position, I soon found was the very madness of madness. But something
must be done. I repaired at once to the city of Boston, and entered the
law office of E. G. L----, Esq. a distinguished barrister, who had
already shown his regard for the colored race by having brought to the
bar a colored young man--now practising with much success in Boston.
Black men may practice law--at least in Massachusetts. I remained in the
office of this gentleman two years, and was just entering my third and
last year, when, unsolicited on my part and to my great surprise, I
received the appointment of Professor of the Greek Language and
Literature in New York Central College--a college of recent date, and
situated in the town of M'Grawville, near the centre of the State of New
York. This was the first college in America that ever had the moral
courage to invite a man of color to occupy a professor's chair; and, so
far as I know, it is also the only one.

The college was founded by a few noble-minded men, whose object was to
combat the vulgar American prejudice, which can see no difference
between a man and his skin. They sought to illustrate the doctrine of
Human Equality, or brotherhood of the races; to elevate the nation's
morals, and give it more exalted views of the aims and objects of
Christianity. Such a college, in the midst of corrupt public sentiment,
could not fail to meet with the greatest opposition. It was persecuted
on all sides, and by all parties, showing how deep-seated and virulent
is prejudice against color. The legislature countenanced the college so
far as to grant it a charter, and empowered it to confer degrees, but
would not, seemingly on no earthly consideration, give it the slightest
pecuniary patronage. The debates which took place in the State House at
Albany when the bill relating to the college came up for consideration,
would, in vulgar flings at "negroes," cries of "amalgamation," and such
like, have disgraced a very assemblage of pagans. However the college