Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-04-19
From the New York Evening Post.


From the New York Evening Post.
Prince Saunders.
In The "Auobographal recollections of the
late Charles Robert Leslie, A. r. edited by
Tom Taylor, ESQ., l find the following para
graph:
"Neally forty years ago 1855 a Boston ne.
gro, named Prince Saunders, came to England
i think with the intention OF going to Africa
as a missionary. He bad educ ltion to keep a
little school i'll Boston, where, l believe, he
had preached. He, however, went not to AT
rica but to Hayti, where he obtained the favor
OF the king, and returned TO England with a
great deal of money. He was noticed by Mr..
Wilbertorce, aud soon became a lion OF the
magnitude in fashionable circles. The count.
ess of Cork could not have party without
This highness, Prince Saunders > for, as he
put his christian name Prince on his cards
without the addition of Mr., he was believed
to be native African prince, and lie did not
undeceive those who choose to think him one
In short, his whole career here was an anus
ing instance of humbug; on his part, however,
not otherwise than by his silently allowing his
admirers TO humhug themselves
"This was very amusing to the AMERICANS
who had known him at home. A great B0s.
ton lady was i'll England, who, when Saunders
last called on her in Boston, would send him
into the kitchen to have lunch with her SER
wants. He called on her early one morning in
London. She was at breakfast, and with eX-
IRENE condescenson las she thought offered
him cup OF tea. No, thank you, ma am, lie
said, i am going to breakfast at Carlton
House | was taken by my friend DIR. Fran.
els, Of New York, to ore of Sir Joseph Banks
converSasioni The old gentleman received
his company sitting (being very gouty) in his
library at one end of which hung portrait
of Captain Cook
''Lamentcd and with tears as Just
AS ever mingled with heroic dust"
"The room was filled with the most eminent
scientific and literary men, but Prince Saun'
ders, the coal-back Boston negro, was the
great man of the evening Il negro too, of the
most moderate abilities Everybody asked to
he presented TO his highness. l got near
enough to hear what passed in his circle and
gentleman, with a star and ribbon, said 10
him, What surprises me is, that you speak
English SO WELL Saunders, who had never
spoken any other language in his life, bowed,
and smiled acceptance of the compliment. He
had large party one evening at his lodgings,
but the countess Of Cork having party the
same night, as she could not go to Saunders
sent her carriage for him, and he left his com.
pany and went to the Lady Cork. From
Prince Saunders, a nobody, who was made
much of, my recollections go back to a man
who was somebody" &c.
Thus speaks Mr.. Leslie, who was educated
with the prejudices against the negro race nat
urally to be expected from a man of savehold-
ing parentage, concerning Prince Saunders
for Leslie's parents were both natives Of Mary
land and both resided ON plantations, though
he was born in London, but in early life came
to America, where he spent most of his days.
1t is my purpose, from my personal knowl-
edge of Prince Saunders, to defend him from
the imputations which Mr.. Leslie has cast on
the memory of a man whom he might have
Justly felt honored in being permitted to call
his friend and associate.
Prince Saunders was of purely African pa
rentage, and perfectly black. He was born in
Thetford, VT, abont the year 1877. He re-
ceived classical education at Moore's charity
school, at Hanover, N. H., which was, in fact,
the same as ii he had been nominaly mem
Der of Dartmouth Colege-the two institutions
being essentially one. Prince applied for adj
mission as a member of college, but the preju-
dice against his race among the students caus-
ed his defeat. About 1906, it is said he
taught school in Colchester, Connecticut. AZ
forwards he taught the African school sup
ported by the (then) town OF Boston, where he
remained, think, five or six years, and had
the reputation of being an excellent teacher.
1t was i'll the spring OF 1910 when l became
cquainted with him. Few white men of the
same profession received so much attention.
This was attributable to the fact, apart from
his unexceptionable moral character and his
gentlemanly address, TO his being black, and,
at the same time, a man of classical education
AN instance of the kind never before known
in the United States.
In the spring of 1915 he embarked on board
the ship Milo-the first vessel that cleared
from Boston Tor England after peace was pro-
claimed-at the same time when Abbott Law
renee took passage in the snme ship. The OBJ
.ject of his visit TO England was understood 10
be to obtain a knowledge of the Lancasteran
system OF education, then in high repute in
that country, with view of introducing it into
Hayti, then governed by King Henry Christie
phe. In England he was treated with great
consideration. The royal family, the nobility,
and the gentry, all seemed to be equally am.
bilious 10 do him honor. He was invited to
the levees OF the prince regent, TO public din.
ners, and to various entertainments in the
highest circles OF the kingdom.
In pursuance of his design he visited Hayti,
where he was received with distinguished
favor BY the king. He doubtless fulfilled his
mission satisfactorily, since he was understood
TO be richly rewarded by the king. While in
Hayti he had access to the records and public
documents of the government, and on his re-
turn to England published in London, in an
octave volume, in work entitled: SHAY tan
Papers Collection of the very interesting
Procamations and other Official Documents,
together with some account of the Rise, Prog
ress and Present State of the Kingdom of
Hayti By Prince Saunders" In the sum
mer of 1918 Mr.. Saunders returned to Boston,
when his friend, the then celebrated author
and bookseller, Caleb Bingham, published an
edition of his "Haytian Papers" DR.. Allen,
in his Biographical Dictionary, says. AFTER
his return TO this country he studied divinity
and preached in Philadelphia" He, however,
went again to Hayt where he became Attor-
ney-General, and died in office, in February,
1889. DR.. Allen says he published several
tracts.
Such, believe, is true, though brief and
imperfect account of this in some respects al
least, remarkable and interesting man. And
now propose to notice some of the srecollec
tons" and observations of Mr.. Leslie. By
the way, l remark that in 1849. ON til,
announcement of Mr.. Saunders death. III,
North American newspaper in Philadelpbi,
published very much such a statement as an
pears in Leslie's book, to which ] replied n
the time. Passing over several of Mr.. Leslie,
Measurements. we come to the sneerinp ane
unauthorized remarks about the countess o
Cork, styling him "His Highness Prime,