▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁free ▁men ▁of ▁colour . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁arrested ▁twice , ▁and ▁transport ed ▁for ▁life ▁from ▁J ama ica ▁with ▁John ▁Esc of fer y . ▁ ▁Their ▁case ▁was ▁taken ▁up ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Stephen ▁L ush ington . ▁L ec es ne ▁was ▁compens ated ▁after ▁successfully ▁having ▁the ▁case ▁revers ed ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁government . ▁ ▁L ec es ne ▁became ▁an ▁activ ist ▁against ▁sla very ▁and ▁attended ▁the ▁world ' s ▁first ▁anti - s la very ▁convention . ▁He ▁named ▁his ▁son ▁after ▁the ▁British ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁who ▁had ▁fought ▁for ▁his ▁case . ▁L ec es ne ▁was ▁a ▁supp orter ▁when ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 9 ▁Anti - S la very ▁Society ▁was ▁formed . ▁ ▁Dis put ed ▁birth ▁L ec es ne ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Charlotte ▁Cel este ▁and ▁Louis ▁Nicholas ▁L ec es ne , ▁and ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁either ▁Port ▁au ▁Prince ▁or ▁King ston ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 6 ▁or ▁ 1 7 9 8 . ▁His ▁mother ▁and ▁father ▁had ▁arrived ▁in ▁J ama ica ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁with ▁a ▁child ▁called ▁Fig ge . ▁L ec es ne ' s ▁father ▁was ▁French ▁and ▁had ▁left ▁St ▁Dom ingo , ▁whilst ▁his ▁mother ▁was ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁African ▁ancest ry . ▁According ▁to ▁some , ▁his ▁mother ▁was ▁pre gn ant , ▁Fig ge ▁died ▁and ▁Louis ▁was ▁born .