Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-07-28


Parliament who lately travelled thro'
this country, voted on the great Catho-
lie question in favor of emancipation
Their names are recorded among the
majority in the House Of Commons,
and is a proof of their liberal senti-
ments and good principles. ~ r. Gas
A paragraph has lately gone the
round Of the papers, announcing that a
gentleman of Virginia had emancipat-
ed up,cards Of eighty Slaves, and char
tered a vessel 10 send them, at his own
expense, to Hayti; but without giving
the name Of the author Of so distin-
guished an act Of munifcence. We
think it due to justice to supply this
deficiency, and 10 add the following
facts which have been communicated
to US by gentlemen familiar with them,
as well as by Captain Russell, one of the
owners of the brig Hannah & Elizabeth,
of Baltimore, the vessel chartered,
The gentleman who has thus distin-
guished himself, is Mr.. DAVID M1NeE,
Of Charles City County, living near
Sandy Point, on James river. Captain
Russell informs, that there were put on
board the Hannah & Elizabeth, eighty
seven colored people Of different ages,
from three months to forty years, be-
ing ALL the slaves which Mr.. NJ. own
ed except two old men, whom he had
likewise manumitted, but who being
past service, he retains and supports
them. The value of these negroes, at
the prices now going, might be esti-
mated at about t,centy-sir thousand dol
hrs!-and MIR. Minge expended pre-
vious to their embarkation, about 1900
dollars in purchasing ploughs, hoes,
iron and other articles of husbandry
for them, besides providing them with
several suits of clothes to each, 2rovi-
sions, groceries, cooking utensils and
every thing which he supposed they
might require for their comfort du-
ring their passage, and for their use al
ter their arrival out-He also paid
500 for the charter Of the vessel.
But MIR. Minge's muni6cence does
not end here-On the bank of the river,
as they were about to so on board, he
had peck of dollars brought down, and
calling them all around him, under a
tree, distributed the hoard among them
in such sums and under such regula-
tons that each individual did, or would,
receive seUen dollars. BY this provision
Mr.. NJ. calculated that his emigrants
would be enabled to commence the cul-
tivation of the soil Immediately after
their arrival, without being dependent
on President Boyer for any favor
whatever, unless the permission 10 i'm
prove the government lands might be
so considered.
Mr.. Minge is about "a or IS years OF
age, unmarried, and unincumbered in
every respect; possesses an ample for
tune, and has received the benefits of a
collegiate education at Harvard Uni
versity. He assigned no other motive
for having freed his slaves, and for his
subsequent acts of generosity towards
them, than that he conceived it would
be doing service TO his country to send
them out of it; that they had all been
good servants, but that he was rich
enough without them.
We have heard Of splendid sacrifices
at the shrine of philanthropy; aged men
on quitting the stage of mortal exis-
tence have bequeathed large endow-
ment to public charities, & princely leg
acies to religious & moral institutions.
But where shall we find an instance of
the kind attributable to man Of Mr..
Minge's age? The case we believe is
without parallel. lG01oh Herald.