Page:Black Jacob, a monument of grace.djvu/7



At an early period in the settlement of this country, while the slave-trade was vigorously pursued, many of the natives of Africa were brought to America and sold into perpetual servitude. While this class of people has long excited the interest and sympathy of the benevolent, but little has been done to change, essentially, their relative position in society. While a portion remain in servitude, others, though free, must meet almost insurmountable obstacles to that improvement and elevation which, under other circumstances, and in their own native land, they might probably secure. Though this numerous class of men, as a body, have improved but little for many generations, there have been occasional exceptions to their general ignorance and degradation. iii