. In Asia, -he would have governed an empire; in St. Domingo, he was scarcely more -than an outlawed chief; but he had in his soul the elements of a great -man. In military science, horsemanship, and activity, Rigaud was the -first man on the island, of any color. Toussaint bears the following -testimony to the great skill of the mulatto general: "I know Rigaud -well. He leaps from his horse when at full gallop, and he puts all -his force in his arm when he strikes a blow." He was high-tempered, -irritable, and haughty. The charmed power that he held over the men -of his color can scarcely be described. At the breaking out of the -revolution, he headed the mulattoes in his native town, and soon drew -around him a formidable body of men. - -After driving the English and Spaniards from the island, and subduing -the French planters, Toussaint and Rigaud made war upon each other. -As the mulattoes were less than fifty thousand in number, and the -blacks more than five hundred thousand, Rigaud was always outnumbered -on the field of battle; but his forces, fighting under the eyes of -the general whom they adored, defended their territory with vigor, if -not with success. Reduced in his means of defence by the loss of so -many brave men in his recent battles, Rigaud had the misfortune to -see his towns fall, one after another, into the power of Toussaint, -until he was driven to the last citadel of his strength--the town of -Aux Cayes. As he thus yielded foot by foot, every thing was given to -desolation before it was abandoned, and the land, which under his -active government had just before been so adorned with cultivation, was -made such a waste of desolation, that, according almost to the very -letter of his orders, "the trees were turned with their roots in the -air." The genius and activity of Toussaint were completely at fault in -his attempt to force the mulatto general from his intrenchments. - -The government of France was too much engaged at home with her own -revolution to pay any attention to St. Domingo. The republicans in -Paris, after getting rid of their enemies, turned upon each other. The -revolution, like Saturn, devoured its own children; priest and people -were murdered upon the thresholds of justice. Murat died at the hands -of Charlotte Corday. Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette were guillotined, -Robespierre had gone to the scaffold, and Bonaparte was master of -France. - -The conqueror of Egypt now turned his attention to St. Domingo. It was -too important an island to be lost to France or destroyed by civil war, -and, through the mediation of Bonaparte, the war between Toussaint and -Rigaud was brought to a close. - -Petion and several other generals followed Rigaud, when, at the -conclusion of his war with Toussaint, he embarked for France. When -Napoleon's ill-fated expedition came to St. Domingo, Rigaud returned, -made his appearance at Aux Cayes, and, under his influence, the south -soon rallied in arms against Toussaint. He fought bravely for France -until the subjugation of the blacks and the transportation of their -chief to the mother country, when Napoleon felt that Rigaud, too, was -as dangerous to the peace of St. Domingo as Toussaint, and he was once -more forced to return to France. Here he was imprisoned--not for any -thing that he had done against the government of Bonaparte, but for -fear that the mulatto chief would return to his native island, take -up arms, and assist his race, who were already in rebellion against -Leclerc. - -Although the whites and the free colored men were linked together by -the tender ties of nature, there was, nevertheless, a hatred to each -other, even stronger than between the whites and the blacks. In the -earlier stages of the revolution, before the blacks under Toussaint -got the ascendency, several attempts had been made to get rid of the -leaders of the mulattoes, and especially Rigaud. He was hated by the -whites in the same degree as they feared his all-powerful influence -with his race, and the unyielding nature of his character, which gave -firmness and consistency to his policy while controlling the interests -of his brethren. Intrigue and craftiness could avail nothing against -the designs of one who was ever upon the watch, and who had the means -of counteracting all secret attempts against him; and open force, in -the field, could not be successful in destroying a chieftain whose -power was often felt, but whose person was seldom seen. Thus, to -accomplish a design which had long been in meditation, the whites of -Aux Cayes were now secretly preparing a mine for Rigaud, which, though -it was covered with roses, and to be sprung by professed friends, it -was thought would prove a sure and efficacious method of ridding them -of such an opponent, and destroying the pretensions of the mulattoes -forever. It was proposed that the anniversary of the destruction of the -Bastile should be celebrated in the town by both whites and mulattoes, -in union and gratitude. A civic procession marched to the church, where -Te Deum was chanted and an oration pronounced. The _Place d'Armes_ was -crowded with tables of refreshments, at which both whites and mulattoes -seated themselves. But beneath this seeming patriotism and friendship, -a dark and fatal conspiracy lurked, plotting treachery and death. It -had been resolved that, at a preconcerted signal, every white at the -table should plunge his knife into the bosom of the mulatto who was -seated nearest to him. Cannon had been planted around the place of -festivity, that no fugitive from the massacre should have the means -of escaping; and that Rigaud should not fail to be secured as the -first victim of a conspiracy prepared especially against his life, -the commander-in-chief of the National Guard had been placed at his -side, and his murder of the mulatto chieftain was to be the signal for -a general onset upon all his followers. The officer to whom had been -intrusted the assassination of Rigaud, found it no small matter to -screw his courage up to the sticking point, and the expected signal, -which he was to display in blood to his associates, was so long -delayed, that secret messengers began to throng to him from all parts -of the tables, demanding why execution was not done on Rigaud. Urged on -by these successive appeals, the white general at last applied himself -to the fatal task which had been allotted him; but instead of silently -plunging his dagger into the bosom of the mulatto chief, he sprung upon -him with a pistol in his hand, and, with a loud execration, fired it at -his intended victim. But Rigaud remained unharmed, and, in the scuffle -which ensued, the white assassin was disarmed and put to flight. The -astonishment of the mulattoes soon gave way to tumult and indignation, -and this produced a drawn battle, in which both whites and mulattoes, -exasperated as they were to the utmost, fought man to man. The struggle -continued fiercely until the whites were driven from the town, having -lost one hundred and fifty of their number, and slain many of their -opponents. - -Tidings of this conspiracy flew rapidly in all directions; and such was -the indignation of the mulattoes at this attack upon their chief, whose -death had even been announced in several places as certain, that they -seized upon all the whites within their reach; and their immediate -massacre was only prevented by the arrival of intelligence that Rigaud -was still alive. Such were the persecutions which the leader of the -mulattoes, now in exile, had experienced in his own land. Napoleon kept -him confined in the prison of the Temple first, and then at the castle -of Joux, where Toussaint had ended his life. - -During this time, St. Domingo was undergoing a great change. Leclerc -had died, Rochambeau and his forces had been driven from the island, -Dessalines had reigned and passed away, and Christophe was master -of the north, and Petion of the south. These two generals were at -war with each other, when they were both very much surprised at the -arrival of Rigaud from France. He had escaped from his prison, made -his way to England, and thence to the island by way of the United -States. Petion, the president of the republic in the south, regarded -Rigaud as a more formidable enemy than Christophe. The great mulatto -general was welcomed with enthusiasm by his old adherents; they showed -the most sincere respect and attachment for him, and he journeyed in -triumph to Port au Prince. Though Petion disliked these demonstrations -in favor of a rival, he dared not attempt to interfere, for he well -knew that a single word from Rigaud could raise a revolt among the -mulattoes. Petion, himself a mulatto, had served under the former in -the first stages of the revolution. The people of Aux Cayes welcomed -their chief to his home, and he drew around him all hearts, and in a -short time Rigaud was in full possession of his ancient power. The -government of Petion was divided to make room for the former chief, -and, though the two leaders for a while flew to arms against each -other, they, nevertheless, were driven to an alliance on account of the -encroachments of Christophe. - -After a reign that was fraught only with tumult to himself and -followers, Rigaud abdicated his province, retired to his farm, and in a -few weeks died. Thus ended the career of the most distinguished mulatto -general of which St. Domingo could boast. - - -FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS. - -Miss Watkins is a native of Baltimore, where she received her -education. She has been before the public some years as an author and -public lecturer. Her "Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects," published in -a small volume, show a reflective mind and no ordinary culture. Her -"Essay on Christianity" is a beautiful composition. Many of her poems -are soul-stirring, and all are characterized by chaste language and -much thought. The following is entitled - - - THE SLAVE MOTHER. - - 'Heard you that shriek? It rose - So wildly on the air, - It seemed as if a burdened heart - Was breaking in despair. - - Saw you those hands so sadly clasped, - The bowed and feeble head, - The shuddering of that fragile form, - That look of grief and dread? - - Saw you the sad, imploring eye? - Its every glance was pain, - As if a storm of agony - Were sweeping through the brain. - - She is a mother pale with fear; - Her boy clings to her side, - And in her kirtle vainly tries - His trembling form to hide. - - He is not hers, although she bore - For him a mother's pains; - He is not hers, although her blood - Is coursing through his veins. - - He is not hers, for cruel hands - May rudely tear apart - The only wreath of household love - That binds her breaking heart. - - His love has been a joyous light - That o'er her pathway smiled, - A fountain, gushing ever new, - Amid life's desert wild. - - His lightest word has been a tone - Of music round her heart; - Their lives a streamlet blent in one-- - O Father, must they part? - - They tear him from her circling arms, - Her last and fond embrace; - O, never more may her sad eyes - Gaze on his mournful face. - - No marvel, then, these bitter shrieks - Disturb the listening air; - She is a mother, and her heart - Is breaking in despair. - - -Miss Watkins's advice to her own sex on the selection of a husband -should be appreciated by all. - - - Nay, do not blush! I only heard - You had a mind to marry; - I thought I'd speak a friendly word; - So just one moment tarry. - - Wed not a man whose merit lies - In things of outward show, - In raven hair or flashing eyes, - That please your fancy so. - - But marry one who's good and kind, - And free from all pretence; - Who, if without a gifted mind, - At least has common sense. - - -Miss Watkins is about thirty years of age, of a fragile form, rather -nervous, keen and witty in conversation, outspoken in her opinions, and -yet appears in all the simplicity of a child. - - -EX-PRESIDENT ROBERTS. - -J. J. Roberts, ex-president of the Republic of Liberia, is a native -of the Old Dominion, and emigrated to his adopted country about -twenty-five years ago. In stature he is tall, slim, and has a -commanding appearance, sharp features, pleasant countenance, and is -what the ladies would call "good looking." Mr. Roberts has much the -bearing of an "English gentleman." He has fine abilities, and his state -papers will compare favorably with the public documents of any of -the presidents of the United States. He is thoroughly devoted to the -interest of the rising republic, and has visited Europe several times -in her behalf. - -The following extract from the inaugural address of President Roberts -to the legislature of Liberia, in 1848, on the colonists taking the -entire responsibility of the government, is eloquent and pointed:-- - -"It must afford the most heartfelt pleasure and satisfaction to -every friend of Liberia, and real lover of liberty, to observe by -what a fortunate train of circumstances and incidents the people of -these colonies have arrived at absolute freedom and independence. -When we look abroad and see by what slow and painful steps, marked -with blood and ills of every kind, other states of the world have -advanced to liberty and independence, we cannot but admire and praise -that all-gracious Providence, who, by his unerring ways, has, with -so few sufferings on our part, compared with other states, led us to -this happy stage in our progress towards those great and important -objects. That it is the will of Heaven that mankind should be free, -is clearly evidenced by the wealth, vigor, virtue, and consequent -happiness of all free states. But the idea that Providence will -establish such governments as he shall deem most fit for his creatures, -and will give them wealth, influence, and happiness without their -efforts, is palpably absurd. God's moral government of the earth is -always performed by the intervention of second causes. Therefore, -fellow-citizens, while with pious gratitude we survey the frequent -interpositions of Heaven in our behalf, we ought to remember, that as -the disbelief of an overruling Providence is atheism, so an absolute -confidence of having our government relieved from every embarrassment, -and its citizens made respectable and happy by the immediate hand of -God, without our own exertions, is the most culpable presumption. Nor -have we any reason to expect, that he will miraculously make Liberia a -paradise, and deliver us, in a moment of time, from all the ills and -inconveniences consequent upon the peculiar circumstances under which -we are placed, merely to convince us that he favors our cause and -government. - -"Sufficient indications of his will are always given, and those who -will not then believe, neither would they believe though one should -rise from the dead to inform them. Who can trace the progress of these -colonies, and mark the incidents of the wars in which they have been -engaged, without seeing evident tokens of providential favor. Let us, -therefore, inflexibly persevere in exerting our most strenuous efforts -in a humble and rational dependence on the great Governor of all the -world, and we have the fairest prospects of surmounting all the -difficulties which may be thrown in our way. That we may expect, and -that we shall have, difficulties, sore difficulties, yet to contend -against in our progress to maturity, is certain; and, as the political -happiness or wretchedness of ourselves and our children, 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 been involved,--it becomes us to lay our shoulders to -the wheel, and manfully resist every obstacle which may oppose our -progress in the great work which lies before us." - -Mr. Roberts, we believe, is extensively engaged in commerce and -agriculture, and, though out of office, makes himself useful in the -moral, social, and intellectual elevation of his brethren. No one is -more respected, or stands higher, in Liberia than he. - - -ALEXANDER CRUMMELL. - -Among the many bright examples of the black man which we present, -one of the foremost is Alexander Crummell. Blood unadulterated, a -tall and manly figure, commanding in appearance, a full and musical -voice, fluent in speech, a graduate of Cambridge University, England, -a mind stored with the richness of English literature, competently -acquainted with the classical authors of Greece and Rome, from the -grave Thucydides to the rhapsodical Lycophron, gentlemanly in all his -movements, language chaste and refined, Mr. Crummell may well be put -forward as one of the best and most favorable representatives of his -race. He is a clergyman of the Episcopal denomination, and deeply -versed in theology. His sermons are always written, but he reads them -as few persons can. In 1848 Mr. Crummell visited England, and delivered -a well-conceived address before the Anti-Slavery Society in London, -where his eloquence and splendid abilities were at once acknowledged -and appreciated. The year before his departure for the old world, he -delivered a "Eulogy on the Life and Character of Thomas Clarkson," -from which we make the following extract, which is full of meaning and -eloquence:-- - -"Let us not be unmindful of the prerogatives and obligations arising -from the fact, that the exhibition of the greatest talent, and the -development of the most enlarged philanthropy, in the nineteenth -century, have been bestowed upon our race. The names of the great -lights of the age,--statesmen, poets, and divines,--in all the great -countries of Europe, and in this country too, are inseparably connected -with the cause and destiny of the African race. This has been the -theme whence most of them have reaped honor and immortality. This -cause has produced the development of the most noble character of -modern times--has given the world a Wilberforce and a Clarkson. Lowly -and depressed as we have been, and as we now are, yet _our_ interests -and _our_ welfare have agitated the chief countries of the world, -and are now before all other questions, shaking this nation to its -very centre. The providences of God have placed the negro race before -Europe and America in the most commanding position. From the sight of -us no nation, no statesman, no ecclesiastic, and no ecclesiastical -institution, can escape. And by us and our cause the character and -greatness of individuals and of nations in this day and generation of -the world are to be decided, either for good or evil; and so, in all -coming times, the memory and the fame of the chief actors now on the -stage will be decided by their relation to our cause. The discoveries -of science, the unfoldings of literature, the dazzlings of genius, all -fade before the demands of this cause. This is the age of BROTHERHOOD -AND HUMANITY, and the negro race is its most distinguished test and -criterion. - -"And for what are all these providences? For nothing? He who thinks -so must be blinded--must be demented. In these facts are wound up a -most distinct significance, and with them are connected most clear -and emphatic obligations and responsibilities. The clear-minded and -thoughtful colored men of America must mark the significance of these -facts, and begin to feel their weight. For more than two centuries -we have been working our way from the deep and dire degradation into -which slavery had plunged us. We have made considerable headway. -By the vigorous use of the opportunities of our partial freedom we -have been enabled, with the divine blessing, to reach a position -of respectability and character. We have pressed somewhat into the -golden avenues of science, intelligence, and learning. We have made -impressions there; and some few of our footprints have we left behind. -The mild light of religion has illumined our pathway, and superstition -and error have fled apace. The greatest paradoxes are evinced by us. -Amid the decay of nations, a rekindled light 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 blasting hand. We live in the region of death, yet seem -hardly mortal. We cling to life in the midst of all reverses; and our -nerveful grasp thereon cannot easily be relaxed. History reverses its -mandates in our behalf: our dotage is in the past. 'Time writes not its -wrinkles on our brow;' our juvenescence is in the future. All this, and -the kindly nature which is acknowledgedly ours,--with gifts of freedom -vouchsafed us by the Almighty in this land, in part, and in the West -Indies; with the intellectual desire every where manifesting itself, -and the exceeding interest exhibited for Africa by her own children, -and by the Christian nations of the world, are indications from which -we may not gather 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 eyes to it. God is telling -us all that, whereas the past has been dark, grim, and repulsive, the -future shall be glorious; that the horrid traffic shall yet be entirely -stopped; that the whips and brands, the shackles and fetters, of -slavery shall be cast down to oblivion; that the shades of ignorance -and superstition that have so long settled down upon the mind of Africa -shall be dispelled; and that all her sons on her own broad continent, -in the Western Isles, and in this Republic, shall yet stand erect -beneath the heavens, 'with freedom chartered on their manly brows;' -their bosoms swelling with its noblest raptures--treading the face of -earth in the links of brotherhood and equality." - -We have had a number of our public men to represent us in Europe within -the past twenty-five years; and none have done it more honorably or -with better success to the character and cause of the black man, than -Alexander Crummell. We met him there again and again, and followed in -his track wherever he preached or spoke before public assemblies, and -we know whereof we affirm. In 1852, we believe, he went to Liberia, -where he now resides. At present he and his family are on a visit -to "the States," partly for his health and partly for the purpose -of promoting emigration to Africa. Mr. C. has recently published a -valuable work on Africa, which is highly spoken of by the press; -indeed, it may be regarded as the only finished account of _our mother_ -land. Devotedly attached to the interest of the colored man, and having -the moral, social, and intellectual elevation of the natives of Africa -at heart, we do not regret that he considers it his duty to labor in -his _father_ land. Warmly interested in the Republic, and so capable of -filling the highest position that he can be called to, we shall not be -surprised, some day, to hear that Alexander Crummell is president of -Liberia. - - -ALEXANDRE PETION. - -The ambitious and haughty mulattoes had long been dissatisfied with -the obscure condition into which they had been thrown by the reign -of Dessalines, and at the death of that ruler they determined to put -forward their claim. Their great chief, Rigaud, was still in prison in -France, where he had been placed by Napoleon. Christophe had succeeded -to power at the close of the empire, and was at St. Marks when he -heard that Alexandre Petion had been elected president of the Republic -of Hayti, through the instrumentality of the mulattoes. Christophe at -once began to prepare for war. Petion was a quadroon, the successor of -Rigaud and Clervaux to the confidence of the mulattoes. He was a man -of education and refined manners. He had been educated at the Military -School of Paris, and had ever been characterized for his mildness of -temper and the insinuating grace of his address. He was a skilful -engineer, and at the time of his elevation to power he passed for the -most scientific officer and the most erudite individual among the -people of Hayti. Attached to the fortunes of Rigaud, he had acted as -his lieutenant against Toussaint, and had accompanied him to France. -Here he remained until the departure of the expedition under Leclerc, -when he embarked in that disastrous enterprise, to employ his talents -in again restoring his country to the dominion of France. Petion joined -Dessalines, Christophe, and Clervaux, when they revolted and turned -against the French, and aided in gaining the final independence of the -island. Christophe, therefore, as soon as he heard that he had a rival -in Petion, rallied his forces, and started for Port au Prince, to meet -his enemy. The former was already in the field, and the two armies -met; a battle ensued, and Petion, being defeated, and hotly pursued in -his flight, found it necessary, in order to save his life, to exchange -his uniform with a laborer, and to bury himself up to his neck in a -marsh until his fierce pursuers had disappeared. Petion escaped, and -reached his capital before the arrival of the troops under Christophe. -The latter, after this signal success, pressed forward to Port au -Prince, and laid siege to the town, in hope of an easy triumph over -his rival. But Petion was in his appropriate sphere of action, and -Christophe soon discovered that, in contending with an experienced -engineer in a fortified town, success was of more difficult attainment -than while encountering the same enemy in the open field, where his -science could not be brought into action. Christophe could make no -impression on the town, and feeling ill assured of the steadfastness of -his own proper government at Cape François, he withdrew his forces from -the investment of Port au Prince, resolved to establish in the north -a separate government of his own, and to defer to some more favorable -opportunity the attempt to subdue his rival at Port au Prince. In -September, 1808, Petion commenced another campaign against Christophe, -by sending an army to besiege Port de Paix, which it did; but after a -while it was driven back to Port au Prince by the victorious legions -of the president of the north. Christophe in turn attempted to take -the Mole St. Nicholas from Lamarre, one of Petion's generals, but did -not succeed. The struggle between the two presidents of Hayti had now -continued three years, when a new competitor appeared in the field, by -the arrival of Rigaud from France. This was an unexpected event, which -awakened deep solicitude in the bosom of Petion, who could not avoid -regarding that distinguished general as a more formidable rival than -Christophe. He well knew the attachment of the people to the great -mulatto chief, and he feared his superior talents. The enthusiasm with -which Rigaud was received wherever he appeared, raised the jealousy of -Petion to such a pitch, that he for a time forgot his black rival. -Partisans flew to the standard of Rigaud, and a resort to arms seemed -imminent between him and Petion. A meeting, however, was held by the -two mulatto generals, at the bridge of Miragoane, where a treaty was -signed, by which the south was to be governed by the former, and the -west, and as much as could be wrested from Christophe, by the latter. -But peace between these two was not destined to be of long duration. A -war took place, and Rigaud's troops proved too much for Petion, and he -was defeated with great loss, and his entire army almost annihilated. -But the victorious general did not follow up his successes; and -although he had gained a signal victory, he felt that much of his power -over his followers was passing away. The death of Rigaud once more -gave the field to Christophe and Petion, and they again commenced war -upon each other. The latter was superior to the former in education, -and in the refinement given him by a cultivated understanding and -an extensive intercourse with European society; but he was greatly -inferior to Christophe in boldness and decision of character. Petion -was subtle, cautious, and desponding. He aspired to be the Washington, -as Christophe was deemed the Bonaparte, of Hayti. By insinuating -the doctrines of equality and republicanism, Petion succeeded in -governing, with but ten thousand mulattoes, a population of more than -two hundred thousand blacks. Assuming no pretensions to personal -or official dignity, and totally rejecting all the ceremonial of a -court, it was Petion's ambition to maintain the exterior of a plain -republican magistrate. Clad in the white linen undress of the country, -and with a Madras handkerchief tied about his head, he mixed freely -and promiscuously with his fellow-citizens, or seated himself in the -piazza of the government house, accessible to all. He professed to hold -himself at the disposal of the people, and to be ready at any moment to -submit to their will, whether it was to guide the power of the state, -or yield his head to the executioner. - -A republican officer one day called on Petion at the government house, -and while they were alone, the former drew out a pistol and fired at -the president, without injuring him, however; the latter immediately -seized his visitor, disarmed him, and when the guard rushed in, he -found the president and the officer walking the room locked in each -other's arms. This man was ever after the warm friend of Petion. At -the downfall of Napoleon, and the elevation of Louis XVIII., another -effort was made to regain possession of the island by France. But the -latter did not resort to arms. Having no confidence in the French, and -fearing a warlike demonstration, both Petion and Christophe prepared -for defence. Petion had long been despondent for the permanence of the -republic, and this feeling had by degrees grown into a settled despair; -and amidst these perplexities and embarrassments he fell sick, in the -month of March, 1818, and after an illness which continued only eight -days, he died, and was succeeded by General Boyer. - -The administration of Petion was mild, and he did all that he could -for the elevation of the people whom he ruled. He was the patron -of education and the arts, and scientific men, for years after his -death, spoke his name with reverence. He was highly respected by the -representatives of foreign powers, and strangers visiting his republic -always mentioned his name in connection with the best cultivated and -most gentlemanly of the people of Hayti. Lightly lie the earth on the -bones of Petion, and let every cloud pass away from his memory. - - -MARTIN R. DELANY, M. D. - -Dr. Delany has long been before the public. His first appearance, we -believe, was in connection with _The Mystery_, a weekly newspaper -published at Pittsburg, and of which he was editor. His journal was -faithful in its advocacy of the rights of man, and had the reputation -of being a well-conducted sheet. The doctor afterwards was associated -with Frederick Douglass in the editorial management of his paper at -Rochester, N. Y. From the latter place he removed to Canada, and has -since resided in Chatham, where he is looked upon as one of its leading -citizens. - -Dr. M. R. Delany, though regarded as a man high in his profession, -is better and more widely known as a traveller, discoverer, and -lecturer. His association with Professor Campbell in the "Niger Valley -Exploring Expedition" has brought the doctor very prominently before -the world, and especially that portion of it which takes an interest -in the civilization of Africa. The official report of that expedition -shows that he did not visit that country with his eyes shut. His -observations and suggestions about the climate, soil, diseases, and -natural productions of Africa, are interesting, and give evidence that -the doctor was in earnest. The published report, of which he is the -author, will repay a perusal. - -On his return home, Dr. Delany spent some time in England, and lectured -in the British metropolis and the provincial cities, with considerable -success, on Africa and its resources. As a member of the International -Statistical Congress, he acquitted himself with credit to his position -and honor to his race. The foolish manner in which the Hon. Mr. Dallas, -our minister to the court of St. James, acted on meeting Dr. Delany in -that august assembly, and the criticisms of the press of Europe and -America, will not soon be forgotten. - -He is short, compactly built, has a quick, wiry walk, and is decided -and energetic in conversation, unadulterated in race, and proud of -his complexion. Though somewhat violent in his gestures, and paying -but little regard to the strict rules of oratory, Dr. Delany is, -nevertheless, an interesting, eloquent speaker. Devotedly attached -to his fatherland, he goes for a "Negro Nationality." Whatever he -undertakes, he executes it with all the powers that God has given him; -and what would appear as an obstacle in the way of other men, would be -brushed aside by Martin R. Delany. - - -ROBERT SMALL. - -At the breaking out of the rebellion, Robert Small was a slave in -Charleston, S. C. He stood amid a group of his fellow-slaves, as the -soldiers were getting ready to make the assault upon Fort Sumter, -and he said to his associates, "This, boys, is the dawn of freedom -for our race." Robert, at this time, was employed as pilot on board -the steamboat "Planter," owned at Charleston, and then lying at her -dock. The following day, the steamer commenced undergoing alterations -necessary to fit her for a gunboat. Robert, when within hearing of -the whites, was loud in his talk of what "we'll do with the Yankees, -when this boat is ready for sea." The Planter was soon transmogrified -into a rebel man-of-war, to be used in and about the rivers and bays -near Charleston, and Robert Small was her acknowledged pilot. One of -Robert's brothers was second engineer, and a cousin to him was the -second mate; the remainder of the crew were all slaves, except the -white officers. It was the custom of the captain, chief mate, and chief -engineer to spend the night with their families in the city, when the -steamer was in port, the vessel being left in charge of Robert. The -following is the account of the capture of the boat by her black crew, -as given by the Port Royal correspondent of the _New York Commercial -Advertiser_:-- - -"The steamer Planter, which was run away from the rebels by her pilot, -Robert Small, is a new tug boat employed about Charleston harbor, which -was seized by the Confederate government and converted into a gunboat, -mounting a rifled gun forward and a siege gun aft. She has been in the -habit of running out to sea to reconnoitre, and was, therefore, no -unusual appearance near the forts guarding the entrance. Small, the -helmsman and pilot, conceived the idea of running away, and plotted -with several friends, slaves like him, to take them off. - -"On the evening of May 11, her officers left the ship, then at the -wharf in Charleston, and went to their homes. Small then took the -firemen and assistant engineers, all of whom were slaves, in his -confidence, had the fires banked up, and every thing made ready to -start by daylight. - -"At quarter to four on Saturday morning, the lines which fastened the -vessel to the dock were cast off, and the ship quietly glided into the -stream. Here the harbor guard hailed the vessel, but Small promptly -gave the countersign, and was allowed to pass. - -"The vessel now called at a dock a distance below, where the families -of the crew came on board. - -"When off Fort Sumter, the sentry on the ramparts hailed the boat, and -Small sounded the countersign with the whistle--three shrill sounds and -one hissing sound. The vessel being known to the officers of the day, -no objection was raised, the sentry only singing out, 'Blow the d----d -Yankees to hell, or bring one of them in.' 'Ay, ay,' was the answer, -and every possible effort was made to get below. - -"Hardly was the vessel out of range, when Small ran up a white flag, -and went to the United States fleet, where he surrendered the vessel. -She had on board seven heavy guns for Fort Ripley, a fort now building -in Charleston harbor, which were to be taken thither the next morning. - -"Small, with the crew and their families,--sixteen persons,--were sent -to the flagship at Port Royal, and an officer placed on board the -Planter, who took her also to Commodore Dupont's vessel. Small is a -middle-aged negro, and his features betray nothing of the firmness of -character he displayed. He is said to be one of the most skilful pilots -of Charleston, and to have a thorough knowledge of all the ports and -inlets on the coast of South Carolina." - -We give below the official account of the taking and surrender of the -boat to the naval authorities. - - - U. S. STEAMSHIP AUGUSTA, } - OFF CHARLESTON, May 13, 1862. } - - SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the rebel armed steamer - Planter was brought out to us this morning from Charleston by - eight contrabands, and delivered up to the squadron. Five colored - women and three children are also on board. She carried one - 32-pounder and one 24-pounder howitzer, and has also on board four - large guns, which she was engaged in transporting. I send her to - Port Royal at once, in order to take advantage of the present - good weather. I send Charleston papers of the 12th, and the - very intelligent contraband who was in charge will give you the - information which he has brought off. I have the honor to request - that you will send back, as soon as convenient, the officer and - crew sent on board. - - -Commander Dupont, in forwarding the despatch, says, in relation to the -steamer Planter,-- - - - She was the armed despatch and transportation steamer attached to - the engineer department at Charleston, under Brigadier General - Ripley, whose bark, a short time since, was brought to the - blockading fleet by several contrabands. The bringing out of this - steamer, under all the circumstances, would have done credit to - any one. At four in the morning, in the absence of the captain, - who was on shore, she left her wharf close to the government - office and headquarters, with the Palmetto and "Confederate" flags - flying, and passed the successive forts, saluting, as usual, - by blowing the steam whistle. After getting beyond the range - of the last gun, they hauled down the rebel flags, and hoisted - a white one. The Onward was the inside ship of the blockading - squadron in the main channel, and was preparing to fire when her - commander made out the white flag. The armament of the steamer - is a 32-pounder, or pivot, and a fine 24-pound howitzer. She has - besides, on her deck, four other guns, one seven inch rifled, - which were to be taken, on the morning of the escape, to the - new fort on the middle ground. One of the four belonged to Fort - Sumter, and had been struck, in the rebel attack, on the muzzle. - Robert Small, the intelligent slave, and pilot of the boat, who - performed this bold feat so skilfully, informed me of this - fact, presuming it would be a matter of interest to us to have - possession of this gun. This man, Robert Small, is superior to any - who have come into our lines, intelligent as many of them have - been. His information has been most interesting, and portions - of it of the utmost importance. The steamer is quite a valuable - acquisition to the squadron by her good machinery and very light - draught. The officer in charge brought her through St. Helena - Sound, and by the inland passage down Beaufort River, arriving - here at ten last night. On board the steamer, when she left - Charleston, were eight men, five women, and three children. I - shall continue to employ Small as pilot on board the Planter, for - inland waters, with which he appears to be very familiar. - - I do not know whether, in the view of the government, the vessel - will be considered a prize; but if so, I respectfully submit to - the Department the claims of the man Small and his associates. - - Very respectfully, your obedient servant, - S. F. DUPONT, - _Flag Officer, Commanding, &c._ - - -A bill was at once introduced in Congress to consider the Planter a -prize, and to award the prize-money to her crew. The _New York Tribune_ -had the following editorial on the subject:-- - -"The House of Representatives at Washington, it is to be hoped, -will be more just to their own sense of right, and to their more -generous impulses, than to put aside again the Senate bill giving the -prize-money they have so well earned to the pilot and crew of the -steamer Planter. Neither House would have done an act unworthy of their -dignity had they promptly passed a vote of thanks to Robert Small and -his fellows for the cool courage with which they planned and executed -their escape from rebel bondage, and the unswerving loyalty which -prompted them, at the same time, to bring away such spoils from the -enemy as would make a welcome addition to the blockading squadron. - -"If we must still remember with humiliation that the Confederate flag -yet waves where our national colors were first struck, we should be all -the more prompt to recognize the merit that has put into our possession -the first trophy from Fort Sumter. And the country should feel doubly -humbled if there is not magnanimity enough to acknowledge a gallant -action, because it was the head of a black man that conceived, and -the hand of a black man that executed it. It would better, indeed, -become us to remember that no small share of the naval glory of the war -belongs to the race which we have forbidden to fight for us; that one -negro has recaptured a vessel from a southern privateer, and another -has brought away from under the very guns of the enemy, where no fleet -of ours has yet dared to venture, a prize whose possession a commodore -thinks worthy to be announced in a special despatch." - -The bill was taken up and passed, and the brave Small and his -companions received justice at the hands of the government. - - -FREDERICK DOUGLASS. - -The career of the distinguished individual whose name heads this -page is more widely known than that of any other living colored man, -except, perhaps, Alexandre Dumas. The narrative of his life, published -in 1845, gave a new impetus to the black man's literature. All other -stories of fugitive slaves faded away before the beautifully written, -highly descriptive, and thrilling memoir of Frederick Douglass. Other -narratives had only brought before the public a few heart-rending -scenes connected with the person described. But Mr. Douglass, in his -book, brought not only his old master's farm and its occupants before -the reader, but the entire country around him, including Baltimore -and its ship yard. The manner in which he obtained his education, -and especially his learning to write, has been read and re-read by -thousands in both hemispheres. His escape from slavery is too well -understood to need a recapitulation here. He took up his residence in -New Bedford, where he still continued the assiduous student--mastering -the different branches of education which the accursed institution had -deprived him of in early life. - -His advent as a lecturer was a remarkable one. White men and black men -had talked against slavery, but none had ever spoken like Frederick -Douglass. Throughout the north the newspapers were filled with the -sayings of the "eloquent fugitive." He often travelled with others, -but they were all lost sight of in the eagerness to hear Douglass. His -travelling companions would sometimes get angry, and would speak first -at the meetings; then they would take the last turn; but it was all -the same--the fugitive's impression was the one left upon the mind. He -made more persons angry, and pleased more, than any other man. He was -praised, and he was censured. He made them laugh, he made them weep, -and he made them swear. His "Slaveholder's Sermon" was always a trump -card. He awakened an interest in the hearts of thousands who before -were dead to the slave and his condition. Many kept away from his -lectures, fearing lest they should be converted against their will. -Young men and women, in those days of pro-slavery hatred, would return -to their fathers' roofs filled with admiration for the "runaway slave," -and would be rebuked by hearing the old ones grumble out, "You'd better -stay at home and study your lessons, and not be running after the -nigger meetings." - -In 1841, he was induced to accept an agency as a lecturer for the -Anti-slavery Society, and at once became one of the most valuable -of its advocates. He visited England in 1845. There he was kindly -received, and heartily welcomed; and after going through the length -and breadth of the land, and addressing public meetings out of number -on behalf of his countrymen in chains, with a power of eloquence which -captivated his auditors, and brought the cause which he pleaded home -to their hearts, he returned home and commenced the publication of the -_North Star_, a weekly newspaper devoted to the advocacy of the cause -of freedom. - -Mr. Douglass is tall and well made. His vast and fully-developed -forehead shows at once that he is a superior man intellectually. He is -polished in his language, and gentlemanly in his manners. His voice is -full and sonorous. His attitude is dignified, and his gesticulation is -full of noble simplicity. He is a man of lofty reason; natural, and -without pretension; always master of himself; brilliant in the art of -exposing and abstracting. Few persons can handle a subject, with which -they are familiar, better than he. There is a kind of eloquence issuing -from the depth of the soul as from a spring, rolling along its copious -floods, sweeping all before it, overwhelming by its very force, -carrying, upsetting, ingulfing its adversaries, and more dazzling and -more thundering than the bolt which leaps from crag to crag. This is -the eloquence of Frederick Douglass. One of the best mimics of the age, -and possessing great dramatic powers, had he taken up the sock and -buskin, instead of becoming a lecturer, he would have made as fine a -Coriolanus as ever trod the stage. - -In his splendidly conceived comparison of Mr. Douglass to S. R. Ward, -written for the "Autographs for Freedom," Professor William J. Wilson -says of the former, "In his very look, his gesture, his whole manner, -there is so much of genuine, earnest eloquence, that they leave no -time for reflection. Now you are reminded of one rushing down some -fearful steep, bidding you follow; now on some delightful stream, -still beckoning you onward. In either case, no matter what your -prepossessions or oppositions, you, for the moment at least, forget the -justness or unjustness of his cause, and obey the summons, and loath, -if at all, you return to your former post. Not always, however, is he -successful in retaining you. Giddy as you may be with the descent you -have made, delighted as you are with the pleasure afforded, with the -Elysium to which he has wafted you, you return too often dissatisfied -with his and your own impetuosity and want of firmness. You feel that -you had only a dream, a pastime,--not a reality. - -"This great power of momentary captivation consists in his eloquence -of manners, his just appreciation of words. In listening to him, your -whole soul is fired, every nerve strung, every passion inflated, and -every faculty you possess ready to perform at a moment's bidding. -You stop not to ask why or wherefore. 'Tis a unison of mighty yet -harmonious sounds that play upon your imagination; and you give -yourself up, for a time, to their irresistible charm. At last, the -_cataract_ which roared around you is hushed, the _tornado_ is passed, -and you find yourself sitting upon a bank, (at whose base roll but -tranquil waters,) quietly asking yourself why, amid such a display of -power, no greater effect had really been produced. After all, it must -be admitted there is a power in Mr. Douglass rarely to be found in any -other man." - -As a speaker, Frederick Douglass has had more imitators than almost -any other American, save, perhaps, Wendell Phillips. Unlike most -great speakers, he is a superior writer also. Some of his articles, -in point of ability, will rank with any thing ever written for the -American press. He has taken lessons from the best of teachers, amid -the homeliest realities of life; hence the perpetual freshness of his -delineations, which are never over-colored, never strained, never -aiming at difficult or impossible effects, but which always read like -living transcripts of experience. The following from his pen, on "What -shall be done with the slaves, if emancipated?" is characteristic of -his style. - -"What shall be done with the four million slaves, if they are -emancipated? This question has been answered, and can be answered in -many ways. Primarily, it is a question less for man than for God--less -for human intellect than for the laws of nature to solve. It assumes -that nature has erred; that the law of liberty is a mistake; that -freedom, though a natural want of the human soul, can only be enjoyed -at the expense of human welfare, and that men are better off in slavery -than they would or could be in freedom; that slavery is the natural -order of human relations, and that liberty is an experiment. What shall -be done with them? - -"Our answer is, Do nothing with them; mind your business, and let them -mind theirs. Your _doing_ with them is their greatest misfortune. They -have been undone by your doings, and all they now ask, and really -have need of at your hands, is just to let them alone. They suffer by -every interference, and succeed best by being let alone. The negro -should have been let alone in Africa--let alone when the pirates and -robbers offered him for sale in our Christian slave markets (more -cruel and inhuman than the Mohammedan slave markets)--let alone by -courts, judges, politicians, legislators, and slave-drivers--let alone -altogether, and assured that they were thus to be let alone forever, -and that they must now make their own way in the world, just the same -as any and every other variety of the human family. As colored men, -we only ask to be allowed to _do_ with ourselves, subject only to the -same great laws for the welfare of human society which apply to other -men--Jews, Gentiles, Barbarian, Scythian. Let us stand upon our own -legs, work with our own hands, and eat bread in the sweat of our own -brows. When you, our white fellow-countrymen, have attempted to do any -thing for us, it has generally been to deprive us of some right, power, -or privilege, which you yourselves would die before you would submit -to have taken from you. When the planters of the West Indies used to -attempt to puzzle the pure-minded Wilberforce with the question, 'How -shall we get rid of slavery?' his simple answer was, 'Quit stealing.' -In like manner we answer those who are perpetually puzzling their -brains with questions as to what shall be done with the negro, 'Let him -alone, and mind your own business.' If you see him ploughing in the -open field, levelling the forest, at work with a spade, a rake, a hoe, -a pickaxe, or a bill--let him alone; he has a right to work. If you see -him on his way to school, with spelling-book, geography, and arithmetic -in his hands--let him alone. Don't shut the door in his face, nor bolt -your gates against him; he has a right to learn--let him alone. Don't -pass laws to degrade him. If he has a ballot in his hand, and is on his -way to the ballot-box to deposit his vote for the man who, he thinks, -will most justly and wisely administer the government which has the -power of life and death over him, as well as others--let him ALONE; his -right of choice as much deserves respect and protection as your own. -If you see him on his way to church, exercising religious liberty in -accordance with this or that religious persuasion--let him alone. Don't -meddle with him, nor trouble yourselves with any questions as to what -shall be done with him. - -"What shall be done with the negro, if emancipated? Deal justly with -him. He is a human being, capable of judging between good and evil, -right and wrong, liberty and slavery, and is as much a subject of law -as any other man; therefore, deal justly with him. He is, like other -men, sensible of the motives of reward and punishment. Give him wages -for his work, and let hunger pinch him if he don't work. He knows the -difference between fulness and famine, plenty and scarcity. 'But will -he work?' Why should he not? He is used to it, and is not afraid of it. -His hands are already hardened by toil, and he has no dreams of ever -getting a living by any other means than by hard work. 'But would you -turn them all loose?' Certainly! We are no better than our Creator. -He has turned them loose, and why should not we? But would you let -them all stay here?' Why not? What better is _here_ than _there_? Will -they occupy more room as freemen than as slaves? Is the presence of a -black freeman less agreeable than that of a black slave? Is an object -of your injustice and cruelty a more ungrateful sight than one of your -justice and benevolence? You have borne the one more than two hundred -years--can't you bear the other long enough to try the experiment?" - - -CHARLES L. REASON. - -Professor C. L. Reason has for many years been connected with the -educational institutions of New York and Philadelphia. In 1849, he -was called to the professorship of Mathematics and Belles Lettres -in New York Central College. This situation he held during his own -pleasure, with honor to himself and benefit to the students. A man of -fine education, superior intelligence, gentlemanly in every sense of -the term, of excellent discrimination, one of the best of students, -Professor Reason holds a power over those under him seldom attained by -men of his profession. Were I a sculptor, and looking for a model of -a perfect man in personal appearance, my selection would be Charles L. -Reason. As a writer of both prose and poetry he need not be ashamed of -his ability. Extremely diffident, he seldom furnishes any thing for the -public eye. In a well-written essay on the propriety of establishing -an industrial college, and the probable influence of the free colored -people upon the emancipated blacks, he says, "Whenever emancipation -shall take place, immediate though it be, the subjects of it, like -many who now make up the so-called free population, will be, in what -geologists call, the 'transition state.' The prejudice now felt against -them for bearing on their persons the brand of slaves, cannot die out -immediately. Severe trials will still be their portion: the curse of -a 'taunted race,' must be expiated by almost miraculous proofs of -advancement; and some of these miracles must be antecedent to the great -day of jubilee. To fight the battle upon the bare ground of abstract -principles will fail to give us complete victory. The subterfuges of -pro-slavery selfishness must _now_ be dragged to light, and the last -weak argument, that the negro can never contribute any thing to advance -the national character, 'nailed to the counter as base coin.' To the -conquering of the difficulties heaped up in the path of his industry, -the free colored man of the north has pledged himself. Already he sees, -springing into growth, from out his foster _work-school_, intelligent -young laborers, competent to enrich the world with necessary products; -industrious citizens, contributing their proportion to aid on the -advancing civilization of the country; self-providing artisans, -vindicating their people from the never-ceasing charge of fitness -for servile positions." In the "Autographs for Freedom," from which -the above extract is taken, Professor Reason has a beautiful poem, -entitled "Hope and Confidence," which, in point of originality and -nicety of composition, will give it a place with the best productions -of Wordsworth. - -A poem signifies design, method, harmony, and therefore consistency of -parts. A man may be gifted with the most vividly ideal nature; he may -shoot from his brain some blazing poetic thought or imagery, which may -arouse wonder and admiration, as a comet does; and yet he may have no -constructiveness, without which the materials of poetry are only so -many glittering fractions. A poem can never be tested by its length or -brevity, but by the adaptation of its parts. A complete poem is the -architecture of thought and language. It requires artistic skill to -chisel rough blocks of marble into as many individual forms of beauty; -but not only skill, but genius, is needed to arrange and harmonize -those forms into the completeness of a Parthenon. A grave popular -error, and one destructive of personal usefulness, and obstructive to -literary progress, is the free-and-easy belief that because a man has -the faculty of investing common things with uncommon ideas, therefore -he can write a poem. - -The idea of poetry is to give pleasurable emotions, and the world -listens to a poet's voice as it listens to the singing of a summer -bird; that which is the most suggestive of freedom and eloquence being -the most admired. Professor Reason has both the genius and the artistic -skill. We regret that we are able to give only the last two verses of -"Hope and Confidence." - - - "There's nothing so lovely and bright below, - As the shapes of the purified mind; - Nought surer to which the weak heart can grow, - On which it can rest as it onward doth go, - Than that Truth which its own tendrils bind. - - "Yes, Truth opes within a pure sun-tide of bliss, - And shows in its ever calm flood - A transcript of regions where no darkness is, - Where Hope its conceptions may realize, - And Confidence sleep in the good." - - -CHARLOTTE L. FORTEN. - -In the autumn of 1854, a young colored lady of seventeen summers, -unable to obtain admission into the schools of her native city -(Philadelphia) on account of her complexion, removed to Salem, -Massachusetts, where she at once entered the Higginson Grammar School. -Here she soon secured the respect and esteem of the teachers and her -fellow-pupils. Near the end of the last term, the principal of the -establishment invited the scholars to write a poem each, to be sung -at the last day's examination, and at the same time expressing the -desire that the authors should conceal their names. As might have been -expected, this drew out all the poetical genius of the young aspirants. -Fifty or more manuscripts were sent in, and one selected, printed on a -neat sheet, and circulated through the vast audience who were present. -The following is the piece:-- - - - A PARTING HYMN. - - When Winter's royal robes of white - From hill and vale are gone, - And the glad voices of the spring - Upon the air are borne, - Friends, who have met with us before, - Within these walls shall meet no more. - - Forth to a noble work they go: - O, may their hearts keep pure, - And hopeful zeal and strength be theirs - To labor and endure, - That they an earnest faith may prove - By words of truth and deeds of love. - - May those, whose holy task it is - To guide impulsive youth, - Fail not to cherish in their souls - A reverence for truth; - For teachings which the lips impart - Must have their source within the heart. - - May all who suffer share their love-- - The poor and the oppressed; - So shall the blessing of our God - Upon their labors rest. - And may we meet again where all - Are blest and freed from every thrall. - - -The announcement that the successful competitor would be called out -at the close of the singing, created no little sensation amongst the -visitors, to say nothing of the pupils. - -The principal of the school, after all parties had taken their seats, -mounted the platform, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the beautiful -hymn just sung is the composition of one of the students of this -school, but who the talented person is I am unaware. Will the author -step forward?" A moment's silence, and every eye was turned in the -direction of the principal, who, seeing no one stir, looked around -with a degree of amazement. Again he repeated, "Will the author of -the hymn step forward?" A movement now among the female pupils showed -that the last call had been successful. The buzzing and whispering -throughout the large hall indicated the intense interest felt by all. -"Sit down; keep your seats," exclaimed the principal, as the crowd rose -to their feet, or bent forward to catch a glimpse of the young lady, -who had now reached the front of the platform. Thunders of applause -greeted the announcement that the distinguished authoress then before -them was Miss Charlotte L. Forten. Her finely-chiselled features, -well-developed forehead, countenance beaming with intelligence, and her -dark complexion, showing her identity with an oppressed and injured -race, all conspired to make the scene an exciting one. The audience -was made up in part of some of the most aristocratic people in one of -the most aristocratic towns in America. The impression left upon their -minds was great in behalf of the race thus so nobly represented by the -granddaughter of the noble-hearted, brave, generous, and venerable -James Forten, whose whole life was a vindication of the character of -his race. - - - "'Tis the mind that makes the body rich; - And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, - So honor peereth in the meanest habit." - - -For several days after the close of the school, the name of Charlotte -L. Forten was mentioned in all the private circles of Salem; and to -imitate her was the highest aspiration of the fairest daughters of -that wealthy and influential city. Miss Forten afterwards entered the -State Normal School, where, in the language of the _Salem Register_, -"she graduated with decided eclat." She was then appointed by the -school committee to be a teacher in the Epes Grammar School, where she -"was graciously received," says the same journal, "by parents of the -district, and soon endeared herself to the pupils under her charge." -These pupils were all white. Aside from having a finished education, -Miss Forten possesses genius of a high order. An excellent student and -a lover of books, she has a finely-cultivated mind, well stored with -incidents drawn from the classics. She evinces talent, as a writer, for -both prose and poetry. The following extracts from her "Glimpses of -New England," published in the _National Anti-Slavery Standard_, are -characteristic of her prose. "The Old Witch House," at Salem, is thus -described:-- - -"This street has also some interesting associations. It contains a very -great attraction for all lovers of the olden time. This is an ancient, -dingy, yellow frame house, known as "The Old Witch House." Our readers -must know that Salem was, two hundred years ago, the headquarters of -the witches. And this is the veritable old Court House where the -so-called witches were tried and condemned. It is wonderful with what -force this singular delusion possessed the minds, not only of the -poor and ignorant, but of the wisest and gravest of the magistrates -appointed by his majesty's government. - -"Those were dark days for Salem. Woe to the housewife or the household -over whose door latch the protecting horseshoe was not carefully -placed; and far greater woe to the unlucky dame who chanced to be -suspected of such fanciful freaks as riding through the air on a -broomstick, or muttering mystic incantations wherewith to undo her -innocent neighbors. Hers was a summary and terrible punishment. Well, -it is very pleasant to think how times have changed, and to say with -Whittier,-- - - - 'Our witches are no longer old - And wrinkled beldams, Satan-sold, - But young, and gay, and laughing creatures, - With the heart's sunshine on their features.' - - -Troops of _such_ witches now pass the old house every day. I grieve to -say that the 'Old Witch House' has recently been defaced and desecrated -by the erection of an apothecary's shop in front of one of its wings. -People say that the new shop is very handsome; but to a few of us, -lovers of antiquity, it seems a profanation, and we can see no beauty -in it." - -The hills in the vicinity of Salem are beautifully pictured. "The pure, -bracing air, the open sky," and the sheet of water in the distance, are -all brought in with their lights and shades. Along with the brilliancy -of style and warmth of imagination which characterize her writings, we -find here and there gravity of thought and earnestness of purpose, -befitting her literary taste. Of Marblehead Beach she writes,-- - -"The beach, which is at some distance from the town, is delightful. -It was here that I first saw the sea, and stood 'entranced in silent -awe,' gazing upon the waves as they marched, in one mass of the richest -green, to the shore, then suddenly broke into foam, white and beautiful -as the winter snow. I remember one pleasant afternoon which I spent -with a friend, gathering shells and seaweed on the beach, or sitting -on the rocks, listening to the wild music of the waves, and watching -the clouds of spray as they sprang high up in the air, then fell again -in snowy wreaths at our feet. We lingered there until the sun had sunk -into his ocean bed. On our homeward walk we passed Forest River, a -winding, picturesque little stream, dotted with rocky islands. Over -the river, and along our quiet way, the moon shed her soft and silvery -light. And as we approached Salem, the lights, gleaming from every -window of the large factory, gave us a cheerful welcome." - -She "looks on nature with a poet's eye." The visit to Lynn is thus -given:-- - -"Its chief attraction to me was 'High Rock,' on whose summit the pretty -little dwelling of the Hutchinsons is perched like an eagle's eyrie. -In the distance this rock looks so high and steep that one marvels how -a house could ever have been built upon it. At its foot there once -lived a famous fortune-teller of the olden time--'Moll Pitcher.' She at -first resided in Salem, but afterwards removed to Lynn, where her fame -spread over the adjoining country far and near. Whittier has made her -the subject of a poem, which every one should read, not only for its -account of the fortune-teller, but for its beautiful descriptions of -the scenery around Lynn, especially of the bold promontory of Nahant, -whose fine beach, invigorating sea air, and, more than all, its grand, -rugged old rocks,--the grandest I have ever seen,--washed by the waves -of old Ocean, make it the most delightful of summer resorts." - -The gifts of nature are of no rank or color; they come unbidden and -unsought: as the wind awakes the chords of the Æolian harp, so the -spirit breathes upon the soul, and brings to life all the melody of its -being. The following poem recalls to recollection some of the beautiful -yet solemn strains of Miss Landon, the gifted "L. E. L.," whose -untimely death at Cape Coast Castle, some years since, carried sorrow -to so many English hearts:-- - - - THE ANGEL'S VISIT. - - 'Twas on a glorious summer eve,-- - A lovely eve in June,-- - Serenely from her home above - Looked down the gentle moon; - And lovingly she smiled on me, - And softly soothed the pain-- - The aching, heavy pain that lay - Upon my heart and brain. - - And gently 'mid the murmuring leaves, - Scarce by its light wings stirred, - Like spirit voices soft and clear, - The night wind's song was heard; - In strains of music sweet and low - It sang to me of peace; - It bade my weary, troubled soul - Her sad complainings cease. - - For bitter thoughts had filled my breast, - And sad, and sick at heart, - I longed to lay me down and rest, - From all the world apart. - "Outcast, oppressed on earth," I cried, - O Father, take me home; - O, take me to that peaceful land - Beyond the moon-lit dome. - - "On such a night as this," methought, - "Angelic forms are near; - In beauty unrevealed to us - They hover in the air. - O mother, loved and lost," I cried, - "Methinks thou'rt near me now; - Methinks I feel thy cooling touch - Upon my burning brow. - - "O, guide and soothe thy sorrowing child; - And if 'tis not His will - That thou shouldst take me home with thee, - Protect and bless me still; - For dark and drear had been my life - Without thy tender smile, - Without a mother's loving care, - Each sorrow to beguile." - - I ceased: then o'er my senses stole - A soothing, dreamy spell, - And gently to my ear were borne - The tones I loved so well; - A sudden flood of rosy light - Filled all the dusky wood, - And, clad in shining robes of white, - My angel mother stood. - - She gently drew me to her side, - She pressed her lips to mine, - And softly said, "Grieve not, my child; - A mother's love is thine. - I know the cruel wrongs that crush - The young and ardent heart; - But falter not; keep bravely on, - And nobly bear thy part. - - "For thee a brighter day's in store; - And every earnest soul - That presses on, with purpose high, - Shall gain the wished-for goal. - And thou, beloved, faint not beneath - The weary weight of care; - Daily before our Father's throne - I breathe for thee a prayer. - - "I pray that pure and holy thoughts - May bless and guard thy way; - A noble and unselfish life - For thee, my child, I pray." - She paused, and fondly bent on me - One lingering look of love, - Then softly said,--and passed away,-- - "Farewell! we'll meet above." - - I woke, and still the silver moon - In quiet beauty shone; - And still I heard amid the leaves - The night wind's murmuring tone; - But from my heart the weary pain - Forevermore had flown; - I knew a mother's prayer for me - Was breathed before the throne. - - -Nothing can be more touching than Miss Forten's allusion to her sainted -mother. In some of her other poems she is more light and airy, and her -muse delights occasionally to catch the sunshine on its aspiring wings. -Miss Forten is still young, yet on the sunny side of twenty-five, and -has a splendid future before her. Those who know her best consider her -on the road to fame. Were she white, America would recognize her as one -of its brightest gems. - - -WILLIAM H. SIMPSON. - -It is a compliment to a picture to say that it produces the impression -of the actual scene. Taste has, frequently, for its object works of -art. Nature, many suppose, may be studied with propriety, but art -they reject as entirely superficial. But what is the fact? In the -highest sense, art is the child of nature, and is most admired when -it preserves the likeness of its parent. In Venice, the paintings of -Titian, and of the Venetian artists generally, exact from the traveller -a yet higher tribute, for the hues and forms around him constantly -remind him of their works. Many of the citizens of Boston are often -called to mention the names of their absent or departed friends, by -looking upon their features, as transferred to canvas by the pencil and -brush of William H. Simpson, the young colored artist. He has evidently -taken Titian, Murillo, and Raphael for his masters. The Venetian -painters were diligent students of the nature that was around them. -The subject of our sketch seems to have imbibed their energy, as well -as learned to copy the noble example they left behind. The history of -painters, as well as poets, is written in their works. The best life -of Goldsmith is to be found in his poem of "The Traveller" and his -novel of "The Vicar of Wakefield." No one views the beautiful portrait -of J. P. Kemble, in the National Gallery in London, in the character -of Hamlet, without thinking of Sir Thomas Lawrence, who executed it. -The organ of color is prominent in the cranium of Mr. Simpson, and -it is well developed. His portraits are admired for their life-like -appearance, as well as for the fine delineation which characterizes -them all. It is very easy to transcribe the emotions which paintings -awaken, but it is no easy matter to say why a picture is so painted -as that it must awaken certain emotions. Many persons feel art, some -understand it, but few both feel and understand it. Mr. Simpson is -rich in depth of feeling and spiritual beauty. His portrait of John T. -Hilton, which was presented to the Masonic Lodge a few months since, -is a splendid piece of art. The longer you look on the features, the -more the picture looks like real life. The taste displayed in the -coloring of the regalia, and the admirable perspective of each badge -of honor, shows great skill. No higher praise is needed than to say -that a gentleman of Boston, distinguished for his good judgment in the -picture gallery, wishing to secure a likeness of Hon. Charles Sumner, -induced the senator to sit to Mr. Simpson for the portrait; and in this -instance the artist has been signally successful. - -His likenesses have been so correct, that he has often been employed -to paint whole families, where only one had been bargained for in the -commencement. He is considered unapproachable in taking juvenile faces. -Mr. Simpson does not aspire to any thing in his art beyond portrait -painting. Nevertheless, a beautiful fancy sketch, hanging in his -studio, representing summer, exhibits marked ability and consummate -genius. The wreath upon the head, with different kinds of grain -interwoven, and the nicety of coloring in each particular kind, causes -those who view it to regard him as master of his profession. Portraits -of his execution are scattered over most of the Northern States and the -Canadas. Some have gone to Liberia, Hayti, and California. - -Mr. Simpson is a native of Buffalo, New York, where he received a -liberal education. But even in school, his early inclination to draw -likenesses materially interfered with his studies. The propensity to -use his slate and pencil in scratching down his schoolmates, instead of -doing his sums in arithmetic, often gained him severe punishment. After -leaving school, he was employed as errand boy by Matthew Wilson, Esq., -the distinguished artist, who soon discovered young Simpson's genius, -and took him as an apprentice. In 1854, they removed to Boston, where -Mr. Simpson labored diligently to acquire a thorough knowledge of the -profession. Mr. Wilson stated to the writer, that he never had a man -who was more attentive or more trustworthy than William H. Simpson. The -colored artist has been working in his own studio nearly three years, -and has his share of public patronage. Of course he has many obstacles -thrown in his path by the prejudice against him as a colored man; but -he long since resolved that he would reach the highest round in the -ladder. His career may well be imitated. - - - "Would you wrest the wreath of fame - From the hand of Fate; - Would you write a deathless name - With the good and great; - Would you bless your fellow-men, - Heart and soul imbue - With the holy task,--why, then - Paddle your own canoe." - - -Mr. Simpson is of small figure, unmixed in blood, has a rather mild -and womanly countenance, firm and resolute eye, is gentlemanly in -appearance, and intelligent in conversation. - - -JEAN PIERRE BOYER. - -Jean Pierre Boyer was born at Port au Prince on the 2d of February, -1776; received in Paris the advantages of European culture; fought -under Rigaud against Toussaint; and in consequence of the success of -the latter, quitted the island. Boyer returned to Hayti in Leclerc's -expedition: he, however, separated from the French general-in-chief, -placed himself at the head of his own color, and aided in vindicating -the claims of his race to freedom in the last struggle with the French. -On the death of Dessalines, Christophe, already master of the north, -sought to take the south out of the hands of Petion. Boyer assisted his -fellow-mulatto in driving off the black general. This act endeared him -to the former. Gratitude, as well as regard to the common interest, -gave Boyer the president's chair, on the death of Petion. Raised to -that dignity, he employed his power and his energies to complete those -economical and administrative reforms with which he had already been -connected under his predecessor. To labor for the public good was the -end of his life. In this worthy enterprise he was greatly assisted, -no less by his knowledge than his moderation. Well acquainted with -the character of the people that he was called to govern, conversant -with all the interests of the state, he had it in his power to effect -his purpose by mild as well as judicious measures. Yet were the -wounds deep which he had to heal; and he could accomplish in a brief -period only a small part of that which it will require generations to -carry to perfection. At the death of Christophe, in 1820, Boyer was -proclaimed president of the north and south. In 1822, the Spanish part -of the island, with its own accord, joined the republic; and thus, -from Cape Tiburn to Cape Engano, Hayti was peacefully settled under -one government, with Boyer at its head. At length, in 1825, after the -recognition of Hayti by others, the French, under Charles X., sold -to its inhabitants the rights which they had won by their swords, -for the sum of one hundred and fifty millions of francs, to be paid -as an indemnity to the old planters. The peace with France created a -more fraternal feeling between the two countries, and Hayti now began -to regain her ancient commercial advantages, and every thing seemed -prosperous. In the year 1843, a party opposed to the president made -its appearance, which formed itself into a conspiracy to overthrow the -government. Seeing that he could not make head against it, Boyer, in -disgust, took leave of the people in a dignified manner, and retired to -Jamaica, where, a few years since, he died. - -Though called a mulatto, Boyer was nearly black, and his long residence -in Europe gave him a polish in manners foreign to the island. He was -a brave man, a good soldier, and proved himself a statesman of no -ordinary ability. When he came into power, the mountains were filled -with Maroons, headed by a celebrated chief named Gomar. Regaud and -Petion had tried in vain to rid the country of these brigands. Boyer -soon broke up their strongholds, dispersed them, and finally destroyed -or brought them all under subjection. By his good judgment, management, -and humanity, he succeeded in uniting the whole island under one -government, and gained the possession of what Christophe had exhausted -himself with efforts to obtain, and what Petion had sighed for, -without daring to cherish a single hope that its attainment could be -accomplished. Boyer was blameless in his private life. - - -JAMES M'CUNE SMITH, M. D. - -Unable to get justice done him in the educational institutions of his -native country, James M'Cune Smith turned his face towards a foreign -land. He graduated with distinguished honors at the University of -Glasgow, Scotland, where he received his diploma of M. D. For the last -twenty-five years he has been a practitioner in the city of New York, -where he stands at the head of his profession. On his return from -Europe, the doctor was warmly welcomed by his fellow-citizens, who were -anxious to pay due deference to his talents; since which time, he has -justly been esteemed among the leading men of his race on the American -continent. When the natural ability of the negro was assailed, some -years ago, in New York, Dr. Smith came forward as the representative of -the black man, and his essays on the comparative anatomy and physiology -of the races, read in the discussion, completely vindicated the -character of the negro, and placed the author among the most logical -and scientific writers in the country. - -The doctor has contributed many valuable papers to the different -journals published by colored men during the last quarter of a -century. The New York dailies have also received aid from him during -the same period. History, antiquity, bibliography, translation, -criticism, political economy, statistics,--almost every department -of knowledge,--receive emblazon from his able, ready, versatile, and -unwearied pen. The emancipation of the slave, and the elevation of the -free colored people, has claimed the greatest share of his time as a -writer. The following, from the doctor, will give but a poor idea of -his style:-- - - - "FREEDOM--LIBERTY. - - "Freedom and liberty are not synonyms. Freedom is an essence; - liberty, an accident. Freedom is born within man; liberty - may be conferred on him. Freedom is progressive; liberty is - circumscribed. Freedom is the gift of God; liberty, the creature - of society. Liberty may be taken away from man; but on whatsoever - soul freedom may alight, the course of that soul is thenceforth - onward and upward; society, customs, laws, armies, are but as - withes in its giant grasp, if they oppose--instruments to work its - will, if they assent. Human kind welcome the birth of a free soul - with reverence and shoutings, rejoicing in the advent of a fresh - offshoot of the divine whole, of which this is but a part." - - -His article in the _Anglo-African Magazine_, on "Citizenship," is one -of the most logical arguments ever written in this country upon that -subject. In the same journal, Dr. Smith has an essay on "The Fourteenth -Query of Thomas Jefferson's Notes on Virginia," not surpassed by any -thing which we have seen. These are the result of choice study, of nice -observation, of fine feeling, of exquisite fancy, of consummate art, -and the graceful tact of the scholar. Space will not allow us to select -the many choice bits that we could cull from the writings of James -M'Cune Smith. - -The law of labor is equally binding on genius and mediocrity. The -mind and body rarely visit this earth of ours so exactly fitted to -each other, and so perfectly harmonizing together, as to rise without -effort, and command in the affairs of men. It is not in the power -of every one to become great. No great approximation, even toward -that which is easiest attained, can ever be accomplished without the -exercise of much thought and vigor of action; and thus is demonstrated -the supremacy of that law which gives excellence only when earned, and -assigns to labor its unfailing reward. - -It is this energy of character, industry, and labor, combined with -great intellectual powers, which has given Dr. Smith so much influence -in New York. As a speaker, he is eloquent, and, at times, brilliant, -but always clear and to the point. In stature, the doctor is not -tall, but thick, and somewhat inclined to corpulency. He has a fine -and well-developed head, broad and lofty brow, round, full face, firm -mouth, and an eye that dazzles. In blood, he appears to be rather more -Anglo-Saxon than African. - - -BISHOP PAYNE. - -Teacher of a small school at Charleston, South Carolina, in the year -1834, Daniel A. Payne felt the oppressive hand of slavery too severely -upon him, and he quitted the southern Sodom and came north. After going -through a regular course of theological studies at Gettysburg Seminary, -he took up his residence at Baltimore, where he soon distinguished -himself as a preacher in the African Methodist denomination. He was -several years since elected bishop, and is now located in the State of -Ohio. - -Bishop Payne is a scholar and a poet; having published, in 1850, a -volume of his productions, which created considerable interest for the -work, and gave the author a standing among literary men. His writings -are characterized by sound reasoning and logical conclusions, and -show that he is well read. The bishop is devotedly attached to his -down-trodden race, and is constantly urging upon them self-elevation. -After President Lincoln's interview with the committee of colored men -at Washington, and the colonization scheme recommended to them, and the -appearance of Mr. Pomeroy's address to the free blacks, Bishop Payne -issued the following note of advice, which was published in the _Weekly -Anglo-African_:-- - - - "_To the Colored People of the United States._ - - "MEN, BRETHREN, SISTERS: A crisis is upon us which no one can - enable us to meet, conquer, and convert into blessings for all - concerned, but that God who builds up one nation and breaks down - another. - - "For more than one generation, associations of white men, entitled - Colonization Societies, have been engaged in plans and efforts for - our expatriation; these have been met sometimes by denunciations, - sometimes by ridicule, often by argument; but now the American - government has assumed the work and responsibility of colonizing - us in some foreign land within the torrid zone, and is now - maturing measures to consummate this scheme of expatriation. - - "But let us never forget that there is a vast difference between - voluntary associations of men and the legally constituted - authorities of a country; while the former may be held in utter - contempt, the latter must always be respected. To do so is a moral - and religious, as well as a political duty. - - "The opinions of the government are based upon the ideas, that - _white men and colored men cannot live together as equals in - the same country_; and that unless a voluntary and peaceable - separation is effected _now_, the time _must come when there will - be a war of extermination_ between the two races. - - "Now, in view of these opinions and purposes of the government, - what shall we do? My humble advice is, before all, and first of - all,--even before we say _yea_ or _nay_,--let us seek from the - mouth of God. Let every heart be humbled, and every knee bent in - prayer before him. Throughout all this land of our captivity, in - all this house of our bondage, let our cries ascend perpetually to - Heaven for aid and direction. - - "To your knees, I say, O ye oppressed and enslaved ones of this - Christian republic, to your knees, _and be there_. - - "Before the throne of God, if nowhere else, the black man can meet - his white brother as an equal, and be heard. - - "It has been said that he is the God of the white man, and not of - the black. This is horrible blasphemy--a _lie_ from the pit that - is bottomless--believe it not--no--never. Murmur not against the - Lord on account of the cruelty and injustice of man. His almighty - arm is already stretched out against slavery--against every man, - every constitution, and every union that upholds it. His avenging - chariot is now moving over the bloody fields of the doomed south, - crushing beneath its massive wheels the very foundations of the - blasphemous system. Soon slavery shall sink like Pharaoh--even - like that brazen-hearted tyrant, it shall sink to rise no more - forever. - - "Haste ye, then, O, hasten to your God; pour the sorrows of your - crushed and bleeding hearts into his sympathizing bosom. It is - true that 'on the side of the oppressor there is power'--the - power of the purse and the power of the sword. That is terrible. - But listen to what is still _more terrible_: on the side of the - oppressed there is the _strong arm_ of the Lord, the Almighty God - of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob--before his redeeming power the - two contending armies, hostile to each other, and hostile to you, - are like chaff before the whirlwind. - - "_Fear not, but believe._ He who is for you is more than they who - are against you. Trust in him--hang upon his arm--go, hide beneath - the shadow of his wings. - - "O God! Jehovah-jireh! wilt thou not hear us? We are poor, - helpless, unarmed, despised. Is it not time for thee to hear the - cry of the needy--to judge the poor of the people--to break in - pieces the oppressor. - - "Be, O, be unto us what thou wast unto Israel in the land of - Egypt, our Counsellor and Guide--our Shield and Buckler--_our - Great Deliverer_--_our Pillar of cloud by day_--_our Pillar of - fire by night_! - - "Stand between us and our enemies, O thou angel of the Lord! - Be unto us a shining light--to our enemies, confusion and - impenetrable darkness. Stand between us till this Red Sea be - crossed, and thy redeemed, _now_ sighing, bleeding, weeping, shall - shout and sing, for joy, the bold anthem of the free." - - -A deep vein of genuine piety pervades nearly all the productions -of Bishop Payne. As a pulpit orator, he stands deservedly high. In -stature, he is rather under the medium size, about three fourths -African, rather sharper features than the average of his race, and -appears to be about fifty years of age. He is very popular, both as -a writer and a speaker, with his own color. The moral, social, and -political standard of the black man has been much elevated by the -influence of Bishop Payne. - - -WILLIAM STILL. - -The long connection of Mr. Still with the anti-slavery office, in a -city through which fugitive slaves had to pass in their flight from -bondage, and the deep interest felt by him for the freedom and general -welfare of his race, have brought him prominently before the public. -It would not be good policy to say how many persons passed through -his hands while on their way to the north or the British dominions, -even if we knew. But it is safe to say that no man has been truer -to the fleeing slave than he. In the first town where I stopped in -Canada, while on a visit there a year since, I took a walk through the -market one Saturday morning, and saw a large sprinkling of men and -women who had escaped from the south. As soon as it was understood -that I was from "the States," I was surrounded and overwhelmed with -inquiries about places and persons. A short, stout, full-faced, -energetically-talking woman, looking me fairly in the eyes, said, "Were -you ever in Philadelphia, sonny?" I answered that I had been there. -"Did you know Mr. Still?" "Yes," said I: "do you know him?" "God love -your heart! I reckon I does. He put me fru dat city on a swingin' limb, -dat he did. Ah! he's a man dat can be depended on." This was only the -opening; for as soon as it was known that I was well acquainted with -William Still, the conversation turned entirely upon him, and I was -surprised to see so many before me whom he had assisted. And though -there were some present who complained of other Underground Railroad -conductors, not a single word was uttered against Mr. Still; but all -united in the strongest praise of him. In every town that I visited -during a stay of ten weeks in Canada, I met persons who made feeling -inquiries after him, and I was glad to find that all regarded him as -a benefactor. Mr. Still is well educated, has good talents, and has -cultivated them. He is an interesting and forcible writer, and some of -the stories of escaped slaves, which he has contributed to the press, -will challenge criticism. A correspondent of one of the public journals -sent the following account to his paper of an interview which he had -with Mr. Still the day previous:-- - -"We sat down to talk. The ultimate destiny of the black man was -discussed, our host opening that his struggle for a habitation and a -name must be in America. He said that his people were attached to the -republic, notwithstanding many disadvantages imposed upon them, their -hope being strong that patience and good citizenship would eventually -soften the prejudices of the whites. Tempered as they were to our -habits and climate, it would be cruel to place them on a strand but -dimly known, where, surrounded by savages, they might become savage -themselves. - -"There was to us a sincere pleasure in our host's discourse. He is one -of the leading public men among his people, and has much of the ease -and polish peculiar to the well-bred Caucasian. He laughed at times, -but never boisterously, and in profounder moments threw a telling -solemnity into his tone and expression. When the head was averted, we -heard, in well-modulated speech, such vigorous sentences and thoughtful -remarks, that the identity of the speaker with the proscribed race -was half forgotten; but the biased eyesight revealed only a dusky son -of Ham. On a 'what-not' table were clustered a number of books. Most -of them were anti-slavery publications, although there were several -volumes of sermons, and a few philosophical and historical books. We -turned the conversation to literature. He was well acquainted with the -authors he had read, and ventured some criticisms, indicative of study. -From the earnestness of the man, it seemed that the interests of his -race were very dear to him. - -"It is but just to say, that he has passed many years in constant -companionship with Caucasians." - -Mr. Still is somewhat tall, neat in figure and person, has a smiling -face, is unadulterated in blood, and gentlemanly in his intercourse -with society. He is now extensively engaged in the stove and fuel -trade, keeps five or six men employed, and has the patronage of some of -the first families of Philadelphia. He has the entire confidence of -all who know and appreciate his moral worth and business talents. - - -EDWIN M. BANNISTER. - -Edwin M. Bannister was born in the town of St. Andrew, New Brunswick, -and lost his father when only six years old. He attended the grammar -school in his native place, and received a better education than -persons generally in his position. From early childhood he seems to -have had a fancy for painting, which showed itself in the school room -and at home. He often drew portraits of his school-fellows, and the -master not unfrequently found himself upon the slate, where Edwin's -success was so manifest that the likeness would call forth merriment -from the boys, and create laughter at the expense of the teacher. At -the death of his mother, when still in his minority, he was put out -to live with the Hon. Harris Hatch, a wealthy lawyer, the proprietor -of a fine farm some little distance in the country. In his new home -Edwin did not lose sight of his drawing propensities, and though the -family had nothing in the way of models except two faded portraits, -kept more as relics than for their intrinsic value, he nevertheless -practised upon them, and often made the copy look more life-like than -the original. On the barn doors, fences, and every place where drawings -could be made, the two ancient faces were to be seen pictured. When -the family were away on the Sabbath at church, the young artist would -take possession of the old Bible, and copy its crude engravings, then -replace it upon the dusty shelf, feeling an inward gratification, -that, instead of satisfying the inclination, only gave him fresh zeal -to hunt for new models. By the great variety of drawings which he had -made on paper, and the correct sketches taken, young Bannister gained -considerable reputation in the lawyer's family, as well as in the -neighborhood. Often, after the household had retired at night, the -dim glimmer from the lean tallow candle was seen through the attic -chamber window. It was there that the genius of the embryo artist was -struggling for development. Nearly every wall in the dwelling had -designs or faces pencilled upon it, and many were the complaints that -the women made against the lad. At last he turned his steps towards -Boston, with the hope that he might get a situation with a painter, -never dreaming that his color would be a barrier to the accomplishment -of such an object. Weeks were spent by the friendless, homeless, and -penniless young man, and every artist had seen his face and heard his -wish to become a painter. But visiting these establishments brought -nothing to sustain nature, and Mr. Bannister took up the business of -a hair-dresser, merely as a means of getting bread, but determined to -leave it as soon as an opening presented itself with an artist. The -canvas, the paint, the easel, and the pallet were brought in, and the -hair-dressing saloon was turned into a studio. - -There is a great diversity of opinion with regard to genius, many -mistaking talent for genius. Talent is strength and subtilty of mind; -genius is mental inspiration and delicacy of feeling. Talent possesses -vigor and acuteness of penetration, but is surpassed by the vivid -intellectual conceptions of genius. The former is skilful and bold, the -latter aspiring and gentle. But talent excels in practical sagacity; -and hence those striking contrasts so often witnessed in the world--the -triumph of talent through its adroit and active energies, and the -adversities of genius in the midst of its boundless but unattainable -aspirations. - -Mr. Bannister possesses genius, which is now showing itself in his -studio in Boston; for he has long since thrown aside the scissors and -the comb, and transfers the face to the canvas, instead of taking the -hair from the head. His portraits are correct representations of the -originals, and he is daily gaining admirers of his talent and taste. He -has painted several pictures from his own designs, which exhibit his -genius. "Wall Street at Home," represents the old gent, seated in his -easy chair, boots off and slippers on, and intently reading the last -news. The carpet with its variegated colors, the hat upon the table, -the cloak thrown carelessly across a chair, and the pictures hanging -on the walls, are all brought out with their lights and shades. A -beautiful landscape, representing summer, with the blue mountains in -the distance, the heated sky, and the foliage to match, is another of -his pieces. It is indeed commendable in Mr. Bannister, that he has thus -far overcome the many obstacles thrown in his way by his color, and -made himself an honor to his race. - -Mr. Bannister is spare-made, slim, with an interesting cast of -countenance, quick in his walk, and easy in his manners. He is a lover -of poetry and the classics, and is always hunting up some new model for -his gifted pencil and brush. He has a picture representing "Cleopatra -waiting to receive Marc Antony," which I regret that I did not see. -I am informed, however, that it is a beautifully-executed picture. -Mr. Bannister has a good education, is often called upon to act as -secretary to public meetings, and is not by any means a bad speaker, -when on the platform. Still young, enterprising, and spirited, we shall -be mistaken if Edwin M. Bannister does not yet create a sensation in -our country as an artist. - - -LEONARD A. GRIMES. - -Leonard A. Grimes is a native of Leesburg, Loudon county, Va., and was -born in 1815. He went to Washington when a boy, and was first employed -in a butcher's shop, and afterwards in an apothecary's establishment. -He subsequently hired himself out to a slaveholder, whose confidence -he soon gained. Accompanying his employer in some of his travels in -the remote Southern States, young Grimes had an opportunity of seeing -the different phases of slave life; and its cruelty created in his -mind an early hatred to the institution which has never abated. He -could not resist the appeals of the bondmen for aid in making their -escape to a land of freedom, and consequently was among the first to -take stock in the Underground Railroad. After saving money enough by -his earnings, he purchased a hack and horses, and became a hackman -in the city of Washington. In his new vocation, Mr. Grimes met with -success, and increased his business until he was the owner of a number -of carriages and horses, and was considered one of the foremost men in -his line. During all this time he never lost sight of the slave, and -there is no telling how many he put on the road to Canada. A poor woman -and her seven children were about being carried away to the far south -by the slave-trader. Her husband, a free black, sought out Leonard A. -Grimes, and appealed to his humanity, and not in vain; for in less than -forty-eight hours, the hackman penetrated thirty miles into Virginia, -and, under cover of night, brought out the family. The husband, wife, -and little ones, a few days after, breathed the free air of Canada. -Mr. Grimes was soon suspected, arrested, tried, and sentenced to two -years in the state prison, at Richmond. Here he remained; and the -close, dank, air, the gloom, the high, dull, cold, stone walls, the -heavy fetters upon his limbs, the entire lack of any thing external -to distract his thoughts from his situation, all together, produced a -feeling of depression he had never known before. It was at this time -that Mr. Grimes "felt," as he says, "that great spiritual change which -makes all things new for the soul." From that hour he became a preacher -to his keepers, and, as far as he was allowed, to his fellow-prisoners. -This change lightened his confinement, and caused him to feel that he -was sent there to do his Master's will. - -At the expiration of his imprisonment, Mr. Grimes returned to -Washington, and employed himself in driving a furniture car, and -jobbing about the city. Feeling himself called to preach, he underwent -the required examination, received a license, and, without quitting -his employment, preached as occasion offered. Not long after this, -he removed to New Bedford, Mass., where he resided two years. There -was in Boston a small congregation, worshipping in a little room, but -without a regular preacher. An invitation was extended to Mr. Grimes -to become their pastor. He accepted, came to Boston, and, under his -ministration, the society increased so rapidly that a larger house was -soon needed. A lot was purchased, the edifice begun, and now they have -a beautiful church, capable of seating six or seven hundred persons. -The cost of the building, including the land, was $13,000; all of -which, except $2,000, has been paid. We need not say that this was -accomplished through the untiring exertions of Mr. Grimes. Besides his -labors in the society, he was often engaged in aiding fugitive slaves -in the redemption of their relations from the servitude of the south. -During his fourteen years' residence in Boston, he has had $6,000 pass -through his hands, for the benefit of that class of persons. In action -he is always-- - - - "Upward, onward, pressing forward - Till each bondman's chains shall fall, - Till the flag that floats above us - Liberty proclaims to all." - - -In 1854, Mr. Grimes became conspicuously connected with the fugitive -slave Anthony Burns. Mainly through his efforts the latter gained his -freedom. The pastor of the Twelfth Baptist Church is, emphatically, a -practical man. Nearly all public meetings are held either in his church -or vestry, he taking a suitable part in every thing that tends to the -welfare of his race. "Brother" Grimes is above the middle size, good -looking, has a full face, a countenance which has the appearance of one -who has seen no trouble, and rather more Anglo-Saxon than African. He -is polite in his manners, and genteel in his personal appearance. As a -preacher, he is considered sound, and well versed in theology. He is -regarded as one of the ablest men in prayer in Boston. His sermons are -characterized by deep feeling and good sense. No man in the city has -fewer enemies or more friends than Leonard A. Grimes. - - -PRESIDENT GEFFRARD. - -Fabre Geffrard, born at Cayes, in the year 1806, was the son of a -general who had shown himself humane under Dessalines, and had been -with Petion, one of the chief promoters of the constitution of 1806. -Left early an orphan, young Geffrard entered the army at the age -of fifteen, and only after twenty-two years' service obtained his -captain's commission. He took part--unwisely, as events proved--in the -revolution of 1843, which overturned the able but indolent Boyer, and -distinguished himself at the head of a small body of troops against the -government forces, deceiving them as to his numbers by the rapidity -of his movements, and as to his resources by supplying provisions to -his famished enemies at a time when he himself was short of rations. -When the revolution, which had originated with the most impatient of -the mulattoes, led in turn to a rising of that portion of the blacks -who represented absolute barbarism, and whose axiom was that every -mulatto should be exterminated, Geffrard marched against and defeated -the black leader, Arcaau; but, true to that humanity which seems -the very basis of his character, we find him in turn defending the -middle classes from the blacks, and the insurgent blacks, when taken -prisoners, from the National Guard. He became lieutenant-general during -these movements; but General Riche, who was made president in 1846, and -who bore Geffrard a grudge for having on a former occasion made him -a prisoner, sent him before a court martial, which, in Hayti, means -sending one to death. Through the adroitness, however, of Riche's -minister of war, the general was acquitted. The president of the court -martial was Soulouque, who seems to have imbibed, on this occasion, -a strange friendship for the man whose life he had been the means of -preserving, and who thus spared him, in an otherwise unaccountable -manner, during his subsequent rule, and even forced on him the title -of duke, which Geffrard did not care to assume. In two disastrous -wars which he undertook, in 1849 and in 1855-6, against the Dominican -republic, Geffrard alone won credit. In the former he was wounded at -the head of the division; in both, by his courage, his activity, his -cheerfulness, and above all, by his anxious care for the welfare of -his soldiers, he exhibited the most striking contrast to Soulouque's -imbecile generalship and brutal indifference to the safety of others. - -In 1858, Soulouque, seeing that Geffrard's popularity was becoming -great, sought an opportunity to have him arrested. Spies were placed -near him. The general, however, was warned of his danger, and he knew -that nothing was to be hoped for from Soulouque's ferocity when once -aroused by jealousy. Just then, the emissaries of a conspiracy, formed -in the valley of the Artibonite, beyond the mountain chain which forms -the backbone of the island, were in Port au Prince in search of a -leader. They addressed themselves to Geffrard. The cup of Soulouque's -tyranny was full. Geffrard listened to their solicitations, but was -barely able, by the aid of a friend, to escape in an open boat, on the -very night when he was to have been arrested. He succeeded in reaching -St. Mark, but found that the people were not ready for a revolution. He -repaired to Gonaives, where the inhabitants were thoroughly ripe for -a change of rulers. Thus six men coming by sea, met by three on land, -were sufficient to carry the place without the shedding of a drop of -blood. On the 22d of December, he issued two proclamations, the one -abolishing the empire, the other establishing a republic. From thence -he proceeded to St. Mark, where he was enthusiastically welcomed by -all classes, the army joining him to a man. With two thousand men he -started for Port au Prince, the capital. Soulouque, in the mean time, -gathered his forces, amounting to six thousand well-drilled troops, -and set out to meet his rival, but soon found that his army could not -be relied on, and he returned amid the hootings of the people. The -emperor was permitted to take refuge in the French consulate, and from -thence took passage in an English steamer for Jamaica. Geffrard entered -Port au Prince in triumph; the constitution of 1846 was adopted, and -an election held which chose Geffrard president for life, with the -privilege of nominating his successor. All agree that he is a good -man. His great aim appears to be the moral, social, and intellectual -improvement of the people. - -Most of the army have been disbanded; and those retained are better -fed, better paid, and clothed in a more suitable manner. New firearms -have been introduced, reforms instituted both in the government and the -army, agriculture and commerce encouraged, old roads repaired and new -ones built. His state papers show him to be a man of superior natural -abilities, and we believe that he is destined to do more for Hayti and -her people than any ruler since the days of Toussaint L'Ouverture. -Geffrard is a grief in color (nearly black), of middle height, -slim in figure, a pleasing countenance, sparkling eye, gray hair, -fifty-six years of age, limbs supple by bodily exercise, a splendid -horseman, and liberal to the arts, even to extravagance. Possessing a -polished education, he is gentlemanly in his conversation and manners. -His democratic ideas induce him to dress without ornaments of any -kind. Soon after assuming the presidency, he resolved to encourage -immigration, and issued an address to the colored Americans, filled -with patriotic and sympathetic feeling for his race. - - -GEORGE B. VASHON. - -Passing through the schools of Pittsburg, his native place, and -graduating at Oberlin College with the degree of Master of Arts, George -B. Vashon started in life with the advantage of a good education. He -studied law with Hon. Walter Forward, and was admitted to the bar in -1847. He soon after visited Hayti, where he remained nearly three -years, returning home in 1850. Called to a professorship in New York -Central College, Mr. Vashon discharged the duties of the office with -signal ability. A gentleman--a graduate of that institution, now a -captain in the federal army--told the writer that he and several of his -companions, who had to recite to Professor Vashon, made it a practice -for some length of time to search Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, for phrases -and historical incidents, and would then question the professor, with -the hope of "running him on a snag." "But," said he, "we never caught -him once, and we came to the conclusion that he was the best-read -man in the college." Literature has a history, and few histories can -compare with it in importance, significance, and moral grandeur. There -is, therefore, a great price to pay for literary attainments, which -will have an inspiring and liberalizing influence--a price not in -silver and gold, but in thorough mental training. This training will -give breadth of view, develop strength of character and a comprehensive -spirit, by which the ever-living expressions of truth and principle in -the past may be connected with those of a like character in the present. - -Mr. Vashon seems to have taken this view of what constitutes the -thorough scholar, and has put his theory into practice. All of the -productions of his pen show the student and man of literature. But -he is not indebted alone to culture, for he possesses genius of no -mean order--poetic genius, far superior to many who have written and -published volumes. As Dryden said of Shakspeare, "he needed not the -spectacles of books to read Nature; he looked inward, and found her -there." The same excellence appertains to his poetical description of -the beautiful scenery and climate of Hayti, in his "Vincent Ogé." His -allusion to Columbus's first visit to the island is full of solemn -grandeur:-- - - - "The waves dash brightly on thy shore, - Fair island of the southern seas, - As bright in joy as when, of yore, - They gladly hailed the Genoese-- - That daring soul who gave to Spain - A world-last trophy of her reign." - - -Our limited space will not permit our giving more of this, or other -poems of Mr. Vashon. The following extract from his admirable essay in -the _Anglo-African Magazine_, entitled, "The Successive Advances of -Astronomy," is characteristic of his prose:-- - -"The next important step recorded in the annals of astronomy was the -effort to reform the calendar by means of the bissextile year. This -effort was made at the time when Julius Cæsar was chief pontiff at -Rome. It is noteworthy, as being the only valuable contribution made -to astronomical science by the Romans; and, even in this matter, Cæsar -acted under the guidance of the Grecian astronomer Sosigenes. We are -not to suppose, however, that the Romans were totally indifferent to -the subject of astronomy. We are informed by Cicero, in his elegant -treatise concerning 'Old Age,' that Caius Gallus was accustomed to -spend whole days and nights in making observations upon the heavenly -bodies, and that he took pleasure in predicting to his friends the -eclipses of the sun and moon a long time before they occurred. Besides, -in the 'Scipio's Dream' of the same author, we find, in the course of -an admirable dissertation upon the immortality of the soul, an account -of a terrestrial system, according to which our earth was the central -body, around which the concave sphere of the starry heavens revolved; -while, in the space between, the Moon, Venus, Mercury, the Sun, Mars, -Jupiter, and Saturn moved with retrograde courses, in the order here -mentioned. In fact, this system was the one which was afterwards -adopted, elaborated, and zealously maintained by the famous Ptolemy -of Alexandria, and which has ever since borne his name. To Ptolemy, -then, who flourished about the commencement of the second century, -the world is indebted for the first complete system of astronomy that -secured the approbation of all the learned. This it was enabled to do -by the ingenious, although not perfect, explanation which it gave of -the planetary movements, by supposing these bodies to move in circles -whose centres had an easterly motion along an imaginary circle. Thus -these epicycles, as the circles were called, moving along the imaginary -circle, or deferent, cause the planets to have, at times, an apparent -easterly direction, at other times a westerly one, and at other times, -again, to appear stationary. Thus recommended, the Ptolemaic system -continued to gain adherents, until the irruptions of the Huns under -Alaric and Attila, and the destruction of the celebrated library at -Alexandria by the fanatical and turbulent Christians of that city, -laid waste the fair domains of science. Being thus driven from the -places where Learning had fixed her favorite seats, it took refuge -with the Arabs, who preserved it with watchful care, until happier -times restored it to Europe. It returned with the conquering Moors who -established themselves in Spain, was brought again under the notice of -the Christian states in the thirteenth century, through the patronage -of the emperor Frederic II. of Germany, and Alphonso X. of Castile, and -flourished more than two hundred years longer, without any rival to -dispute its claims to correctness." - -Mr. Vashon is of mixed blood, in stature of medium size, rather round -face, with a somewhat solemn countenance,--a man of few words,--needs -to be drawn out to be appreciated. While visiting a distinguished -colored gentleman at Rochester, N. Y., some years ago, the host, who -happened to be a wit as well as an orator, invited in "Professor T."--a -man ignorant of education, but filled with big talk and high-sounding -words without understanding their meaning--to entertain Mr. Vashon, -intending it as a joke. "Professor T." used all the language that -he was master of, but to no purpose: the man of letters sat still, -listened, gazed at the former, but did not dispute any point raised. -The uneducated professor, feeling that he had been imposed upon, called -Mr. D. one side, and in a whisper said, "Are you sure that this is an -educated man? I fear that he is an impostor; for I tried, but could not -call him out." - - -ROBERT MORRIS. - -About the year 1837, Ellis Gray Loring, Esq., took into his office, as -an errand boy, a colored lad of fifteen years of age. The youngster -had a better education than those generally of his age, which showed -that he had been attentive at school. He was not long in his new -situation ere he began to exhibit a liking for the contents of the -sheepskin-covered books that stood around on the shelves, and lay upon -the baize-covered tables. Mr. Loring, seeing the aptitude of the lad, -inquired if he wanted to become a lawyer, and was answered in the -affirmative. From that moment the errand boy became the student, and -studied with an earnestness not often equalled. At scarcely twenty-one -years of age he was admitted to the Boston bar. This was Robert Morris. -With all the prejudice before him, he kept steadily on, resolving that -he would overcome the negro-hate which stood in the way of his efforts -to prosecute his profession. Gradually he grew in practice, until -most of his fellow-members forgot his color in the admiration of his -eloquence and business talent. Mr. Morris is of unmixed blood, but not -black. Small in stature, a neat figure, smiling face, always dressed -with the greatest care, gentlemanly in manner and conversation, his -influence has been felt in behalf of his race. He is an interesting -speaker, quick in his gestures, ardent in his feelings, and -enthusiastic in what he undertakes. He rather inclines to a military -life, and has, on more than one occasion, attempted the organization of -an independent company. - -At the presentation of the portrait of John T. Hilton to the Prince -Hall Grand Lodge of Boston, Mr. Morris made a speech, of which the -following is an extract:-- - -"I wish we could point to well-executed likenesses of those old colored -heroes of revolutionary memory, who so nobly, patriotically, and -willingly, side by side with their white brethren, fought, bled, and -died to secure freedom and independence to America. - -"It would be a source of continual pleasure could we have in some -public room pictures true to life of those intrepid heroes, Denmark -Veazie and Nat Turner, whose very names were a terror to oppressors; -who, conceiving the sublime idea of freedom for themselves and their -race, animated by a love of liberty of which they had been ruthlessly -deprived, made an attempt to sever their bonds; and though, in such -attempts to open the prison doors of slavery and let the oppressed go -free, they were unsuccessful, their efforts and determination were -none the less noble and heroic. In the future history of our country, -their names to us will shine as brightly as that of the glorious old -hero, who, with his colored and white followers, so strategically -captured Harper's Ferry, and touched a chord in the life of our country -that will vibrate throughout the land, and will not cease until the -last fetter has been struck from the limbs of the last bondman in the -nation; and though the bodies of these heroes lie mouldering in the -clay, their souls are 'marching on.' - -"I never visit our 'Cradle of Liberty,' and look at the portraits -that grace its walls, without thinking that the selection is sadly -incomplete, because the picture of the massacred Crispus Attucks is -not there. He was the first martyr in the Boston massacre of March 5, -1770, when the British soldiers were drawn up in line on King (now -State) Street, to intimidate the Boston populace. On that eventful day, -a band of patriots, led by Attucks, marched from Dock Square to drive -the redcoats from the vicinity of the old State House. Emboldened by -the courageous conduct of this colored hero, the band pressed forward, -and in attempting to wrest a musket from one of the British soldiers, -Attucks was shot. His was the first blood that crimsoned the pavement -of King Street, and by the sacrifice of his life, he awoke that fiery -hatred of British oppression which culminated in the declaration of -American independence. At this late day a portrait of this hero cannot -be had; but our children will live to see the day when the people of -this commonwealth, mindful of their deep and lasting obligation, will, -through their legislature, appropriate a sufficient sum wherewith to -erect a suitable monument to preserve the memory of Attucks, and mark -the spot where he fell." - -Mr. Morris deserves great credit for having fought his way up to his -present position. Rumor says that his profession has paid him well, -and that he is now a man of property. If so, we are glad; for the poet -writes, "If thou wouldst have influence, put money in thy purse." - - -WILLIAM J. WILSON. - -In the columns of Frederick Douglass's paper, the _Anglo-African -Magazine_, and the _Weekly Anglo-African_, has appeared at times, -over the signature of "Ethiop," some of the raciest and most amusing -essays to be found in the public journals of this country. As a sketch -writer of historical scenes and historical characters,--choosing his -own subjects, suggested by his own taste or sympathies,--few men are -capable of greater or more successful efforts than William J. Wilson. -In his imaginary visit to the "Afric-American Picture Gallery," he -gives the following sketch of the head of Phillis Wheatley. - -"This picture hangs in the north-east corner of the gallery, and in -good light, and is so decidedly one of the finest in the collection, -whether viewed in an artistic light or in point of fact, that it is -both a constant charm and study for me. The features, though indicative -of a delicate organization, are of the most pleasing cast. The facial -angle contains full ninety degrees; the forehead is finely formed, and -the brain large; the nose is long, and the nostrils thin, while the -eyes, though not large, are well set. To this may be added a small -mouth, with lips prettily turned, and a chin--that perfection of beauty -in the female face--delicately tapered from a throat and neck that are -of themselves perfection. The whole make-up of this face is an index of -healthy intellectual powers, combined with an active temperament, over -which has fallen a slight tinge of religious pensiveness. Thus hangs -Phillis Wheatley before you in the Afric-American Picture Gallery; and -if we scrutinize her more closely through her career and her _works_, -we shall find her truly an extraordinary person. Stolen at the tender -age of seven years from the fond embraces of a mother, whose image -never once faded from her memory, and ferried over in the _vile slave -ship_ from Afric's sunny clime to the cold shores of America, and -sold under the hammer to a Boston merchant--a delicate child, a girl, -alone, desolate; a chilly, dreary world before her, a chain on her -feet, and a thorn in her bosom, and an iron mask on her head, what -chance, what opportunity was there for her to make physical, moral, -or mental progress? In these respects, how get up to, or keep pace -with, other and more favored people?--how get in the advance?--how -ascend, at last, without a single competitor, the highest scale of -human eminence? Phillis Wheatley did all, and more than this. A sold -thing, a bought chattel at seven years, she mastered, notwithstanding, -the English language in sixteen months. She carried on with her friends -and acquaintances an extensive and elegant epistolary correspondence -at _twelve_ years of age, composed her first poem at _fourteen_, -became a proficient Latin scholar at _seventeen_, and published in -England her book of poems, dedicated to the Countess of Huntington, at -_nineteen_; and with the mantle of just fame upon her shoulders, sailed -from America to England to receive the meed due to her learning, her -talents, and her virtues, at _twenty-two_. What one of America's paler -daughters, contemporary with her, with all the advantages that home, -fortune, friends, and favor bring,--what one ascended so far up the -hill of just fame at any age? I have searched in vain to find the name -upon the literary page of our country's record. - - - "O Wheatley! - What degrading hand, what slavish chain, - What earthly power, could link thy nobler soul - To baser things, and check its eagle flight? - Angel of purity, child of beauteous song, - Thy harp still hangs within our sight, - To cheer, though thou art gone." - - -The succeeding extract from his poem "The Coming Man" is very -suggestive, especially at this time. - - - "I break the chains that have been clanging - Down through the dim vault of ages; - I gird up my strength,--mind and arm,-- - And prepare for the terrible conflict. - I am to war with principalities, powers, wrongs - With oppressions,--with all that curse humanity. - I am resolved. 'Tis more than half my task; - 'Twas the great need of all my past existence. - The glooms that have so long shrouded me, - Recede as vapor from the new presence, - And the light-gleam--it must be life-- - So brightens and spreads its pure rays before, - That I read my mission as 'twere a book. - It is life; life in which none but _men_-- - Not those who only wear the form--can live - To give this life to the _World_; to make men - Out of the thews and sinews of oppressed slaves." - - -Mr. Wilson is a teacher, and whether the following is drawn from his -own experience, or not, we are left to conjecture. - - - THE TEACHER AND HIS PUPIL. - - SCENE.--School Room. School in session. - - _Dramatis Personæ._ - - TEACHER. A bachelor rising thirty. - PUPIL. A beautiful girl of sixteen. - - - I see that curling and high-archéd brow. - "Scold thee?" Ay, that I will. - Pouting I see thee still; - Thou jade! I know that thou art laughing now! - - Silence! hush! nor dare one word to mutter! - If it were e'er so gentle, - (I speak in tone parental,) - Do not thy very softest whisper utter. - - I know that startled trembling all a hoax, - Thou pert and saucy thing! - I'll make thy fine ears ring; - I'll pretermit thy silly, taunting jokes. - - "Whip thee?" Ay, that I will, and whip thee well; - Thy chattering tongue now hold! - There, there; I will no further scold. - How down those lovely cheeks the hot tears fell! - - How quickly changed! Nay, nay; come hither, child. - 'Tis with kindness I would rule; - Severity's the erring fool, - Who harms the tender or excites the wild. - - What! trembling yet, and shy? Nay, do not fear; - Sure, sure I'll harm thee not; - My gentlest, thine's a better lot; - So raise those azure eyes with radiant cheer. - - Cheer up, then; there, now thou canst go. Retain, - I pray, within thy heart, - Not the unpleasant part - That's past. The other let remain. - - -To possess genius, the offspring of which ennobles the sentiments, -enlarges the affections, kindles the imagination, and gives to us -a view of the past, the present, and the future, is one of the -highest gifts that the Creator bestows upon man. With acute powers -of conception, a sparkling and lively fancy, and a quaintly curious -felicity of diction, Mr. Wilson wakes us from our torpidity and -coldness to a sense of our capabilities. In personal appearance he is -under the middle size; his profile is more striking than his front -face; he has a rather pleasing countenance, and is unmixed in race; -has fine conversational powers, is genteel in his manners, and is a -pleasant speaker upon the platform. - - -JOHN MERCER LANGSTON. - -One of the most promising young men of the west is John M. Langston, -a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, and a graduate of Oberlin College. He -studied theology and law, and, preferring the latter, was admitted to -the bar, and is now successfully practising his profession. - -The end of all eloquence is to sway men. It is, therefore, bound by -no arbitrary rules of diction or style, formed on no specific models, -and governed by no edicts of self-elected judges. It is true, there -are degrees of eloquence, and equal success does not imply equal -excellence. That which is adapted to sway the strongest minds of an -enlightened age ought to be esteemed the most perfect, and, doubtless, -should be the criterion by which to test the abstract excellence of -all oratory. Mr. Langston represents the highest idea of the orator, -as exemplified in the power and discourses of Sheridan in the English -House of Commons, and Vergniaud in the Assembly of the Girondists. -He is not fragmentary in his speeches; but, a deep, majestic stream, -he moves steadily onward, pouring forth his rich and harmonious -sentences in strains of impassioned eloquence. His style is bold and -energetic--full of spirit. He is profound without being hollow, and -ingenious without being subtile. - -Being at Oberlin a few years since, and learning that a suit was to -be tried before a justice of the peace, in which Langston was counsel -for the defence, I attended. Two white lawyers--one from Elyria, the -other residing at Oberlin--were for the plaintiff. One day was consumed -in the examination and cross-questioning of witnesses, in which the -colored lawyer showed himself more than a match for his antagonists. -The plaintiff's counsel moved an adjournment to the next day. The -following morning the court room was full before the arrival of the -presiding justice, and much interest was manifested on both sides. -Langston's oratory was a model for the students at the college, and all -who could leave their studies or recitations were present. When the -trial commenced, it was observed that the plaintiffs had introduced -a third lawyer on their side. This was an exhibition of weakness on -their part, and proved the power of the "black lawyer," who stood -single-handed and alone. The pleading commenced, and consumed the -forenoon; the plaintiff only being heard. An adjournment for an hour -occurred, and then began one of the most powerful addresses that I had -heard for a long time. In vigor of thought, in imagery of style, in -logical connection, in vehemence, in depth, in point, and in beauty -of language, Langston surpassed his opponents, won the admiration of -the jury and the audience, and, what is still better for his credit, -he gained the suit. Mr. Langston's practice extends to Columbus, the -capital of the state, and in the county towns, within fifty miles of -his home, he is considered the most successful man at the bar. - -An accomplished scholar and a good student, he displays in his speeches -an amount of literary acquirements not often found in the mere business -lawyer. When pleading he speaks like a man under oath, though without -any starched formality of expression. The test of his success is the -permanent impression which his speeches leave on the memory. They do -not pass away with the excitement of the moment, but remain in the -mind, with the lively colors and true proportions of the scenes which -they represent. Mr. Langston is of medium size and of good figure, -high and well-formed forehead, eyes full, but not prominent, mild and -amiable countenance, modest deportment, strong, musical voice, and -wears the air of a gentleman. He is highly respected by men of the -legal profession throughout the state. He is a vigorous writer, and -in the political campaigns, contributes both with speech and pen to -the liberal cause. Few men in the south-west have held the black man's -standard higher than John Mercer Langston. - - -WILLIAM C. NELL. - -No man in New England has performed more uncompensated labor for -humanity, and especially for his own race, than William C. Nell. -Almost from the commencement of the _Liberator_, and the opening -of an anti-slavery office in Boston, he has been connected in some -way with the cause of freedom. In 1840, Mr. Nell, in company with -William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, and Francis Jackson, signed -a petition to the city government, asking it to grant equal school -rights to the colored children. From that time till 1855, Mr. Nell -lost no opportunity to press this question. During all this while he -had to meet the frowns of the whites, who were instigated by that -mean and relentless prejudice which slavery had implanted in their -minds; but he went steadily on, resolving that he would not cease -till equality was acknowledged in the Boston schools. In 1855 the -obnoxious rule was abolished, and the colored youths admitted to the -schools, without regard to complexion. On the evening of December 17 of -the same year, Mr. Nell was publicly presented with a testimonial by -his fellow-citizens. This consisted of a valuable gold watch. Master -Frederick Lewis, on behalf of the children, addressed Mr. Nell as -follows:-- - -"Champion of equal school rights, we hail thee. With unbounded -gratitude we bow before thee. Our youthful hearts bless thee for thy -incessant labors and untiring zeal in our behalf. We would fain assist -in swelling thy praise, which flows from every lip; but this were -a tribute far too small. Noble friend: thou hast opened for us the -gate that leadeth to rich treasures; and as we pass through, Ambition -lendeth us a hand--ay, she quickeneth our pace; and as, obeying her, -we look through the vista of future years, we recognize bright Fame -in a field of literary glory, her right hand extended with laurels -of honor, to crown those who shall be most fortunate in gaining the -platform whereon she standeth; while before her is spread the banquet, -with viands rich and rare, that our literary hunger may be satiated. To -this we aspire. To gain this we will be punctual to school, diligent in -study, and well-behaved; and may we be enabled to reach the goal, that, -in thy declining years, thy heart may be gladdened by what thine eye -beholdeth, and it shall be like a crown of gold encircling thy head, -and like a rich mantle thrown around thee, studded with jewels and -precious stones. - -"Kind benefactor: accept, we entreat thee, this simple token, emblem -of the bright, gladsome years of youthful innocence and purity; and as -thou hast befriended us, so may we ever prove faithful friends to thee. -May the blessings of Heaven attend thee through life's ever-changing -scenes and intricate windings, is our prayer." - -Mrs. Georgiana O. Smith then presented to Mr. Nell the watch, bearing -this inscription:-- - - - "A Tribute to - WILLIAM C. NELL, - FROM THE COLORED CITIZENS OF BOSTON, - For his untiring efforts in behalf of - EQUAL SCHOOL RIGHTS, - Dec. 17, 1855." - - -Mrs. Smith's address was well conceived, and delivered in an eloquent -and feeling manner, which seemed to touch every heart and quicken -every pulse. Mr. Nell responded in an able speech, recounting many of -the scenes that they had passed through. William Lloyd Garrison and -Wendell Phillips were both present, and addressed the meeting, showing -their deep interest in the black man's rights. Besides contributing -occasionally to the columns of the _Liberator_, Frederick Douglass's -paper, the _Anglo-African_, and other journals, Mr. Nell is the author -of the "Colored Patriots of the American Revolution," a book filled -with interesting incidents connected with the history of the blacks of -this country, past and present. He has also written several smaller -works, all of which are humanitarian in their character. He has taken -a leading part in most of the conventions and public gatherings of -the colored citizens, held within the past twenty-five years. From -1835 to 1850, no public meeting was complete without William C Nell as -secretary. - -Deeply interested in the intellectual development and cultivation -of his race, he aided in the organization of the "Adelphic Union -Association," which did much good in its day. Later still, he brought -into existence the "Histrionic Club," a society that encouraged -reading, recitation, and social conversation. In this he drew -the finest talent that Boston could produce. They gave a public -representation a few years since, which was considered one of the -most classic performances which has ever been witnessed. Mr. Nell -is of medium height, slim, genteel figure, quick step, elastic -movement, a thoughtful yet pleasant brow, thin face, and chaste in -his conversation. Born in Boston, passing through her public schools, -a good student, and a lover of literature, he has a cultivated -understanding, and has collected together more facts, on the race with -whom he is identified, than any other man of our acquaintance. An -ardent admirer of Wendell Phillips, he seems as much attached to that -distinguished orator as Boswell was to Johnson. Mr. Nell's devotion to -his race is not surpassed by any man living. - - -JOHN SELLA MARTIN. - -J. Sella Martin is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and was born -on the 27th of September, 1832. His mother was a slave, and by the -laws of the state the child follows the condition of the mother. Young -Martin sustained the double but incongruous relation to his owner of -master and son. At the tender age of six years, the boy, together with -his mother and an only sister, was taken from the old homestead at -midnight, and carried to Columbus, Georgia, where they were exposed -for sale. Here they were separated, the mother and daughter being -purchased by one man, and Sella by another. The latter had the good -fortune, however, to fall into the hands of an old bachelor, with -whom he lived, in the capacity of _valet de chambre_, until he was -eighteen years old. His opportunities, while with him, for acquiring -a knowledge of books and the world generally, were far better than -usually fall to the lot of the most favored house servants. Both master -and slave boarded at the principal hotel in the place; and the latter, -associating with other servants, and occasionally meeting travellers -from the free states, obtained much valuable information respecting the -north and Canada, and his owner was not a little surprised one day when -a complaint came to him that his servant had been furnishing passes -for slaves in the neighborhood to visit their wives. Sella was called -before the master, and threatened with severe punishment if he ever -wrote another pass for a slave. About two years after this, the owner -partially lost his sight, and the servant became first the reader of -the morning paper, and subsequently the amanuensis in the transaction -of all the master's business. An intimacy sprang up between the two, -and it being for the white man's interest that his chattel should read -and write correctly, the latter became in fact the pupil of the former, -which accelerated his education. At the age of eighteen his owner died, -and Sella was left free. But the influence of the heirs at law was -sufficient to set the will aside, and the free young man, together with -other slaves of the estate, was sold on the auction block, and the new -owner took Sella to Mobile, where he resided till 1852, when he was -again sold and taken to New Orleans. Here the subject of our sketch -hired his own time, became a dealer in fruit and oysters, and succeeded -in saving a little money for himself, with which he made his escape -on a Mississippi steamer in December, 1855, and arrived at Chicago on -the 6th of January, 1856. The great hope of his younger days had been -attained, and he was now free. But Mr. Martin had seen too much of -slavery to feel satisfied with merely getting his own freedom, and he -therefore began the inquiry to see what he could do for those whom -he had left in the prison house of bondage. While at Chicago, he made -the acquaintance of Mr. H. Ford Douglass, who was just about to visit -the interior of the state, to deliver a course of lectures. The latter -observed by his conversation with Mr. Martin, that he possessed the -elements of a good speaker, and persuaded him to join and take part in -the meetings. It is said that Mr. Martin's first attempt in public was -an entire failure. He often alludes to it himself, and says that the -humiliation which he experienced reminded him of the time when he was -sold on the auction block--only that the former seemed the cheaper sale -of the two. He was advised never to try the platform again. But his -want of success on the first occasion stimulated him to new exertion, -and we are told that he wrote out a speech, committed it to memory, and -delivered it two days after to the satisfaction of all present. Mr. -Douglass himself characterizes it as a remarkable effort. But there was -too much monotony in the delivery of one or two lectures over and over, -and his natural aversion to committed speeches induced Mr. Martin to -quit the lecturing field. He now resolved to resume his studies, and -for this purpose he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he commenced -under the tutorage of an able Baptist minister. Feeling that he was -called to preach, soon after this he began the study of theology, and -remained the student until his education was so far finished that he -felt justified in his own mind to commence lecturing and preaching. -About this time he made the tour of the State of Michigan, and lectured -with great success. In the beautiful and flourishing town of Coldwater, -he addressed a large and influential meeting, and the effect upon the -audience was such as to raise the speaker high in their estimation. The -weekly paper said of this lecture,-- - -"Our citizens filled the court house to hear J. S. Martin speak for -his own race and in behalf of the oppressed. The citizens admired -and were even astonished at his success as a public speaker. He is -a natural orator, and, considering his opportunities, is one of the -most interesting and forcible speakers of his age, and of _the_ age. -Indeed, he is a prodigy. It would seem impossible that one kept in -'chains and slavery,' and in total ignorance till within a few months, -could so soon attain so vast a knowledge of the English language, and -so clear and comprehensive a view of general subjects. Nature has made -him a great man. His propositions and his arguments, his deductions and -illustrations, are new and original; his voice and manner are at his -command and prepossessing; his efforts are unstudied and effectual. -The spirit which manifests itself is one broken loose from bondage and -stimulated with freedom." - -Shortly after this, Mr. Martin was ordained and settled over the -Michigan Street Baptist Church, Buffalo, New York, where he labored -with signal success till April, 1859, when he removed east. During the -same summer he was introduced to the Boston public by Mr. Kalloch, the -popular preacher at the Tremont Temple. The latter, pleased with Mr. -Martin, secured his services while away on his annual vacation, which -occupied six or eight weeks. No place of religious worship was more -thronged than the Temple during the time that he filled its pulpit. -At the termination of his engagement at the Temple, Mr. Martin was -invited by Dr. Eddy to preach for him a few weeks, which he did with -credit to himself and satisfaction to the society. The first Baptist -Church at Lawrence being without a pastor, Mr. Martin was engaged to -supply the pulpit, and was there seven or eight months, and might have -remained longer; but during this time he received a call from the Joy -Street Church, Boston, and feeling that his labor was more needed -with his own color, he accepted the latter. He has now been at the -Joy Street Church about three years, where his preaching has met with -marked success. That society had long been in a declining state; but -the church is now as well filled on Sundays as any place in the city. -In the summer of 1861, Mr. Martin visited England, and remained abroad -six months, where he did good service for the cause of freedom. On his -return home he was warmly welcomed by his church and congregation. Soon -after, he secured the freedom of his only sister and her two children, -whom he settled at the west. In person, Mr. Martin is somewhat taller -than the medium height; firm, dignified walk; not what would be termed -handsome, but has a pleasing countenance; in race, half and half; -eyes clear and bright; forehead well developed; gentlemanly in his -deportment; has a popularity not surpassed by any of the preachers of -Boston. - -He has written considerably for the press, both prose and poetry. Some -of the latter is much admired. His poem "The Hero and the Slave" has -been read in public entertainments, and received with applause. - - -CHARLES LENOX REMOND. - -Charles L. Remond is a native of Salem, Mass. He has the honor, -we believe, of being the first colored man to take the field as a -lecturer against slavery. He has been, more or less, in the employ of -the Anti-Slavery Society for the past twenty-eight or thirty years. -In 1840, he visited England as a delegate to the first "World's -Anti-Slavery Convention," held in London. He remained abroad nearly two -years, lecturing in the various towns and cities of Great Britain and -Ireland. The following lines, addressed to him, appeared in one of the -public journals, after the delivery of one of his thrilling speeches, -in Belfast, and will give some idea of the estimation in which he was -held as a platform speaker. - - - TO C. L. REMOND. - - Go forth and fear not! Glorious is the cause - Which thou dost advocate; and nobly, too, - Hast thou fulfilled thy mission--nobly raised - Thy voice against oppression, and the woes - Of injured millions; and, if they are men, - Who can deny for them a Saviour died? - Nor will it e'er be asked, in that dread day - When black and white shall stand before the throne - Of Him their common Parent, "Unto which - Partition of the human race didst thou - Belong on earth?" Enough for thee to fill - The lot assigned thee, as ordained by Heaven. - I would not praise thee, Remond,--thou hast gifts - Bestowed upon thee for a noble end; - And for the use of which account must be - Returned to Him who lent them. May this thought - Preserve thee in his fear, and may the praise - Be given only to his mighty name. - And if, returning to thy native land, - By thee beloved, though dark with crimes that stain - Her boasted freedom, thou art called to prove - Thy true allegiance, even then go forth - Resigned to suffer,--trust thy all to Him - Who can support thee, whilst a still, small voice, - Within thy breast, shall whisper, "All is well." - - -Mr. Remond was welcomed on his return home, and again resumed his -vocation as a lecturer. In stature he is small, spare made, neat, wiry -build, and genteel in his personal appearance. He has a good voice, and -is considered one of the best declaimers in New England. Faultless in -his dress, and an excellent horseman, Mr. Remond has long been regarded -the Count D'Orsay of the anti-slavery movement. He has written little -or nothing for the press, and his notoriety is confined solely to -the platform. Sensitive to a fault, and feeling sorely the prejudice -against color which exists throughout the United States, his addresses -have been mainly on that subject, on which he is always interesting. He -is a good writer who embodies in his works the soul and spirit of the -times in which he lives,--provided they are worth embodying,--and the -common sympathy of the great mass is sounder criticism by far than the -rules of mere scholars, who, buried up in their formulas, cannot speak -so as to arrest the attention or move the heart. Adaptation without -degeneracy is the great law to be followed. What is true of the writer -is also true of the speaker. No man can put more real meaning in fewer -words than Mr. Remond, and no one can give them greater force. The -following extract from a speech of Mr. Remond, delivered before the New -England Anti-Slavery Convention, at its anniversary in May, 1859, is -characteristic of his style. - -"If I had but one reason, why I consented to appear here, it was -because, at this moment, I believe it belongs to the colored man in -this country to say that his lot is a common one 'with every white man -north of the Potomac River; and if you ask me who are my clients, I -think I may answer, 'Every man north of Mason and Dixon's line, without -reference to his complexion.' I have read in the newspapers that one or -two distinguished men of this city propose to spend the coming summer -in Europe. Born in Boston, educated at Harvard, having been dandled in -the lap of Massachusetts favor and Massachusetts popularity, they are -about to travel in Europe, among despotisms, monarchies, aristocracies, -and oligarchies; and I trust in God they may learn, as they travel in -those countries, that it is an everlasting disgrace that on the soil on -which they were born, no man of color can stand and be considered free. -If they shall learn no more than this, I will wish them a pleasant and -prosperous tour; and unless they shall learn this, I hope they will -come back and have the same padlock put upon their lips that is put -upon men south of Mason and Dixon's line. - -"I want to ask this large audience, Mr. Chairman, through you, -supposing the citizens of Boston should call a meeting to-morrow, and -resolve that, in the event of a southern man, with southern principles, -being elected to the presidential office, this state will secede, how -would the State of Mississippi receive it? Now, I am here to ask that -the non-slaveholding states shall dare to do, and write, and publish, -and resolve, in behalf of freedom, as the slaveholders dare to act and -resolve in behalf of slavery. - -"The time has been, Mr. Chairman, when a colored man could scarcely -look a white man in the face without trembling, owing to his education -and experience. I am not here to boast; but I may say, in view of what -I have seen and heard during the last five years, as I said in the -Representatives' Hall a few months ago, that our lot is a common one, -and the sooner we shall so regard it, and buckle on our knapsacks and -shoulder our muskets, and resolve that we will be free, the better for -you as well as for me. The disgrace that once rested upon the head of -the black man, now hovers over the head of every man and woman whom -I have the honor to address this evening, just in proportion as they -shall dare to stand erect before the oligarchy of slaveholders in the -southern portion of our country; and God hasten forward the day when -not only Music Hall, but every other hall in the city of Boston, the -Athens of America, shall be made eloquent with tones that shall speak, -as man has never before spoken in this country, for the cause of -universal freedom. If the result of that speaking must be bloodshed, be -it so! If it must be the dissolution of the Union, be it so! If it must -be that we must walk over or through the American church, be it so! -The time has come when, if you value your own freedom, James Buchanan -must be hung in effigy, and such men as Dr. Nehemiah Adams must be put -in the pillory of public disgrace and contempt; and then Massachusetts -will cease to be a hissing and a by-word in every other country." - - -GEORGE T. DOWNING. - -The tall, fine figure, manly walk, striking profile, and piercing eye -of George T. Downing would attract attention in any community, even -where he is unknown. Possessing remarkable talents, finely educated, a -keen observer, and devoted to the freedom and elevation of his race, -he has long been looked upon as a representative man. A good debater, -quick to take advantage of the weak points of an opponent, forcible -in speech, and a natural orator, Mr. Downing is always admired as a -speaker. Chosen president of the convention of colored citizens which -assembled in Boston on the first of August, 1859, he delivered an -impressive and eloquent opening address, of which we regret that we can -give only an extract. He said,-- - -"The great consideration that presses upon me is, what may we do -to make ourselves of more importance in community--necessary, -indispensable? To sustain such a relation as this to community, (and -it is possible,) is to secure, beyond a question, all the respect, -to make sure the enjoyment of all the rights, that the most deferred -to of the land enjoy. Society is deferential; it defers to power. -Learning, and wealth, and power are most potent in society. It is not -necessary that many men and women of us be wealthy and learned before -we can force respect as a class; but it is necessary that we exhibit a -proportionate representative character for learning and wealth, to be -respected. It is not numbers alone, it is not universal wealth, it is -not general learning, that secures to those, known by a distinction in -society as whites--that gains them power; for they are not generally -wealthy, not commonly learned. The number of these among them, as in -all communities, is limited; but that number forms a representative -character, some of whom excel; hence they have power--the class enjoy a -name. - -"There is another sense of power in community, which, though silent, -has its weight--it should be most potent: that power is moral -character. This also, like the other powers of which I have spoken, -need not be universal to have an effect favorable to a class. I think -that I am not claiming too much for the colored people in asserting -that we have a decent representation in this respect--a most remarkable -one, considering all the depressing influences which the present and -preceding generations have had to struggle up under. Happily, this -power on community is not growing less; it is on the increase. An -illustration of the correctness of my position as to the power of a -representative character for wealth and learning in commanding respect, -is forcibly exhibited in the Celts in our midst, who came among us poor -and ignorant, and who, consequently, fill menial, dependent positions. -They are the least respected of all immigrants. In speaking thus, I am -simply dealing with facts, not intending to be invidious. The German -element, mingling with the general element which comes among us, -representing a higher intelligence, more wealth, with great practical -industry, is silently stealing a hold, a power in the nation, because -of these possessions, at which native America will yet start. Now, -gentlemen, if these be facts, is it not well for us, as sensible men -here assembled, to consider our best interest--to have in view these -sources of power? Would it not be well to consider these--to fall -upon some plan by which we may possess or excite to the possession of -them--rather than devote much of our time in a discussion as to the -injustice of our fellow-countrymen in their relation to us? Of this -_they_ know full well, and _we_ too bitterly. - -"The ballot is a power in this country which should not be lost sight -of by us. Were it more generally exercised by the colored people, -the effect would be very perceptible. Those of them residents of the -states that deny them the privilege of the elective franchise, should -earnestly strive to have the right and the power secured to them; -those who have it should never let an occasion pass, when they may -consistently exercise it, without doing so. We know that the government -and the states have acted most unfairly in their relation to us; but -that government and the states, in doing so, have clearly disregarded -justice, as well as perverted the legal interpretation of the supreme -law of the land, as set forth in its constitution; which facts alone -require that we exercise the right to vote, whenever we can, towards -correcting this injustice. Were it known on election day that any -colored man would deposit a vote, that there would be a concert of -action in doing so, the effect would be irresistible. Cannot such -a vote be cast at the approaching presidential election? Will the -Republican party (a party which is entitled to credit for the service -it has rendered to the cause of freedom) put in nomination, in 1860, a -man for whom we can, with some degree of consistency, cast our ballots? -It has such men in its ranks--prominent men of the party--men who are -available. - -"I would have it noted, that we cannot vote for a man who subscribes to -the doctrine that, in struggling for freedom in a presidential or any -other election, he ignores the rights of the colored man. - -"There is an increased as well as an increasing respect for us in -community. This is not simply because we have friends (all praise to -them) who speak out boldly and uncompromisingly for the right,--in -fact, the most of their efforts have been directed towards relieving -the country of the blight and of the injustice of slavery,--but it is -because our character, as a class, is better understood." - -Mr. Downing is a native of New York, but spends his summers at Newport, -where he has an excellent retreat for those seeking that fashionable -watering-place, and where he stands high with the better class of the -community. - - -ROBERT PURVIS. - -Few private gentlemen are better known than Robert Purvis. Born in -Charleston, S. C., a son of the late venerable William Purvis, Esq., -educated in New England, and early associated with William Lloyd -Garrison, Francis Jackson, and Wendell Phillips, he has always -been understood as belonging to the most ultra wing of the radical -abolitionists. Residing in Philadelphia when it was unsafe to avow -one's self a friend of the slave, Mr. Purvis never was known to deny -his hatred to the "peculiar institution." A writer for one of the -public journals, seeking out distinguished colored persons as subjects -for his pen, paid him a visit, of which the following is his account:-- - -"The stage put us down at his gate, and we were warned to be ready to -return in an hour and a half. His dwelling stands some distance back -from the turnpike. It is approached by a broad lawn, and shaded with -ancient trees. In the rear stands a fine series of barns. There are -magnificent orchards connected with his farm, and his live stock is of -the most approved breeds. We understand that he receives numbers of -premiums annually from agricultural societies. In this fine old mansion -Mr. Purvis has resided many years. - -"We were ushered, upon our visit, into a pleasant dining room, hung -with a number of paintings. Upon one side of an old-fashioned mantel -was a large portrait of a fine-looking white man; on the other side, a -portrait of a swarthy negro. Above these old John Brown looked gloomily -down, like a bearded patriarch. - -"In a few minutes Mr. Purvis came in. We had anticipated a -stubborn-looking negro, with a swagger, and a tone of bravado. In place -of such, we saw a tall, beautifully knit gentleman, almost white, and -handsomely dressed. His foot and hand were symmetrical, and, although -his hair was gray with years, every limb was full, and every movement -supple and easy. He saluted us with decorous dignity, and began to -converse. - -"It was difficult to forget that the man before us was not of our own -race. The topics upon which he spoke were chiefly personal. He related -some very amusing anecdotes of his relations with southern gentlemen. -On one occasion he applied for a passage to Liverpool in a Philadelphia -packet. Some southern gentlemen, unacquainted with Purvis, save as a -man of negro blood, protested that he should not be received. Among -these was a Mr. Hayne, a near relative of Hayne the orator. - -"Purvis accordingly went to Liverpool by another vessel. He met -Hayne and the southerners as they were about returning home, and -took passage with them, passing for a white man. He gained their -esteem, was cordially invited by each to visit him in the south, and -no entertainment was complete without his joke and his presence. At -a final dinner, given to the party by the captain of the vessel, Mr. -Hayne, who had all along spoken violently of the negro race, publicly -toasted Mr. Purvis, as the finest type of the Caucasian race he had -ever met. - -"Mr. Purvis rose to reply. 'I am not a Caucasian,' said he; 'I belong -to the degraded tribe of Africans.' - -"The feelings of the South Carolinians need not be described. - -"Mr. Purvis has written a number of anti-slavery pamphlets, and is -regarded, by rumor, as the president of the Underground Railroad. He -has figured in many slave-rescue cases, some of which he relates with -graphic manner of description. - -"He is the heaviest tax-payer in the township, and owns two very -valuable farms. By his influence the public schools of the township -have been thrown open to colored children. He has also built, at his -own expense, a hall for free debate. We left him with feelings of -higher regard than we have yet felt for any of his people. It is proper -to remark, that Purvis is the grandchild of a blackamoor, who was taken -a slave to South Carolina." - -Although disdaining all profession of a public character, Mr. Purvis -is, nevertheless, often invited to address public gatherings. As a -speaker he is energetic, eloquent, and sarcastic. He spares neither -friend nor foe in his argument; uses choice language, and appears to -feel that nature and humanity are the everlasting proprietors of truth, -and that truth should be spoken at all times. Mr. Purvis is an able -writer, and whatever he says comes directly from the heart. His letter -to Hon. S. C. Pomeroy, on colonization, is characteristic of him. We -regret that space will not allow us to give the whole of this timely -and manly production. - -"There are some aspects of this project which surely its advocates -cannot have duly considered. You purpose to exile hundreds and -thousands of your laborers. The wealth of a country consists mainly -in its labor. With what law of economy, political or social, can you -reconcile this project to banish from your shores the men that plough -your fields, drive your teams, and help build your houses? Already the -farmers around me begin to feel the pinching want of labor; how will -it be after this enormous draft? I confess the project seems to me one -of insanity. What will foreign nations, on whose good or ill will so -much is supposed now to depend, think of this project? These nations -have none of this vulgar prejudice against complexion. What, then, -will they think of the wisdom of a people who, to gratify a low-born -prejudice, deliberately plan to drive out hundreds and thousands of the -most peaceful, industrious, and competent laborers? Mr. Roebuck said -in a late speech at Sheffield, as an argument for intervention, 'that -the feeling against the black was stronger at the north than in the -south.' Mr. Roebuck can now repeat that assertion, and point to this -governmental project in corroboration of its truth. A 'Slaveholders' -Convention' was held a few years since in Maryland to consider whether -it would not be best either to re-enslave the free blacks of that -state, or banish them from its borders. The question was discussed, and -a committee, the chairman of which was United States Senator Pearce, -was appointed to report upon it. That committee reported 'that to -enslave men now free would be inhuman, and to banish them from the -state would be to inflict a deadly blow upon the material interests of -the commonwealth; that their labor was indispensable to the welfare -of the state.' Sir, your government proposes to do that which the -Slaveholders' Convention of Maryland, with all their hate of the free -blacks, declared to be inconsistent with the public interest. - -"But it is said this is a question of prejudice, of national antipathy, -and not to be reasoned about. The president has said, 'whether it is -right or wrong I need not now discuss.' - -"Great God! Is justice nothing? Is honor nothing? Is even pecuniary -interest to be sacrificed to this insane and vulgar hate? But it is -said this is the 'white man's country.' Not so, sir. This is the red -man's country by natural right, and the black man's by virtue of -his sufferings and toil. Your fathers by violence drove the red man -out, and forced the black man in. The children of the black man have -enriched the soil by their tears, and sweat, and blood. Sir, we were -born here, and here we choose to remain. For twenty years we were -goaded and harassed by systematic efforts to make us colonize. We were -coaxed and mobbed, and mobbed and coaxed, but we refused to budge. We -planted ourselves upon our inalienable rights, and were proof against -all the efforts that were made to expatriate us. For the last fifteen -years we have enjoyed comparative quiet. Now again the malign project -is broached, and again, as before, in the name of humanity are we -invited to leave. - -"In God's name, what good do you expect to accomplish by such a course? -If you will not let our brethren in bonds go free, if you will not let -us, as did our fathers, share in the privileges of the government, if -you will not let us even help fight the battles of the country, in -Heaven's name, at least, _let us alone_. Is that too great a boon to -ask of your magnanimity? - -"I elect to stay on the soil on which I was born, and on the plot of -ground which I have fairly bought and honestly paid for. Don't advise -me to leave, and don't add insult to injury by telling me it's for my -own good; of that I am to be the judge. It is in vain that you talk to -me about the 'two races,' and their 'mutual antagonism.' In the matter -of rights there is but one race, and that is the _human_ race. 'God has -made of one blood all nations to dwell on all the face of the earth.' -And it is not true that there is a mutual antagonism between the white -and colored people of this community. You may antagonize us, but we -do not antagonize you. You may hate us, but we do not hate you. It may -argue a want of spirit to cling to those who seek to banish us, but -such is, nevertheless, the fact. - -"Sir, this is our country as much as it is yours, _and we will not -leave it_. Your ships may be at the door, but we choose to remain. -A few may go, as a few went to Hayti, and a few to Liberia; but the -colored people as a mass will not leave the land of their birth. Of -course, I can only speak by authority for myself; but I know the people -with whom I am identified, and I feel confident that I only express -their sentiment as a body when I say that your project of colonizing -them in Central America, or any where else, with or without their -consent, will never succeed. They will migrate, as do other people, -when left to themselves, and when the motive is sufficient; but they -will neither be 'compelled to volunteer,' nor _constrained_ to go of -their 'own accord.'" - - -JOSEPH JENKINS. - - - "Look here, upon this picture, and on this."--HAMLET. - - -No one accustomed to pass through Cheapside could fail to have noticed -a good-looking man, neither black nor white, engaged in distributing -bills to the thousands who throng that part of the city of London. -While strolling through Cheapside, one morning, I saw, for the fiftieth -time, Joseph Jenkins, the subject of this article, handing out his -bills to all who would take them as he thrust them into their hands. -I confess that I was not a little amused, and stood for some moments -watching and admiring his energy in distributing his papers. A few days -after, I saw the same individual in Chelsea, sweeping a crossing; here, -too, he was equally as energetic as when I met him in the city. Some -days later, while going through Kensington, I heard rather a sweet, -musical voice singing a familiar psalm, and on looking round was not -a little surprised to find that it was the Cheapside bill-distributor -and Chelsea crossing-sweeper. He was now singing hymns, and selling -religious tracts. I am fond of patronizing genius, and therefore took -one of his tracts and paid him for a dozen. - -During the following week, I saw, while going up the City Road, that -Shakspeare's tragedy of Othello was to be performed at the Eagle -Saloon that night, and that the character of the Moor was to be taken -by "_Selim, an African prince_." Having no engagement that evening, I -resolved at once to attend, to witness the performance of the "African -Talma," as he was called. It was the same interest that had induced me -to go to the Italian opera to see Mesdames Sontag and Grisi in Norma, -and to visit Drury Lane to see Macready take leave of the stage. My -expectations were screwed up to the highest point. The excitement -caused by the publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had prepared the -public for any thing in the African line, and I felt that the _prince_ -would be sure of a good audience; and in this I was not disappointed, -for, as I took my seat in one of the boxes near the stage, I saw that -the house was crammed with an orderly company. The curtain was already -up when I entered, and Iago and Roderigo were on the stage. After -a while Othello came in, and was greeted with thunders of applause, -which he very gracefully acknowledged. Just black enough to take his -part without coloring his face, and being tall, with a good figure -and an easy carriage, a fine, full, and musical voice, he was well -adapted to the character of Othello. I immediately recognized in the -countenance of the Moor a face that I had seen before, but could not at -the moment tell where. Who could this "prince" be? thought I. He was -too black for Douglass, not black enough for Ward, not tall enough for -Garnet, too calm for Delany, figure, though fine, not genteel enough -for Remond. However, I was soon satisfied as to who the _star_ was. -Reader, would you think it? it was no less a person than Mr. Jenkins, -the bill-distributor from Cheapside, and crossing-sweeper from Chelsea! -For my own part, I was overwhelmed with amazement, and it was some time -before I could realize the fact. He soon showed that he possessed great -dramatic power and skill; and his description to the senate of how he -won the affections of the gentle Desdemona stamped him at once as an -actor of merit. "What a pity," said a lady near me to a gentleman that -was by her side, "that a prince of the royal blood of Africa should -have to go upon the stage for a living! It is indeed a shame!" When he -came to the scene,-- - - - "O, cursed, cursed slave!--whip me, ye devils, - From the possession of this heavenly sight! - Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulphur! - Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire! - O, Desdemona! Desdemona! dead? - Dead? O! O! O!"-- - - -the effect was indeed grand. When the curtain fell, the prince was -called upon the stage, where he was received with deafening shouts of -approbation, and a number of _bouquets_ thrown at his feet, which he -picked up, bowed, and retired. I went into Cheapside the next morning, -at an early hour, to see if the prince had given up his old trade for -what I supposed to be a more lucrative one; but I found the hero of the -previous night at his post, and giving out his bills as energetically -as when I had last seen him. Having to go to the provinces for some -months, I lost sight of Mr. Jenkins, and on my return to town did not -trouble myself to look him up. More than a year after I had witnessed -the representation of Othello at the Eagle, I was walking, one pleasant -Sabbath evening, through one of the small streets in the borough, -when I found myself in front of a little chapel, where a number of -persons were going in. As I was passing on slowly, an elderly man -said to me, "I suppose you have come to hear your colored brother -preach." "No," I answered; "I was not aware that one was to be here." -"Yes," said he; "and a clever man he is, too." As the old man offered -to find me a seat, I concluded to go in and hear this son of Africa. -The room, which was not large, was already full. I had to wait but a -short time before the reverend gentleman made his appearance. He was -nearly black, and dressed in a black suit, with high shirt-collar, -and an intellectual-looking cravat, that nearly hid his chin. A pair -of spectacles covered his eyes. The preacher commenced by reading a -portion of Scripture, and then announced that they would sing the -twenty-eighth hymn in "the arrangement." O, that voice! I felt sure -that I had heard that musical voice before; but where, I could not -tell. I was not aware that any of my countrymen were in London, but -felt that, whoever he was, he was no discredit to the race; for he was -a most eloquent and accomplished orator. His sermon was against the -sale and use of intoxicating drinks, and the bad habits of the working -classes, of whom his audience was composed. - -Although the subject was intensely interesting, I was impatient for -it to come to a close, for I wanted to speak to the preacher. But the -evening being warm, and the room heated, the reverend gentleman, on -wiping the perspiration from his face, (which, by the way, ran very -freely,) took off his spectacles on one occasion, so that I immediately -recognized him, which saved me from going up to the pulpit at the -end of the service. Yes; it was the bill-distributor of Cheapside, -the crossing-sweeper of Chelsea, the tract-seller and psalm-singer -of Kensington, and the Othello of the Eagle Saloon. I could scarcely -keep from laughing outright when I discovered this to be the man that -I had seen in so many characters. As I was about leaving my seat at -the close of the services, the old man who showed me into the chapel -asked me if I would not like to be introduced to the minister; and I -immediately replied that I would. We proceeded up the aisle, and met -the clergyman as he was descending. On seeing me, he did not wait for -a formal introduction, but put out his hand and said, "I have seen you -so often, sir, that I seem to know you." "Yes," I replied; "we have met -several times, and under different circumstances." Without saying more, -he invited me to walk with him towards his home, which was in the -direction of my own residence. We proceeded; and, during the walk, Mr. -Jenkins gave me some little account of his early history. "You think me -rather an odd fish, I presume," said he. "Yes," I replied. "You are not -the only one who thinks so," continued he. "Although I am not as black -as some of my countrymen, I am a native of Africa. Surrounded by some -beautiful mountain scenery, and situated between Darfour and Abyssinia, -two thousand miles in the interior of Africa, is a small valley going -by the name of _Tegla_. To that valley I stretch forth my affections, -giving it the endearing appellation of my native home and fatherland. -It was there that I was born, it was there that I received the fond -looks of a loving mother, and it was there that I set my feet, for -the first time, upon a world full of cares, trials, difficulties, and -dangers. My father being a farmer, I used to be sent out to take care -of his goats. This service I did when I was between seven and eight -years of age. As I was the eldest of the boys, my pride was raised in -no small degree when I beheld my father preparing a farm for me. This -event filled my mind with the grand anticipation of leaving the care of -the goats to my brother, who was then beginning to work a little. While -my father was making these preparations, I had the constant charge of -the goats; and being accompanied by two other boys, who resided near -my father's house, we wandered many miles from home, by which means we -acquired a knowledge of the different districts of our country. - -"It was while in these rambles with my companions that I became the -victim of the slave-trader. We were tied with cords and taken to -Tegla, and thence to Kordofan, which is under the jurisdiction of the -Pacha of Egypt. From Kordofan I was brought down to Dongola and Korti, -in Nubia, and from thence down the Nile to Cairo; and, after being -sold nine times, I became the property of an English gentleman, who -brought me to this country and put me into school. But he died before I -finished my education, and his family feeling no interest in me, I had -to seek a living as best I could. I have been employed for some years -to distribute handbills for a barber in Cheapside in the morning, go -to Chelsea and sweep a crossing in the afternoon, and sing psalms and -sell religious tracts in the evening. Sometimes I have an engagement -to perform at some of the small theatres, as I had when you saw me at -the Eagle. I preach for this little congregation over here, and charge -them nothing; for I want that the poor should have the gospel without -money and without price. I have now given up distributing bills; I have -settled my son in that office. My eldest daughter was married about -three months ago; and I have presented her husband with the Chelsea -crossing, as my daughter's wedding portion." "Can he make a living at -it?" I eagerly inquired. "O, yes; that crossing at Chelsea is worth -thirty shillings a week, if it is well swept," said he. "But what do -you do for a living for yourself?" I asked. "I am the leader of a -band," he continued; "and we play for balls and parties, and three -times a week at the Holborn Casino." "You are determined to rise," said -I. "Yes," he replied,-- - - - 'Upward, onward, is my watchword; - Though the winds blow good or ill, - Though the sky be fair or stormy, - This shall be my watchword still.'" - - -By this time we had reached a point where we had to part; and I left -Joseph Jenkins, impressed with the idea that he was the greatest genius -that I had met in Europe. - - -JOHN S. ROCK. - -The subject of this sketch was born in Salem, N. J., in 1825. When -quite a child, he became passionately attached to his book, and, unlike -most children, seldom indulged in amusements of any kind. His parents, -anxious to make the most of his talents, kept him at school until he -was eighteen years of age, at which time he was examined and approved -as a teacher of public schools. He taught school from 1844 to 1848. Mr. -David Allen writes, "His was certainly the most orderly, and the best -conducted, school I ever visited, although myself a teacher for nearly -twenty years." During the time Mr. Rock was teaching, Drs. Sharp and -Gibbon opened their libraries to him, and he commenced the study of -physic,--teaching six hours, studying eight, and giving private lessons -two hours every day. After completing his medical studies, he found it -impossible to get into a medical college; so he abandoned his idea of -becoming a physician, and went with Dr. Harbert and studied dentistry. -He finished his studies in the summer of 1849. In January, 1850, he -went to Philadelphia to practise his profession. In 1851, he received a -silver medal for artificial teeth. In the same year, he took a silver -medal for a prize essay on temperance. After the Apprentices' High -School had been established in Philadelphia, and while it was still an -evening school, Mr. Rock took charge of it, and kept it until it was -merged into a day school, under the direction of Professor Reason. He -attended lectures in the American Medical College, and graduated in -1852. - -In 1853, Dr. Rock came to Boston, where he now resides. On leaving the -city of Philadelphia, the professors of the Dental College gave him -letters bearing testimony to his high professional skill and integrity. -Professor Townsend writes, "Dr. Rock is a graduate of a medical -school in this city, and is favorably known, and much respected, by -the profession. Having seen him operate, it gives me great pleasure -to bear my testimony to his superior abilities." Professor J. F. B. -Flagg writes, "I have seen his operations, and have been much pleased -with them. As a scientific man, I shall miss the intercourse which I -have so long enjoyed in his acquaintance." After Mr. R. graduated in -medicine, he practised both of his professions. In 1856, he accepted -an invitation to deliver a lecture on the "Unity of the Human Races," -before the Massachusetts legislature. In 1857, he delivered the -oration on the occasion of the dedication of the new Masonic Temple in -Eleventh Street, Philadelphia. His intense application to study and -to business had so undermined his health that, in the summer of 1856, -he was obliged to give up all business. After several unsuccessful -surgical operations here, and when nearly all hope for the restoration -of his health was gone, he determined to go to France. When he was -ready to go, he applied to the government for a passport. This was -refused, Mr. Cass, then secretary of state, saying in reply, that "a -passport had never been granted to a colored man since the foundation -of the government." Mr. Rock went to France, however, and underwent -a severe surgical operation at the hands of the celebrated Nélaton. -Professor Nélaton advised him to give up dentistry altogether; and -as his shattered constitution forbade the exposure necessary for the -practice of medicine, he gave up both, and bent all his energies to -the study of law. In 1860, he accepted an invitation, and delivered -a lecture on the "Character and Writings of Madame De Staël," before -the Massachusetts legislature, which he did "with credit to himself -and satisfaction to the very large audience in attendance." _Der -Pionier_, a German newspaper, in Boston, said, when commenting on his -criticism of De Staël's "Germany," "This thinking, educated German and -French speaking negro proved himself as learned in German as he is in -French literature." On the 14th of September, 1861, on motion of T. -K. Lothrop, Esq., Dr. Rock was examined in the Superior Court, before -Judge Russell, and admitted to practice as an attorney and counsellor -at law in all the courts of Massachusetts. On the 21st of the same -month Mr. Rock received a commission from the governor and council as a -justice of the peace for seven years for the city of Boston and county -of Suffolk. - -We annex an extract from a speech made by him before the last -anniversary of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. - -"Other countries are held out as homes for us. Why is this? Why is it -that the people from all other countries are invited to come here, and -we are asked to go away? Is it to make room for the refuse population -of Europe? Or why is it that the white people of this country desire -to get rid of us? Does any one pretend to deny that this is _our_ -country? or that much of its wealth and prosperity is the result of the -labor of _our_ hands? or that our blood and bones have crimsoned and -whitened every battle-field from Maine to Louisiana? Why this desire to -get rid of us? Can it be possible that because the nation has robbed -us for more than two centuries, and now finds that she can do it no -longer and preserve a good character among the nations, she, out of -hatred, wishes to banish, because she cannot continue to rob, us? Or -why is it? I will tell you. The free people of color have succeeded in -spite of every thing; and we are to-day a living refutation of that -shameless assertion that we cannot take care of ourselves. Abject as -our condition has been, our whole lives prove us to be superior to the -influences that have been brought to bear upon us to crush us. This -cannot be said of your race when it was oppressed and enslaved. Another -reason is, this nation has wronged us; therefore many hate us. The -Spanish proverb is, 'Since I have wronged you I have never liked you.' -This is true of every class of people. When a man wrongs another, he -not only hates him, but tries to make others dislike him. Unnatural as -this may appear, it is nevertheless true. You may help a man during his -lifetime, and he will speak well of you; but your first refusal will -incur his displeasure, and show you his ingratitude. When he has got -all he can from you, he has no further use for you. When the orange is -squeezed, we throw it aside. The black man is a good fellow while he is -a slave, and toils for nothing; but the moment he claims his own flesh -and blood and bones, he is a most obnoxious creature, and there is a -proposition to get rid of him. He is happy while he remains a poor, -degraded, ignorant slave, without even the right to his own offspring. -While in this condition the master can ride in the same carriage, sleep -in the same bed, and nurse from the same bosom. But give this slave -the right to use his own legs, his hands, his body, and his mind, and -this happy and desirable creature is instantly transformed into a most -loathsome wretch, fit only to be colonized somewhere near the mountains -of the moon, or eternally banished from civilized beings! You must -not lose sight of the fact it is the emancipated slave and the free -colored man that it is proposed to remove--not the slave. This country -is perfectly adapted to negro slavery; it is the free blacks that the -air is not good for! What an idea! a country good for slavery and not -good for freedom! This monstrous idea would be scorned by even a Fejee -Islander." - -As a public speaker Mr. Rock stands deservedly high; his discourses -being generally of an elevated tone, and logically put together. As -a member of the Boston bar, he has thus far succeeded well, and bids -fair to obtain his share of public patronage. In personal appearance -Mr. Rock is tall and of good figure, with a thoughtful countenance, -and a look that indicates the student. In color he is what is termed a -_grief_, about one remove from the negro. By his own color he has long -been regarded as a representative man. - - -WILLIAM DOUGLASS. - -William Douglass was a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal -denomination, and for a number of years was rector of St. Thomas -Church, Philadelphia. We met Mr. Douglass in England in 1852, and -became impressed with the belief that he was no ordinary man. He had a -finished education, being well versed in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. He -possessed large and philanthropic views, but was extremely diffident, -which gave one the opinion that he was a man of small ability. Being -in Philadelphia in the spring of 1860, we attended the morning service -at his church. When the preacher made his appearance, all eyes were -turned to the pulpit. His figure was prepossessing--a great thing in a -public speaker. Weak, stunted, deformed-looking men labor under much -disadvantage. Mr. Douglass had a commanding look, a clear, musical -voice, and was a splendid reader. He was no dull drone when the service -was over and the sermon had commenced. With downcast eye he read no -moral essay that touched no conscience and fired no heart. On the -contrary, he was spirited in the pulpit. He looked his congregation -in the face; he directed his discourse to them. He took care that -not a single word should lose its aim. No one fell asleep while he -was speaking, but all seemed intensely interested in the subject in -hand. Mr. Douglass was a general favorite with the people of his own -city, and especially the members of his society. He was a talented -writer, and published, a few years ago, a volume of sermons, which -are filled with gems of thought and original ideas. A feeling of deep -piety and humanity runs through the entire book. Mr. Douglass was of -unmixed blood, gentlemanly in his manners, chaste in conversation, -and social in private life. Though not active in public affairs, he -was, nevertheless, interested in all that concerned the freedom and -elevation of his race. He visited England and the West Indies some -years ago, and had an extensive acquaintance beyond the limits of his -own country. Mr. Douglass was respected and esteemed by the white -clergy of Philadelphia, who were forced to acknowledge his splendid -abilities. - - -ELYMAS PAYSON ROGERS. - -E. P. Rogers, a clergyman of the Presbyterian order, and pastor of -a church at Newark, New Jersey, was a man of education, research, -and literary ability. He was not a fluent and easy speaker, but he -was logical, and spoke with a degree of refinement seldom met with. -He possessed poetical genius of no mean order, and his poem on the -"Missouri Compromise," which he read in many of the New England cities -and towns in 1856, contains brilliant thoughts and amusing suggestions. -The following on _Truth_ is not without point:-- - - - "When Truth is girded for the fight, - And draws her weapons keen and bright, - And lifts aloft her burnished shield, - Her godlike influence to wield, - If victory in that self-same hour - Is not accomplished by her power, - She'll not retreat nor flee away, - But win the field another day. - She will with majesty arise, - Seize her traducers by surprise, - And by her overwhelming might - Will put her deadly foes to flight." - - -The allusion to the threat of the south against the north is a happy -one, in connection with the rebellion. - - - "I'll show my power the country through, - And will the factious north subdue; - And Massachusetts shall obey, - And yield to my increasing sway. - She counts her patriotic deeds, - But scatters her disunion seeds; - She proudly tells us of the tea - Sunk by her worthies in the sea, - And then she talks more proudly still - Of Lexington and Bunker Hill; - But on that hill, o'er patriots' graves, - I'll yet enroll my negro slaves. - I may have trouble, it is true, - But still I'll put the rebels through, - And make her statesmen bow the knee, - Yield to my claims, and honor me. - And though among them I shall find - The learned, the brilliant, and refined, - If on me they shall e'er reflect, - No senate chamber shall protect - Their guilty pates and heated brains, - From hideous gutta percha canes." - - -The election of N. P. Banks, as speaker of the House of Representatives, -is mentioned in the succeeding lines:-- - - - "But recently the north drove back - The southern tyrants from the track, - And put to flight their boasting ranks, - And gave the speaker's chair to Banks." - - -Mr. Rogers was of unmixed race, genteel in appearance, forehead large -and well developed, fine figure, and pleasing in his manners. Anxious -to benefit his race, he visited Africa in 1861, was attacked with the -fever, and died in a few days. No man was more respected by all classes -than he. His genial influence did much to soften down the pro-slavery -feeling which existed in the city where he resided. - - -J. THEODORE HOLLY. - -If there is any man living who is more devoted to the idea of a "Negro -Nationality" than Dr. Delany, that man is J. Theodore Holly. Possessing -a good education, a retentive memory, and being of studious habits, -Mr. Holly has brought himself up to a point of culture not often -attained by men even in the higher walks of life. Unadulterated in -race, devotedly attached to Africa and her descendants, he has made -a "Negro Nationality" a matter of much thought and study. He paid a -visit to Hayti in 1858 or 1859, returned home, and afterwards preached, -lectured, and wrote in favor of Haytian emigration. In concluding a -long essay on this subject, in the _Anglo-African Magazine_, he says,-- - -"From these thoughts it will be seen that whatsoever is to be the -future destiny of the descendants of Africa, Hayti certainly holds the -most important relation to that destiny. And if we were to be reduced -to the dread alternative of having her historic fame blotted out of -existence, or that celebrity which may have been acquired elsewhere by -all the rest of our race combined, we should say, Preserve the name, -the fame, and the sovereign existence of Hayti, though every thing else -shall perish. Yes, let Britain and France undermine, if they will, -the enfranchisement which they gave to their West Indian slaves, by -their present apprenticeship system; let the lone star of Liberia, -placed in the firmament of nationalities by a questionable system of -American philanthropy, go out in darkness; let the opening resources -of Central Africa be again shut up in their wonted seclusion; let -the names and deeds of our Nat Turners, Denmark Veseys, Penningtons, -Delanys, Douglasses, and Smiths be forgotten forever; but never let the -self-emancipating deeds of the Haytian people be effaced; never let -her heroically achieved nationality be brought low; no, never let the -names of her Toussaint, her Dessalines, her Rigaud, her Christophe, and -her Petion be forgotten, or blotted out from the historic pages of the -world's history." - -Mr. Holly is a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal order, and for -several years was pastor of a church at New Haven, Connecticut, where -he sustained the reputation of being an interesting and eloquent -preacher. His reading is at times rapid, yet clear and emphatic. He -seems to aim more at what he says than how he says it; and if you -listen, you will find food for thought in every phrase. As a writer he -is forcible and argumentative, but never dull. In person, Mr. Holly is -of the ordinary size, has a bright eye, agreeable countenance, form -erect, voice clear and mellow. He uses good language, is precise in his -manners, and wears the air of a gentleman. Infatuated with the idea of -a home in Hayti, he raised a colony and sailed for Port au Prince in -the spring of 1861. He was unfortunate in the selection of a location, -and the most of those who went out with him, including his own family, -died during their first six months on the island. Mr. Holly has -recently returned to the United States. Whether he intends to remain or -not, we are not informed. - - -JAMES W. C. PENNINGTON. - -Dr. Pennington was born a slave on the farm of Colonel Gordon, in the -State of Maryland. His early life was not unlike the common lot of -the bondmen of the Middle States. He was by trade a blacksmith, which -increased his value to his owner. He had no opportunities for learning, -and was ignorant of letters when he made his escape to the north. -Through intense application to books, he gained, as far as it was -possible, what slavery had deprived him of in his younger days. But he -always felt the early blight upon his soul. - -Dr. Pennington had not been free long ere he turned his attention -to theology, and became an efficient preacher in the Presbyterian -denomination. He was several years settled over a church at Hartford, -Conn. He has been in Europe three times, his second visit being the -most important, as he remained there three or four years, preaching -and lecturing, during which time he attended the Peace Congresses held -at Paris, Brussels, and London. While in Germany, the degree of Doctor -of Divinity was conferred upon him by the University of Heidelberg. On -his return to the United States he received a call, and was settled as -pastor over Shiloh Church, New York city. - -The doctor has been a good student, is a ripe scholar, and is deeply -versed in theology. While at Paris, in 1849, we, with the American -and English delegates to the Peace Congress, attended divine service -at the Protestant Church, where Dr. Pennington had been invited to -preach. His sermon on that occasion was an eloquent production, made a -marked impression on his hearers, and created upon the minds of all a -more elevated idea of the abilities of the negro. In past years he has -labored zealously and successfully for the education and moral, social, -and religious elevation of his race. The doctor is unadulterated in -blood, with strongly-marked African features; in stature he is of the -common size, slightly inclined to corpulency, with an athletic frame -and a good constitution. The fact that Dr. Pennington is considered -a good Greek, Latin, and German scholar, although his early life was -spent in slavery, is not more strange than that Henry Diaz, the black -commander in Brazil, is extolled in all the histories of that country -as one of the most sagacious and talented men and experienced officers -of whom they could boast; nor that Hannibal, an African, gained by his -own exertion a good education, and rose to be a lieutenant-general and -director of artillery under Peter the Great; nor that Don Juan Latino, -a negro, became teacher of the Latin language at Seville; nor that -Anthony William Amo, a native of Guinea, took the degree of Doctor of -Philosophy at the University of Wittenburg; nor that James J. Capetein, -fresh from the coast of Africa, became master of the Latin, Greek, -Hebrew, and Chaldaic languages; nor that James Derham, an imported -negro, should, by his own genius and energy, be considered one of the -ablest physicians in New Orleans, and of whom Dr. Rush says, "I found -him very learned. I thought I could give him information concerning -the treatment of diseases; but I learned more from him than he could -expect from me." We might easily extend the catalogue, for we have -abundant materials. Blumenbach boldly affirms of the negro, "There is -no savage people who have distinguished themselves by such examples of -perfectibility and capacity for scientific cultivation." - - -A MAN WITHOUT A NAME. - -It was in the month of December, 1852, while Colonel Rice and family -were seated around a bright wood fire, whose blaze lighted up the large -dining room in their old mansion, situated ten miles from Dayton, in -the State of Ohio, that they heard a knock at the door, which was -answered by the familiar "Come in" that always greets the stranger in -the Western States. Squire Loomis walked in and took a seat on one -of the three rocking-chairs, which had been made vacant by the young -folks, who rose to give place to their highly influential and wealthy -neighbor. It was a beautiful night; the sky was clear, the wind had -hushed its deep moanings, the most brilliant of the starry throng stood -out in bold relief, despite the superior light of the moon. "I see -some one standing at the gate," said Mrs. Rice, as she left the window -and came nearer the fire. "I'll go out and see who it is," exclaimed -George, as he quitted his chair and started for the door. The latter -soon returned and whispered to his father, and both left the room, -evincing that something unusual was at hand. Not many minutes elapsed, -however, before the father and son entered, accompanied by a young -man, whose complexion showed plainly that other than Anglo-Saxon blood -coursed through his veins. The whole company rose, and the stranger -was invited to draw near to the fire. Question after question was now -pressed upon the new-comer by the colonel and the squire, but without -eliciting satisfactory replies. - -"You need not be afraid, my friend," said the host, as he looked -intently in the colored man's face, "to tell where you are from and to -what place you are going. If you are a fugitive, as I suspect, give us -your story, and we will protect and defend you to the last." - -Taking courage from these kind remarks, the mulatto said, "I was born, -sir, in the State of Kentucky, and raised in Missouri. My master -was my father; my mother was his slave. That, sir, accounts for the -fairness of my complexion. As soon as I was old enough to labor I was -taken into my master's dwelling as a servant, to attend upon the -family. My mistress, aware of my near relationship to her husband, -felt humiliated, and often in her anger would punish me severely for -no cause whatever. My near approach to the Anglo-Saxon aroused the -jealousy and hatred of the overseer, and he flogged me, as he said, to -make me know my place. My fellow-slaves hated me because I was whiter -than themselves. Thus my complexion was construed into a crime, and -I was made to curse my father for the Anglo-Saxon blood that courses -through my veins. - -"My master raised slaves to supply the southern market, and every year -some of my companions were sold to the slave-traders and taken farther -south. Husbands were separated from their wives, and children torn from -the arms of their agonizing mothers. These outrages were committed by -the man whom nature compelled me to look upon as my father. My mother -and brothers were sold and taken away from me; still I bore all, and -made no attempt to escape, for I yet had near me an only sister, whom I -dearly loved. At last, the negro driver attempted to rob my sister of -her virtue. She appealed to me for protection. Her innocence, beauty, -and tears were enough to stir the stoutest heart. My own, filled with -grief and indignation, swelled within me as though it would burst or -leap from my bosom. My tears refused to flow: the fever in my brain -dried them up. I could stand it no longer. I seized the wretch by the -throat, and hurled him to the ground; and with this strong arm I paid -him for old and new. The next day I was tried by a jury of slaveholders -for the crime of having within me the heart of a man, and protecting -my sister from the licentious embrace of a libertine. And--would -you believe it, sir?--that jury of enlightened Americans,--yes, sir, -Christian Americans,--after _grave_ deliberation, decided that I had -broken the laws, and sentenced me to receive five hundred lashes upon -my bare back. But, sir, I escaped from them the night before I was to -have been flogged. - -"Afraid of being arrested and taken back, I remained the following day -hid away in a secluded spot on the banks of the Mississippi River, -protected from the gaze of man by the large trees and thick cane-brakes -that sheltered me. I waited for the coming of another night. All was -silence around me, save the sweet chant of the feathered songsters in -the forest, or the musical ripple of the eddying waters at my feet. -I watched the majestic bluffs as they gradually faded away, through -the gray twilight, from the face of day into the darker shades of -night. I then turned to the rising moon as it peered above, ascending -the deep blue ether, high in the heavens, casting its mellow rays -over the surrounding landscape, and gilding the smooth surface of the -noble river with its silvery hue. I viewed with interest the stars -as they appeared, one after another, in the firmament. It was then -and there that I studied nature in its lonely grandeur, and saw in it -the goodness of God, and felt that He who created so much beauty, and -permitted the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field to roam at -large and be free, never intended that man should be the slave of his -fellow-man. I resolved that I would be a bondman no longer; and, taking -for my guide the _north star_, I started for Canada, the negro's land -of liberty. For many weeks I travelled by night, and lay by during the -day. O, how often, while hid away in the forest, waiting for nightfall, -have I thought of the beautiful lines I once heard a stranger recite:-- - - - 'O, hail Columbia! happy land! - The cradle land of liberty! - Where none but negroes bear the brand, - Or feel the lash of slavery. - - 'Then let the glorious anthem peal, - And drown "Britannia rules the waves:" - Strike up the song that men can feel-- - "Columbia rules four million slaves!"' - - -"At last I arrived at a depot of the Underground Railroad, took the -_express train_, and here I am." - -"You are welcome," said Colonel Rice, as he rose from his chair, walked -to the window and looked out, as if apprehensive that the fugitive's -pursuers were near by. "You are welcome," continued he; "and I will aid -you on your way to Canada, for you are not safe here." - -"Are you not afraid of breaking the laws by assisting this man to -escape?" remarked Squire Loomis. - -"I care not for laws when they stand in the way of humanity," replied -the colonel. - -"If you aid him in reaching Canada, and we should ever have a war with -England, may be he'll take up arms and fight against his own country," -said the squire. - -The fugitive eyed the law-abiding man attentively for a moment, and -then exclaimed, "Take up arms against my country? What country, sir, -have I? The Supreme Court of the United States, and the laws of the -south, doom me to be the slave of another. There is not a foot of -soil over which the _stars and stripes_ wave, where I can stand and -be protected by law. I've seen my mother sold in the cattle market. I -looked upon my brothers as they were driven away in chains by the slave -speculator. The heavy negro whip has been applied to my own shoulders -until its biting lash sunk deep into my quivering flesh. Still, sir, -you call this my country. True, true, I was born in this land. My -grandfather fought in the revolutionary war; my own father was in the -war of 1812. Still, sir, I am a slave, a chattel, a thing, a piece -of property. I've been sold in the market with horses and swine; the -initials of my master's name are branded deep in this arm. Still, sir, -you call this my country. And, now that I am making my escape, you feel -afraid, if I reach Canada, and there should be war with England, that -I will take up arms against my own country. Sir, I have no country but -the grave; and I'll seek freedom there before I will again be taken -back to slavery. There is no justice for me at the south; every right -of my race is trampled in the dust, until humanity bleeds at every -pore. I am bound for Canada, and woe to him that shall attempt to -arrest me. If it comes to the worst, I will die fighting for freedom." - -"I honor you for your courage," exclaimed Squire Loomis, as he sprang -from his seat, and walked rapidly to and fro through the room. "It is -too bad," continued he, "that such men should be enslaved in a land -whose Declaration of Independence proclaims all men to be free and -equal. I will aid you in any thing that I can. What is your name?" - -"I have no name," said the fugitive. "I once had a name,--it was -William,--but my master's nephew came to live with him, and as I was a -house servant, and the young master and I would, at times, get confused -in the same name, orders were given for me to change mine. From that -moment, I resolved that, as slavery had robbed me of my liberty and my -name, I would not attempt to have another till I was free. So, sir, for -once you have a man standing before you without a name." - - -SAMUEL R. WARD. - -Few public speakers exercised greater influence in the pulpit and on -the platform, in behalf of human freedom, than did Samuel R. Ward, in -the early days of abolition agitation. From 1840 up to the passage -of the Fugitive Slave Law, in 1850, he either preached or lectured -in every church, hall, or school house in Western and Central New -York. Endowed with superior mental powers, and having, through the -aid of Hon. Gerrit Smith, obtained a good education, and being a -close student, Mr. Ward's intellectual faculties are well developed. -He was, for several years, settled over a white congregation, of the -Presbyterian order, at South Butler, N. Y., where he preached with -great acceptance, and was highly respected. As a speaker, he was -justly held up as one of the ablest men, white or black, in the United -States. The first time we ever heard him, (in 1842,) he was announced -in the advertisement as "the black Daniel Webster." Standing above -six feet in height, possessing a strong voice, and energetic in his -gestures, Mr. Ward always impressed his highly finished and logical -speeches upon his hearers. No detractor of the negro's abilities ever -attributed his talents to his having Anglo-Saxon blood in his veins. As -a black man, Mr. Ward was never ashamed of his complexion, but rather -appeared to feel proud of it. When Captain Rynders and his followers -took possession of the platform of the American Anti-Slavery Society, -at their anniversary, in New York, in the spring of 1852, Frederick -Douglass rose to defend the rights of the Association and the liberty -of speech. Rynders objected to the speaker upon the ground that he was -not a negro, but half white. Ward, being present, came forward, amid -great applause, and the rowdy leader had to "knock under," and confess -that genuine eloquence was not confined to the white man. William J. -Wilson says of Ward, "Ideas form the basis of all Mr. Ward utters. If -words and ideas are not inseparable, then, as mortar is to the stones -that compose the building, so are his words to his ideas. In this, I -judge, lies Mr. Ward's greatest strength. Concise without abruptness; -without extraordinary stress, always clear and forcible; if sparing of -ornament, never inelegant,--in all, there appears a consciousness of -strength, developed by close study and deep reflection, and only put -forth because the occasion demands it. His appeals are directed rather -to the understanding than the imagination; but so forcibly do they take -possession of it, that the heart unhesitatingly yields." - -Mr. Ward visited England in 1852, where he was regarded as an eloquent -advocate of the rights of his race. He now resides at Kingston, Jamaica. - - -SIR EDWARD JORDAN. - -Edward Jordan was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in the year 1798. After -quitting school he entered a clothing store as a clerk; but his deep -hatred to slavery, and the political and social outrages committed upon -the free colored men, preyed upon his mind to such an extent that, in -1826, he associated himself with Robert Osborn, in the publication -of _The Watchman_, a weekly newspaper devoted to the freedom and -enfranchisement of the people of color. His journal was conducted -with marked ability, and Mr. Jordan soon began to wield a tremendous -influence against the slave power. While absent from his editorial -duties, in 1830, an article appeared in _The Watchman_, upon which its -editor was indicted for constructive treason. He was at once arrested, -placed in the dock, and arraigned for trial. He pleaded "not guilty," -and asked for time to prepare for his defence. The plea was allowed, -and the case was traversed to the next court. The trial came on at the -appointed time; the jury was packed, for the pro-slavery element had -determined on the conviction of the distinguished advocate of liberty. -The whole city appeared to be lost to every thing but the proceedings -of the assize. It was feared, that, if convicted, a riot would be the -result, and the authorities prepared for this. A vessel of war was -brought up abreast of the city, the guns of which were pointed up one -of the principal streets, and at almost every avenue leading to the -sea, a merchant vessel was moored, armed at least with one great gun, -pointing in a similar direction, to rake the streets from bottom to -top. A detachment of soldiers was kept under arms, with orders to be -ready for action at a moment's warning. The officers of the court, -including the judge, entered upon their duties, armed with pistols; -and the sheriff was instructed to shoot the prisoner in the dock if a -rescue was attempted. If convicted, Mr. Jordan's punishment was to be -death. Happily for all, the verdict was "not guilty." The acquittal of -the editor of _The Watchman_ carried disappointment and dismay into -the ranks of the slave oligarchy, while it gave a new impetus to the -anti-slavery cause, both in Jamaica and in Great Britain, and which -culminated in the abolition of slavery on the 1st of August, 1834. The -following year, Mr. Jordan was elected member of the Assembly for the -city of Kingston, which he still represents. About this time, _The -Watchman_ was converted into a daily paper, under the title of _The -Morning Journal_, still in existence, and owned by Jordan and Osborn. -In 1853, Mr. Jordan was elected mayor of his native city without -opposition, which office he still holds. He was recently chosen premier -of the island and president of the privy council. - -No man is more respected in the Assembly than Mr. Jordan, and reform -measures offered by him are often carried through the house, owing to -the respect the members have for the introducer. In the year 1860, the -honorable gentleman was elevated to the dignity of knighthood by the -Queen. Sir Edward Jordan has ever been regarded as an honest, upright, -and temperate man. In a literary point of view, he is considered one of -the first men in Jamaica. - -It is indeed a cheering sign for the negro to look at one of his race, -who, a few years ago, was tried for his life in a city in which he is -now the chief magistrate, inspector of the prison in which he was once -incarcerated, and occupying a seat in the legislature by the side of -the white man who ejected him from his position as a clerk, on account -of his color. To those who say that the two races cannot live in peace -together, we point to the Jamaica Assembly, with more than half of its -members colored; and to all who think that the negro is only fit for -servitude, we reply by saying, Look at Sir Edward Jordan. - - -JOSEPH CARTER. - -The subject of this sketch is a native of the city of Bridgetown, -Barbadoes, where he was born on the 16th of February, 1831. At the -early age of eleven years, he was apprenticed to William Howell, a -cabinet-maker of his native place. The boy showed so much genius and -skill even at this tender age, that he excited an interest in his -behalf, which culminated in his becoming the ward of Miss Hayes, a -talented lady, of English origin, whose guardianship of young Carter -did much to pave the way for the development of his hidden powers. -In his seventeenth year, Joseph came to the States in company with -his guardian, and settled in the city of Philadelphia, where he now -resides. Buoyant with hopes, knowing his own capacity, and aspiring in -his nature, the young man went forth in search of employment, little -dreaming of the insurmountable prejudice which every man of his color -has to meet in this country, and more especially in cities in the -border states. In vain he went from shop to shop, appealing for simple -justice, feeling confident that if once in employment, he could keep -his situation by his ability as a workman. Wherever he appeared before -a manufacturer, the reply was, "I would hire you if my hands, who are -white, would not leave me." This calls to mind an incident that was -related to me by a master gilder in Sixth Street, Philadelphia, a -few years since. I had stepped into his place to purchase a picture -frame, when, on learning that I was from Boston, he inquired if I was -acquainted with Jacob R. Andrews. I replied that I was. "Then," said -he, "do you see that bench there?" "Yes." "There was where he learned -his trade." "Was he apprenticed to you?" I inquired. "No," said he; -"he came to me, wishing to learn the business: my men refused to work -in the same room with him, although he was as white as most of them. -So, rather than turn him away, I put up a table there, and set him -to work. In a short time he was able to turn out as good a job as -any man in the establishment. He worked for me several years, and I -must say that I never had a better workman, or a more reliable man -in every respect, than he. Andrews often waited on my customers in -my absence, and, whether at the bench at work or behind the counter, -he was always the gentleman." I was pleased to hear so favorable -an account of Mr. Andrews, for I had formed a high opinion of him, -both as a man of integrity and a mechanic. He is now a flourishing -manufacturer himself, in Beach Street, Boston, where he can count -among his patrons some of the first families in the city. Mr. Carter, -therefore, had energy similar to Mr. Andrews, and kept applying till he -obtained work. A writer, to whom I am indebted for the early history -of my subject, says, "Two years after his arrival we find Carter in -business, manufacturing all sorts of furniture, from a pine table to -the rarest cabinet. In 1859 we find him building organs for churches. -One of the principal churches in this city (Philadelphia) has an organ -manufactured by him. The whole work is done by his own hands; the rough -stuff enters his establishment, and leaves it a perfect specimen of -art and ingenuity, pure and mellow in tone, and polished, and carved, -and elegantly finished. Unlike those extensive manufactories having -branches and departments for fashioning the various portions of such -instruments, his has none. You know it is said of the ancient Egyptians -that their sculpture had an odd and awkward appearance, because their -sculptors never chiselled out an entire figure. Some made the arms, -some the legs, some the body, some the head. Perhaps Mr. Carter has -the advantage of more extensive manufacturers by giving uniqueness -and symmetry to his instruments. He is now making a very large one to -order, having nine stops and pedals. The one he proposes to send to -the Art Exhibition is an elaborately finished one of five stops and -pedals, of walnut, carved, gothic style, and of exceeding richness of -tone. This business he has taken up without ever receiving an hour's -instruction. He was imperceptibly drawn into it through a fondness for -music. He purchased a melodeon for his own use and amusement, and -feeling the want of more stops and pedals, set about the work; and this -attempt not being satisfactory, he built an organ which proved to be a -very excellent one." - - -JAMES LAWSON. - -James Lawson was born in slavery in the State of Virginia, where, for -many years, he was the chief man on his master's plantation; and when -the rebellion broke out, the rebel owner felt sure, from James's former -fidelity, that he would stand by him in that contest. So confident was -he of this, that he sent the chattel to an important military station -with the following recommendation: "You may trust Jim in any way that -you can use him, for he has been my slave fourteen years, and I never -knew him to deceive me or any member of my family. Indeed, I have more -respect, esteem, and good feeling for him, and more confidence in -his integrity, than any white man of my acquaintance. He is able to -undertake any affair, of either great or small importance." - -When the history of the "Slaveholders' Rebellion" shall be impartially -written, it will be found that no class has done more good service -to the Union cause, and were more reliable in every respect, than -those who had formerly been slaves. A correspondent of the "New York -Times," writing from the head-quarters of the army of the Potomac, -July 29, 1862, says, "Some of the most valuable information McClellan -has received in regard to the position, movements and plans of the -enemy, the topography of the country, and the inclination of certain -inhabitants, has been obtained through contrabands. Even spies and -traitors have been detected, and brought before the proper authorities, -upon evidence furnished by this much-abused, but generally loyal class -of people." - -Probably no ten men have done so much in the way of giving information -and performing daring acts in the enemy's immediate locality, as James -Lawson. At one time we find him mounted on horseback, riding with the -commanding general and his staff, piloting the Union forces through -the enemy's country, and at another heading a scouting party, and -saving them all from capture, by his superior knowledge of the district -through which they travelled. After doing considerable service for the -army, "Jim," as he was generally called, shipped on board the flag -gunboat Freeborn, Lieutenant Samuel Magaw commanding. An officer from -that vessel says of Jim, "He furnished Captain Magaw with much valuable -intelligence concerning the rebel movements, and, from his quiet, -every-day behavior, soon won the esteem of the commanding officer. - -"Captain Magaw, shortly after Jim's arrival on board the Freeborn, -sent him upon a scouting tour through the rebel fortifications, more -to test his reliability than any thing else; and the mission, although -fraught with great danger, was executed by Jim in the most faithful -manner. Again Jim was sent into Virginia, landing at the White House, -below Mount Vernon, and going into the interior for several miles, -encountering the fire of picket guards and posted sentries, returned -in safety to the shore, and was brought off in the captain's gig, under -the fire of the rebel musketry. - -"Jim had a wife and four children at that time still in Virginia. They -belonged to the same man as Jim did. He was anxious to get them; yet it -seemed impossible. One day in January Jim came to the captain's room -and asked for permission to be landed that evening on the Virginia -side, as he wished to bring off his family. 'Why, Jim,' said Captain -Magaw, 'how will you be able to pass the pickets?' - -"'I want to try, captain. I think I can get 'em over safely,' meekly -replied Jim. - -"'Well, you have my permission;' and Captain Magaw ordered one of the -gunboats to land Jim that night on whatever part of the shore Jim -designated, and return for him the following evening. - -"True to his appointment, Jim was at the spot with his wife and family, -and were taken on board the gunboat, and brought over to Liverpool -Point, where Colonel Graham had given them a log house to live in, just -back of his own quarters. Jim ran the gantlet of the sentries unharmed, -never taking to the roads, but keeping in the woods, every foot-path of -which, and almost every tree, he knew from his boyhood up. - -"Several weeks afterwards, another reconnoissance was planned, and -Jim sent on it. He returned in safety, and was highly complimented by -Generals Hooker, Sickles, and the entire flotilla. - -"On Thursday, a week ago, it became necessary to obtain correct -information of the enemy's movements. Since then, batteries at -Shipping and Cockpit Points had been evacuated, and their troops moved -to Fredericksburg. Jim was the man picked out for the occasion by -General Sickles and Captain Magaw. The general came down to Colonel -Graham's quarters about nine in the evening, and sent for Jim. There -were present the general, Colonel Graham, and myself. Jim came into the -colonel's. - -"'Jim,' said the general, 'I want you to go over to Virginia to-night -and find out what forces they have at Aquia Creek and Fredericksburg. -If you want any men to accompany you, pick them out.' - -"'I know two men that would like to go,' Jim answered. - -"'Well, get them and be back as soon as possible.' - -"Away went Jim over to the contraband camp, and returning almost -immediately, brought into our presence two very intelligent looking men. - -"'Are you all ready?' inquired the general. - -"'All ready, sir,' the trio responded. - -"'Well, here, Jim, you take my pistol,' said General Sickles, -unbuckling it from his belt, 'and if you are successful, I will give -you a hundred dollars.' - -"Jim hoped he would be, and bidding us good by, started off for the -gunboat Satellite, Captain Foster, who landed them a short distance -below the Potomac Creek Batteries. They were to return early in the -morning, but were unable, from the great distance they went in the -interior. Long before daylight on Saturday morning the gunboat was -lying off the appointed place. - -"As the day dawned, Captain Foster discovered a mounted picket guard -near the beach, and almost at the same instant saw Jim to the left of -them, in the woods, sighting his gun at the rebel cavalry. He ordered -the 'gig' to be manned and rowed to the shore. The rebels moved along -slowly, thinking to intercept the boat, when Foster gave them a shell, -which scattered them. Jim, with only one of his original companions, -and two fresh contrabands, came on board. Jim had _lost the other_. He -had been challenged by a picket when some distance in advance of Jim, -and the negro, instead of answering the summons, fired the contents of -Sickles's revolver at the picket. It was an unfortunate occurrence, for -at that time the entire picket guard rushed out of a small house near -the spot, and fired the contents of their muskets at Jim's companion, -killing him instantly. Jim and the other three hid themselves in a -hollow, near a fence, and after the pickets gave up pursuit, crept -through the woods to the shore. From the close proximity of the rebel -pickets, Jim could not display a light, which was the signal for Foster -to send a boat. - -"Captain Foster, after hearing Jim's story of the shooting of his -companion, determined to avenge his death; so, steaming his vessel -close in to the shore, he sighted his guns for a barn, which the rebel -cavalry were hiding behind. He fired two shells: one went right through -the barn, killing four of the rebels and seven of their horses. Captain -Foster, seeing the effect of his shots, said to Jim, who stood by, -'Well, Jim, I've avenged the death of poor Cornelius' (the name of -Jim's lost companion). - -"General Hooker has transmitted to the war department an account of -Jim's reconnoissance to Fredericksburg, and unites with the army and -navy stationed on the left wing of the Potomac, in the hope that the -government will present Jim with a fitting recompense for his gallant -services." - -The gunboat soon after was ordered to Newbern, N. C., where James -Lawson was again to be the centre of attraction, but in a new -character. Anxious that his fellow-slaves (many of whom had shipped -in the same vessel) should excel as oarsmen, he was frequently out -practising with them, until a race was agreed upon, in which the blacks -were to pull against the whites. A correspondent of the "New York -Times" gives the following as the result:-- - -"One of the two boats entered was manned by six contraband seamen, -beautifully attired in man-of-war costume, and the other was manned by -eight white seamen, who were considered the crack crew of these waters. -Distance was offered the contraband crew, who had only been seamen some -three months; but their captain refused to accept of any advantage -whatever, and insisted on giving the white seamen the advantage of -two men. Every thing being in readiness, the word was given, and off -went the boats, throwing the crowd, white and black, into the most -intense excitement. Judge of the astonishment of all, when the boat -containing the contrabands was seen to turn the mile post first; and -great was the excitement and deafening were the cheers as they came in -some three rods in advance of the white crew, who were dripping with -perspiration, and thoroughly mortified at the unexpected result. They -were inclined to think the contest an unfair one, until the captain of -the contrabands offered to renew the race by having the crews exchange -boats, which proposition was not accepted by the white seamen for fear -of a like result. The captain said his contrabands could not only pull -a small boat faster and with more steadiness than the same number of -white seamen, but that they, with others he had on board, could man his -big guns with more agility and skill in time of action than any white -seamen he had ever seen." - -Mr. Lawson, at last accounts, was holding a prominent office in General -Foster's command. - - -CAPTAIN CALLIOUX. - - - "In war was never lion's rage so fierce; - In peace was never gentle lamb more mild." - SHAKSPEARE. - - -Revolutions are occasioned by the growth of society beyond the growth -of government, and they will be peaceful or violent just in proportion -as the people and government shall be wise and virtuous or vicious -and ignorant. Such revolutions or reforms are generally of a peaceful -nature in communities in which the government has made provision for -the gradual expansion of its institutions, to suit the onward march -of society. No government is wise in overlooking, whatever may be the -strength of its own traditions, or however glorious its history, that -human institutions will outlive their time; that those institutions -which have been adapted for a barbarous state of society, will cease -to be adapted for more civilized and intelligent times; and unless -government make a provision for the gradual expansion, nothing can -prevent a storm, either of an intellectual or a physical nature. - -The great American rebellion, therefore, is a legitimate revolution -growing out of the incongruity of freedom and slavery; and the first -gun fired at Sumter was hailed by every true friend of freedom, and -especially the negro, as the dawn of a brighter day for the black -man. But it was evident, from the commencement of the clash of arms, -that the despised race was to take no part in their exercise, unless -the Federal authorities were forced into it by the magnitude of the -rebellion. His services refused by the Federal government, all classes -declaring that they would not "_fight by the side of a nigger_," the -black man had nothing to do but to fold his arms and bide his time. -Defeat after defeat appeared to make no change in the pro-slavery -public mind, for the nation seemed determined to perish rather than -receive help from a black hand. The rout at Bull Run, the sad affair -at Ball's Bluff, the unfortunate mistake at Big Bethel, the loss of -100,000 brave men during the first fifteen months of the rebellion, and -the display of Copperhead feeling in the Northern States, caused the -far-seeing ones to feel that the ship of state was fast drifting to sea -without a rudder. The announcement that a proclamation of emancipation -would be issued on the 1st of January, 1863, brought forth a howl of -denunciation from those who despised the negro more than they did the -rebels. Still the cry rose from the majority, "Let the republic perish -rather than see the nigger in uniform." - -All this time, the black man was silently, yet steadily, creating an -under-current, which was, at a later day, to carry him to the battle -field. The heroic act of Tillman on the high seas, the "_strategy_" -of Captain Small in taking the Planter past the guns of Sumter, and -the reliable intelligence conveyed to the Union army by "intelligent -contrabands,"--all tended to soften the negro hate, and to pave the way -for justice. All honor to the "New York Tribune," for its noble defence -of my race, and its advocacy of the black man's right to bear arms. -The organization of negro regiments once begun by General Hunter, soon -found favor with the more liberal portion of the northern people. - -By and by, that brave, generous, and highly cultivated scholar, -gentleman, and Christian, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, lent the -influence of his name, and accepted an office in the first South -Carolina regiment, made an excursion into the heart of slavery, met the -rebels and defeated them with his negro soldiers, and reported through -the public journals what he had witnessed of the black man's ability on -the field of battle. Then the tide begun to turn. - -The announcement that a regiment of colored soldiers was to be raised -in Massachusetts, created another sensation among the Copperheads, -and no means were left unused to deter them from enlisting. An early -prejudice was brought against the movement, owing to the fact that -the commissioned officers were white, and no door was to be opened -to the black man's elevation. Would colored men enlist under such -restrictions? was a question asked in every circle. All admitted that -they had no inducement, save that of a wish to aid in freeing their -brethren of the south. - -Disfranchised in a majority of the free states, laboring under an -inhuman and withering prejudice, shut out of the political, religious, -and social associations of the nation, the black man's case was a hard -one. In the past, every weapon that genius or ignorance could invent or -command had been turned against him. Missiles had been hurled at his -devoted head from every quarter. - -The pulpit, the platform, and the press, had all united against him. -The statesman in the councils of the nation had lowered his standard -in his attempts to dehumanize the negro; the scholar had forgotten -his calling while turning aside to coin epithets against the race. -All of this he would have to forget before he could accept the musket -and the knapsack. Yet he did forget all, and in a few short days -the Massachusetts fifty-fourth regiment stood before the country as -another evidence of the black man's fidelity and patriotism. It is but -simple justice to say of this regiment, that the adjutant general, -on its departure for the seat of war, paid it the high compliment of -being the most sober and well behaved, and of having cost less for its -organization, than any regiment that had left the commonwealth, and -that it was better drilled than all, except the twelfth. While the -fifty-fourth, by its military skill and good order, was softening the -hard hearts of the people north, the negro regiments of Louisiana were -attracting attention by the boldness of their request to General Banks -to be sent to the field of active duty, and to be put in the front of -the fight. - -When New Orleans was captured by General Butler, he found there a -regiment of colored men bearing the name of the "Native Guard." These -men had been compelled to serve under the rebels; but when the latter -left the city, the former refused to follow, and embraced the earliest -opportunity to offer their services to the Union cause. They were at -once accepted by General Butler, under the title of the first Louisiana -regiment. - -The census of 1860 placed the number of the inhabitants of the city -of New Orleans at 175,000. Of these, 15,000 were free colored, 10,000 -were slaves, and the remainder were whites. The free colored men were -taxed for an average of $1000 to each person, while the white were -taxed for only $732 to each person. The first Louisiana regiment was -composed principally of this class of the free black population. The -professions, the mercantile, and the trades were well represented, -while not a few were men of extreme wealth. Nearly all were liberally -educated; some were scholars of a high order. The brave, the -enthusiastic, and the patriotic found full scope for the development -of their powers in this regiment. One of the most efficient of the -officers was Captain Callioux, a man whose identity with his race -could never be mistaken, for he prided himself on being the blackest -individual in the Crescent City. Whether in the drawing-room or on the -parade, he was ever the centre of attraction. Finely educated, polished -in his manners, a splendid horseman, a good boxer, bold, athletic, -and daring, he never lacked admirers. His men were ready at any time -to follow him to the cannon's mouth; and he was as ready to lead them. -General Banks granted their request, and the regiment was brought -before the rifle pits and heavy guns of Port Hudson on the 26th of May, -1863. Night fell--the lovely southern night, with its silvery moonshine -on the gleaming waters of the Mississippi, that passed directly by the -intrenched town. The glistening stars appeared suspended in the upper -air as globes of liquid light, with its fresh, soft breeze, bearing -such sweet scents from the odoriferous trees and plants, that a poet -might have fancied angelic spirits were abroad, making the atmosphere -luminous with their pure presence, and every breeze fragrant with -their luscious breath. The deep-red sun that rose on the next morning -indicated that the day would be warm, and, as it advanced, the heat -became intense. The earth had been long parched, and the hitherto -green verdure had begun to turn yellow. Clouds of dust followed every -step and movement of the troops. The air was filled with dust; clouds -gathered, frowned upon the earth, and hastened away. The weatherwise -watched the red masses of the morning, and still hoped for a shower -to cool the air and lay the dust, before the work of death commenced; -but none came, and the very atmosphere seemed as if it was from an -overheated oven. The laying aside of all unnecessary accoutrements, -and the preparation that showed itself on every side, told all present -that the conflict was near at hand. General Dwight was the officer in -command over the colored brigade, and his antecedents with regard to -the rights and the ability of the negro were not of the most favorable -character, and busy rumor, that knows every thing, had whispered it -about, that the valor of the black man was to be put to the severest -test that day. - -The black forces consisted of the first Louisiana, under -Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, and the third Louisiana, under Colonel -Nelson. These officers were white, but the line officers of the first -Louisiana were colored. The number of the colored troops was 1080 -strong, and formed into four lines, Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, first -Louisiana, forming the first line, and the others forming the second -line. As the moment of attack drew near, the greatest suppressed -excitement existed, but all were eager for the fight. Captain Callioux -walked proudly up and down the line, and smilingly greeted the -familiar faces of his company. Colonel Nelson being called to act as -brigadier-general, Lieutenant-Colonel Finnegas took his place. The -third Louisiana was composed mostly of freed men, whose backs still -bore the marks of the lash, and whose brave, stout hearts beat high at -the thought that the hour had come when they were to meet their proud -and unfeeling oppressors. New England officers and privates looked on, -and asked each other what they thought would be the result. Would these -blacks stand fire? Was not the test by which they were to be tried too -severe? - -The enemy, in his stronghold, felt his power, and bade defiance to -the expected attack. At last, the welcome word was given, and our men -started. The enemy opened a blistering fire of shell, canister, grape, -and musketry. The first shell thrown by the enemy killed and wounded a -number of the blacks; but on they went. "Charge" was the word-- - - - "'Charge!' Trump and drum awoke; - Onward the bondmen broke; - Bayonet and sabre-stroke - Vainly opposed their rush." - - -At every pace the column was thinned by the falling dead and wounded. -The negroes closed up steadily as their comrades fell, and advanced -within fifty paces of where the rebels were working a masked battery, -situated on a bluff where the guns could sweep the whole field over -which the troops must charge. This battery was on the left of the -charging line. Another battery of three or four guns commanded the -front, and six heavy pieces raked the right of the line as it formed, -and enfiladed its flank and rear as it charged on the bluff. It was -ascertained that a bayou ran under the bluff where the guns lay--a -bayou deeper than a man could ford. This charge was repulsed with -severe loss. - -Lieutenant-Colonel Finnegas was then ordered to charge, and in a -well-dressed, steady line his men went on the double quick down over -the field of death. No matter how gallantly the men behaved--no matter -how bravely they were led--it was not in the course of things that this -gallant brigade should take these works by charge. Yet charge after -charge was ordered, and carried out, under all these disasters, with -Spartan firmness. Six charges in all were made. Colonel Nelson reported -to General Dwight the fearful odds he had to contend with. Says General -Dwight, in reply, "Tell Colonel Nelson I shall consider that he has -accomplished nothing unless he takes those guns." Thus the last few -charges were made under the spur of desperation. - -The ground was already strewn with the dead and wounded, and many of -the brave officers had fallen early in the engagement. Among them was -the gallant and highly-cultivated Anselms. He was a standard-bearer, -and hugged the Stars and Stripes to his heart as he fell forward upon -them, pierced by five balls. Two corporals near by struggled between -themselves as to who should have the honor of again raising those -blood-stained emblems to the breeze. Each was eager for the honor, and -during the struggle a missile from the enemy wounded one of them, and -the other corporal shouldered the dear old flag in triumph, and bore it -through the charge in the front of the advancing line. - -Shells from the rebel guns cut down trees three feet in diameter, and -they fell at one time burying a whole company beneath their branches. - -Thus they charged bravely on certain destruction, till the ground was -slippery with the gore of the slaughtered, and cumbered with the bodies -of the maimed. The last charge was made about one o'clock. - -At this juncture, Captain Callioux was seen with his left arm dangling -by his side,--for a ball had broken it above the elbow,--while his -right hand held his unsheathed sword gleaming in the rays of the sun, -and his hoarse, faint voice was heard cheering on his men. A moment -more and the brave and generous Callioux was struck by a shell, -and fell far in advance of his company. The fall of this officer -so exasperated his men, that they appeared to be filled with new -enthusiasm, and they rushed forward with a recklessness that probably -never has been equalled. Seeing it to be a hopeless effort, the -taking of these batteries, order was given to change the programme, -and the troops were called off. But had they accomplished any thing -more than the loss of many of their brave men? Yes, they had. The -self-forgetfulness, the undaunted heroism, and the great endurance of -the negro, as exhibited that day, created a new chapter in American -history for the black man. No negro hater will ever again dare to urge -the withholding of our rights upon the plea that we will not fight. - -The stale and stereotyped falsehood that the blacks are wanting in -patriotism, was nailed to the counter as base coin, on the banks of -the Mississippi. Many Persians were slain at the battle of Thermopylæ, -but history records only the fall of Leonidas and his four hundred -companions. So, in the future, when we shall have passed away from -the stage, and rising generations shall speak of the conflict at Port -Hudson, and the celebrated charge of the Negro Brigade, they will -forget all others, in their admiration for Captain Callioux and his -black associates. I should have said, the expedition against this -strongly fortified place was Major-General Banks's, under whom the -other officers acted. The commander, in his official report of the -engagement, bears the following testimony to the bravery of the colored -troops. He says,-- - -"On the extreme right of our lines I posted the first and third -regiments of negro troops. The first regiment of Louisiana engineers, -composed exclusively of colored men, excepting the officers, was also -engaged in the operations of the day. The position occupied by these -troops was one of importance, and called for the utmost steadiness and -bravery in those to whom it was confided. - -"It gives me pleasure to report that they answered every expectation. -In many respects their conduct was heroic; no troops could be more -determined or more daring. They made, during the day, three charges -upon the batteries of the enemy, suffering very heavy losses, and -holding their position at nightfall with the other troops on the right -of our lines. The highest commendation is bestowed upon them by all the -officers in command on the right. - -"Whatever doubt may have existed heretofore as to the efficiency -of organizations of this character, the history of this day proves -conclusively to those who were in condition to observe the conduct of -these regiments, that the government will find in this class of troops -effective supporters and defenders. The severe test to which they were -subjected, and the determined manner in which they encountered the -enemy, leaves upon my mind no doubt of their ultimate success." - -The Hon. B. F. Flanders, writing from New Orleans, under date of June -2, 1863, pays the following tribute to the bravery of those invincible -men:-- - -"The unanimous report of all those who were in the recent severe -fight at Port Hudson, in regard to the negroes, is, that they fought -like devils. They have completely conquered the prejudice of the army -against them. Never was there before such an extraordinary revolution -of sentiment as that of this army in respect to the negroes as -soldiers." - - -CAPTAIN JOSEPH HOWARD. - - - "Freemen, now's your day for doing-- - Great the issues in your hand; - Risk them not by faint pursuing, - Peal the watchword through the land: - On for Freedom, - God, our Country, and the Right!" - - -Among the colored troops which Major-General Butler found at New -Orleans, when that place was evacuated by the rebels, was the Second -Louisiana Native Guards. When General Banks superseded General Butler, -and took command, the Second Louisiana was stationed at Baton Rouge. -This was considered one of the finest regiments in that section. The -line officers were all colored, and the best discipline prevailed -throughout the ranks. Nevertheless, the white officers of the New -England troops, either through jealousy, or hatred to the colored men -on account of their complexion, demanded that the latter should be -turned out of office, and that their places be filled by whites, from -the ranks of the other regiments. And to the everlasting shame of -General Banks, and the disgrace of the Union cause, the gallant men who -had got up the Second Louisiana regiment were dismissed. The order for -this change had scarcely been promulgated ere the retiring officers -found themselves the object of so much obloquy and abuse that they -were forced to quit Baton Rouge and return to New Orleans. The colored -soldiers were deeply pained at seeing the officers of their choice -taken from them, for they were much attached to their commanders, -some of whom were special favorites with the whole regiment. Among -these were First Lieutenant Joseph Howard, of Company I, and Second -Lieutenant Joseph G. Parker, of Company C. These gentlemen were both -possessed of ample wealth, and had entered the army, not as a matter of -speculation, as too many have done, but from a love of military life. -Their hatred of oppression, and attachment to the Union cause, kept -them from following the rebels in their hasty flight. - -Lieutenant Howard was a man of more than ordinary ability in military -tactics, and a braver or more daring officer could not be found in the -valley of the Mississippi. He was well educated, speaking the English, -French, and Spanish languages fluently, and was considered a scholar -of rare literary attainments. He, with his friend, felt sorely the -deep humiliation attending their dismissal, and they seldom showed -themselves on the streets of their native city. - -When the news reached New Orleans of the heroic charge made by the -first Louisiana regiment, at Port Hudson, on the 27th of May, Howard -at once called on his friend Parker, and they were so fired with the -intelligence that they determined to proceed to Port Hudson, and to -join their old regiment as _privates_. That night they took passage, -and the next day found them with their former friends in arms. The -regiment was still in position, close to the enemy's works, and the -appearance of the two lieutenants was hailed with demonstrations of -joy. Instead of being placed as privates in the ranks, they were both -immediately assigned the command of a company each, not from any -compliment to them, but sheer necessity, because the _white officers_ -of these companies, feeling that the colored soldiers were put in the -front of the battle owing to their complexion, were not willing to -risk their lives, and had thrown up their commissions. On the 20th -of June, these two officers were put to the test, and nobly did they -maintain their former reputation for bravery. Captain Howard leading -the way, they charged upon the enemy's rifle pits--drove them out -and took possession, and held them for three hours, in the face of a -raking fire of artillery. Several times the blacks were so completely -hidden from view by the smoke of their own guns and the enemy's heavy -cannon, that they could not be seen. It was at this time that Captain -Howard exhibited his splendid powers as a commander. The negroes never -hesitated, never flinched, but gallantly did their duty. - -Amid the roar of artillery and the rattling of musketry, the groans -of the wounded and the ghastly appearance of the dead, the heroic and -the intrepid Howard was the same. He never said to his men, "Go," but -always, "Follow me." At last, when many of their men were killed, and -the severe fire of the enemy's artillery seemed to mow down every thing -before it, these brave men were compelled to fall back from the pits -which they had so triumphantly taken. - -At nightfall, General Banks paid the negro officers a high compliment, -shaking the hand of Captain Howard, and congratulating him on his -return, and telling his aids that this man was worthy of a more -elevated place. Great amount of prejudice was conquered that day by the -intrepid Howard and his companions. - - - - -OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. - - -From Frederick Douglass' Monthly. - -"Though MR. BROWN'S book may stand alone upon its own merits, and stand -strong, yet while reading its interesting pages,--abounding in fact and -argument, replete with eloquence, logic, and learning,--clothed with -simple yet eloquent language, it is hard to repress the inquiry, Whence -has this man this knowledge? He seems to have read and remembered -nearly every thing which has been written or said respecting the -ability of the negro, and has condensed and arranged the whole into an -admirable argument, calculated both to interest and convince." - - -From the Liberator. - -"RAPID SALE.--We are informed that the first edition of 'THE BLACK -MAN,' the new work by WM. WELLS BROWN, has been sold, and a second -is to be published in a few days. Such rapid sale of a book devoted -entirely to an exhibition of the genius, the talent, and the heroism of -the hated Negro, and advocating his elevation and equality, shows that -a great change has come over the minds of the American people, and that -justice to a long injured class is not far off. This work has done good -service among those who are impregnated with the idea that the blacks -were created for nothing but slaves. The new edition will be revised -and enlarged, and will contain an original sketch of the heroic and -daring charge of the First Louisiana Regiment at Port Hudson. The price -of the book will remain the same--$1.00." - - -From the New York Anti-Slavery Standard. - -"In 'THE BLACK MAN,' MR. BROWN gives us authentic and well written -sketches of more than fifty colored men and women, of the past -and present time, who, by their talents, attainments, and earnest -devotion to the welfare of their race, have made themselves more or -less eminent, and whose lives and labors afford the best possible -illustration of the intellectual and moral capacity of the Negro, and -the best possible answer to those who make his alleged inferiority an -excuse for his enslavement." - - -From the New York Herald of Progress. - -"MR. BROWN has given us an interesting work. The subjects of the -biographies are well chosen to exhibit the versatility and range of the -genius of the African race. Science and Philosophy, Literature and the -Arts, are shown to be richly indebted to it. MR. BROWN'S book is an -incontestable argument." - - -From the Boston Transcript. - -"THE BLACK MAN: _His Antecedents, His Genius, and His -Achievements_.--This is the title of a new book by WM. WELLS BROWN, the -well-known lecturer and able advocate of his race. The work comprises -fifty-three biographical sketches of persons of pure or mixed African -descent who, in modern times, have been representative men and women, -besides reference to many illustrious names among the ancients. This -is the best account of the ability of the Negro ever put in print. The -genius of the race is well brought out." - - -From Zion's Herald, of Boston. - -"This is just the book for the crisis. We would that every pro-slavery -man in the country would read it." - - -From Hon. Gerrit Smith. - - - "PETERBORO', December, 1862. - - "WM. WELLS BROWN. My dear Sir: I am glad that you have written - such a book. It will do great good. Send me five dollars' worth of - it. Heaven bless you. - - Your friend, GERRITT SMITH." - - -From Lewis Tappan, Esq. - -Lewis Tappan, in his Cooper Institute Speech, on the 5th of January, -1863, said: "This is just the book for the hour; it will do more for -the colored man's elevation than any work yet published." - - - - -BOOKS FOR THE TIMES. - - -I. - - +Speeches, Lectures, and Letters.+ By WENDELL PHILLIPS. 1 Vol. - Crown 8vo. pp. 570. Fourth Thousand. - -LIBRARY EDITION, on fine tinted linen paper, with an illuminated title, -illustrated with an excellent Portrait on steel, and bound in the -best English green or marroon vellum-cloth. "In a luxurious style of -book-making."--_Boston Post._ Price, $ 2.25. - -TRADE EDITION, on common paper, bound in boards, with Portrait. Price, -$ 1.50. - -PEOPLE'S EDITION, on common paper, and paper covers, without portrait. -Price, $ 1. - - -II. - - +Hospital Sketches.+ By MISS L. M. ALCOTT. 1 Vol. 12mo. pp. 102. - "A book no woman can read without tears." Price, 50 cents. - - -III. - - +The Black Man+: HIS ANTECEDENTS, HIS GENIUS, AND HIS - ACHIEVEMENTS. By WM. WELLS BROWN. 2d Edition. Biographical - Sketches of fifty-eight celebrated colored men. Price, $ 1. - - -IV. - - +Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture.+ By DR. BAIRD. Revised by an - American Editor. To which is added a Memoir of Toussaint, written - by Himself, in a Letter to Napoleon Bonaparte, recently discovered - in the archives of the State Departments of France, and now first - published in English. Illustrated with a Portrait of Toussaint, a - Map of Hayti, &c. - - - JAMES REDPATH, Publisher, - 221 Washington Street, Boston. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK MAN *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<table style='min-width:0; padding:0; margin-left:0; border-collapse:collapse'> - <tr><td>Title:</td><td>The Black Man</td></tr> - <tr><td></td><td>His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements</td></tr> -</table> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: William Wells Brown</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: March 20, 2021 [eBook #64883]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: hekula03, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK MAN ***</div> - -<div class="mynote"><p class="center">Transcriber's Note:<br /><br /> -Obvious typographic errors have been corrected.<br /></p></div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/front.jpg" alt="front" /></div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/frontis.jpg" alt="from a photograph" /></div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/title.jpg" alt="title page" /></div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> - -<h1>THE BLACK MAN:</h1> - -<p class="bold2 space-above">HIS ANTECEDENTS, HIS GENIUS, AND<br />HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.</p> - -<p class="bold space-above">BY</p> - -<p class="bold2">WILLIAM WELLS BROWN.</p> - -<div class="center space-above"><img src="images/logo.jpg" alt="logo" /></div> - -<p class="bold space-above"><i>Boston</i>:<br />JAMES REDPATH, <span class="smcap">Publisher</span>,<br /> -<span class="smcap">221 Washington Street</span>.<br />1863.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center">Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by<br />WILLIAM -WELLS BROWN,<br />In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.</p> - -<p class="center space-above">STEREOTYPED AT THE<br />BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center">TO<br /><br />THE ADVOCATES AND FRIENDS<br /><br />OF<br /><br /> -NEGRO FREEDOM AND EQUALITY,<br /><br />WHEREVER FOUND,<br /><br /> -This Volume is Respectfully Dedicated,<br /><br />BY THE AUTHOR.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span></p> - -<h2>PREFACE.</h2> - -<hr class="smler" /> - -<p>The calumniators and traducers of the Negro are to be found, mainly, -among two classes. The first and most relentless are those who -have done them the greatest injury, by being instrumental in their -enslavement and consequent degradation. They delight to descant upon -the "natural inferiority" of the blacks, and claim that we were -destined only for a servile condition, entitled neither to liberty nor -the legitimate pursuit of happiness. The second class are those who are -ignorant of the characteristics of the race, and are the mere echoes of -the first. To meet and refute these misrepresentations, and to supply a -deficiency, long felt in the community, of a work containing sketches -of individuals who, by their own genius, capacity, and intellectual -development, have surmounted the many obstacles which slavery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> and -prejudice have thrown in their way, and raised themselves to positions -of honor and influence, this volume was written. The characters -represented in most of these biographies are for the first time put in -print. The author's long sojourn in Europe, his opportunity of research -amid the archives of England and France, and his visit to the West -Indies, have given him the advantage of information respecting the -blacks seldom acquired.</p> - -<p>If this work shall aid in vindicating the Negro's character, and show -that he is endowed with those intellectual and amiable qualities which -adorn and dignify human nature, it will meet the most sanguine hopes of -the writer.</p> - -<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">Cambridgeport, Mass.</span>, 1863.</p></blockquote> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> - -<hr class="smler" /> - -<table summary="CONTENTS"> - <tr> - <td></td> - <td><span class="smaller">PAGE</span></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Memoir of the Author</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">The Black Man and his Antecedents</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="center">——</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td colspan="2" class="center">THE BLACK MAN, HIS GENIUS AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Benjamin Banneker</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Nat Turner</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Madison Washington</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Henry Bibb</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Placido</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Jeremiah B. Sanderson</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Toussaint L'Ouverture</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_92">92</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Crispus Attucks</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Dessalines</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_110">110</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Ira Aldridge</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Joseph Cinque</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Alexandre Dumas</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Henri Christophe</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Phillis Wheatley</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Denmark Vesey</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Henry Highland Garnett</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_149">149</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span><span class="smcap">James M. Whitfield</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Andre Rigaud</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_153">153</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Frances Ellen Watkins</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Ex-President Roberts</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_163">163</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Alexander Crummell</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Alexandre Petion</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Martin R. Delany</span>, M. D.,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Robert Small</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Frederick Douglass</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_180">180</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Charles L. Reason</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_187">187</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Charlotte L. Forten</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">William H. Simpson</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_199">199</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Jean Pierre Boyer</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_202">202</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">James M'Cune Smith</span>, M. D.,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Bishop Payne</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">William Still</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_211">211</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Edwin M. Bannister</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_214">214</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Leonard A. Grimes</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_217">217</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">President Geffrard</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_220">220</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">George B. Vashon</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_223">223</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Robert Morris</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">William J. Wilson</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_230">230</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">John Mercer Langston</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_235">235</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">William C. Nell</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_238">238</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">John Sella Martin</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Charles Lenox Remond</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_246">246</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">George T. Downing</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_250">250</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Robert Purvis</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Joseph Jenkins</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_259">259</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span><span class="smcap">John S. Rock</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_266">266</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">William Douglass</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_271">271</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Elymas Payson Rogers</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_272">272</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">J. Theodore Holly</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_274">274</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">James W. C. Pennington</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">A Man without a Name</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_278">278</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Samuel R. Ward</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_284">284</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Sir Edward Jordan</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_286">286</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Joseph Carter</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_288">288</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">James Lawson</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_291">291</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Capt. Callioux</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_297">297</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="left"><span class="smcap">Capt. Joseph Howard</span>,</td> - <td><a href="#Page_308">308</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> - -<h2>MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR.</h2> - -<p>I was born at Lexington, Kentucky. My father, as I was informed, was -a member of the Wickliffe family; my mother was of mixed blood; her -father, it was said, was the noted Daniel Boone, and her mother a -negress. My early life on the plantation was such as generally falls to -the lot of the young slave, till I arrived at the age of nine years, -when my position was changed. My master's brother lost his wife, she -leaving an infant son a few months old, whom my mistress took to bring -up. When this boy became old enough to need a playmate to watch over -him, mistress called the young slaves together, to select one for the -purpose. We were all ordered to run, jump, wrestle, turn somersets, -walk on our hands, and go through the various gymnastic exercises that -the imagination of our brain could invent, or the strength and activity -of our limbs could endure. The selection was to be an important one, -both to the mistress and the slave. Whoever should gain the place was -in the future to become a house servant; the ask-cake thrown aside, -that unmentionable garment that buttons around the neck, which we all -wore, and nothing else, was to give way to the whole suit of tow linen. -Every one of us joined heartily in the contest, while old mistress sat -on the piazza, watching our every movement—some fifteen of us, each -dressed in his one garment, sometimes standing on our heads with feet -in the air—still the lady looked on. With me it seemed a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> matter of -life and death; for, being blood kin to master, I felt that I had more -at stake than my companions. At last the choice was made, and I was -told to step aside as the "lucky boy," which order I obeyed with an -alacrity seldom surpassed. That night I was put to soak, after which I -was scraped, scrubbed, washed, and dried. The next day, the new suit -came down to the quarters; I slipped into it; the young slaves gathered -about me, and I was the star of the plantation. My mother, one of the -best of mothers, placed her hands on my head, and, with tears in her -eyes, said, "I knowed you was born for good luck, for a fortune-teller -told me so when you was a baby layin' in your little sugar trough. -Go up to de great house where you belong." With this blessing I bade -farewell to the log hut and the dirt floor, and started towards the -"big house." Mistress received me, and laid down the law which was to -govern my future actions. "I give your young master over to you," said -she; "and if you let him hurt himself, I'll pull your ears; if you let -him cry, I'll pull your ears; if he wants any thing, and you don't give -it to him, I'll pull your ears; when he goes to sleep, if you let him -wake before it is time, I'll pull your ears." And right well did she -keep her promise, for my ears felt the impress of her tender fingers -and gold rings almost every day, and at times nearly every hour.</p> - -<p>Yet I would not have you suppose, gentle reader, that my old mistress -was of low or common origin; but on the contrary, she boasted that the -best blood of the south coursed through her blue veins. My master, Dr. -John Young, was a man of considerable standing in his section of the -state. A member of the church, his seat was not often empty during -religious service. He was very strict as to the observance of the -Sabbath, held prayer night and morning, and entertained more travelling -preachers than almost any one in his neighborhood.</p> - -<p>The doctor did not surpass his wife in devotedness to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> religious -observances. Of these travelling ministers, each had a favorite, who in -turn used to spend several days on the plantation, hunting, shooting, -fishing, visiting, and at times preaching. The Rev. Mr. Pinchen was my -mistress's favorite, and he was indeed an interesting character. Short -and stout, somewhat inclined to corpulency, deeply pockmarked, quick in -his motions, and with a strong voice, he was one of the funniest of men -when telling his long stories about his religious and other experience -in the south.</p> - -<p>I had been in the great house nearly three years, when Mr. Pinchen was -expected to make his annual visit. The stir about the dwelling, the -cleaning of paint, the scalding out of the bedbugs, and the orders and -counter-orders from Mrs. Young, showed plainly that something uncommon -was to take place. High and angry words had passed between master -and mistress, one morning, when the latter weepingly and snufflingly -exclaimed, "Never mind; you'll not have me here always to hector and to -worry: I'll die one of these days, and then you'll be glad of it. Never -mind; keep on, and you'll send me to my grave before the time. Never -mind; one of these days the Lord will make up his <i>jewels, call me home -to glory</i>, and I'll be out of your way, and I'll be devilish glad of it -too." Her weeping increased, and she continued, "Never mind; brother -Pinchen will be here soon, and then I'll have somebody to talk to me -about religion." At this moment, Hannah, the waiting maid, entered the -room, and Mrs. Young gave orders with regard to Mr. Pinchen's visit. -"Go, Hannah," said she, "and get the chamber ready for brother Pinchen: -put on the new linen sheets, and see that they are dry, and well -aired; if they are not, I'll air <i>you</i>, my lady." The arrival of the -clergyman, the next day, was the signal for new and interesting scenes. -After the first morning's breakfast was over, family prayer finished, -the Bible put away, the brandy replaced in the sideboard, and Dr. Young -gone to his office, Mr. Pinchen commenced the delivery of one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> those -religious experiences for which he was so celebrated wherever he was -known. Mrs. Young and the minister were seated at the round table, I -standing behind her chair, and Hannah clearing off the breakfast table, -when the servant of God began by saying, "Well, sister Young, I've seen -a heap since I was here last."</p> - -<p>"I am so glad to hear it," responded she, "for I want to hear something -good. Now do give me your experience, brother Pinchen; it always draws -me nearer and nearer to the Lord's side."</p> - -<p>"Well, sister Young, I've had great opportunity in my time to study -the human heart. I've attended a great many camp meetings, revival -meetings, protracted meetings, and death-bed scenes, and I am -satisfied, sister Young, that the heart of man is full of sin and -desperately wicked. This is a wicked world, sister, a wicked world."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Young asked, "Were you ever in Arkansas, brother Pinchen? I've -been told that the people out there are very ungodly."</p> - -<p>Mr. Pinchen said, "O, yes, sister Young; I once spent a year at Little -Rock, and preached in all the towns round about there; and I found some -hard cases out there, I can tell you. I was once spending a week in a -district where there were a great many horse thieves, and one night -somebody stole my pony. Well, I knowed it was no use to make a fuss; -so I told brother Tarbox to say nothing about it, and I'd get my horse -by preaching God's everlasting gospel; for I had faith in the truth, -and knowed that my Saviour would not let me lose my pony. So the next -Sunday I preached on horse-stealing, and told the brethren to come up -in the evenin' with their hearts filled with the grace of God. So that -night the house was crammed brim full with anxious souls, panting for -the bread of life. Brother Bingham opened with prayer, and brother -Tarbox followed, and I saw right off that we were gwine to have a -blessed time. After I got 'em pretty well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> warmed up, I jumped on to -one of the seats, stretched out my hands, and said: 'I know who stole -my pony; I've found out; and you are here tryin' to make people believe -that you've got religion; but you ain't got it. And if you don't take -my horse back to brother Tarbox's pasture this very night, I'll tell -your name right out in meetin' to-morrow night. Take my pony back, you -vile and wretched sinner, and come up here and give your heart to God.' -So the next mornin', I went out to brother Tarbox's pasture, and sure -enough, there was my bob-tail pony. Yes, sister, there he was, safe and -sound. Ha, ha, ha!"</p> - -<p>With uplifted hands, old mistress exclaimed, "O, how interesting, and -how fortunate for you to get your pony! And what power there is in the -gospel! God's children are very lucky. O, it is so sweet to sit here -and listen to such good news from God's people!"</p> - -<p>Hannah was so entranced with the conversation that she had left her -work, and, with eyes and mouth open, was listening to the preacher. -Turning aside, and in a low voice, Mrs. Young harshly said, "Hannah, -what are you standing there listening for, and neglecting your work? -Never mind, my lady, I'll whip you well when I am done here. Go at your -work this moment, you lazy hussy. Never mind, I'll whip you well." -Then, turning again to the preacher, she said, "Come, do go on, brother -Pinchen, with your godly conversation. It is so sweet! It draws me -nearer and nearer to the Lord's side."</p> - -<p>"Well, sister Young," continued he, "I've had some mighty queer dreams -in my time—that I have. You see, one night I dreamed that I was dead -and in heaven; and such a place I never saw before. As soon as I -entered the gates of the celestial empire, I saw many old and familiar -faces that I had seen before. The first person that I saw was good old -Elder Pike, the preacher that first called my attention to religion. -The next person I saw was Deacon Billings, my first wife's father; and -then I saw a host of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> godly faces. Why, sister Young, you knew Elder -Goosbee—didn't you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," replied she; "did you see him there?"</p> - -<p>"O, yes, sister Young, I saw the elder, and he looked for all the world -as if he had just come out of a revival meeting."</p> - -<p>"Did you see my first husband there, brother Pinchen?"</p> - -<p>"No, sister Young, I didn't see brother Pepper, but I've no doubt but -that he was there."</p> - -<p>"Well, I don't know," said she; "I have my doubts. He was not the -happiest man in the world. He was always borrowing trouble about -something or another. Still, I saw some happy moments with Mr. Pepper. -I was happy when I made his acquaintance, happy during our courtship, -happy a while after our marriage, and happy when he died."</p> - -<p>Here she put her handkerchief to her eyes, and wept bitterly for a -moment. At this juncture Hannah asked, "Did you see my husband, Ben, up -in hebben, Massa Pinchen?"</p> - -<p>"No, no, Hannah, I didn't go amongst the blacks," answered he.</p> - -<p>"Of course not," said mistress; "brother Pinchen didn't go among the -niggers." Turning aside to Hannah, and in a whisper, she exclaimed, -"What are you asking questions for? Never mind, my lady, I'll whip you -well when I'm done here. I'll skin you from head to foot. Do go on with -your heavenly conversation, brother Pinchen; it does my very soul good. -This is indeed a precious moment for me. I do love to hear of Christ -and him crucified."</p> - -<p>After the conversation had ceased, and the preacher gone out to call -on Mrs. Daniels, Mrs. Young said to the maid, "Now, Hannah, brother -Pinchen is gone; you get the cowhide, and I'll whip you well, for -aggravating me as you did to-day. It seems as if I can never sit down -to take a little comfort with the Lord, without the devil putting it -into your head to cross me. I've no doubt, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>Hannah, that I'll miss -going to heaven on your account; but I'll whip you well before I leave -this world—that I will." The servant received a flogging, Mrs. Young -felt easier, and I was in the kitchen amusing my fellow-slaves with -telling over Mr. Pinchen's last experience. Here let me say, that -we regarded the religious profession of the whites around us as a -farce, and our master and mistress, together with their guest, as mere -hypocrites. During the entire visit of the preacher, the servants had a -joyful time over my representations of what was going on in the great -house.</p> - -<p>The removal of my master's family and slaves to the centre of the State -of Missouri about this time, caused some change in our condition. My -young master, William, had now grown to be a stout boy of five years -of age. No restraint thrown around him by the doctor or his wife, aunt -Dolly, his nurse, not permitted to control any of his actions, William -had become impudent, petulant, peevish, and cruel. Sitting at the -tea table, he would often desire to make his entire meal out of the -sweetmeats, the sugar-bowl, or the cake; and when mistress would not -allow him to have them, he, in a fit of anger, would throw any thing -within his reach at me; spoons, knives, forks, and dishes would be -hurled at my head, accompanied with language such as would astonish any -one not well versed in the injurious effects of slavery upon the rising -generation. Thomas Jefferson, in 1788, in a letter to M. Warville, -Paris, writing upon slavery, alludes to its influence upon the young as -follows:—</p> - -<p>"The parent storms, the child looks on, catches the lineaments of -wrath, puts on the same airs in the circle of smaller slaves, <span class="smaller">GIVES -LOOSE TO HIS WORST PASSIONS</span>; and, thus <i>nursed, educated, and -daily exercised in tyranny</i>, cannot but be stamped by it with odious -peculiarities."</p> - -<p>In the Virginia legislature, in the year 1832, Hon. Lewis Summers -said,— </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> - -<p>"A slave population exercises the <i>most pernicious influence</i> upon the -manners, habits, and character of those among whom it exists. <i>Lisping -infancy</i> learns the vocabulary of abusive epithets, and struts, the -<i>embryo tyrant</i> of its little domain. The consciousness of <i>superior -destiny</i> takes possession of his mind at its earliest dawning, and -<i>love of power and rule</i> 'grows with his growth and strengthens with -his strength.' Unless enabled to rise above the operation of those -powerful causes, <i>he enters the world with miserable notions of -self-importance, and under the government of an unbridled temper</i>."</p> - -<p>Having, by speculation and mismanagement, lost the most of his -property, Dr. Young resumed the practice of medicine in Missouri, and -soon obtained a lucrative run of custom. Here, as in Kentucky, the -doctor took great interest in matters of religion, and was considered -one of the pillars in the church.</p> - -<p>Being sent one Sabbath morning to carry the sacramental wine to the -church, about a mile distant, I could not withstand the temptation it -presented of tasting it. Having had one swallow, I was tempted further -on, till the beverage disappeared out of the neck of the bottle, so -that I felt afraid that if noticed by master, I should be flogged. It -occurred to me that I might fill up the bottle from one of the sap -tubs, as I passed through the sugar camp; for it was the spring of the -year, and we were making maple sugar. I tried to pour the sap into the -bottle, but it flared over the top, leaving the wine still some inches -down the neck. After ransacking my inventive faculties, I fortunately -hit upon a plan and filled it up. Placing the bottle on the ground, and -sucking my mouth full of the juice, I stood directly over the bottle -and let it stream in until it was full. Putting the stopple in, I -started off towards the church, feeling that I had got the advantage of -master once more.</p> - -<p>My fair complexion was a great obstacle to my <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>happiness, both with -whites and blacks, in and about the great house. Often mistaken by -strangers for a white boy, it annoyed my mistress very much. On one -occasion, a visitor came to the place in the absence of the doctor. -While Mrs. Young was entertaining the major (for he was a military -man), I passed through the room, and going near the stranger, he put -out his hand and said to me, "How do you do, bub?" and turning to the -lady, he exclaimed, "Madam, I would have known that he was the doctor's -son, if I had met him in California, for he is so much like his papa." -Mistress ordered me out of the room, and remarked that I was one of -the servants, when the major begged pardon for the mistake. After the -stranger was gone, I was flogged for his blunder.</p> - -<p>Dr. Young sold his large farm, which was situated in the central part -of the state, and removed to St. Louis, where a number of the servants -were let out. I was put to work tending upon the hands in the office -of the "St. Louis Times," a newspaper owned and published by Lovejoy -& Miller, and edited by Elijah P. Lovejoy. Here my young heart began -to feel more longings for liberty. The love of freedom is a sentiment -natural to the human heart, and the want of it is felt by him who does -not possess it. He feels it a reproach; and with this sting, this -wounded pride, hating degradation, and looking forward to the cravings -of the heart, the enslaved is always on the alert for an opportunity -to escape from his oppressors and to avenge his wrongs. What greater -injury and indignity can be offered to man, than to make him the -bond-slave of his fellow-man?</p> - -<p>My sojourn in the printing office was of short duration, and I was -afterwards let out to a slave-trader named Walker. This heartless, -cruel, ungodly man, who neither loved his Maker nor feared Satan, was -a fair representative of thousands of demons in human form that are -engaged in buying and selling God's children. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> - -<p>One year with Walker, beholding scenes of cruelty that can be better -imagined than described, I was once more taken home, and soon after -hired out as an under steward on the steamer Patriot, running to New -Orleans. This opened to me a new life, and gave me an opportunity to -see different phases of slave life, and to learn something more of the -world. Life on the Mississippi River is an exciting one. I had not -been on the boat but a few weeks when one of those races for which the -southern steamers are so famous took place.</p> - -<p>At eight o'clock on the evening of the third day of the passage, the -lights of another steamer were seen in the distance, and apparently -coming up very fast. This was the signal for a general commotion on -board the Patriot, and every thing indicated that a steamboat race was -at hand. Nothing can exceed the excitement attendant upon the racing of -steamers on the Mississippi.</p> - -<p>By the time the boats had reached Memphis they were side by side, and -each exerting itself to get in advance of the other. The night was -clear, the moon shining brightly, and the boats so near to each other -that the passengers were within speaking distance. On board the Patriot -the firemen were using oil, lard, butter, and even bacon, with wood, -for the purpose of raising the steam to its highest pitch. The blaze -mingled with the black smoke that issued from the pipes of the other -boat, which showed that she also was burning something more combustible -than wood.</p> - -<p>The firemen of both boats, who were slaves, were singing songs such -as can only be heard on board a southern steamer. The boats now came -abreast of each other, and nearer and nearer, until they were locked -so that men could pass from one to the other. The wildest excitement -prevailed among the men employed on the steamers, in which the -passengers freely participated.</p> - -<p>At this moment the engineer of the Patriot was seen to fasten down -the safety-valve, so that no steam should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> escape. This was indeed a -dangerous resort, and a few who saw what had taken place, fearing that -an explosion would be the consequence, left that part of the boat for -more secure quarters.</p> - -<p>The Patriot now stopped to take in passengers; but still no steam was -permitted to escape. On the starting of the boat again, cold water was -forced into the boilers by the feed-pumps, and, as might have been -expected, one of the boilers exploded with terrific force, carrying -away the boiler deck and tearing to pieces much of the machinery. One -dense fog of steam filled every part of the vessel, while shrieks, -groans, and cries were heard on every side. Men were running hither and -thither looking for their wives, and women were flying about, in the -wildest confusion, seeking for their husbands. Dismay appeared on every -countenance.</p> - -<p>The saloons and cabins soon looked more like hospitals than any thing -else; but by this time the Patriot had drifted to the shore, and the -other steamer had come alongside to render assistance to the disabled -boat. The killed and wounded (nineteen in number) were put on shore, -and the Patriot, taken in tow by the Washington, was once more on her -journey.</p> - -<p>It was half past twelve, and the passengers, instead of retiring -to their berths, once more assembled at the gaming tables. The -practice of gambling on the western waters has long been a source of -annoyance to the more moral persons who travel on our great rivers. -Thousands of dollars often change owners during a passage from St. -Louis or Louisville to New Orleans on a Mississippi steamer. Many -men are completely ruined on such occasions, and duels are often the -consequence.</p> - -<p>"Go call my boy, steward," said Mr. Jones, as he took his cards one by -one from the table.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes a fine-looking, bright-eyed mulatto boy, apparently -about sixteen years of age, was standing by his master's side at the -table. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I am broke, all but my boy," said Jones, as he ran his fingers through -his cards; "but he is worth a thousand dollars, and I will bet the half -of him."</p> - -<p>"I will call you," said Thompson, as he laid five hundred dollars at -the feet of the boy, who was standing on the table, and at the same -time throwing down his cards before his adversary.</p> - -<p>"You have beaten me," said Jones; and a roar of laughter followed from -the other gentleman as poor Joe stepped down from the table.</p> - -<p>"Well, I suppose I owe you half the nigger," said Thompson, as he took -hold of Joe and began examining his limbs.</p> - -<p>"Yes," replied Jones, "he is half yours. Let me have five hundred -dollars, and I will give you a bill of sale of the boy."</p> - -<p>"Go back to your bed," said Thompson to his chattel, "and remember that -you now belong to me."</p> - -<p>The poor slave wiped the tears from his eyes, as, in obedience, he -turned to leave the table.</p> - -<p>"My father gave me that boy," said Jones, as he took the money, "and I -hope, Mr. Thompson, that you will allow me to redeem him."</p> - -<p>"Most certainly, sir," replied Thompson; "whenever you hand over the -cool thousand the negro is yours."</p> - -<p>Next morning, as the passengers were assembling in the cabin and on -deck, and while the slaves were running about waiting on or looking for -their masters, poor Joe was seen entering his new master's state-room, -boots in hand.</p> - -<p>Such is the uncertainty of a slave's life. He goes to bed at night -the pampered servant of his young master, with whom he has played -in childhood, and who would not see his slave abused under any -consideration, and gets up in the morning the property of a man whom he -has never before seen.</p> - -<p>To behold five or six tables in the saloon of a steamer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> with half a -dozen men playing cards at each, with money, pistols, and bowie-knives -spread in splendid confusion before them, is an ordinary thing on the -Mississippi River.</p> - -<p>Continued intercourse with educated persons, and meeting on the steamer -so many travellers from the free states, caused me to feel more -keenly my degraded and unnatural situation. I gained much information -respecting the north and Canada that was valuable to me, and I resolved -to escape with my mother, who had been sold to a gentleman in St. -Louis. The attempt was made, but we were unsuccessful. I was then sold -to Mr. Samuel Willi, a merchant tailor. I was again let out to be -employed on a Mississippi steamboat, but was soon after sold to Captain -E. Price, of the Chester. To escape from slavery and become my own -master, was now the ruling passion of my life. I would dream at night -that I was free, and, on awaking, weep to find myself still a slave.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"I would think of Victoria's domain;</div> -<div class="i1">In a moment I seemed to be there;</div> -<div>But the fear of being taken again</div> -<div class="i1">Soon hurried me back to despair."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Thoughts of the future, and my heart yearning for liberty, kept me -always planning to escape.</p> - -<p>The long-looked-for opportunity came, and I embraced it. Leaving the -steamer upon which my new master had me at work, I started for the -north, travelling at night and lying by during the day. It was in the -winter season, and I suffered much from cold and hunger. Supposing -every person to be my enemy, I was afraid to appeal to any one, even -for a little food, to keep body and soul together. As I pressed -forward, my escape to Canada seemed certain, and this feeling gave me a -light heart; for</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Behind I left the whips and chains,</div> -<div>Before me were sweet Freedom's plains."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> - -<p>While on my journey at night, and passing farms, I would seek a -corn-crib, and supply myself with some of its contents. The next day, -while buried in the forest, I would make a fire and roast my corn, and -drink from the nearest stream. One night, while in search of corn, -I came upon what I supposed to be a hill of potatoes, buried in the -ground for want of a cellar. I obtained a sharp-pointed piece of wood, -with which I dug away for more than an hour, and on gaining the hidden -treasure, found it to be turnips. However, I did not dig for nothing. -After supplying myself with about half a dozen of the turnips, I again -resumed my journey. This uncooked food was indeed a great luxury, and -gave strength to my fatigued limbs. The weather was very cold,—so -cold, that it drove me one night into a barn, where I lay in the hay -until morning. A storm overtook me when about a week out. The rain fell -in torrents, and froze as it came down. My clothes became stiff with -ice. Here again I took shelter in a barn, and walked about to keep -from freezing. Nothing but the fear of being arrested and returned to -slavery prevented me, at this time, seeking shelter in some dwelling.</p> - -<p>After many days of weary travelling, and sick from exposure, I -determined to seek shelter and aid; and for this purpose, I placed -myself behind some fallen trees near the main road, hoping to see -some colored person, thinking I should be more safe under the care of -one of my own color. Several farmers with their teams passed, but the -appearance of each one frightened me out of the idea of asking for -assistance. After lying on the ground for some time, with my sore, -frost-bitten feet benumbed with cold, I saw an old, white-haired man, -dressed in a suit of drab, with a broad-brimmed hat, walking along, -leading a horse. The man was evidently walking for exercise. I came out -from my hiding-place and told the stranger I must die unless I obtained -some assistance. A moment's conversation satisfied the old man that -I was one of the oppressed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> fleeing from the house of bondage. From -the difficulty with which I walked, the shivering of my limbs, and -the trembling of my voice, he became convinced that I had been among -<i>thieves</i>, and he acted the part of the Good Samaritan. This was the -first person I had ever seen of the religious sect called "Quakers," -and his name was Wells Brown. I remained here about a fortnight, and -being fitted out with clothes, shoes, and a little money, by these good -people, I was again ready to resume my journey. I entered their house -with the single name that I was known by at the south, "William;" I -left it with the one I now bear.</p> - -<p>A few days more, and I arrived at Cleveland, Ohio, where I found -employment during the remainder of the winter. Having no education, -my first thoughts went in that direction. Obtaining a situation the -following spring on a Lake Erie steamer, I found that I could be very -serviceable to slaves who were escaping from the south to Canada. In -one year alone I assisted <i>sixty</i> fugitives in crossing to the British -queen's dominions. Many of these escapes were attended with much -interest. On one occasion, a fugitive had been hid away in the house -of a noted abolitionist in Cleveland for ten days, while his master -was in town, and watching every steamboat and vessel that left the -port. Several officers were also on the watch, guarding the house of -the abolitionist every night. The slave was a young and valuable man, -of twenty-two years of age, and very black. The friends of the slave -had almost despaired of getting him away from his hiding-place, when I -was called in, and consulted as to the best course to be taken. I at -once inquired if a painter could be found who would paint the fugitive -white. In an hour, by my directions, the black man was as white, and -with as rosy cheeks, as any of the Anglo-Saxon race, and disguised in -the dress of a woman, with a thick veil over her face. As the steamer's -bell was tolling for the passengers to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> come on board, a tall lady, -dressed in deep mourning, and leaning on the arm of a gentleman of -more than ordinary height, was seen entering the ladies' cabin of the -steamer North America, who took her place with the other <i>ladies</i>. Soon -the steamer left the wharf, and the slave-catcher and his officers, who -had been watching the boat since her arrival, went away, satisfied that -their slave had not escaped by the North America, and returned to guard -the house of the abolitionist. After the boat had got out of port, and -fairly on her way to Buffalo, I showed the tall lady to her state-room. -The next morning, the fugitive, dressed in his plantation suit, bade -farewell to his native land, crossed the Niagara River, and took up his -abode in Canada.</p> - -<p>I remained on Lake Erie during the sailing season, and resided in -Buffalo in the winter. In the autumn of 1843 I was invited by the -officers of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society to take an -agency as a lecturer in behalf of my enslaved countrymen, which offer -I accepted, and soon commenced my labors. Mobs were very frequent in -those days. Being advertised to address the citizens of Aurora, Erie -County, New York, on one occasion, I went to fulfil the appointment, -and found the church surrounded by a howling set of men and boys, -waiting to give me a warm reception. I went in, opened the meeting, -and began my address. But they were resolved on having a good time, -and the disturbance was so great that I had to stop. In the mean time, -a bag of flour had been brought to the church, taken up into the -belfry, directly over the entrance door, and a plan laid to throw the -whole of it over me as I should pass out of the house, of all which my -friends and I were unaware. After I had been driven from the pulpit -by the unsalable eggs, which were thrown about very freely, I stopped -in the body of the church to discuss a single point with one of the -respectable rowdies, when the audience became silent, and I went on and -spoke<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> above an hour, all the while receiving the strictest attention -from every one present. At the conclusion the lights were put out, and -preparation made to flour me over, although I had evidently changed the -opinions of many of their company. As we were jamming along towards the -door, one of the mob whispered to me, "They are going to throw a bag of -flour on you; so when you hear any one say, 'Let it slide,' you look -out." Thus on my guard, and in possession of their signal, I determined -to have a little fun at their expense. Therefore, when some of the best -dressed and most respectable looking of their own company, or those who -had no sympathy with my mission, filled up the doorway, I cried out in -a disguised voice, "Let it slide;" and down came the contents of the -bag, to the delight of my friends and the consternation of the <i>enemy</i>. -A quarrel arose among the men at the door, and while they were settling -their difficulty, my few friends and I quietly walked away unharmed.</p> - -<p>Invited by influential English abolitionists, and elected a delegate to -the Peace Congress at Paris, I sailed for Liverpool in the Royal Mail -Steamship Canada, in the month of July, 1849. The passage was pleasant, -and we arrived out in less than ten days.</p> - -<p>I visited Dublin, where I partook of the hospitality of Richard -D. Webb, Esq., and went from there to London; thence to Paris, to -discharge the duties of my mission on peace.</p> - -<p>In the French capital I met some of the most noted of the English -philanthropists, who were also there in attendance on the -Congress—Joseph Sturge, Richard Cobden, and men of that class.</p> - -<p>Returning to London after the adjournment of the peace gathering, I was -invited to various parts of the United Kingdom, and remained abroad a -little more than five years, during which time I wrote and published -three books, lectured in every town of any note in England,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> Ireland, -Scotland, and Wales, besides visiting the continent four times. During -my long sojourn in Great Britain, I witnessed many scenes of interest, -and experienced much that was of an amusing character. It may not be -out of place to give one of these here. On a cold winter's evening, I -found myself seated before the fire, and alone, in the principal hotel -in the ancient and beautiful town of Ludlow, and within a few minutes' -walk of the famous old castle from which the place derives its name. A -long ride by coach had so completely chilled me, that I remained by the -fire to a later hour than I otherwise would have. "Did you ring, sir?" -asked the waiter, as the clock struck twelve. "No," I replied; "but you -may give me a light, and I will retire." I was shown to my chamber, and -was soon in bed. From the weight of the covering, I felt sure that the -extra blanket which I had requested to be put on was there; yet I was -shivering with cold. As the sheets began to get warm, I discovered, to -my astonishment, that they were damp—indeed wet. My first thought was -to ring the bell for the servant, and have them changed; but, after a -moment's consideration, I resolved to adopt a different course. I got -out of bed, pulled the sheets off, rolled them up, raised the window, -and threw them into the street. After disposing of the wet sheets, -I returned to bed, and got in between the blankets, and lay there -trembling with cold till Morpheus came to my relief. The next morning I -said nothing about the sheets, feeling sure that the discovery of their -loss would be made by the chambermaid in due time. Breakfast over, I -visited the ruins of the old castle, and then returned to the hotel, to -await the coach for Hereford. As the hour drew near for me to leave, -I called the waiter, and ordered my bill. "Yes, sir, in a moment," he -replied, and left in haste. Ten or fifteen minutes passed away, and the -servant once more came in, walked to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> window, pulled up the blinds, -and then went out. I saw that something was afloat; and it occurred -to me that they had discovered the loss of the sheets, at which I was -pleased; for the London newspapers were, at that time, discussing the -merits and the demerits of the hotel accommodations of the kingdom, and -no letters found a more ready reception in their columns than one on -that subject. I had, therefore, made up my mind to have the wet sheets -put in the bill, pay for them, and send the bill to "The Times."</p> - -<p>The waiter soon returned again, and, in rather an agitated manner, -said, "I beg your pardon, sir, but the landlady is in the hall, and -would like to speak to you." Out I went, and found the finest specimen -of an English landlady that I had seen for many a day. There she stood, -nearly as thick as she was tall, with a red face garnished around with -curls, that seemed to say, "I have just been oiled and brushed." A neat -apron covered a black alpaca dress that swept the floor with modesty, -and a bunch of keys hung at her side. O, that smile! such a smile as -none but an adept could put on. However, I had studied human nature -too successfully not to know that thunder and lightning were concealed -under that smile, and I nerved myself for the occasion. "I am sorry to -have to name it, sir," said she; "but the sheets are missing off your -bed." "O, yes," I replied; "I took them off last night." "Indeed!" -exclaimed she; "and what did you do with them?" "I threw them out of -the window," said I. "What! into the street?" "Yes; into the street," -I said. "What did you do that for?" "They were wet; and I was afraid -that if I left them in the room they would be put on at night, and -give somebody else a cold." "Then, sir," said she, "you'll have to pay -for them." "Make out your bill, madam," I replied, "and put the price -of the wet sheets in it, and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> will send it to 'The Times,' and let -the public know how much you charge for wet sheets." I turned upon my -heel, and went back to the sitting room. A moment more, and my bill -was brought in; but nothing said about the sheets, and no charge made -for them. The coach came to the door; and as I passed through the hall -leaving the house, the landlady met me, but with a different smile. "I -hope, sir," said she, "that you will never mention the little incident -about the sheets. I am very sorry for it. It would ruin my house if it -were known." Thinking that she was punished enough in the loss of her -property, I promised not to mention the name of the house, if I ever -did the incident. The following week I returned to the hotel, when I -learned the fact from the waiter that they had suspected that I had -stolen the sheets, and that a police officer was concealed behind the -hall door, on the day that I was talking with the landlady. When I -retired to bed that night, I found two jugs of hot water in the bed, -and the sheets thoroughly dried and aired.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> - -<h2>THE BLACK MAN</h2> - -<p class="bold">AND</p> - -<p class="bold">HIS ANTECEDENTS.</p> - -<p>Of the great family of man, the negro has, during the last half -century, been more prominently before the world than any other race. He -did not seek this notoriety. Isolated away in his own land, he would -have remained there, had it not been for the avarice of other races, -who sought him out as a victim of slavery. Two and a half centuries of -the negro's enslavement have created, in many minds, the opinion that -he is intellectually inferior to the rest of mankind; and now that the -blacks seem in a fair way to get their freedom in this country, it has -been asserted, and from high authority in the government, that the -natural inferiority of the negro makes it impossible for him to live on -this continent with the white man, unless in a state of bondage.</p> - -<p>In his interview with a committee of the colored citizens of the -District of Columbia, on the 14th of August last, the President of the -United States intimated that the whites and the blacks could not live -together in peace, on account of one race being superior intellectually -to the other. Mr. Postmaster<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> General Blair, in his letter to the Union -mass meeting held at the Cooper Institute, in New York, in March last, -takes this ground. The Boston "Post" and "Courier" both take the same -position.</p> - -<p>I admit that the condition of my race, whether considered in a mental, -moral, or intellectual point of view, at the present time cannot -compare favorably with the Anglo-Saxon. But it does not become the -whites to point the finger of scorn at the blacks, when they have so -long been degrading them. The negro has not always been considered the -inferior race. The time was when he stood at the head of science and -literature. Let us see.</p> - -<p>It is the generally received opinion of the most eminent historians -and ethnologists, that the Ethiopians were really negroes, although -in them the physical characteristics of the race were exhibited in a -less marked manner than in those dwelling on the coast of Guinea, from -whence the stock of American slaves has been chiefly derived. That, in -the earliest periods of history, the Ethiopians had attained a high -degree of civilization, there is every reason to believe; and that -to the learning and science derived from them we must ascribe those -wonderful monuments which still exist to attest the power and skill of -the ancient Egyptians.</p> - -<p>Among those who favor this opinion is our own distinguished countryman, -Alexander H. Everett, and upon this evidence I base my argument. Volney -assumes it as a settled point that the Egyptians were black. Herodotus, -who travelled extensively through that interesting land, set them down -as black, with curled hair, and having the negro features. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> sacred -writers were aware of their complexion: hence the question, "Can the -Ethiopian change his skin?" The image of the negro is engraved upon -the monuments of Egypt, not as a bondman, but as the master of art. -The Sphinx, one of the wonders of the world, surviving the wreck of -centuries, exhibits these same features at the present day. Minerva, -the goddess of wisdom, was supposed to have been an African princess. -Atlas, whose shoulders sustained the globe, and even the great Jupiter -Ammon himself, were located by the mythologists in Africa. Though there -may not be much in these fables, they teach us, nevertheless, who -were then considered the nobles of the human race. Tertullian and St. -Augustin were Ethiopians. Terence, the most refined and accomplished -scholar of his time, was of the same race. Hanno, the father of -Hamilcar, and grandfather of Hannibal, was a negro. These are the -antecedents of the enslaved blacks on this continent.</p> - -<p>From whence sprang the Anglo-Saxon? For, mark you, it is he that denies -the equality of the negro. "When the Britons first became known to the -Tyrian mariners," says Macaulay, "they were little superior to the -Sandwich Islanders."</p> - -<p>Hume says they were a rude and barbarous people, divided into numerous -tribes, dressed in the skins of wild beasts. Druidism was their -religion, and they were very superstitious. Such is the first account -we have of the Britons. When the Romans invaded that country, they -reduced the people to a state of vassalage as degrading as that of -slavery in the Southern States. Their king, Caractacus, was captured -and sent a slave to Rome. Still later, Hengist and Horsa, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> Saxon -generals, presented another yoke, which the Britons were compelled to -wear. But the last dregs of the bitter cup of humiliation were drunk -when William of Normandy met Harold at Hastings, and, with a single -blow, completely annihilated the nationality of the Britons. Thousands -of the conquered people were then sent to the slave markets of Rome, -where they were sold very cheap on account of their inaptitude to learn.</p> - -<p>This is not very flattering to the President's ancestors, but it is -just. Cæsar, in writing home, said of the Britons, "They are the -most ignorant people I ever conquered. They cannot be taught music." -Cicero, writing to his friend Atticus, advised him not to buy slaves -from England, "because," said he, "they cannot be taught to read, and -are the ugliest and most stupid race I ever saw." I am sorry that Mr. -Lincoln came from such a low origin; but he is not to blame. I only -find fault with him for making mouths at me.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"You should not the ignorant negro despise;</div> -<div>Just such your sires appeared in Cæsar's eyes."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The Britons lost their nationality, became amalgamated with the Romans, -Saxons, and Normans, and out of this conglomeration sprang the proud -Anglo-Saxon of to-day. I once stood upon the walls of an English city, -built by enslaved Britons when Julius Cæsar was their master. The -image of the ancestors of President Lincoln and Montgomery Blair, as -represented in Britain, was carved upon the monuments of Rome, where -they may still be seen in their chains. Ancestry is something which the -white American should not speak of, unless with his lips to the dust. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Nothing," says Macaulay, "in the early existence of Britain, indicated -the greatness which she was destined to attain." Britain has risen, -while proud Rome, once the mistress of the world, has fallen; but -the image of the early Englishman in his chains, as carved twenty -centuries ago, is still to be seen upon her broken monuments. So has -Egypt fallen; and her sable sons and daughters have been scattered -into nearly every land where the white man has introduced slavery and -disgraced the soil with his footprint. As I gazed upon the beautiful -and classic obelisk of Luxor, removed from Thebes, where it had stood -four thousand years, and transplanted to the Place de la Concorde, -at Paris, and contemplated its hieroglyphic inscription of the noble -daring of Sesostris, the African general, who drew kings at his chariot -wheels, and left monumental inscriptions from Ethiopia to India, I felt -proud of my antecedents, proud of the glorious past, which no amount of -hate and prejudice could wipe from history's page, while I had to mourn -over the fall and the degradation of my race. But I do not despair; -for the negro has that intellectual genius which God has planted in -the mind of man, that distinguishes him from the rest of creation, -and which needs only cultivation to make it bring forth fruit. No -nation has ever been found, which, by its own unaided efforts, by some -powerful inward impulse, has arisen from barbarism and degradation to -civilization and respectability. There is nothing in race or blood, -in color or features, that imparts susceptibility of improvement to -one race over another. The mind left to itself from infancy, without -culture, remains a blank. Knowledge is not innate. Development<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> makes -the man. As the Greeks, and Romans, and Jews drew knowledge from the -Egyptians three thousand years ago, and the Europeans received it from -the Romans, so must the blacks of this land rise in the same way. As -one man learns from another, so nation learns from nation. Civilization -is handed from one people to another, its great fountain and source -being God our Father. No one, in the days of Cicero and Tacitus, could -have predicted that the barbarism and savage wildness of the Germans -would give place to the learning, refinement, and culture which that -people now exhibit. Already the blacks on this continent, though kept -down under the heel of the white man, are fast rising in the scale -of intellectual development, and proving their equality with the -brotherhood of man.</p> - -<p>In his address before the Colonization Society, at Washington, on -the 18th of January, 1853, Hon. Edward Everett said, "When I lived -in Cambridge, a few years ago, I used to attend, as one of the board -of visitors, the examinations of a classical school, in which was a -colored boy, the son of a slave in Mississippi, I think. He appeared -to me to be of pure African blood. There were at the same time two -youths from Georgia, and one of my own sons, attending the same school. -I must say that this poor negro boy, Beverly Williams, was one of the -best scholars at the school, and in the Latin language he was the best -scholar in his class. There are others, I am told, which show still -more conclusively the aptitude of the colored race for <i>every kind of -intellectual culture</i>."</p> - -<p>Mr. Everett cited several other instances which had fallen under his -notice, and utterly scouted the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> idea that there was any general -inferiority of the African race. He said, "They have done as well as -persons of European or Anglo-American origin would have done, after -three thousand years of similar depression and hardship. The question -has been asked, 'Does not the negro labor under some incurable, natural -inferiority?' <i>In this, for myself, I have no belief.</i>"</p> - -<p>I think that this is ample refutation of the charge of the natural -inferiority of the negro. President Lincoln, in the interview to which -I have already referred, said, "But for your race among us there would -not be a war." This reminds me of an incident that occurred while -travelling in the State of Ohio, in 1844. Taking the stage coach at a -small village, one of the passengers (a white man) objected to my being -allowed a seat inside, on account of my color. I persisted, however, in -claiming the right which my ticket gave me, and got in. The objector at -once took a seat on a trunk on the top of the coach. The wire netting -round the top of the stage not being strong, the white passenger, -trunks and all, slid off as we were going down a steep hill. The top -passenger's shoulder was dislocated, and in his pain he cried out, "If -you had not been black, I should not have left my seat inside."</p> - -<p>The "New York Herald," the "Boston Post," the "Boston Courier," and -the "New York Journal of Commerce," take the lead in misrepresenting -the effect which emancipation in the West Indies had upon the welfare -of those islands. It is asserted that general ruin followed the -black man's liberation. As to the British colonies, the fact is well -established<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> that slavery had impoverished the soil, demoralized the -people, bond and free, brought the planters to a state of bankruptcy, -and all the islands to ruin, long before Parliament had passed the act -of emancipation. All the colonies, including Jamaica, had petitioned -the home government for assistance, ten years prior to the liberation -of their slaves. It is a noticeable fact, that the free blacks were the -least embarrassed, in a pecuniary point of view, and that they appeared -in more comfortable circumstances than the whites. There was a large -proportion of free blacks in each of the colonies, Jamaica alone having -fifty-five thousand before the day of emancipation. A large majority -of the West India estates were owned by persons residing in Europe, -and who had never seen the colonies. These plantations were carried on -by agents, overseers, and clerks, whose mismanagement, together with -the blighting influence which chattel slavery takes with it wherever -it goes, brought the islands under impending ruin, and many of the -estates were mortgaged in Europe for more than their value. One man -alone, Neil Malcomb, of London, had forty plantations to fall upon -his hands for money advanced on them before the abolition of slavery. -These European proprietors, despairing of getting any returns from the -West Indies, gladly pocketed their share of the twenty million pounds -sterling, which the home government gave them, and abandoned their -estates to their ruin. Other proprietors residing in the colonies -formed combinations to make the emancipated people labor for scarcely -enough to purchase food for them. If found idle, the tread-wheel, the -chain-gang, the dungeon, with black bread, and water from the moat, and -other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> modes of legalized torture, were inflicted upon the negroes. -Through the determined and combined efforts of the land owners, the -condition of the freed people was as bad, if not worse, for the first -three years after their liberation, than it was before. Never was an -experiment more severely tested than that of emancipation in the West -Indies.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, the principles of freedom triumphed; not a drop of blood -was shed by the enfranchised blacks; the colonies have arisen from -the blight which they labored under in the time of slavery; the land -has increased in value; and, above all, that which is more valuable -than cotton, sugar, or rice—the moral and intellectual condition of -both blacks and whites is in a better state now than ever before. Sir -William Colebrook, governor of Antigua, said, six years after the -islands were freed, "At the lowest computation, the land, without a -single slave upon it, is fully as valuable now as it was, including -all the slaves, before emancipation." In a report made to the British -Parliament, in 1859, it was stated that three fifths of the cultivated -land of Jamaica was the <i>bona fide</i> property of the blacks. The land is -in a better state of cultivation now than it was while slavery existed, -and both imports and exports show a great increase. Every thing -demonstrates that emancipation in the West India islands has resulted -in the most satisfactory manner, and fulfilled the expectation of the -friends of freedom throughout the world.</p> - -<p>Rev. Mr. Underhill, secretary of the English Baptist Missionary -Society, who has visited Jamaica, and carefully studied its condition, -said, in a recent speech in London, that the late slaves in that island -had built<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> some two hundred and twenty chapels. The churches that -worship in them number fifty-three thousand communicants, amounting -to one eighth of the total population. The average attendance, in -other than the state churches, is ninety-one thousand—a fourth of the -population. One third of the children—twenty-two thousand—are in the -schools. The blacks voluntarily contribute twenty-two thousand pounds -(one hundred and ten thousand dollars) annually for religious purposes. -Their landed property exceeds five million dollars. Valuing their -cottages at only fifty dollars each, these amount to three million -dollars. They have nearly three hundred thousand dollars deposited in -the savings banks. The sum total of their property is much above eleven -million dollars. All this has been accumulated since their emancipation.</p> - -<p>Thus it is seen that all parties have been benefited by the abolition -of negro slavery in the British possessions. Now we turn to our -own land. Among the many obstacles which have been brought to bear -against emancipation, one of the most formidable has been the series -of objections urged against it upon what has been supposed to be the -slave's want of appreciation of liberty, and his ability to provide for -himself in a state of freedom; and now that slavery seems to be near -its end, these objections are multiplying, and the cry is heard all -over the land, "What shall be done with the slave if freed?"</p> - -<p>It has been clearly demonstrated, I think, that the enslaved of the -south are as capable of self-support as any other class of people in -the country. It is well known that, throughout the entire south, a -large class<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> of slaves have been for years accustomed to hire their -time from their owners. Many of these have paid very high prices for -the privilege. Some able mechanics have been known to pay as high -as six hundred dollars per annum, besides providing themselves with -food and clothing; and this class of slaves, by their industry, have -taken care of themselves so well, and their appearance has been so -respectable, that many of the states have passed laws prohibiting -masters from letting their slaves out to themselves, because, as it was -said, it made the other slaves dissatisfied to see so many of their -fellows well provided, and accumulating something for themselves in the -way of pocket money.</p> - -<p>The Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Adams, whose antecedents have not been such as -to lead to the suspicion that he favors the free colored men, or the -idea of giving to the slaves their liberty, in his "South-Side View," -unconsciously and unintentionally gives a very valuable statement -upon this particular point. Dr. Adams says, "A slave woman having had -three hundred dollars stolen from her by a white man, her master was -questioned in court as to the probability of her having had so much -money. The master said that he not unfrequently had borrowed fifty and -a hundred dollars from her himself, and added that she was always very -strict as to his promised time of payment." There was a slave woman -who had not only kept every agreement with her master—paying him -every cent she had promised—but had accumulated three hundred dollars -towards purchasing her liberty; and it was stolen from her, not by a -black man, but, as Dr. Adams says, by a white man. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> - -<p>But one of the clearest demonstrations of the ability of the slave -to provide for himself in a state of freedom is to be found in the -prosperous condition of the large free colored population of the -Southern States. Maryland has eighty thousand, Virginia seventy -thousand, and the other slave states have a large number. These free -people have all been slaves, or they are the descendants of those who -were once slaves; what they have gained has been acquired in spite of -the public opinion and laws of the south, in spite of prejudice, and -every thing. They have acquired a large amount of property; and it -is this industry, this sobriety, this intelligence, and this wealth -of the free colored people of the south, that has created so much -prejudice on the part of slaveholders against them. They have felt -that the very presence of a colored man, looking so genteelly and in -such a prosperous condition, made the slaves unhappy and discontented. -In the Southern Rights Convention which assembled at Baltimore, June -8, 1860, a resolution was adopted, calling on the legislature to pass -a law driving the free colored people out of the state. Nearly every -speaker took the ground that the free colored people must be driven out -to make the slave's obedience more secure. Judge Mason, in his speech, -said, "It is the thrifty and well-to-do free negroes, that are seen by -our slaves, that make them dissatisfied." A similar appeal was made to -the legislature of Tennessee. Judge Catron, of the Supreme Court of -the United States, in a long and able letter to the Nashville "Union," -opposed the driving out of the colored people. He said they were -among the best mechanics, the best artisans, and the most industrious -laborers in the state, and that to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> drive them out would be an injury -to the state itself. This is certainly good evidence in their behalf.</p> - -<p>The New Orleans "True Delta" opposed the passage of a similar law by -the State of Louisiana. Among other things it said, "There are a large -free colored population here, correct in their general deportment, -honorable in their intercourse with society, and free from reproach so -far as the laws are concerned, not surpassed in the inoffensiveness -of their lives by any equal number of persons in any place, north or -south."</p> - -<p>A movement was made in the legislature of South Carolina to expel -the free blacks from that state, and a committee was appointed to -investigate the matter. In their report the committee said, "We find -that the free blacks of this state are among our most industrious -people; in this city (Charleston) we find that they own over two and a -half millions of dollars worth of property; that they pay two thousand -seven hundred dollars tax to the city."</p> - -<p>Dr. Nehemiah Adams, whom I have already quoted, also testifies -to the good character of the free colored people; but he does it -unintentionally; it was not a part of the programme; how it slipped in -I cannot tell. Here it is, however, from page 41 of his "South-Side -View:"—</p> - -<p>"A prosecuting officer, who had six or eight counties in his district, -told me that, during eight years service, he had made out about two -thousand bills of indictment, of which not more than twelve were -against colored persons."</p> - -<p>Hatred of the free colored people, and abuse of them, have always been -popular with the pro-slavery people<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> of this country; yet, an American -senator from one of the Western States—a man who never lost an -opportunity to vilify and traduce the colored man, and who, in his last -canvass for a seat in the United States Senate, argued that the slaves -were better off in slavery than they would be if set free, and declared -that the blacks were unable to take care of themselves while enjoying -liberty—died, a short time since, twelve thousand dollars in debt to a -black man, who was the descendant of a slave.</p> - -<p>There is a Latin phrase—<i>De mortuis nil nisi bonum</i>. It is not saying -any thing against the reputation of Hon. Stephen A. Douglas to tell the -fact that he had borrowed money from a negro. I only find fault with -him that he should traduce the class that befriended him in the time -of need. James Gordon Bennett, of the New York Herald, in a time of -great pecuniary distress, soon after establishing his paper, borrowed -three hundred dollars of a black man; and now he is one of our most -relentless enemies. Thus it is that those who fattened upon us often -turn round and traduce us. Reputation is, indeed, dear to every nation -and race; but to us, the colored people of this country, who have so -many obstacles to surmount, it is doubly dear:—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="i4">"Who steals my purse steals trash;</div> -<div>'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;</div> -<div>But he who filches from me my good name,</div> -<div>Robs me of that which not enriches him,</div> -<div>And makes me poor indeed."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>You know we were told by the slaveholders, just before the breaking -out of the rebellion, that if we got into any difficulty with the -south, their slaves would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> take up arms and fight to a man for them. -Mr. Toombs, I believe, threatened that he would arm his slaves, and -other men in Congress from the slave states made the same threat. They -were going to arm the slaves and turn them against the north. They -said they could be trusted; and many people here at the north really -believed that the slave did not want his liberty, would not have it if -he could, and that the slave population was a very dangerous element -against the north; but at once, on the approach of our soldiers, the -slaves are seen, with their bundles and baskets, and hats and coats, -and without bundles or baskets, and without hats or coats, rushing -to our lines; demonstrating what we have so often said, that all the -slave was waiting for was the opportunity to get his liberty. Why -should you not have believed this? Why should you have supposed for a -moment, that, because a man's color differs a little from yours, he is -better contented to remain a slave than you would be, or that he has -no inclination, no wish, to escape from the thraldom that holds him so -tight? What is it that does not wish to be free?</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Go, let a cage with grates of gold,</div> -<div>And pearly roof, the eagle hold;</div> -<div>Let dainty viands be its fare,</div> -<div>And give the captive tenderest care;</div> -<div>But say, in luxury's limits pent,</div> -<div>Find you the king of birds content?</div> -<div>No; oft he'll sound the startling shriek,</div> -<div>And dash the cage with angry beak:</div> -<div>Precarious freedom's far more dear</div> -<div>Than all the prison's pampering cheer."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>As with the eagle, so with man. He loves to look upon the bright day -and the stormy night; to gaze<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> upon the broad, free ocean, its eternal -surging tides, its mountain billows, and its foam-crested waves; to -tread the steep mountain side; to sail upon the placid river; to wander -along the gurgling stream; to trace the sunny slope, the beautiful -landscape, the majestic forest, the flowery meadow; to listen to -the howling of the winds and the music of the birds. These are the -aspirations of man, without regard to country, clime, or color.</p> - -<p>"What shall we do with the slave of the south? Expatriate him," say -the haters of the negro. Expatriate him for what? He has cleared up -the swamps of the south, and has put the soil under cultivation; he -has built up her towns, and cities, and villages; he has enriched the -north and Europe with his cotton, and sugar, and rice; and for this -you would drive him out of the country! "What shall be done with the -slaves if they are freed?" You had better ask, "What shall we do with -the slaveholders if the slaves are freed?" The slave has shown himself -better fitted to take care of himself than the slaveholder. He is the -bone and sinew of the south; he is the producer, while the master is -nothing but a consumer, and a very poor consumer at that. The slave -is the producer, and he alone can be relied upon. He has the sinew, -the determination, and the will; and if you will take the free colored -people of the south as the criterion, take their past history as a -sample of what the colored people are capable of doing, every one must -be satisfied that the slaves can take care of themselves. Some say, -"Let them alone; they are well cared for, and that is enough." </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"O, tell us not they're clothed and fed—</div> -<div class="i1">'Tis insult, stuff, and a' that;</div> -<div>With freedom gone, all joy is fled,</div> -<div class="i1">For Heaven's best gift is a' that."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>But it is said, "The two races cannot live together in a state of -freedom." Why, that is the cry that rung all over England thirty years -ago: "If you liberate the slaves of the West Indies, they can't live -with the whites in a state of freedom." Thirty years have shown the -contrary. The blacks and the whites live together in Jamaica; they are -all prosperous, and the island in a better condition than it ever was -before the act of emancipation was passed.</p> - -<p>But they tell us, "If the slaves are emancipated, we won't receive -them upon an equality." Why, every man must make equality for himself. -No society, no government, can make this equality. I do not expect -the slave of the south to jump into equality; all I claim for him is, -that he may be allowed to jump into liberty, and let him make equality -for himself. I have some white neighbors around me in Cambridge; they -are not very intellectual; they don't associate with my family; but -whenever they shall improve themselves, and bring themselves up by -their own intellectual and moral worth, I shall not object to their -coming into my society—all things being equal.</p> - -<p>Now, this talk about not letting a man come to this place or that, and -that we won't do this for him, or won't do that for him, is all idle. -The anti-slavery agitators have never demanded that you shall take the -colored man, any more than that you shall take the uncultivated and -uncouth white man, and place him in a certain position in society. -All I demand for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> black man is, that the white people shall take -their heels off his neck, and let him have a chance to rise by his own -efforts.</p> - -<p>The idea of colonizing the slaves in some other country, outside of the -United States, seems the height of folly. Whatever may be the mineral -wealth of a country, or the producing capabilities of the soil, neither -can be made available without the laborer. Four millions of strong -hands cannot be spared from the Southern States. All time has shown -that the negro is the best laborer in the tropics.</p> - -<p>The slaves once emancipated and left on the lands, four millions of -new consumers will spring into existence. Heretofore, the bondmen have -consumed nothing scarcely from the north. The cost of keeping a slave -was only about nineteen dollars per annum, including food, clothing, -and doctors' bills. Negro cloth, negro shoes, and negro whips were -all that were sent south by northern manufacturers. Let slavery be -abolished, and stores will be opened and a new trade take place with -the blacks south. Northern manufacturers will have to run on extra -time till this new demand will have been supplied. The slave owner, -having no longer an inducement to be idle, will go to work, and will -not have time to concoct treason against the <i>stars and stripes</i>. I -cannot close this appeal without a word about the free blacks in the -non-slaveholding states.</p> - -<p>The majority of the colored people in the Northern States descended -from slaves: many of them were slaves themselves. In education, in -morals, and in the development of mechanical genius, the free blacks -of the Northern States will compare favorably with any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> laboring class -in the world. And considering the fact that we have been shut out, by -a cruel prejudice, from nearly all the mechanical branches, and all -the professions, it is marvellous that we have attained the position -we now occupy. Notwithstanding these bars, our young men have learned -trades, become artists, gone into the professions, although bitter -prejudice may prevent their having a great deal of practice. When it is -considered that they have mostly come out of bondage, and that their -calling has been the lowest kind in every community, it is still more -strange that the colored people have amassed so much wealth in every -state in the Union. If this is not an exhibition of capacity, I don't -understand the meaning of the term. And if true patriotism and devotion -to the cause of freedom be tests of loyalty, and should establish one's -claim to all the privileges that the government can confer, then surely -the black man can demand his rights with a good grace. From the fall -of Attucks, the first martyr of the American revolution in 1770, down -to the present day, the colored people have shown themselves worthy of -any confidence that the nation can place in its citizens in the time -that tries men's souls. At the battle of Bunker Hill, on the heights of -Groton, at the ever-memorable battle of Red Bank, the sable sons of our -country stood side by side with their white brethren. On Lakes Erie and -Champlain, on the Hudson, and down in the valley of the Mississippi, -they established their valor and their invincibility. Whenever the -rights of the nation have been assailed, the negro has always responded -to his country's call, at once, and with every pulsation of his heart -beating for freedom. And no class of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> Americans have manifested more -solicitude for the success of the federal arms in the present struggle -with rebellion, than the colored people. At the north, they were among -the earliest to respond to the president's first proclamation, calling -for troops. At the south, they have ever shown a preference for the -<i>stars and stripes</i>. In his official despatch to Minister Adams, Mr. -Secretary Seward said,—</p> - -<p>"Every where the American general receives his most useful and reliable -information from the negro, <i>who hails his coming as the harbinger of -freedom</i>."</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> - -<h2>THE BLACK MAN,</h2> - -<p class="bold">HIS GENIUS AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>BENJAMIN BANNEKER.</h3> - -<p>The services rendered to science, to liberty, and to the intellectual -character of the negro by Banneker, are too great for us to allow his -name to sleep and his genius and merits to remain hidden from the -world. <span class="smcap">Benjamin Banneker</span> was born in the State of Maryland, -in the year 1732, of pure African parentage; their blood never having -been corrupted by the introduction of a drop of Anglo-Saxon. His father -was a slave, and of course could do nothing towards the education of -the child. The mother, however, being free, succeeded in purchasing -the freedom of her husband, and they, with their son, settled on a -few acres of land, where Benjamin remained during the lifetime of -his parents. His entire schooling was gained from an obscure country -school, established for the education of the children of free negroes; -and these advantages were poor, for the boy appears to have finished -studying before he arrived at his fifteenth year. Although out of -school, Banneker was still a student, and read with great care and -attention such books as he could get. Mr. George Ellicott, a gentleman -of fortune and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> considerable literary taste, and who resided near to -Benjamin, became interested in him, and lent him books from his large -library. Among these books were Mayer's Tables, Fergusson's Astronomy, -and Leadbeater's Lunar Tables. A few old and imperfect astronomical -instruments also found their way into the boy's hands, all of which he -used with great benefit to his own mind.</p> - -<p>Banneker took delight in the study of the languages, and soon mastered -the Latin, Greek, and German. He was also proficient in the French. -The classics were not neglected by him, and the general literary -knowledge which he possessed caused Mr. Ellicott to regard him as the -most learned man in the town, and he never failed to introduce Banneker -to his most distinguished guests. About this time Benjamin turned -his attention particularly to astronomy, and determined on making -calculations for an almanac, and completed a set for the whole year. -Encouraged by this attempt, he entered upon calculations for subsequent -years, which, as well as the former, he began and finished without the -least assistance from any person or books than those already mentioned; -so that whatever merit is attached to his performance is exclusively -his own. He published an almanac in Philadelphia for the years 1792, -'3, '4, and '5, which contained his calculations, exhibiting the -different aspects of the planets, a table of the motions of the sun -and moon, their risings and settings, and the courses of the bodies -of the planetary system. By this time Banneker's acquirements had -become generally known, and the best scholars in the country opened -correspondence with him. Goddard & Angell, the well-known Baltimore -publishers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> engaged his pen for their establishment, and became the -publishers of his almanacs. A copy of his first production was sent to -Thomas Jefferson, together with a letter intended to interest the great -statesman in the cause of negro emancipation and the elevation of the -race, in which he says,—</p> - -<p>"It is a truth too well attested to need a proof here, that we are a -race of beings who have long labored under the abuse and censure of -the world; that we have long been looked upon with an eye of contempt, -and considered rather as brutish than human, and scarcely capable of -mental endowments. I hope I may safely admit, in consequence of the -report which has reached me, that you are a man far less inflexible in -sentiments of this nature than many others; that you are measurably -friendly and well disposed towards us, and that you are willing to -lend your aid and assistance for our relief from those many distresses -and numerous calamities to which we are reduced. If this is founded -in truth, I apprehend you will embrace every opportunity to eradicate -that train of absurd and false ideas and opinions which so generally -prevail with respect to us, and that your sentiments are concurrent -with mine, which are, that one universal Father hath given being to us -all; that he hath not only made us all of one flesh, but that he hath -also, without partiality, afforded us all the same sensations, and -endowed us all with the same faculties; and that, however variable we -may be in society or religion, however diversified in situation or in -color, we are all of the same family, and stand in the same relation -to him. If these are sentiments of which you are fully persuaded, you -cannot but acknowledge that it is the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> indispensable duty of those who -maintain the rights of human nature, and who profess the obligations -of Christianity, to extend their power and influence to the relief of -every part of the human race from whatever burden or oppression they -may unjustly labor under; and this, I apprehend, a full conviction of -the truth and obligation of these principles should lead all to. I have -long been convinced that if your love for yourselves, and for those -inestimable laws which preserved to you the rights of human nature, -was founded on sincerity, you could not but be solicitous that every -individual, of whatever rank or distinction, might with you equally -enjoy the blessings thereof; neither could you rest satisfied short of -the most active effusion of your exertions, in order to effect their -promotion from any state of degradation to which the unjustifiable -cruelty and barbarism of men may have reduced them.</p> - -<p>"I freely and cheerfully acknowledge that I am one of the African race, -and in that color which is natural to them, of the deepest dye; and it -is under a sense of the most profound gratitude to the Supreme Ruler of -the universe, that I now confess to you that I am not under that state -of tyrannical thraldom and inhuman captivity to which too many of my -brethren are doomed; but that I have abundantly tasted of the fruition -of those blessings which proceed from that free and unequalled liberty -with which you are favored, and which I hope you will willingly allow -you have mercifully received from the immediate hand of that Being from -whom proceedeth every good and perfect gift.</p> - -<p>"Your knowledge of the situation of my brethren<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> is too extensive to -need a recital here; neither shall I presume to prescribe methods by -which they may be relieved, otherwise than by recommending to you -and to others to wean yourselves from those narrow prejudices which -you have imbibed with respect to them, and, as Job proposed to his -friends, 'put your soul in their souls' stead.' Thus shall your hearts -be enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards them; and thus shall -you need neither the direction of myself or others in what manner to -proceed herein.... The calculation for this almanac is the production -of my arduous study in my advanced stage of life; for having long had -unbounded desires to become acquainted with the secrets of nature, -I have had to gratify my curiosity herein through my own assiduous -application to astronomical study, in which I need not recount to you -the many difficulties and disadvantages which I have had to encounter."</p> - -<p>Mr. Jefferson at once replied as follows:—</p> - -<blockquote><p class="right">"<span class="smcap">Philadelphia</span>, <i>August 30, 1791</i>.</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Sir</span>: I thank you sincerely for your letter and the -almanac it contained. Nobody wishes more than I do to see such -proofs as you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren -talents equal to those of the other colors of men, and that the -appearance of the want of them is owing merely to the degraded -condition of their existence, both in Africa and America. I can -add with truth, that nobody wishes more ardently to see a good -system commenced for raising their condition, both of their body -and their mind, to what it ought to be, as far as the imbecility -of their present existence, and other circumstances, which cannot -be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> neglected, will admit. I have taken the liberty of sending -your almanac to Monsieur de Condorcet, secretary of the Academy -of Sciences at Paris, and a member of the Philanthropic Society, -because I consider it as a document to which your whole color have -a right for their justification against the doubts which have been -entertained of them.</p> - -<p class="right">"I am, with great esteem,<span class="s6"> </span><br /> -"Dear sir, your obedient, &c.,<span class="s3"> </span><br /> -"<span class="smcap">Thomas Jefferson</span>.</p> - -<p>"To <span class="smcap">Mr. B. Banneker</span>."</p></blockquote> - -<p>The letter from Banneker, together with the almanac, created in the -heart of Mr. Jefferson a fresh feeling of enthusiasm in behalf of -freedom, and especially for the negro, which ceased only with his life. -The American statesman wrote to Brissot, the celebrated French writer, -in which he made enthusiastic mention of the "Negro Philosopher." -At the formation of the "Society of the Friends of the Blacks," at -Paris, by Lafayette, Brissot, Barnave, Condorcet, and Gregoire, the -name of Banneker was again and again referred to to prove the equality -of the races. Indeed, the genius of the "Negro Philosopher" did much -towards giving liberty to the people of St. Domingo. In the British -House of Commons, Pitt, Wilberforce, and Buxton often alluded to -Banneker by name, as a man fit to fill any position in society. At -the setting off of the District of Columbia for the capital of the -federal government, Banneker was invited by the Maryland commissioners, -and took an honorable part in the settlement of the territory. But -throughout all his intercourse with men of influence, he never lost -sight of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> the condition of his race, and ever urged the emancipation -and elevation of the slave. He well knew that every thing that was -founded upon the admitted inferiority of natural right in the African -was calculated to degrade him and bring him nearer to the foot of the -oppressor, and he therefore never failed to allude to the equality of -the races when with those whites whom he could influence. He always -urged self-elevation upon the colored people whom he met. He felt that -to deprive the black man of the inspiration of ambition, of hope, of -health, of standing among his brethren of the earth, was to take from -him all incentives to mental improvement. What husbandman incurs the -toil of seed time and culture, except with a view to the subsequent -enjoyment of a golden harvest? Banneker was endowed by nature with all -those excellent qualifications which are necessary previous to the -accomplishment of a great man. His memory was large and tenacious, yet, -by a curious felicity, chiefly susceptible of the finest impressions -it received from the best authors he read, which he always preserved -in their primitive strength and amiable order. He had a quickness -of apprehension and a vivacity of understanding which easily took -in and surmounted the most subtile and knotty parts of mathematics -and metaphysics. He possessed in a large degree that genius which -constitutes a man of letters; that quality without which judgment is -cold and knowledge is inert; that energy which collects, combines, -amplifies, and animates.</p> - -<p>He knew every branch of history, both natural and civil; he had read -all the original historians of England, France, and Germany, and -was a great <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>antiquarian. Criticism, metaphysics, morals, politics, -voyages and travels, were all studied and well digested by him. With -such a fund of knowledge his conversation was equally interesting, -instructive, and entertaining. Banneker was so favorably appreciated -by the first families in Virginia, that in 1803 he was invited by -Mr. Jefferson, then President of the United States, to visit him at -Monticello, where the statesman had gone for recreation. But he was -too infirm to undertake the journey. He died the following year, aged -seventy-two. Like the golden sun that has sunk beneath the western -horizon, but still throws upon the world, which he sustained and -enlightened in his career, the reflected beams of his departed genius, -his name can only perish with his language.</p> - -<p>Banneker believed in the divinity of reason, and in the omnipotence of -the human understanding with Liberty for its handmaid. The intellect -impregnated by science and multiplied by time, it appeared to him, must -triumph necessarily over all the resistance of matter. He had faith in -liberty, truth, and virtue. His remains still rest in the slave state -where he lived and died, with no stone to mark the spot or tell that it -is the grave of Benjamin Banneker.</p> - -<p>He labored incessantly, lived irreproachably, and died in the literary -harness, universally esteemed and regretted.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> - -<h3>NAT TURNER.</h3> - -<p>Biography is individual history, as distinguished from that of -communities, of nations, and of worlds. Eulogy is that deserved -applause which springs from the virtues and attaches itself to the -characters of men. This is not intended either as a biography or a -eulogy, but simply a sketch of one whose history has hitherto been -neglected, and to the memory of whom the American people are not -prepared to do justice.</p> - -<p>On one of the oldest and largest plantations in Southampton county, -Virginia, owned by Benjamin Turner, Esq., Nat was born a slave, on -the 2d of October, 1800. His parents were of unmixed African descent. -Surrounded as he was by the superstition of the slave quarters, and -being taught by his mother that he was born for a prophet, a preacher, -and a deliverer of his race, it was not strange that the child should -have imbibed the principles which were afterwards developed in his -career. Early impressed with the belief that he had seen visions, and -received communications direct from God, he, like Napoleon, regarded -himself as a being of destiny. In his childhood Nat was of an amiable -disposition; but circumstances in which he was placed as a slave, -brought out incidents that created a change in his disposition, and -turned his kind and docile feeling into the most intense hatred to the -white race.</p> - -<p>Being absent one night from his master's plantation without a pass, -he was caught by Whitlock and Mull, the two district patrolers, and -severely flogged. This<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> act of cruelty inflamed the young slave, and he -resolved upon having revenge. Getting two of the boys of a neighboring -plantation to join him, Nat obtained a long rope, went out at night -on the road through which the officers had their beat, and stationing -his companions, one on each side of the road, he stretched the rope -across, fastening each end to a tree, and drawing it tight. His rope -thus fixed, and his accomplices instructed how to act their part, Nat -started off up the road. The night being dark, and the rope only six or -eight inches from the ground, the slave felt sure that he would give -his enemies a "high fall."</p> - -<p>Nat hearing them, he called out in a disguised voice, "Is dat you, -Jim?" To this Whitlock replied, "Yes, dis is me." Waiting until the -white men were near him, Nat started off upon a run, followed by the -officers. The boy had placed a sheet of white paper in the road, so -that he might know at what point to jump the rope, so as not to be -caught in his own trap. Arriving at the signal he sprung over the rope, -and went down the road like an antelope. But not so with the white men, -for both were caught by the legs and thrown so hard upon the ground -that Mull had his shoulder put out of joint, and his face terribly -lacerated by the fall; while Whitlock's left wrist was broken, and -his head bruised in a shocking manner. Nat hastened home, while his -companions did the same, not forgetting to take with them the clothes -line which had been so serviceable in the conflict. The patrolers were -left on the field of battle, crying, swearing, and calling for help.</p> - -<p>Snow seldom falls as far south as the southern part of Virginia; but -when it does, the boys usually have a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> good time snow-balling, and on -such occasions the slaves, old and young, women and men, are generally -pelted without mercy, and with no right to retaliate. It was only a -few months after his affair with the patrolers, that Nat was attacked -by a gang of boys, who chased him some distance, snow-balling with all -their power. The slave boy knew the lads, and determined upon revenge. -Waiting till night, he filled his pockets with rocks, and went into -the street. Very soon the same gang of boys were at his heels, and -pelting him. Concealing his face so as not to be known, Nat discharged -his rocks in every direction, until his enemies had all taken to their -heels.</p> - -<p>The ill treatment he experienced at the hands of the whites, and the -visions he claimed to have seen, caused Nat to avoid, as far as he -could, all intercourse with his fellow-slaves, and threw around him a -gloom and melancholy that disappeared only with his life.</p> - -<p>Both the young slave and his friends averred that a full knowledge -of the alphabet came to him in a single night. Impressed with the -belief that his mission was a religious one, and this impression -strengthened by the advice of his grandmother, a pious but ignorant -woman, Nat commenced preaching when about twenty-five of age, but never -went beyond his own master's locality. In stature he was under the -middle size, long armed, round-shouldered, and strongly marked with -the African features. A gloomy fire burned in his looks, and he had a -melancholy expression of countenance. He never tasted a drop of ardent -spirits in his life, and was never known to smile. In the year 1828 new -visions appeared to Nat, and he claimed to have direct communication -with God.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> Unlike most of those born under the influence of slavery, he -had no faith in conjuring, fortune-telling, or dreams, and always spoke -with contempt of such things. Being hired out to cruel masters, he ran -away, and remained in the woods thirty days, and could have easily -escaped to the free states, as did his father some years before; but he -received, as he says in his confession a communication from the spirit, -which said, "Return to your earthly master, for he who knoweth his -Master's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." -It was not the will of his earthly, but his heavenly Master that he -felt bound to do, and therefore Nat returned. His fellow-slaves were -greatly incensed at him for coming back, for they knew well his ability -to reach Canada, or some other land of freedom, if he was so inclined. -He says further, "About this time I had a vision, and saw white spirits -and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened, the -thunder rolled in the heavens, and blood flowed in streams; and I heard -a voice saying, 'Such is your luck; such are you called on to see; and -let it come, rough or smooth, you must surely bear it.'" Some time -after this, Nat had, as he says, another vision, in which the spirit -appeared and said, "The serpent is loosened, and Christ has laid down -the yoke he has borne for the sins of men, and you must take it up, -and fight against the serpent, for the time is fast approaching when -the first shall be last, and the last shall be first." There is no -doubt but that this last sentence filled Nat with enthusiastic feeling -in favor of the liberty of his race, that he had so long dreamed of. -"The last shall be first, and the first shall be last," seemed to him -to mean something. He saw in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> it the overthrow of the whites, and the -establishing of the blacks in their stead, and to this end he bent -the energies of his mind. In February, 1831, Nat received his last -communication, and beheld his last vision. He said, "I was told I -should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own -weapons."</p> - -<p>The plan of an insurrection was now formed in his own mind, and the -time had arrived for him to take others into the secret; and he at once -communicated his ideas to four of his friends, in whom he had implicit -confidence. Hark Travis, Nelson Williams, Sam Edwards, and Henry Porter -were slaves like himself, and like him had taken their names from their -masters. A meeting must be held with these, and it must take place in -some secluded place, where the whites would not disturb them; and a -meeting was appointed. The spot where they assembled was as wild and -romantic as were the visions that had been impressed upon the mind of -their leader.</p> - -<p>Three miles from where Nat lived was a dark swamp filled with reptiles, -in the middle of which was a dry spot, reached by a narrow, winding -path, and upon which human feet seldom trod, on account of its having -been the place where a slave had been tortured to death by a slow fire, -for the crime of having flogged his cruel and inhuman master. The -night for the meeting arrived, and they came together. Hark brought a -pig; Sam, bread; Nelson, sweet potatoes; and Henry, brandy; and the -gathering was turned into a feast. Others were taken in, and joined -the conspiracy. All partook heartily of the food and drank freely, -except Nat. He fasted and prayed. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> was agreed that the revolt -should commence that night, and in their own master's households, -and that each slave should give his oppressor the death blow. Before -they left the swamp Nat made a speech, in which he said, "Friends and -brothers: We are to commence a great work to-night. Our race is to be -delivered from slavery, and God has appointed us as the men to do his -bidding, and let us be worthy of our calling. I am told to slay all -the whites we encounter, without regard to age or sex. We have no arms -or ammunition, but we will find these in the houses of our oppressors, -and as we go on others can join us. Remember that we do not go forth -for the sake of blood and carnage, but it is necessary that in the -commencement of this revolution all the whites we meet should die, -until we shall have an army strong enough to carry on the war upon a -Christian basis. Remember that ours is not a war for robbery and to -satisfy our passions; it is a struggle for freedom. Ours must be deeds, -and not words. Then let's away to the scene of action."</p> - -<p>Among those who had joined the conspirators was Will, a slave, who -scorned the idea of taking his master's name. Though his soul longed -to be free, he evidently became one of the party, as much to satisfy -revenge, as for the liberty that he saw in the dim distance. Will had -seen a dear and beloved wife sold to the negro trader and taken away, -never to be beheld by him again in this life. His own back was covered -with scars, from his shoulders to his feet. A large scar, running from -his right eye down to his chin, showed that he had lived with a cruel -master. Nearly six feet in height, and one of the strongest and most -athletic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> of his race, he proved to be the most unfeeling of all the -insurrectionists. His only weapon was a broadaxe, sharp and heavy.</p> - -<p>Nat and his accomplices at once started for the plantation of Joseph -Travis, with whom the four lived, and there the first blow was struck. -In his confession, just before his execution, Nat said,—</p> - -<p>"On returning to the house, Hark went to the door with an axe, for the -purpose of breaking it open, as we knew we were strong enough to murder -the family should they be awakened by the noise; but reflecting that -it might create an alarm in the neighborhood, we determined to enter -the house secretly, and murder them whilst sleeping. Hark got a ladder -and set it against the chimney, on which I ascended, and hoisting a -window, entered and came down stairs, unbarred the doors, and removed -the guns from their places. It was then observed that I must spill the -first blood. On which, armed with a hatchet, and accompanied by Will, -I entered my master's chamber. It being dark, I could not give a death -blow. The hatchet glanced from his head; he sprang from the bed and -called his wife. It was his last word; Will laid him dead with a blow -of his axe, and Mrs. Travis shared the same fate, as she lay in bed. -The murder of this family, five in number, was the work of a moment; -not one of them awoke. There was a little infant sleeping in a cradle, -that was forgotten until we had left the house and gone some distance, -when Henry and Will returned and killed it. We got here four guns that -would shoot, and several old muskets, with a pound or two of powder. We -remained for some time at the barn, where we paraded; I formed them in -line as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> soldiers, and after carrying them through all the manœuvres I -was master of, marched them off to Mr. Salathiel Francis's, about six -hundred yards distant.</p> - -<p>"Sam and Will went to the door and knocked. Mr. Francis asked who was -there; Sam replied it was he, and he had a letter for him; on this he -got up and came to the door; they immediately seized him and dragging -him out a little from the door, he was despatched by repeated blows on -the head. There was no other white person in the family. We started -from there to Mrs. Reese's, maintaining the most perfect silence on our -march, where, finding the door unlocked, we entered and murdered Mrs. -Reese in her bed while sleeping; her son awoke, but only to sleep the -sleep of death; he had only time to say, 'Who is that?' and he was no -more. From Mrs. Reese's we went to Mrs. Turner's, a mile distant, which -we reached about sunrise, on Monday morning. Henry, Austin, and Sam, -went to the still, where, finding Mr. Peebles, Austin shot him; the -rest of us went to the house. As we approached, the family discovered -us and shut the door. Vain hope! Will, with one stroke of his axe, -opened it, and we entered, and found Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Newsome in -the middle of a room, almost frightened to death. Will immediately -killed Mrs. Turner with one blow of his axe. I took Mrs. Newsome by the -hand, and with the sword I had when apprehended, I struck her several -blows over the head, but was not able to kill her, as the sword was -dull. Will, turning round and discovering it, despatched her also. A -general destruction of property, and search for money and ammunition, -always succeeded the murders. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> - -<p>"By this time, my company amounted to fifteen, nine men mounted, who -started for Mrs. Whitehead's, (the other six were to go through a -by-way to Mr. Bryant's, and rejoin us at Mrs. Whitehead's.) As we -approached the house we discovered Mr. Richard Whitehead standing in -the cotton patch, near the lane fence; we called him over into the -lane, and Will, the executioner, was near at hand, with his fatal -axe, to send him to an untimely grave. As we pushed on to the house, -I discovered some one running round the garden, and thinking it was -some of the white family, I pursued, but finding it was a servant -girl belonging to the house, I returned to commence the work of -death; but they whom I left had not been idle: all the family were -already murdered but Mrs. Whitehead and her daughter Margaret. As I -came round to the door I saw Will pulling Mrs. Whitehead out of the -house, and at the step he nearly severed her head from her body with -his broadaxe. Miss Margaret, when I discovered her, had concealed -herself in the corner formed by the projection of the cellar cap from -the house; on my approach she fled, but was soon overtaken, and after -repeated blows with a sword, I killed her by a blow over the head -with a fence rail. By this time the six who had gone by Mr. Bryant's -rejoined us, and informed me they had done the work of death assigned -them. We again divided, part going to Mr. Richard Porter's, and from -thence to Nathaniel Francis's, the others to Mr. Howell Harris's and -Mr. T. Doyles's. On my reaching Mr. Porter's, he had escaped with his -family. I understood there that the alarm had already spread, and I -immediately returned to bring up those sent to Mr. Doyles's and Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> -Howell Harris's; the party I left going on to Mr. Francis's, having -told them I would join them in that neighborhood. I met those sent to -Mr. Doyles's and Mr. Howell Harris's returning, having met Mr. Doyles -on the road and killed him. Learning from some who joined them, that -Mr. Harris was from home, I immediately pursued the course taken by -the party gone on before; but knowing that they would complete the -work of death and pillage at Mr. Francis's before I could get there, -I went to Mr. Peter Edwards's, expecting to find them there; but they -had been there already. I then went to Mr. John T. Barrow's; they had -been there and murdered him. I pursued on their track to Captain Newitt -Harris's. I found the greater part mounted and ready to start; the -men, now amounting to about forty, shouted and hurrahed as I rode up; -some were in the yard loading their guns, others drinking. They said -Captain Harris and his family had escaped; the property in the house -they destroyed, robbing him of money and other valuables. I ordered -them to mount and march instantly; this was about nine or ten o'clock, -Monday morning. I proceeded to Mr. Levi Waller's, two or three miles -distant. I took my station in the rear, and as it was my object to -carry terror and devastation wherever we went, I placed fifteen or -twenty of the best mounted and most to be relied on in front, who -generally approached the houses as fast as their horses could run; this -was for two purposes, to prevent their escape and strike terror to the -inhabitants—on this account I never got to the houses, after leaving -Mrs. Whitehead's, until the murders were committed, except in one case. -I sometimes got in sight in time to see the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> work of death completed, -viewed the mangled bodies as they lay, in silent satisfaction, and -immediately started in quest of other victims. Having murdered Mrs. -Waller and ten children, we started for Mr. William Williams's. We -killed him and two little boys that were there: while engaged in this, -Mrs. Williams fled, and got some distance from the house; but she was -pursued, overtaken, and compelled to get up behind one of the company, -who brought her back, and after showing her the mangled body of her -lifeless husband, she was told to get down and lie by his side, where -she was shot dead. I then started for Mr. Jacob Williams's, where the -family were murdered. Here we found a young man named Drury, who had -come on business with Mr. Williams; he was pursued, overtaken, and -shot. Mrs. Vaughan's was the next place we visited; and after murdering -the family here, I determined on starting for Jerusalem. Our number -amounted now to fifty or sixty, all mounted and armed with guns, axes, -swords, and clubs. On reaching Mr. James W. Parker's gate, immediately -on the road leading to Jerusalem, and about three miles distant, it was -proposed to me to call there; but I objected, as I knew he was gone -to Jerusalem, and my object was to reach there as soon as possible; -but some of the men having relations at Mr. Parker's, it was agreed -that they might call and get his people. I remained at the gate on -the road, with seven or eight, the others going across the field to -the house, about half a mile off. After waiting some time for them, I -became impatient, and started to the house for them, and on our return -we were met by a party of white men, who had pursued our blood-stained -track, and who had fired on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> those at the gate, and dispersed them, -which I knew nothing of, not having been at that time rejoined by any -of them. Immediately on discovering the whites, I ordered my men to -halt and form, as they appeared to be alarmed. The white men, eighteen -in number, approached us in about one hundred yards, when one of them -fired, and I discovered about half of them, retreating. I then ordered -my men to fire and rush on them; the few remaining stood their ground -until we approached within fifty yards, when they fired and retreated. -We pursued and overtook some of them, whom we thought we left dead; -after pursuing them about two hundred yards, and rising a little hill, -I discovered they were met by another party, and had halted, and were -reloading their guns, thinking that those who retreated first, and -the party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards distant, had only -fallen back to meet others with ammunition. As I saw them reloading -their guns, and more coming up than I saw at first, and several of my -bravest men being wounded, the others became panic-struck and scattered -over the field; the white men pursued and fired on us several times. -Hark had his horse shot under him, and I caught another for him that -was running by me; five or six of my men were wounded, but none left -on the field. Finding myself defeated here, I instantly determined to -go through a private way, and cross the Nottoway River at the Cypress -Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem, and attack that place in the rear, -as I expected they would look for me on the other road, and I had a -great desire to get there to procure arms and ammunition."</p> - -<p>Reënforcements came to the whites, and the blacks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> were overpowered and -defeated by the superior numbers of their enemy. In this battle many -were slain on both sides. Will, the bloodthirsty and revengeful slave, -fell with his broadaxe uplifted, after having laid three of the whites -dead at his feet with his own strong arm and his terrible weapon. His -last words were, "Bury my axe with me." For he religiously believed -that in the next world the blacks would have a contest with the whites, -and that he would need his axe. Nat Turner, after fighting to the last -with his short sword, escaped with some others to the woods near by, -and was not captured for nearly two months. When brought to trial he -pleaded "not guilty;" feeling, as he said, that it was always right -for one to strike for his own liberty. After going through a mere form -of trial, he was convicted and executed at Jerusalem, the county seat -for Southampton county, Virginia. Not a limb trembled or a muscle was -observed to move. Thus died Nat Turner, at the early age of thirty-one -years—a martyr to the freedom of his race, and a victim to his own -fanaticism. He meditated upon the wrongs of his oppressed and injured -people, till the idea of their deliverance excluded all other ideas -from his mind, and he devoted his life to its realization. Every thing -appeared to him a vision, and all favorable omens were signs from -God. That he was sincere in all that he professed, there is not the -slightest doubt. After being defeated he might have escaped to the free -states, but the hope of raising a new band kept him from doing so.</p> - -<p>He impressed his image upon the minds of those who once beheld him. His -looks, his sermons, his acts, and his heroism live in the hearts of -his race, on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> every cotton, sugar, and rice plantation at the south. -The present generation of slaves have a superstitious veneration for -his name, and believe that in another insurrection Nat Turner will -appear and take command. He foretold that at his death the sun would -refuse to shine, and that there would be signs of disapprobation -given from heaven. And it is true that the sun was darkened, a storm -gathered, and more boisterous weather had never appeared in Southampton -county than on the day of Nat's execution. The sheriff, warned by the -prisoner, refused to cut the cord that held the trap. No black man -would touch the rope. A poor old white man, long besotted by drink, -was brought forty miles to be the executioner. And even the planters, -with all their prejudice and hatred, believed him honest and sincere; -for Mr. Gray, who had known Nat from boyhood, and to whom he made his -confession, says of him,—</p> - -<p>"It has been said that he was ignorant and cowardly, and that his -object was to murder and rob, for the purpose of obtaining money to -make his escape. It is notorious that he was never known to have a -dollar in his life, to swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As -to his ignorance, he certainly never had the advantages of education; -but he can read and write, and for natural intelligence and quickness -of apprehension, is surpassed by few men I have ever seen. As to his -being a coward, his reason, as given, for not resisting Mr. Phipps, -shows the decision of his character. When he saw Mr. Phipps present -his gun, he said he knew it was impossible for him to escape, as the -woods were full of men; he therefore thought it was better for him -to surrender, and trust to fortune<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> for his escape. He is a complete -fanatic, or plays his part most admirably. On other subjects he -possesses an uncommon share of intelligence, with a mind capable of -attaining any thing, but warped and perverted by the influence of -early impressions. He is below the ordinary stature, though strong and -active; having the true negro face, every feature of which is strongly -marked. I shall not attempt to describe the effect of his narrative, as -told and commented on by himself, in the condemned hole of the prison; -the calm, deliberate composure with which he spoke of his late deeds -and intentions; the expressions of his fiend-like face, when excited by -enthusiasm—still bearing the stains of the blood of helpless innocence -about him, clothed with rags and covered with chains, yet daring to -raise his manacled hands to heaven, with a spirit soaring above the -attributes of man; I looked on him, and the blood curdled in my veins."</p> - -<p>Well might he feel the blood curdle in his veins, when he remembered -that in every southern household there may be a Nat Turner, in whose -soul God has lighted a torch of liberty that cannot be extinguished by -the hand of man. The slaveholder should understand that he lives upon a -volcano, which may burst forth at any moment, and give freedom to his -victim.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Great God, hasten on the glad jubilee,</div> -<div>When my brother in bonds shall arise and be free,</div> -<div>And our blotted escutcheon be washed from its stains,</div> -<div>Now the scorn of the world—four millions in chains!</div> -<div>O, then shall Columbia's proud flag be unfurled,</div> -<div>The glory of freemen, and pride of the world,</div> -<div>While earth's strolling millions point hither in glee,</div> -<div>'To the land of the brave and the home of the free!'"</div> -</div></div></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> -<p>Fifty-five whites and seventy-three blacks lost their lives in the -Southampton rebellion. On the fatal night when Nat and his companions -were dealing death to all they found, Captain Harris, a wealthy -planter, had his life saved by the devotion and timely warning of his -slave Jim, said to have been half-brother to his master. After the -revolt had been put down, and parties of whites were out hunting the -suspected blacks, Captain Harris, with his faithful slave, went into -the woods in search of the negroes. In saving his master's life, Jim -felt that he had done his duty, and could not consent to become a -betrayer of his race, and, on reaching the woods, he handed his pistol -to his master, and said, "I cannot help you hunt down these men; they, -like myself, want to be free. Sir, I am tired of the life of a slave; -please give me my freedom, or shoot me on the spot." Captain Harris -took the weapon and pointed it at the slave. Jim, putting his right -hand upon his heart, said, "This is the spot; aim here." The captain -fired, and the slave fell dead at his feet.</p> - -<p>From this insurrection, and other manifestations of insubordination by -the slave population, the southern people, if they are wise, should -learn a grave lesson; for the experience of the past might give them -some clew to the future.</p> - -<p>Thirty years' free discussion has materially changed public opinion in -the non-slaveholding states, and a negro insurrection, in the present -excited state of the nation, would not receive the condemnation that it -did in 1831. The right of man to the enjoyment of freedom is a settled -point; and where he is deprived of this, without any criminal act of -his own, it is his duty to regain his liberty at every cost. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> - -<p>If the oppressor is struck down in the contest, his fall will be a just -one, and all the world will applaud the act.</p> - -<p>This is a new era, and we are in the midst of the most important crisis -that our country has yet witnessed. And in the crisis the negro is an -important item. Every eye is now turned towards the south, looking for -another Nat Turner.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>MADISON WASHINGTON.</h3> - -<p>Among the great number of fugitive slaves who arrived in Canada -towards the close of the year 1840, was one whose tall figure, firm -step, and piercing eye attracted at once the attention of all who -beheld him. Nature had treated him as a favorite. His expressive -countenance painted and reflected every emotion of his soul. There was -a fascination in the gaze of his finely-cut eyes that no one could -withstand. Born of African parentage, with no mixture in his blood, -he was one of the handsomest of his race. His dignified, calm, and -unaffected features announced at a glance that he was one endowed with -genius, and created to guide his fellow-men. He called himself Madison -Washington, and said that his birthplace was in the "Old Dominion." He -might have seen twenty-five years; but very few slaves have any correct -idea of their age. Madison was not poorly dressed, and had some money -at the end of his journey, which showed that he was not from among the -worst used slaves of the south. He immediately sought employment at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> a -neighboring farm, where he remained some months. A strong, able-bodied -man, and a good worker, and apparently satisfied with his situation, -his employer felt that he had a servant who would stay with him a -long while. The farmer would occasionally raise a conversation, and -try to draw from Madison some account of his former life; but in this -he failed, for the fugitive was a man of few words, and kept his own -secrets. His leisure hours were spent in learning to read and write, -and in this he seemed to take the utmost interest. He appeared to take -no interest in the sports and amusements that occupied the attention of -others. Six months had not passed ere Madison began to show signs of -discontent. In vain his employer tried to discover the cause.</p> - -<p>"Do I not pay you enough, and treat you in a becoming manner?" asked -Mr. Dickson one day when the fugitive seemed in a very desponding mood.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir," replied Madison.</p> - -<p>"Then why do you appear so much dissatisfied, of late?"</p> - -<p>"Well, sir," said the fugitive, "since you have treated me with such -kindness, and seem to take so much interest in me, I will tell you -the reason why I have changed, and appear to you to be dissatisfied. -I was born in slavery, in the State of Virginia. From my earliest -recollections I hated slavery and determined to be free. I have never -yet called any man master, though I have been held by three different -men who claimed me as their property. The birds in the trees and the -wild beasts of the forest made me feel that I, like them, ought to be -free. My feelings were all thus centred in the one idea of liberty, of -which I thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> by day and dreamed by night. I had scarcely reached -my twentieth year when I became acquainted with the angelic being who -has since become my wife. It was my intention to have escaped with her -before we were married, but circumstances prevented.</p> - -<p>"I took her to my bosom as my wife, and then resolved to make the -attempt. But unfortunately my plans were discovered, and to save myself -from being caught and sold off to the far south I escaped to the woods, -where I remained during many weary months. As I could not bring my -wife away, I would not come without her. Another reason for remaining -was, that I hoped to get up an insurrection of the slaves, and thereby -be the means of their liberation. In this, too, I failed. At last it -was agreed between my wife and me that I should escape to Canada, get -employment, save my money, and with it purchase her freedom. With the -hope of attaining this end I came into your service. I am now satisfied -that, with the wages I can command here, it will take me not less than -five years to obtain by my labor the amount sufficient to purchase the -liberty of my dear Susan. Five years will be too long for me to wait, -for she may die or be sold away ere I can raise the money. This, sir, -makes me feel low-spirited, and I have come to the rash determination -to return to Virginia for my wife."</p> - -<p>The recital of the story had already brought tears to the eyes of the -farmer, ere the fugitive had concluded. In vain did Mr. Dickson try -to persuade Madison to give up the idea of going back into the very -grasp of the tyrant, and risking the loss of his own freedom without -securing that of his wife. The heroic man had made up his mind, and -nothing could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> move him. Receiving the amount of wages due him from -his employer, Madison turned his face once more towards the south. -Supplied with papers purporting to have been made out in Virginia, and -certifying to his being a freeman, the fugitive had no difficulty in -reaching the neighborhood of his wife. But these "free papers" were -only calculated to serve him where he was not known. Madison had also -provided himself with files, saws, and other implements with which -to cut his way out of any prison into which he might be cast. These -instruments were so small as to be easily concealed in the lining of -his clothing; and armed with them the fugitive felt sure he should -escape again were he ever captured. On his return, Madison met, in the -State of Ohio, many of those whom he had seen on his journey to Canada, -and all tried to prevail upon him to give up the rash attempt. But to -every one he would reply, "Liberty is worth nothing to me while my wife -is a slave." When near his former home, and unable to travel in open -day without being detected, Madison betook himself to the woods during -the day, and travelled by night. At last he arrived at the old farm at -night, and hid away in the nearest forest. Here he remained several -days, filled with hope and fear, without being able to obtain any -information about his wife. One evening, during this suspense, Madison -heard the singing of a company of slaves, the sound of which appeared -nearer and nearer, until he became convinced that it was a gang going -to a corn-shucking, and the fugitive resolved that he would join it, -and see if he could get any intelligence of his wife.</p> - -<p>In Virginia, as well as in most of the other corn-raising <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>slave -states, there is a custom of having what is termed "a corn-shucking," -to which slaves from the neighboring plantations, with the consent of -their masters, are invited. At the conclusion of the shucking a supper -is provided by the owner of the corn; and thus, together with the bad -whiskey which is freely circulated on such occasions, the slaves are -made to feel very happy. Four or five companies of men may be heard -in different directions and at the same time approaching the place -of rendezvous, slaves joining the gangs along the roads as they pass -their masters' farms. Madison came out upon the highway, and as the -company came along singing, he fell into the ranks and joined in the -song. Through the darkness of the night he was able to keep from being -recognized by the remainder of the company, while he learned from the -general conversation the most important news of the day.</p> - -<p>Although hungry and thirsty, the fugitive dared not go to the supper -table for fear of recognition. However, before he left the company that -night, he gained information enough to satisfy him that his wife was -still with her old master, and he hoped to see her, if possible, on the -following night. The sun had scarcely set the next evening, ere Madison -was wending his way out of the forest and going towards the home of his -loved one, if the slave can be said to have a home. Susan, the object -of his affections, was indeed a woman every way worthy of his love. -Madison knew well where to find the room usually occupied by his wife, -and to that spot he made his way on arriving at the plantation. But in -his zeal and enthusiasm, and his being too confident of success, he -committed a blunder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> which nearly cost him his life. Fearful that if he -waited until a late hour Susan would be asleep, and in awakening her -she would in her fright alarm the household, Madison ventured to her -room too early in the evening, before the whites in the "great house" -had retired. Observed by the overseer, a sufficient number of whites -were called in, and the fugitive secured ere he could escape with his -wife; but the heroic slave did not yield until he with a club had laid -three of his assailants upon the ground with his manly blows; and not -then until weakened by loss of blood. Madison was at once taken to -Richmond, and sold to a slave trader, then making up a gang of slaves -for the New Orleans market.</p> - -<p>The brig Creole, owned by Johnson & Eperson, of Richmond, and commanded -by Captain Enson, lay at the Richmond dock waiting for her cargo, which -usually consisted of tobacco, hemp, flax, and slaves. There were two -cabins for the slaves, one for the men, the other for the women. The -men were generally kept in chains while on the voyage; but the women -were usually unchained, and allowed to roam at pleasure in their own -cabin. On the 27th of October, 1841, the Creole sailed from Hampton -Roads, bound for New Orleans, with her full load of freight, one -hundred and thirty-five slaves, and three passengers, besides the crew. -Forty of the slaves were owned by Thomas McCargo, nine belonged to -Henry Hewell, and the remainder were held by Johnson & Eperson. Hewell -had once been an overseer for McCargo, and on this occasion was acting -as his agent.</p> - -<p>Among the slaves owned by Johnson & Eperson was Madison Washington. -He was heavily ironed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> and chained down to the floor of the cabin -occupied by the men, which was in the forward hold. As it was known by -Madison's purchasers that he had once escaped and had been in Canada, -they kept a watchful eye over him. The two cabins were separated, so -that the men and women had no communication whatever during the passage.</p> - -<p>Although rather gloomy at times, Madison on this occasion seemed very -cheerful, and his owners thought that he had repented of the experience -he had undergone as a runaway, and in the future would prove a more -easily governed chattel. But from the first hour that he had entered -the cabin of the Creole, Madison had been busily engaged in the -selection of men who were to act parts in the great drama. He picked -out each one as if by intuition. Every thing was done at night and in -the dark, as far as the preparation was concerned. The miniature saws -and files were faithfully used when the whites were asleep.</p> - -<p>In the other cabin, among the slave women, was one whose beauty at once -attracted attention. Though not tall, she yet had a majestic figure. -Her well-moulded shoulders, prominent bust, black hair which hung in -ringlets, mild blue eyes, finely-chiselled mouth, with a splendid -set of teeth, a turned and well-rounded chin, skin marbled with the -animation of life, and veined by blood given to her by her master, -she stood as the representative of two races. With only one eighth of -African, she was what is called at the south an "octoroon." It was said -that her grandfather had served his country in the revolutionary war, -as well as in both houses of Congress. This was Susan, the wife of -Madison. Few slaves, even among the best used<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> house servants, had so -good an opportunity to gain general information as she. Accustomed to -travel with her mistress, Susan had often been to Richmond, Norfolk, -White Sulphur Springs, and other places of resort for the aristocracy -of the Old Dominion. Her language was far more correct than most slaves -in her position. Susan was as devoted to Madison as she was beautiful -and accomplished.</p> - -<p>After the arrest of her husband, and his confinement in Richmond -jail, it was suspected that Susan had long been in possession of the -knowledge of his whereabouts when in Canada, and knew of his being in -the neighborhood; and for this crime it was resolved that she should be -sold and sent off to a southern plantation, where all hope of escape -would be at an end. Each was not aware that the other was on board the -Creole, for Madison and Susan were taken to their respective cabins at -different times. On the ninth day out, the Creole encountered a rough -sea, and most of the slaves were sick, and therefore were not watched -with that vigilance that they had been since she first sailed. This -was the time for Madison and his accomplices to work, and nobly did -they perform their duty. Night came on; the first watch had just been -summoned, the wind blowing high, when Madison succeeded in reaching -the quarter deck, followed by eighteen others, all of whom sprang -to different parts of the vessel, seizing whatever they could wield -as weapons. The crew were nearly all on deck. Captain Enson and Mr. -Merritt, the first mate, were standing together, while Hewell was -seated on the companion smoking a cigar. The appearance of the slaves -all at once, and the loud voice and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>commanding attitude of their -leader, so completely surprised the whites, that—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="i6">"They spake not a word;</div> -<div>But, like dumb statues, or breathless stones,</div> -<div>Stared at each other, and looked deadly pale."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The officers were all armed; but so swift were the motions of Madison -that they had nearly lost command of the vessel before they attempted -to use their weapons.</p> - -<p>Hewell, the greater part of whose life had been spent on the plantation -in the capacity of a negro-driver, and who knew that the defiant looks -of these men meant something, was the first to start. Drawing his old -horse pistol from under his coat, he fired at one of the blacks and -killed him. The next moment Hewell lay dead upon the deck, for Madison -had struck him with a capstan bar. The fight now became general, the -white passengers, as well as all the crew, taking part. The battle -was Madison's element, and he plunged into it without any care for -his own preservation or safety. He was an instrument of enthusiasm, -whose value and whose place was in his inspiration. "If the fire of -heaven was in my hands, I would throw it at these cowardly whites," -said he to his companions, before leaving their cabin. But in this he -did not mean revenge, only the possession of his freedom and that of -his fellow-slaves. Merritt and Gifford, the first and second mates of -the vessel, both attacked the heroic slave at the same time. Both were -stretched out upon the deck with a single blow each, but were merely -wounded; they were disabled, and that was all that Madison cared for -for the time being. The sailors ran up the rigging for safety, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> a -moment more he that had worn the fetters an hour before was master of -the brig Creole. His commanding attitude and daring orders, now that -he was free, and his perfect preparation for the grand alternative of -liberty or death which stood before him, are splendid exemplifications -of the truly heroic. After his accomplices had covered the slaver's -deck, Madison forbade the shedding of more blood, and ordered the -sailors to come down, which they did, and with his own hands he dressed -their wounds. A guard was placed over all except Merritt, who was -retained to navigate the vessel. With a musket doubly charged, and -pointed at Merritt's breast, the slave made him swear that he would -faithfully take the brig into a British port. All things now secure, -and the white men in chains or under guard, Madison ordered that the -fetters should be severed from the limbs of those slaves who still -wore them. The next morning "Captain Washington" (for such was the -name he now bore) ordered the cook to provide the best breakfast that -the store room could furnish, intending to surprise his fellow-slaves, -and especially the females, whom he had not yet seen. But little did -he think that the woman for whom he had risked his liberty and life -would meet him at the breakfast table. The meeting of the hero and his -beautiful and accomplished wife, the tears of joy shed, and the hurrahs -that followed from the men, can better be imagined than described. -Madison's cup of joy was filled to the brim. He had not only gained his -own liberty and that of one hundred and thirty-four others, but his -dear Susan was safe. Only one man, Hewell, had been killed. Captain -Enson and others, who were wounded, soon <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>recovered; and were kindly -treated by Madison; but they nevertheless proved ungrateful; for on the -second night, Captain Enson, Mr. Gifford, and Merritt took advantage -of the absence of Madison from the deck, and attempted to retake the -vessel. The slaves, exasperated at this treachery, fell upon the whites -with deadly weapons. The captain and his men fled to the cabin, pursued -by the blacks. Nothing but the heroism of the negro leader saved the -lives of the white men on this occasion, for as the slaves were rushing -into the cabin, Madison threw himself between them and their victims, -exclaiming, "Stop! no more blood. My life, that was perilled for your -liberty, I will lay down for the protection of these men. They have -proved themselves unworthy of life, which we granted them; still let us -be magnanimous." By the kind heart and noble bearing of Madison, the -vile slave-traders were again permitted to go unwhipped of justice. -This act of humanity raised the uncouth son of Africa far above his -Anglo-Saxon oppressors.</p> - -<p>The next morning the Creole landed at Nassau, New Providence, where the -noble and heroic slaves were warmly greeted by the inhabitants, who at -once offered protection, and extended their hospitality to them. Not -many months since, an American ship went ashore at Nassau, and among -the first to render assistance to the crew was Madison Washington.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> - -<h3>HENRY BIBB.</h3> - -<p>Henry Bibb, like most fugitive slaves, did not know who his father was; -that his mother was a slave was sufficient to decide his lot, and to -send him, under fear of the lash, while yet a mere infant, to labor -on his master's farm: when sufficiently old to be of much use to any -one, he was hired out to one person and another for the space of eight -or ten years, the proceeds of his labor going, we are told, to defray -the expense of educating his owner's daughters. The year of Henry -Bibb's birth was a memorable one—1815; little, however, knew he of -European struggles; he had a great battle of his own to fight against -tremendous odds, and he seems to have fought it bravely. He formed the -determination to be free at a very early age, and nothing could shake -it; starvation, imprisonment, scourging, lacerating, punishments of -every kind, and of every degree of severity short of actual death, were -tried in vain; they could not subdue his indomitable spirit.</p> - -<p>His first attempt to escape was made when he was about ten years of -age, and from that time to 1840 his life was a constant series of -flights and recaptures, the narrative of which makes one thrill and -shudder at the sufferings endured and the barbarities inflicted. -Securing his freedom by his own good legs, Henry Bibb at once began -seeking an education; and in this he succeeded far beyond many white -men who have had all the avenues to learning open to them. In personal -appearance he was tall and slim, a pleasing <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>countenance, half white, -hair brown, eyes gray, and possessed a musical voice, and a wonderful -power of delivery. No one who heard Mr. Bibb, in the years 1847, -'8, and '9, can forget the deep impression that he left behind him. -His natural eloquence and his songs enchained an audience as long -as the speaker wanted them. In 1849, we believe, he went to Canada, -and started a weekly paper called <i>The Voice of the Fugitives</i>, at -Windsor. His journal was well conducted, and was long regarded as -indispensable in every fugitive's house. His first wife being left in -slavery, and no hope of her escaping, Mr. Bibb married for his second -wife the well-educated and highly-cultivated Mary E. Miles, of Boston. -After being in Canada a while, the two opened a school for their -escaped brothers and sisters, which proved a lasting benefit to that -much-injured class. His efforts to purchase a tract of land, and to -deal it out in lots to the fugitives at a reasonable price, was only -one of the many kind acts of this good man. There are few characters -more worthy of the student's study and imitation than that of Henry -Bibb. From an ignorant slave, he became an educated free man, by his -own powers, and left a name that will not soon fade away.</p> - -<p>In one of Cassimir de la Vigne's dramas, we met with an expression -which struck us forcibly. It was said of Don John, who was ignorant of -his birth, that perhaps he was a nobody; to which he replied, "That a -man of good character and honorable conduct could never be a nobody." -We consider this an admirable reply, and have endeavored to prove this -truth by the foregoing example. If it is gratifying and noble to bear -with honor the name of one's father, it is surely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> more noble to make -a name for one's self; and our heart tells us that among our young -readers there is more than one who will exclaim with ardor, and with a -firm resolution to fulfil his promise, <i>I, too, shall make a name</i>.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>PLACIDO.</h3> - -<p>In the year 1830, there was a young man in Havana, son of a woman -who had been brought, when a child, from the coast of Africa, and -sold as a slave. Being with a comparatively kind master, he soon -found opportunity to begin developing the genius which at a later -period showed itself. The young slave was called Placido. He took an -especial interest in poetry, and often wrote poems that were set to -music and sung in the drawing rooms of the most refined companies -which assembled in the city. His young master paying his addresses to -a rich heiress, the slave was requested to write a poem embodying the -master's passion for the young lady. Placido acquitted himself to the -entire satisfaction of the lover, who copied the epistle in his own -hand, and sent it on its mission. The slave's compositions were so much -admired that they found their way into the newspaper; but no one knew -the negro as the author. In 1838, these poems, together with a number -which had never appeared in print, were intrusted to a white man, who -sent them to England, where they were published and much praised for -the talent and scholarly attainment which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> developed. A number of -young whites, who were well acquainted with Placido and his genius, -resolved to purchase him and present him his freedom, which they did in -the year 1842. But a new field had opened itself to the freed black, -and he began to tread in its paths. Freedom for himself was only the -beginning; he sighed to make others free. The imaginative brain of -the poet produced verses which the slaves sung in their own rude way, -and which kindled in their hearts a more intense desire for liberty. -Placido planned an insurrection of the slaves, in which he was to be -their leader and deliverer; but the scheme failed. After a hasty trial, -he was convicted and sentenced to death. The fatal day came; he walked -to the place of execution with as much calmness as if it had been to an -ordinary resort of pleasure. His manly and heroic bearing excited the -sympathy and admiration of all who saw him. As he arrived at the fatal -spot he began reciting the following hymn, which he had written in his -cell the previous night:—</p> - -<p class="center">TO GOD—A PRAYER.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Almighty God! whose goodness knows no bound,</div> -<div class="i1">To thee I flee in my severe distress;</div> -<div class="i1">O let thy potent arm my wrongs redress,</div> -<div>And rend the odious veil by slander wound</div> -<div>About my brow. The base world's arm confound,</div> -<div class="i1">Who on my front would now the seal of shame impress.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>God of my sires, to whom all kings must yield,</div> -<div class="i1">Be thou alone my shield; protect me now:</div> -<div class="i1">All power is His, to whom the sea doth owe</div> -<div>His countless stores; who clothed with light heaven's field,</div> -<div>And made the sun, and air, and polar seas congealed;</div> -<div class="i1">All plants with life endowed, and made the rivers flow.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>All power is thine: 'twas thy creative might</div> -<div class="i1">This goodly frame of things from chaos brought,</div> -<div class="i1">Which unsustained by thee would still be nought,</div> -<div>As erst it lay deep in the womb of night,</div> -<div>Ere thy dread word first called it into light;</div> -<div class="i1">Obedient to thy call, it lived, and moved, and thought.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Thou know'st my heart, O God, supremely wise;</div> -<div class="i1">Thine eye, all-seeing, cannot be deceived;</div> -<div class="i1">By thee mine inmost soul is clear perceived,</div> -<div>As objects gross are through transparent skies</div> -<div>By mortal ken. Thy mercy exercise,</div> -<div class="i1">Lest slander foul exult o'er innocence aggrieved.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>But if 'tis fixed, by thy decree divine,</div> -<div class="i1">That I must bear the pain of guilt and shame,</div> -<div class="i1">And that my foes this cold and senseless frame</div> -<div>Shall rudely treat with scorn and shouts malign,</div> -<div>Give thou the word, and I my breath resign,</div> -<div class="i1">Obedient to thy will. Blest be thy holy name!"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>When all preparation for the execution had been finished, Placido asked -the privilege of giving the signal, and it was granted. With his face -wearing an expression of almost superhuman courage, he said in Spanish, -"Adieu, O world; there is no justice or pity for me here. Soldiers, -fire!" Five balls entered his body, but did not deprive him of life. -Still unsubdued, he again spoke, and placing his hand on his breast, -said, "Fire here." Two balls from the reserve entered his heart, and he -fell dead.</p> - -<p>Thus died Placido, the slave's poet of freedom. His songs are still -sung in the bondman's hut, and his name is a household word to all. -As the <i>Marseillaise</i> was sung by the revolutionists of France, and -inspired the people with a hatred to oppressors, so will the slaves of -Cuba, at a future day, sing the songs of their poet-martyr, and their -cry will be, "Placido and Liberty."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> - -<h3>JEREMIAH B. SANDERSON.</h3> - -<p>New Bedford has produced a number of highly-intelligent men of the -"doomed race;" men who, by their own efforts, have attained positions, -intellectually, which, if they had been of the more favored class, -would have introduced them into the halls of Congress. One of these -is J. B. Sanderson. An industrious student, and an ardent lover of -literature, he has read more than almost any one of his years within -our circle of acquaintance. History, theology, and the classics, he is -master of. We first met him while he was on a tour through the west, -as a lecturer on slavery, and the impression then made on our mind -became still stronger as we knew more of him. Although not at the time -an ordained minister Mr. Sanderson, in 1848, preached for one of the -religious societies of New Bedford, on Sunday, and attended to his -vocation (hair dresser) during the week. Some of the best educated of -the whites were always in attendance on these occasions. His sermons -were generally beyond the comprehension of his hearers, except those -well read. Emerson, Carlyle, and Theodore Parker, were represented in -his discourses, which were always replete with historical incidents. -Mr. Sanderson has been several years in California, where he now -preaches to an intelligent congregation and is considered one of the -ablest religious teachers in the Pacific state.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Honor and fame from no condition rise:</div> -<div>Act well your part—there all the honor lies."</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Who does the best his circumstance allows,</div> -<div>Does well, acts nobly: angels could no more."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> - -<p>In stature Mr. Sanderson is somewhat above the medium height, finely -formed, well-developed head, and a pleasing face; an excellent voice, -which he knows how to use. His gestures are correct without being -studied, and his sentences always tell upon his audience. Few speakers -are more happy in their delivery than he. In one of those outbursts -of true eloquence for which he is so noted, we still remember the -impression made upon his hearers, when, on one occasion, he exclaimed, -"Neither men nor governments have a right to sell those of their -species; men and their liberty are neither purchasable nor salable. -This is the law of nature, which is obligatory on all men, at all -times, and in all places."</p> - -<p>All accounts from California speak of J. B. Sanderson as doing more for -the enfranchisement and elevation of his race than any one who has gone -from the Atlantic states.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE.</h3> - -<p>At the commencement of the French revolution, in 1789, there were nine -hundred thousand inhabitants on the Island of St. Domingo. Of these, -seven hundred thousand were Africans, sixty thousand mixed blood, -and the remainder were whites and Caribbeans. Like the involuntary -servitude in our own Southern States, slavery in St. Domingo kept -morality at a low stand. Owing to the amalgamation between masters and -slaves, there arose the mulatto population, which eventually proved to -be the worst enemies of their fathers. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> - -<p>Many of the planters sent their mulatto sons to France to be educated. -When these young men returned to the island, they were greatly -dissatisfied at the proscription which met them wherever they appeared. -White enough to make them hopeful and aspiring, many of the mulattoes -possessed wealth enough to make them influential. Aware, by their -education, of the principles of freedom that were being advocated in -Europe and the United States, they were ever on the watch to seize -opportunities to better their social and political condition. In the -French part of the island alone, twenty thousand whites lived in the -midst of thirty thousand free mulattoes and five hundred thousand -slaves. In the Spanish portion, the odds were still greater in favor of -the slaves. Thus the advantage of numbers and physical strength was on -the side of the oppressed. Right is the most dangerous of weapons—woe -to him who leaves it to his enemies!</p> - -<p>The efforts of Wilberforce, Sharp, Buxton, and Clarkson to abolish -the African slave trade, and their advocacy of the equality of the -races, were well understood by the men of color. They had also learned -their own strength in the island, and that they had the sympathy of -all Europe with them. The news of the oath of the Tennis Court and the -taking of the Bastile at Paris was received with the wildest enthusiasm -by the people of St. Domingo.</p> - -<p>The announcement of these events was hailed with delight by both the -white planters and the mulattoes; the former, because they hoped -that a revolution in the mother country would secure to them the -independence of the colony; the latter, because they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> viewed it as a -movement that would give them equal rights with the whites; and even -the slaves regarded it as a precursor to their own emancipation. But -the excitement which the outbreak at Paris had created amongst the -free men of color and the slaves, at once convinced the planters that -a separation from France would be the death-knell of slavery in St. -Domingo.</p> - -<p>Although emancipated by law from the dominion of individuals, the -mulattoes had no rights: shut out from society by their color, deprived -of religious and political privileges, they felt their degradation even -more keenly than the bond slaves. The mulatto son was not allowed to -dine at his father's table, kneel with him in his devotions, bear his -name, inherit his property, nor even to lie in his father's graveyard. -Laboring as they were under the sense of their personal social wrongs, -the mulattoes tolerated, if they did not encourage, low and vindictive -passions. They were haughty and disdainful to the blacks, whom they -scorned, and jealous and turbulent to the whites, whom they hated and -feared.</p> - -<p>The mulattoes at once despatched one of their number to Paris, to lay -before the Constitutional Assembly their claim to equal rights with -the whites. Vincent Ogé, their deputy, was well received at Paris -by Lafayette, Brissot, Barnave, and Gregoire, and was admitted to a -seat in the Assembly, where he eloquently portrayed the wrongs of his -race. In urging his claims, he said, if equality was withheld from the -mulattoes, they would appeal to force. This was seconded by Lafayette -and Barnave, who said, "<i>Perish the colonies rather than a principle</i>."</p> - -<p>The Assembly passed a decree granting the demands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> of the men of color, -and Ogé was made bearer of the news to his brethren. The planters armed -themselves, met the young deputy on his return to the island, and a -battle ensued. The free colored men rallied around Ogé, but they were -defeated and taken, with their brave leader, were first tortured, and -then broken alive on the wheel.</p> - -<p>The prospect of freedom was put down for the time, but the blood of Ogé -and his companions bubbled silently in the hearts of the African race; -they swore to avenge them.</p> - -<p>The announcement of the death of Ogé in the halls of the Assembly -at Paris created considerable excitement, and became the topic of -conversation in the clubs and on the Boulevards. Gregoire defended the -course of the colored men, and said, "If Liberty was right in France, -it was right in St. Domingo." He well knew that the crime for which Ogé -had suffered in the West Indies, had constituted the glory of Mirabeau -and Lafayette at Paris, and Washington and Hancock in the United -States. The planters in the island trembled at their own oppressive -acts, and terror urged them on to greater violence. The blood of Ogé -and his accomplices had sown every where despair and conspiracy. The -French sent an army to St. Domingo to enforce the laws.</p> - -<p>The planters repelled with force the troops sent out by France, -denying its prerogatives and refusing the civic oath. In the midst of -these thickening troubles, the planters who resided in France were -invited to return and assist in vindicating the civil independence of -the island. Then was it that the mulattoes earnestly appealed to the -slaves, and the result was appalling.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> The slaves awoke as from an -ominous dream, and demanded their rights with sword in hand. Gaining -immediate success, and finding that their liberty would not be granted -by the planters, they rapidly increased in numbers; and in less than a -week from its commencement, the storm had swept over the whole plain -of the north, from east to west, and from the mountains to the sea. -The splendid villas and rich factories yielded to the furies of the -devouring flames; so that the mountains, covered with smoke and burning -cinders, borne upwards by the wind, looked like volcanoes; and the -atmosphere, as if on fire, resembled a furnace.</p> - -<p>Such were the outraged feelings of a people whose ancestors had been -ruthlessly torn from their native land, and sold in the shambles of St. -Domingo. To terrify the blacks and convince them that they could never -be free, the planters were murdering them on every hand by thousands.</p> - -<p>The struggle in St. Domingo was watched with intense interest by the -friends of the blacks, both in Paris and in London, and all appeared -to look with hope to the rising up of a black chief, who should prove -himself adequate to the emergency. Nor did they look in vain. In the -midst of the disorders that threatened on all sides, the negro chief -made his appearance in the person of a slave, named Toussaint. This man -was the grandson of the King of Ardra, one of the most powerful and -wealthy monarchs on the west coast of Africa. By his own energy and -perseverance, Toussaint had learned to read and write, and was held in -high consideration by the surrounding planters as well as their slaves.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> - -<p>His private virtues were many, and he had a deep and pervading -sense of religion, and in the camp carried it even as far as Oliver -Cromwell. Toussaint was born on the island, and was fifty years of age -when called into the field. One of his chief characteristics was his -humanity.</p> - -<p>Before taking any part in the revolution, he aided his master's family -to escape from the impending danger. After seeing them beyond the reach -of the revolutionary movement, he entered the army as an inferior -officer, but was soon made aid-de-camp to General Bissou. Disorder and -bloodshed reigned throughout the island, and every day brought fresh -intelligence of depredations committed by whites, mulattoes, and blacks.</p> - -<p>Such was the condition of affairs when a decree was passed by the -Colonial Assembly giving equal rights to the mulattoes, and asking -their aid in restoring order and reducing the slaves again to their -chains. Overcome by this decree, and having gained all they wished, the -free colored men joined the planters in a murderous crusade against the -slaves. This union of the whites and mulattoes to prevent the bondman -getting his freedom, created an ill feeling between the two proscribed -classes which seventy years have not been able to efface. The French -government sent a second army to St. Domingo, to enforce the laws -giving freedom to the slaves; and Toussaint joined it on its arrival in -the island, and fought bravely against the planters.</p> - -<p>While the people of St. Domingo were thus fighting amongst themselves, -the revolutionary movement in France had fallen into the hands of -Robespierre and Danton, and the guillotine was beheading its thousands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> -daily. When the news of the death of Louis XVI. reached St. Domingo, -Toussaint and his companions left the French, and joined the Spanish -army in the eastern part of the island, and fought for the king of -Spain. Here Toussaint was made brigadier general, and appeared in the -field as the most determined foe of the French planters.</p> - -<p>The two armies met; a battle was fought in the streets, and many -thousands were slain on both sides; the planters, however, were -defeated. During the conflict the city was set on fire, and on every -side presented shocking evidence of slaughter, conflagration, and -pillage. The strifes of political and religious partisanship, which -had raged in the clubs and streets of Paris, were transplanted to -St. Domingo, where they raged with all the heat of a tropical clime -and the animosities of a civil war. Truly did the flames of the -French revolution at Paris, and the ignorance and self-will of the -planters, set the island of St. Domingo on fire. The commissioners, -with their retinue, retired from the burning city into the neighboring -highlands, where a camp was formed to protect the ruined town from the -opposing party. Having no confidence in the planters, and fearing a -reaction, the commissioners proclaimed a general emancipation to the -slave population, and invited the blacks who had joined the Spaniards -to return. Toussaint and his followers accepted the invitation, -returned, and were enrolled in the army under the commissioners. Fresh -troops arrived from France, who were no sooner in the island than -they separated—some siding with the planters, and others with the -commissioners. The white republicans of the mother country arrayed -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>themselves against the white republicans of St. Domingo, whom they -were sent out to assist; the blacks and the mulattoes were at war with -each other; old and young, of both sexes and of all colors, were put -to the sword, while the fury of the flames swept from plantation to -plantation and from town to town.</p> - -<p>During these sad commotions, Toussaint, by his superior knowledge of -the character of his race, his humanity, generosity, and courage, -had gained the confidence of all whom he had under his command. The -rapidity with which he travelled from post to post astonished every -one. By his genius and surpassing activity, Toussaint levied fresh -forces, raised the reputation of the army, and drove the English and -Spanish from the island.</p> - -<p>With the termination of this struggle every vestige of slavery and all -obstacles to freedom disappeared. Toussaint exerted every nerve to make -Hayti what it had formerly been. He did every thing in his power to -promote agriculture; and in this he succeeded beyond the most sanguine -expectations of the friends of freedom, both in England and France. -Even the planters who had remained on the island acknowledged the -prosperity of Hayti under the governorship of the man whose best days -had been spent in slavery.</p> - -<p>The peace of Amiens left Bonaparte without a rival on the continent, -and with a large and experienced army, which he feared to keep idle; -and he determined to send a part of it to St. Domingo.</p> - -<p>The army for the expedition to St. Domingo was fitted out, and no pains -or expense spared to make it an imposing one. Fifty-six ships of war, -with twenty-five thousand men, left France for Hayti. It was,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> indeed, -the most valiant fleet that had ever sailed from the French dominions. -The Alps, the Nile, the Rhine, and all Italy, had resounded with the -exploits of the men who were now leaving their country for the purpose -of placing the chains again on the limbs of the heroic people of St. -Domingo. There were men in that army that had followed Bonaparte from -the siege of Toulon to the battle under the shades of the pyramids of -Egypt—men who had grown gray in the camp.</p> - -<p>News of the intended invasion reached St. Domingo some days before the -squadron had sailed from Brest; and therefore the blacks had time to -prepare to meet their enemies. Toussaint had concentrated his forces -at such points as he expected would be first attacked. Christophe was -sent to defend Cape City, and Port-au-Prince was left in the hands of -Dessalines.</p> - -<p>With no navy, and but little means of defence, the Haytians determined -to destroy their towns rather than they should fall into the hands of -the enemy. Late in the evening the French ships were seen to change -their position, and Christophe, satisfied that they were about to -effect a landing, set fire to his own house, which was the signal for -the burning of the town. The French general wept as he beheld the ocean -of flames rising from the tops of the houses in the finest city in St. -Domingo. Another part of the fleet landed in Samana, where Toussaint, -with an experienced wing of the army, was ready to meet them. On -seeing the ships enter the harbor, the heroic chief said, "Here come -the enslavers of our race. All France is coming to St. Domingo, to -try again to put the fetters upon our limbs; but not France, with -all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> her troops of the Rhine, the Alps, the Nile, the Tiber, nor all -Europe to help her, can extinguish the soul of Africa. That soul, when -once the soul of a man, and no longer that of a slave, can overthrow -the pyramids and the Alps themselves, sooner than again be crushed -down into slavery." The French, however, effected a landing, but they -found nothing but smouldering ruins, where once stood splendid cities. -Toussaint and his generals at once abandoned the towns, and betook -themselves to the mountains, those citadels of freedom in St. Domingo, -where the blacks have always proved too much for the whites.</p> - -<p>Toussaint put forth a proclamation to the colored people, in which he -said, "You are now to meet and fight enemies who have neither faith, -law, nor religion. Let us resolve that these French troops shall -never leave our shores alive." The war commenced, and the blacks -were victorious in nearly all the battles. Where the French gained a -victory, they put their prisoners to the most excruciating tortures; -in many instances burning them in pits, and throwing them into boiling -caldrons. This example of cruelty set by the whites was followed by the -blacks. Then it was that Dessalines, the ferocious chief, satisfied his -long pent-up revenge against the white planters and French soldiers -that he made prisoners. The French general saw that he could gain -nothing from the blacks on the field of battle, and he determined upon -a stratagem, in which he succeeded too well.</p> - -<p>A correspondence was opened with Toussaint, in which the -captain-general promised to acknowledge the liberty of the blacks and -the equality of all, if he would yield. Overcome by the persuasions of -his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> generals and the blacks who surrounded him, and who were sick and -tired of the shedding of blood, Toussaint gave in his adhesion to the -French authorities. This was the great error of his life.</p> - -<p>Vincent, in his "<i>Reflections on the Present State of the Colony of -St. Domingo</i>," says, "Toussaint, at the head of his army, is the most -active and indefatigable man of whom we can form an idea; we may say, -with truth, that he is found wherever instructions or danger render -his presence necessary. The particular care which he employs in his -march, of always deceiving the men of whom he has need, and who think -they enjoy a confidence he gives to none, has such an effect that he -is daily expected in all the chief places of the colony. His great -sobriety, the faculty, which none but he possesses, of never reposing, -the facility with which he resumes the affairs of the cabinet after the -most tiresome excursions, of answering daily a hundred letters, and of -habitually tiring five secretaries, render him so superior to all those -around him, that their respect and submission are in most individuals -carried even to fanaticism. It is certain that no man, in the present -times, has possessed such an influence over a mass of people as General -Toussaint possesses over his brethren in St. Domingo."</p> - -<p>The above is the opinion of an enemy—one who regarded the negro chief -as a dangerous man to his interest.</p> - -<p>Invited by the captain-general of the island to attend a council, the -black hero was treacherously seized and sent on board the ship of -war Hero, which set sail at once for France. On the arrival of the -illustrious prisoner at Brest, he was taken in a closed carriage and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> -transferred to the castle of Joux, in the Lower Pyrenees. The gelid -atmosphere of the mountain region, the cold, damp dungeon in which he -was placed, with the water dripping upon the floor day and night, did -not hasten the death of Toussaint fast enough. By Napoleon's directions -the prisoner's servant was taken from him, sufficient clothing and -bedding to keep him warm were denied, his food curtailed, and his -keeper, after an absence of four days, returned and found the hero of -St. Domingo dead in his cell. Thus terminated the career of a self-made -man.</p> - -<p>Toussaint was of prepossessing appearance, of middle stature, and -possessed an iron frame. His dignified, calm, and unaffected features, -and broad and well-developed forehead, would cause him to be selected, -in any company of men, as one born for a leader. Endowed by nature with -high qualities of mind, he owed his elevation to his own energies and -his devotion to the welfare and freedom of his race. His habits were -thoughtful; and like most men of energetic temperaments, he crowded -much into what he said. So profound and original were his opinions, -that they have been successively drawn upon by all the chiefs of St. -Domingo since his era, and still without loss of adaptation to the -circumstances of the country. The policy of his successors has been -but a repetition of his plans, and his maxims are still the guidance -of the rulers of Hayti. His thoughts were copious and full of vigor, -and what he could express well in his native <i>patois</i> he found tame and -unsatisfactory in the French language, which he was obliged to employ -in the details of his official business. He would never sign what he -did not fully understand, obliging two or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> three secretaries to re-word -the document, until they had succeeded in furnishing the particular -phrase expressive of his meaning. While at the height of his power, -and when all around him were furnished with every comfort, and his -officers living in splendor, Toussaint himself lived with an austere -sobriety which bordered on abstemiousness. He was entirely master of -his own passions and appetites. It was his custom to set off in his -carriage with the professed object of going to some particular point of -the island, and when he had passed over several miles of the journey, -to quit the carriage, which continued its route under the same escort -of guards, while Toussaint, mounted on horseback and followed by his -officers, made rapid excursions across the country, to places where he -was least expected. It was upon one of these occasions that he owed his -life to his singular mode of travelling. He had just left his carriage -when an ambuscade of mulattoes, concealed in the thickets of Boucassin, -fired upon the guard, and several balls pierced the carriage, and one -of them killed an old domestic who occupied the seat of his master. No -person knew better than he the art of governing the people under his -jurisdiction. The greater part of the population loved him to idolatry. -Veneration for Toussaint was not confined to the boundaries of St. -Domingo; it ran through Europe; and in France his name was frequently -pronounced in the senate with the eulogy of polished eloquence. No one -can look back upon his career without feeling that Toussaint was a -remarkable man. Without being bred to the science of arms, he became a -valiant soldier, and baffled the skill of the most experienced generals -that had followed Napoleon.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> Without military knowledge he fought like -one born in the camp. Without means he carried on the war. He beat his -enemies in battle, and turned their own weapons against them. He laid -the foundation for the emancipation of his race and the independence -of the island. From ignorance he became educated by his own exertions. -From a slave he rose to be a soldier, a general, and a governor, and -might have been king of St. Domingo. He possessed splendid traits of -genius, which was developed in the private circle, in the council -chamber, and on the field of battle. His very name became a tower -of strength to his friends and a terror to his foes. Toussaint's -career as a Christian, a statesman, and a general, will lose nothing -by a comparison with that of Washington. Each was the leader of an -oppressed and outraged people, each had a powerful enemy to contend -with, and each succeeded in founding a government in the new world. -Toussaint's government made liberty its watchword, incorporated it in -its constitution, abolished the slave trade, and made freedom universal -amongst the people. Washington's government incorporated slavery and -the slave trade, and enacted laws by which chains were fastened upon -the limbs of millions of people. Toussaint liberated his countrymen; -Washington enslaved a portion of his. When impartial history shall -do justice to the St. Domingo revolution, the name of Toussaint -L'Ouverture will be placed high upon the roll of fame.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CRISPUS ATTUCKS.</h3> - -<p>The principle that taxation and representation were inseparable was -in accordance with the theory, the genius, and the precedents of -British legislation; and this principle was now, for the first time, -intentionally invaded. The American colonies were not represented -in Parliament; yet an act was passed by that body, the tendency of -which was to invalidate all right and title to their property. This -was the "Stamp Act," of March 23, 1765, which ordained that no sale, -bond, note of hand, or other instrument of writing should be valid -unless executed on paper bearing the stamp prescribed by the home -government. The intelligence of the passage of the stamp act at once -roused the indignation of the liberty-loving portion of the people -of the colonies, and meetings were held at various points to protest -against this high-handed measure. Massachusetts was the first to take -a stand in opposition to the mother country. The merchants and traders -of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia entered into non-importation -agreements, with a view of obtaining a repeal of the obnoxious law. -Under the pressure of public sentiment, the stamp act officers gave -in their resignations. The eloquence of William Pitt and the sagacity -of Lord Camden brought about a repeal of the stamp act in the British -Parliament. A new ministry, in 1767, succeeded in getting through the -House of Commons a bill to tax the tea imported into the American -colonies, and it received the royal assent. Massachusetts again took -the lead in opposing the execution of this last act, and Boston <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>began -planning to take the most conspicuous part in the great drama. The -agitation in the colonies provoked the home government, and power -was given to the governor of Massachusetts to take notice of all -persons who might offer any treasonable objections to these oppressive -enactments, that the same might be sent home to England to be tried -there. Lord North was now at the head of affairs, and no leniency was -to be shown to the colonies. The concentration of British troops in -large numbers at Boston convinced the people that their liberties were -at stake, and they began to rally. A crowded and enthusiastic meeting, -held in Boston in the latter part of the year 1769, was addressed by -the ablest talent that the progressive element could produce. Standing -in the back part of the hall, eagerly listening to the speakers, was a -dark mulatto man, very tall, rather good looking, and apparently about -fifty years of age. This was Crispus Attucks. Though taking no part -in the meeting, he was nevertheless destined to be conspicuous in the -first struggle in throwing off the British yoke. Twenty years previous -to this, Attucks was the slave of William Brouno, Esq., of Framingham, -Mass.; but his was a heart beating for freedom, and not to be kept in -the chains of mental or bodily servitude.</p> - -<p>From the Boston Gazette of Tuesday, November 20, 1750, now in -the possession of William C. Nell, Esq., I copy the following -advertisement:—</p> - -<p>"Ran away from his master William Brouno Framingham, on the 30th of -Sept., last, a Molatto Fellow, about 27 years of Age named Crispus, -well set, six feet 2 inches high, short curl'd Hair, knees nearer -together than common; had on a light coloured Bearskin Coat,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> brown -Fustian jacket, new Buckskin Breeches, blew yarn Stockins and Checkered -Shirt. Whoever shall take up said Run-away, and convey him to his above -said Master at Framingham, shall have Ten Pounds, old Tenor Reward and -all necessary Charges paid."</p> - -<p>The above is a verbatim et literatim advertisement for a runaway slave -one hundred and twelve years ago. Whether Mr. Brouno succeeded in -recapturing Crispus or not, we are left in the dark.</p> - -<p>Ill-feeling between the mother country and her colonial subjects had -been gaining ground, while British troops were concentrating at Boston. -On the 5th of March, 1770, the people were seen early congregating at -the corners of the principal streets, at Dock Square, and near the -custom house. Captain Preston, with a body of redcoats, started out for -the purpose of keeping order in the disaffected town, and was hissed at -by the crowds in nearly every place where he appeared. The day passed -off without any outward manifestation of disturbance, but all seemed -to feel that something would take place after nightfall. The doubling -of the guard in and about the custom house showed that the authorities -felt an insecurity that they did not care to express. The lamps in -Dock Square threw their light in the angry faces of a large crowd who -appeared to be waiting for the crisis, in whatever form it should -come. A part of Captain Preston's company was making its way from the -custom house, when they were met by the crowd from Dock Square, headed -by the black man Attucks, who was urging them to meet the redcoats, -and drive them from the streets. "These rebels have no business here," -said he; "let's drive them away." The people became enthusiastic, their -brave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> leader grew more daring in his language and attitude, while the -soldiers under Captain Preston appeared to give way. "Come on! don't -be afraid!" cried Attucks. "They dare not shoot; and if they dare, let -them do it." Stones and sticks, with which the populace was armed, -were freely used, to the great discomfiture of the English soldiers. -"Don't hesitate! come on! We'll drive these rebels out of Boston," -were the last words heard from the lips of the colored man, for the -sharp crack of muskets silenced his voice, and he fell weltering in -his blood. Two balls had pierced his sable breast. Thus died Crispus -Attucks, the first martyr to American liberty, and the inaugurator of -the revolution that was destined to take from the crown of George the -Third its brightest star. An immense concourse of citizens followed -the remains of the hero to its last resting place, and his name was -honorably mentioned in the best circles. The last words, the daring, -and the death of Attucks gave spirit and enthusiasm to the revolution, -and his heroism was imitated by both whites and blacks. His name was -a rallying cry for the brave colored men who fought at the battle of -Bunker's Hill. In the gallant defence of Redbank, where four hundred -blacks met and defeated fifteen hundred Hessians headed by Count Donop, -the thought of Attucks filled them with ardor. When Colonel Greene fell -at Groton, surrounded by his black troops who perished with him, they -went into the battle feeling proud of the opportunity of imitating the -first martyr of the American revolution.</p> - -<p>No monument has yet been erected to him. An effort was made in the -legislature of Massachusetts a few years since, but without success. -Five generations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> of accumulated prejudice against the negro had -excluded from the American mind all inclination to do justice to one of -her bravest sons. When negro slavery shall be abolished in our land, -then we may hope to see a monument raised to commemorate the heroism of -Crispus Attucks.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>DESSALINES.</h3> - -<p>Jean Jacques Dessalines was a native of Africa. Brought to St. Domingo -at the age of sixteen, he was sold to a black man named Dessalines, -from whom he took his own. His master was a tiler or house-shingler, -and the slave learned that trade, at which he worked until the breaking -out of the revolution of 1789, when he entered the army as a common -soldier, under Toussaint. By his activity and singular fierceness -on the field of battle, Dessalines attracted the attention of his -general, who placed him among his guides and personal attendants; and -he was subsequently rapidly advanced through several intermediate -grades to the dignity of being the third in command. He was entirely -ignorant of learning, as the utmost extent that he ever acquired was -to sign his name. Dessalines was short in stature, but stout and -muscular. His complexion was a dingy black; his eyes were prominent -and scowling, and the lines of his features expressed the untamed -ferocity of his character. He had a haughty and disdainful look. -Hunger, thirst, fatigue, and loss of sleep he seemed made to endure as -if by peculiarity of constitution. He bore upon his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> arms and breast -the marks of his tribe. Inured by exposure and toil to a hard life, -his frame possessed a wonderful power of endurance. He was a bold and -turbulent spirit, whose barbarous eloquence lay in expressive signs -rather than in words. What is most strange in the history of Dessalines -is, that he was a savage, a slave, a soldier, a general, and died, when -an emperor, under the dagger of a Brutus.</p> - -<p>A more courageous man than he never lived. Fearing that his men, during -the attack upon the fort at Crete-a-Pierrot, would surrender it, he -seized a torch, held it to the door of the magazine, and threatened -to blow up the fort, and himself with it, if they did not defend it. -Nearly all historians have set him down as a bloodthirsty monster, -who delighted in the sufferings of his fellow-creatures. They do not -rightly consider the circumstances that surrounded him, and the foe -that he had to deal with.</p> - -<p>Rochambeau, the commanding general, from the landing of Napoleon's -expedition to the entire expulsion of the French, was a hard-hearted -slaveholder, many of whose years had been spent in St. Domingo, and -who, from the moment that he landed with his forces, treated the -colored men as the worst of barbarians and wild beasts. He imported -bloodhounds from Cuba to hunt them down in the mountains. When caught, -he had them thrown into burning pits and boiling caldrons. When he took -prisoners, he put them to the most excruciating tortures and the most -horrible deaths. His ferocious and sanguinary spirit was too much for -the kind heart of Toussaint, or the gentlemanly bearing of Christophe. -His only match was Dessalines. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span></p> - -<p>In a battle near Cape François, Rochambeau took five hundred black -prisoners, and put them all to death the same day. Dessalines, hearing -of this, brought five hundred white prisoners in sight of the French, -and hung them up, so that the cruel monster could see the result of his -own barbarous example.</p> - -<p>Although Toussaint was away from the island, the war seemed to rage -with greater fury than at any former period. The blacks grew wild as -they looked upon the flames; they became conscious of their power and -success; gaining confidence and increasing their numbers, all the -pent-up feelings and hatred of years burst forth, and they pushed -forward upon defenceless men, women, and children. The proud, haughty, -and self-sufficient planter, who had been permitted, under the mild -rule of Toussaint, to return and establish himself on his former -estate, had to give way again to the terrible realities which came upon -him.</p> - -<p>The fertile plains that were in the highest state of cultivation, -the lively green of the sugar-cane that filled the landscape through -boundless fields, and the plantations of indigo and coffee, with all -their beautiful hues of vegetation, were destroyed by the flames and -smoke which spread every where. Dessalines was the commander-in-chief -in fact, though he shared the name with Christophe and Clervaux. -Forty thousand French troops had already perished by yellow fever and -the sword. Leclerc, the captain-general of the island, lay sick, the -hospitals were filled, and the blacks had possession of nearly all the -towns.</p> - -<p>Twenty thousand fresh troops arrived from France, but they were not -destined to see Leclerc, for the yellow fever had taken him off. In the -mountains were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> many barbarous and wild blacks, who had escaped from -slavery soon after being brought from the coast of Africa. One of these -bands of savages was commanded by Lamour de Rance, an adroit, stern, -savage man, half naked, with epaulets tied to his bare shoulders for -his only token of authority. This man had been brought from the coast -of Africa, and sold as a slave in Port au Prince. On being ordered one -day to saddle his master's horse, he did so, then mounted the animal, -fled to the mountains, and ever after made those fearful regions his -home. Lamour passed from mountain to mountain with something of the -ease of the birds of his own native land. Toussaint, Christophe, and -Dessalines, had each in their turn pursued him, but in vain. His mode -of fighting was in keeping with his dress. This savage united with -others like himself, and became complete master of the wilds of St. -Domingo. They came forth from their mountain homes, and made war on the -whites wherever they found them. Rochambeau, surrounded on all sides, -drew his army together for defence rather than aggression. Reduced -to the last extremity by starvation, the French general sued for -peace, and promised that he would immediately leave the island. It was -accepted by the blacks, and Rochambeau prepared to return to France. -The French embarked in their vessels of war, and the standard of the -blacks once more waved over Cape City, the capital of St. Domingo. As -the French sailed from the island, they saw the tops of the mountains -lighted up. It was not a blaze kindled for war, but for freedom. Every -heart beat for liberty, and every voice shouted for joy. From the -ocean to the mountains, and from town to town, the cry was, Freedom!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> -Freedom! Thus ended Napoleon's expedition to St. Domingo. In less than -two years the French lost more than fifty thousand persons. After the -retirement of the whites, the men of color put forth a Declaration of -Independence, in which they said, "We have sworn to show no mercy to -those who may dare to speak to us of slavery."</p> - -<p>The bravery and military skill which Dessalines had exhibited after -the capture of Toussaint, the bold, resolute manner in which he had -expelled the whites from the island, naturally pointed him out as the -future ruler of St. Domingo. After serving a short time as president, -Dessalines assumed the dignity of emperor, and changed the name of the -island to that of Hayti.</p> - -<p>The population of Hayti had been very much thinned by the ravages of -war, and Dessalines, for the purpose of aiding those of his race, who -had been taken away by force, to return, offered large rewards to -captains of vessels for any that they might bring back as passengers.</p> - -<p>One of the charges against Dessalines is based upon the fact that -he changed his government from a republic to an empire. But we must -consider that the people of Hayti had always lived under a monarchy, -and were wedded to that kind of government. Had Toussaint allowed -himself to be made a king, his power would have been recognized by -Great Britain, and he would never have yielded to the solicitations of -Leclerc, when that general's fleet landed on the island. Napoleon had -just been crowned emperor of France, and it was not at all surprising -that Dessalines should feel inclined to imitate the conqueror of Egypt.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> - -<p>The empire of Hayti was composed of six military divisions, each to -be under the command of a general officer, who was independent of his -associates who governed in other districts, as he was responsible to -the head of the state alone. The supreme power was formally conferred -upon Jean Jacques Dessalines, the avenger and liberator of his -countrymen, who was to take the title of Emperor and Commander-in-chief -of the Army, and to be addressed by the appellation of His Majesty—a -dignity which was also conferred upon the empress, his wife, and the -persons of both were declared inviolable. The crown was elective, but -the power was conferred upon the reigning emperor to select and appoint -his successor, by a nomination which required the sanction of the -people to give it validity. The emperor was empowered to make the laws -to govern the empire, and to promulgate them under his seal; to appoint -all the functionaries of the state, and remove them at his will; to -hold the purse of the nation; to make peace and war, and in all things -to exercise the rights and privileges of an absolute sovereign. The -monarch was assisted in wielding this mighty authority by a council of -state, composed of generals of division and brigade. No peculiar faith -in religion was established by law, and toleration was extended to the -doctrines and worship of all sects. Surrounded by all the luxuries -that wealth could procure, he was distinguished for the Roman virtues -of abstinence and energy. Scorning effeminacy, he seemed ambitious to -inure himself to the most laborious exercise and to the simplest mode -of living. Dessalines was well schooled in the toils and labors of -the camp. As his life was made up of extremes, so in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> his habits and -personal endurances were seen great contrasts. Impetuosity and rapid -movement were among his chief characteristics. He prided himself on -his being able to surprise his enemies and taking them unprepared. -Indeed, this was a leading trait in his military character, and places -him alongside of Napoleon, or any other general, ancient or modern. As -time smooths over his footsteps, and wears out the blood that marked -his course, the circumstances attending it will, no doubt, be made -to extenuate some of his many faults, and magnify his virtues as a -general, a ruler, and a man.</p> - -<p>The empress was a woman of rare beauty, and had some education, talent, -and refinement. Her humanity caused her to restrain her husband, upon -many occasions, from acts of cruelty. Though uneducated, Dessalines was -not ignorant even of the classics, for he kept three secretaries, who, -by turns, read to him.</p> - -<p>As soon as he came into power, the emperor exerted every nerve to -fortify the island, and to make it strong in the time of need. Much -has been said of the cruelty of this man, and far be it from me to -apologize for his acts. Yet, to judge rightly of him, we must remember -that he had an ignorant people to govern, on the one hand, and the -former planters to watch and control on the other. This latter class -was scattered all over Europe and the United States, and they lost no -opportunity to poison the minds of the whites against Dessalines and -his government. He discovered many plots of the old white planters -to assassinate him, and this drew out the ferociousness of his -disposition, and made him cruel in the extreme. That he caused the -death of innocent persons, there is not the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> slightest doubt; but that -such a man as he was needed at the time, all must admit. Had Dessalines -been in the place of Toussaint, he would never have been transferred -from Hayti to France. Unlimited power, conferred upon him, together -with the opposition of the whites in all countries, made him cruel even -to his own race, and they looked forward with a degree of hope to his -removal. The mulattoes, against whom he had never ceased to war, were -ever watchful for an opportunity to take his life. A secret conspiracy -was accordingly planned by this class, and on the 17th of October, -1806, while Dessalines was on a journey from St. Marks to Port au -Prince, a party in ambuscade fired at him, and he fell dead.</p> - -<p>Hayti had much improved under his management, especially in -agriculture. The towns, many of them, had been rebuilt, commerce -extended, and the arts patronized. Military talents have been ascribed -to Dessalines even superior to Toussaint. He certainly had great -courage, but upon the battle field it seemed to be the headlong fury -of the tiger rather than the calm deliberation of L'Ouverture. Of all -the heroic men which the boiling caldron of the St. Domingo revolution -threw upon its surface, for the purpose of meeting the tyrannical -whites, of bringing down upon them terrible retribution for their long -and cruel reign, and of vindicating the rights of the oppressed in that -unfortunate island, the foremost place belongs to the African, the -savage, the soldier, the general, the president, and lastly the emperor -Jean Jacques Dessalines.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> - -<h3>IRA ALDRIDGE.</h3> - -<p>On looking over the columns of <i>The Times</i>, one morning, I saw it -announced under the head of "Amusements," that "Ira Aldridge, the -African Roscius," was to appear in the character of Othello, in -Shakspeare's celebrated tragedy of that name, and, having long wished -to see my sable countryman, I resolved at once to attend. Though -the doors had been open but a short time when I reached the Royal -Haymarket, the theatre where the performance was to take place, the -house was well filled, and among the audience I recognized the faces of -several distinguished persons of the nobility, the most noted of whom -was Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, the renowned novelist—his figure neat, -trim, hair done up in the latest fashion—looking as if he had just -come out of a band-box. He is a great lover of the drama, and has a -private theatre at one of his country seats, to which he often invites -his friends, and presses them into the different characters.</p> - -<p>As the time approached for the curtain to rise, it was evident that -the house was to be "jammed." Stuart, the best Iago since the days of -Young, in company with Roderigo, came upon the stage as soon as the -green curtain went up. Iago looked the villain, and acted it to the -highest conception of the character. The scene is changed, all eyes are -turned to the right door, and thunders of applause greet the appearance -of Othello. Mr. Aldridge is of the middle size, and appeared to be -about three quarters African; has a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> pleasant countenance, frame well -knit, and seemed to me the best Othello that I had ever seen. As Iago -began to work upon his feelings, the Moor's eyes flashed fire, and, -further on in the play, he looked the very demon of despair. When he -seized the deceiver by the throat, and exclaimed, "Villain! be sure -thou prove my love false: be sure of it—give me the ocular proof—or, -by the worth of my eternal soul, thou hadst better have been born a -dog, Iago, than answer my waked wrath," the audience, with one impulse, -rose to their feet amid the wildest enthusiasm. At the end of the third -act, Othello was called before the curtain, and received the applause -of the delighted multitude. I watched the countenance and every motion -of Bulwer Lytton with almost as much interest as I did that of the Moor -of Venice, and saw that none appeared to be better pleased than he. -The following evening I went to witness his Hamlet, and was surprised -to find him as perfect in that as he had been in Othello; for I had -been led to believe that the latter was his greatest character. The -whole court of Denmark was before us; but till the words, "'Tis not -alone my inky cloak, good mother," fell from the lips of Mr. Aldridge, -was the general ear charmed, or the general tongue arrested. The voice -was so low, and sad, and sweet, the modulation so tender, the dignity -so natural, the grace so consummate, that all yielded themselves -silently to the delicious enchantment. When Horatio told him that he -had come to see his father's funeral, the deep melancholy that took -possession of his face showed the great dramatic power of Mr. Aldridge. -"I pray thee do not mock me, fellow-student," seemed to come from his -inmost soul. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> animation with which his countenance was lighted -up, during Horatio's recital of the visits that the ghost had paid -him and his companions, was beyond description. "Angels and ministers -of grace defend us," as the ghost appeared in the fourth scene, sent -a thrill through the whole assembly. His rendering of the "Soliloquy -on Death," which Edmund Kean, Charles Kemble, and William C. Macready -have reaped such unfading laurels from, was one of his best efforts. -He read it infinitely better than Charles Kean, whom I had heard at -the "Princess," but a few nights previous. The vigorous starts of -thought, which in the midst of his personal sorrows rise with such -beautiful and striking suddenness from the ever-wakeful mind of the -humanitarian philosopher, are delivered with that varying emphasis that -characterizes the truthful delineator, when he exclaims, "Frailty, thy -name is woman!" In the second scene of the second act, when revealing -to Guildenstern the melancholy which preys upon his mind, the beautiful -and powerful words in which Hamlet explains his feelings are made very -effective in Mr. Aldridge's rendering: "This most excellent canopy, the -air, the brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with -golden fire.... What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! how -infinite in faculties! in form and moving how express and admirable! in -action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a God!" In the last -scene of the second act, when Hamlet's imagination, influenced by the -interview with the actors, suggests to his rich mind so many eloquent -reflections, Mr. Aldridge enters fully into the spirit of the scene, -warms up, and when he exclaims, "He would drown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> the stage with tears, -and cleave the general ear with horrid speech,—make mad the guilty, -and appall the free," he is very effective; and when this warmth mounts -into a paroxysm of rage, and he calls the King "Bloody, bawdy villain! -Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain!" he sweeps the -audience with him, and brings down deserved applause. The fervent soul -and restless imagination, which are ever stirring at the bottom of -the fountain, and sending bright bubbles to the top, find a glowing -reflection on the animated surface of Mr. Aldridge's colored face. I -thought Hamlet one of his best characters, though I saw him afterwards -in several others.</p> - -<p>Mr. Aldridge is a native of Senegal, in Africa. His forefathers were -princes of the Foulah tribe, whose dominions were in Senegal, on the -banks of the river of that name, on the west coast of Africa. To this -shore one of our early missionaries found his way, and took charge of -Ira's father, Daniel Aldridge, in order to qualify him for the work -of civilizing and evangelizing his countrymen. Daniel's father, the -reigning prince, was more enlightened than his subjects, probably -through the instruction of the missionary, and proposed that his -prisoners taken in battle should be exchanged, and not, as was the -custom, sold as slaves. This wish interfered with the notions and -perquisites of his tribe, especially his principal chiefs; and a civil -war raged among the people. During these differences, Daniel, then a -promising youth, was brought to the United States by the missionary, -and sent to Schenectady College to receive the advantages of a -Christian education. Three days after his <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>departure, the revolutionary -storm, which was brewing, broke out openly, and the reigning prince, -the advocate of humanity, was killed.</p> - -<p>Daniel Aldridge remained in America till the death of the rebellious -chief, who had headed the conspiracy, and reigned instead of the -murdered prince. During the interval, Daniel had become a minister -of the gospel, and was regarded by all classes as a man of uncommon -abilities. He was, however, desirous to establish himself at the head -of his tribe, possess himself of his birthright, and advance the cause -of Christianity among his countrymen. For this purpose he returned to -his native country, taking with him a young wife, one of his own color, -whom he had but just married in America. Daniel no sooner appeared -among the people of his slaughtered father, than old disagreements -revived, civil war broke out, the enlightened African was defeated, -barely escaping from the scene of strife with his life, and for some -time unable to quit the country, which was watched by numerous enemies -anxious for his capture. Nine years elapsed before the proscribed -family escaped to America, during the whole of which time they were -concealed in the neighborhood of their foes, enduring vicissitudes and -hardships that can well be imagined, but need not be described.</p> - -<p>Ira Aldridge was born soon after his father's arrival in Senegal, -and on their return to America, was intended by the latter for the -church. Many a white parent has "chalked out" in vain for his son a -similar calling, and the best intentions have been thwarted by an -early predilection quite in an opposite direction. We can well account -for the father's choice in this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> instance, as in keeping with his -own aspirations; and we can easily imagine his disappointment upon -abandoning all hope of seeing one of his blood and color following -specially in the service of his great Master. The son, however, began -betimes to show his early preference and ultimate passion. At school he -was awarded prizes for declamation, in which he excelled; and there his -curiosity was excited by what he heard of theatrical representations, -which he was told <i>embodied</i> all the fine ideas <i>shadowed forth</i> in -the language he read and committed to memory. It became the wish of -his heart to witness one of these performances, and that wish he soon -contrived to gratify, and finally he became a candidate for histrionic -fame.</p> - -<p>Notwithstanding the progress Ira had made in learning, no qualities of -the mind could compensate, in the eyes of the Americans, for the dark -hue of his skin. The prevailing prejudice, so strong among all classes, -was against him. This induced his removal to England, where he entered -at the Glasgow University, and, under Professor Sandford, obtained -several premiums, and the medal for Latin composition.</p> - -<p>On leaving college, Mr. Aldridge at once commenced preparing for -the stage, and shortly after appeared in a number of Shaksperian -characters, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and other provincial -cities, and soon after appeared on the boards of Drury Lane and Covent -Garden, where he was stamped the "African Roscius." The <i>London -Weekly Times</i> said of him, "Mr. Ira Aldridge is a dark mulatto, with -woolly hair. His features are capable of great expression, his action -is unrestrained and picturesque, and his voice clear, full, and -resonant. His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> powers of energetic declamation are very marked, and -the whole of his acting appears impulsed by a current of feeling of no -inconsiderable weight and vigor, yet controlled and guided in a manner -that clearly shows the actor to be a person of much study and great -stage ability." The <i>Morning Chronicle</i> recorded his "Shylock" as among -the "finest pieces of acting that a London audience had witnessed since -the days of the elder Kean."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JOSEPH CINQUE.</h3> - -<p>In the month of August, 1839, there appeared in the newspapers a -shocking story—that a schooner, going coastwise from Havana to -Neuvitas, in the island of Cuba, early in July, with about twenty white -passengers, and a large number of slaves, had been seized by the slaves -in the night time, and the passengers and crew all murdered except two, -who made their escape to land in an open boat. About the 20th of the -same month, a strange craft was seen repeatedly on our coast, which was -believed to be the captured Spanish coaster, in the possession of the -negroes. She was spoken by several pilot-boats and other vessels, and -partially supplied with water, of which she was very much in want. It -was also said, that the blacks appeared to have a great deal of money. -The customhouse department and the officers of the navy were instantly -roused to go in pursuit of the "pirates," as the unknown possessors -of the schooner were spontaneously called. The United States steamer -Fulton, and several<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> revenue cutters were despatched, and notice given -to the collectors at the various seaports. On the 10th of August, the -"mysterious schooner" was near the shore at Culloden Point, on the -east end of Long Island, where a part of the crew came on shore for -water and fresh provisions, for which they paid with undiscriminating -profuseness. Here they were met by Captain Green and another gentleman, -who stated that they had in their possession a large box filled with -gold. Shortly after, on the 26th, the vessel was espied by Captain -Gedney, U. S. N., in command of the brig Washington, employed on the -coast survey, who despatched an officer to board her. The officer found -a large number of negroes, and two Spaniards, Pedro Montez and Jose -Ruiz, one of whom immediately announced himself as the owner of the -negroes, and claimed his protection. The schooner was thereupon taken -possession of by Captain Gedney.</p> - -<p>The leader of the blacks was pointed out by the Spaniards, and his -name given as Joseph Cinque. He was a native of Africa, and one of the -finest specimens of his race ever seen in this country. As soon as he -saw that the vessel was in the hands of others, and all hope of his -taking himself and countrymen back to their home land at an end, he -leaped overboard with the agility of an antelope. The small boat was -immediately sent after him, and for two hours did the sailors strive -to capture him before they succeeded. Cinque swam and dived like an -otter, first upon his back, then upon his breast, sometimes his head -out of water, and sometimes his heels out. His countrymen on board -the captured schooner seemed much amused at the chase, for they knew -Cinque well, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> felt proud of the untamableness of his nature. After -baffling them for a time, he swam towards the vessel, was taken on -board, and secured with the rest of the blacks, and they were taken -into New London, Connecticut.</p> - -<p>The schooner proved to be the "Amistad," Captain Ramon Ferrer, from -Havana, bound to Principe, about one hundred leagues distant, with -fifty-four negroes held as slaves, and <i>two</i> passengers instead of -twenty. The Spaniards said that, after being out four days, the negroes -rose in the night, and killed the captain and a mulatto cook; that the -helmsman and another sailor took to the boat and went on shore; that -the only two whites remaining were the said passengers, Montez and -Ruiz, who were confined below until morning; that Montez, the elder, -who had been a sea captain, was required to steer the ship for Africa; -that he steered eastwardly in the day time, because the negroes could -tell his course by the sun, but put the vessel about in the night. They -boxed about some days in the Bahama Channel, and were several times -near the islands, but the negroes would not allow her to enter any -port. Once they were near Long Island, but then put out to sea again, -the Spaniards all the while hoping they might fall in with some ship -of war that would rescue them from their awkward situation. One of the -Spaniards testified that, when the rising took place, he was awaked by -the noise, and that he heard the captain order the cabin boy to get -some bread and throw to the negroes, in hope to pacify them. Cinque, -however, the leader of the revolt, leaped on deck, seized a capstan -bar, and attacked the captain, whom he killed at a single blow, and -took charge of the vessel; his authority being <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>acknowledged by his -companions, who knew him as a prince in his native land.</p> - -<p>The captives were taken before the Circuit Court of the United States -for the District of Connecticut, Hon. Andrew T. Judson presiding. -This was only the commencement in the courts, for the trial ran -through several months. During this time, the Africans were provided -with competent teachers by the abolitionists, and their minds were -undergoing a rapid change, and civilization was taking the place of -ignorance and barbarism.</p> - -<p>Cinque, all this while, did nothing to change the high opinion first -formed of him, and all those who came into his presence felt themselves -before a superior man. After he and his countrymen had embraced -Christianity, and were being questioned by a peace man as to the part -that they had taken in the death of the men on board the Amistad, when -asked if they did not think it wrong to take human life, one of the -Africans replied that, if it was to be acted over again, he would pray -for them instead of killing them. Cinque, hearing this, smiled and -shook his head, whereupon he was asked if he would not pray for them -also. To this he said, "Yes, I would pray for 'em, an' kill 'em too."</p> - -<p>By the sagacity and daring of this man, he and his companions, -fifty-four in number, were rescued from a life-long bondage of the -worst character that ever afflicted the human family.</p> - -<p>Cinque was a man of great intelligence and natural ability; he was -a powerful orator, and although speaking in a tongue foreign to his -audience, by the grace and energy of his motions and attitudes, the -changeful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> expression of his features, and the intonations of his -voice, made them understand the main incidents of his narrative, and -swayed their minds in an extraordinary manner. Alluding to that point -of his history at which Cinque described how, when on board the Spanish -vessel, he, with the help of a nail, first relieved himself of his -manacles, then assisted his countrymen to get rid of theirs, and then -led them to the attack of the Spaniards, Lewis Tappan, in the account -of the whole proceedings connected with the Amistad captives, which he -published, says, "It is not in my power to give an adequate description -of Cinque when he showed how he did this, and led his comrades to the -conflict, and achieved their freedom. In my younger years I have seen -Kemble and Siddons, and the representation of 'Othello,' at Covent -Garden; but no acting that I have ever witnessed came near that to -which I allude."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ALEXANDRE DUMAS.</h3> - -<p>I had been in Paris a week without seeing Dumas, for my letter of -introduction from Louis Blanc, who was then in exile in England, to -M. Eugene Sue, had availed me nothing as regarded a sight of the -great colored author. Sue had promised me that I should have an -interview with Dumas before I quitted the French capital; but I had -begun to suspect that the latter felt that it would be too much of -a condescension to give audience to an American slave, and I began -to grow indifferent myself upon the matter. Invited by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> a friend to -attend the opera, to witness the performances of Grisi and Mario, in -Norma, I gladly accepted, and in company with my friend started for -the place of amusement. Our seats were "reserved," and I took my place -in the immense saloon before raising my eyes to view the vast audience -which had already assembled. The splendid chandeliers, the hundreds of -brilliant gas lights, the highly-colored drapery that hung its rich -folds about the boxes and stalls, were in keeping with the magnificent -diamonds, laces, and jewelry, that adorned the persons of the finest -assembly that I had ever seen. In a double box nearly opposite to me, -containing a party of six or eight, I noticed a light-complexioned -mulatto, apparently about fifty years of age,—curly hair, full face, -dressed in a black coat, white vest, white kids,—who seemed to be -the centre of attraction, not only in his own circle, but in others. -Those in the pit looked up, those in the gallery looked down, while -curtains were drawn aside at other boxes and stalls to get a sight at -the colored man. So recently from America, where caste was so injurious -to my race, I began to think that it was his woolly head that attracted -attention, when I was informed that the mulatto before me was no less -a person than Alexandre Dumas. Every move, look, and gesture of the -celebrated romancer were watched in the closest manner by the audience. -Even Mario appeared to feel that his part on the stage was of less -importance than that of the colored man in the royal box. M. Dumas' -grandfather was the Marquis de la Pailleterie, a wealthy planter of St. -Domingo, while his grandmother was a negress from Congo. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>Rainsford -makes honorable mention of the father of Dumas, in his <i>Black Empire</i>, -as having served in the army in his own native island. Dumas' father -served under Napoleon during the whole of his campaigns, and rose to -high distinction. Once, when near Lisle, Dumas, with four men, attacked -a post of fifty Austrians, killed six, and made sixteen prisoners. -For a long time he commanded a legion of horse composed of blacks and -mulattoes, who were the terror of their enemies. General Dumas was -with the army which Napoleon sent over the Alps; Napoleon crossed it -in June, Marshal Macdonald in December. The latter sent Dumas to say -it was impossible to pass in the winter, when great avalanches of snow -were falling down, threatening to destroy the army. Napoleon's reply -to the messenger was, "Go and tell Marshal Macdonald, where one man -can pass over, an army can pass over in single file. The order is not -to be countermanded." The order was obeyed, though at the cost of many -lives. One of the generals that made the pass was the black General -Dumas, who ascended the St. Bernard, which was defended by a number -of fortifications, took possession of the cannon, and immediately -directed them against the enemy. At the conclusion of the wars, the -father returned to his island home, and after his death, the son went -to France destitute, where he obtained a situation as a writer. Here -he cultivated his literary taste. His imaginative mind and unsurpassed -energies began to develop themselves, which soon placed the young man -in easy circumstances. Dumas is now sixty-three years of age, and has -been a writer for the press<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> thirty-eight years. During this time he -has published more novels, plays, travels, and historical sketches -than any other man that ever lived. It is well understood that he is -not the author of all the works that appear under his name, but that -young writers gain a living by working out the plots and situations -that his fecund brain suggests. When the novel or the play is complete, -Dumas gives it a revision, touches up the dialogue, dashes in here -and there a spirited scene of his own, and then receives from the -publisher an enormous sum. Undeniably a man of great genius, endowed -with true fertility of imagination, and masterly power of expression, -his influence has been great.</p> - -<p>Such is the vivacity of his descriptions, such the <i>entrainement</i> of -his narrative, such the boldness of his invention, such the point of -his dialogue, and the rapidity of his incidents, so matchless often the -felicity and skill of particular passages, that he always inflames the -interest of the reader to the end. You may be angry with him, but you -will confess that he is the opposite of tedious. Certainly no writer -fills a more prominent place in the literature of his country; and none -has exercised a more potent influence upon its recent development than -this son of the negro general, Dumas. His novels are every where, and -the enthusiasm with which his dramatic pieces were received has been of -the most flattering character.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> - -<h3>HENRI CHRISTOPHE.</h3> - -<p>Henri Christophe was a native of the island of New Grenada, where -he was born a slave. He went to St. Domingo at the age of eighteen, -and was employed as <i>maître d'hôtel</i> in the principal <i>café</i> at -Cape François. From strength of natural genius, as well as from his -occupying a station in life above the ordinary condition of his race, -he acquired considerable knowledge of the prevailing manners and -customs of the society of which he was a daily spectator. He was master -of the French, English, and Spanish languages, and was thought to be -the most polished gentleman of all of Toussaint's generals. Being six -feet three inches in height, Christophe made an imposing appearance on -horseback, on the field of battle, in his uniform. He had a majestic -carriage, and an eye full of fire; and a braver man never lived. Though -far inferior to Toussaint in vigor and originality of mind, he was much -his superior in acquaintance with the customs and habits of the world, -and appeared more dignified in his intercourse with society.</p> - -<p>After the breaking out of the revolution, Christophe joined the army -under Toussaint, who soon discovered his good qualities, and made him -his lieutenant; from which position he was soon advanced to second in -command. It has been asserted that he was an abler military man than -either Toussaint or Dessalines. When Napoleon's expedition invaded St. -Domingo, Leclerc, with the largest part of the squadron, came to anchor -off Cape City, and summoned the place to surrender.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> The reply which -he received from Christophe was such as to teach the captain-general -what he had to expect in the subjugation of St. Domingo. "Go, tell your -general that the French shall march here only over ashes, and that the -ground shall burn beneath their feet," was the answer that Leclerc -obtained in return to his command. The French general sent another -messenger to Christophe, urging him to surrender, and promising the -black chief a commission of high rank in the French army. But he found -he had a man, and not a slave, to deal with. The exasperated Christophe -sent back the heroic reply, "The decision of arms can admit you only -into a city in ashes, and even on these ashes will I fight still."</p> - -<p>After Toussaint had been captured and sent to France, and Leclerc was -disarming the colored population, and the decree of the 30th of April -for maintaining slavery in St. Domingo had been put forth, Christophe -followed the example of Clervaux, and went over to the insurgents, and -met and defeated Rochambeau in one of the hardest fought battles of the -campaign. He soon after shut the French commander up in Cape François, -where the latter remained like a tiger driven to his den.</p> - -<p>During the reign of Dessalines, Christophe lived partly retired, -"biding his time;" for although the former had been made emperor, the -latter was most beloved by all classes. The death of the emperor at -once opened a way for Christophe, for a provisional government was -then constituted, and the latter was proclaimed the head of the state. -This was a virtual revolution, and Christophe regarded himself, by -the provisional appointment, as the chief of the army, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> govern ad -interim, until a new government could be formed. But the mulattoes, -who had long been in obscurity, rallied, got a majority in the -convention, and elected Petion president of the republic of Hayti. -Christophe collected together his adherents, and determined to take -by conquest what he thought he had a right to by succession, and, as -he thought, by merit. Failing in this, he set up another government -in the north, with Cape François as its capital. Christophe felt that -his assumption of power was but a usurpation, and that, so long as -his government remained in operation without the formal sanction of -the people, his rival at Port au Prince possessed immense advantage -over him, inasmuch as he had been made the constituted head of the -country by an observance of the forms of the constitution. To remedy -this palpable defect, which weakened his authority, he resolved to -frame another constitution, which would confirm him in the power he -had taken, and furnish him with a legal excuse for maintaining his -present attitude. In accordance with this policy, he convoked another -assembly at Cape François, composed of the generals of his army and -the principal citizens of that province, and after a short session the -legislators terminated their labors by adopting another constitution, -dated upon the 17th of February, 1809. This new enactment declared all -persons residing upon the territory of Hayti free citizens, and that -the government was to be administered by a supreme magistrate, who was -to take the title of president of the state and general-in-chief of -the land and naval forces. Thus firmly seated, Christophe felt himself -more powerful, and more secure from outbreaks. Nevertheless, he was -not destined to hold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> peaceable possession of all the territory in his -district, for the inhabitants of many of the towns in the vicinity -of Cape François openly threw off their allegiance, and proclaimed -their preference for the more legitimate government of Petion. The -two presidents prepared for war, and Christophe opened the campaign -by marching an immense army against Gonaives, which, in the month of -June, 1807, he invested. Petion's troops were defeated, and, to save -themselves from capture, escaped by sea to Port au Prince. The war -continued three years, when a new competitor appeared in the person of -Rigaud, the other mulatto general. Christophe now ceased for a while; -but when he felt that the time had arrived he again renewed the war, -and, in 1810, captured the Mole St. Nicholas, the strongest fort on -the island. Becoming ambitious to be a monarch, Christophe called his -council together, and on the 20th of March, 1811, the session closed by -adopting a new frame of government The imperial constitution of 1805 -was modified to form an hereditary monarchy in the north, and to place -the crown of Hayti upon Christophe under the title of Henry the First. -When he entered upon the kingly station that had been conferred upon -him, his first act was to promulgate an edict creating an hereditary -nobility, as a natural support of his government. These dignitaries -of the kingdom were taken mostly from the army, the chiefs who had -fought under him in the struggle against the French, and consisted -of two princes, seven dukes, twenty-two counts, thirty-five barons, -and fourteen chevaliers. His coronation was the most magnificent -display ever witnessed out of Europe. To furnish himself with all the -appointments correspondent to his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> royal dignity, he now began the -erection of a palace, situated a few miles from the cape, upon which -he had bestowed the historical name of Sans Souci. This palace has -the reputation of being the most splendid edifice in the West Indies. -The rugged, mountainous region in the vicinity of his royal residence -was changed from its original condition to form the gardens of the -palace. Hills were levelled with the plain, deep ravines were filled -up, and roads and passages were opened, leading in all directions -from the royal dwelling. The halls and saloons of the palace were -wrought with mahogany, the floors were laid with rich marble, and -numerous jets-d'eau furnished coolness and a supply of pure water to -the different apartments. Christophe held a levee on the Thursday -evening of each week, which was attended by the most fashionable of all -classes, including the foreign ambassadors and consuls. The ceremonial -observances were modelled after the drawing rooms at St. Cloud and -St. James. Though of pure African blood, Christophe was not a jet -black, his complexion being rather a dusky brown. His person had grown -slightly corpulent, and his address was cold, polished, and graceful. -He possessed a certain air of native dignity that corresponded well -with his high official situation. The whites of all countries, and -especially the English, formed a high opinion of his character. That -part of the island which came within his rule had been well cultivated, -his government out of debt, and commerce was in a flourishing condition.</p> - -<p>The removal of Napoleon from the throne of France once more gave to -the French planters residing in the mother country hope of again -possessing their estates.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> A move was made in the court of Louis -XVIII. to send another expedition to Hayti, to bring the colony back -to her allegiance. On learning this, Christophe issued a proclamation, -in which he said, "If we love the blessings of peace, we fear not -the fatigues and horrors of war. Let our implacable enemies, the -French colonists, who for twenty years have never ceased from their -projects for the reëstablishment of slavery, and who have filled all -the governments of the earth with their importunities,—let them put -themselves at the head of armies, and direct themselves against our -country. They will be the first victims of our vengeance, and the soil -of liberty will eagerly drink the blood of our oppressors. We will show -to the nations of the earth what a warlike people can accomplish, who -are in arms for the best of causes—the defence of their homes, their -wives, their children, their liberty, and their independence."</p> - -<p>A despatch was next sent to Christophe, in which he was threatened with -an invasion by all the forces of combined Europe in case of his refusal -to submit himself to the will of France. This last threat, however, had -no influence over the black monarch, for he felt that no European power -would invade Hayti after the failure of the sixty thousand men sent out -by Napoleon. Nothing was attempted by the French, and the king of Hayti -was left in possession of his government. In the month of August, 1820, -Christophe was attacked, while at mass, with a paralytic disease, and -was immediately conveyed to Sans Souci, where he remained an invalid -until a revolt occurred among his subjects. He ordered his war-horse, -his sword was brought, and he attempted to mount his charger; but in -vain. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> gave up the attempt, retired to his chamber, locked the door, -and the report of a pistol alarmed his attendants. They rushed in, but -it was too late; Henri Christophe was no more.</p> - -<p>Christophe's aims were great, and many of them good. He was not only -the patron of the arts, but of industry; and it gave him pleasure to -see his country recovering the ground lost in the revolution and the -civil wars, and advancing in name and wealth. He promoted industry -on the principles laid down by his predecessor, Toussaint. A busy -population covered the land with marks of its labors. Rich crops of -the most coveted produce of nature annually rewarded the toil of the -husbandman. Christophe was also the patron of education; and there are -still on the island schools that were founded by him when king. In one -respect he excelled Charlemagne,—he could write his own name; but that -was all. He dictated letters and despatches, and was an admirable judge -of the fitness and relevancy of words. He kept up a correspondence -with Wilberforce and Clarkson, the English philanthropists, and both -of these distinguished men had a high opinion of him as a man, and a -friend of his race.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>PHILLIS WHEATLEY.</h3> - -<p>In the year 1761, when Boston had her slave market, and the descendants -of the Pilgrims appeared to be the most pious and God-fearing people -in the world, Mrs. John Wheatley went into the market one day, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> -the purpose of selecting and purchasing a girl for her own use. Among -the group of children just imported from the African coast was a -delicately built, rather good-looking child of seven or eight years, -apparently suffering from the recent sea voyage and change of climate. -Mrs. Wheatley's heart was touched at the interesting countenance and -humble modesty of this little stranger. The lady bought the child, and -she was named Phillis. Struck with the slave's uncommon brightness, -the mistress determined to teach her to read, which she did with no -difficulty. The child soon mastered the English language, with which -she was totally unacquainted when she landed upon the American shores. -Her school lessons were all perfect, and she drank in the scriptural -teachings as if by intuition. At the age of twelve, she could write -letters and keep up a correspondence that would have done honor to one -double her years. Mrs. Wheatley, seeing her superior genius, no longer -regarded Phillis as a servant, but took her as a companion. It was -not surprising that the slave girl should be an object of attraction, -astonishment, and attention with the refined and highly cultivated -society that weekly assembled in the drawing room of the Wheatleys. As -Phillis grew up to womanhood, her progress and attainments kept pace -with the promise of her earlier years. She drew around her the best -educated of the white ladies, and attracted the attention and notice -of the literary characters of Boston, who supplied her with books and -encouraged the ripening of her intellectual powers. She studied the -Latin tongue, and translated one of Ovid's tales, which was no sooner -put in print in America, than it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> republished in London, with -eloquent commendations from the reviews. In 1773, a small volume of -her poems, containing thirty-nine pieces, was published in London, and -dedicated to the Countess of Huntingdon. The genuineness of this work -was established in the first page of the volume, by a document signed -by the governor of Massachusetts, the lieutenant-governor, her master, -and fifteen of the most respectable and influential citizens of Boston, -who were acquainted with her talents and the circumstances of her -life. Her constitution being naturally fragile, she was advised by her -physician to take a sea voyage as the means of restoring her declining -health.</p> - -<p>Phillis was emancipated by her master at the age of twenty-one years, -and sailed for England. On her arrival, she was received and admired -in the first circles of London society; and it was at that time that -her poems were collected and published in a volume, with a portrait and -memoir of the authoress. Phillis returned to America, and married Dr. -Peters, a man of her own color, and of considerable talents. Her health -began rapidly to decline, and she died at the age of twenty-six years, -in 1780. Fortunately rescued from the fate that awaits the victims of -the slave trade, this injured daughter of Africa had an opportunity of -developing the genius that God had given her, and of showing to the -world the great wrong done to her race. The limited place allowed for -this sketch will not permit of our giving more than one short poem from -the pen of the gifted Phillis Wheatley.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center">ON THE DEATH OF A YOUNG GIRL.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>From dark abodes to fair ethereal light,</div> -<div>The enraptured innocent has winged her flight;</div> -<div>On the kind bosom of eternal love</div> -<div>She finds unknown beatitudes above.</div> -<div>This know, ye parents, nor her loss deplore—</div> -<div>She feels the iron hand of pain no more;</div> -<div>The dispensations of unerring grace</div> -<div>Should turn your sorrows into grateful praise;</div> -<div>Let, then, no tears for her henceforward flow</div> -<div>Nor suffer grief in this dark vale below.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Her morning sun, which rose divinely bright,</div> -<div>Was quickly mantled with the gloom of night;</div> -<div>But hear, in heaven's best bowers, your child so fair,</div> -<div>And learn to imitate her language there.</div> -<div>Thou, Lord, whom I behold with glory crowned,</div> -<div>By what sweet name, and in what tuneful sound,</div> -<div>Wilt thou be praised? Seraphic powers are faint</div> -<div>Infinite love and majesty to paint.</div> -<div>To thee let all their grateful voices raise,</div> -<div>And saints and angels join their songs of praise</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Perfect in bliss, now from her heavenly home</div> -<div>She looks, and, smiling, beckons you to come;</div> -<div>Why then, fond parents, why these fruitless groans?</div> -<div>Restrain your tears, and cease your plaintive moans.</div> -<div>Freed from a world of sin, and snares, and pain,</div> -<div>Why would ye wish your fair one back again?</div> -<div>Nay, bow resigned; let hope your grief control,</div> -<div>And check the rising tumult of the soul.</div> -<div>Calm in the prosperous and the adverse day,</div> -<div>Adore the God who gives and takes away;</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>See him in all, his holy name revere,</div> -<div>Upright your actions, and your hearts sincere,</div> -<div>Till, having sailed through life's tempestuous sea,</div> -<div>And from its rocks and boisterous billows free,</div> -<div>Yourselves, safe landed on the blissful shore,</div> -<div>Shall join your happy child to part no more.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>DENMARK VESEY.</h3> - -<p>No class of persons in the world, who have the name of being free, are -more sorely oppressed than the free colored people of the Southern -States. Each state has its code of black laws, which are rigorously -enforced, and the victim made to feel his degradation at all times and -in all places. An undeveloped discontent pervades the entire black -population, bond and free, in all the slave states. Human bondage is -ever fruitful of insurrection, wherever it exists, and under whatever -circumstances it may be found. Every community the other side of -"Dixon's Line" feels that it lives upon a volcano that is liable -to burst out at any moment; and all are watchful, and fearfully in -earnest, in looking after the colored man's affairs, and inventing -sterner enactments to keep him in subjection. The most oppressive of -all the states is South Carolina. In Charleston, free colored ladies -are not allowed to wear veils about their faces in the streets, -or in any public places. A violation of this law is visited with -"<i>thirty-nine lashes upon the bare back</i>." The same is inflicted upon -any free colored man who shall be seen upon the streets with a cigar -in his mouth,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> or a walking stick in his hand. Both, when walking the -streets, are forbidden to take the inside of the pavement. Punishment -of fine and imprisonment is laid upon any found out after the hour -of nine at night. An extra tax is placed upon every member of a free -colored family. While all these odious edicts were silently borne by -the free colored people of Charleston in 1822 there was a suppressed -feeling of indignation, mortification, and discontent, that was only -appreciated by a few. Among the most dissatisfied of the free blacks -was Denmark Vesey, a man who had purchased his freedom in the year -1800, and since that time had earned his living by his trade, being a -carpenter and joiner. Having been employed on shipboard by his master, -Captain Vesey, Denmark had seen a great deal of the world, and had -acquired a large fund of information, and was regarded as a leading -man among the blacks. He had studied the Scriptures, and never lost an -opportunity of showing that they were opposed to chattel-slavery. He -spoke freely with the slaves upon the subject, and often with whites, -where he found he could do so without risk to his own liberty. After -resolving to incite the slaves to rebellion, he began taking into his -confidence such persons as he could trust, and instructing them to -gain adherents from among the more reliable of both bond and free. -Peter Poyas, a slave of more than ordinary foresight and ability, was -selected by Vesey as his lieutenant; and to him was committed the -arduous duty of arranging the mode of attack, and of acting as the -military leader.</p> - -<p>"His plans showed some natural generalship; he arranged the night -attack; he planned the enrolment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> of a mounted troop to scour the -streets; and he had a list of all the shops where arms and ammunition -were kept for sale. He voluntarily undertook the management of the -most difficult part of the enterprise,—the capture of the main -guard-house,—and had pledged himself to advance alone and surprise -the sentinel. He was said to have a magnetism in his eye, of which his -confederates stood in great awe; if he once got his eye upon a man, -there was no resisting it."</p> - -<p>Gullah Jack, Tom Russell, and Ned Bennett. The last two were not less -valuable than Peter Poyas; for Tom was an ingenious mechanic, and made -battle-axes, pikes, and other instruments of death, with which to carry -on the war. All of the above were to be generals of brigades, and were -let into all the secrets of the intended rising. It has long been -the custom in Charleston for the country slaves to visit the city in -great numbers on Sunday, and return to their homes in time to commence -work on the following morning. It was therefore determined by Denmark -to have the rising take place on Sunday. The slaves of nearly every -plantation in the vicinity were enlisted, and were to take part.</p> - -<p>"The details of the plan, however, were not rashly committed to the -mass of the confederates; they were known only to a few, and were -finally to have been announced after the evening prayer-meeting on -the appointed Sunday. But each leader had his own company enlisted, -and his own work marked out. When the clock struck twelve, all were -to move. Peter Poyas was to lead a party ordered to assemble at South -Bay, and to be joined by a force from James's Island; he was then to -march up and seize the arsenal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> and guard-house opposite St. Michael's -Church, and detach a sufficient number to cut off all white citizens -who should appear at the alarm posts. A second body of negroes, from -the country and the Neck, headed by Ned Bennett, was to assemble on -the Neck and seize the arsenal there. A third was to meet at Governor -Bennett's Mills, under command of Rolla, another leader, and, after -putting the governor and intendant to death, to march through the -city, or be posted at Cannon's Bridge, thus preventing the inhabitants -of Cannonsborough from entering the city. A fourth, partly from the -country and partly from the neighboring localities in the city, was -to rendezvous on Gadsden's Wharf and attack the upper guard-house. -A fifth, composed of country and Neck negroes, was to assemble at -Bulkley's farm, two miles and a half from the city, seize the upper -powder magazine, and then march down; and a sixth was to assemble -at Denmark Vesey's and obey his orders. A seventh detachment, under -Gullah Jack, was to assemble in Boundary Street, at the head of King -Street, to capture the arms of the Neck company of militia, and to -take an additional supply from Mr. Duquercron's shop. The naval stores -on Mey's Wharf were also to be attacked. Meanwhile a horse company, -consisting of many draymen, hostlers, and butcher boys, was to meet at -Lightwood's Alley, and then scour the streets to prevent the whites -from assembling. Every white man coming out of his own door was to -be killed, and, if necessary, the city was to be fired in several -places—slow match for this purpose having been purloined from the -public arsenal and placed in an accessible position."</p> - -<p>The secret and plan of attack, however, were <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>incautiously divulged -to a slave named Devany, belonging to Colonel Prioleau, and he at -once informed his master's family. The mayor, on getting possession -of the facts, called the city council together for consultation. The -investigation elicited nothing new, for the slaves persisted in their -ignorance of the matter, and the authorities began to feel that they -had been imposed upon by Devany and his informant, when another of -the conspirators, being bribed, revealed what he knew. Arrests after -arrests were made, and the Mayor's Court held daily examinations for -weeks. After several weeks of incarceration, the accused, one hundred -and twenty in number, were brought to trial: thirty-four were sentenced -to transportation, twenty-seven acquitted by the court, twenty-five -discharged without trial, and thirty-five condemned to death. With but -two or three exceptions, all of the conspirators went to the gallows -feeling that they had acted right, and died like men giving their lives -for the cause of freedom. A report of the trial, written soon after, -says of Denmark Vesey,—</p> - -<p>"For several years before he disclosed his intentions to any one, he -appears to have been constantly and assiduously engaged in endeavoring -to embitter the minds of the colored population against the white. -He rendered himself perfectly familiar with all those parts of the -Scriptures which he thought he could pervert to his purpose, and would -readily quote them to prove that slavery was contrary to the laws of -God,—that slaves were bound to attempt their emancipation, however -shocking and bloody might be the consequences,—and that such efforts -would not only be pleasing to the Almighty, but were absolutely -enjoined, and their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> success predicted, in the Scriptures. His favorite -texts, when he addressed those of his own color, were Zechariah xiv. -1-3, and Joshua vi. 21; and in all his conversations he identified -their situation with that of the Israelites. The number of inflammatory -pamphlets on slavery brought into Charleston from some of our sister -states within the last four years, (and once from Sierra Leone,) and -distributed amongst the colored population of the city, for which there -was a great facility, in consequence of the unrestricted intercourse -allowed to persons of color between the different states in the Union, -and the speeches in Congress of those opposed to the admission of -Missouri into the Union, perhaps garbled and misrepresented, furnished -him with ample means for inflaming the minds of the colored population -of this state; and by distorting certain parts of those speeches, or -selecting from them particular passages, he persuaded but too many -that Congress had actually declared them free, and that they were -held in bondage contrary to the laws of the land. Even whilst walking -through the streets in company with another, he was not idle; for if -his companion bowed to a white person, he would rebuke him, and observe -that all men were born equal, and that he was surprised that any one -would degrade himself by such conduct,—that he would never cringe -to the whites, nor ought any one who had the feelings of a man. When -answered, 'We are slaves,' he would sarcastically and indignantly -reply, 'You deserve to remain slaves;' and if he were further asked, -'What can we do?' he would remark, 'Go and buy a spelling-book and read -the fable of Hercules and the Wagoner,' which he would then repeat, -and apply it to their situation. He also sought every opportunity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> -of entering into conversation with white persons, when they could be -overheard by negroes near by, especially in grog shops; during which -conversation, he would artfully introduce some bold remark on slavery; -and sometimes, when, from the character he was conversing with, he -found he might be still bolder, he would go so far, that, had not -his declarations in such situations been clearly proved, they would -scarcely have been credited. He continued this course until some time -after the commencement of the last winter; by which time he had not -only obtained incredible influence amongst persons of color, but many -feared him more than their owners, and, one of them declared, even more -than his God."</p> - -<p>The excitement which the revelations of the trial occasioned, and -the continual fanning of the flame by the newspapers, were beyond -description. Double guard in the city, the country patrol on -horseback and on foot, the watchfulness that was observed on all -plantations, showed the deep feeling of fear pervading the hearts of -the slaveholders, not only in South Carolina, but the fever extended -to the other Southern States, and all seemed to feel that a great -crisis had been passed. And indeed, their fears seem not to have been -without ground, for a more complicated plan for an insurrection could -scarcely have been conceived. And many were of opinion that, the rising -once begun, they would have taken the city and held it, and might have -sealed the fate of slavery in the south. The best account of this -whole matter is to be found in an able article in the Atlantic Monthly -for June, 1861, from the pen of that eloquent friend of freedom T. W. -Higginson, and to which I am indebted for the extracts contained in -this memoir of Denmark Vesey.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p> - -<h3>HENRY HIGHLAND GARNETT.</h3> - -<p>Though born a slave in the State of Maryland, Henry Highland Garnett -is the son of an African chief, stolen from the coast of his native -land. His father's family were all held as slaves till 1822, when they -escaped to the north. In 1835, he became a member of Canaan Academy, -New Hampshire. Three months after entering the school, it was broken up -by a mob, who destroyed the building. Mr. Garnett afterwards entered -Oneida Institute, New York, under the charge of that noble-hearted -friend of man, Beriah Green, where he was treated with equality by the -professors and his fellow-students. There he gained the reputation -of a courteous and accomplished man, an able and eloquent debater, -and a good writer. His first appearance as a public speaker was in -1837, in the city of New York, where his speech at once secured for -him a standing among first-class orators. Mr. Garnett is in every -sense of the term a progressive man. He is a strenuous advocate of -freedom, temperance, education, and the religious, moral, and social -elevation of his race. He is an acceptable preacher, evangelical in his -profession. His discourses, though showing much thought and careful -study, are delivered extemporaneously, and with good effect. Having -complete command of his voice, he uses it with skill, never failing -to fill the largest hall. One of the most noted addresses ever given -by a colored man in this country was delivered by Mr. Garnett at the -National Convention of Colored Americans, at Buffalo, New York, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> -1843. None but those who heard that speech have the slightest idea of -the tremendous influence which he exercised over the assembly. He spent -some years over a church at Troy, and another at Geneva, New York, and -in 1850 visited England, where he remained, lecturing, in different -sections of the United Kingdom, upon American slavery, until 1852, we -believe, when, being joined by his family, he went as a missionary to -Jamaica. After spending three years among the people of that island, -he returned to the United States, and is now settled over Shiloh -Church, New York city. Mr. Garnett is about forty-five years of age, -unadulterated in race, tall and commanding in appearance, has an eye -that looks through you, and a clear, ringing voice. He has written -considerably, and has edited one or two journals at different times, -devoted to the elevation of his race. The following from his pen will -give but a faint idea of Mr. Garnett's powers as a writer:—</p> - -<p>"The woful volume of our history, as it now lies open to the world, is -written with tears and bound with blood. As I trace it, my eyes ache -and my heart is filled with grief. No other people have suffered so -much, and none have been more innocent. If I might apostrophize that -bleeding country, I would say, O Africa, thou hast bled, freely bled, -at every pore. Thy sorrow has been mocked, and thy grief has not been -heeded. Thy children are scattered over the whole earth, and the great -nations have been enriched by them. The wild beasts of thy forests are -treated with more mercy than they. The Libyan lion and the fierce tiger -are caged, to gratify the curiosity of men, and the keeper's hands are -not laid heavily upon them. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> thy children are tortured, taunted, -and hurried out of life by unprecedented cruelty. Brave men, formed -in the divinest mould, are bartered, sold, and mortgaged. Stripped of -every sacred right, they are scourged if they affirm that they belong -to God. Women, sustaining the dear relation of mothers, are yoked -with the horned cattle to till the soil, and their heart-strings are -torn to pieces by cruel separations from their children. Our sisters, -ever manifesting the purest kindness, whether in the wilderness of -their fatherland, or amid the sorrows of the middle passage, or in -crowded cities, are unprotected from the lust of tyrants. They have a -regard for virtue, and they possess a sense of honor; but there is no -respect paid to these jewels of noble character. Driven into unwilling -concubinage, their offspring are sold by their Anglo-Saxon fathers. To -them the marriage institution is but a name, for their despoilers break -down the hymeneal altar, and scatter its sacred ashes on the winds.</p> - -<p>"Our young men are brutalized in intellect, and their manly energies -are chilled by the frosts of slavery. Sometimes they are called to -witness the agonies of the mothers who bore them, writhing under -the lash; and as if to fill to overflowing the already full cup of -demonism, they are sometimes compelled to apply the lash with their -own hands. Hell itself cannot overmatch a deed like this; and dark -damnation shudders as it sinks into its bosom, and seeks to hide itself -from the indignant eye of God."</p> - -<p>Mr. Garnett paid a second visit to England a few months since, for -the purpose of creating an interest there in behalf of emigration to -Central Africa.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> - -<h3>JAMES M. WHITFIELD.</h3> - -<p>There has long resided in Buffalo, New York, a barber, noted for his -scholarly attainments and gentlemanly deportment. Men of the most -polished refinement visit his saloon, and, while being shaved, take -pleasure in conversing with him; and all who know him feel that he was -intended by nature for a higher position in life. This is James M. -Whitfield. He is a native of Massachusetts, and removed west some years -since. We give a single extract from one of his poems.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"How long, O gracious God, how long</div> -<div class="i1">Shall power lord it over right?</div> -<div>The feeble, trampled by the strong,</div> -<div class="i1">Remain in slavery's gloomy night?</div> -<div>In every region of the earth</div> -<div class="i1">Oppression rules with iron power;</div> -<div>And every man of sterling worth,</div> -<div class="i1">Whose soul disdains to cringe or cower</div> -<div>Beneath a haughty tyrant's nod,</div> -<div>And, supplicating, kiss the rod</div> -<div>That, wielded by oppression's might,</div> -<div>Smites to the earth his dearest right,—</div> -<div>The right to speak, and think, and feel,</div> -<div class="i1">And spread his uttered thoughts abroad,</div> -<div>To labor for the common weal,</div> -<div class="i1">Responsible to none but God,—</div> -<div>Is threatened with the dungeon's gloom,</div> -<div>The felon's cell, the traitor's doom,</div> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>And treacherous politicians league</div> -<div class="i1">With hireling priests to crush and ban</div> -<div>All who expose their vain intrigue,</div> -<div class="i1">And vindicate the rights of man.</div> -<div>How long shall Afric raise to thee</div> -<div class="i1">Her fettered hand, O Lord, in vain,</div> -<div>And plead in fearful agony</div> -<div class="i1">For vengeance for her children slain?</div> -<div>I see the Gambia's swelling flood,</div> -<div class="i1">And Niger's darkly-rolling wave,</div> -<div>Bear on their bosoms, stained with blood,</div> -<div class="i1">The bound and lacerated slave;</div> -<div>While numerous tribes spread near and far</div> -<div>Fierce, devastating, barbarous war,</div> -<div>Earth's fairest scenes in ruin laid,</div> -<div>To furnish victims for that trade</div> -<div>Which breeds on earth such deeds of shame,</div> -<div>As fiends might blush to hear or name."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Mr. Whitfield has written several long poems, all of them in good taste -and excellent language.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ANDRE RIGAUD.</h3> - -<p>Slavery, in St. Domingo, created three classes—the white planters, -the free mulattoes, and the slaves, the latter being all black. The -revolution brought out several valiant chiefs among the mulattoes, -their first being Vincent Ogé. This man was not calculated for a -leader of rebellion. His mother having been enabled to support him in -France as a gentleman, he had cherished a delicacy of sentiment very -incompatible with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> the ferocity of revolt. But Andre Rigaud, their next -and greatest chief, was a far different man. A native of Aux Cayes, -educated at Bourdeaux, and afterwards spending some time at Paris, -maturing his mind amid scenes of science and literature, Rigaud's -position among his followers was an exalted one. His father was white -and his mother black. He was tall and slim, with features beautifully -defined. Nature had been profligate in bestowing her gifts upon him.</p> - -<p>While at the Military School at Paris, besides being introduced into -good society, he became acquainted with Lafayette, Condorcet, Gregoire, -and other distinguished statesmen, and his manners were polished -and his language elegant. In religion he was the very opposite of -Toussaint. An admirer of Voltaire and Rousseau, he had made their works -his study. A long residence in the French metropolis had enabled him -to become acquainted with the followers of these two distinguished -philosophers. He had seen two hundred thousand persons following the -bones of Voltaire, when removed to the Pantheon, and, in his admiration -for the great author, had confounded liberty with infidelity. In Asia, -he would have governed an empire; in St. Domingo, he was scarcely more -than an outlawed chief; but he had in his soul the elements of a great -man. In military science, horsemanship, and activity, Rigaud was the -first man on the island, of any color. Toussaint bears the following -testimony to the great skill of the mulatto general: "I know Rigaud -well. He leaps from his horse when at full gallop, and he puts all -his force in his arm when he strikes a blow." He was high-tempered, -irritable, and haughty. The charmed power that he held over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> the men -of his color can scarcely be described. At the breaking out of the -revolution, he headed the mulattoes in his native town, and soon drew -around him a formidable body of men.</p> - -<p>After driving the English and Spaniards from the island, and subduing -the French planters, Toussaint and Rigaud made war upon each other. -As the mulattoes were less than fifty thousand in number, and the -blacks more than five hundred thousand, Rigaud was always outnumbered -on the field of battle; but his forces, fighting under the eyes of -the general whom they adored, defended their territory with vigor, if -not with success. Reduced in his means of defence by the loss of so -many brave men in his recent battles, Rigaud had the misfortune to -see his towns fall, one after another, into the power of Toussaint, -until he was driven to the last citadel of his strength—the town of -Aux Cayes. As he thus yielded foot by foot, every thing was given to -desolation before it was abandoned, and the land, which under his -active government had just before been so adorned with cultivation, was -made such a waste of desolation, that, according almost to the very -letter of his orders, "the trees were turned with their roots in the -air." The genius and activity of Toussaint were completely at fault in -his attempt to force the mulatto general from his intrenchments.</p> - -<p>The government of France was too much engaged at home with her own -revolution to pay any attention to St. Domingo. The republicans in -Paris, after getting rid of their enemies, turned upon each other. The -revolution, like Saturn, devoured its own children; priest and people -were murdered upon the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> thresholds of justice. Murat died at the hands -of Charlotte Corday. Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette were guillotined, -Robespierre had gone to the scaffold, and Bonaparte was master of -France.</p> - -<p>The conqueror of Egypt now turned his attention to St. Domingo. It was -too important an island to be lost to France or destroyed by civil war, -and, through the mediation of Bonaparte, the war between Toussaint and -Rigaud was brought to a close.</p> - -<p>Petion and several other generals followed Rigaud, when, at the -conclusion of his war with Toussaint, he embarked for France. When -Napoleon's ill-fated expedition came to St. Domingo, Rigaud returned, -made his appearance at Aux Cayes, and, under his influence, the south -soon rallied in arms against Toussaint. He fought bravely for France -until the subjugation of the blacks and the transportation of their -chief to the mother country, when Napoleon felt that Rigaud, too, was -as dangerous to the peace of St. Domingo as Toussaint, and he was once -more forced to return to France. Here he was imprisoned—not for any -thing that he had done against the government of Bonaparte, but for -fear that the mulatto chief would return to his native island, take -up arms, and assist his race, who were already in rebellion against -Leclerc.</p> - -<p>Although the whites and the free colored men were linked together by -the tender ties of nature, there was, nevertheless, a hatred to each -other, even stronger than between the whites and the blacks. In the -earlier stages of the revolution, before the blacks under Toussaint -got the ascendency, several attempts had been made to get rid of the -leaders of the mulattoes, and especially Rigaud. He was hated by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> -whites in the same degree as they feared his all-powerful influence -with his race, and the unyielding nature of his character, which gave -firmness and consistency to his policy while controlling the interests -of his brethren. Intrigue and craftiness could avail nothing against -the designs of one who was ever upon the watch, and who had the means -of counteracting all secret attempts against him; and open force, in -the field, could not be successful in destroying a chieftain whose -power was often felt, but whose person was seldom seen. Thus, to -accomplish a design which had long been in meditation, the whites of -Aux Cayes were now secretly preparing a mine for Rigaud, which, though -it was covered with roses, and to be sprung by professed friends, it -was thought would prove a sure and efficacious method of ridding them -of such an opponent, and destroying the pretensions of the mulattoes -forever. It was proposed that the anniversary of the destruction of the -Bastile should be celebrated in the town by both whites and mulattoes, -in union and gratitude. A civic procession marched to the church, where -Te Deum was chanted and an oration pronounced. The <i>Place d'Armes</i> was -crowded with tables of refreshments, at which both whites and mulattoes -seated themselves. But beneath this seeming patriotism and friendship, -a dark and fatal conspiracy lurked, plotting treachery and death. It -had been resolved that, at a preconcerted signal, every white at the -table should plunge his knife into the bosom of the mulatto who was -seated nearest to him. Cannon had been planted around the place of -festivity, that no fugitive from the massacre should have the means -of escaping; and that Rigaud should not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> fail to be secured as the -first victim of a conspiracy prepared especially against his life, -the commander-in-chief of the National Guard had been placed at his -side, and his murder of the mulatto chieftain was to be the signal for -a general onset upon all his followers. The officer to whom had been -intrusted the assassination of Rigaud, found it no small matter to -screw his courage up to the sticking point, and the expected signal, -which he was to display in blood to his associates, was so long -delayed, that secret messengers began to throng to him from all parts -of the tables, demanding why execution was not done on Rigaud. Urged on -by these successive appeals, the white general at last applied himself -to the fatal task which had been allotted him; but instead of silently -plunging his dagger into the bosom of the mulatto chief, he sprung upon -him with a pistol in his hand, and, with a loud execration, fired it at -his intended victim. But Rigaud remained unharmed, and, in the scuffle -which ensued, the white assassin was disarmed and put to flight. The -astonishment of the mulattoes soon gave way to tumult and indignation, -and this produced a drawn battle, in which both whites and mulattoes, -exasperated as they were to the utmost, fought man to man. The struggle -continued fiercely until the whites were driven from the town, having -lost one hundred and fifty of their number, and slain many of their -opponents.</p> - -<p>Tidings of this conspiracy flew rapidly in all directions; and such was -the indignation of the mulattoes at this attack upon their chief, whose -death had even been announced in several places as certain, that they -seized upon all the whites within their reach; and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> their immediate -massacre was only prevented by the arrival of intelligence that Rigaud -was still alive. Such were the persecutions which the leader of the -mulattoes, now in exile, had experienced in his own land. Napoleon kept -him confined in the prison of the Temple first, and then at the castle -of Joux, where Toussaint had ended his life.</p> - -<p>During this time, St. Domingo was undergoing a great change. Leclerc -had died, Rochambeau and his forces had been driven from the island, -Dessalines had reigned and passed away, and Christophe was master -of the north, and Petion of the south. These two generals were at -war with each other, when they were both very much surprised at the -arrival of Rigaud from France. He had escaped from his prison, made -his way to England, and thence to the island by way of the United -States. Petion, the president of the republic in the south, regarded -Rigaud as a more formidable enemy than Christophe. The great mulatto -general was welcomed with enthusiasm by his old adherents; they showed -the most sincere respect and attachment for him, and he journeyed in -triumph to Port au Prince. Though Petion disliked these demonstrations -in favor of a rival, he dared not attempt to interfere, for he well -knew that a single word from Rigaud could raise a revolt among the -mulattoes. Petion, himself a mulatto, had served under the former in -the first stages of the revolution. The people of Aux Cayes welcomed -their chief to his home, and he drew around him all hearts, and in a -short time Rigaud was in full possession of his ancient power. The -government of Petion was divided to make room for the former chief, -and, though the two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> leaders for a while flew to arms against each -other, they, nevertheless, were driven to an alliance on account of the -encroachments of Christophe.</p> - -<p>After a reign that was fraught only with tumult to himself and -followers, Rigaud abdicated his province, retired to his farm, and in a -few weeks died. Thus ended the career of the most distinguished mulatto -general of which St. Domingo could boast.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS.</h3> - -<p>Miss Watkins is a native of Baltimore, where she received her -education. She has been before the public some years as an author and -public lecturer. Her "Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects," published in -a small volume, show a reflective mind and no ordinary culture. Her -"Essay on Christianity" is a beautiful composition. Many of her poems -are soul-stirring, and all are characterized by chaste language and -much thought. The following is entitled</p> - -<p class="center">THE SLAVE MOTHER.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>'Heard you that shriek? It rose</div> -<div class="i1">So wildly on the air,</div> -<div>It seemed as if a burdened heart</div> -<div class="i1">Was breaking in despair.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Saw you those hands so sadly clasped,</div> -<div class="i1">The bowed and feeble head,</div> -<div>The shuddering of that fragile form,</div> -<div class="i1">That look of grief and dread?</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>Saw you the sad, imploring eye?</div> -<div class="i1">Its every glance was pain,</div> -<div>As if a storm of agony</div> -<div class="i1">Were sweeping through the brain.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>She is a mother pale with fear;</div> -<div class="i1">Her boy clings to her side,</div> -<div>And in her kirtle vainly tries</div> -<div class="i1">His trembling form to hide.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>He is not hers, although she bore</div> -<div class="i1">For him a mother's pains;</div> -<div>He is not hers, although her blood</div> -<div class="i1">Is coursing through his veins.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>He is not hers, for cruel hands</div> -<div class="i1">May rudely tear apart</div> -<div>The only wreath of household love</div> -<div class="i1">That binds her breaking heart.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>His love has been a joyous light</div> -<div class="i1">That o'er her pathway smiled,</div> -<div>A fountain, gushing ever new,</div> -<div class="i1">Amid life's desert wild.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>His lightest word has been a tone</div> -<div class="i1">Of music round her heart;</div> -<div>Their lives a streamlet blent in one—</div> -<div class="i1">O Father, must they part?</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>They tear him from her circling arms,</div> -<div class="i1">Her last and fond embrace;</div> -<div>O, never more may her sad eyes</div> -<div class="i1">Gaze on his mournful face.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>No marvel, then, these bitter shrieks</div> -<div class="i1">Disturb the listening air;</div> -<div>She is a mother, and her heart</div> -<div class="i1">Is breaking in despair.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Miss Watkins's advice to her own sex on the selection of a husband -should be appreciated by all.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>Nay, do not blush! I only heard</div> -<div class="i1">You had a mind to marry;</div> -<div>I thought I'd speak a friendly word;</div> -<div class="i1">So just one moment tarry.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Wed not a man whose merit lies</div> -<div class="i1">In things of outward show,</div> -<div>In raven hair or flashing eyes,</div> -<div class="i1">That please your fancy so.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>But marry one who's good and kind,</div> -<div class="i1">And free from all pretence;</div> -<div>Who, if without a gifted mind,</div> -<div class="i1">At least has common sense.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Miss Watkins is about thirty years of age, of a fragile form, rather -nervous, keen and witty in conversation, outspoken in her opinions, and -yet appears in all the simplicity of a child.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p> - -<h3>EX-PRESIDENT ROBERTS.</h3> - -<p>J. J. Roberts, ex-president of the Republic of Liberia, is a native -of the Old Dominion, and emigrated to his adopted country about -twenty-five years ago. In stature he is tall, slim, and has a -commanding appearance, sharp features, pleasant countenance, and is -what the ladies would call "good looking." Mr. Roberts has much the -bearing of an "English gentleman." He has fine abilities, and his state -papers will compare favorably with the public documents of any of -the presidents of the United States. He is thoroughly devoted to the -interest of the rising republic, and has visited Europe several times -in her behalf.</p> - -<p>The following extract from the inaugural address of President Roberts -to the legislature of Liberia, in 1848, on the colonists taking the -entire responsibility of the government, is eloquent and pointed:—</p> - -<p>"It must afford the most heartfelt pleasure and satisfaction to -every friend of Liberia, and real lover of liberty, to observe by -what a fortunate train of circumstances and incidents the people of -these colonies have arrived at absolute freedom and independence. -When we look abroad and see by what slow and painful steps, marked -with blood and ills of every kind, other states of the world have -advanced to liberty and independence, we cannot but admire and praise -that all-gracious Providence, who, by his unerring ways, has, with -so few sufferings on our part, compared with other states, led us to -this happy stage in our progress towards those great and important -objects. That it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> the will of Heaven that mankind should be free, -is clearly evidenced by the wealth, vigor, virtue, and consequent -happiness of all free states. But the idea that Providence will -establish such governments as he shall deem most fit for his creatures, -and will give them wealth, influence, and happiness without their -efforts, is palpably absurd. God's moral government of the earth is -always performed by the intervention of second causes. Therefore, -fellow-citizens, while with pious gratitude we survey the frequent -interpositions of Heaven in our behalf, we ought to remember, that as -the disbelief of an overruling Providence is atheism, so an absolute -confidence of having our government relieved from every embarrassment, -and its citizens made respectable and happy by the immediate hand of -God, without our own exertions, is the most culpable presumption. Nor -have we any reason to expect, that he will miraculously make Liberia a -paradise, and deliver us, in a moment of time, from all the ills and -inconveniences consequent upon the peculiar circumstances under which -we are placed, merely to convince us that he favors our cause and -government.</p> - -<p>"Sufficient indications of his will are always given, and those who -will not then believe, neither would they believe though one should -rise from the dead to inform them. Who can trace the progress of these -colonies, and mark the incidents of the wars in which they have been -engaged, without seeing evident tokens of providential favor. Let us, -therefore, inflexibly persevere in exerting our most strenuous efforts -in a humble and rational dependence on the great Governor of all the -world, and we have the fairest prospects of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> surmounting all the -difficulties which may be thrown in our way. That we may expect, and -that we shall have, difficulties, sore difficulties, yet to contend -against in our progress to maturity, is certain; and, as the political -happiness or wretchedness of ourselves and our children, 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 been involved,—it becomes us to lay our shoulders to -the wheel, and manfully resist every obstacle which may oppose our -progress in the great work which lies before us."</p> - -<p>Mr. Roberts, we believe, is extensively engaged in commerce and -agriculture, and, though out of office, makes himself useful in the -moral, social, and intellectual elevation of his brethren. No one is -more respected, or stands higher, in Liberia than he.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ALEXANDER CRUMMELL.</h3> - -<p>Among the many bright examples of the black man which we present, -one of the foremost is Alexander Crummell. Blood unadulterated, a -tall and manly figure, commanding in appearance, a full and musical -voice, fluent in speech, a graduate of Cambridge University, England, -a mind stored with the richness of English literature, competently -acquainted with the classical authors of Greece and Rome, from the -grave Thucydides to the rhapsodical Lycophron, gentlemanly in all his -movements, language chaste and refined, Mr. Crummell may well be put -forward as one of the best<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> and most favorable representatives of his -race. He is a clergyman of the Episcopal denomination, and deeply -versed in theology. His sermons are always written, but he reads them -as few persons can. In 1848 Mr. Crummell visited England, and delivered -a well-conceived address before the Anti-Slavery Society in London, -where his eloquence and splendid abilities were at once acknowledged -and appreciated. The year before his departure for the old world, he -delivered a "Eulogy on the Life and Character of Thomas Clarkson," -from which we make the following extract, which is full of meaning and -eloquence:—</p> - -<p>"Let us not be unmindful of the prerogatives and obligations arising -from the fact, that the exhibition of the greatest talent, and the -development of the most enlarged philanthropy, in the nineteenth -century, have been bestowed upon our race. The names of the great -lights of the age,—statesmen, poets, and divines,—in all the great -countries of Europe, and in this country too, are inseparably connected -with the cause and destiny of the African race. This has been the -theme whence most of them have reaped honor and immortality. This -cause has produced the development of the most noble character of -modern times—has given the world a Wilberforce and a Clarkson. Lowly -and depressed as we have been, and as we now are, yet <i>our</i> interests -and <i>our</i> welfare have agitated the chief countries of the world, -and are now before all other questions, shaking this nation to its -very centre. The providences of God have placed the negro race before -Europe and America in the most commanding position. From the sight of -us no nation, no statesman, no ecclesiastic, and no ecclesiastical -institution, can escape.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> And by us and our cause the character and -greatness of individuals and of nations in this day and generation -of the world are to be decided, either for good or evil; and so, in -all coming times, the memory and the fame of the chief actors now -on the stage will be decided by their relation to our cause. The -discoveries of science, the unfoldings of literature, the dazzlings -of genius, all fade before the demands of this cause. This is the age -of <span class="smaller">BROTHERHOOD AND HUMANITY</span>, and the negro race is its most -distinguished test and criterion.</p> - -<p>"And for what are all these providences? For nothing? He who thinks -so must be blinded—must be demented. In these facts are wound up a -most distinct significance, and with them are connected most clear -and emphatic obligations and responsibilities. The clear-minded and -thoughtful colored men of America must mark the significance of these -facts, and begin to feel their weight. For more than two centuries -we have been working our way from the deep and dire degradation into -which slavery had plunged us. We have made considerable headway. -By the vigorous use of the opportunities of our partial freedom we -have been enabled, with the divine blessing, to reach a position -of respectability and character. We have pressed somewhat into the -golden avenues of science, intelligence, and learning. We have made -impressions there; and some few of our footprints have we left behind. -The mild light of religion has illumined our pathway, and superstition -and error have fled apace. The greatest paradoxes are evinced by us. -Amid the decay of nations, a rekindled light starts up in us. Burdens -under which others expire seem to have lost their influence upon us; -and while <i>they</i> are 'driven to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> the wall,' destruction keeps far -from <i>us</i> its blasting hand. We live in the region of death, yet seem -hardly mortal. We cling to life in the midst of all reverses; and our -nerveful grasp thereon cannot easily be relaxed. History reverses its -mandates in our behalf: our dotage is in the past. 'Time writes not its -wrinkles on our brow;' our juvenescence is in the future. All this, and -the kindly nature which is acknowledgedly ours,—with gifts of freedom -vouchsafed us by the Almighty in this land, in part, and in the West -Indies; with the intellectual desire every where manifesting itself, -and the exceeding interest exhibited for Africa by her own children, -and by the Christian nations of the world, are indications from which -we may not gather a trivial meaning, nor a narrow significance.</p> - -<p>"The teaching of God in all these things is, undoubtedly, that ours is -a great destiny, and that we should open our eyes to it. God is telling -us all that, whereas the past has been dark, grim, and repulsive, the -future shall be glorious; that the horrid traffic shall yet be entirely -stopped; that the whips and brands, the shackles and fetters, of -slavery shall be cast down to oblivion; that the shades of ignorance -and superstition that have so long settled down upon the mind of Africa -shall be dispelled; and that all her sons on her own broad continent, -in the Western Isles, and in this Republic, shall yet stand erect -beneath the heavens, 'with freedom chartered on their manly brows;' -their bosoms swelling with its noblest raptures—treading the face of -earth in the links of brotherhood and equality."</p> - -<p>We have had a number of our public men to represent us in Europe within -the past twenty-five years;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> and none have done it more honorably or -with better success to the character and cause of the black man, than -Alexander Crummell. We met him there again and again, and followed in -his track wherever he preached or spoke before public assemblies, and -we know whereof we affirm. In 1852, we believe, he went to Liberia, -where he now resides. At present he and his family are on a visit -to "the States," partly for his health and partly for the purpose -of promoting emigration to Africa. Mr. C. has recently published a -valuable work on Africa, which is highly spoken of by the press; -indeed, it may be regarded as the only finished account of <i>our mother</i> -land. Devotedly attached to the interest of the colored man, and having -the moral, social, and intellectual elevation of the natives of Africa -at heart, we do not regret that he considers it his duty to labor in -his <i>father</i> land. Warmly interested in the Republic, and so capable of -filling the highest position that he can be called to, we shall not be -surprised, some day, to hear that Alexander Crummell is president of -Liberia.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ALEXANDRE PETION.</h3> - -<p>The ambitious and haughty mulattoes had long been dissatisfied with -the obscure condition into which they had been thrown by the reign -of Dessalines, and at the death of that ruler they determined to put -forward their claim. Their great chief, Rigaud, was still in prison in -France, where he had been placed by Napoleon. Christophe had succeeded -to power at the close<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> of the empire, and was at St. Marks when he -heard that Alexandre Petion had been elected president of the Republic -of Hayti, through the instrumentality of the mulattoes. Christophe at -once began to prepare for war. Petion was a quadroon, the successor of -Rigaud and Clervaux to the confidence of the mulattoes. He was a man -of education and refined manners. He had been educated at the Military -School of Paris, and had ever been characterized for his mildness of -temper and the insinuating grace of his address. He was a skilful -engineer, and at the time of his elevation to power he passed for the -most scientific officer and the most erudite individual among the -people of Hayti. Attached to the fortunes of Rigaud, he had acted as -his lieutenant against Toussaint, and had accompanied him to France. -Here he remained until the departure of the expedition under Leclerc, -when he embarked in that disastrous enterprise, to employ his talents -in again restoring his country to the dominion of France. Petion joined -Dessalines, Christophe, and Clervaux, when they revolted and turned -against the French, and aided in gaining the final independence of the -island. Christophe, therefore, as soon as he heard that he had a rival -in Petion, rallied his forces, and started for Port au Prince, to meet -his enemy. The former was already in the field, and the two armies -met; a battle ensued, and Petion, being defeated, and hotly pursued in -his flight, found it necessary, in order to save his life, to exchange -his uniform with a laborer, and to bury himself up to his neck in a -marsh until his fierce pursuers had disappeared. Petion escaped, and -reached his capital before the arrival of the troops under Christophe. -The latter, after this signal success,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> pressed forward to Port au -Prince, and laid siege to the town, in hope of an easy triumph over -his rival. But Petion was in his appropriate sphere of action, and -Christophe soon discovered that, in contending with an experienced -engineer in a fortified town, success was of more difficult attainment -than while encountering the same enemy in the open field, where his -science could not be brought into action. Christophe could make no -impression on the town, and feeling ill assured of the steadfastness of -his own proper government at Cape François, he withdrew his forces from -the investment of Port au Prince, resolved to establish in the north -a separate government of his own, and to defer to some more favorable -opportunity the attempt to subdue his rival at Port au Prince. In -September, 1808, Petion commenced another campaign against Christophe, -by sending an army to besiege Port de Paix, which it did; but after a -while it was driven back to Port au Prince by the victorious legions -of the president of the north. Christophe in turn attempted to take -the Mole St. Nicholas from Lamarre, one of Petion's generals, but did -not succeed. The struggle between the two presidents of Hayti had now -continued three years, when a new competitor appeared in the field, by -the arrival of Rigaud from France. This was an unexpected event, which -awakened deep solicitude in the bosom of Petion, who could not avoid -regarding that distinguished general as a more formidable rival than -Christophe. He well knew the attachment of the people to the great -mulatto chief, and he feared his superior talents. The enthusiasm with -which Rigaud was received wherever he appeared, raised the jealousy of -Petion to such a pitch, that he for a time forgot his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> black rival. -Partisans flew to the standard of Rigaud, and a resort to arms seemed -imminent between him and Petion. A meeting, however, was held by the -two mulatto generals, at the bridge of Miragoane, where a treaty was -signed, by which the south was to be governed by the former, and the -west, and as much as could be wrested from Christophe, by the latter. -But peace between these two was not destined to be of long duration. A -war took place, and Rigaud's troops proved too much for Petion, and he -was defeated with great loss, and his entire army almost annihilated. -But the victorious general did not follow up his successes; and -although he had gained a signal victory, he felt that much of his power -over his followers was passing away. The death of Rigaud once more -gave the field to Christophe and Petion, and they again commenced war -upon each other. The latter was superior to the former in education, -and in the refinement given him by a cultivated understanding and -an extensive intercourse with European society; but he was greatly -inferior to Christophe in boldness and decision of character. Petion -was subtle, cautious, and desponding. He aspired to be the Washington, -as Christophe was deemed the Bonaparte, of Hayti. By insinuating -the doctrines of equality and republicanism, Petion succeeded in -governing, with but ten thousand mulattoes, a population of more than -two hundred thousand blacks. Assuming no pretensions to personal -or official dignity, and totally rejecting all the ceremonial of a -court, it was Petion's ambition to maintain the exterior of a plain -republican magistrate. Clad in the white linen undress of the country, -and with a Madras handkerchief tied about his head, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> mixed freely -and promiscuously with his fellow-citizens, or seated himself in the -piazza of the government house, accessible to all. He professed to hold -himself at the disposal of the people, and to be ready at any moment to -submit to their will, whether it was to guide the power of the state, -or yield his head to the executioner.</p> - -<p>A republican officer one day called on Petion at the government house, -and while they were alone, the former drew out a pistol and fired at -the president, without injuring him, however; the latter immediately -seized his visitor, disarmed him, and when the guard rushed in, he -found the president and the officer walking the room locked in each -other's arms. This man was ever after the warm friend of Petion. At -the downfall of Napoleon, and the elevation of Louis XVIII., another -effort was made to regain possession of the island by France. But the -latter did not resort to arms. Having no confidence in the French, and -fearing a warlike demonstration, both Petion and Christophe prepared -for defence. Petion had long been despondent for the permanence of the -republic, and this feeling had by degrees grown into a settled despair; -and amidst these perplexities and embarrassments he fell sick, in the -month of March, 1818, and after an illness which continued only eight -days, he died, and was succeeded by General Boyer.</p> - -<p>The administration of Petion was mild, and he did all that he could -for the elevation of the people whom he ruled. He was the patron -of education and the arts, and scientific men, for years after his -death, spoke his name with reverence. He was highly respected by the -representatives of foreign powers, and strangers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> visiting his republic -always mentioned his name in connection with the best cultivated and -most gentlemanly of the people of Hayti. Lightly lie the earth on the -bones of Petion, and let every cloud pass away from his memory.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>MARTIN R. DELANY, M. D.</h3> - -<p>Dr. Delany has long been before the public. His first appearance, we -believe, was in connection with <i>The Mystery</i>, a weekly newspaper -published at Pittsburg, and of which he was editor. His journal was -faithful in its advocacy of the rights of man, and had the reputation -of being a well-conducted sheet. The doctor afterwards was associated -with Frederick Douglass in the editorial management of his paper at -Rochester, N. Y. From the latter place he removed to Canada, and has -since resided in Chatham, where he is looked upon as one of its leading -citizens.</p> - -<p>Dr. M. R. Delany, though regarded as a man high in his profession, -is better and more widely known as a traveller, discoverer, and -lecturer. His association with Professor Campbell in the "Niger Valley -Exploring Expedition" has brought the doctor very prominently before -the world, and especially that portion of it which takes an interest -in the civilization of Africa. The official report of that expedition -shows that he did not visit that country with his eyes shut. His -observations and suggestions about the climate, soil, diseases, and -natural productions of Africa, are interesting, and give evidence that -the doctor was in earnest. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> published report, of which he is the -author, will repay a perusal.</p> - -<p>On his return home, Dr. Delany spent some time in England, and lectured -in the British metropolis and the provincial cities, with considerable -success, on Africa and its resources. As a member of the International -Statistical Congress, he acquitted himself with credit to his position -and honor to his race. The foolish manner in which the Hon. Mr. Dallas, -our minister to the court of St. James, acted on meeting Dr. Delany in -that august assembly, and the criticisms of the press of Europe and -America, will not soon be forgotten.</p> - -<p>He is short, compactly built, has a quick, wiry walk, and is decided -and energetic in conversation, unadulterated in race, and proud of -his complexion. Though somewhat violent in his gestures, and paying -but little regard to the strict rules of oratory, Dr. Delany is, -nevertheless, an interesting, eloquent speaker. Devotedly attached -to his fatherland, he goes for a "Negro Nationality." Whatever he -undertakes, he executes it with all the powers that God has given him; -and what would appear as an obstacle in the way of other men, would be -brushed aside by Martin R. Delany.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ROBERT SMALL.</h3> - -<p>At the breaking out of the rebellion, Robert Small was a slave in -Charleston, S. C. He stood amid a group of his fellow-slaves, as the -soldiers were getting ready to make the assault upon Fort Sumter, -and he said to his associates, "This, boys, is the dawn of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> freedom -for our race." Robert, at this time, was employed as pilot on board -the steamboat "Planter," owned at Charleston, and then lying at her -dock. The following day, the steamer commenced undergoing alterations -necessary to fit her for a gunboat. Robert, when within hearing of -the whites, was loud in his talk of what "we'll do with the Yankees, -when this boat is ready for sea." The Planter was soon transmogrified -into a rebel man-of-war, to be used in and about the rivers and bays -near Charleston, and Robert Small was her acknowledged pilot. One of -Robert's brothers was second engineer, and a cousin to him was the -second mate; the remainder of the crew were all slaves, except the -white officers. It was the custom of the captain, chief mate, and chief -engineer to spend the night with their families in the city, when the -steamer was in port, the vessel being left in charge of Robert. The -following is the account of the capture of the boat by her black crew, -as given by the Port Royal correspondent of the <i>New York Commercial -Advertiser</i>:—</p> - -<p>"The steamer Planter, which was run away from the rebels by her pilot, -Robert Small, is a new tug boat employed about Charleston harbor, which -was seized by the Confederate government and converted into a gunboat, -mounting a rifled gun forward and a siege gun aft. She has been in the -habit of running out to sea to reconnoitre, and was, therefore, no -unusual appearance near the forts guarding the entrance. Small, the -helmsman and pilot, conceived the idea of running away, and plotted -with several friends, slaves like him, to take them off.</p> - -<p>"On the evening of May 11, her officers left the ship,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> then at the -wharf in Charleston, and went to their homes. Small then took the -firemen and assistant engineers, all of whom were slaves, in his -confidence, had the fires banked up, and every thing made ready to -start by daylight.</p> - -<p>"At quarter to four on Saturday morning, the lines which fastened the -vessel to the dock were cast off, and the ship quietly glided into the -stream. Here the harbor guard hailed the vessel, but Small promptly -gave the countersign, and was allowed to pass.</p> - -<p>"The vessel now called at a dock a distance below, where the families -of the crew came on board.</p> - -<p>"When off Fort Sumter, the sentry on the ramparts hailed the boat, and -Small sounded the countersign with the whistle—three shrill sounds and -one hissing sound. The vessel being known to the officers of the day, -no objection was raised, the sentry only singing out, 'Blow the d——d -Yankees to hell, or bring one of them in.' 'Ay, ay,' was the answer, -and every possible effort was made to get below.</p> - -<p>"Hardly was the vessel out of range, when Small ran up a white flag, -and went to the United States fleet, where he surrendered the vessel. -She had on board seven heavy guns for Fort Ripley, a fort now building -in Charleston harbor, which were to be taken thither the next morning.</p> - -<p>"Small, with the crew and their families,—sixteen persons,—were sent -to the flagship at Port Royal, and an officer placed on board the -Planter, who took her also to Commodore Dupont's vessel. Small is a -middle-aged negro, and his features betray nothing of the firmness of -character he displayed. He is said to be one of the most skilful pilots -of Charleston, and to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> have a thorough knowledge of all the ports and -inlets on the coast of South Carolina."</p> - -<p>We give below the official account of the taking and surrender of the -boat to the naval authorities.</p> - -<blockquote><p class="right"><span class="smcap">U. S. Steamship Augusta, }<br /> -Off Charleston</span>, May 13, 1862. }</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span>: I have the honor to inform you that the rebel armed -steamer Planter was brought out to us this morning from Charleston -by eight contrabands, and delivered up to the squadron. Five -colored women and three children are also on board. She carried -one 32-pounder and one 24-pounder howitzer, and has also on board -four large guns, which she was engaged in transporting. I send her -to Port Royal at once, in order to take advantage of the present -good weather. I send Charleston papers of the 12th, and the -very intelligent contraband who was in charge will give you the -information which he has brought off. I have the honor to request -that you will send back, as soon as convenient, the officer and -crew sent on board.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Commander Dupont, in forwarding the despatch, says, in relation to the -steamer Planter,—</p> - -<blockquote><p>She was the armed despatch and transportation steamer attached to -the engineer department at Charleston, under Brigadier General -Ripley, whose bark, a short time since, was brought to the -blockading fleet by several contrabands. The bringing out of this -steamer, under all the circumstances, would have done credit to -any one. At four in the morning, in the absence of the captain, -who was on shore, she left her wharf close to the government -office and headquarters, with the Palmetto and "Confederate" flags -flying, and passed the successive forts, saluting, as usual, -by blowing the steam whistle. After getting beyond the range -of the last gun, they hauled down the rebel flags, and hoisted -a white one. The Onward was the inside ship of the blockading -squadron in the main channel, and was preparing to fire when her -commander made out the white flag. The armament of the steamer -is a 32-pounder, or pivot, and a fine 24-pound howitzer. She has -besides, on her deck, four other guns, one seven inch rifled, -which were to be taken, on the morning of the escape, to the -new fort on the middle ground. One of the four belonged to Fort -Sumter, and had been struck, in the rebel attack, on the muzzle. -Robert Small, the intelligent slave, and pilot of the boat, who -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>performed this bold feat so skilfully, informed me of this -fact, presuming it would be a matter of interest to us to have -possession of this gun. This man, Robert Small, is superior to any -who have come into our lines, intelligent as many of them have -been. His information has been most interesting, and portions -of it of the utmost importance. The steamer is quite a valuable -acquisition to the squadron by her good machinery and very light -draught. The officer in charge brought her through St. Helena -Sound, and by the inland passage down Beaufort River, arriving -here at ten last night. On board the steamer, when she left -Charleston, were eight men, five women, and three children. I -shall continue to employ Small as pilot on board the Planter, for -inland waters, with which he appears to be very familiar.</p> - -<p>I do not know whether, in the view of the government, the vessel -will be considered a prize; but if so, I respectfully submit to -the Department the claims of the man Small and his associates.</p> - -<p class="right">Very respectfully, your obedient servant,<span class="s3"> </span><br /> -S. F. DUPONT,<span class="s3"> </span><br /><i>Flag Officer, Commanding, &c.</i></p></blockquote> - -<p>A bill was at once introduced in Congress to consider the Planter a -prize, and to award the prize-money to her crew. The <i>New York Tribune</i> -had the following editorial on the subject:—</p> - -<p>"The House of Representatives at Washington, it is to be hoped, -will be more just to their own sense of right, and to their more -generous impulses, than to put aside again the Senate bill giving the -prize-money they have so well earned to the pilot and crew of the -steamer Planter. Neither House would have done an act unworthy of their -dignity had they promptly passed a vote of thanks to Robert Small and -his fellows for the cool courage with which they planned and executed -their escape from rebel bondage, and the unswerving loyalty which -prompted them, at the same time, to bring away such spoils from the -enemy as would make a welcome addition to the blockading squadron. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p> - -<p>"If we must still remember with humiliation that the Confederate flag -yet waves where our national colors were first struck, we should be all -the more prompt to recognize the merit that has put into our possession -the first trophy from Fort Sumter. And the country should feel doubly -humbled if there is not magnanimity enough to acknowledge a gallant -action, because it was the head of a black man that conceived, and -the hand of a black man that executed it. It would better, indeed, -become us to remember that no small share of the naval glory of the war -belongs to the race which we have forbidden to fight for us; that one -negro has recaptured a vessel from a southern privateer, and another -has brought away from under the very guns of the enemy, where no fleet -of ours has yet dared to venture, a prize whose possession a commodore -thinks worthy to be announced in a special despatch."</p> - -<p>The bill was taken up and passed, and the brave Small and his -companions received justice at the hands of the government.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>FREDERICK DOUGLASS.</h3> - -<p>The career of the distinguished individual whose name heads this -page is more widely known than that of any other living colored man, -except, perhaps, Alexandre Dumas. The narrative of his life, published -in 1845, gave a new impetus to the black man's literature. All other -stories of fugitive slaves faded away before the beautifully written, -highly descriptive,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> and thrilling memoir of Frederick Douglass. Other -narratives had only brought before the public a few heart-rending -scenes connected with the person described. But Mr. Douglass, in his -book, brought not only his old master's farm and its occupants before -the reader, but the entire country around him, including Baltimore -and its ship yard. The manner in which he obtained his education, -and especially his learning to write, has been read and re-read by -thousands in both hemispheres. His escape from slavery is too well -understood to need a recapitulation here. He took up his residence in -New Bedford, where he still continued the assiduous student—mastering -the different branches of education which the accursed institution had -deprived him of in early life.</p> - -<p>His advent as a lecturer was a remarkable one. White men and black men -had talked against slavery, but none had ever spoken like Frederick -Douglass. Throughout the north the newspapers were filled with the -sayings of the "eloquent fugitive." He often travelled with others, -but they were all lost sight of in the eagerness to hear Douglass. His -travelling companions would sometimes get angry, and would speak first -at the meetings; then they would take the last turn; but it was all -the same—the fugitive's impression was the one left upon the mind. He -made more persons angry, and pleased more, than any other man. He was -praised, and he was censured. He made them laugh, he made them weep, -and he made them swear. His "Slaveholder's Sermon" was always a trump -card. He awakened an interest in the hearts of thousands who before -were dead to the slave and his condition. Many kept away from his -lectures, fearing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> lest they should be converted against their will. -Young men and women, in those days of pro-slavery hatred, would return -to their fathers' roofs filled with admiration for the "runaway slave," -and would be rebuked by hearing the old ones grumble out, "You'd better -stay at home and study your lessons, and not be running after the -nigger meetings."</p> - -<p>In 1841, he was induced to accept an agency as a lecturer for the -Anti-slavery Society, and at once became one of the most valuable -of its advocates. He visited England in 1845. There he was kindly -received, and heartily welcomed; and after going through the length -and breadth of the land, and addressing public meetings out of number -on behalf of his countrymen in chains, with a power of eloquence which -captivated his auditors, and brought the cause which he pleaded home -to their hearts, he returned home and commenced the publication of the -<i>North Star</i>, a weekly newspaper devoted to the advocacy of the cause -of freedom.</p> - -<p>Mr. Douglass is tall and well made. His vast and fully-developed -forehead shows at once that he is a superior man intellectually. He is -polished in his language, and gentlemanly in his manners. His voice is -full and sonorous. His attitude is dignified, and his gesticulation is -full of noble simplicity. He is a man of lofty reason; natural, and -without pretension; always master of himself; brilliant in the art of -exposing and abstracting. Few persons can handle a subject, with which -they are familiar, better than he. There is a kind of eloquence issuing -from the depth of the soul as from a spring, rolling along its copious -floods, sweeping all before it, overwhelming by its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> very force, -carrying, upsetting, ingulfing its adversaries, and more dazzling and -more thundering than the bolt which leaps from crag to crag. This is -the eloquence of Frederick Douglass. One of the best mimics of the age, -and possessing great dramatic powers, had he taken up the sock and -buskin, instead of becoming a lecturer, he would have made as fine a -Coriolanus as ever trod the stage.</p> - -<p>In his splendidly conceived comparison of Mr. Douglass to S. R. Ward, -written for the "Autographs for Freedom," Professor William J. Wilson -says of the former, "In his very look, his gesture, his whole manner, -there is so much of genuine, earnest eloquence, that they leave no -time for reflection. Now you are reminded of one rushing down some -fearful steep, bidding you follow; now on some delightful stream, -still beckoning you onward. In either case, no matter what your -prepossessions or oppositions, you, for the moment at least, forget the -justness or unjustness of his cause, and obey the summons, and loath, -if at all, you return to your former post. Not always, however, is he -successful in retaining you. Giddy as you may be with the descent you -have made, delighted as you are with the pleasure afforded, with the -Elysium to which he has wafted you, you return too often dissatisfied -with his and your own impetuosity and want of firmness. You feel that -you had only a dream, a pastime,—not a reality.</p> - -<p>"This great power of momentary captivation consists in his eloquence -of manners, his just appreciation of words. In listening to him, your -whole soul is fired, every nerve strung, every passion inflated, and -every faculty you possess ready to perform at a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> moment's bidding. -You stop not to ask why or wherefore. 'Tis a unison of mighty yet -harmonious sounds that play upon your imagination; and you give -yourself up, for a time, to their irresistible charm. At last, the -<i>cataract</i> which roared around you is hushed, the <i>tornado</i> is passed, -and you find yourself sitting upon a bank, (at whose base roll but -tranquil waters,) quietly asking yourself why, amid such a display of -power, no greater effect had really been produced. After all, it must -be admitted there is a power in Mr. Douglass rarely to be found in any -other man."</p> - -<p>As a speaker, Frederick Douglass has had more imitators than almost -any other American, save, perhaps, Wendell Phillips. Unlike most -great speakers, he is a superior writer also. Some of his articles, -in point of ability, will rank with any thing ever written for the -American press. He has taken lessons from the best of teachers, amid -the homeliest realities of life; hence the perpetual freshness of his -delineations, which are never over-colored, never strained, never -aiming at difficult or impossible effects, but which always read like -living transcripts of experience. The following from his pen, on "What -shall be done with the slaves, if emancipated?" is characteristic of -his style.</p> - -<p>"What shall be done with the four million slaves, if they are -emancipated? This question has been answered, and can be answered in -many ways. Primarily, it is a question less for man than for God—less -for human intellect than for the laws of nature to solve. It assumes -that nature has erred; that the law of liberty is a mistake; that -freedom, though a natural want of the human soul, can only be enjoyed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> -at the expense of human welfare, and that men are better off in slavery -than they would or could be in freedom; that slavery is the natural -order of human relations, and that liberty is an experiment. What shall -be done with them?</p> - -<p>"Our answer is, Do nothing with them; mind your business, and let them -mind theirs. Your <i>doing</i> with them is their greatest misfortune. They -have been undone by your doings, and all they now ask, and really -have need of at your hands, is just to let them alone. They suffer by -every interference, and succeed best by being let alone. The negro -should have been let alone in Africa—let alone when the pirates and -robbers offered him for sale in our Christian slave markets (more -cruel and inhuman than the Mohammedan slave markets)—let alone by -courts, judges, politicians, legislators, and slave-drivers—let alone -altogether, and assured that they were thus to be let alone forever, -and that they must now make their own way in the world, just the same -as any and every other variety of the human family. As colored men, -we only ask to be allowed to <i>do</i> with ourselves, subject only to the -same great laws for the welfare of human society which apply to other -men—Jews, Gentiles, Barbarian, Scythian. Let us stand upon our own -legs, work with our own hands, and eat bread in the sweat of our own -brows. When you, our white fellow-countrymen, have attempted to do any -thing for us, it has generally been to deprive us of some right, power, -or privilege, which you yourselves would die before you would submit -to have taken from you. When the planters of the West Indies used to -attempt to puzzle the pure-minded Wilberforce with the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>question, 'How -shall we get rid of slavery?' his simple answer was, 'Quit stealing.' -In like manner we answer those who are perpetually puzzling their -brains with questions as to what shall be done with the negro, 'Let -him alone, and mind your own business.' If you see him ploughing in -the open field, levelling the forest, at work with a spade, a rake, a -hoe, a pickaxe, or a bill—let him alone; he has a right to work. If -you see him on his way to school, with spelling-book, geography, and -arithmetic in his hands—let him alone. Don't shut the door in his -face, nor bolt your gates against him; he has a right to learn—let -him alone. Don't pass laws to degrade him. If he has a ballot in his -hand, and is on his way to the ballot-box to deposit his vote for -the man who, he thinks, will most justly and wisely administer the -government which has the power of life and death over him, as well as -others—let him <span class="smaller">ALONE</span>; his right of choice as much deserves -respect and protection as your own. If you see him on his way to -church, exercising religious liberty in accordance with this or that -religious persuasion—let him alone. Don't meddle with him, nor trouble -yourselves with any questions as to what shall be done with him.</p> - -<p>"What shall be done with the negro, if emancipated? Deal justly with -him. He is a human being, capable of judging between good and evil, -right and wrong, liberty and slavery, and is as much a subject of law -as any other man; therefore, deal justly with him. He is, like other -men, sensible of the motives of reward and punishment. Give him wages -for his work, and let hunger pinch him if he don't work. He knows the -difference between fulness and famine,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> plenty and scarcity. 'But will -he work?' Why should he not? He is used to it, and is not afraid of it. -His hands are already hardened by toil, and he has no dreams of ever -getting a living by any other means than by hard work. 'But would you -turn them all loose?' Certainly! We are no better than our Creator. -He has turned them loose, and why should not we? But would you let -them all stay here?' Why not? What better is <i>here</i> than <i>there</i>? Will -they occupy more room as freemen than as slaves? Is the presence of a -black freeman less agreeable than that of a black slave? Is an object -of your injustice and cruelty a more ungrateful sight than one of your -justice and benevolence? You have borne the one more than two hundred -years—can't you bear the other long enough to try the experiment?"</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>CHARLES L. REASON.</h3> - -<p>Professor C. L. Reason has for many years been connected with the -educational institutions of New York and Philadelphia. In 1849, he -was called to the professorship of Mathematics and Belles Lettres -in New York Central College. This situation he held during his own -pleasure, with honor to himself and benefit to the students. A man of -fine education, superior intelligence, gentlemanly in every sense of -the term, of excellent discrimination, one of the best of students, -Professor Reason holds a power over those under him seldom attained by -men of his profession.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> Were I a sculptor, and looking for a model of -a perfect man in personal appearance, my selection would be Charles L. -Reason. As a writer of both prose and poetry he need not be ashamed of -his ability. Extremely diffident, he seldom furnishes any thing for the -public eye. In a well-written essay on the propriety of establishing -an industrial college, and the probable influence of the free colored -people upon the emancipated blacks, he says, "Whenever emancipation -shall take place, immediate though it be, the subjects of it, like -many who now make up the so-called free population, will be, in what -geologists call, the 'transition state.' The prejudice now felt against -them for bearing on their persons the brand of slaves, cannot die out -immediately. Severe trials will still be their portion: the curse of -a 'taunted race,' must be expiated by almost miraculous proofs of -advancement; and some of these miracles must be antecedent to the great -day of jubilee. To fight the battle upon the bare ground of abstract -principles will fail to give us complete victory. The subterfuges of -pro-slavery selfishness must <i>now</i> be dragged to light, and the last -weak argument, that the negro can never contribute any thing to advance -the national character, 'nailed to the counter as base coin.' To the -conquering of the difficulties heaped up in the path of his industry, -the free colored man of the north has pledged himself. Already he sees, -springing into growth, from out his foster <i>work-school</i>, intelligent -young laborers, competent to enrich the world with necessary products; -industrious citizens, contributing their proportion to aid on the -advancing civilization of the country; self-providing artisans, -vindicating<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> their people from the never-ceasing charge of fitness -for servile positions." In the "Autographs for Freedom," from which -the above extract is taken, Professor Reason has a beautiful poem, -entitled "Hope and Confidence," which, in point of originality and -nicety of composition, will give it a place with the best productions -of Wordsworth.</p> - -<p>A poem signifies design, method, harmony, and therefore consistency of -parts. A man may be gifted with the most vividly ideal nature; he may -shoot from his brain some blazing poetic thought or imagery, which may -arouse wonder and admiration, as a comet does; and yet he may have no -constructiveness, without which the materials of poetry are only so -many glittering fractions. A poem can never be tested by its length or -brevity, but by the adaptation of its parts. A complete poem is the -architecture of thought and language. It requires artistic skill to -chisel rough blocks of marble into as many individual forms of beauty; -but not only skill, but genius, is needed to arrange and harmonize -those forms into the completeness of a Parthenon. A grave popular -error, and one destructive of personal usefulness, and obstructive to -literary progress, is the free-and-easy belief that because a man has -the faculty of investing common things with uncommon ideas, therefore -he can write a poem.</p> - -<p>The idea of poetry is to give pleasurable emotions, and the world -listens to a poet's voice as it listens to the singing of a summer -bird; that which is the most suggestive of freedom and eloquence being -the most admired. Professor Reason has both the genius and the artistic -skill. We regret that we are able to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> give only the last two verses of -"Hope and Confidence."</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"There's nothing so lovely and bright below,</div> -<div class="i1">As the shapes of the purified mind;</div> -<div>Nought surer to which the weak heart can grow,</div> -<div>On which it can rest as it onward doth go,</div> -<div class="i1">Than that Truth which its own tendrils bind.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Yes, Truth opes within a pure sun-tide of bliss,</div> -<div class="i1">And shows in its ever calm flood</div> -<div>A transcript of regions where no darkness is,</div> -<div>Where Hope its conceptions may realize,</div> -<div class="i1">And Confidence sleep in the good."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>CHARLOTTE L. FORTEN.</h3> - -<p>In the autumn of 1854, a young colored lady of seventeen summers, -unable to obtain admission into the schools of her native city -(Philadelphia) on account of her complexion, removed to Salem, -Massachusetts, where she at once entered the Higginson Grammar School. -Here she soon secured the respect and esteem of the teachers and her -fellow-pupils. Near the end of the last term, the principal of the -establishment invited the scholars to write a poem each, to be sung -at the last day's examination, and at the same time expressing the -desire that the authors should conceal their names. As might have been -expected, this drew out all the poetical genius of the young aspirants. -Fifty or more manuscripts were sent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> in, and one selected, printed on a -neat sheet, and circulated through the vast audience who were present. -The following is the piece:—</p> - -<p class="center">A PARTING HYMN.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>When Winter's royal robes of white</div> -<div class="i1">From hill and vale are gone,</div> -<div>And the glad voices of the spring</div> -<div class="i1">Upon the air are borne,</div> -<div>Friends, who have met with us before,</div> -<div>Within these walls shall meet no more.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Forth to a noble work they go:</div> -<div class="i1">O, may their hearts keep pure,</div> -<div>And hopeful zeal and strength be theirs</div> -<div class="i1">To labor and endure,</div> -<div>That they an earnest faith may prove</div> -<div>By words of truth and deeds of love.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>May those, whose holy task it is</div> -<div class="i1">To guide impulsive youth,</div> -<div>Fail not to cherish in their souls</div> -<div class="i1">A reverence for truth;</div> -<div>For teachings which the lips impart</div> -<div>Must have their source within the heart.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>May all who suffer share their love—</div> -<div class="i1">The poor and the oppressed;</div> -<div>So shall the blessing of our God</div> -<div class="i1">Upon their labors rest.</div> -<div>And may we meet again where all</div> -<div>Are blest and freed from every thrall.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span></p> - -<p>The announcement that the successful competitor would be called out -at the close of the singing, created no little sensation amongst the -visitors, to say nothing of the pupils.</p> - -<p>The principal of the school, after all parties had taken their seats, -mounted the platform, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the beautiful -hymn just sung is the composition of one of the students of this -school, but who the talented person is I am unaware. Will the author -step forward?" A moment's silence, and every eye was turned in the -direction of the principal, who, seeing no one stir, looked around -with a degree of amazement. Again he repeated, "Will the author of -the hymn step forward?" A movement now among the female pupils showed -that the last call had been successful. The buzzing and whispering -throughout the large hall indicated the intense interest felt by all. -"Sit down; keep your seats," exclaimed the principal, as the crowd rose -to their feet, or bent forward to catch a glimpse of the young lady, -who had now reached the front of the platform. Thunders of applause -greeted the announcement that the distinguished authoress then before -them was Miss Charlotte L. Forten. Her finely-chiselled features, -well-developed forehead, countenance beaming with intelligence, and her -dark complexion, showing her identity with an oppressed and injured -race, all conspired to make the scene an exciting one. The audience -was made up in part of some of the most aristocratic people in one of -the most aristocratic towns in America. The impression left upon their -minds was great in behalf of the race thus so nobly represented by the -granddaughter of the noble-hearted, brave, generous, and venerable -James Forten,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> whose whole life was a vindication of the character of -his race.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="i3">"'Tis the mind that makes the body rich;</div> -<div>And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,</div> -<div>So honor peereth in the meanest habit."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>For several days after the close of the school, the name of Charlotte -L. Forten was mentioned in all the private circles of Salem; and to -imitate her was the highest aspiration of the fairest daughters of -that wealthy and influential city. Miss Forten afterwards entered the -State Normal School, where, in the language of the <i>Salem Register</i>, -"she graduated with decided eclat." She was then appointed by the -school committee to be a teacher in the Epes Grammar School, where she -"was graciously received," says the same journal, "by parents of the -district, and soon endeared herself to the pupils under her charge." -These pupils were all white. Aside from having a finished education, -Miss Forten possesses genius of a high order. An excellent student and -a lover of books, she has a finely-cultivated mind, well stored with -incidents drawn from the classics. She evinces talent, as a writer, for -both prose and poetry. The following extracts from her "Glimpses of -New England," published in the <i>National Anti-Slavery Standard</i>, are -characteristic of her prose. "The Old Witch House," at Salem, is thus -described:—</p> - -<p>"This street has also some interesting associations. It contains a very -great attraction for all lovers of the olden time. This is an ancient, -dingy, yellow frame house, known as "The Old Witch House." Our readers -must know that Salem was, two hundred years ago, the headquarters of -the witches. And this is the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>veritable old Court House where the -so-called witches were tried and condemned. It is wonderful with what -force this singular delusion possessed the minds, not only of the -poor and ignorant, but of the wisest and gravest of the magistrates -appointed by his majesty's government.</p> - -<p>"Those were dark days for Salem. Woe to the housewife or the household -over whose door latch the protecting horseshoe was not carefully -placed; and far greater woe to the unlucky dame who chanced to be -suspected of such fanciful freaks as riding through the air on a -broomstick, or muttering mystic incantations wherewith to undo her -innocent neighbors. Hers was a summary and terrible punishment. Well, -it is very pleasant to think how times have changed, and to say with -Whittier,—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>'Our witches are no longer old</div> -<div>And wrinkled beldams, Satan-sold,</div> -<div>But young, and gay, and laughing creatures,</div> -<div>With the heart's sunshine on their features.'</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Troops of <i>such</i> witches now pass the old house every day. I grieve to -say that the 'Old Witch House' has recently been defaced and desecrated -by the erection of an apothecary's shop in front of one of its wings. -People say that the new shop is very handsome; but to a few of us, -lovers of antiquity, it seems a profanation, and we can see no beauty -in it."</p> - -<p>The hills in the vicinity of Salem are beautifully pictured. "The pure, -bracing air, the open sky," and the sheet of water in the distance, are -all brought in with their lights and shades. Along with the brilliancy -of style and warmth of imagination which characterize her writings, we -find here and there gravity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> of thought and earnestness of purpose, -befitting her literary taste. Of Marblehead Beach she writes,—</p> - -<p>"The beach, which is at some distance from the town, is delightful. -It was here that I first saw the sea, and stood 'entranced in silent -awe,' gazing upon the waves as they marched, in one mass of the richest -green, to the shore, then suddenly broke into foam, white and beautiful -as the winter snow. I remember one pleasant afternoon which I spent -with a friend, gathering shells and seaweed on the beach, or sitting -on the rocks, listening to the wild music of the waves, and watching -the clouds of spray as they sprang high up in the air, then fell again -in snowy wreaths at our feet. We lingered there until the sun had sunk -into his ocean bed. On our homeward walk we passed Forest River, a -winding, picturesque little stream, dotted with rocky islands. Over -the river, and along our quiet way, the moon shed her soft and silvery -light. And as we approached Salem, the lights, gleaming from every -window of the large factory, gave us a cheerful welcome."</p> - -<p>She "looks on nature with a poet's eye." The visit to Lynn is thus -given:—</p> - -<p>"Its chief attraction to me was 'High Rock,' on whose summit the pretty -little dwelling of the Hutchinsons is perched like an eagle's eyrie. -In the distance this rock looks so high and steep that one marvels how -a house could ever have been built upon it. At its foot there once -lived a famous fortune-teller of the olden time—'Moll Pitcher.' She at -first resided in Salem, but afterwards removed to Lynn, where her fame -spread over the adjoining country far and near. Whittier has made her -the subject of a poem, which every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> one should read, not only for its -account of the fortune-teller, but for its beautiful descriptions of -the scenery around Lynn, especially of the bold promontory of Nahant, -whose fine beach, invigorating sea air, and, more than all, its grand, -rugged old rocks,—the grandest I have ever seen,—washed by the waves -of old Ocean, make it the most delightful of summer resorts."</p> - -<p>The gifts of nature are of no rank or color; they come unbidden and -unsought: as the wind awakes the chords of the Æolian harp, so the -spirit breathes upon the soul, and brings to life all the melody of its -being. The following poem recalls to recollection some of the beautiful -yet solemn strains of Miss Landon, the gifted "L. E. L.," whose -untimely death at Cape Coast Castle, some years since, carried sorrow -to so many English hearts:—</p> - -<p class="center">THE ANGEL'S VISIT.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>'Twas on a glorious summer eve,—</div> -<div class="i1">A lovely eve in June,—</div> -<div>Serenely from her home above</div> -<div class="i1">Looked down the gentle moon;</div> -<div>And lovingly she smiled on me,</div> -<div class="i1">And softly soothed the pain—</div> -<div>The aching, heavy pain that lay</div> -<div class="i1">Upon my heart and brain.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>And gently 'mid the murmuring leaves,</div> -<div class="i1">Scarce by its light wings stirred,</div> -<div>Like spirit voices soft and clear,</div> -<div class="i1">The night wind's song was heard;</div> -<div>In strains of music sweet and low</div> -<div class="i1">It sang to me of peace;</div> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>It bade my weary, troubled soul</div> -<div class="i1">Her sad complainings cease.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>For bitter thoughts had filled my breast,</div> -<div class="i1">And sad, and sick at heart,</div> -<div>I longed to lay me down and rest,</div> -<div class="i1">From all the world apart.</div> -<div>"Outcast, oppressed on earth," I cried,</div> -<div class="i1">O Father, take me home;</div> -<div>O, take me to that peaceful land</div> -<div class="i1">Beyond the moon-lit dome.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"On such a night as this," methought,</div> -<div class="i1">"Angelic forms are near;</div> -<div>In beauty unrevealed to us</div> -<div class="i1">They hover in the air.</div> -<div>O mother, loved and lost," I cried,</div> -<div class="i1">"Methinks thou'rt near me now;</div> -<div>Methinks I feel thy cooling touch</div> -<div class="i1">Upon my burning brow.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"O, guide and soothe thy sorrowing child;</div> -<div class="i1">And if 'tis not His will</div> -<div>That thou shouldst take me home with thee,</div> -<div class="i1">Protect and bless me still;</div> -<div>For dark and drear had been my life</div> -<div class="i1">Without thy tender smile,</div> -<div>Without a mother's loving care,</div> -<div class="i1">Each sorrow to beguile."</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>I ceased: then o'er my senses stole</div> -<div class="i1">A soothing, dreamy spell,</div> -<div>And gently to my ear were borne</div> -<div class="i1">The tones I loved so well;</div> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>A sudden flood of rosy light</div> -<div class="i1">Filled all the dusky wood,</div> -<div>And, clad in shining robes of white,</div> -<div class="i1">My angel mother stood.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>She gently drew me to her side,</div> -<div class="i1">She pressed her lips to mine,</div> -<div>And softly said, "Grieve not, my child;</div> -<div class="i1">A mother's love is thine.</div> -<div>I know the cruel wrongs that crush</div> -<div class="i1">The young and ardent heart;</div> -<div>But falter not; keep bravely on,</div> -<div class="i1">And nobly bear thy part.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"For thee a brighter day's in store;</div> -<div class="i1">And every earnest soul</div> -<div>That presses on, with purpose high,</div> -<div class="i1">Shall gain the wished-for goal.</div> -<div>And thou, beloved, faint not beneath</div> -<div class="i1">The weary weight of care;</div> -<div>Daily before our Father's throne</div> -<div class="i1">I breathe for thee a prayer.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"I pray that pure and holy thoughts</div> -<div class="i1">May bless and guard thy way;</div> -<div>A noble and unselfish life</div> -<div class="i1">For thee, my child, I pray."</div> -<div>She paused, and fondly bent on me</div> -<div class="i1">One lingering look of love,</div> -<div>Then softly said,—and passed away,—</div> -<div class="i1">"Farewell! we'll meet above."</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>I woke, and still the silver moon</div> -<div class="i1">In quiet beauty shone;</div> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>And still I heard amid the leaves</div> -<div class="i1">The night wind's murmuring tone;</div> -<div>But from my heart the weary pain</div> -<div class="i1">Forevermore had flown;</div> -<div>I knew a mother's prayer for me</div> -<div class="i1">Was breathed before the throne.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Nothing can be more touching than Miss Forten's allusion to her sainted -mother. In some of her other poems she is more light and airy, and her -muse delights occasionally to catch the sunshine on its aspiring wings. -Miss Forten is still young, yet on the sunny side of twenty-five, and -has a splendid future before her. Those who know her best consider her -on the road to fame. Were she white, America would recognize her as one -of its brightest gems.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>WILLIAM H. SIMPSON.</h3> - -<p>It is a compliment to a picture to say that it produces the impression -of the actual scene. Taste has, frequently, for its object works of -art. Nature, many suppose, may be studied with propriety, but art -they reject as entirely superficial. But what is the fact? In the -highest sense, art is the child of nature, and is most admired when -it preserves the likeness of its parent. In Venice, the paintings of -Titian, and of the Venetian artists generally, exact from the traveller -a yet higher tribute, for the hues and forms around him constantly -remind him of their works. Many of the citizens of Boston are often -called to mention the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> names of their absent or departed friends, by -looking upon their features, as transferred to canvas by the pencil and -brush of William H. Simpson, the young colored artist. He has evidently -taken Titian, Murillo, and Raphael for his masters. The Venetian -painters were diligent students of the nature that was around them. -The subject of our sketch seems to have imbibed their energy, as well -as learned to copy the noble example they left behind. The history of -painters, as well as poets, is written in their works. The best life -of Goldsmith is to be found in his poem of "The Traveller" and his -novel of "The Vicar of Wakefield." No one views the beautiful portrait -of J. P. Kemble, in the National Gallery in London, in the character -of Hamlet, without thinking of Sir Thomas Lawrence, who executed it. -The organ of color is prominent in the cranium of Mr. Simpson, and -it is well developed. His portraits are admired for their life-like -appearance, as well as for the fine delineation which characterizes -them all. It is very easy to transcribe the emotions which paintings -awaken, but it is no easy matter to say why a picture is so painted -as that it must awaken certain emotions. Many persons feel art, some -understand it, but few both feel and understand it. Mr. Simpson is -rich in depth of feeling and spiritual beauty. His portrait of John T. -Hilton, which was presented to the Masonic Lodge a few months since, -is a splendid piece of art. The longer you look on the features, the -more the picture looks like real life. The taste displayed in the -coloring of the regalia, and the admirable perspective of each badge -of honor, shows great skill. No higher praise is needed than to say -that a gentleman of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>Boston, distinguished for his good judgment in the -picture gallery, wishing to secure a likeness of Hon. Charles Sumner, -induced the senator to sit to Mr. Simpson for the portrait; and in this -instance the artist has been signally successful.</p> - -<p>His likenesses have been so correct, that he has often been employed -to paint whole families, where only one had been bargained for in the -commencement. He is considered unapproachable in taking juvenile faces. -Mr. Simpson does not aspire to any thing in his art beyond portrait -painting. Nevertheless, a beautiful fancy sketch, hanging in his -studio, representing summer, exhibits marked ability and consummate -genius. The wreath upon the head, with different kinds of grain -interwoven, and the nicety of coloring in each particular kind, causes -those who view it to regard him as master of his profession. Portraits -of his execution are scattered over most of the Northern States and the -Canadas. Some have gone to Liberia, Hayti, and California.</p> - -<p>Mr. Simpson is a native of Buffalo, New York, where he received a -liberal education. But even in school, his early inclination to draw -likenesses materially interfered with his studies. The propensity to -use his slate and pencil in scratching down his schoolmates, instead of -doing his sums in arithmetic, often gained him severe punishment. After -leaving school, he was employed as errand boy by Matthew Wilson, Esq., -the distinguished artist, who soon discovered young Simpson's genius, -and took him as an apprentice. In 1854, they removed to Boston, where -Mr. Simpson labored diligently to acquire a thorough knowledge of the -profession. Mr. Wilson stated to the writer, that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> never had a man -who was more attentive or more trustworthy than William H. Simpson. The -colored artist has been working in his own studio nearly three years, -and has his share of public patronage. Of course he has many obstacles -thrown in his path by the prejudice against him as a colored man; but -he long since resolved that he would reach the highest round in the -ladder. His career may well be imitated.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Would you wrest the wreath of fame</div> -<div class="i1">From the hand of Fate;</div> -<div>Would you write a deathless name</div> -<div class="i1">With the good and great;</div> -<div>Would you bless your fellow-men,</div> -<div class="i1">Heart and soul imbue</div> -<div>With the holy task,—why, then</div> -<div class="i1">Paddle your own canoe."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Mr. Simpson is of small figure, unmixed in blood, has a rather mild -and womanly countenance, firm and resolute eye, is gentlemanly in -appearance, and intelligent in conversation.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JEAN PIERRE BOYER.</h3> - -<p>Jean Pierre Boyer was born at Port au Prince on the 2d of February, -1776; received in Paris the advantages of European culture; fought -under Rigaud against Toussaint; and in consequence of the success of -the latter, quitted the island. Boyer returned to Hayti in Leclerc's -expedition: he, however, separated from the French general-in-chief, -placed himself at the head of his own color, and aided in vindicating<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> -the claims of his race to freedom in the last struggle with the French. -On the death of Dessalines, Christophe, already master of the north, -sought to take the south out of the hands of Petion. Boyer assisted his -fellow-mulatto in driving off the black general. This act endeared him -to the former. Gratitude, as well as regard to the common interest, -gave Boyer the president's chair, on the death of Petion. Raised to -that dignity, he employed his power and his energies to complete those -economical and administrative reforms with which he had already been -connected under his predecessor. To labor for the public good was the -end of his life. In this worthy enterprise he was greatly assisted, -no less by his knowledge than his moderation. Well acquainted with -the character of the people that he was called to govern, conversant -with all the interests of the state, he had it in his power to effect -his purpose by mild as well as judicious measures. Yet were the -wounds deep which he had to heal; and he could accomplish in a brief -period only a small part of that which it will require generations to -carry to perfection. At the death of Christophe, in 1820, Boyer was -proclaimed president of the north and south. In 1822, the Spanish part -of the island, with its own accord, joined the republic; and thus, -from Cape Tiburn to Cape Engano, Hayti was peacefully settled under -one government, with Boyer at its head. At length, in 1825, after the -recognition of Hayti by others, the French, under Charles X., sold -to its inhabitants the rights which they had won by their swords, -for the sum of one hundred and fifty millions of francs, to be paid -as an indemnity to the old planters. The peace with France created a -more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> fraternal feeling between the two countries, and Hayti now began -to regain her ancient commercial advantages, and every thing seemed -prosperous. In the year 1843, a party opposed to the president made -its appearance, which formed itself into a conspiracy to overthrow the -government. Seeing that he could not make head against it, Boyer, in -disgust, took leave of the people in a dignified manner, and retired to -Jamaica, where, a few years since, he died.</p> - -<p>Though called a mulatto, Boyer was nearly black, and his long residence -in Europe gave him a polish in manners foreign to the island. He was -a brave man, a good soldier, and proved himself a statesman of no -ordinary ability. When he came into power, the mountains were filled -with Maroons, headed by a celebrated chief named Gomar. Regaud and -Petion had tried in vain to rid the country of these brigands. Boyer -soon broke up their strongholds, dispersed them, and finally destroyed -or brought them all under subjection. By his good judgment, management, -and humanity, he succeeded in uniting the whole island under one -government, and gained the possession of what Christophe had exhausted -himself with efforts to obtain, and what Petion had sighed for, -without daring to cherish a single hope that its attainment could be -accomplished. Boyer was blameless in his private life.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> - -<h3>JAMES M'CUNE SMITH, M. D.</h3> - -<p>Unable to get justice done him in the educational institutions of his -native country, James M'Cune Smith turned his face towards a foreign -land. He graduated with distinguished honors at the University of -Glasgow, Scotland, where he received his diploma of M. D. For the last -twenty-five years he has been a practitioner in the city of New York, -where he stands at the head of his profession. On his return from -Europe, the doctor was warmly welcomed by his fellow-citizens, who were -anxious to pay due deference to his talents; since which time, he has -justly been esteemed among the leading men of his race on the American -continent. When the natural ability of the negro was assailed, some -years ago, in New York, Dr. Smith came forward as the representative of -the black man, and his essays on the comparative anatomy and physiology -of the races, read in the discussion, completely vindicated the -character of the negro, and placed the author among the most logical -and scientific writers in the country.</p> - -<p>The doctor has contributed many valuable papers to the different -journals published by colored men during the last quarter of a -century. The New York dailies have also received aid from him during -the same period. History, antiquity, bibliography, translation, -criticism, political economy, statistics,—almost every department -of knowledge,—receive emblazon from his able, ready, versatile, and -unwearied pen. The emancipation of the slave, and the elevation of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> the -free colored people, has claimed the greatest share of his time as a -writer. The following, from the doctor, will give but a poor idea of -his style:—</p> - -<blockquote><p class="center">"FREEDOM—LIBERTY.</p> - -<p>"Freedom and liberty are not synonyms. Freedom is an essence; -liberty, an accident. Freedom is born within man; liberty -may be conferred on him. Freedom is progressive; liberty is -circumscribed. Freedom is the gift of God; liberty, the creature -of society. Liberty may be taken away from man; but on whatsoever -soul freedom may alight, the course of that soul is thenceforth -onward and upward; society, customs, laws, armies, are but as -withes in its giant grasp, if they oppose—instruments to work its -will, if they assent. Human kind welcome the birth of a free soul -with reverence and shoutings, rejoicing in the advent of a fresh -offshoot of the divine whole, of which this is but a part."</p></blockquote> - -<p>His article in the <i>Anglo-African Magazine</i>, on "Citizenship," is one -of the most logical arguments ever written in this country upon that -subject. In the same journal, Dr. Smith has an essay on "The Fourteenth -Query of Thomas Jefferson's Notes on Virginia," not surpassed by any -thing which we have seen. These are the result of choice study, of nice -observation, of fine feeling, of exquisite fancy, of consummate art, -and the graceful tact of the scholar. Space will not allow us to select -the many choice bits that we could cull from the writings of James -M'Cune Smith. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> - -<p>The law of labor is equally binding on genius and mediocrity. The -mind and body rarely visit this earth of ours so exactly fitted to -each other, and so perfectly harmonizing together, as to rise without -effort, and command in the affairs of men. It is not in the power -of every one to become great. No great approximation, even toward -that which is easiest attained, can ever be accomplished without the -exercise of much thought and vigor of action; and thus is demonstrated -the supremacy of that law which gives excellence only when earned, and -assigns to labor its unfailing reward.</p> - -<p>It is this energy of character, industry, and labor, combined with -great intellectual powers, which has given Dr. Smith so much influence -in New York. As a speaker, he is eloquent, and, at times, brilliant, -but always clear and to the point. In stature, the doctor is not -tall, but thick, and somewhat inclined to corpulency. He has a fine -and well-developed head, broad and lofty brow, round, full face, firm -mouth, and an eye that dazzles. In blood, he appears to be rather more -Anglo-Saxon than African.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>BISHOP PAYNE.</h3> - -<p>Teacher of a small school at Charleston, South Carolina, in the year -1834, Daniel A. Payne felt the oppressive hand of slavery too severely -upon him, and he quitted the southern Sodom and came north. After going -through a regular course of theological studies at Gettysburg Seminary, -he took up his <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>residence at Baltimore, where he soon distinguished -himself as a preacher in the African Methodist denomination. He was -several years since elected bishop, and is now located in the State of -Ohio.</p> - -<p>Bishop Payne is a scholar and a poet; having published, in 1850, a -volume of his productions, which created considerable interest for the -work, and gave the author a standing among literary men. His writings -are characterized by sound reasoning and logical conclusions, and -show that he is well read. The bishop is devotedly attached to his -down-trodden race, and is constantly urging upon them self-elevation. -After President Lincoln's interview with the committee of colored men -at Washington, and the colonization scheme recommended to them, and the -appearance of Mr. Pomeroy's address to the free blacks, Bishop Payne -issued the following note of advice, which was published in the <i>Weekly -Anglo-African</i>:—</p> - -<blockquote><p>"<i>To the Colored People of the United States.</i></p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Men, Brethren, Sisters</span>: A crisis is upon us which no one -can enable us to meet, conquer, and convert into blessings for all -concerned, but that God who builds up one nation and breaks down -another.</p> - -<p>"For more than one generation, associations of white men, entitled -Colonization Societies, have been engaged in plans and efforts for -our expatriation; these have been met sometimes by denunciations, -sometimes by ridicule, often by argument; but now the American -government has assumed the work and responsibility of colonizing -us in some foreign land within the torrid zone, and is now -maturing measures to consummate this scheme of expatriation. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span></p> - -<p>"But let us never forget that there is a vast difference between -voluntary associations of men and the legally constituted -authorities of a country; while the former may be held in utter -contempt, the latter must always be respected. To do so is a moral -and religious, as well as a political duty.</p> - -<p>"The opinions of the government are based upon the ideas, that -<i>white men and colored men cannot live together as equals in -the same country</i>; and that unless a voluntary and peaceable -separation is effected <i>now</i>, the time <i>must come when there will -be a war of extermination</i> between the two races.</p> - -<p>"Now, in view of these opinions and purposes of the government, -what shall we do? My humble advice is, before all, and first of -all,—even before we say <i>yea</i> or <i>nay</i>,—let us seek from the -mouth of God. Let every heart be humbled, and every knee bent in -prayer before him. Throughout all this land of our captivity, in -all this house of our bondage, let our cries ascend perpetually to -Heaven for aid and direction.</p> - -<p>"To your knees, I say, O ye oppressed and enslaved ones of this -Christian republic, to your knees, <i>and be there</i>.</p> - -<p>"Before the throne of God, if nowhere else, the black man can meet -his white brother as an equal, and be heard.</p> - -<p>"It has been said that he is the God of the white man, and not of -the black. This is horrible blasphemy—a <i>lie</i> from the pit that -is bottomless—believe it not—no—never. Murmur not against the -Lord on account of the cruelty and injustice of man. His almighty -arm is already stretched out against slavery—against every man, -every constitution, and every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> union that upholds it. His avenging -chariot is now moving over the bloody fields of the doomed south, -crushing beneath its massive wheels the very foundations of the -blasphemous system. Soon slavery shall sink like Pharaoh—even -like that brazen-hearted tyrant, it shall sink to rise no more -forever.</p> - -<p>"Haste ye, then, O, hasten to your God; pour the sorrows of your -crushed and bleeding hearts into his sympathizing bosom. It is -true that 'on the side of the oppressor there is power'—the -power of the purse and the power of the sword. That is terrible. -But listen to what is still <i>more terrible</i>: on the side of the -oppressed there is the <i>strong arm</i> of the Lord, the Almighty God -of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob—before his redeeming power the -two contending armies, hostile to each other, and hostile to you, -are like chaff before the whirlwind.</p> - -<p>"<i>Fear not, but believe.</i> He who is for you is more than they who -are against you. Trust in him—hang upon his arm—go, hide beneath -the shadow of his wings.</p> - -<p>"O God! Jehovah-jireh! wilt thou not hear us? We are poor, -helpless, unarmed, despised. Is it not time for thee to hear the -cry of the needy—to judge the poor of the people—to break in -pieces the oppressor.</p> - -<p>"Be, O, be unto us what thou wast unto Israel in the land of -Egypt, our Counsellor and Guide—our Shield and Buckler—<i>our -Great Deliverer</i>—<i>our Pillar of cloud by day</i>—<i>our Pillar of -fire by night</i>!</p> - -<p>"Stand between us and our enemies, O thou angel of the Lord! -Be unto us a shining light—to our enemies, confusion and -impenetrable darkness. Stand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> between us till this Red Sea be -crossed, and thy redeemed, <i>now</i> sighing, bleeding, weeping, shall -shout and sing, for joy, the bold anthem of the free."</p></blockquote> - -<p>A deep vein of genuine piety pervades nearly all the productions -of Bishop Payne. As a pulpit orator, he stands deservedly high. In -stature, he is rather under the medium size, about three fourths -African, rather sharper features than the average of his race, and -appears to be about fifty years of age. He is very popular, both as -a writer and a speaker, with his own color. The moral, social, and -political standard of the black man has been much elevated by the -influence of Bishop Payne.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>WILLIAM STILL.</h3> - -<p>The long connection of Mr. Still with the anti-slavery office, in a -city through which fugitive slaves had to pass in their flight from -bondage, and the deep interest felt by him for the freedom and general -welfare of his race, have brought him prominently before the public. -It would not be good policy to say how many persons passed through -his hands while on their way to the north or the British dominions, -even if we knew. But it is safe to say that no man has been truer -to the fleeing slave than he. In the first town where I stopped in -Canada, while on a visit there a year since, I took a walk through the -market one Saturday morning, and saw a large sprinkling of men and -women who had escaped from the south. As soon as it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> understood -that I was from "the States," I was surrounded and overwhelmed with -inquiries about places and persons. A short, stout, full-faced, -energetically-talking woman, looking me fairly in the eyes, said, "Were -you ever in Philadelphia, sonny?" I answered that I had been there. -"Did you know Mr. Still?" "Yes," said I: "do you know him?" "God love -your heart! I reckon I does. He put me fru dat city on a swingin' limb, -dat he did. Ah! he's a man dat can be depended on." This was only the -opening; for as soon as it was known that I was well acquainted with -William Still, the conversation turned entirely upon him, and I was -surprised to see so many before me whom he had assisted. And though -there were some present who complained of other Underground Railroad -conductors, not a single word was uttered against Mr. Still; but all -united in the strongest praise of him. In every town that I visited -during a stay of ten weeks in Canada, I met persons who made feeling -inquiries after him, and I was glad to find that all regarded him as -a benefactor. Mr. Still is well educated, has good talents, and has -cultivated them. He is an interesting and forcible writer, and some of -the stories of escaped slaves, which he has contributed to the press, -will challenge criticism. A correspondent of one of the public journals -sent the following account to his paper of an interview which he had -with Mr. Still the day previous:—</p> - -<p>"We sat down to talk. The ultimate destiny of the black man was -discussed, our host opening that his struggle for a habitation and a -name must be in America. He said that his people were attached to the -republic, notwithstanding many disadvantages imposed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> upon them, their -hope being strong that patience and good citizenship would eventually -soften the prejudices of the whites. Tempered as they were to our -habits and climate, it would be cruel to place them on a strand but -dimly known, where, surrounded by savages, they might become savage -themselves.</p> - -<p>"There was to us a sincere pleasure in our host's discourse. He is one -of the leading public men among his people, and has much of the ease -and polish peculiar to the well-bred Caucasian. He laughed at times, -but never boisterously, and in profounder moments threw a telling -solemnity into his tone and expression. When the head was averted, we -heard, in well-modulated speech, such vigorous sentences and thoughtful -remarks, that the identity of the speaker with the proscribed race -was half forgotten; but the biased eyesight revealed only a dusky son -of Ham. On a 'what-not' table were clustered a number of books. Most -of them were anti-slavery publications, although there were several -volumes of sermons, and a few philosophical and historical books. We -turned the conversation to literature. He was well acquainted with the -authors he had read, and ventured some criticisms, indicative of study. -From the earnestness of the man, it seemed that the interests of his -race were very dear to him.</p> - -<p>"It is but just to say, that he has passed many years in constant -companionship with Caucasians."</p> - -<p>Mr. Still is somewhat tall, neat in figure and person, has a smiling -face, is unadulterated in blood, and gentlemanly in his intercourse -with society. He is now extensively engaged in the stove and fuel -trade, keeps five or six men employed, and has the patronage of some of -the first families of Philadelphia. He has the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> entire confidence of -all who know and appreciate his moral worth and business talents.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>EDWIN M. BANNISTER.</h3> - -<p>Edwin M. Bannister was born in the town of St. Andrew, New Brunswick, -and lost his father when only six years old. He attended the grammar -school in his native place, and received a better education than -persons generally in his position. From early childhood he seems to -have had a fancy for painting, which showed itself in the school room -and at home. He often drew portraits of his school-fellows, and the -master not unfrequently found himself upon the slate, where Edwin's -success was so manifest that the likeness would call forth merriment -from the boys, and create laughter at the expense of the teacher. At -the death of his mother, when still in his minority, he was put out -to live with the Hon. Harris Hatch, a wealthy lawyer, the proprietor -of a fine farm some little distance in the country. In his new home -Edwin did not lose sight of his drawing propensities, and though the -family had nothing in the way of models except two faded portraits, -kept more as relics than for their intrinsic value, he nevertheless -practised upon them, and often made the copy look more life-like than -the original. On the barn doors, fences, and every place where drawings -could be made, the two ancient faces were to be seen pictured. When -the family were away on the Sabbath at church, the young artist would -take possession of the old Bible, and copy its crude<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> engravings, then -replace it upon the dusty shelf, feeling an inward gratification, -that, instead of satisfying the inclination, only gave him fresh zeal -to hunt for new models. By the great variety of drawings which he had -made on paper, and the correct sketches taken, young Bannister gained -considerable reputation in the lawyer's family, as well as in the -neighborhood. Often, after the household had retired at night, the -dim glimmer from the lean tallow candle was seen through the attic -chamber window. It was there that the genius of the embryo artist was -struggling for development. Nearly every wall in the dwelling had -designs or faces pencilled upon it, and many were the complaints that -the women made against the lad. At last he turned his steps towards -Boston, with the hope that he might get a situation with a painter, -never dreaming that his color would be a barrier to the accomplishment -of such an object. Weeks were spent by the friendless, homeless, and -penniless young man, and every artist had seen his face and heard his -wish to become a painter. But visiting these establishments brought -nothing to sustain nature, and Mr. Bannister took up the business of -a hair-dresser, merely as a means of getting bread, but determined to -leave it as soon as an opening presented itself with an artist. The -canvas, the paint, the easel, and the pallet were brought in, and the -hair-dressing saloon was turned into a studio.</p> - -<p>There is a great diversity of opinion with regard to genius, many -mistaking talent for genius. Talent is strength and subtilty of mind; -genius is mental inspiration and delicacy of feeling. Talent possesses -vigor and acuteness of penetration, but is surpassed by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> vivid -intellectual conceptions of genius. The former is skilful and bold, the -latter aspiring and gentle. But talent excels in practical sagacity; -and hence those striking contrasts so often witnessed in the world—the -triumph of talent through its adroit and active energies, and the -adversities of genius in the midst of its boundless but unattainable -aspirations.</p> - -<p>Mr. Bannister possesses genius, which is now showing itself in his -studio in Boston; for he has long since thrown aside the scissors and -the comb, and transfers the face to the canvas, instead of taking the -hair from the head. His portraits are correct representations of the -originals, and he is daily gaining admirers of his talent and taste. He -has painted several pictures from his own designs, which exhibit his -genius. "Wall Street at Home," represents the old gent, seated in his -easy chair, boots off and slippers on, and intently reading the last -news. The carpet with its variegated colors, the hat upon the table, -the cloak thrown carelessly across a chair, and the pictures hanging -on the walls, are all brought out with their lights and shades. A -beautiful landscape, representing summer, with the blue mountains in -the distance, the heated sky, and the foliage to match, is another of -his pieces. It is indeed commendable in Mr. Bannister, that he has thus -far overcome the many obstacles thrown in his way by his color, and -made himself an honor to his race.</p> - -<p>Mr. Bannister is spare-made, slim, with an interesting cast of -countenance, quick in his walk, and easy in his manners. He is a lover -of poetry and the classics, and is always hunting up some new model for -his gifted pencil and brush. He has a picture representing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span> "Cleopatra -waiting to receive Marc Antony," which I regret that I did not see. -I am informed, however, that it is a beautifully-executed picture. -Mr. Bannister has a good education, is often called upon to act as -secretary to public meetings, and is not by any means a bad speaker, -when on the platform. Still young, enterprising, and spirited, we shall -be mistaken if Edwin M. Bannister does not yet create a sensation in -our country as an artist.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>LEONARD A. GRIMES.</h3> - -<p>Leonard A. Grimes is a native of Leesburg, Loudon county, Va., and was -born in 1815. He went to Washington when a boy, and was first employed -in a butcher's shop, and afterwards in an apothecary's establishment. -He subsequently hired himself out to a slaveholder, whose confidence -he soon gained. Accompanying his employer in some of his travels in -the remote Southern States, young Grimes had an opportunity of seeing -the different phases of slave life; and its cruelty created in his -mind an early hatred to the institution which has never abated. He -could not resist the appeals of the bondmen for aid in making their -escape to a land of freedom, and consequently was among the first to -take stock in the Underground Railroad. After saving money enough by -his earnings, he purchased a hack and horses, and became a hackman -in the city of Washington. In his new vocation, Mr. Grimes met with -success, and increased his business until he was the owner of a number -of carriages<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> and horses, and was considered one of the foremost men in -his line. During all this time he never lost sight of the slave, and -there is no telling how many he put on the road to Canada. A poor woman -and her seven children were about being carried away to the far south -by the slave-trader. Her husband, a free black, sought out Leonard A. -Grimes, and appealed to his humanity, and not in vain; for in less than -forty-eight hours, the hackman penetrated thirty miles into Virginia, -and, under cover of night, brought out the family. The husband, wife, -and little ones, a few days after, breathed the free air of Canada. -Mr. Grimes was soon suspected, arrested, tried, and sentenced to two -years in the state prison, at Richmond. Here he remained; and the -close, dank, air, the gloom, the high, dull, cold, stone walls, the -heavy fetters upon his limbs, the entire lack of any thing external -to distract his thoughts from his situation, all together, produced a -feeling of depression he had never known before. It was at this time -that Mr. Grimes "felt," as he says, "that great spiritual change which -makes all things new for the soul." From that hour he became a preacher -to his keepers, and, as far as he was allowed, to his fellow-prisoners. -This change lightened his confinement, and caused him to feel that he -was sent there to do his Master's will.</p> - -<p>At the expiration of his imprisonment, Mr. Grimes returned to -Washington, and employed himself in driving a furniture car, and -jobbing about the city. Feeling himself called to preach, he underwent -the required examination, received a license, and, without quitting -his employment, preached as occasion offered. Not long after this, -he removed to New Bedford, Mass.,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> where he resided two years. There -was in Boston a small congregation, worshipping in a little room, but -without a regular preacher. An invitation was extended to Mr. Grimes -to become their pastor. He accepted, came to Boston, and, under his -ministration, the society increased so rapidly that a larger house was -soon needed. A lot was purchased, the edifice begun, and now they have -a beautiful church, capable of seating six or seven hundred persons. -The cost of the building, including the land, was $13,000; all of -which, except $2,000, has been paid. We need not say that this was -accomplished through the untiring exertions of Mr. Grimes. Besides his -labors in the society, he was often engaged in aiding fugitive slaves -in the redemption of their relations from the servitude of the south. -During his fourteen years' residence in Boston, he has had $6,000 pass -through his hands, for the benefit of that class of persons. In action -he is always—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Upward, onward, pressing forward</div> -<div class="i1">Till each bondman's chains shall fall,</div> -<div>Till the flag that floats above us</div> -<div class="i1">Liberty proclaims to all."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>In 1854, Mr. Grimes became conspicuously connected with the fugitive -slave Anthony Burns. Mainly through his efforts the latter gained his -freedom. The pastor of the Twelfth Baptist Church is, emphatically, a -practical man. Nearly all public meetings are held either in his church -or vestry, he taking a suitable part in every thing that tends to the -welfare of his race. "Brother" Grimes is above the middle size, good -looking, has a full face, a countenance which has the appearance of one -who has seen no trouble, and rather more Anglo-Saxon than African.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> He -is polite in his manners, and genteel in his personal appearance. As a -preacher, he is considered sound, and well versed in theology. He is -regarded as one of the ablest men in prayer in Boston. His sermons are -characterized by deep feeling and good sense. No man in the city has -fewer enemies or more friends than Leonard A. Grimes.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>PRESIDENT GEFFRARD.</h3> - -<p>Fabre Geffrard, born at Cayes, in the year 1806, was the son of a -general who had shown himself humane under Dessalines, and had been -with Petion, one of the chief promoters of the constitution of 1806. -Left early an orphan, young Geffrard entered the army at the age -of fifteen, and only after twenty-two years' service obtained his -captain's commission. He took part—unwisely, as events proved—in the -revolution of 1843, which overturned the able but indolent Boyer, and -distinguished himself at the head of a small body of troops against the -government forces, deceiving them as to his numbers by the rapidity -of his movements, and as to his resources by supplying provisions to -his famished enemies at a time when he himself was short of rations. -When the revolution, which had originated with the most impatient of -the mulattoes, led in turn to a rising of that portion of the blacks -who represented absolute barbarism, and whose axiom was that every -mulatto should be exterminated, Geffrard marched against and defeated -the black leader, Arcaau; but, true to that humanity which seems -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> very basis of his character, we find him in turn defending the -middle classes from the blacks, and the insurgent blacks, when taken -prisoners, from the National Guard. He became lieutenant-general during -these movements; but General Riche, who was made president in 1846, and -who bore Geffrard a grudge for having on a former occasion made him -a prisoner, sent him before a court martial, which, in Hayti, means -sending one to death. Through the adroitness, however, of Riche's -minister of war, the general was acquitted. The president of the court -martial was Soulouque, who seems to have imbibed, on this occasion, -a strange friendship for the man whose life he had been the means of -preserving, and who thus spared him, in an otherwise unaccountable -manner, during his subsequent rule, and even forced on him the title -of duke, which Geffrard did not care to assume. In two disastrous -wars which he undertook, in 1849 and in 1855-6, against the Dominican -republic, Geffrard alone won credit. In the former he was wounded at -the head of the division; in both, by his courage, his activity, his -cheerfulness, and above all, by his anxious care for the welfare of -his soldiers, he exhibited the most striking contrast to Soulouque's -imbecile generalship and brutal indifference to the safety of others.</p> - -<p>In 1858, Soulouque, seeing that Geffrard's popularity was becoming -great, sought an opportunity to have him arrested. Spies were placed -near him. The general, however, was warned of his danger, and he knew -that nothing was to be hoped for from Soulouque's ferocity when once -aroused by jealousy. Just then, the emissaries of a conspiracy, formed -in the valley of the Artibonite, beyond the mountain chain which forms -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> backbone of the island, were in Port au Prince in search of a -leader. They addressed themselves to Geffrard. The cup of Soulouque's -tyranny was full. Geffrard listened to their solicitations, but was -barely able, by the aid of a friend, to escape in an open boat, on the -very night when he was to have been arrested. He succeeded in reaching -St. Mark, but found that the people were not ready for a revolution. He -repaired to Gonaives, where the inhabitants were thoroughly ripe for -a change of rulers. Thus six men coming by sea, met by three on land, -were sufficient to carry the place without the shedding of a drop of -blood. On the 22d of December, he issued two proclamations, the one -abolishing the empire, the other establishing a republic. From thence -he proceeded to St. Mark, where he was enthusiastically welcomed by -all classes, the army joining him to a man. With two thousand men he -started for Port au Prince, the capital. Soulouque, in the mean time, -gathered his forces, amounting to six thousand well-drilled troops, -and set out to meet his rival, but soon found that his army could not -be relied on, and he returned amid the hootings of the people. The -emperor was permitted to take refuge in the French consulate, and from -thence took passage in an English steamer for Jamaica. Geffrard entered -Port au Prince in triumph; the constitution of 1846 was adopted, and -an election held which chose Geffrard president for life, with the -privilege of nominating his successor. All agree that he is a good -man. His great aim appears to be the moral, social, and intellectual -improvement of the people.</p> - -<p>Most of the army have been disbanded; and those retained are better -fed, better paid, and clothed in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> more suitable manner. New firearms -have been introduced, reforms instituted both in the government and the -army, agriculture and commerce encouraged, old roads repaired and new -ones built. His state papers show him to be a man of superior natural -abilities, and we believe that he is destined to do more for Hayti and -her people than any ruler since the days of Toussaint L'Ouverture. -Geffrard is a grief in color (nearly black), of middle height, -slim in figure, a pleasing countenance, sparkling eye, gray hair, -fifty-six years of age, limbs supple by bodily exercise, a splendid -horseman, and liberal to the arts, even to extravagance. Possessing a -polished education, he is gentlemanly in his conversation and manners. -His democratic ideas induce him to dress without ornaments of any -kind. Soon after assuming the presidency, he resolved to encourage -immigration, and issued an address to the colored Americans, filled -with patriotic and sympathetic feeling for his race.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>GEORGE B. VASHON.</h3> - -<p>Passing through the schools of Pittsburg, his native place, and -graduating at Oberlin College with the degree of Master of Arts, George -B. Vashon started in life with the advantage of a good education. He -studied law with Hon. Walter Forward, and was admitted to the bar in -1847. He soon after visited Hayti, where he remained nearly three -years, returning home in 1850. Called to a professorship in New York -Central College, Mr. Vashon discharged the duties of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> office with -signal ability. A gentleman—a graduate of that institution, now a -captain in the federal army—told the writer that he and several of his -companions, who had to recite to Professor Vashon, made it a practice -for some length of time to search Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, for phrases -and historical incidents, and would then question the professor, with -the hope of "running him on a snag." "But," said he, "we never caught -him once, and we came to the conclusion that he was the best-read -man in the college." Literature has a history, and few histories can -compare with it in importance, significance, and moral grandeur. There -is, therefore, a great price to pay for literary attainments, which -will have an inspiring and liberalizing influence—a price not in -silver and gold, but in thorough mental training. This training will -give breadth of view, develop strength of character and a comprehensive -spirit, by which the ever-living expressions of truth and principle in -the past may be connected with those of a like character in the present.</p> - -<p>Mr. Vashon seems to have taken this view of what constitutes the -thorough scholar, and has put his theory into practice. All of the -productions of his pen show the student and man of literature. But -he is not indebted alone to culture, for he possesses genius of no -mean order—poetic genius, far superior to many who have written and -published volumes. As Dryden said of Shakspeare, "he needed not the -spectacles of books to read Nature; he looked inward, and found her -there." The same excellence appertains to his poetical description of -the beautiful scenery and climate of Hayti, in his "Vincent Ogé." His -allusion to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> Columbus's first visit to the island is full of solemn -grandeur:—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"The waves dash brightly on thy shore,</div> -<div class="i1">Fair island of the southern seas,</div> -<div>As bright in joy as when, of yore,</div> -<div class="i1">They gladly hailed the Genoese—</div> -<div>That daring soul who gave to Spain</div> -<div>A world-last trophy of her reign."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Our limited space will not permit our giving more of this, or other -poems of Mr. Vashon. The following extract from his admirable essay in -the <i>Anglo-African Magazine</i>, entitled, "The Successive Advances of -Astronomy," is characteristic of his prose:—</p> - -<p>"The next important step recorded in the annals of astronomy was the -effort to reform the calendar by means of the bissextile year. This -effort was made at the time when Julius Cæsar was chief pontiff at -Rome. It is noteworthy, as being the only valuable contribution made -to astronomical science by the Romans; and, even in this matter, Cæsar -acted under the guidance of the Grecian astronomer Sosigenes. We are -not to suppose, however, that the Romans were totally indifferent to -the subject of astronomy. We are informed by Cicero, in his elegant -treatise concerning 'Old Age,' that Caius Gallus was accustomed to -spend whole days and nights in making observations upon the heavenly -bodies, and that he took pleasure in predicting to his friends the -eclipses of the sun and moon a long time before they occurred. Besides, -in the 'Scipio's Dream' of the same author, we find, in the course of -an admirable dissertation upon the immortality of the soul, an account -of a terrestrial system, according to which our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> earth was the central -body, around which the concave sphere of the starry heavens revolved; -while, in the space between, the Moon, Venus, Mercury, the Sun, Mars, -Jupiter, and Saturn moved with retrograde courses, in the order here -mentioned. In fact, this system was the one which was afterwards -adopted, elaborated, and zealously maintained by the famous Ptolemy -of Alexandria, and which has ever since borne his name. To Ptolemy, -then, who flourished about the commencement of the second century, -the world is indebted for the first complete system of astronomy that -secured the approbation of all the learned. This it was enabled to do -by the ingenious, although not perfect, explanation which it gave of -the planetary movements, by supposing these bodies to move in circles -whose centres had an easterly motion along an imaginary circle. Thus -these epicycles, as the circles were called, moving along the imaginary -circle, or deferent, cause the planets to have, at times, an apparent -easterly direction, at other times a westerly one, and at other times, -again, to appear stationary. Thus recommended, the Ptolemaic system -continued to gain adherents, until the irruptions of the Huns under -Alaric and Attila, and the destruction of the celebrated library at -Alexandria by the fanatical and turbulent Christians of that city, -laid waste the fair domains of science. Being thus driven from the -places where Learning had fixed her favorite seats, it took refuge -with the Arabs, who preserved it with watchful care, until happier -times restored it to Europe. It returned with the conquering Moors who -established themselves in Spain, was brought again under the notice of -the Christian states in the thirteenth century, through the patronage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> -of the emperor Frederic II. of Germany, and Alphonso X. of Castile, and -flourished more than two hundred years longer, without any rival to -dispute its claims to correctness."</p> - -<p>Mr. Vashon is of mixed blood, in stature of medium size, rather round -face, with a somewhat solemn countenance,—a man of few words,—needs -to be drawn out to be appreciated. While visiting a distinguished -colored gentleman at Rochester, N. Y., some years ago, the host, who -happened to be a wit as well as an orator, invited in "Professor T."—a -man ignorant of education, but filled with big talk and high-sounding -words without understanding their meaning—to entertain Mr. Vashon, -intending it as a joke. "Professor T." used all the language that -he was master of, but to no purpose: the man of letters sat still, -listened, gazed at the former, but did not dispute any point raised. -The uneducated professor, feeling that he had been imposed upon, called -Mr. D. one side, and in a whisper said, "Are you sure that this is an -educated man? I fear that he is an impostor; for I tried, but could not -call him out."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ROBERT MORRIS.</h3> - -<p>About the year 1837, Ellis Gray Loring, Esq., took into his office, as -an errand boy, a colored lad of fifteen years of age. The youngster -had a better education than those generally of his age, which showed -that he had been attentive at school. He was not long in his new -situation ere he began to exhibit a liking for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> the contents of the -sheepskin-covered books that stood around on the shelves, and lay upon -the baize-covered tables. Mr. Loring, seeing the aptitude of the lad, -inquired if he wanted to become a lawyer, and was answered in the -affirmative. From that moment the errand boy became the student, and -studied with an earnestness not often equalled. At scarcely twenty-one -years of age he was admitted to the Boston bar. This was Robert Morris. -With all the prejudice before him, he kept steadily on, resolving that -he would overcome the negro-hate which stood in the way of his efforts -to prosecute his profession. Gradually he grew in practice, until -most of his fellow-members forgot his color in the admiration of his -eloquence and business talent. Mr. Morris is of unmixed blood, but not -black. Small in stature, a neat figure, smiling face, always dressed -with the greatest care, gentlemanly in manner and conversation, his -influence has been felt in behalf of his race. He is an interesting -speaker, quick in his gestures, ardent in his feelings, and -enthusiastic in what he undertakes. He rather inclines to a military -life, and has, on more than one occasion, attempted the organization of -an independent company.</p> - -<p>At the presentation of the portrait of John T. Hilton to the Prince -Hall Grand Lodge of Boston, Mr. Morris made a speech, of which the -following is an extract:—</p> - -<p>"I wish we could point to well-executed likenesses of those old colored -heroes of revolutionary memory, who so nobly, patriotically, and -willingly, side by side with their white brethren, fought, bled, and -died to secure freedom and independence to America.</p> - -<p>"It would be a source of continual pleasure could we have in some -public room pictures true to life of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> those intrepid heroes, Denmark -Veazie and Nat Turner, whose very names were a terror to oppressors; -who, conceiving the sublime idea of freedom for themselves and their -race, animated by a love of liberty of which they had been ruthlessly -deprived, made an attempt to sever their bonds; and though, in such -attempts to open the prison doors of slavery and let the oppressed go -free, they were unsuccessful, their efforts and determination were -none the less noble and heroic. In the future history of our country, -their names to us will shine as brightly as that of the glorious old -hero, who, with his colored and white followers, so strategically -captured Harper's Ferry, and touched a chord in the life of our country -that will vibrate throughout the land, and will not cease until the -last fetter has been struck from the limbs of the last bondman in the -nation; and though the bodies of these heroes lie mouldering in the -clay, their souls are 'marching on.'</p> - -<p>"I never visit our 'Cradle of Liberty,' and look at the portraits -that grace its walls, without thinking that the selection is sadly -incomplete, because the picture of the massacred Crispus Attucks is -not there. He was the first martyr in the Boston massacre of March 5, -1770, when the British soldiers were drawn up in line on King (now -State) Street, to intimidate the Boston populace. On that eventful day, -a band of patriots, led by Attucks, marched from Dock Square to drive -the redcoats from the vicinity of the old State House. Emboldened by -the courageous conduct of this colored hero, the band pressed forward, -and in attempting to wrest a musket from one of the British soldiers, -Attucks was shot. His was the first blood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> that crimsoned the pavement -of King Street, and by the sacrifice of his life, he awoke that fiery -hatred of British oppression which culminated in the declaration of -American independence. At this late day a portrait of this hero cannot -be had; but our children will live to see the day when the people of -this commonwealth, mindful of their deep and lasting obligation, will, -through their legislature, appropriate a sufficient sum wherewith to -erect a suitable monument to preserve the memory of Attucks, and mark -the spot where he fell."</p> - -<p>Mr. Morris deserves great credit for having fought his way up to his -present position. Rumor says that his profession has paid him well, -and that he is now a man of property. If so, we are glad; for the poet -writes, "If thou wouldst have influence, put money in thy purse."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>WILLIAM J. WILSON.</h3> - -<p>In the columns of Frederick Douglass's paper, the <i>Anglo-African -Magazine</i>, and the <i>Weekly Anglo-African</i>, has appeared at times, -over the signature of "Ethiop," some of the raciest and most amusing -essays to be found in the public journals of this country. As a sketch -writer of historical scenes and historical characters,—choosing his -own subjects, suggested by his own taste or sympathies,—few men are -capable of greater or more successful efforts than William J. Wilson. -In his imaginary visit to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> "Afric-American Picture Gallery," he -gives the following sketch of the head of Phillis Wheatley.</p> - -<p>"This picture hangs in the north-east corner of the gallery, and in -good light, and is so decidedly one of the finest in the collection, -whether viewed in an artistic light or in point of fact, that it is -both a constant charm and study for me. The features, though indicative -of a delicate organization, are of the most pleasing cast. The facial -angle contains full ninety degrees; the forehead is finely formed, and -the brain large; the nose is long, and the nostrils thin, while the -eyes, though not large, are well set. To this may be added a small -mouth, with lips prettily turned, and a chin—that perfection of beauty -in the female face—delicately tapered from a throat and neck that are -of themselves perfection. The whole make-up of this face is an index of -healthy intellectual powers, combined with an active temperament, over -which has fallen a slight tinge of religious pensiveness. Thus hangs -Phillis Wheatley before you in the Afric-American Picture Gallery; and -if we scrutinize her more closely through her career and her <i>works</i>, -we shall find her truly an extraordinary person. Stolen at the tender -age of seven years from the fond embraces of a mother, whose image -never once faded from her memory, and ferried over in the <i>vile slave -ship</i> from Afric's sunny clime to the cold shores of America, and -sold under the hammer to a Boston merchant—a delicate child, a girl, -alone, desolate; a chilly, dreary world before her, a chain on her -feet, and a thorn in her bosom, and an iron mask on her head, what -chance, what opportunity was there for her to make physical,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> moral, -or mental progress? In these respects, how get up to, or keep pace -with, other and more favored people?—how get in the advance?—how -ascend, at last, without a single competitor, the highest scale of -human eminence? Phillis Wheatley did all, and more than this. A sold -thing, a bought chattel at seven years, she mastered, notwithstanding, -the English language in sixteen months. She carried on with her friends -and acquaintances an extensive and elegant epistolary correspondence -at <i>twelve</i> years of age, composed her first poem at <i>fourteen</i>, -became a proficient Latin scholar at <i>seventeen</i>, and published in -England her book of poems, dedicated to the Countess of Huntington, at -<i>nineteen</i>; and with the mantle of just fame upon her shoulders, sailed -from America to England to receive the meed due to her learning, her -talents, and her virtues, at <i>twenty-two</i>. What one of America's paler -daughters, contemporary with her, with all the advantages that home, -fortune, friends, and favor bring,—what one ascended so far up the -hill of just fame at any age? I have searched in vain to find the name -upon the literary page of our country's record.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="i6">"O Wheatley!</div> -<div>What degrading hand, what slavish chain,</div> -<div>What earthly power, could link thy nobler soul</div> -<div>To baser things, and check its eagle flight?</div> -<div>Angel of purity, child of beauteous song,</div> -<div>Thy harp still hangs within our sight,</div> -<div>To cheer, though thou art gone."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The succeeding extract from his poem "The Coming Man" is very -suggestive, especially at this time. </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span></p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"I break the chains that have been clanging</div> -<div>Down through the dim vault of ages;</div> -<div>I gird up my strength,—mind and arm,—</div> -<div>And prepare for the terrible conflict.</div> -<div>I am to war with principalities, powers, wrongs</div> -<div>With oppressions,—with all that curse humanity.</div> -<div>I am resolved. 'Tis more than half my task;</div> -<div>'Twas the great need of all my past existence.</div> -<div>The glooms that have so long shrouded me,</div> -<div>Recede as vapor from the new presence,</div> -<div>And the light-gleam—it must be life—</div> -<div>So brightens and spreads its pure rays before,</div> -<div>That I read my mission as 'twere a book.</div> -<div>It is life; life in which none but <i>men</i>—</div> -<div>Not those who only wear the form—can live</div> -<div>To give this life to the <i>World</i>; to make men</div> -<div>Out of the thews and sinews of oppressed slaves."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Mr. Wilson is a teacher, and whether the following is drawn from his -own experience, or not, we are left to conjecture.</p> - -<p class="center">THE TEACHER AND HIS PUPIL.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="center"><span class="smcap">Scene.</span>—School Room. School in session.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div class="center"><i>Dramatis Personæ.</i></div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div class="center"><span class="smcap">Teacher.</span> A bachelor rising thirty.</div> -<div class="center"><span class="smcap">Pupil.</span> A beautiful girl of sixteen.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>I see that curling and high-archéd brow.</div> -<div class="i2">"Scold thee?" Ay, that I will.</div> -<div class="i2">Pouting I see thee still;</div> -<div>Thou jade! I know that thou art laughing now!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>Silence! hush! nor dare one word to mutter!</div> -<div class="i2">If it were e'er so gentle,</div> -<div class="i2">(I speak in tone parental,)</div> -<div>Do not thy very softest whisper utter.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>I know that startled trembling all a hoax,</div> -<div class="i2">Thou pert and saucy thing!</div> -<div class="i2">I'll make thy fine ears ring;</div> -<div>I'll pretermit thy silly, taunting jokes.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Whip thee?" Ay, that I will, and whip thee well;</div> -<div class="i2">Thy chattering tongue now hold!</div> -<div class="i2">There, there; I will no further scold.</div> -<div>How down those lovely cheeks the hot tears fell!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>How quickly changed! Nay, nay; come hither, child.</div> -<div class="i2">'Tis with kindness I would rule;</div> -<div class="i2">Severity's the erring fool,</div> -<div>Who harms the tender or excites the wild.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>What! trembling yet, and shy? Nay, do not fear;</div> -<div class="i2">Sure, sure I'll harm thee not;</div> -<div class="i2">My gentlest, thine's a better lot;</div> -<div>So raise those azure eyes with radiant cheer.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>Cheer up, then; there, now thou canst go. Retain,</div> -<div class="i2">I pray, within thy heart,</div> -<div class="i2">Not the unpleasant part</div> -<div>That's past. The other let remain.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>To possess genius, the offspring of which ennobles the sentiments, -enlarges the affections, kindles the imagination, and gives to us -a view of the past, the present, and the future, is one of the -highest gifts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> that the Creator bestows upon man. With acute powers -of conception, a sparkling and lively fancy, and a quaintly curious -felicity of diction, Mr. Wilson wakes us from our torpidity and -coldness to a sense of our capabilities. In personal appearance he is -under the middle size; his profile is more striking than his front -face; he has a rather pleasing countenance, and is unmixed in race; -has fine conversational powers, is genteel in his manners, and is a -pleasant speaker upon the platform.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JOHN MERCER LANGSTON.</h3> - -<p>One of the most promising young men of the west is John M. Langston, -a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, and a graduate of Oberlin College. He -studied theology and law, and, preferring the latter, was admitted to -the bar, and is now successfully practising his profession.</p> - -<p>The end of all eloquence is to sway men. It is, therefore, bound by -no arbitrary rules of diction or style, formed on no specific models, -and governed by no edicts of self-elected judges. It is true, there -are degrees of eloquence, and equal success does not imply equal -excellence. That which is adapted to sway the strongest minds of an -enlightened age ought to be esteemed the most perfect, and, doubtless, -should be the criterion by which to test the abstract excellence of -all oratory. Mr. Langston represents the highest idea of the orator, -as exemplified in the power and discourses of Sheridan in the English -House of <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>Commons, and Vergniaud in the Assembly of the Girondists. -He is not fragmentary in his speeches; but, a deep, majestic stream, -he moves steadily onward, pouring forth his rich and harmonious -sentences in strains of impassioned eloquence. His style is bold and -energetic—full of spirit. He is profound without being hollow, and -ingenious without being subtile.</p> - -<p>Being at Oberlin a few years since, and learning that a suit was to -be tried before a justice of the peace, in which Langston was counsel -for the defence, I attended. Two white lawyers—one from Elyria, the -other residing at Oberlin—were for the plaintiff. One day was consumed -in the examination and cross-questioning of witnesses, in which the -colored lawyer showed himself more than a match for his antagonists. -The plaintiff's counsel moved an adjournment to the next day. The -following morning the court room was full before the arrival of the -presiding justice, and much interest was manifested on both sides. -Langston's oratory was a model for the students at the college, and all -who could leave their studies or recitations were present. When the -trial commenced, it was observed that the plaintiffs had introduced -a third lawyer on their side. This was an exhibition of weakness on -their part, and proved the power of the "black lawyer," who stood -single-handed and alone. The pleading commenced, and consumed the -forenoon; the plaintiff only being heard. An adjournment for an hour -occurred, and then began one of the most powerful addresses that I had -heard for a long time. In vigor of thought, in imagery of style, in -logical connection, in vehemence, in depth, in point, and in beauty -of language, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>Langston surpassed his opponents, won the admiration of -the jury and the audience, and, what is still better for his credit, -he gained the suit. Mr. Langston's practice extends to Columbus, the -capital of the state, and in the county towns, within fifty miles of -his home, he is considered the most successful man at the bar.</p> - -<p>An accomplished scholar and a good student, he displays in his speeches -an amount of literary acquirements not often found in the mere business -lawyer. When pleading he speaks like a man under oath, though without -any starched formality of expression. The test of his success is the -permanent impression which his speeches leave on the memory. They do -not pass away with the excitement of the moment, but remain in the -mind, with the lively colors and true proportions of the scenes which -they represent. Mr. Langston is of medium size and of good figure, -high and well-formed forehead, eyes full, but not prominent, mild and -amiable countenance, modest deportment, strong, musical voice, and -wears the air of a gentleman. He is highly respected by men of the -legal profession throughout the state. He is a vigorous writer, and -in the political campaigns, contributes both with speech and pen to -the liberal cause. Few men in the south-west have held the black man's -standard higher than John Mercer Langston.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span></p> - -<h3>WILLIAM C. NELL.</h3> - -<p>No man in New England has performed more uncompensated labor for -humanity, and especially for his own race, than William C. Nell. -Almost from the commencement of the <i>Liberator</i>, and the opening -of an anti-slavery office in Boston, he has been connected in some -way with the cause of freedom. In 1840, Mr. Nell, in company with -William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, and Francis Jackson, signed -a petition to the city government, asking it to grant equal school -rights to the colored children. From that time till 1855, Mr. Nell -lost no opportunity to press this question. During all this while he -had to meet the frowns of the whites, who were instigated by that -mean and relentless prejudice which slavery had implanted in their -minds; but he went steadily on, resolving that he would not cease -till equality was acknowledged in the Boston schools. In 1855 the -obnoxious rule was abolished, and the colored youths admitted to the -schools, without regard to complexion. On the evening of December 17 of -the same year, Mr. Nell was publicly presented with a testimonial by -his fellow-citizens. This consisted of a valuable gold watch. Master -Frederick Lewis, on behalf of the children, addressed Mr. Nell as -follows:—</p> - -<p>"Champion of equal school rights, we hail thee. With unbounded -gratitude we bow before thee. Our youthful hearts bless thee for thy -incessant labors and untiring zeal in our behalf. We would fain assist -in swelling thy praise, which flows from every lip; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> this were -a tribute far too small. Noble friend: thou hast opened for us the -gate that leadeth to rich treasures; and as we pass through, Ambition -lendeth us a hand—ay, she quickeneth our pace; and as, obeying her, -we look through the vista of future years, we recognize bright Fame -in a field of literary glory, her right hand extended with laurels -of honor, to crown those who shall be most fortunate in gaining the -platform whereon she standeth; while before her is spread the banquet, -with viands rich and rare, that our literary hunger may be satiated. To -this we aspire. To gain this we will be punctual to school, diligent in -study, and well-behaved; and may we be enabled to reach the goal, that, -in thy declining years, thy heart may be gladdened by what thine eye -beholdeth, and it shall be like a crown of gold encircling thy head, -and like a rich mantle thrown around thee, studded with jewels and -precious stones.</p> - -<p>"Kind benefactor: accept, we entreat thee, this simple token, emblem -of the bright, gladsome years of youthful innocence and purity; and as -thou hast befriended us, so may we ever prove faithful friends to thee. -May the blessings of Heaven attend thee through life's ever-changing -scenes and intricate windings, is our prayer."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Georgiana O. Smith then presented to Mr. Nell the watch, bearing -this inscription:—</p> - -<p class="center">"A Tribute to<br />WILLIAM C. NELL,<br />FROM THE COLORED CITIZENS OF BOSTON,<br /> -For his untiring efforts in behalf of<br />EQUAL SCHOOL RIGHTS,<br />Dec. 17, 1855."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Smith's address was well conceived, and delivered in an eloquent -and feeling manner, which seemed to touch every heart and quicken -every pulse. Mr. Nell responded in an able speech, recounting many of -the scenes that they had passed through. William Lloyd Garrison and -Wendell Phillips were both present, and addressed the meeting, showing -their deep interest in the black man's rights. Besides contributing -occasionally to the columns of the <i>Liberator</i>, Frederick Douglass's -paper, the <i>Anglo-African</i>, and other journals, Mr. Nell is the author -of the "Colored Patriots of the American Revolution," a book filled -with interesting incidents connected with the history of the blacks of -this country, past and present. He has also written several smaller -works, all of which are humanitarian in their character. He has taken -a leading part in most of the conventions and public gatherings of -the colored citizens, held within the past twenty-five years. From -1835 to 1850, no public meeting was complete without William C Nell as -secretary.</p> - -<p>Deeply interested in the intellectual development and cultivation -of his race, he aided in the organization of the "Adelphic Union -Association," which did much good in its day. Later still, he brought -into existence the "Histrionic Club," a society that encouraged -reading, recitation, and social conversation. In this he drew -the finest talent that Boston could produce. They gave a public -representation a few years since, which was considered one of the -most classic performances which has ever been witnessed. Mr. Nell -is of medium height, slim, genteel figure, quick step, elastic -movement, a thoughtful yet pleasant brow,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> thin face, and chaste in -his conversation. Born in Boston, passing through her public schools, -a good student, and a lover of literature, he has a cultivated -understanding, and has collected together more facts, on the race with -whom he is identified, than any other man of our acquaintance. An -ardent admirer of Wendell Phillips, he seems as much attached to that -distinguished orator as Boswell was to Johnson. Mr. Nell's devotion to -his race is not surpassed by any man living.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JOHN SELLA MARTIN.</h3> - -<p>J. Sella Martin is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and was born -on the 27th of September, 1832. His mother was a slave, and by the -laws of the state the child follows the condition of the mother. Young -Martin sustained the double but incongruous relation to his owner of -master and son. At the tender age of six years, the boy, together with -his mother and an only sister, was taken from the old homestead at -midnight, and carried to Columbus, Georgia, where they were exposed -for sale. Here they were separated, the mother and daughter being -purchased by one man, and Sella by another. The latter had the good -fortune, however, to fall into the hands of an old bachelor, with -whom he lived, in the capacity of <i>valet de chambre</i>, until he was -eighteen years old. His opportunities, while with him, for acquiring -a knowledge of books and the world generally, were far better than -usually fall to the lot of the most favored house servants. Both master -and slave boarded at the principal hotel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> in the place; and the latter, -associating with other servants, and occasionally meeting travellers -from the free states, obtained much valuable information respecting the -north and Canada, and his owner was not a little surprised one day when -a complaint came to him that his servant had been furnishing passes -for slaves in the neighborhood to visit their wives. Sella was called -before the master, and threatened with severe punishment if he ever -wrote another pass for a slave. About two years after this, the owner -partially lost his sight, and the servant became first the reader of -the morning paper, and subsequently the amanuensis in the transaction -of all the master's business. An intimacy sprang up between the two, -and it being for the white man's interest that his chattel should read -and write correctly, the latter became in fact the pupil of the former, -which accelerated his education. At the age of eighteen his owner died, -and Sella was left free. But the influence of the heirs at law was -sufficient to set the will aside, and the free young man, together with -other slaves of the estate, was sold on the auction block, and the new -owner took Sella to Mobile, where he resided till 1852, when he was -again sold and taken to New Orleans. Here the subject of our sketch -hired his own time, became a dealer in fruit and oysters, and succeeded -in saving a little money for himself, with which he made his escape -on a Mississippi steamer in December, 1855, and arrived at Chicago on -the 6th of January, 1856. The great hope of his younger days had been -attained, and he was now free. But Mr. Martin had seen too much of -slavery to feel satisfied with merely getting his own freedom, and he -therefore began the inquiry to see what he could do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> for those whom -he had left in the prison house of bondage. While at Chicago, he made -the acquaintance of Mr. H. Ford Douglass, who was just about to visit -the interior of the state, to deliver a course of lectures. The latter -observed by his conversation with Mr. Martin, that he possessed the -elements of a good speaker, and persuaded him to join and take part in -the meetings. It is said that Mr. Martin's first attempt in public was -an entire failure. He often alludes to it himself, and says that the -humiliation which he experienced reminded him of the time when he was -sold on the auction block—only that the former seemed the cheaper sale -of the two. He was advised never to try the platform again. But his -want of success on the first occasion stimulated him to new exertion, -and we are told that he wrote out a speech, committed it to memory, and -delivered it two days after to the satisfaction of all present. Mr. -Douglass himself characterizes it as a remarkable effort. But there was -too much monotony in the delivery of one or two lectures over and over, -and his natural aversion to committed speeches induced Mr. Martin to -quit the lecturing field. He now resolved to resume his studies, and -for this purpose he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he commenced -under the tutorage of an able Baptist minister. Feeling that he was -called to preach, soon after this he began the study of theology, and -remained the student until his education was so far finished that he -felt justified in his own mind to commence lecturing and preaching. -About this time he made the tour of the State of Michigan, and lectured -with great success. In the beautiful and flourishing town of Coldwater, -he addressed a large and influential meeting, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> effect upon the -audience was such as to raise the speaker high in their estimation. The -weekly paper said of this lecture,—</p> - -<p>"Our citizens filled the court house to hear J. S. Martin speak for -his own race and in behalf of the oppressed. The citizens admired -and were even astonished at his success as a public speaker. He is -a natural orator, and, considering his opportunities, is one of the -most interesting and forcible speakers of his age, and of <i>the</i> age. -Indeed, he is a prodigy. It would seem impossible that one kept in -'chains and slavery,' and in total ignorance till within a few months, -could so soon attain so vast a knowledge of the English language, and -so clear and comprehensive a view of general subjects. Nature has made -him a great man. His propositions and his arguments, his deductions and -illustrations, are new and original; his voice and manner are at his -command and prepossessing; his efforts are unstudied and effectual. -The spirit which manifests itself is one broken loose from bondage and -stimulated with freedom."</p> - -<p>Shortly after this, Mr. Martin was ordained and settled over the -Michigan Street Baptist Church, Buffalo, New York, where he labored -with signal success till April, 1859, when he removed east. During the -same summer he was introduced to the Boston public by Mr. Kalloch, the -popular preacher at the Tremont Temple. The latter, pleased with Mr. -Martin, secured his services while away on his annual vacation, which -occupied six or eight weeks. No place of religious worship was more -thronged than the Temple during the time that he filled its pulpit. -At the termination of his engagement at the Temple, Mr. Martin was -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>invited by Dr. Eddy to preach for him a few weeks, which he did with -credit to himself and satisfaction to the society. The first Baptist -Church at Lawrence being without a pastor, Mr. Martin was engaged to -supply the pulpit, and was there seven or eight months, and might have -remained longer; but during this time he received a call from the Joy -Street Church, Boston, and feeling that his labor was more needed -with his own color, he accepted the latter. He has now been at the -Joy Street Church about three years, where his preaching has met with -marked success. That society had long been in a declining state; but -the church is now as well filled on Sundays as any place in the city. -In the summer of 1861, Mr. Martin visited England, and remained abroad -six months, where he did good service for the cause of freedom. On his -return home he was warmly welcomed by his church and congregation. Soon -after, he secured the freedom of his only sister and her two children, -whom he settled at the west. In person, Mr. Martin is somewhat taller -than the medium height; firm, dignified walk; not what would be termed -handsome, but has a pleasing countenance; in race, half and half; -eyes clear and bright; forehead well developed; gentlemanly in his -deportment; has a popularity not surpassed by any of the preachers of -Boston.</p> - -<p>He has written considerably for the press, both prose and poetry. Some -of the latter is much admired. His poem "The Hero and the Slave" has -been read in public entertainments, and received with applause.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHARLES LENOX REMOND.</h3> - -<p>Charles L. Remond is a native of Salem, Mass. He has the honor, -we believe, of being the first colored man to take the field as a -lecturer against slavery. He has been, more or less, in the employ of -the Anti-Slavery Society for the past twenty-eight or thirty years. -In 1840, he visited England as a delegate to the first "World's -Anti-Slavery Convention," held in London. He remained abroad nearly two -years, lecturing in the various towns and cities of Great Britain and -Ireland. The following lines, addressed to him, appeared in one of the -public journals, after the delivery of one of his thrilling speeches, -in Belfast, and will give some idea of the estimation in which he was -held as a platform speaker.</p> - -<p class="center">TO C. L. REMOND.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>Go forth and fear not! Glorious is the cause</div> -<div>Which thou dost advocate; and nobly, too,</div> -<div>Hast thou fulfilled thy mission—nobly raised</div> -<div>Thy voice against oppression, and the woes</div> -<div>Of injured millions; and, if they are men,</div> -<div>Who can deny for them a Saviour died?</div> -<div>Nor will it e'er be asked, in that dread day</div> -<div>When black and white shall stand before the throne</div> -<div>Of Him their common Parent, "Unto which</div> -<div>Partition of the human race didst thou</div> -<div>Belong on earth?" Enough for thee to fill</div> -<div>The lot assigned thee, as ordained by Heaven.</div> -<div>I would not praise thee, Remond,—thou hast gifts</div> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span>Bestowed upon thee for a noble end;</div> -<div>And for the use of which account must be</div> -<div>Returned to Him who lent them. May this thought</div> -<div>Preserve thee in his fear, and may the praise</div> -<div>Be given only to his mighty name.</div> -<div>And if, returning to thy native land,</div> -<div>By thee beloved, though dark with crimes that stain</div> -<div>Her boasted freedom, thou art called to prove</div> -<div>Thy true allegiance, even then go forth</div> -<div>Resigned to suffer,—trust thy all to Him</div> -<div>Who can support thee, whilst a still, small voice,</div> -<div>Within thy breast, shall whisper, "All is well."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Mr. Remond was welcomed on his return home, and again resumed his -vocation as a lecturer. In stature he is small, spare made, neat, wiry -build, and genteel in his personal appearance. He has a good voice, and -is considered one of the best declaimers in New England. Faultless in -his dress, and an excellent horseman, Mr. Remond has long been regarded -the Count D'Orsay of the anti-slavery movement. He has written little -or nothing for the press, and his notoriety is confined solely to -the platform. Sensitive to a fault, and feeling sorely the prejudice -against color which exists throughout the United States, his addresses -have been mainly on that subject, on which he is always interesting. He -is a good writer who embodies in his works the soul and spirit of the -times in which he lives,—provided they are worth embodying,—and the -common sympathy of the great mass is sounder criticism by far than the -rules of mere scholars, who, buried up in their formulas, cannot speak -so as to arrest the attention or move the heart. Adaptation without -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>degeneracy is the great law to be followed. What is true of the writer -is also true of the speaker. No man can put more real meaning in fewer -words than Mr. Remond, and no one can give them greater force. The -following extract from a speech of Mr. Remond, delivered before the New -England Anti-Slavery Convention, at its anniversary in May, 1859, is -characteristic of his style.</p> - -<p>"If I had but one reason, why I consented to appear here, it was -because, at this moment, I believe it belongs to the colored man in -this country to say that his lot is a common one 'with every white man -north of the Potomac River; and if you ask me who are my clients, I -think I may answer, 'Every man north of Mason and Dixon's line, without -reference to his complexion.' I have read in the newspapers that one or -two distinguished men of this city propose to spend the coming summer -in Europe. Born in Boston, educated at Harvard, having been dandled in -the lap of Massachusetts favor and Massachusetts popularity, they are -about to travel in Europe, among despotisms, monarchies, aristocracies, -and oligarchies; and I trust in God they may learn, as they travel in -those countries, that it is an everlasting disgrace that on the soil on -which they were born, no man of color can stand and be considered free. -If they shall learn no more than this, I will wish them a pleasant and -prosperous tour; and unless they shall learn this, I hope they will -come back and have the same padlock put upon their lips that is put -upon men south of Mason and Dixon's line.</p> - -<p>"I want to ask this large audience, Mr. Chairman, through you, -supposing the citizens of Boston should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> call a meeting to-morrow, and -resolve that, in the event of a southern man, with southern principles, -being elected to the presidential office, this state will secede, how -would the State of Mississippi receive it? Now, I am here to ask that -the non-slaveholding states shall dare to do, and write, and publish, -and resolve, in behalf of freedom, as the slaveholders dare to act and -resolve in behalf of slavery.</p> - -<p>"The time has been, Mr. Chairman, when a colored man could scarcely -look a white man in the face without trembling, owing to his education -and experience. I am not here to boast; but I may say, in view of what -I have seen and heard during the last five years, as I said in the -Representatives' Hall a few months ago, that our lot is a common one, -and the sooner we shall so regard it, and buckle on our knapsacks and -shoulder our muskets, and resolve that we will be free, the better for -you as well as for me. The disgrace that once rested upon the head of -the black man, now hovers over the head of every man and woman whom -I have the honor to address this evening, just in proportion as they -shall dare to stand erect before the oligarchy of slaveholders in the -southern portion of our country; and God hasten forward the day when -not only Music Hall, but every other hall in the city of Boston, the -Athens of America, shall be made eloquent with tones that shall speak, -as man has never before spoken in this country, for the cause of -universal freedom. If the result of that speaking must be bloodshed, be -it so! If it must be the dissolution of the Union, be it so! If it must -be that we must walk over or through the American church, be it so! -The time has come when, if you value your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> own freedom, James Buchanan -must be hung in effigy, and such men as Dr. Nehemiah Adams must be put -in the pillory of public disgrace and contempt; and then Massachusetts -will cease to be a hissing and a by-word in every other country."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>GEORGE T. DOWNING.</h3> - -<p>The tall, fine figure, manly walk, striking profile, and piercing eye -of George T. Downing would attract attention in any community, even -where he is unknown. Possessing remarkable talents, finely educated, a -keen observer, and devoted to the freedom and elevation of his race, -he has long been looked upon as a representative man. A good debater, -quick to take advantage of the weak points of an opponent, forcible -in speech, and a natural orator, Mr. Downing is always admired as a -speaker. Chosen president of the convention of colored citizens which -assembled in Boston on the first of August, 1859, he delivered an -impressive and eloquent opening address, of which we regret that we can -give only an extract. He said,—</p> - -<p>"The great consideration that presses upon me is, what may we do -to make ourselves of more importance in community—necessary, -indispensable? To sustain such a relation as this to community, (and -it is possible,) is to secure, beyond a question, all the respect, -to make sure the enjoyment of all the rights, that the most deferred -to of the land enjoy. Society is deferential; it defers to power. -Learning, and wealth, and power are most potent in society. It is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> not -necessary that many men and women of us be wealthy and learned before -we can force respect as a class; but it is necessary that we exhibit a -proportionate representative character for learning and wealth, to be -respected. It is not numbers alone, it is not universal wealth, it is -not general learning, that secures to those, known by a distinction in -society as whites—that gains them power; for they are not generally -wealthy, not commonly learned. The number of these among them, as in -all communities, is limited; but that number forms a representative -character, some of whom excel; hence they have power—the class enjoy a -name.</p> - -<p>"There is another sense of power in community, which, though silent, -has its weight—it should be most potent: that power is moral -character. This also, like the other powers of which I have spoken, -need not be universal to have an effect favorable to a class. I think -that I am not claiming too much for the colored people in asserting -that we have a decent representation in this respect—a most remarkable -one, considering all the depressing influences which the present and -preceding generations have had to struggle up under. Happily, this -power on community is not growing less; it is on the increase. An -illustration of the correctness of my position as to the power of a -representative character for wealth and learning in commanding respect, -is forcibly exhibited in the Celts in our midst, who came among us poor -and ignorant, and who, consequently, fill menial, dependent positions. -They are the least respected of all immigrants. In speaking thus, I am -simply dealing with facts, not intending to be invidious. The German<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> -element, mingling with the general element which comes among us, -representing a higher intelligence, more wealth, with great practical -industry, is silently stealing a hold, a power in the nation, because -of these possessions, at which native America will yet start. Now, -gentlemen, if these be facts, is it not well for us, as sensible men -here assembled, to consider our best interest—to have in view these -sources of power? Would it not be well to consider these—to fall -upon some plan by which we may possess or excite to the possession of -them—rather than devote much of our time in a discussion as to the -injustice of our fellow-countrymen in their relation to us? Of this -<i>they</i> know full well, and <i>we</i> too bitterly.</p> - -<p>"The ballot is a power in this country which should not be lost sight -of by us. Were it more generally exercised by the colored people, -the effect would be very perceptible. Those of them residents of the -states that deny them the privilege of the elective franchise, should -earnestly strive to have the right and the power secured to them; -those who have it should never let an occasion pass, when they may -consistently exercise it, without doing so. We know that the government -and the states have acted most unfairly in their relation to us; but -that government and the states, in doing so, have clearly disregarded -justice, as well as perverted the legal interpretation of the supreme -law of the land, as set forth in its constitution; which facts alone -require that we exercise the right to vote, whenever we can, towards -correcting this injustice. Were it known on election day that any -colored man would deposit a vote, that there would be a concert of -action in doing so, the effect would be irresistible. Cannot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span> such -a vote be cast at the approaching presidential election? Will the -Republican party (a party which is entitled to credit for the service -it has rendered to the cause of freedom) put in nomination, in 1860, a -man for whom we can, with some degree of consistency, cast our ballots? -It has such men in its ranks—prominent men of the party—men who are -available.</p> - -<p>"I would have it noted, that we cannot vote for a man who subscribes to -the doctrine that, in struggling for freedom in a presidential or any -other election, he ignores the rights of the colored man.</p> - -<p>"There is an increased as well as an increasing respect for us in -community. This is not simply because we have friends (all praise to -them) who speak out boldly and uncompromisingly for the right,—in -fact, the most of their efforts have been directed towards relieving -the country of the blight and of the injustice of slavery,—but it is -because our character, as a class, is better understood."</p> - -<p>Mr. Downing is a native of New York, but spends his summers at Newport, -where he has an excellent retreat for those seeking that fashionable -watering-place, and where he stands high with the better class of the -community.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ROBERT PURVIS.</h3> - -<p>Few private gentlemen are better known than Robert Purvis. Born in -Charleston, S. C., a son of the late venerable William Purvis, Esq., -educated in New England, and early associated with William Lloyd<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> -Garrison, Francis Jackson, and Wendell Phillips, he has always -been understood as belonging to the most ultra wing of the radical -abolitionists. Residing in Philadelphia when it was unsafe to avow -one's self a friend of the slave, Mr. Purvis never was known to deny -his hatred to the "peculiar institution." A writer for one of the -public journals, seeking out distinguished colored persons as subjects -for his pen, paid him a visit, of which the following is his account:—</p> - -<p>"The stage put us down at his gate, and we were warned to be ready to -return in an hour and a half. His dwelling stands some distance back -from the turnpike. It is approached by a broad lawn, and shaded with -ancient trees. In the rear stands a fine series of barns. There are -magnificent orchards connected with his farm, and his live stock is of -the most approved breeds. We understand that he receives numbers of -premiums annually from agricultural societies. In this fine old mansion -Mr. Purvis has resided many years.</p> - -<p>"We were ushered, upon our visit, into a pleasant dining room, hung -with a number of paintings. Upon one side of an old-fashioned mantel -was a large portrait of a fine-looking white man; on the other side, a -portrait of a swarthy negro. Above these old John Brown looked gloomily -down, like a bearded patriarch.</p> - -<p>"In a few minutes Mr. Purvis came in. We had anticipated a -stubborn-looking negro, with a swagger, and a tone of bravado. In place -of such, we saw a tall, beautifully knit gentleman, almost white, and -handsomely dressed. His foot and hand were symmetrical, and, although -his hair was gray with years, every limb was full, and every movement -supple and easy. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> saluted us with decorous dignity, and began to -converse.</p> - -<p>"It was difficult to forget that the man before us was not of our own -race. The topics upon which he spoke were chiefly personal. He related -some very amusing anecdotes of his relations with southern gentlemen. -On one occasion he applied for a passage to Liverpool in a Philadelphia -packet. Some southern gentlemen, unacquainted with Purvis, save as a -man of negro blood, protested that he should not be received. Among -these was a Mr. Hayne, a near relative of Hayne the orator.</p> - -<p>"Purvis accordingly went to Liverpool by another vessel. He met -Hayne and the southerners as they were about returning home, and -took passage with them, passing for a white man. He gained their -esteem, was cordially invited by each to visit him in the south, and -no entertainment was complete without his joke and his presence. At -a final dinner, given to the party by the captain of the vessel, Mr. -Hayne, who had all along spoken violently of the negro race, publicly -toasted Mr. Purvis, as the finest type of the Caucasian race he had -ever met.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Purvis rose to reply. 'I am not a Caucasian,' said he; 'I belong -to the degraded tribe of Africans.'</p> - -<p>"The feelings of the South Carolinians need not be described.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Purvis has written a number of anti-slavery pamphlets, and is -regarded, by rumor, as the president of the Underground Railroad. He -has figured in many slave-rescue cases, some of which he relates with -graphic manner of description.</p> - -<p>"He is the heaviest tax-payer in the township, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> owns two very -valuable farms. By his influence the public schools of the township -have been thrown open to colored children. He has also built, at his -own expense, a hall for free debate. We left him with feelings of -higher regard than we have yet felt for any of his people. It is proper -to remark, that Purvis is the grandchild of a blackamoor, who was taken -a slave to South Carolina."</p> - -<p>Although disdaining all profession of a public character, Mr. Purvis -is, nevertheless, often invited to address public gatherings. As a -speaker he is energetic, eloquent, and sarcastic. He spares neither -friend nor foe in his argument; uses choice language, and appears to -feel that nature and humanity are the everlasting proprietors of truth, -and that truth should be spoken at all times. Mr. Purvis is an able -writer, and whatever he says comes directly from the heart. His letter -to Hon. S. C. Pomeroy, on colonization, is characteristic of him. We -regret that space will not allow us to give the whole of this timely -and manly production.</p> - -<p>"There are some aspects of this project which surely its advocates -cannot have duly considered. You purpose to exile hundreds and -thousands of your laborers. The wealth of a country consists mainly -in its labor. With what law of economy, political or social, can you -reconcile this project to banish from your shores the men that plough -your fields, drive your teams, and help build your houses? Already the -farmers around me begin to feel the pinching want of labor; how will -it be after this enormous draft? I confess the project seems to me one -of insanity. What will foreign nations, on whose good or ill will so -much is supposed now to depend, think of this project? These nations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> -have none of this vulgar prejudice against complexion. What, then, -will they think of the wisdom of a people who, to gratify a low-born -prejudice, deliberately plan to drive out hundreds and thousands of the -most peaceful, industrious, and competent laborers? Mr. Roebuck said -in a late speech at Sheffield, as an argument for intervention, 'that -the feeling against the black was stronger at the north than in the -south.' Mr. Roebuck can now repeat that assertion, and point to this -governmental project in corroboration of its truth. A 'Slaveholders' -Convention' was held a few years since in Maryland to consider whether -it would not be best either to re-enslave the free blacks of that -state, or banish them from its borders. The question was discussed, and -a committee, the chairman of which was United States Senator Pearce, -was appointed to report upon it. That committee reported 'that to -enslave men now free would be inhuman, and to banish them from the -state would be to inflict a deadly blow upon the material interests of -the commonwealth; that their labor was indispensable to the welfare -of the state.' Sir, your government proposes to do that which the -Slaveholders' Convention of Maryland, with all their hate of the free -blacks, declared to be inconsistent with the public interest.</p> - -<p>"But it is said this is a question of prejudice, of national antipathy, -and not to be reasoned about. The president has said, 'whether it is -right or wrong I need not now discuss.'</p> - -<p>"Great God! Is justice nothing? Is honor nothing? Is even pecuniary -interest to be sacrificed to this insane and vulgar hate? But it is -said this is the 'white man's country.' Not so, sir. This is the red -man's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> country by natural right, and the black man's by virtue of -his sufferings and toil. Your fathers by violence drove the red man -out, and forced the black man in. The children of the black man have -enriched the soil by their tears, and sweat, and blood. Sir, we were -born here, and here we choose to remain. For twenty years we were -goaded and harassed by systematic efforts to make us colonize. We were -coaxed and mobbed, and mobbed and coaxed, but we refused to budge. We -planted ourselves upon our inalienable rights, and were proof against -all the efforts that were made to expatriate us. For the last fifteen -years we have enjoyed comparative quiet. Now again the malign project -is broached, and again, as before, in the name of humanity are we -invited to leave.</p> - -<p>"In God's name, what good do you expect to accomplish by such a course? -If you will not let our brethren in bonds go free, if you will not let -us, as did our fathers, share in the privileges of the government, if -you will not let us even help fight the battles of the country, in -Heaven's name, at least, <i>let us alone</i>. Is that too great a boon to -ask of your magnanimity?</p> - -<p>"I elect to stay on the soil on which I was born, and on the plot of -ground which I have fairly bought and honestly paid for. Don't advise -me to leave, and don't add insult to injury by telling me it's for my -own good; of that I am to be the judge. It is in vain that you talk to -me about the 'two races,' and their 'mutual antagonism.' In the matter -of rights there is but one race, and that is the <i>human</i> race. 'God has -made of one blood all nations to dwell on all the face of the earth.' -And it is not true that there is a mutual antagonism between the white -and colored people of this <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span>community. You may antagonize us, but we -do not antagonize you. You may hate us, but we do not hate you. It may -argue a want of spirit to cling to those who seek to banish us, but -such is, nevertheless, the fact.</p> - -<p>"Sir, this is our country as much as it is yours, <i>and we will not -leave it</i>. Your ships may be at the door, but we choose to remain. -A few may go, as a few went to Hayti, and a few to Liberia; but the -colored people as a mass will not leave the land of their birth. Of -course, I can only speak by authority for myself; but I know the people -with whom I am identified, and I feel confident that I only express -their sentiment as a body when I say that your project of colonizing -them in Central America, or any where else, with or without their -consent, will never succeed. They will migrate, as do other people, -when left to themselves, and when the motive is sufficient; but they -will neither be 'compelled to volunteer,' nor <i>constrained</i> to go of -their 'own accord.'"</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JOSEPH JENKINS.</h3> - -<p class="center">"Look here, upon this picture, and on this."—<span class="smcap">Hamlet.</span></p> - -<p>No one accustomed to pass through Cheapside could fail to have noticed -a good-looking man, neither black nor white, engaged in distributing -bills to the thousands who throng that part of the city of London. -While strolling through Cheapside, one morning, I saw, for the fiftieth -time, Joseph Jenkins, the subject of this article, handing out his -bills to all who would take them as he thrust them into their hands. -I <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span>confess that I was not a little amused, and stood for some moments -watching and admiring his energy in distributing his papers. A few days -after, I saw the same individual in Chelsea, sweeping a crossing; here, -too, he was equally as energetic as when I met him in the city. Some -days later, while going through Kensington, I heard rather a sweet, -musical voice singing a familiar psalm, and on looking round was not -a little surprised to find that it was the Cheapside bill-distributor -and Chelsea crossing-sweeper. He was now singing hymns, and selling -religious tracts. I am fond of patronizing genius, and therefore took -one of his tracts and paid him for a dozen.</p> - -<p>During the following week, I saw, while going up the City Road, that -Shakspeare's tragedy of Othello was to be performed at the Eagle -Saloon that night, and that the character of the Moor was to be taken -by "<i>Selim, an African prince</i>." Having no engagement that evening, I -resolved at once to attend, to witness the performance of the "African -Talma," as he was called. It was the same interest that had induced me -to go to the Italian opera to see Mesdames Sontag and Grisi in Norma, -and to visit Drury Lane to see Macready take leave of the stage. My -expectations were screwed up to the highest point. The excitement -caused by the publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had prepared the -public for any thing in the African line, and I felt that the <i>prince</i> -would be sure of a good audience; and in this I was not disappointed, -for, as I took my seat in one of the boxes near the stage, I saw that -the house was crammed with an orderly company. The curtain was already -up when I entered, and Iago and Roderigo were on the stage.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> After -a while Othello came in, and was greeted with thunders of applause, -which he very gracefully acknowledged. Just black enough to take his -part without coloring his face, and being tall, with a good figure -and an easy carriage, a fine, full, and musical voice, he was well -adapted to the character of Othello. I immediately recognized in the -countenance of the Moor a face that I had seen before, but could not at -the moment tell where. Who could this "prince" be? thought I. He was -too black for Douglass, not black enough for Ward, not tall enough for -Garnet, too calm for Delany, figure, though fine, not genteel enough -for Remond. However, I was soon satisfied as to who the <i>star</i> was. -Reader, would you think it? it was no less a person than Mr. Jenkins, -the bill-distributor from Cheapside, and crossing-sweeper from Chelsea! -For my own part, I was overwhelmed with amazement, and it was some time -before I could realize the fact. He soon showed that he possessed great -dramatic power and skill; and his description to the senate of how he -won the affections of the gentle Desdemona stamped him at once as an -actor of merit. "What a pity," said a lady near me to a gentleman that -was by her side, "that a prince of the royal blood of Africa should -have to go upon the stage for a living! It is indeed a shame!" When he -came to the scene,—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"O, cursed, cursed slave!—whip me, ye devils,</div> -<div>From the possession of this heavenly sight!</div> -<div>Blow me about in winds, roast me in sulphur!</div> -<div>Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!</div> -<div>O, Desdemona! Desdemona! dead?</div> -<div>Dead? O! O! O!"—</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span></p> - -<p>the effect was indeed grand. When the curtain fell, the prince was -called upon the stage, where he was received with deafening shouts of -approbation, and a number of <i>bouquets</i> thrown at his feet, which he -picked up, bowed, and retired. I went into Cheapside the next morning, -at an early hour, to see if the prince had given up his old trade for -what I supposed to be a more lucrative one; but I found the hero of the -previous night at his post, and giving out his bills as energetically -as when I had last seen him. Having to go to the provinces for some -months, I lost sight of Mr. Jenkins, and on my return to town did not -trouble myself to look him up. More than a year after I had witnessed -the representation of Othello at the Eagle, I was walking, one pleasant -Sabbath evening, through one of the small streets in the borough, -when I found myself in front of a little chapel, where a number of -persons were going in. As I was passing on slowly, an elderly man -said to me, "I suppose you have come to hear your colored brother -preach." "No," I answered; "I was not aware that one was to be here." -"Yes," said he; "and a clever man he is, too." As the old man offered -to find me a seat, I concluded to go in and hear this son of Africa. -The room, which was not large, was already full. I had to wait but a -short time before the reverend gentleman made his appearance. He was -nearly black, and dressed in a black suit, with high shirt-collar, -and an intellectual-looking cravat, that nearly hid his chin. A pair -of spectacles covered his eyes. The preacher commenced by reading a -portion of Scripture, and then announced that they would sing the -twenty-eighth hymn in "the arrangement." O, that voice! I felt sure -that I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> heard that musical voice before; but where, I could not -tell. I was not aware that any of my countrymen were in London, but -felt that, whoever he was, he was no discredit to the race; for he was -a most eloquent and accomplished orator. His sermon was against the -sale and use of intoxicating drinks, and the bad habits of the working -classes, of whom his audience was composed.</p> - -<p>Although the subject was intensely interesting, I was impatient for -it to come to a close, for I wanted to speak to the preacher. But the -evening being warm, and the room heated, the reverend gentleman, on -wiping the perspiration from his face, (which, by the way, ran very -freely,) took off his spectacles on one occasion, so that I immediately -recognized him, which saved me from going up to the pulpit at the -end of the service. Yes; it was the bill-distributor of Cheapside, -the crossing-sweeper of Chelsea, the tract-seller and psalm-singer -of Kensington, and the Othello of the Eagle Saloon. I could scarcely -keep from laughing outright when I discovered this to be the man that -I had seen in so many characters. As I was about leaving my seat at -the close of the services, the old man who showed me into the chapel -asked me if I would not like to be introduced to the minister; and I -immediately replied that I would. We proceeded up the aisle, and met -the clergyman as he was descending. On seeing me, he did not wait for -a formal introduction, but put out his hand and said, "I have seen you -so often, sir, that I seem to know you." "Yes," I replied; "we have met -several times, and under different circumstances." Without saying more, -he invited me to walk with him towards his home,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> which was in the -direction of my own residence. We proceeded; and, during the walk, Mr. -Jenkins gave me some little account of his early history. "You think me -rather an odd fish, I presume," said he. "Yes," I replied. "You are not -the only one who thinks so," continued he. "Although I am not as black -as some of my countrymen, I am a native of Africa. Surrounded by some -beautiful mountain scenery, and situated between Darfour and Abyssinia, -two thousand miles in the interior of Africa, is a small valley going -by the name of <i>Tegla</i>. To that valley I stretch forth my affections, -giving it the endearing appellation of my native home and fatherland. -It was there that I was born, it was there that I received the fond -looks of a loving mother, and it was there that I set my feet, for -the first time, upon a world full of cares, trials, difficulties, and -dangers. My father being a farmer, I used to be sent out to take care -of his goats. This service I did when I was between seven and eight -years of age. As I was the eldest of the boys, my pride was raised in -no small degree when I beheld my father preparing a farm for me. This -event filled my mind with the grand anticipation of leaving the care of -the goats to my brother, who was then beginning to work a little. While -my father was making these preparations, I had the constant charge of -the goats; and being accompanied by two other boys, who resided near -my father's house, we wandered many miles from home, by which means we -acquired a knowledge of the different districts of our country.</p> - -<p>"It was while in these rambles with my companions that I became the -victim of the slave-trader. We were tied with cords and taken to -Tegla, and thence to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> Kordofan, which is under the jurisdiction of the -Pacha of Egypt. From Kordofan I was brought down to Dongola and Korti, -in Nubia, and from thence down the Nile to Cairo; and, after being -sold nine times, I became the property of an English gentleman, who -brought me to this country and put me into school. But he died before I -finished my education, and his family feeling no interest in me, I had -to seek a living as best I could. I have been employed for some years -to distribute handbills for a barber in Cheapside in the morning, go -to Chelsea and sweep a crossing in the afternoon, and sing psalms and -sell religious tracts in the evening. Sometimes I have an engagement -to perform at some of the small theatres, as I had when you saw me at -the Eagle. I preach for this little congregation over here, and charge -them nothing; for I want that the poor should have the gospel without -money and without price. I have now given up distributing bills; I have -settled my son in that office. My eldest daughter was married about -three months ago; and I have presented her husband with the Chelsea -crossing, as my daughter's wedding portion." "Can he make a living at -it?" I eagerly inquired. "O, yes; that crossing at Chelsea is worth -thirty shillings a week, if it is well swept," said he. "But what do -you do for a living for yourself?" I asked. "I am the leader of a -band," he continued; "and we play for balls and parties, and three -times a week at the Holborn Casino." "You are determined to rise," said -I. "Yes," he replied,—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>'Upward, onward, is my watchword;</div> -<div class="i1">Though the winds blow good or ill,</div> -<div>Though the sky be fair or stormy,</div> -<div class="i1">This shall be my watchword still.'"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span></p> - -<p>By this time we had reached a point where we had to part; and I left -Joseph Jenkins, impressed with the idea that he was the greatest genius -that I had met in Europe.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JOHN S. ROCK.</h3> - -<p>The subject of this sketch was born in Salem, N. J., in 1825. When -quite a child, he became passionately attached to his book, and, unlike -most children, seldom indulged in amusements of any kind. His parents, -anxious to make the most of his talents, kept him at school until he -was eighteen years of age, at which time he was examined and approved -as a teacher of public schools. He taught school from 1844 to 1848. Mr. -David Allen writes, "His was certainly the most orderly, and the best -conducted, school I ever visited, although myself a teacher for nearly -twenty years." During the time Mr. Rock was teaching, Drs. Sharp and -Gibbon opened their libraries to him, and he commenced the study of -physic,—teaching six hours, studying eight, and giving private lessons -two hours every day. After completing his medical studies, he found it -impossible to get into a medical college; so he abandoned his idea of -becoming a physician, and went with Dr. Harbert and studied dentistry. -He finished his studies in the summer of 1849. In January, 1850, he -went to Philadelphia to practise his profession. In 1851, he received a -silver medal for artificial teeth. In the same year, he took a silver -medal for a prize essay on temperance. After the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span> Apprentices' High -School had been established in Philadelphia, and while it was still an -evening school, Mr. Rock took charge of it, and kept it until it was -merged into a day school, under the direction of Professor Reason. He -attended lectures in the American Medical College, and graduated in -1852.</p> - -<p>In 1853, Dr. Rock came to Boston, where he now resides. On leaving the -city of Philadelphia, the professors of the Dental College gave him -letters bearing testimony to his high professional skill and integrity. -Professor Townsend writes, "Dr. Rock is a graduate of a medical -school in this city, and is favorably known, and much respected, by -the profession. Having seen him operate, it gives me great pleasure -to bear my testimony to his superior abilities." Professor J. F. B. -Flagg writes, "I have seen his operations, and have been much pleased -with them. As a scientific man, I shall miss the intercourse which I -have so long enjoyed in his acquaintance." After Mr. R. graduated in -medicine, he practised both of his professions. In 1856, he accepted -an invitation to deliver a lecture on the "Unity of the Human Races," -before the Massachusetts legislature. In 1857, he delivered the -oration on the occasion of the dedication of the new Masonic Temple in -Eleventh Street, Philadelphia. His intense application to study and -to business had so undermined his health that, in the summer of 1856, -he was obliged to give up all business. After several unsuccessful -surgical operations here, and when nearly all hope for the restoration -of his health was gone, he determined to go to France. When he was -ready to go, he applied to the government for a passport. This was -refused, Mr. Cass, then secretary of state, saying in reply, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span> "a -passport had never been granted to a colored man since the foundation -of the government." Mr. Rock went to France, however, and underwent -a severe surgical operation at the hands of the celebrated Nélaton. -Professor Nélaton advised him to give up dentistry altogether; and -as his shattered constitution forbade the exposure necessary for the -practice of medicine, he gave up both, and bent all his energies to -the study of law. In 1860, he accepted an invitation, and delivered -a lecture on the "Character and Writings of Madame De Staël," before -the Massachusetts legislature, which he did "with credit to himself -and satisfaction to the very large audience in attendance." <i>Der -Pionier</i>, a German newspaper, in Boston, said, when commenting on his -criticism of De Staël's "Germany," "This thinking, educated German and -French speaking negro proved himself as learned in German as he is in -French literature." On the 14th of September, 1861, on motion of T. -K. Lothrop, Esq., Dr. Rock was examined in the Superior Court, before -Judge Russell, and admitted to practice as an attorney and counsellor -at law in all the courts of Massachusetts. On the 21st of the same -month Mr. Rock received a commission from the governor and council as a -justice of the peace for seven years for the city of Boston and county -of Suffolk.</p> - -<p>We annex an extract from a speech made by him before the last -anniversary of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.</p> - -<p>"Other countries are held out as homes for us. Why is this? Why is it -that the people from all other countries are invited to come here, and -we are asked to go away? Is it to make room for the refuse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span> population -of Europe? Or why is it that the white people of this country desire -to get rid of us? Does any one pretend to deny that this is <i>our</i> -country? or that much of its wealth and prosperity is the result of the -labor of <i>our</i> hands? or that our blood and bones have crimsoned and -whitened every battle-field from Maine to Louisiana? Why this desire to -get rid of us? Can it be possible that because the nation has robbed -us for more than two centuries, and now finds that she can do it no -longer and preserve a good character among the nations, she, out of -hatred, wishes to banish, because she cannot continue to rob, us? Or -why is it? I will tell you. The free people of color have succeeded in -spite of every thing; and we are to-day a living refutation of that -shameless assertion that we cannot take care of ourselves. Abject as -our condition has been, our whole lives prove us to be superior to the -influences that have been brought to bear upon us to crush us. This -cannot be said of your race when it was oppressed and enslaved. Another -reason is, this nation has wronged us; therefore many hate us. The -Spanish proverb is, 'Since I have wronged you I have never liked you.' -This is true of every class of people. When a man wrongs another, he -not only hates him, but tries to make others dislike him. Unnatural as -this may appear, it is nevertheless true. You may help a man during his -lifetime, and he will speak well of you; but your first refusal will -incur his displeasure, and show you his ingratitude. When he has got -all he can from you, he has no further use for you. When the orange is -squeezed, we throw it aside. The black man is a good fellow while he is -a slave, and toils for nothing; but the moment he claims<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> his own flesh -and blood and bones, he is a most obnoxious creature, and there is a -proposition to get rid of him. He is happy while he remains a poor, -degraded, ignorant slave, without even the right to his own offspring. -While in this condition the master can ride in the same carriage, sleep -in the same bed, and nurse from the same bosom. But give this slave -the right to use his own legs, his hands, his body, and his mind, and -this happy and desirable creature is instantly transformed into a most -loathsome wretch, fit only to be colonized somewhere near the mountains -of the moon, or eternally banished from civilized beings! You must -not lose sight of the fact it is the emancipated slave and the free -colored man that it is proposed to remove—not the slave. This country -is perfectly adapted to negro slavery; it is the free blacks that the -air is not good for! What an idea! a country good for slavery and not -good for freedom! This monstrous idea would be scorned by even a Fejee -Islander."</p> - -<p>As a public speaker Mr. Rock stands deservedly high; his discourses -being generally of an elevated tone, and logically put together. As -a member of the Boston bar, he has thus far succeeded well, and bids -fair to obtain his share of public patronage. In personal appearance -Mr. Rock is tall and of good figure, with a thoughtful countenance, -and a look that indicates the student. In color he is what is termed a -<i>grief</i>, about one remove from the negro. By his own color he has long -been regarded as a representative man.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span></p> - -<h3>WILLIAM DOUGLASS.</h3> - -<p>William Douglass was a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal -denomination, and for a number of years was rector of St. Thomas -Church, Philadelphia. We met Mr. Douglass in England in 1852, and -became impressed with the belief that he was no ordinary man. He had a -finished education, being well versed in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. He -possessed large and philanthropic views, but was extremely diffident, -which gave one the opinion that he was a man of small ability. Being -in Philadelphia in the spring of 1860, we attended the morning service -at his church. When the preacher made his appearance, all eyes were -turned to the pulpit. His figure was prepossessing—a great thing in a -public speaker. Weak, stunted, deformed-looking men labor under much -disadvantage. Mr. Douglass had a commanding look, a clear, musical -voice, and was a splendid reader. He was no dull drone when the service -was over and the sermon had commenced. With downcast eye he read no -moral essay that touched no conscience and fired no heart. On the -contrary, he was spirited in the pulpit. He looked his congregation -in the face; he directed his discourse to them. He took care that -not a single word should lose its aim. No one fell asleep while he -was speaking, but all seemed intensely interested in the subject in -hand. Mr. Douglass was a general favorite with the people of his own -city, and especially the members of his society. He was a talented -writer, and published, a few years ago, a volume of sermons,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> which -are filled with gems of thought and original ideas. A feeling of deep -piety and humanity runs through the entire book. Mr. Douglass was of -unmixed blood, gentlemanly in his manners, chaste in conversation, -and social in private life. Though not active in public affairs, he -was, nevertheless, interested in all that concerned the freedom and -elevation of his race. He visited England and the West Indies some -years ago, and had an extensive acquaintance beyond the limits of his -own country. Mr. Douglass was respected and esteemed by the white -clergy of Philadelphia, who were forced to acknowledge his splendid -abilities.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>ELYMAS PAYSON ROGERS.</h3> - -<p>E. P. Rogers, a clergyman of the Presbyterian order, and pastor of -a church at Newark, New Jersey, was a man of education, research, -and literary ability. He was not a fluent and easy speaker, but he -was logical, and spoke with a degree of refinement seldom met with. -He possessed poetical genius of no mean order, and his poem on the -"Missouri Compromise," which he read in many of the New England cities -and towns in 1856, contains brilliant thoughts and amusing suggestions. -The following on <i>Truth</i> is not without point:—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"When Truth is girded for the fight,</div> -<div>And draws her weapons keen and bright,</div> -<div>And lifts aloft her burnished shield,</div> -<div>Her godlike influence to wield,</div> -<div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span>If victory in that self-same hour</div> -<div>Is not accomplished by her power,</div> -<div>She'll not retreat nor flee away,</div> -<div>But win the field another day.</div> -<div>She will with majesty arise,</div> -<div>Seize her traducers by surprise,</div> -<div>And by her overwhelming might</div> -<div>Will put her deadly foes to flight."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The allusion to the threat of the south against the north is a happy -one, in connection with the rebellion.</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"I'll show my power the country through,</div> -<div>And will the factious north subdue;</div> -<div>And Massachusetts shall obey,</div> -<div>And yield to my increasing sway.</div> -<div>She counts her patriotic deeds,</div> -<div>But scatters her disunion seeds;</div> -<div>She proudly tells us of the tea</div> -<div>Sunk by her worthies in the sea,</div> -<div>And then she talks more proudly still</div> -<div>Of Lexington and Bunker Hill;</div> -<div>But on that hill, o'er patriots' graves,</div> -<div>I'll yet enroll my negro slaves.</div> -<div>I may have trouble, it is true,</div> -<div>But still I'll put the rebels through,</div> -<div>And make her statesmen bow the knee,</div> -<div>Yield to my claims, and honor me.</div> -<div>And though among them I shall find</div> -<div>The learned, the brilliant, and refined,</div> -<div>If on me they shall e'er reflect,</div> -<div>No senate chamber shall protect</div> -<div>Their guilty pates and heated brains,</div> -<div>From hideous gutta percha canes."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span></p> - -<p>The election of N. P. Banks, as speaker of the House of Representatives, -is mentioned in the succeeding lines:—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"But recently the north drove back</div> -<div>The southern tyrants from the track,</div> -<div>And put to flight their boasting ranks,</div> -<div>And gave the speaker's chair to Banks."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Mr. Rogers was of unmixed race, genteel in appearance, forehead large -and well developed, fine figure, and pleasing in his manners. Anxious -to benefit his race, he visited Africa in 1861, was attacked with the -fever, and died in a few days. No man was more respected by all classes -than he. His genial influence did much to soften down the pro-slavery -feeling which existed in the city where he resided.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>J. THEODORE HOLLY.</h3> - -<p>If there is any man living who is more devoted to the idea of a "Negro -Nationality" than Dr. Delany, that man is J. Theodore Holly. Possessing -a good education, a retentive memory, and being of studious habits, -Mr. Holly has brought himself up to a point of culture not often -attained by men even in the higher walks of life. Unadulterated in -race, devotedly attached to Africa and her descendants, he has made -a "Negro Nationality" a matter of much thought and study. He paid a -visit to Hayti in 1858 or 1859, returned home, and afterwards preached, -lectured, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span> wrote in favor of Haytian emigration. In concluding a -long essay on this subject, in the <i>Anglo-African Magazine</i>, he says,—</p> - -<p>"From these thoughts it will be seen that whatsoever is to be the -future destiny of the descendants of Africa, Hayti certainly holds the -most important relation to that destiny. And if we were to be reduced -to the dread alternative of having her historic fame blotted out of -existence, or that celebrity which may have been acquired elsewhere by -all the rest of our race combined, we should say, Preserve the name, -the fame, and the sovereign existence of Hayti, though every thing else -shall perish. Yes, let Britain and France undermine, if they will, -the enfranchisement which they gave to their West Indian slaves, by -their present apprenticeship system; let the lone star of Liberia, -placed in the firmament of nationalities by a questionable system of -American philanthropy, go out in darkness; let the opening resources -of Central Africa be again shut up in their wonted seclusion; let -the names and deeds of our Nat Turners, Denmark Veseys, Penningtons, -Delanys, Douglasses, and Smiths be forgotten forever; but never let the -self-emancipating deeds of the Haytian people be effaced; never let -her heroically achieved nationality be brought low; no, never let the -names of her Toussaint, her Dessalines, her Rigaud, her Christophe, and -her Petion be forgotten, or blotted out from the historic pages of the -world's history."</p> - -<p>Mr. Holly is a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal order, and for -several years was pastor of a church at New Haven, Connecticut, where -he sustained the reputation of being an interesting and eloquent -preacher.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> His reading is at times rapid, yet clear and emphatic. He -seems to aim more at what he says than how he says it; and if you -listen, you will find food for thought in every phrase. As a writer he -is forcible and argumentative, but never dull. In person, Mr. Holly is -of the ordinary size, has a bright eye, agreeable countenance, form -erect, voice clear and mellow. He uses good language, is precise in his -manners, and wears the air of a gentleman. Infatuated with the idea of -a home in Hayti, he raised a colony and sailed for Port au Prince in -the spring of 1861. He was unfortunate in the selection of a location, -and the most of those who went out with him, including his own family, -died during their first six months on the island. Mr. Holly has -recently returned to the United States. Whether he intends to remain or -not, we are not informed.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JAMES W. C. PENNINGTON.</h3> - -<p>Dr. Pennington was born a slave on the farm of Colonel Gordon, in the -State of Maryland. His early life was not unlike the common lot of -the bondmen of the Middle States. He was by trade a blacksmith, which -increased his value to his owner. He had no opportunities for learning, -and was ignorant of letters when he made his escape to the north. -Through intense application to books, he gained, as far as it was -possible, what slavery had deprived him of in his younger days. But he -always felt the early blight upon his soul.</p> - -<p>Dr. Pennington had not been free long ere he turned his attention -to theology, and became an efficient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> preacher in the Presbyterian -denomination. He was several years settled over a church at Hartford, -Conn. He has been in Europe three times, his second visit being the -most important, as he remained there three or four years, preaching -and lecturing, during which time he attended the Peace Congresses held -at Paris, Brussels, and London. While in Germany, the degree of Doctor -of Divinity was conferred upon him by the University of Heidelberg. On -his return to the United States he received a call, and was settled as -pastor over Shiloh Church, New York city.</p> - -<p>The doctor has been a good student, is a ripe scholar, and is deeply -versed in theology. While at Paris, in 1849, we, with the American -and English delegates to the Peace Congress, attended divine service -at the Protestant Church, where Dr. Pennington had been invited to -preach. His sermon on that occasion was an eloquent production, made a -marked impression on his hearers, and created upon the minds of all a -more elevated idea of the abilities of the negro. In past years he has -labored zealously and successfully for the education and moral, social, -and religious elevation of his race. The doctor is unadulterated in -blood, with strongly-marked African features; in stature he is of the -common size, slightly inclined to corpulency, with an athletic frame -and a good constitution. The fact that Dr. Pennington is considered -a good Greek, Latin, and German scholar, although his early life was -spent in slavery, is not more strange than that Henry Diaz, the black -commander in Brazil, is extolled in all the histories of that country -as one of the most sagacious and talented men and experienced officers -of whom they could boast; nor that Hannibal, an African,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> gained by his -own exertion a good education, and rose to be a lieutenant-general and -director of artillery under Peter the Great; nor that Don Juan Latino, -a negro, became teacher of the Latin language at Seville; nor that -Anthony William Amo, a native of Guinea, took the degree of Doctor of -Philosophy at the University of Wittenburg; nor that James J. Capetein, -fresh from the coast of Africa, became master of the Latin, Greek, -Hebrew, and Chaldaic languages; nor that James Derham, an imported -negro, should, by his own genius and energy, be considered one of the -ablest physicians in New Orleans, and of whom Dr. Rush says, "I found -him very learned. I thought I could give him information concerning -the treatment of diseases; but I learned more from him than he could -expect from me." We might easily extend the catalogue, for we have -abundant materials. Blumenbach boldly affirms of the negro, "There is -no savage people who have distinguished themselves by such examples of -perfectibility and capacity for scientific cultivation."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>A MAN WITHOUT A NAME.</h3> - -<p>It was in the month of December, 1852, while Colonel Rice and family -were seated around a bright wood fire, whose blaze lighted up the large -dining room in their old mansion, situated ten miles from Dayton, in -the State of Ohio, that they heard a knock at the door, which was -answered by the familiar "Come in" that always greets the stranger in -the Western States. Squire Loomis walked in and took a seat on one -of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span> the three rocking-chairs, which had been made vacant by the young -folks, who rose to give place to their highly influential and wealthy -neighbor. It was a beautiful night; the sky was clear, the wind had -hushed its deep moanings, the most brilliant of the starry throng stood -out in bold relief, despite the superior light of the moon. "I see -some one standing at the gate," said Mrs. Rice, as she left the window -and came nearer the fire. "I'll go out and see who it is," exclaimed -George, as he quitted his chair and started for the door. The latter -soon returned and whispered to his father, and both left the room, -evincing that something unusual was at hand. Not many minutes elapsed, -however, before the father and son entered, accompanied by a young -man, whose complexion showed plainly that other than Anglo-Saxon blood -coursed through his veins. The whole company rose, and the stranger -was invited to draw near to the fire. Question after question was now -pressed upon the new-comer by the colonel and the squire, but without -eliciting satisfactory replies.</p> - -<p>"You need not be afraid, my friend," said the host, as he looked -intently in the colored man's face, "to tell where you are from and to -what place you are going. If you are a fugitive, as I suspect, give us -your story, and we will protect and defend you to the last."</p> - -<p>Taking courage from these kind remarks, the mulatto said, "I was born, -sir, in the State of Kentucky, and raised in Missouri. My master -was my father; my mother was his slave. That, sir, accounts for the -fairness of my complexion. As soon as I was old enough to labor I was -taken into my master's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> dwelling as a servant, to attend upon the -family. My mistress, aware of my near relationship to her husband, -felt humiliated, and often in her anger would punish me severely for -no cause whatever. My near approach to the Anglo-Saxon aroused the -jealousy and hatred of the overseer, and he flogged me, as he said, to -make me know my place. My fellow-slaves hated me because I was whiter -than themselves. Thus my complexion was construed into a crime, and -I was made to curse my father for the Anglo-Saxon blood that courses -through my veins.</p> - -<p>"My master raised slaves to supply the southern market, and every year -some of my companions were sold to the slave-traders and taken farther -south. Husbands were separated from their wives, and children torn from -the arms of their agonizing mothers. These outrages were committed by -the man whom nature compelled me to look upon as my father. My mother -and brothers were sold and taken away from me; still I bore all, and -made no attempt to escape, for I yet had near me an only sister, whom I -dearly loved. At last, the negro driver attempted to rob my sister of -her virtue. She appealed to me for protection. Her innocence, beauty, -and tears were enough to stir the stoutest heart. My own, filled with -grief and indignation, swelled within me as though it would burst or -leap from my bosom. My tears refused to flow: the fever in my brain -dried them up. I could stand it no longer. I seized the wretch by the -throat, and hurled him to the ground; and with this strong arm I paid -him for old and new. The next day I was tried by a jury of slaveholders -for the crime of having within me the heart of a man, and protecting -my sister<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span> from the licentious embrace of a libertine. And—would -you believe it, sir?—that jury of enlightened Americans,—yes, sir, -Christian Americans,—after <i>grave</i> deliberation, decided that I had -broken the laws, and sentenced me to receive five hundred lashes upon -my bare back. But, sir, I escaped from them the night before I was to -have been flogged.</p> - -<p>"Afraid of being arrested and taken back, I remained the following day -hid away in a secluded spot on the banks of the Mississippi River, -protected from the gaze of man by the large trees and thick cane-brakes -that sheltered me. I waited for the coming of another night. All was -silence around me, save the sweet chant of the feathered songsters in -the forest, or the musical ripple of the eddying waters at my feet. -I watched the majestic bluffs as they gradually faded away, through -the gray twilight, from the face of day into the darker shades of -night. I then turned to the rising moon as it peered above, ascending -the deep blue ether, high in the heavens, casting its mellow rays -over the surrounding landscape, and gilding the smooth surface of the -noble river with its silvery hue. I viewed with interest the stars -as they appeared, one after another, in the firmament. It was then -and there that I studied nature in its lonely grandeur, and saw in it -the goodness of God, and felt that He who created so much beauty, and -permitted the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field to roam at -large and be free, never intended that man should be the slave of his -fellow-man. I resolved that I would be a bondman no longer; and, taking -for my guide the <i>north star</i>, I started for Canada, the negro's land -of liberty. For many weeks I travelled by night, and lay by during<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span> the -day. O, how often, while hid away in the forest, waiting for nightfall, -have I thought of the beautiful lines I once heard a stranger recite:—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>'O, hail Columbia! happy land!</div> -<div class="i1">The cradle land of liberty!</div> -<div>Where none but negroes bear the brand,</div> -<div class="i1">Or feel the lash of slavery.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> -<div>'Then let the glorious anthem peal,</div> -<div class="i1">And drown "Britannia rules the waves:"</div> -<div>Strike up the song that men can feel—</div> -<div class="i1">"Columbia rules four million slaves!"'</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>"At last I arrived at a depot of the Underground Railroad, took the -<i>express train</i>, and here I am."</p> - -<p>"You are welcome," said Colonel Rice, as he rose from his chair, walked -to the window and looked out, as if apprehensive that the fugitive's -pursuers were near by. "You are welcome," continued he; "and I will aid -you on your way to Canada, for you are not safe here."</p> - -<p>"Are you not afraid of breaking the laws by assisting this man to -escape?" remarked Squire Loomis.</p> - -<p>"I care not for laws when they stand in the way of humanity," replied -the colonel.</p> - -<p>"If you aid him in reaching Canada, and we should ever have a war with -England, may be he'll take up arms and fight against his own country," -said the squire.</p> - -<p>The fugitive eyed the law-abiding man attentively for a moment, and -then exclaimed, "Take up arms against my country? What country, sir, -have I? The Supreme Court of the United States, and the laws of the -south, doom me to be the slave of another. There is not a foot of -soil over which the <i>stars and stripes</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span> wave, where I can stand and -be protected by law. I've seen my mother sold in the cattle market. I -looked upon my brothers as they were driven away in chains by the slave -speculator. The heavy negro whip has been applied to my own shoulders -until its biting lash sunk deep into my quivering flesh. Still, sir, -you call this my country. True, true, I was born in this land. My -grandfather fought in the revolutionary war; my own father was in the -war of 1812. Still, sir, I am a slave, a chattel, a thing, a piece -of property. I've been sold in the market with horses and swine; the -initials of my master's name are branded deep in this arm. Still, sir, -you call this my country. And, now that I am making my escape, you feel -afraid, if I reach Canada, and there should be war with England, that -I will take up arms against my own country. Sir, I have no country but -the grave; and I'll seek freedom there before I will again be taken -back to slavery. There is no justice for me at the south; every right -of my race is trampled in the dust, until humanity bleeds at every -pore. I am bound for Canada, and woe to him that shall attempt to -arrest me. If it comes to the worst, I will die fighting for freedom."</p> - -<p>"I honor you for your courage," exclaimed Squire Loomis, as he sprang -from his seat, and walked rapidly to and fro through the room. "It is -too bad," continued he, "that such men should be enslaved in a land -whose Declaration of Independence proclaims all men to be free and -equal. I will aid you in any thing that I can. What is your name?"</p> - -<p>"I have no name," said the fugitive. "I once had a name,—it was -William,—but my master's nephew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span> came to live with him, and as I was a -house servant, and the young master and I would, at times, get confused -in the same name, orders were given for me to change mine. From that -moment, I resolved that, as slavery had robbed me of my liberty and my -name, I would not attempt to have another till I was free. So, sir, for -once you have a man standing before you without a name."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>SAMUEL R. WARD.</h3> - -<p>Few public speakers exercised greater influence in the pulpit and on -the platform, in behalf of human freedom, than did Samuel R. Ward, in -the early days of abolition agitation. From 1840 up to the passage -of the Fugitive Slave Law, in 1850, he either preached or lectured -in every church, hall, or school house in Western and Central New -York. Endowed with superior mental powers, and having, through the -aid of Hon. Gerrit Smith, obtained a good education, and being a -close student, Mr. Ward's intellectual faculties are well developed. -He was, for several years, settled over a white congregation, of the -Presbyterian order, at South Butler, N. Y., where he preached with -great acceptance, and was highly respected. As a speaker, he was -justly held up as one of the ablest men, white or black, in the United -States. The first time we ever heard him, (in 1842,) he was announced -in the advertisement as "the black Daniel Webster." Standing above -six feet in height, possessing a strong voice, and energetic in his -gestures, Mr. Ward always impressed his highly finished and logical -speeches upon his hearers. No<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span> detractor of the negro's abilities ever -attributed his talents to his having Anglo-Saxon blood in his veins. As -a black man, Mr. Ward was never ashamed of his complexion, but rather -appeared to feel proud of it. When Captain Rynders and his followers -took possession of the platform of the American Anti-Slavery Society, -at their anniversary, in New York, in the spring of 1852, Frederick -Douglass rose to defend the rights of the Association and the liberty -of speech. Rynders objected to the speaker upon the ground that he was -not a negro, but half white. Ward, being present, came forward, amid -great applause, and the rowdy leader had to "knock under," and confess -that genuine eloquence was not confined to the white man. William J. -Wilson says of Ward, "Ideas form the basis of all Mr. Ward utters. If -words and ideas are not inseparable, then, as mortar is to the stones -that compose the building, so are his words to his ideas. In this, I -judge, lies Mr. Ward's greatest strength. Concise without abruptness; -without extraordinary stress, always clear and forcible; if sparing of -ornament, never inelegant,—in all, there appears a consciousness of -strength, developed by close study and deep reflection, and only put -forth because the occasion demands it. His appeals are directed rather -to the understanding than the imagination; but so forcibly do they take -possession of it, that the heart unhesitatingly yields."</p> - -<p>Mr. Ward visited England in 1852, where he was regarded as an eloquent -advocate of the rights of his race. He now resides at Kingston, Jamaica.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span></p> - -<h3>SIR EDWARD JORDAN.</h3> - -<p>Edward Jordan was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in the year 1798. After -quitting school he entered a clothing store as a clerk; but his deep -hatred to slavery, and the political and social outrages committed upon -the free colored men, preyed upon his mind to such an extent that, in -1826, he associated himself with Robert Osborn, in the publication -of <i>The Watchman</i>, a weekly newspaper devoted to the freedom and -enfranchisement of the people of color. His journal was conducted -with marked ability, and Mr. Jordan soon began to wield a tremendous -influence against the slave power. While absent from his editorial -duties, in 1830, an article appeared in <i>The Watchman</i>, upon which its -editor was indicted for constructive treason. He was at once arrested, -placed in the dock, and arraigned for trial. He pleaded "not guilty," -and asked for time to prepare for his defence. The plea was allowed, -and the case was traversed to the next court. The trial came on at the -appointed time; the jury was packed, for the pro-slavery element had -determined on the conviction of the distinguished advocate of liberty. -The whole city appeared to be lost to every thing but the proceedings -of the assize. It was feared, that, if convicted, a riot would be the -result, and the authorities prepared for this. A vessel of war was -brought up abreast of the city, the guns of which were pointed up one -of the principal streets, and at almost every avenue leading to the -sea, a merchant vessel was moored, armed at least with one great gun, -pointing in a similar <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span>direction, to rake the streets from bottom to -top. A detachment of soldiers was kept under arms, with orders to be -ready for action at a moment's warning. The officers of the court, -including the judge, entered upon their duties, armed with pistols; -and the sheriff was instructed to shoot the prisoner in the dock if a -rescue was attempted. If convicted, Mr. Jordan's punishment was to be -death. Happily for all, the verdict was "not guilty." The acquittal of -the editor of <i>The Watchman</i> carried disappointment and dismay into -the ranks of the slave oligarchy, while it gave a new impetus to the -anti-slavery cause, both in Jamaica and in Great Britain, and which -culminated in the abolition of slavery on the 1st of August, 1834. The -following year, Mr. Jordan was elected member of the Assembly for the -city of Kingston, which he still represents. About this time, <i>The -Watchman</i> was converted into a daily paper, under the title of <i>The -Morning Journal</i>, still in existence, and owned by Jordan and Osborn. -In 1853, Mr. Jordan was elected mayor of his native city without -opposition, which office he still holds. He was recently chosen premier -of the island and president of the privy council.</p> - -<p>No man is more respected in the Assembly than Mr. Jordan, and reform -measures offered by him are often carried through the house, owing to -the respect the members have for the introducer. In the year 1860, the -honorable gentleman was elevated to the dignity of knighthood by the -Queen. Sir Edward Jordan has ever been regarded as an honest, upright, -and temperate man. In a literary point of view, he is considered one of -the first men in Jamaica.</p> - -<p>It is indeed a cheering sign for the negro to look<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span> at one of his race, -who, a few years ago, was tried for his life in a city in which he is -now the chief magistrate, inspector of the prison in which he was once -incarcerated, and occupying a seat in the legislature by the side of -the white man who ejected him from his position as a clerk, on account -of his color. To those who say that the two races cannot live in peace -together, we point to the Jamaica Assembly, with more than half of its -members colored; and to all who think that the negro is only fit for -servitude, we reply by saying, Look at Sir Edward Jordan.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JOSEPH CARTER.</h3> - -<p>The subject of this sketch is a native of the city of Bridgetown, -Barbadoes, where he was born on the 16th of February, 1831. At the -early age of eleven years, he was apprenticed to William Howell, a -cabinet-maker of his native place. The boy showed so much genius and -skill even at this tender age, that he excited an interest in his -behalf, which culminated in his becoming the ward of Miss Hayes, a -talented lady, of English origin, whose guardianship of young Carter -did much to pave the way for the development of his hidden powers. -In his seventeenth year, Joseph came to the States in company with -his guardian, and settled in the city of Philadelphia, where he now -resides. Buoyant with hopes, knowing his own capacity, and aspiring in -his nature, the young man went forth in search of employment, little -dreaming of the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span>insurmountable prejudice which every man of his color -has to meet in this country, and more especially in cities in the -border states. In vain he went from shop to shop, appealing for simple -justice, feeling confident that if once in employment, he could keep -his situation by his ability as a workman. Wherever he appeared before -a manufacturer, the reply was, "I would hire you if my hands, who are -white, would not leave me." This calls to mind an incident that was -related to me by a master gilder in Sixth Street, Philadelphia, a -few years since. I had stepped into his place to purchase a picture -frame, when, on learning that I was from Boston, he inquired if I was -acquainted with Jacob R. Andrews. I replied that I was. "Then," said -he, "do you see that bench there?" "Yes." "There was where he learned -his trade." "Was he apprenticed to you?" I inquired. "No," said he; -"he came to me, wishing to learn the business: my men refused to work -in the same room with him, although he was as white as most of them. -So, rather than turn him away, I put up a table there, and set him -to work. In a short time he was able to turn out as good a job as -any man in the establishment. He worked for me several years, and I -must say that I never had a better workman, or a more reliable man -in every respect, than he. Andrews often waited on my customers in -my absence, and, whether at the bench at work or behind the counter, -he was always the gentleman." I was pleased to hear so favorable -an account of Mr. Andrews, for I had formed a high opinion of him, -both as a man of integrity and a mechanic. He is now a flourishing -manufacturer himself, in Beach Street, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span>Boston, where he can count -among his patrons some of the first families in the city. Mr. Carter, -therefore, had energy similar to Mr. Andrews, and kept applying till he -obtained work. A writer, to whom I am indebted for the early history -of my subject, says, "Two years after his arrival we find Carter in -business, manufacturing all sorts of furniture, from a pine table to -the rarest cabinet. In 1859 we find him building organs for churches. -One of the principal churches in this city (Philadelphia) has an organ -manufactured by him. The whole work is done by his own hands; the rough -stuff enters his establishment, and leaves it a perfect specimen of -art and ingenuity, pure and mellow in tone, and polished, and carved, -and elegantly finished. Unlike those extensive manufactories having -branches and departments for fashioning the various portions of such -instruments, his has none. You know it is said of the ancient Egyptians -that their sculpture had an odd and awkward appearance, because their -sculptors never chiselled out an entire figure. Some made the arms, -some the legs, some the body, some the head. Perhaps Mr. Carter has -the advantage of more extensive manufacturers by giving uniqueness -and symmetry to his instruments. He is now making a very large one to -order, having nine stops and pedals. The one he proposes to send to -the Art Exhibition is an elaborately finished one of five stops and -pedals, of walnut, carved, gothic style, and of exceeding richness of -tone. This business he has taken up without ever receiving an hour's -instruction. He was imperceptibly drawn into it through a fondness for -music. He purchased a melodeon for his own use<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span> and amusement, and -feeling the want of more stops and pedals, set about the work; and this -attempt not being satisfactory, he built an organ which proved to be a -very excellent one."</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>JAMES LAWSON.</h3> - -<p>James Lawson was born in slavery in the State of Virginia, where, for -many years, he was the chief man on his master's plantation; and when -the rebellion broke out, the rebel owner felt sure, from James's former -fidelity, that he would stand by him in that contest. So confident was -he of this, that he sent the chattel to an important military station -with the following recommendation: "You may trust Jim in any way that -you can use him, for he has been my slave fourteen years, and I never -knew him to deceive me or any member of my family. Indeed, I have more -respect, esteem, and good feeling for him, and more confidence in -his integrity, than any white man of my acquaintance. He is able to -undertake any affair, of either great or small importance."</p> - -<p>When the history of the "Slaveholders' Rebellion" shall be impartially -written, it will be found that no class has done more good service -to the Union cause, and were more reliable in every respect, than -those who had formerly been slaves. A correspondent of the "New York -Times," writing from the head-quarters of the army of the Potomac, -July 29, 1862, says, "Some of the most valuable information McClellan -has <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span>received in regard to the position, movements and plans of the -enemy, the topography of the country, and the inclination of certain -inhabitants, has been obtained through contrabands. Even spies and -traitors have been detected, and brought before the proper authorities, -upon evidence furnished by this much-abused, but generally loyal class -of people."</p> - -<p>Probably no ten men have done so much in the way of giving information -and performing daring acts in the enemy's immediate locality, as James -Lawson. At one time we find him mounted on horseback, riding with the -commanding general and his staff, piloting the Union forces through -the enemy's country, and at another heading a scouting party, and -saving them all from capture, by his superior knowledge of the district -through which they travelled. After doing considerable service for the -army, "Jim," as he was generally called, shipped on board the flag -gunboat Freeborn, Lieutenant Samuel Magaw commanding. An officer from -that vessel says of Jim, "He furnished Captain Magaw with much valuable -intelligence concerning the rebel movements, and, from his quiet, -every-day behavior, soon won the esteem of the commanding officer.</p> - -<p>"Captain Magaw, shortly after Jim's arrival on board the Freeborn, -sent him upon a scouting tour through the rebel fortifications, more -to test his reliability than any thing else; and the mission, although -fraught with great danger, was executed by Jim in the most faithful -manner. Again Jim was sent into Virginia, landing at the White House, -below Mount Vernon, and going into the interior for several miles, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span>encountering the fire of picket guards and posted sentries, returned -in safety to the shore, and was brought off in the captain's gig, under -the fire of the rebel musketry.</p> - -<p>"Jim had a wife and four children at that time still in Virginia. They -belonged to the same man as Jim did. He was anxious to get them; yet it -seemed impossible. One day in January Jim came to the captain's room -and asked for permission to be landed that evening on the Virginia -side, as he wished to bring off his family. 'Why, Jim,' said Captain -Magaw, 'how will you be able to pass the pickets?'</p> - -<p>"'I want to try, captain. I think I can get 'em over safely,' meekly -replied Jim.</p> - -<p>"'Well, you have my permission;' and Captain Magaw ordered one of the -gunboats to land Jim that night on whatever part of the shore Jim -designated, and return for him the following evening.</p> - -<p>"True to his appointment, Jim was at the spot with his wife and family, -and were taken on board the gunboat, and brought over to Liverpool -Point, where Colonel Graham had given them a log house to live in, just -back of his own quarters. Jim ran the gantlet of the sentries unharmed, -never taking to the roads, but keeping in the woods, every foot-path of -which, and almost every tree, he knew from his boyhood up.</p> - -<p>"Several weeks afterwards, another reconnoissance was planned, and -Jim sent on it. He returned in safety, and was highly complimented by -Generals Hooker, Sickles, and the entire flotilla.</p> - -<p>"On Thursday, a week ago, it became necessary to obtain correct -information of the enemy's movements.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> Since then, batteries at -Shipping and Cockpit Points had been evacuated, and their troops moved -to Fredericksburg. Jim was the man picked out for the occasion by -General Sickles and Captain Magaw. The general came down to Colonel -Graham's quarters about nine in the evening, and sent for Jim. There -were present the general, Colonel Graham, and myself. Jim came into the -colonel's.</p> - -<p>"'Jim,' said the general, 'I want you to go over to Virginia to-night -and find out what forces they have at Aquia Creek and Fredericksburg. -If you want any men to accompany you, pick them out.'</p> - -<p>"'I know two men that would like to go,' Jim answered.</p> - -<p>"'Well, get them and be back as soon as possible.'</p> - -<p>"Away went Jim over to the contraband camp, and returning almost -immediately, brought into our presence two very intelligent looking men.</p> - -<p>"'Are you all ready?' inquired the general.</p> - -<p>"'All ready, sir,' the trio responded.</p> - -<p>"'Well, here, Jim, you take my pistol,' said General Sickles, -unbuckling it from his belt, 'and if you are successful, I will give -you a hundred dollars.'</p> - -<p>"Jim hoped he would be, and bidding us good by, started off for the -gunboat Satellite, Captain Foster, who landed them a short distance -below the Potomac Creek Batteries. They were to return early in the -morning, but were unable, from the great distance they went in the -interior. Long before daylight on Saturday morning the gunboat was -lying off the appointed place.</p> - -<p>"As the day dawned, Captain Foster discovered a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span> mounted picket guard -near the beach, and almost at the same instant saw Jim to the left of -them, in the woods, sighting his gun at the rebel cavalry. He ordered -the 'gig' to be manned and rowed to the shore. The rebels moved along -slowly, thinking to intercept the boat, when Foster gave them a shell, -which scattered them. Jim, with only one of his original companions, -and two fresh contrabands, came on board. Jim had <i>lost the other</i>. He -had been challenged by a picket when some distance in advance of Jim, -and the negro, instead of answering the summons, fired the contents of -Sickles's revolver at the picket. It was an unfortunate occurrence, for -at that time the entire picket guard rushed out of a small house near -the spot, and fired the contents of their muskets at Jim's companion, -killing him instantly. Jim and the other three hid themselves in a -hollow, near a fence, and after the pickets gave up pursuit, crept -through the woods to the shore. From the close proximity of the rebel -pickets, Jim could not display a light, which was the signal for Foster -to send a boat.</p> - -<p>"Captain Foster, after hearing Jim's story of the shooting of his -companion, determined to avenge his death; so, steaming his vessel -close in to the shore, he sighted his guns for a barn, which the rebel -cavalry were hiding behind. He fired two shells: one went right through -the barn, killing four of the rebels and seven of their horses. Captain -Foster, seeing the effect of his shots, said to Jim, who stood by, -'Well, Jim, I've avenged the death of poor Cornelius' (the name of -Jim's lost companion). </p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span></p> - -<p>"General Hooker has transmitted to the war department an account of -Jim's reconnoissance to Fredericksburg, and unites with the army and -navy stationed on the left wing of the Potomac, in the hope that the -government will present Jim with a fitting recompense for his gallant -services."</p> - -<p>The gunboat soon after was ordered to Newbern, N. C., where James -Lawson was again to be the centre of attraction, but in a new -character. Anxious that his fellow-slaves (many of whom had shipped -in the same vessel) should excel as oarsmen, he was frequently out -practising with them, until a race was agreed upon, in which the blacks -were to pull against the whites. A correspondent of the "New York -Times" gives the following as the result:—</p> - -<p>"One of the two boats entered was manned by six contraband seamen, -beautifully attired in man-of-war costume, and the other was manned by -eight white seamen, who were considered the crack crew of these waters. -Distance was offered the contraband crew, who had only been seamen some -three months; but their captain refused to accept of any advantage -whatever, and insisted on giving the white seamen the advantage of -two men. Every thing being in readiness, the word was given, and off -went the boats, throwing the crowd, white and black, into the most -intense excitement. Judge of the astonishment of all, when the boat -containing the contrabands was seen to turn the mile post first; and -great was the excitement and deafening were the cheers as they came in -some three rods in advance of the white crew, who were dripping with -perspiration, and thoroughly mortified at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span> unexpected result. They -were inclined to think the contest an unfair one, until the captain of -the contrabands offered to renew the race by having the crews exchange -boats, which proposition was not accepted by the white seamen for fear -of a like result. The captain said his contrabands could not only pull -a small boat faster and with more steadiness than the same number of -white seamen, but that they, with others he had on board, could man his -big guns with more agility and skill in time of action than any white -seamen he had ever seen."</p> - -<p>Mr. Lawson, at last accounts, was holding a prominent office in General -Foster's command.</p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/line.jpg" alt="line" /></div> - -<h3>CAPTAIN CALLIOUX.</h3> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"In war was never lion's rage so fierce;</div> -<div>In peace was never gentle lamb more mild."</div> -<div class="right"><span class="smcap">Shakspeare.</span></div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Revolutions are occasioned by the growth of society beyond the growth -of government, and they will be peaceful or violent just in proportion -as the people and government shall be wise and virtuous or vicious -and ignorant. Such revolutions or reforms are generally of a peaceful -nature in communities in which the government has made provision for -the gradual expansion of its institutions, to suit the onward march -of society. No government is wise in overlooking, whatever may be the -strength of its own traditions, or however glorious its history, that -human institutions will outlive their time; that those institutions -which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span> have been adapted for a barbarous state of society, will cease -to be adapted for more civilized and intelligent times; and unless -government make a provision for the gradual expansion, nothing can -prevent a storm, either of an intellectual or a physical nature.</p> - -<p>The great American rebellion, therefore, is a legitimate revolution -growing out of the incongruity of freedom and slavery; and the first -gun fired at Sumter was hailed by every true friend of freedom, and -especially the negro, as the dawn of a brighter day for the black -man. But it was evident, from the commencement of the clash of arms, -that the despised race was to take no part in their exercise, unless -the Federal authorities were forced into it by the magnitude of the -rebellion. His services refused by the Federal government, all classes -declaring that they would not "<i>fight by the side of a nigger</i>," the -black man had nothing to do but to fold his arms and bide his time. -Defeat after defeat appeared to make no change in the pro-slavery -public mind, for the nation seemed determined to perish rather than -receive help from a black hand. The rout at Bull Run, the sad affair -at Ball's Bluff, the unfortunate mistake at Big Bethel, the loss of -100,000 brave men during the first fifteen months of the rebellion, and -the display of Copperhead feeling in the Northern States, caused the -far-seeing ones to feel that the ship of state was fast drifting to sea -without a rudder. The announcement that a proclamation of emancipation -would be issued on the 1st of January, 1863, brought forth a howl of -denunciation from those who despised the negro more than they did the -rebels. Still the cry rose from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span> the majority, "Let the republic perish -rather than see the nigger in uniform."</p> - -<p>All this time, the black man was silently, yet steadily, creating an -under-current, which was, at a later day, to carry him to the battle -field. The heroic act of Tillman on the high seas, the "<i>strategy</i>" -of Captain Small in taking the Planter past the guns of Sumter, and -the reliable intelligence conveyed to the Union army by "intelligent -contrabands,"—all tended to soften the negro hate, and to pave the way -for justice. All honor to the "New York Tribune," for its noble defence -of my race, and its advocacy of the black man's right to bear arms. -The organization of negro regiments once begun by General Hunter, soon -found favor with the more liberal portion of the northern people.</p> - -<p>By and by, that brave, generous, and highly cultivated scholar, -gentleman, and Christian, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, lent the -influence of his name, and accepted an office in the first South -Carolina regiment, made an excursion into the heart of slavery, met the -rebels and defeated them with his negro soldiers, and reported through -the public journals what he had witnessed of the black man's ability on -the field of battle. Then the tide begun to turn.</p> - -<p>The announcement that a regiment of colored soldiers was to be raised -in Massachusetts, created another sensation among the Copperheads, -and no means were left unused to deter them from enlisting. An early -prejudice was brought against the movement, owing to the fact that -the commissioned officers were white, and no door was to be opened -to the black<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span> man's elevation. Would colored men enlist under such -restrictions? was a question asked in every circle. All admitted that -they had no inducement, save that of a wish to aid in freeing their -brethren of the south.</p> - -<p>Disfranchised in a majority of the free states, laboring under an -inhuman and withering prejudice, shut out of the political, religious, -and social associations of the nation, the black man's case was a hard -one. In the past, every weapon that genius or ignorance could invent or -command had been turned against him. Missiles had been hurled at his -devoted head from every quarter.</p> - -<p>The pulpit, the platform, and the press, had all united against him. -The statesman in the councils of the nation had lowered his standard -in his attempts to dehumanize the negro; the scholar had forgotten -his calling while turning aside to coin epithets against the race. -All of this he would have to forget before he could accept the musket -and the knapsack. Yet he did forget all, and in a few short days -the Massachusetts fifty-fourth regiment stood before the country as -another evidence of the black man's fidelity and patriotism. It is but -simple justice to say of this regiment, that the adjutant general, -on its departure for the seat of war, paid it the high compliment of -being the most sober and well behaved, and of having cost less for its -organization, than any regiment that had left the commonwealth, and -that it was better drilled than all, except the twelfth. While the -fifty-fourth, by its military skill and good order, was softening the -hard hearts of the people north, the negro regiments of Louisiana were -attracting attention by the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span>boldness of their request to General Banks -to be sent to the field of active duty, and to be put in the front of -the fight.</p> - -<p>When New Orleans was captured by General Butler, he found there a -regiment of colored men bearing the name of the "Native Guard." These -men had been compelled to serve under the rebels; but when the latter -left the city, the former refused to follow, and embraced the earliest -opportunity to offer their services to the Union cause. They were at -once accepted by General Butler, under the title of the first Louisiana -regiment.</p> - -<p>The census of 1860 placed the number of the inhabitants of the city -of New Orleans at 175,000. Of these, 15,000 were free colored, 10,000 -were slaves, and the remainder were whites. The free colored men were -taxed for an average of $1000 to each person, while the white were -taxed for only $732 to each person. The first Louisiana regiment was -composed principally of this class of the free black population. The -professions, the mercantile, and the trades were well represented, -while not a few were men of extreme wealth. Nearly all were liberally -educated; some were scholars of a high order. The brave, the -enthusiastic, and the patriotic found full scope for the development -of their powers in this regiment. One of the most efficient of the -officers was Captain Callioux, a man whose identity with his race -could never be mistaken, for he prided himself on being the blackest -individual in the Crescent City. Whether in the drawing-room or on the -parade, he was ever the centre of attraction. Finely educated, polished -in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span> manners, a splendid horseman, a good boxer, bold, athletic, -and daring, he never lacked admirers. His men were ready at any time -to follow him to the cannon's mouth; and he was as ready to lead them. -General Banks granted their request, and the regiment was brought -before the rifle pits and heavy guns of Port Hudson on the 26th of May, -1863. Night fell—the lovely southern night, with its silvery moonshine -on the gleaming waters of the Mississippi, that passed directly by the -intrenched town. The glistening stars appeared suspended in the upper -air as globes of liquid light, with its fresh, soft breeze, bearing -such sweet scents from the odoriferous trees and plants, that a poet -might have fancied angelic spirits were abroad, making the atmosphere -luminous with their pure presence, and every breeze fragrant with -their luscious breath. The deep-red sun that rose on the next morning -indicated that the day would be warm, and, as it advanced, the heat -became intense. The earth had been long parched, and the hitherto -green verdure had begun to turn yellow. Clouds of dust followed every -step and movement of the troops. The air was filled with dust; clouds -gathered, frowned upon the earth, and hastened away. The weatherwise -watched the red masses of the morning, and still hoped for a shower -to cool the air and lay the dust, before the work of death commenced; -but none came, and the very atmosphere seemed as if it was from an -overheated oven. The laying aside of all unnecessary accoutrements, -and the preparation that showed itself on every side, told all present -that the conflict was near at hand. General Dwight was the officer in -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span>command over the colored brigade, and his antecedents with regard to -the rights and the ability of the negro were not of the most favorable -character, and busy rumor, that knows every thing, had whispered it -about, that the valor of the black man was to be put to the severest -test that day.</p> - -<p>The black forces consisted of the first Louisiana, under -Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, and the third Louisiana, under Colonel -Nelson. These officers were white, but the line officers of the first -Louisiana were colored. The number of the colored troops was 1080 -strong, and formed into four lines, Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, first -Louisiana, forming the first line, and the others forming the second -line. As the moment of attack drew near, the greatest suppressed -excitement existed, but all were eager for the fight. Captain Callioux -walked proudly up and down the line, and smilingly greeted the -familiar faces of his company. Colonel Nelson being called to act as -brigadier-general, Lieutenant-Colonel Finnegas took his place. The -third Louisiana was composed mostly of freed men, whose backs still -bore the marks of the lash, and whose brave, stout hearts beat high at -the thought that the hour had come when they were to meet their proud -and unfeeling oppressors. New England officers and privates looked on, -and asked each other what they thought would be the result. Would these -blacks stand fire? Was not the test by which they were to be tried too -severe?</p> - -<p>The enemy, in his stronghold, felt his power, and bade defiance to -the expected attack. At last, the welcome word was given, and our men -started. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span> enemy opened a blistering fire of shell, canister, grape, -and musketry. The first shell thrown by the enemy killed and wounded a -number of the blacks; but on they went. "Charge" was the word—</p> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"'Charge!' Trump and drum awoke;</div> -<div>Onward the bondmen broke;</div> -<div>Bayonet and sabre-stroke</div> -<div>Vainly opposed their rush."</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>At every pace the column was thinned by the falling dead and wounded. -The negroes closed up steadily as their comrades fell, and advanced -within fifty paces of where the rebels were working a masked battery, -situated on a bluff where the guns could sweep the whole field over -which the troops must charge. This battery was on the left of the -charging line. Another battery of three or four guns commanded the -front, and six heavy pieces raked the right of the line as it formed, -and enfiladed its flank and rear as it charged on the bluff. It was -ascertained that a bayou ran under the bluff where the guns lay—a -bayou deeper than a man could ford. This charge was repulsed with -severe loss.</p> - -<p>Lieutenant-Colonel Finnegas was then ordered to charge, and in a -well-dressed, steady line his men went on the double quick down over -the field of death. No matter how gallantly the men behaved—no matter -how bravely they were led—it was not in the course of things that this -gallant brigade should take these works by charge. Yet charge after -charge was ordered, and carried out, under all these disasters, with -Spartan firmness. Six charges in all were made. Colonel Nelson reported -to General Dwight the fearful odds he had to contend with. Says General -Dwight,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span> in reply, "Tell Colonel Nelson I shall consider that he has -accomplished nothing unless he takes those guns." Thus the last few -charges were made under the spur of desperation.</p> - -<p>The ground was already strewn with the dead and wounded, and many of -the brave officers had fallen early in the engagement. Among them was -the gallant and highly-cultivated Anselms. He was a standard-bearer, -and hugged the Stars and Stripes to his heart as he fell forward upon -them, pierced by five balls. Two corporals near by struggled between -themselves as to who should have the honor of again raising those -blood-stained emblems to the breeze. Each was eager for the honor, and -during the struggle a missile from the enemy wounded one of them, and -the other corporal shouldered the dear old flag in triumph, and bore it -through the charge in the front of the advancing line.</p> - -<p>Shells from the rebel guns cut down trees three feet in diameter, and -they fell at one time burying a whole company beneath their branches.</p> - -<p>Thus they charged bravely on certain destruction, till the ground was -slippery with the gore of the slaughtered, and cumbered with the bodies -of the maimed. The last charge was made about one o'clock.</p> - -<p>At this juncture, Captain Callioux was seen with his left arm dangling -by his side,—for a ball had broken it above the elbow,—while his -right hand held his unsheathed sword gleaming in the rays of the sun, -and his hoarse, faint voice was heard cheering on his men. A moment -more and the brave and generous Callioux was struck by a shell, -and fell far in advance of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span> company. The fall of this officer -so exasperated his men, that they appeared to be filled with new -enthusiasm, and they rushed forward with a recklessness that probably -never has been equalled. Seeing it to be a hopeless effort, the -taking of these batteries, order was given to change the programme, -and the troops were called off. But had they accomplished any thing -more than the loss of many of their brave men? Yes, they had. The -self-forgetfulness, the undaunted heroism, and the great endurance of -the negro, as exhibited that day, created a new chapter in American -history for the black man. No negro hater will ever again dare to urge -the withholding of our rights upon the plea that we will not fight.</p> - -<p>The stale and stereotyped falsehood that the blacks are wanting in -patriotism, was nailed to the counter as base coin, on the banks of -the Mississippi. Many Persians were slain at the battle of Thermopylæ, -but history records only the fall of Leonidas and his four hundred -companions. So, in the future, when we shall have passed away from -the stage, and rising generations shall speak of the conflict at Port -Hudson, and the celebrated charge of the Negro Brigade, they will -forget all others, in their admiration for Captain Callioux and his -black associates. I should have said, the expedition against this -strongly fortified place was Major-General Banks's, under whom the -other officers acted. The commander, in his official report of the -engagement, bears the following testimony to the bravery of the colored -troops. He says,—</p> - -<p>"On the extreme right of our lines I posted the first and third -regiments of negro troops. The first regiment of Louisiana engineers, -composed exclusively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span> of colored men, excepting the officers, was also -engaged in the operations of the day. The position occupied by these -troops was one of importance, and called for the utmost steadiness and -bravery in those to whom it was confided.</p> - -<p>"It gives me pleasure to report that they answered every expectation. -In many respects their conduct was heroic; no troops could be more -determined or more daring. They made, during the day, three charges -upon the batteries of the enemy, suffering very heavy losses, and -holding their position at nightfall with the other troops on the right -of our lines. The highest commendation is bestowed upon them by all the -officers in command on the right.</p> - -<p>"Whatever doubt may have existed heretofore as to the efficiency -of organizations of this character, the history of this day proves -conclusively to those who were in condition to observe the conduct of -these regiments, that the government will find in this class of troops -effective supporters and defenders. The severe test to which they were -subjected, and the determined manner in which they encountered the -enemy, leaves upon my mind no doubt of their ultimate success."</p> - -<p>The Hon. B. F. Flanders, writing from New Orleans, under date of June -2, 1863, pays the following tribute to the bravery of those invincible -men:—</p> - -<p>"The unanimous report of all those who were in the recent severe -fight at Port Hudson, in regard to the negroes, is, that they fought -like devils. They have completely conquered the prejudice of the army -against them. Never was there before such an extraordinary revolution -of sentiment as that of this army in respect to the negroes as -soldiers."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CAPTAIN JOSEPH HOWARD.</h3> - -<div class="center"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<div>"Freemen, now's your day for doing—</div> -<div class="i1">Great the issues in your hand;</div> -<div>Risk them not by faint pursuing,</div> -<div class="i1">Peal the watchword through the land:</div> -<div class="i4">On for Freedom,</div> -<div>God, our Country, and the Right!"</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Among the colored troops which Major-General Butler found at New -Orleans, when that place was evacuated by the rebels, was the Second -Louisiana Native Guards. When General Banks superseded General Butler, -and took command, the Second Louisiana was stationed at Baton Rouge. -This was considered one of the finest regiments in that section. The -line officers were all colored, and the best discipline prevailed -throughout the ranks. Nevertheless, the white officers of the New -England troops, either through jealousy, or hatred to the colored men -on account of their complexion, demanded that the latter should be -turned out of office, and that their places be filled by whites, from -the ranks of the other regiments. And to the everlasting shame of -General Banks, and the disgrace of the Union cause, the gallant men who -had got up the Second Louisiana regiment were dismissed. The order for -this change had scarcely been promulgated ere the retiring officers -found themselves the object of so much obloquy and abuse that they -were forced to quit Baton Rouge and return to New Orleans. The colored -soldiers were deeply pained at seeing the officers of their choice -taken from them, for they were much attached to their commanders, -some of whom<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span> were special favorites with the whole regiment. Among -these were First Lieutenant Joseph Howard, of Company I, and Second -Lieutenant Joseph G. Parker, of Company C. These gentlemen were both -possessed of ample wealth, and had entered the army, not as a matter of -speculation, as too many have done, but from a love of military life. -Their hatred of oppression, and attachment to the Union cause, kept -them from following the rebels in their hasty flight.</p> - -<p>Lieutenant Howard was a man of more than ordinary ability in military -tactics, and a braver or more daring officer could not be found in the -valley of the Mississippi. He was well educated, speaking the English, -French, and Spanish languages fluently, and was considered a scholar -of rare literary attainments. He, with his friend, felt sorely the -deep humiliation attending their dismissal, and they seldom showed -themselves on the streets of their native city.</p> - -<p>When the news reached New Orleans of the heroic charge made by the -first Louisiana regiment, at Port Hudson, on the 27th of May, Howard -at once called on his friend Parker, and they were so fired with the -intelligence that they determined to proceed to Port Hudson, and to -join their old regiment as <i>privates</i>. That night they took passage, -and the next day found them with their former friends in arms. The -regiment was still in position, close to the enemy's works, and the -appearance of the two lieutenants was hailed with demonstrations of -joy. Instead of being placed as privates in the ranks, they were both -immediately assigned the command of a company each, not from any -compliment to them, but sheer necessity,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span> because the <i>white officers</i> -of these companies, feeling that the colored soldiers were put in the -front of the battle owing to their complexion, were not willing to -risk their lives, and had thrown up their commissions. On the 20th -of June, these two officers were put to the test, and nobly did they -maintain their former reputation for bravery. Captain Howard leading -the way, they charged upon the enemy's rifle pits—drove them out -and took possession, and held them for three hours, in the face of a -raking fire of artillery. Several times the blacks were so completely -hidden from view by the smoke of their own guns and the enemy's heavy -cannon, that they could not be seen. It was at this time that Captain -Howard exhibited his splendid powers as a commander. The negroes never -hesitated, never flinched, but gallantly did their duty.</p> - -<p>Amid the roar of artillery and the rattling of musketry, the groans -of the wounded and the ghastly appearance of the dead, the heroic and -the intrepid Howard was the same. He never said to his men, "Go," but -always, "Follow me." At last, when many of their men were killed, and -the severe fire of the enemy's artillery seemed to mow down every thing -before it, these brave men were compelled to fall back from the pits -which they had so triumphantly taken.</p> - -<p>At nightfall, General Banks paid the negro officers a high compliment, -shaking the hand of Captain Howard, and congratulating him on his -return, and telling his aids that this man was worthy of a more -elevated place. Great amount of prejudice was conquered that day by the -intrepid Howard and his companions.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span></p> - -<h2>OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.</h2> - -<hr class="smler" /> - -<p class="center">From Frederick Douglass' Monthly.</p> - -<p>"Though <span class="smcap">Mr. Brown's</span> book may stand alone upon its own -merits, and stand strong, yet while reading its interesting -pages,—abounding in fact and argument, replete with eloquence, logic, -and learning,—clothed with simple yet eloquent language, it is hard -to repress the inquiry, Whence has this man this knowledge? He seems -to have read and remembered nearly every thing which has been written -or said respecting the ability of the negro, and has condensed and -arranged the whole into an admirable argument, calculated both to -interest and convince."</p> - -<p class="center">From the Liberator.</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Rapid Sale.</span>—We are informed that the first edition of -'<span class="smcap">The Black Man</span>,' the new work by <span class="smcap">Wm. Wells Brown</span>, -has been sold, and a second is to be published in a few days. Such -rapid sale of a book devoted entirely to an exhibition of the genius, -the talent, and the heroism of the hated Negro, and advocating his -elevation and equality, shows that a great change has come over the -minds of the American people, and that justice to a long injured class -is not far off. This work has done good service among those who are -impregnated with the idea that the blacks were created for nothing -but slaves. The new edition will be revised and enlarged, and will -contain an original sketch of the heroic and daring charge of the First -Louisiana Regiment at Port Hudson. The price of the book will remain -the same—$1.00."</p> - -<p class="center">From the New York Anti-Slavery Standard.</p> - -<p>"In '<span class="smcap">The Black Man</span>,' <span class="smcap">Mr. Brown</span> gives us authentic and -well written sketches of more than fifty colored men and women, of the -past and present time, who, by their talents, attainments, and earnest -devotion to the welfare of their race,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span> have made themselves more or -less eminent, and whose lives and labors afford the best possible -illustration of the intellectual and moral capacity of the Negro, and -the best possible answer to those who make his alleged inferiority an -excuse for his enslavement."</p> - -<p class="center">From the New York Herald of Progress.</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Mr. Brown</span> has given us an interesting work. The subjects of -the biographies are well chosen to exhibit the versatility and range of -the genius of the African race. Science and Philosophy, Literature and -the Arts, are shown to be richly indebted to it. <span class="smcap">Mr. Brown's</span> -book is an incontestable argument."</p> - -<p class="center">From the Boston Transcript.</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">The Black Man</span>: <i>His Antecedents, His Genius, and His -Achievements</i>.—This is the title of a new book by <span class="smcap">Wm. Wells -Brown</span>, the well-known lecturer and able advocate of his race. The -work comprises fifty-three biographical sketches of persons of pure or -mixed African descent who, in modern times, have been representative -men and women, besides reference to many illustrious names among the -ancients. This is the best account of the ability of the Negro ever put -in print. The genius of the race is well brought out."</p> - -<p class="center">From Zion's Herald, of Boston.</p> - -<p>"This is just the book for the crisis. We would that every pro-slavery -man in the country would read it."</p> - -<p class="center">From Hon. Gerrit Smith.</p> - -<blockquote><p class="right">"<span class="smcap">Peterboro</span>', December, 1862.</p> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Wm. Wells Brown.</span> My dear Sir: I am glad that you have -written such a book. It will do great good. Send me five dollars' -worth of it. Heaven bless you.</p> - -<p class="right">Your friend, <span class="s3"> </span> <span class="smcap">Gerritt Smith</span>."</p></blockquote> - -<p class="center">From Lewis Tappan, Esq.</p> - -<p>Lewis Tappan, in his Cooper Institute Speech, on the 5th of January, -1863, said: "This is just the book for the hour; it will do more for -the colored man's elevation than any work yet published." </p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span></p> - -<div class="center"><img src="images/books.jpg" alt="Books for the Times" /></div> - -<hr /> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK MAN ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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