vantages, may not be expected to
present at once, especially before they have become entirely
untrammeled, evidence of entire equality with more highly favored
people.

When Mr. Jefferson, the great American Statesman and philosopher, was
questioned by an English gentleman, on the subject of American
greatness, and referred to their literature as an evidence of
inferiority to the more highly favored and long-existing European
nations; Mr. Jefferson's reply was--"When the United States have existed
as long as a nation, as Greece before she produced her Homer and
Socrates; Rome, before she produced her Virgil, Horace, and Cicero; and
England, before she produced her Pope, Dryden, and Bacon"; then he might
consider the comparison a just one. And all we shall ask, is not to wait
so long as this, not to wait until we become a nation at all, so far as
the United States are concerned, but only to unfetter our brethren, and
give us, the freemen, an equal chance for emulation, and we will admit
any comparison you may please to make in a quarter of a century after.

For a number of years, the late James Forten, of Philadelphia, was the
proprietor of one of the principal sail manufactories, constantly
employing a large number of men, black and white, supplying a large
number of masters and owners of vessels, with full rigging for their
crafts.

On the failure of an extensive house, T. & Co., in that city, during the
pressure which followed a removal of the deposits of the United States
Treasury in 1837, Mr. Forten lost by that firm, nine thousand dollars.
Being himself in good circumstances at the time, hearing of the failure
of old constant patrons, he called at the house; one of the proprietors,
Mr. T., on his entering the warehouse door, came forward, taking him by
the hand observed, "Ah! Mr. Forten, it is useless to call on us--we are
gone--we can do nothing!" at which Mr. Forten remarked, "Sir, I hope you
think better of me than to suppose me capable of calling on a friend to
torture him in adversity! I came, sir, to express my regret at your
misfortune, and if possible, to cheer you by words of encouragement. If
your liabilities were all in my hands, you should never be under the
necessity of closing business." Mr. Forten exchanged paper and
signatures with some of the first business men in Philadelphia, and
raised and educated a large and respectable family of sons and
daughters, leaving an excellent widow.

Joseph Cas