Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 11).djvu/126

This page needs to be proofread.

rise into wild enthusiasm), are very honourable to black capabilities, and exonerate them from the charge of natural and moral inferiority.

19th.—Talked with the Reverend John Wright, Unitarian minister, proprietor of a critical review, and of a store in the city, and late an object of Episcopal prosecution at Liverpool. In England he was at the head of a forum, and occupied some space in the public mind. What he was there, he is here; often fearlessly speaking, writing, and inditing a good matter. He generally preaches but to a few, although on one occasion he had the honour of preaching in the speaker's chair before the President and Congress; a compliment for which he was indebted to the Honourable Thomas Law, the brother of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Chester. In this matter the two brothers furnish a splendid contrast. Mr. Thomas Law received him in a strange land; paid him all the respect in his power; and subscribed 100l. towards building him a conventicle.

{110} 20th.—Edward Wilson, an eminent merchant of Philadelphia, an Englishman of unspotted name, and a Quaker, brother to Thomas Wilson, of Houghton, Hunts, says, "an emigrant recently came to me with 5,000l. sterling, which he put into my hands, and in confidence wished me to use it for him at my discretion. I did so, and returned it to him in two years, having made the 5,000l. into 8,000l. He seemed well pleased with my stewardship. He left in England a discarded son, for whom I prevailed on him to send. He came, and the old man gave him 200l. to start in business here, while he (the father) bought land in the western country. In less than three years the son was the richest man of the two. I said it would be so."