Page:The Black Prince (John Naimbanna).djvu/8

( 8 ) other object; that he never felt before how much he deserved punishment at the hands of God, and that he only thought of escaping lest such a signal punishment as that of falling from the top of St. Paul's should overtake him.

He was present once at the House of Commons during a debate on the slave trade. He there heard a gentleman who spoke in favour of the trade, say some things very degrading to the characters of his countrymen. He was so enraged at this, that on coming out of the House, he cried out with great vehemence "I will kill that fellow wherever I meet him, for he has told lies of my country;" he was put in mind of the christian duty of forgiving his enemies; on which he answered nearly in the following words:—"If a man should rob me of my money, I can forgive him; if a man should shoot at me I can forgive him: if a man should sell me and all my family to a slave ship, so that we should pass all the rest of our lives in slavery in the West Indies, I can forgive him; but (added he with great emotion) if a man takes away the Character of the people of my country, I never can forgive him." Being asked why he would not extend his forgiveness to one who took away the character of the people of his country, he answered,—"If a man should try to kill me, or should sell my family for slaves, he would do an injury to as many as he might kill or sell, but if any one takes away the character of black people that man injuries black people all over the world; and when he has once taken away their character, there is nothing which he may not do to black people ever after. That man, instance, will beat black men, and say, "O, it is only