The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-05-05

one side, as be is to the white race on th
other. l remember the time when Ed
ward Jordan,-who acquired all the lear
ming he had from our mission schools =
stood within the shadow of the gsllow,
! and bad very barrow escape for hi
! llte,-and for what! 1t was in the lay
OF slavery, and be was leader in tb
anti-slsver party. He had taken su ac
tive part in the agitation which ended il
the removal Of the legal Disabilities of th,
free colored people, and then be stood uI
to agltate for the abolition of slavery, ha,
ing started semi weekly newspaper call
ed tho Jamaica Watchnlan and in tht
beginning of s32, there was pro-slavery
man, who bad been leader in that par.
ty who suddenly came over to the anti
slavery party, and took active measure.
to ameliorate the condition of the colored
people, and prepare the way for the abo
lition of slavery. Well, sir, in the news
paper controversy to which this gave rise
Mr.. Jordan wrote the following sentence;
I'VE are glad to see Mr.. Beaumont
coming over to the right side. and We
shall be glad with him and allthe friend:
of humanity. to give long pull, a strong
pull, and a pull all together, and bring
down the system by the ruu. knock of
the fetters, and let the oppressed 90 free. ;
That was the sentence. The folio wing
week, as ne sat in the Supreme Court, re.
porting for his paper. to his utter astonish
ment, he heard his own name proclaimed
BY the clerk, under indictment for cap.
ital felony treason. He
had never beard whisper of it before
but be was taken from bis seat placed in
the felon's dock, and srraigned upon that
capital charge; and it was with the ut
most difficulty that his cousel, Mr.. Watts,
also colored man, succeeded in getting
his trial postponed for two days. to pre-.
pare bis defence. The prosecution failed
because they could not prove the publica-
ton of the paper; but there was regular
plot against the life of Mr.. Jordan, to
which the Governor, Lord Belmore, (to
his shame be it said twas a party. he hav-
ing agreed, il Mr.. Jordan war convicted
to sign the warrant for his execution
He wasremoved shortly after for incompe-
teIcy, aud then came in the noble Lord
Mulgrave. now Marquis of Normally, to
whom | have referred.
But this effort to destroy Dir. Jordan,
only placed him upon an eminence. The
eolored people rallied around him. They
had the oontrol Of the elections in Kings
ton; and at the next ballot they elected
him as their representative of the com-
mercial capital of Jamaica, which posi-
ton be occupied for twenty years. A
bout the time | left the West Indies, he
was called into the upper branch of the
legislature, the Council, and now Nj
Jordan is Prime Minister of Jamica, the
head of the Cabinet He occupies the
same position in Jam aica, as the Earl OF
Derby in England, and be is uan who
comma ands the respect of all parties and
all colors in the community.
Then. sir, there is Mr.. Richard Hill
He has been for twenty years the head
of the stipendiary magistrates depart
ment in that island, and a man Of well
known ability and inform alton; indeed,
be is looked up to by all parties on the
island as authority in all matters of nat
ural science Mr. Hill is also colored
only one remove from black mau; that
is, be is the child of black mother, hav.
ing colored father. Mr.. Hill is a man
whom any man might be proud to call his
friend; man of masterly intellect, per.
feet gentleman, and everything that a
man ought to be, and l may add, he is a
Christian man.
Then there is upon the judicial bench
Of j Jamaica Mr. Montcrief, only one
remove from black man. His father
who was a man of some wealth. sent him
to England, and gave him liberal edu-
ton; be was admitted to practice in one
of the Inns of Court, made his way to the
Jam aica bar. and then to the bench, and
is now the second amongst the judges o
the colony.
Sir, place the colored man along side
on equal terms, and be will compete Will
the white. How has Mr.. Jordan forced
his wayl Not by favor, sir, but by tai
ent. and the exercise of that talent. How
have Nr. Hill and Mr.. Moutcrief won the
positions they now fill Not by. favor
sir, but by competing with the white man
with all the advantages Of education and
wealth aud interest 10 his favor. Sir, my
observ alton goes to show this; that they
make good mechanics, very good nagis
tra.es. (for M ore than balfthe magistrates
in the island of Jamaica are colored men,,
efficient Legislators, { suppose not les:
than a dozen in the Legislature of Jamai
ca are ~ en- Of African descent, two OF
them "perfect Africans" to use an ex
preston common here; one of them has
occupied the position be fills twelve OF
fourteen years, the other, ten years-hnd
occupied them respectfully and etheiens,
ly.) They make, also. good medical
practitioners. One of the cleyerest men
/ knew in the island of Jamaica, and q
man who stood first in one branch o.
prsctice, was a colored man. They make
very excelleAt schoolmasters. All ny
..lo,o1 ,.non md | WOuld