Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-05-06

turn for national devotion, equal rights
in return for sacrifices common to all.
In the land of his birth, he had been
doomed to slavery before he was
born; he was frowned upon in his
cradle, sneered at in his youth, and
prosecuted in his manhood, without ha
wing committed crime; his fault was,
that his fathers believed facts, which
had been testified to their fathers and
that in his conscience, when he was Ca
pable of Judging, he, believed the re
ilgion which he had been taught was a
religion of truth. .,,t-
The sentiment which had been ex.
pressed, taught him what he ought
to he: religious without bigotry.
The situation in which he was pla-
ced, peculiarly demanded that he
should be religious; the religion
which he protested forbid him to be
bigdt, for It was religion whose
first principle was charity; it was also
religion which in many parts of Anne.
! RIGA waSlittle known and worse under
stood. He could not blame Americans
for this, they were DESTROYS of infor
nation, but the means for obtaining it
| were limited The scene which pre-
sentea itself 10 him, the ming!ing of
all religions, TO pay an affectionate tri.
butte of respect and regard to teacher
who plainly put forward his peculiar
tenes S, but as he trusted, with respect
for the feelings Of those from whom
he, differed, was death warrant to bi
gotry. This to him was solemn and
an impressive lesson. The citizens
of Augusta had kindly taught it; but
they taught it most effec,ually,. and
the lesson should net be lost upon
him. He should treasure it up and
make it subject for his tneditations.
This was lesson which be had been
often taught in America, and with
which he was every, day becoming
better acquainted. The accounts Of
his religion, which were in their school
books, in their tracts and 10 their his
tories, were all gross .misrepresenta
tons; but the misrepresentation was
not of American origin, it had its rise
at the other side of the Atlantic; and
America could net be blamed for the
crimes of other nations. The people
of this country, naturally believed that
TO be true, which was given to them
by those whom they looked upon, at
one time, as authority. Hence, still
in this country, much transformation
as 10 the tenets of Roman Catholics,
must yet exist; and for his part, he |
acknowledged, that did he believe the |
Roman Catholic religion 10 be what |
those books stated it was, he would
not allow Roman Catholic to live in
the country-yet how had, ne been
received? In his journies through those
states, those men who derived their in,
formation from those sources to which
he had adyerted, received him into
their houses and treated him with kind,
ness, with, courtesy, with hospitality,
and with respect. >-..l o. as.
On such occasions his own heart
told him. that under similar circum-
stances, he doubted if he would act
the part which they did. He was
thus forced to give preference to
their liberality, though he lamented
the deceit which had been put upon
them. 49,. -. ,.,.,a.
His piety was alluded to; this was
a topic on which he should not en-
large, this was subject on which it
would be unbecoming in him to give
an opinion. He ought to be pious, he
felt that he was not what he ought to
be; but he we'll knew and would freely
pledge himselfthat he was not s. would
not be hypocrite. Their conduct,
their kindness, their public expression
had laid him under additional obliga.
tons of rectitude: for after what they
had said and done, he should be asha.
med to appear in Augusta, did he ex,
press one sentiment or do one act which
should be dissonant to the character
with whichthey had been kind enough
10 invest him. :. .. -.
q, lie felt. he mad trespassed TOO much
opon their Indulgence. yet he could
not refrain from making an addition
al observation, they had over valued
his services as they had over estima-
ted his character; he felt .abashed at
rejecting upon the extraordinary ma