The northern star and freemen's advocate., 1842-03-03
the criminal tribunals Of Europe would give a


The anecdote of Louis Desrouleaux, negro
nastry cook, of Nantes, is little known. After he
left Nantes, he lived at the Cape, where he had
been slave of Pinsum, of Bayonne, captain in
the negro trade, who came with great riches to
France, where he was at last ruined. He returns
to St. Domingo. Those who, when he was rich,
called themselves his friends, now scarcely recog
nized him. L. Desrouleaux, who had acquired
q fortune, supplies their place. He learns the
misfortune of his old master, hastens to find him,
gives him lodging and nourishment, and never
theless proposes that he should live in France,
where his feelings will not be mortified by the
sight of ungrateful men. But cannot find sub
sistence in France Will an annual revenue of
fifteen thousand francs be sufficient ? The colo
mist weeps with joy. The negro signs the con-
tract, and the pension was regularly paid, till the
death of Louis Desrouleaux, which happened in
l774.
The philanthropists of England, take plea
sure in speaking of the good and religious Joseph
Rachel, free negro Of Barbados, who, having
become rich by commerce, consecrated all his for
tune to acts Of charity and benefcence The un-
fortunate, whatever was his color, had claim
upon his affections. He gave to the INDECENT, lent
to those who could not make return, visited pr-
soners, gave them good advice, and endeavored to
bring back the guilty to virtue. He died at
Bridgetown, in 1858, equally lamented by blacks
aud whites.
The French ought to bless the memory of Jas
min Thoumazeau, born in Africa, in 17l4. He
was sold at St. Domingo, in 1886. Having OBJ
tanned his freedom he married negress Of the
Golden Coast, and, in 1856, established hospital
at the Cape, for poor negroes and mulattoes. Dur
ing more than forty years, he and his wife were
occupied in giving them comfort, and rendering
his fortune subservient to their wants. The only
pain they felt in the midst of those unfortunates,
who were solaced by their charity, arose from the
idea that after their DEATH the hospital might be
abandoned. The Philadelphia Society at the
Cape, and the agricultural society at Paris, de-
creed medals to Jasmin, who died near the close
Of the century.
Moreau ST. Merry, and many other writers in
form us, that negresses and female mulattoes dis
cover great maternal tenderness and charity for
the poor. Proofs Of this found in anecdoe
which has not yet received all the publicity it
merits. Mungo Park, in the bosom of Africa,
was ready to perish by hunger. A good negress
meets him, conducts him to her hut, treats him In
the most hospitabe manner, assemblies the women
of the family, who passed part of the night
spinning cotton, and singing extemporary songs to
amuse the ,Dhite man, whose appearance in that
country was enticing novelty. He was the
subject of one of these songs which brings to mind
the idea of Hervey in his meditations | think |
near tuO WlnuS PlCou viz CduSC VI VIC HIctCncu
1t is as follows: "The winds howled and the
rain fell the poor white man, weary with ia
Ggue, sits down under our tree: he has no moth
er to bring him milk no woman to grind his corn -
the other women sang in chorus "pity the poor
white man, he has no mother to bring him milk,
no woman to grind his corn"
Such are the men caumniated by Descroizes,
who, in 1904, published treatise, in which he
asserts that social affections and religious institu
tons, have taken no hold on his character.
To those traits Of virtue practised by negroes
and to the honorable testimony which authors,
have rendered them, | might have added many