The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-14 00:00:00

INTERESTING MARRIAGE IN BRIGHTON.

(From the Brighton Gazette.)

•
This morning a marriage is to be performed at
the parish church, Brighton, to unite a lady and gentleman
of colour, whose previous history gives to the ceremony a
peculiar interest, chiefly to those who have been so long and
so deeply interested in the African race, and who have
watched the progress of civilisation caused by the influence
of Christianity on the negro ; and the ceremony will alai
tell our brethren on the other aide of the Atlantic that
British ladies and gentlemen consider it a pleasure and
• privilege to do honour to those of the African race who
have proved themselves capable of appreciatiog the silvan-
=• liberal education. lhe lady, supposed to be an
chieftain's daughter, was presented, when about the
age of five years, to the late Captain Frederick Forbes, KN.,
who officially visited the King of Dahomey with a view to
aid the suppression of the slave trade hi the interior of
Africa, and in his book giving
"I have
account of the minion be
thus describes the little gui : 'I have only to add a few par-
ticulars about my extraordinary present, the Juneau
child.' In a former portion of these journals 1 have men-
tioned the Okeadon war one of the captives of this dread-
ful slave-hunt was this interesting girl. It is usual to re-
serve the best born for the high behests of royalty, and the
immolation on the tombs of the deceased nobility. For one
of these ends she had been detained at court for two
years • proving, by her not having been sold to the
slave-dealers, that she was of a good family. SA
extraordinary a present would have been at least a
burden, bad I not the conviction that, in consideration of
the nature of the service I had performed, the government
would consider her as the property of the crown. To refuse,
would have been to have slatted her death warrant ; which,
probably, would have been carried into execution forthwith.
Immediately on arriving, I applied through the Secretary of
the Admiralty, and :delved for answer that her Majesty
was graciously oilseed to arrange for the education and sub-
sequent fate of the child. Of her own history she has only a
coefused idea. Her parson were decapiteted ; her brothenand
sisters, she knows not what their fate might have been. For
her age, supseed to be eightyears, she tea perfect genius ; she
now speaks glish well, and has a great talent for music. She
has won the affections, with but few exceptions, of all who
have known bar, by her docile and amiable conduct, which
nothing can exceed. She is far in advance of any white
child of her age in endues of learning, and strength or
mind and affection ; and with her, being an excellent
specimen of the negro race, might be tested the capability
of the intellect of the black ; it being generally and erro-
neously supposed that after a certain age the intellect
becomes impaired, and the pursuit of knowledge impossible
—that though the negro child may be clever, the adult will
be dull and stupid. Her bead is considered so excellent a
phrenological specimen, and illustrating such high intellect,
that M. Pistruoci, the medallist to the Mint, has undertaken
to take • bust of her, intending to present • cast to the
author. Her mind has received a moral and religious
impression, and she was baptized, according to the
rites of the protestant church, Sarah Forbes Rosetta"
Her Most Gracious Majesty has provided the means for
completing the education of Miss Sarah Forbes &setts,
whose knowledge and accomplishments make her aa orna-
ment for any society, and prove most satisfactorily that
the African mind is capable of the highest intellectual
attainments. Her Majesty has taken a great interest in her
•marriage, and given it her full sanction. At the mine
time shehas, besides presents from the royal family,
herself provided the whole of the outfit, Ace. Mr. Jones
Davis, the bridegroom, was originally a slave, taken by
one of our cruisers, and educated in the schools of the
Church Missionary Society at Sierra Leone, and showing
himself to pommies great talents, and capable of profiting by
education, was with the sanction of the Admiralty placed
in an official capacity upon one of her Majesty's ships, under
the cars of Captain Coon, R.N., and moved himself so
useful and willing, as to gain the good wishes and opinions
of both officers and men. He afterwards commenced
trading on his own account, and is now • pros.
Zunand influential merchant, at Lagos, employ.
pwerde of 100 of his fellow countrymen, and
trying to improve their moral and intellectual status.
The ceremony is to be performed by the Bishop of
Sierra Leone and the Rev. H. Venn ; and Mrs. Thompson
has most kindly lent the garden at Weethill Lodge for the
wedding breakfast. We understand there will be a large
wedding party, mcludiog about twenty Africans, The
bride will be attended by sixteen bridesmaids, of whom
four will be ladies of colour ; and among the guests who are
invited will be the Bishop of Sierra Leone, the Rev. the
Vicar, the Revs. Veen Elliott, Babington, Faithful, Wall,
Baas, &bon, Re., and Captain Forbes, Captain G. Forbes,
Captain Coots, Re. Miss Forbes Booetta has been for some
gringretdeinnseg
loewitgdth
bylffiestbeW4.els.!;,.
that
inßperiartno,d
ttathe comildy-
pletiou of her educatims sad her introduction to society.