g back to Africa, replied, "Me
no father, no mother now; me stay with you." And here he has ever since
remained; conducting himself in a way to gain the good will and respect of
all who know him. He is remarkably intelligent, understands our language
perfectly, and can read and write well. The last sentences of the
following narrative will seem almost too peculiar to be his own; but it is
not the first time that in conversation with Mr. George Stephen, he has
made similar remarks. On one occasion in particular, he was heard saying
to himself in the kitchen, while sitting by the fire apparently in deep
thought, "Me think,--me think----" A fellow-servant inquired what he
meant; and he added, "Me think what a good thing I came to England! Here,
I know what God is, and read my Bible; in my country they have no God, no
Bible."
How severe and just a reproof to the guilty wretches who visit his country
only with fire and sword! How deserved a censure upon the not less guilty
men, who dare to vindicate the state of slavery, on the lying pretext,
that its victims are of an inferior nature! And scarcely less deserving of
reprobation are those who have it in their power to prevent these crimes,
but who remain inactive from indifference, or are dissuaded from throwing
the shield of British power over the victim of oppression, by the
sophistry, and the clamour, and the avarice of the oppressor. It is the
reproach and the sin of England. May God avert from our country the ruin
which this national guilt deserves!
We lament to add, that the Pearl which brought these negroes to our shore,
was restored to its owners at the instance of the French Government,
instead of being condemned as a prize to Lieut. Rye, who, on his own
responsibility, detained her, with all her manacles and chains and other
detestable proofs of her piratical occupation on board. We trust it is not
yet too late to demand investigation into the reasons for restoring her.
_The Negro Boy's Narrative._
My father's name was Clashoquin; mine is Asa-Asa. He lived in a country
called Bycla, near Egie, a large town. Egie is as large as Brighton; it
was some way from the sea. I had five brothers and sisters. We all lived
together with my father and mother; he kept a horse, and was respectable,
but not one of the great men. My uncle was one of the great men at Egie:
he could make men come and work for him: his name was Otou. He had a great
deal of land and cattle. M
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