The northern star and freemen's advocate., 1842-03-03
NEGRO CHARACTER.


We make the following extracts from aworl
entitled, An Enquiry concerning the Intellectual
and Moral Faculties, and Literature of NEGROES
&C.; BY II. Gregoire.'' Translated by d. B
Warden, and published at Brooklyn, in 1Sl0-
After giving numerous facts Illustrative of their
industry, courage, bravery, &c. the author thus
proceeds =
Nobleness of character is the inseparabe COM
panlon OF true bravery. The facts which are
now to be narrated, will in this respect, place the
blacks and whites on a parallel The impartial
reader will hold the balance.
In l7lS, when we were at peace with the red
Carlbs of St. Vincent, who are known to carry
their bravery even to rashness, and who are more
active and industrious than the white Caribs an
unjust and unsuccessful expedition was directed
against those Of Martnico. Instead cf being irri-
tated, the year following they mildly acquiesced
IN peace: these traits, says ChauYelin, are not
to be found in the history of civilized nations
In 1926, the Maroons Of Surinam, whom the
ferociy of the coloniSts had driven to despair, OBJ
tanned their liberty with the sword and forced
their oppressors to treaty they religiously OBJ
served their conventions. Do the colonists merit
the same praise They, willing to negotiate
peace, ask conference with the Negroes this is
granted, and as preliminary it is stipulated, that
with many useful objects, they should send them
good firearms and ammunition.
Two Dutch commissaries under escort appear
in the camp of the Negroes. Captain Boston,
their commander, perceves that the commissaries
bring only trihes, scissors, combs and small mir
rorS, and neither firearms nor powder-with
voice of thunder he addresses them esDo Europe
ans think that Negroes have need only of combs
and scissors? One of such articles would have
been sufficient tor us ALL and one barrel of powder
would have testified that the Hollanders have con-
fidence in u.s."
The Negroes, however, instead of yielding to
feeling OF just anger against government which |
broke It's engagements, give year to deliberation
and to choose either peace or war They honor
the commlssarles with fetes, treat them with the
most generous hospitality, and at parting, remind
them that the colonsts of Surinam, by their nhu-
manlty to their slaves, were themselves the au-
fhors of their own misfortunes. Stedman, to
whom we owe these details, adds, that the fields
Of the republic of blacks swere covered with maize
lgnGmes plantanier manOc.
All unprejudiced authors who speak of Negroes,
10 justice to their natural disposition and virtues
some even OF those who are the partizans of sla-
very, are occasionally compelled by truth to make
avoWas In their favor. Such are, 1st, Long, the
historian OF Jamaica, who found some of excellent
character, good and grateful, and remarkable for
heir paternal aud flial tenderness. 2nd. Duyal-
on, whose recital of the misfortunes of the poor
and decrepid lrrouba, cannot fail to move the
heart of the reader, and force him to execrate the
erocious colonist, of whom she had been the fos-
er mother.*
The same virtues of Negroes are conspicuous,
n the narrative, by Hilliard D. D'Aubefteuil Falcon
'rlege, Grandville, Sharp, Benezet, Ramsay,