For the Provincial Freeman.

Emigration.—No. II.

  MESSRS. EDITORS,—According to promise, I embrace the opportunity presented by No. 3, to hunt out the prejudice that lurks around the borders of Canada. I have learned that in public houses, especially those of the picayune stamp, colored travellers meet with very slight receptions, if any. On getting into a stage, once or twice, within the last two years, colored gentlemen have met with resistance from upstart drivers. That there is also a worthless rabble constantly loitering around the groggeries and corners, near by which these infernal sinks are located, who are ready at any time to interfere with strangers, especially those whom they think will not retaliate. Suffice it to say, against all these things the law provides an adequate remedy, and the ill-treated man in Canada, whether white or black, can get redress. The contemptible wretch who called out "nigger," intending it as an insult to Mr. Gaines, violated a law which was made expressly for such as he; and the penalty of which Canadian loafers dread to pay. More than once I had heard a great deal about Canada abolitionists before I came to this country; but I have found but few in Toronto. I fear that the abolitionists here, like some we have in the States, are inclined to say more than they would be willing to do for the colored people. I trust, however, that their stentorian declarations may not turn out to be more sound than substance. It is due to a few individuals belonging to that body to say that they do as much for the emigrants and other poor of this city as we have right to expect of them.

  Now, then, let the few barriers, which to some would seem extremely objectionable, and much in the way of elevation in Canada, be contrasted with those in the United States, and we shall distinctly see which of the two countries offer the strongest inducement to the aliened American.

  The descendants of the African race have derived from the God of nature unalienable rights, which should be protected against usurpation, theft and robbery, &c.; The laws of Canada give to them, at the instant of their arrival, protection against the above infractions; and after compliance with the acts of Parliament affecting them, as taking oaths, &c.;, they may enjoy the full privileges of British born subjects. The laws of the U.S. denies a colored man's right even to expect, much less to claim, in conjunction with a white man, rights and privileges at the hands of the Government, and makes laws to that effect. These odious and distinctive laws deepen the pit into which they are plunged, renders their case almost hopeless in that country, and exposes their persons, characters, and property, not only to the posse employed by the general government, who stand like so many trained bloodhounds ready to be let loose upon them, but to the constant assaults of the notorious banditti, viz., "sharpers," "killers,' black-indians," &c.;, &c., who like devouring wolves, prowl through the country, and especially around the seaports, to mob any colored man they may chance to meet. Against none of these evils can the descendants of Africa get legal protection in the United States; and yet the practice of chaining, hand-cuffing, and driving negroes, has continued for so many years as now to become the law of the land; to be justified not only by wicked Congressmen, Senators, Judges, Governors, and Presidents, but by Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as indispensable to the safety and preservation of the "glorious Union." It is very evident that every white man in the United States from the President down to the scapegallows, claims superiority over the colored man, and a right to do as his ignorance or prejudice may dictate; that he is at the mercy of every white man, from the felonous wretch who has spent the best part of his life in the State's prison, down to the blue-mouthed fugitive from British justice, viz., John Mitchell. They have no protection against daily insults and violence, nor any adequate security for life itself against the hell black prejudice and lawless passions of negro-hating men, seldom called to account for their treatment of colored people. Preach not to me the doctrine of nativity and of old friends and associates. Tell me not of my father's grave, if to rove the place that gave me birth, to bask in the smiles of old friends and associates, and to linger around the graves of my parents, would incur the forfeit of my manhood, would bind in servile chains my conscience, would fetter my soul, would crush within me every element of a manly nature—I would forego them all to enjoy my unalienable rights. I see but little ground, whatever may be the opinion of others, upon which to build the hope of deliverance in the United States. The scenes, the circumstances, the habits, the educational and moral influences of that country, all conspire to shape the character and disposition of the nation against the African race. Hence, the majority of our friends are reduced to the belief that the prejudice cannot, within the ensuing century, be moved far enough back to allow the colored man the full exercise of his God-given rights in the United States. Still they cry, hold on, boys! hold on! we think times will get better after a while. We are doing our best, however, to make them better. It is known to every intelligent mind that it is impracticable for a man to strive for the removal of what he does not believe can be removed, for it is a fixed law of mind, that we cannot try to do what we do not believe can be done. We may deceitfully go through the motions, but the heart is not in the affected work. The leading clergymen in the United States assert publicly, and with a degree of indifference well pleasing to their congregations, that it is impossible to remove the prejudice against the African race! That the abolitionists and negroes might as well think to chain up the lightning, or hold down an earthquake! They brand the colored man's hope of rising above it as visionary; they declare that there is not power enough in the religion of Jesus Christ to remove it! Although the men would appear ridiculous, their arguments are not without foundation, which I will clearly show in a few sentences. The truth is, those men are saturated themselves, and they know full well that the great and influential congregations, over which they preside, reek with every possible form of hatred against their unfortunate colored neighbors. They know that any where within the borders of that land, in sight of the seat of government, and in hearing of the boasted flag of liberty, that floats above the Capitol, the sons and daughters of old Africa are brought and sold like horses and cattle, and subjected to every species of violence, malignity, perfidy, rapacity and lust. They know that the chief agencies of violence, malignity, perfidy, rapacity and lust. They know that the chief agencies of society are giving aid to the prejudice against them; the school-room, the pulpit, the press, the forum, the Senate, the ballot-box, all conspire for the most part, to uphold, spread, and perpetuate it. Those men know that the manners in which the children throughout their parishes, and the mass of every community are educated at the present day is calculated rather to strengthen than diminish the prejudice against them; and therefore they say without hesitation, it cannot be done.

  Look at the usual training of the young: their common toys are such as cause the infant mind to dread and fear the approach of the colored man. What songs are they first taught to sing? Songs of burlesques on the negro. What books are they encouraged to read? Such as Uncle Tom's Cabin, Good Old Nelly, and others, that exhibit the negro as inferior to the white man. The surest means are taken to fill the young Yankee with hatred. When a company of respectable colored gentlemen and ladies are passing through the streets of any city, (I do not except one) the children who are large enough go forth to grin and gaze at them, and otherwise develop the Yankee character in its primeval state. The mother takes her little babe to the window that it may inhale with its first breath a squirming abhorrence to the negro.

  The United States is a great prolific cursery, in which there is more pains taken to cultivate prejudice against the African race than in any other country in the world. Take from the millions, a few hundred abolitionists, and scarce a man will be left who does not worship at the shrine of negrophobia, and set for their children a precedent of their constant devotion. Since, however, the day has dawned, and the sun has attained its meridian, it is certain that men will not succeed as they have hitherto in hiding the hopeless condition of the aliened American. He now sees distinctly on every side a multitude of higher influences conspiring to fortify the prejudice against him, that the government furnishes liberal pay to more than a million agents to act as patrols and sentinels, to guard it from assault, that public sentiment, both north and south, canonize and adore it as the guardian angel of the holy union. Seeing those things, he will, doubtless, adopt the "Utopian" scheme Emigration.

R.M.J.

Toronto, March, 15, 1855.