Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-09-13
MARRIAGE OF AN EX-sLhVE IN
ENGLAND.
INrERrsrGNa cENEMoNY At ERLGnro.

INTERESTING CEREMONY AT BRIGHTON
THE BRIDE \ NATIVE AFRICAN.
We find the following story in the
Brighton England Ga;tie:
This morning marriage is to be per
formed at the parish church, Brighton, TO
unite two persons of color, whose previous
history gives to the ceremony peculiar
interest, chiefly to those who have been
long and deeply interested in the African
race and who have watched the progress oI
civilization caused BY the influence Of Chris
tianity on the negro: and the ceremony
will also tell our brethren on the other side
of the Atlantic that British ladies and gen
tlcmcn consider it a pleasure and privilege
to do honor to those of the African race
who have proved themselves capable Of
apprcciating the advantages of II liberal
education.
The lady. supposed to be an African
chicttuin's daughter, was presented, when
about the age OF five years, to the late Capt.
Frederick Forbes, X. ~, who officially NiSi-
ted the King of Dahomcy with a view to
aid the suppression of the slave trade in the
interior ui Africa. and in his book giving an
account Of the mission he thus describes the
little girl: i have only to add few paItic-
ulars about ny extraordinary present, the
African child. In u former portion of these
journals | have mentioned the Okcadon
/ war; one OF the captiyes Of this dreadful
slayc-huut was this interesting girl. 1t IS
usual to reserve the best born for the high
! hchcsts Of royalty, and the immolation on
/ the tombs OF the deceased nobility. For
one of these ends she had been detained at
| court for two years proving, by her not
/ having been sold to the slave dealers, that
she was of good family. So extraordinary
/ a present would have been at least burden,
/ had not the conviction that, in consideru-
! ton Of the nature Of the service ! had per
formed. the government would consider her
as the property of the Crown. TO refuse
would have been to have signed her death
warrant which, probably, would have been
carried into execution forthwith. Immcdi-
atcly on arriving, | applied through the
Secretary of the Admiralty, and rcceiN ed for
answer that her Majesty was graciously
pleased TO arrange for tho education and
subsequent fate of the child.
"Of her own history she has only con
fused idea. Her parents were dCcapltatcd I;
her brothers and sisters she knows not what
their fate might have been. For her age,
| supposed to be eight years, she Is perfect
genius; she now speaks English well, and
has great talent for music. She has won
the affections, with but few exceptions, OF
all who have known her, by her doclIe and
amiablc conduct, which nothing can exceed.
She is far in advance Of any white child of
her ace in aptncsS of learning, and strength
of mind and affection; and with her, being
an excellent specimen Of the negro race,
might bc tested the capability Of the intel,
loct of the black
"Uer Majesty has provided the means for
completing the education of Miss Sarah
Forbes Bonctta, whose knowledge and ac-
complishments make her an ornament for
any society, and prove most satisfactorily
that the African mind is capable Of the
; highest intellectual attainmcntS. Her Ma
iesty has taken great interest IN her mar
rage and given it her full sanction. AZ
the same time she has, besides presents from
the royal family herself provided the whole
of the outfit, dc. Mr.. James Davis, the
bridegroom, was originally slave, taken
by one of our cruisers and educated in the
schools of the Church Missionary Society at
Sierra Leone. lie afterwards commenced
trading on his own account, and is now O
prosperous and influential merchant at La
gos, employing upwards of one hundred OF
his fellow countrymen, ana trying TO I'M
, prove their moral and intellectual status
The ceremony is to be performed by tht
Bishop of Sierra Leone and the Rev. ii
/ Venn; and Mrs. Thompson has lent thu
! garden at Westhill Lodge for the wedding
! breakfast. We understand there will be
! large wedding party, including about twent.
\ Africans. The bride will be attended b,
q sixteen bridesmaids, of whom four will b
\ ladies of color"
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