prince of slaves-1

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  • 8/14/2019 Prince of Slaves-1

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    ?8D CiIPTIYE AFRIcaN IIES'I{)RED T0 LI-TER'TY.Letter from a gcntlemab iu Natehez to a lady in Cin-ciDrat i.[Communicar,ed for r.lre l]rtionrl ltelrublican, l' 'r NATCIIEZ, dpril ?tb, 1E98.'r Tbis letter will be handcri to yon lry a verJ extn-osJiuary pcr.onagc-no less tban yoni old xc.luaint-ercc Prince, (or lbrahim, ) who is nrwf'cc, aad oo his

    .3A3 I hrr)l)en tohave r leisnic hrlf lrour, I will givefou a sketcir;f the m3nncr in n'lrich iris lilreratirrn-lrrs6een brongbt about ; you mry rccollccl, !hat I frr qrrent-ls cucgcstEd to him. ihat if he would write s lrt tcr to hispounir'y I woukl bai'e it conveyed for him to lis o:ru

    wiryto biaom counlryi vbere lrc was caplured inbittle, nearly forty years ago, snd has been iu slareryrattle, nearly forty yeaisago, qnd hap been id 6lar.rJ4early

    (he rhole of tbat lttg priod, ulon the plnpta.tlon ofItIr. ThoBAs licsier, of this countg, I us Irrrclrlon o-fIrIr. ThoBo: licsier, o-fitt;s coulity, I unl 'rttcltgrrtified to tave bcen tbe iustrrrment of his cmancipa-rrtified t'J tave bcen tbe iustrrrment of his cmancipa-Eon-althouglr from l,is advanced rge (sillt-six tears)he clD but possess mcrely a glimpse ofthe l/lcssings tole clD but pdssess mcrely a glimpsiofitre:which he wrs entitled fror his i:irth... a- I L^.,.-^-.^L.-^ - l-i.d!o hrrfL^n

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    bountry. I tbilk it \ras early in the spring of 1t26,t^bat he E'rot bis letter in mv o{lice rhich.f direclcd^bat he *'rote bis letter in my o{lice rhich f direclcdlo tbe core ol otf Consul at '!'rrrgirr. {Captain Johnl$ullowDyr)-'fhomrrs 13. Retd, Esq. .,ne ', ,,trt Sr:a-torj, tooli clrrrgc of lbc lcttcr to \Vashitgton, fromor3, tooL chrrge of tbe lettcr lo lvasl,irgton, fromrrheBce it pils sentby tbe Dlarimcnt of state to its

    t! dofray the cxpenses of hisjourney and to clothe hi.Dqil reccssary. BIt the poor old nur EhB tlic nerviwes communic,ated {"o hin that lre was to IJe lri o and

    partoeraof State, infornring me lhat the lci.ler hrdleea forwarded, aDd atranslatiou of it returocd, ttrtlI rvag reoucsted lo iuqrire on R'hat tcms l\lr. Fostcrrould lib'erate PriDce,'to the intent thrt might be rc-t[rnedlg bis orn country. On applting lo [\Ir. F. ltcagrwl to gire{im up without any com})ensatror, ce t-ditioned, thrt he.--s}iqld lot enjot' his libtrty in thiocoutrtr9. I informcrl tlB Fresident of (he result of myiaouiri, and a few wccLs ago, receired e lcl ter from Sl r.Ci"y,'.'tti"q "f me to coru'j'lete ilcxgcnc5:, r,n,.l toserrlPrince on to Washington City i for wbich Prrti)nee IF$ outhorizcd to dra* fora sum of 'l.oDet lcqessaryrelurn to bis ffintrq. where lre is. rce hlre !o douht'a lawful kins. {of countrv called'fimbo) bc looknllhe old ciioianion slavery-thY Eoll/er of his

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    I l,licd rgri! to )\Ir, Fustcr, who is lruly th urniaLle indI worrhv rpan: lre could rot find iu his heRrt to scpar8leI his otri cntl fadhful sersnnts, rnd lor a vtiy srnrll sum,I icomparerl to t.he value ol lsabella f,s a ecrYall) lre 3-I srced to givc her tp. So soon -ss hls inte,ution wasrceu t0 eIYc ner Q!t. Do so{ril ss llls rulrurrrrrr rrdslirown, I rlqucsied i youag genliemsn 6f the btr t4head a subicrintion riruer"fJr Priace. rskiug of lrisfrica(lstoassist'hio to'rircluse his sifc. 1'ri'o bun'drcrl rlollars rvaa lhe euir reqrrircd' I n a very felv tiayshclrad the sl:rDlss o! SSS Sererrl gentlenren galeirim $10, ona gave l,im $15, maDy gave him $5 udvc"v lcw les: tLrn 31..i Prince lrrs sl.so scrcral certificatcs volunteriiygivcn to bim. of bi! uEcctorDoD good conducl {i)r tsen-ir fo,,r v""t". N. A. lVare, Diq lras liildly under't-a{cn t6 sce ltirn srfe to 1\'aslringtou City. I exl'ccthr will rernain threc or drys ir Cinciaratti, aDd-as heulll call on you iD all his {-inery, (l hrve harl ao eleqaulrlloori;h ,lrc-ss tuade for hinr) and perllal)s attract 6omeauenticn. I rvrite vou tbis long history, tbnt ]'otr mavbc cuabled to givc lcEe account ot your distin;uisbrdYritter." Princc is rcallv almost extraorJioary mrn -Ucrnto a hiDgdom, wcli ctlncrter!, for he now rYriteF Arrlricin a moit elsani slile, brauqht a siave into a ioreigacoilnlrv. be has sustaincda ctrrracter for honesty andconnlrv. be has sustaincda ctrrracter for honesty andI iotes.itv nhicb is almost bevoud t'arallel ; he hrs beenI faitt"tul'oadhonc51. tlrilbld aud' irdustrlousl ard al'I thongtr he aditlrildcli-t to tbc rcligion o[ his cou^n-I trv{-llahometisrn) hc xt)resses lhe grpetst ret|ect lcrI tir;Lbristiauretiiion. arirl is very inxious toobluin aI Tcstament in his'ovri ltnguerc titrt hc riny re-rd llte

    j bistory ol Jcsus Clirist, 'I siote to the Prasi(lent toreque.i o:e for hi$, bnt tllar ll3rt of my letter wrs notani'vercrt. I am l:orveycr in'lio1:cs, ifbne is to be ltadat Wasbirgto! City, be Fill Lc gretificd b! his osn al'Dlieation for il.' " Priiscec^llcd tcs.e u:yeitcrday, with hisrrifcanc enns, rvbo are really ttrc fincst lo6liirg yorrng mcrI have sctn. 'fhcv rrerc all genlceliv drest ; &nd aIihoushthcaexl,rJssid thernselv6s rrleasid rvitlt tlte free-rlom'oftheir pirents, t:rere wrs a lircli of silent agooy intheir eyeJ I iorrld rrjt bcrr to witncss. I hope thc oldnran eill be able to rcalise bis prospects aod regain lrisprofcrty ; whicb if he docs, hi says cr! buy tbem frgcten peites.