52. With these mournful spectra, flitting in succession before me, and the black procession still in view, the pleasant anticipations which I had been indulging but fifteen minutes previous, became totally reversed. Returning pensive towards my lodgings, and passing by the Capitol, I thought--Alas! poor Africa,--_thy cup_ is the _essence_ of bitterness!--This _solitary_, magnificent temple, _dedicated to liberty_,--opens its portals to _all_ other nations but _thee_, and bids their sons drink _freely_ of the cup of _freedom_ and happiness:----but when _thy_ unoffending, enslaved sons, clank their blood-smeared _chains_ under its towers, it sneers at their calamity, and mocks their lamentations with the echo of contempt!-- 53. Blessed, infatuated Columbia! the eyes and the hopes of weeping admiring nations are upon thee! Suffer not the lamp of public liberty to be smothered and extinguished by the gloomy shroud of private slavery! Dost not thou assume a pre-eminent distinction among the nations for magnanimity and honour? Does any high-minded christian nation chain her prisoners of war, and subject them and their posterity to perpetual ignorance, and the oppressive toil of involuntary servitude without reward? In thy late contest with a powerful sister state, many of her _political slaves_, who sought the lives of thy sons, and the conflagration of their dwellings, fell into thy custody by the chances of war--I have seen fourteen hundred of these at a single depôt--Fourteen hundred large loaves of good bread, and fourteen hundred pounds of excellent beef, were daily spread before them. As many as could meet with opportunities, were permitted to labor for the neighbouring farmers and manufacturers, for which they received a pecuniary equivalent in monthly stipends.--Fourteen hundred _thousands_ of the sons and daughters of thy neighbour Africa, _breathe and mourn_ on thy expanded bosom. The privileges of a vast proportion of these forlorn victims of sorrow and woe, are reduced below the privileges of the ox, the horse, the hound, and various other domestic animals;--in respect to sustenance, toil, and severity of chastisement, if not quarters and raiment!--As an aggregate people, they, nor their ancestors, never disturbed thy repose, with fire or sword, or the cannon's deathly roar. _They are, nevertheless, virtually prisoners of war_:--not by a war in defence of human life, but generally, by _a hideous sacrilegious war_, waged (among the African kings) for the plunder of human souls, human flesh, _blood and bones_, to be exchanged as articles of merchandize, for contemptible gewgaws, implements of war, distilled spirits, tobacco, &c. The booty thus gained by the savage despots and man-hunters of Africa, had its assumed sale and exportation been impracticable, might possibly have been consigned to the same purposes there as it is now here (_slavery_) or annihilated by massacre; but most probably would have been sought with much less avidity. If