purely an accident. If you were not beneath my notice, says he, swearing a big oath, which I dare not repeat; if you were not beneath the notice of a gentleman, I say, I would soon lay you upon your beam ends, you fresh water lobster! You are as destitute of civilization, as if you had never been out of sight of land in all your life.

Gent. You will learn in time to keep at a respectful distance from gentlemen of the sword. It is fortchunate for you, that the officer did not make daylight shine through you.

Farm. I believe it dangerous, I confess, to venture very near gentlemen, if these may be called such. Well, the next person I met, I took, from his brogue, to be a " wild Irishman." At any rate, he was a funny fellow, and discovered some marks of civilization. Maister, says he, have you any wery good weal in your yallet? I do not understand Irish, Mister, replied I. Irish! Irish! old mutton-head, said he; nor I neither. It is enough for me that I am able to speak good English. I ax'd you what you had to sell. I am fitting out a wessel for Wenice; loading her with warious keinds of prowisions, and wittualling her for a long woyage; and want several undred weight of weal, wenison, &c. with a plenty of inyons and winegar, for the preserwation of ealth. I assured him I did not comprehend his meaning. It is wery natchural, replied he, to suppose it, as you are but a poor countryman and want civilization. So he peaceably withdrew. And now, good Mister, ('Squire, per haps I ought to say; for, before you stopped me, I heard you administering oaths;) I say good 'Squire as you have condescended to give me some useful in struction, pray be so kind as to tell me, to what spe cies of animals a creature would belong, which shoula be, in every respect, exactly like yourself, excepting the addition of a pair of long ears?

Gent. I will not disgrace myself by keeping your company any longer. [Exit.]

Farm

t

Furm. [alone.] What a strange run of luck I have had to-day! If this is civilization, I desire to return to my savage haunt again. However, I don't despair yet of meeting with people of real civilization; for I have always been told that this place is not without its share. Yet I fear they have greatly degenerated from the simple manners of their forefathers. Their placing mere civility above Christianity is a plain proof of it. The ancestors of this people were anxious mainly to teach their posterity Christianity, not doubting but civility would naturally attend it. What vexes me most is, that I can't understand their language. For my part, I think they have but little reason to laugh at my pronunciation. This is the first time I ever haird that turkeys, geese, and ducks were not fowls. They might as well tell me, that oxen, bulls, and cows are not cattle. I take this last chap to be of the race of coxcombs; and I think it is sometimes best,' to indulge them in their own exalted opinion of themselves, till experience teaches them their folly. I know I am but a plain man; and no one feels the want of larning more than I do. But I am certain I cannot appear more contemptible in this coxcomb's eyes, than he does in mine.

EXTRACT FROM A DISCOURSE DELIVERED BEFORE THE NEW-YORK SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE MANUMISSION OF SLAVES, APRIL 12, 1797. BY REV. SAMUEL MILLER.

I

HAVE hitherto confined myself to the consideration of slavery as it exists among ourselves, and of that unjust domination which is exercised over the Africans and their descendants, who are already in our country. It is with a regret and indignation which I am unable to express, that I call your attention to the conduct of some among us, who, instead of diminishing, strive to increase the evil in question.

A a 2

While

While the friends of humanity, in Europe and America, are weeping over their injured fellow-crea tures, and directing their ingenuity and their labors to the removal of so disgraceful a monument of cruelty and avarice, there are not wanting men, who claim the title, and enjoy the privileges of American citizens, who still employ themselves in the odious traffic of human flesh.

Yes, in direct opposition to public sentiment, and a law of the land, there are ships fitted out, every year, in the ports of the United States, to transport the inhabitants of Africa, from their native shores, and consign them to all the torments of West-India oppression.

Fellow citizens! is Justice asleep? Is Humanity discouraged and silent, on account of the many injuries she has sustained? Were not this the case, methinks the pursuit of the beasts of the forest would be forgotten, and such monsters of wickedness would, in their stead, be hunted from the abodes of men.

ОH AFRICA! unhappy, ill-fated region! how long shall thy savage inhabitants have reason to utter complaints, and to imprecate the vengeance of Heaven against civilization and Christianity? Is it not enough that nature's God has consigned thee to arid plains, to noxious vapours, to devouring beasts of prey, and to all the scorching influences of the torrid zone? Must rapine and violence, captivity and slavery, be superadded to thy torments; and be inflicted too by men, who wear the garb of justice and humanity; who boast the principles of a sublime morality; and who hypocritically adopt the accents of the benevolent religion of Jesus?

OH AFRICA! thou loud proclaimer of the rapacity, the treachery, and cruelty of civilized man! Thou everlasting monument of European and American disgrace! Remember not against us our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; be tender in the great day of inquiry; and show a Christian world, that thou canst suffer and forgive!"

A FORENSIC

A FORENSIC DISPUTE, ON THE QUESTION, Are the ANGLO-AMERICANS ENDOWED WITH CAPACITY AND GENIUS EQUAL TO EUROPEANS?

4. MY opinion is decidedly on the affirmative of this question. In this opinion I am confirmed by sound argument and undeniable facts.

If nature has lavished her favours on some countries, and dealt them out with a sparing hand in others, the Western world is far from being the scene of her parsimony. From a geographical survey of our country, directly the reverse will appear.

This continent, extending through all the different. climates of the earth, exhibiting on its immense surface the largest rivers and lakes, and the loftiest mountains in the known world, shews us that nature has wrought on her largest scale on this side the Atlantic.

The soil is neither so luxuriant as to indulge in sloth, nor so barren, as not to afford sufficient leisure from its own culture, to attend to that of the mind. These are facts, which existed before the migration of our ancestors from Europe. The argument I shall deduce from them, to me appears conclusive.

The soil and climate of every country is in some measure characteristic of the genius of its inhabitants. Nature is uniform in her works. Where she has stinted the productions of the earth, she also cramps her animal productions; and even the mind of man. Where she has clothed the earth with plenty, there is no deficiency in the animate creation; and man arrives to his full vigour.

In the application of these physical causes to our nature, there is an effect produced on the mind, as well as the body. The mind receives its tincture from the objects which it contemplates. This we find confirmed by the opposite sensations we feel, when viewing a beautiful and variegated landscape, and plodding our

course

course over a craggy way, or uniform, barrén plain. In these contrasted situations, it may almost be said, that we possess two different souls, and are not the same beings.

Those objects, which constantly surround us, must have a more permanent effect. Where man is doomed. constantly to view the imperfect sketches and caricature paintings of nature, he forms a corresponding part of the group; when placed amidst her most beautiful and magnificent works, we find him elevated in thought and complete in corporal stature.

These arguments may seem far-fetched; but when it is admitted that Chimborazo is higher than Teneriffe; the Amazon and La Plata superiour to the largest rivers in the old world; and that America abounds with all the productions of nature in as great plenty as any country in Europe, premises will then be established, from which, by my reasoning, we shall draw the conclusion, that if the Aborigines of this country are inferiour to the savages of other parts of the world, nature must have contradicted her own first principles.

But the contrary must appear to every unprejudiced mind, both from reason and observation. It being granted that the savages on this continent possess genius and capacity, equal to those on the other, my argument is ended; the affirmative of the question is established; unless those who differ from me should be able to show, that, by some process, or rather paradox of nature, the mental powers of our forefathers were degenerated by being transplanted to a soil, at least, as congenial and fertile, as that which gave them birth.

Should it be any longer contended against me, I should still appeal to facts, and rely on the philosophical discoveries and miscellaneous writings of a Franklin, the heroic valour and sagacious prudence of a Washington, the political researches of an Adams, the numerous productions in polite literature, inventions and improvements in the useful arts; and especially that spirit of enterprise, which distinguishes our nation.

On