The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian SlavePrince, Mary
History
The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave
Prince, Mary
Fugitive slaves -- West Indies -- Biography; Prince, Mary; Slavery -- West Indies
"In our report for the year 1826, we quoted a passage from
the 13th Report of the Society for the relief of deserted
Slaves in the island of Antigua, in reference to a case of
great distress. This statement fell into the hands of Mr.
M'Queen, the Editor of the Glasgow Courier. Of the
consequences resulting from this circumstance we only gained
information through the Leicester Chronicle, which had
copied an article from the Weekly Register of Antigua, dated
St. John's, September 22, 1829. We find from this that Mr.
M'Queen affirms, that 'with the exception of the fact that
the society is, as it deserves to be, duped out of its
money, the whole tale' (of the distress above referred to)
'is an abominable falsehood.' This statement, which we are
informed has appeared in many of the public papers, is
COMPLETELY REFUTED in our Appendix, No. 4, to which
we refer our readers. Mr. M'Queen's statements, we regret to
say, would lead many to believe that there are no deserted
Negroes to assist; and that the case mentioned was a perfect
fabrication. He also distinctly avers, that the
disinterested and humane agent of the society, Mr. Joseph
Phillips, is 'a man of the most worthless and abandoned
character.' In opposition to this statement, we learn the
good character of Mr. Phillips from those who have long been
acquainted with his laudable exertions in the cause of
humanity, and from the Editor of the Weekly Register of
Antigua, who speaks, on his own knowledge, of more than
twenty years back; confidently appealing at the same time to
the inhabitants of the colony in which he resides for the
truth of his averments, and producing a testimonial to Mr.
Phillips's good character signed by two members of the
Antigua House of Assembly, and by Mr. Wyke, the collector of
his Majesty's customs, and by Antigua merchants, as
follows--'that they have been acquainted with him the last
four years and upwards, and he has always conducted himself
in an upright becoming manner--his character we know to be
unimpeached, and his morals unexceptionable.'
(Signed) "Thomas Saunderson John D. Taylor
John A. Wood George Wyke
Samuel L. Darrel Giles S. Musson
Robert Grant."
"St. John's, Antigua, June 28, 1825."
In addition to the above testimonies, Mr. Phillips has brought over to
England with him others of a more recent date, from some of the most
respectable persons in Antigua--sufficient to cover with confusion all his
unprincipled calumniators. See also his account of his own case in the
Anti-Slavery Reporter, No. 74, p. 69.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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