THE subject of which these few sheets treat, would have been one of the last I should have ventured upon; had not the delusion of the men who are concerned in enslaving the people calledNegroesappeared so glaring, and the contradiction that theSlave Tradebears to Christianity, prompted me to it.
I shall be as cool and impartial in treating of this matter, as any British subject or Christian can: But why do I say cool? It is impossible I should speak cooly of suchbase, unchristian, and inhuman practices, in a land of Liberty and Christianity: However, in case any thing should be mentioned in the sequel that may give unintended offence to any person, I hope the tender feelings for these distressed Captives, with which I am possessed, and the warmth that is in my breast, to have this Trade abolished, will be sufficient excuse.
I propose dividing the following Treatise into these different heads.
I. Shew, that this custom of making Slaves of our fellow-men, is expressly against the revealed laws of God.
II. That it is likewise against the law of nature, and the Charter of this Province.
III. The disadvantages arising from this base Trade.
IV. The advantages arising from abolishing it. And,
V. Conclude with a short admonition to those concerned, and a method to put the Trade toAfricaon a just and lawful footing.
The first head was, That the custom of making Slaves of our fellow creatures, is expressly against the revealed laws ofGod. And in treating of this part, I shall divide it into the following branches. 1st. By the laws ofGod,He that stealeth and selleth a man, shall be put to death. 2d.He in whose hands he shall be found, shall be put to death, by the same laws. 3d.He that buyeth a Servant and serveth him six years, shall set him free the seventh, and furnish him liberally with what he hath.And 4th.If thy Brother, that is, your fellow-creature,be sold unto thee, thou shall not compel him to serveas a Bond-man; but as an hired Servant.
The first branch under this head is,He that stealeth and selleth a man, shall be put to death. This is one of the most express laws ofMoses, as you may see inExod.xxi. 16, two first, and last clauses of the verse, there mentioned in the most peremptory words;And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, shall surely be put to death.It certainly can be looked upon in no other light in the Merchants and Ship-masters who are in this Trade toAfrica, than stealing of men, being accessary to, and aiding in inciting them to war one with another, and for this purpose, supplying them with prodigious quantities of arms and ammunition, whereby they are hurried into confusion, bloodshed, and all the extremities of temporal misery, which must consequently beget in their minds such a general detestation and scorn of the Christian name, as may deeply affect, if not wholly preclude, their belief of the great truths of our holy religion. Thus an insatiable desire of gain prevails with their Kings, who, instead of being protectors of their people, for this alluring bait laid before them, by theEuropeanandAmericanFactors, or Ship-masters, invade the Liberties of these unhappy people, and occasiontheir oppression. These Kings, whenever they want goods send to the Ship-masters, acquainting them they have Negroes, and sometimes the Factors and Ship-masters send to acquaint them, that they have a quantity of goods, and want Slaves for the same. These Chiefs, whether they have Slaves then or not, agree, and immediately go to war with their neighbours, and in procuring three or four hundred prisoners, burn five or six towns, as appears by the following extract from a Surgeon’s Journal in aLiverpoolvessel.
Sestro, December 29, 1724.
“No trade to-day, though many Traders came on board; they inform us, that the people are gone to war within land, and will bring prisoners enough in two or three days; in hopes of which we stay.
“30th. No trade yet; but our Traders came on board to-day and informed us the people had burnt four towns, so that to-morrow we expect Slaves off.
“31st. Fair weather, but no trade yet; we see each night towns burning, butwe hear theSestromen are many of them killed by the inland Negroes, so that we fear this war will be unsuccessful.
“The 2d ofJanuary. Last night we saw a prodigious fire break out about eleven o’clock, and this morning saw the town ofSestroburnt down to the ground, (it contained some hundred houses) so that we find their enemies are too hard for them at present; consequently our trade spoiled here, so that about seven o’clock we weighed anchor, as did also the three other vessels, to proceed lower down.”
Here follows another relation taken from an original Journal of a Surgeon who sailed out ofNew-York, “Being on the Coast ofGuineaat a place calledBasalia, the Commander of the vessel, according to custom, sent a person on shore, with a present to the King, acquainting him with his arrival, and informing him they wanted a cargo of Slaves. The King promised to furnish them, and in order to do it, set out to war against his enemies; designing also to surprise some town, and take all the people prisoners: Some time after,the King sent them word, he had not yet met with the desired success, having been twice repulsed in attempting to break up two towns; but that he still hoped to procure a number of Slaves for them, and in this design persisted, until he met his enemies in the field, where a battle was fought, which lasted three days, during which time, the engagement was so bloody that four thousand five hundred men were slain on the spot. Think (says he) what a pitiful sight it was to see the Widows weeping over their lost Husbands, Orphans deploring the loss of their Fathers,&c.” Oh! shocking spectacles! to see four or five towns burnt, and four thousand five hundred people killed, for the sake of taking three or four hundred, and you! you! Merchants, Ship-masters and Factors the cause of it all! Think you ever to get the crime of spilling so much blood repented of?
It is a known custom among the Factors who reside inAfrica, and the Ship-masters who trade there, to corrupt many Negroes on the sea coast, who stop at no act of cruelty for gain. They make it a practice, to steal abundance oflittle Blacks of both sexes, when found on the roads, or in the fields, where their Parents keep them all day to watch the corn,&c.Can it be denied that theAfricansarestolenafter so many proofs of it, and if it is not direct stealth in the Ship-masters,&c.yet it is the same in effect; for if they did not go there and entice the Chiefs with money or goods, there would be no wars, as is the case at present; and there would be none stolen if the stealers were not bribed by the Factors or Ship-masters; and not only those that are made Slaves of, there would still be ten thousand others who are killed in the broils, that would be saved, were they to discontinue this base Trade.
Thus far I have shewn that they are stolen. They may say they pay for them. I answer, they give money or goods by way of price to some of the Princes and Negroes, who, for the sake of lucre, take them prisoners by war or stealth, so that what money they give these scoundrels, (forgive me the expression; for, what name can a man expect who would take his Father or Brother and sell then for gain?) who take them in these wayscannot be looked upon as a price paid in lieu, for the Negroes themselves never condescend to be mancipated, as they get none of the money that is pretendedly given for them. They at length arrive at the port, the Ship-master sell them at a most exorbitant profit, and in a few voyages he makes what he calls his fortune; this is all he aimed at and wished for; and what follows, secures his eternal destruction, unless timely repented of: For the truth of this, I could mention very striking instances of men, who I see almost every day; but I do not chuse mentioning names, for fear of seeing them contemned and despised by every well thinking person.
I need add no more on this branch, it being clear that they are stolen in every sense it can be taken; they, the Ship-masters,&c.being the sole cause of the many wars and broils that are amongst the Negro Princes and Chiefs, consequently the cause of these poor creatures being taken and made Slaves of, and of the many thousands that are killed in the wars: Besides, it is not, nor can be denied that they sell them, so that they who practise this branch of Man-stealing and selling can expect nothing butthe penalties ofGod’s laws, which he, in his own time, will inflict, since man! indolent man! will not punish them with death, as warranted sufficiently by the above cited passage in holy writ.
Before I leave this branch it may not be improper to give my Readers a short sketch of the barbarous usage these unhappy people meet with from the Ship-masters in their passage fromAfrica. After they have got them on board shackled two and two together, they keep them confined below all the passage, never permitting more than two on deck at a time to take one breath of fresh air, the most common blessing we enjoy, conscious that they are doing wrong to these people, and not certain butGodmight raise them against the Ship-master and his crew, if they had the least opportunity to stir up an insurrection in the ship, to retrieve their Liberty which they had in their own country, and which they ought to enjoy by the laws ofGod, ofBritain, and the Plantations.
For the Reader’s true satisfaction as to this inhuman and unchristian usage, which could be expected of no other than Barbarians, I shall here narrate someaccounts which have been given by menconcerned in theSlave Trade.
First, the following case is mentioned inAstley’s Collection of Voyages, byJohn Atkins, Surgeon on board AdmiralOgle’s squadron, “Of oneHarding, Master of a vessel, in which several of the Men-slaves and a Woman-slave had attempted to rise in order to recover their Liberty; some of whom the Master of his own authority sentenced to cruel deaths, making them first eat the hearts and liver of one of those he killed. The woman he hoisted by the thumbs, whiped, and slashed with knives before other Slaves, until she died.” Oh unparralelled cruelty!
Next is an account given by a Ship-master who brought a Cargo of Slaves toBarbadoes, upon an enquiry what had been the success of the voyage, he answered, “That he had found it a difficult matter to set the Negroes a fighting with each other in order to procure the number he wanted.” This shews, Reader, what methods they practise to obtain these Slaves,by setting them a fighting with each other. “But when he had obtained his end, having filled hisvessel with Slaves, a new difficulty arose from their refusal to take food: Those desperate creatures chusing rather to die with hunger than to be carried from their native country.” Upon a further enquiry how he got them to forego this desperate resolution, he answered, “That he obliged all the Negroes to come on deck, where they persisting in their resolution of not taking food, he caused his sailors to lay hold on one of the most obstinate, who chopped the poor creature into small pieces, forcing some of the others to eat a part of the mangled body; swearing to the survivors, that he would use them all one after the other in the same manner if they did not consent to eat.” This horrid execution he applauded as a good act, it having had the desired effect in causing them to take food.
As detestableand shocking as these usages to the poor Negroes may appear to such whose hearts are not yet hardened by the practise of that cruelty which the love of wealth by degrees introduceth into the human mind, it will not be strange to those who have been concerned or employed in the Trade.
The second branch was,If he be found in his hands, he surely shall be put to death. This is the third and fourth clause of the before cited verse inExod.If he be found in his hands. This is to be understood in two senses, either found in the Ship-master’s hands who stole him, or bought, as he says, or in the person’s hands who purchases him. As to the first of these senses in which this passage may be taken, if the laws ofGod, yea, even of man, were to be put into execution, he, the stealer, or even the buyer, would be punished with death, for it is clear as to Man-stealing, that it deserves death, by the above passage of Scripture, and it is no less with regard to buying: But why do I say buying? For no money can be equal to the worth of a man: Buying, I admit that word because Ship-masters and others in this Trade, say, for their justification that they purchased the Negroes, but as there are no laws, either ofGodor man, for the buying and stealing ofAfricans, I am inclined to think it cannot be supposed, but they justly deserve death. And in the second sense, the man who buys theAfricansor Negroes is full as culpable as the stealer, and liable to the same punishment, for Scripture does not pointout particularly either of them, but only just,If he be found in his hands, that is, in any man’s hands, so that it can be proved he stole or bought him,he surely shall be put to death.
The third part was,He that buyeth a Servant and serveth him six years, shall set him free the seventh, and furnish him liberally with what he hath. The first part of this branch is proved in three different texts,viz.Exod.xxi. 2.Deut.xv. 12. andJer.xxxiv. 14. In all which parts it is expressly mentioned,That if anHebrewServant be sold unto thee, or if you buy him heshall serve thee six years, and the seventh, thou shall let him go free from thee, that is, he shall pay nothing for his Liberty.
Some persons for argument sake may object to this, saying, these people are notHebrews, as mentioned in these texts of Scripture, butHeathens. This may be difficult enough to determine. However, admit they areHeathens, (although it is well known they are not) it must be owned by those who know them, that the natives ofAfricahave exalted notions of a Deity. It is an odd method these Traders take to civilize and teach themthe Christian religion, by importing one hundred thousand of them yearly intoVirginiaand other Southern Provinces, together with theWest-Indiaislands, where they are kept in greater darkness than before, as they are not allowed to worshipGodon the Sabbath; but are employed in worldly business on that day, which is a scandal to the Rulers of theBritishColonies and Islands where such things are practised. It is subversive of the Christian religion not to allow those ignorant people the benefit of it, who make up more than two thirds of the inhabitants of the beforementioned places. It is expressly against the laws ofGod; for he gavePauland other Apostles commission to go and preach the gospel to every nation, kindred, and tongue; but instead of that, where the gospel is preached throughout theBritishColonies, and where these people might expect to receive the light of it; I say, instead of that, they are kept from divine worship on Sundays, and never once in their lifetime admitted to church, but obliged to cultivate their small piece of ground allowed them by their Masters.
The last part of the verse runs thus,And shall furnish him liberally with what hehath.That is, when the Servant hath served thee six years, as expressed inExod.xxi. 2, andDeut.xv. 12.Then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you; and in ver. 13.Thou shall not let him go away empty.Ver. 14.Thou shall furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine press; of that wherewith theLordthyGodhath blessed thee, thou shalt give him. This is in token that thou dost acknowledge the benefit that thou hast received by his labours.Marg. Bible.
It is still further required to set your Servants or Bond-men free at the above appointed time, by the 15th verse of the same chap.And thou shalt remember that thou wast a Bond-man in theland ofEgypt,and theLordthyGodredeemed thee; therefore I command thee this thing to-day. I command thee.You are ordered, yea, commanded to dothis thing. What thing? To set free your Bond-servants after six years service. You are commanded to do itto-day,viz.At the expiration of six years, for, saysGod, by the voice of his Servant,I command thee this thing to-day.
There is a blessing promised to those who do this thing in ver. 18 of the above chap. After enjoining that it may notseem hard unto you in sending away this Servant, as he hath been worth a double hired one, in serving thee six years, he says,and theLordthyGodshall bless thee in all that thou doest. Sweet encouragement for poor sinful souls! To be blessed in every thing that they do. What man will forfeit this great blessing for the sake of the service of one, two, or more Servants for life? Will he allow himself to be cursed byGodin every thing that he doeth for the small gain he can make by their services? This charming promise of a blessing in all that thou doest, and the dreadful events that may take place in contradicting the command ofGod, I hope will make such impressions upon the minds of men, that they will not bind Servant to serve above six years; but will set him at liberty in the seventh year, and give him liberally of what theLordhath blessed them with, as required in the above cited text. If you think you have not enough of this, pass along to
The fourth and last section on this head,If thy Brother be sold unto thee, thou shall not compel him to serve as a Bond-man; but as an hired Servant. This is proved byLev.xxv. 39, 40. where it is said,If thy Brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor,and be sold unto thee, thou shalt not compel him to serve as a Bond-servant.This is expressly against making Slaves of any of our poor Brethren, or compeling them to serve as Bond-servants.If thy Brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, are the words of the verse; the poorAfricanswho fall into the hands of the Men-wolves that prowl on their coasts, are obliged to serve their lifetime, and their children after them: This is being Bond-men with a witness, and as we have great reason to believe they are poor enough when they steal them, they are kept so forever after, not having means to make a penny themselves. TheAfricanswill be understood, if not primarily intended, to be the people mentioned in this text! It is said,Thy Brother who dwelleth by thee: When they are inAfricait is certain they are at a great distance; but when they come toAmericaor theWest-Indiesthey then dwellby us; therefore I think, from the above citations, no person can buy these people, and oblige them and their children to serve as Slaves, without incuring the displeasure ofGodand his punishments for disobeying his just commands.
It may be added, as in v. 42d of the same chap.For they are my servants, which I brought forthout ofEgypt;they shall not be sold asBond-men. The last part of this verse is expressly againstsellingthem as Bond-men. Should it be objected, that theAfricanswere notbrought forth out of the land ofEgypt, it would not affect the controversy. I would sincerely advise every man who is in this abominable Trade not to persist in it, seeing the many threats and commands against him inGod’s laws, and the blessings that are promised if he does not.
The IId General Head proposed, is, That this practice of making Slaves of our Brethren is likewise against the law of nature, and the Charter of this Province. The first part of this head, may be easily proved by the following texts of Scripture;Matt.vii. 12.Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.Lukevi. 31.And as you would that men should do to you, do ye so to them likewise.Who is that proud one that will not receive these instructions? And who is that man that will do unto any person, either white or black, Christian or Savage, contrary to what he would that he should do to him? This would be acting contrary to reason and common sense. Would any person consent to have himself torn from his friends and native country, and be made a Slave for life, and to have his dear,dear little children continue in the same condition from one generation to another? No; surely no person would agree to that. Well then, it certainly must be contrary to the laws of nature, christianity, and subversive of the texts just quoted, which were wrote for our direction and guidance in this world. It is likewise certain, that those who carry on this Trade, do not unto men as they would men should do to them; for if these poor people which they, the Ship-masters take from their own Country and then sell for Slaves, were doing to them as they are done to, they would (were it in their power, which seldom is the case, the owners being conscious of the wrong they are doing, and dreading what naturally would follow) revenge the injury they receive in being made Slaves, and resume that Liberty again, which was wrongfully taken from them; I say, they would often revenge the injury offered them by killing the Captain of the ship who had taken them to be mancipated for life, and would serve in the same manner the Owners of the vessel if they could get them, who are no better than the Masters, in putting them into such employ. Who could find fault with them? No person. They were only retrieving the most common blessing weenjoy, Liberty, and instead of being punished, the law would protect them in so noble an action. But,
Readers, before I leave this, let me beg you to “bring the matter home to yourselves, and think whether any condition in life can be more completely miserable than that of those distressed Captives. On reflecting, that each of them had some tender attachments which were broke by the cruel separation! Some Parent or Wife who had not an opportunity of mingling tears in a parting embrace! Perhaps some Infant or aged Parent whom his labour was to feed, and vigilance protect! and himself under the dreadful apprehensions of perpetual Slavery.”
To inforce this part of the head, allow me, Reader, to intrude a little upon your time, by giving you a short account of the barbarous usage these poor Negroes meet with from their Masters in theWest-Indiesand Southern Provinces ofNorth-America; on reading of which, you will not be long in concluding, that they do not in this case observe the golden rule.
The crimes attending the Slave Trade are greatly aggravated by the extreme cruelusage the Negroes meet with in the Plantations, as well with regard to food and cloathing as the hard and unreasonable labour that is exacted from them, and what cannot be forgot, the severe chastisements they frequently suffer, which is bounded by the wrath and pleasure of their hard task-masters. 1st. As to their food. InBarbadoes, &c.[1]“three quarts of corn and three herrings are a weeks allowance for a working Slave; and it is mentioned in the System of Geography, that inJamaicathe Owners of the Negro Slaves set aside for each, a piece of ground, and allow them Sundays to cultivate it, the produce of which with a few salt herrings or other salt fish is all that is allowed for their support. But need I go so far asJamaicato prove this? No. InVirginiathey do the same. 2d. As to their cloathing. In the Islands, the allowance for a Slave’s cloathing is seldom more than six yards of oznabrigs a year, and in the Southern Colonies, where the piercing westerly winds are long and sensibly felt, these poorAfricanssuffer much for the want of sufficient cloathing; indeed, shocking to relate! some of them are obliged to work most of the night in boiling-houses, notwithstanding the hard days work they have performed. Their Owners make great gain by their Slaves’ labour. They lay heavy burdens on them, and yet feed and cloath them very sparingly, and some scarcely at all; so that it cannot be wondered that these poor creatures are obliged to shift for their living as they do, which occasions many of them being killed in stealing potatoes or other food to satisfy hunger. If they are detected in taking any thing from the plantation they belong to, which they have so hardly laboured for, they are cruely whiped.” Lastly. With respect to the beating which these poor people meet with in theWest-Indies. For the least fault they whip them most unmercifully,viz.for not being at work in half an hour after the usual notice; speaking a word which the Overseer may think saucy; not shewing respectenough to him; not doing with agility some hard piece of work ordered them; and any thing which the Overseer may take exception at. They beat them with thick clubs, and you may see their bodies all whaled in a terrible manner.
Mr.George Whitefieldwrites in a letter to the Planters inVirginia,Carolina,&c.“The task-masters, by their inhuman usage and unrelenting scourges have ploughed their backs and made long furrows, and at length brought them even to death.” This is the fate which great numbers in the islands and Southern Provinces meet with. When speaking of their cloathing and food, he adds, “When passing along, I have viewed your plantations cleared and cultivated, many spacious houses built, and the Owners of them faring sumptuously every day. My blood has frequently run cold within me to consider how many of your Slaves had neither convenient food to eat or proper raiment to put on, notwithstanding many of the comforts you enjoy were solely owing to their indefatigable labours.” InVirginia,&c.in case a Negro gives the slightest affront to a white person, he goes to the Negroe’s Master and demands satisfaction, the Master delivershim to the white person to take what satisfaction he pleases; who whips him, strikes him with clubs, and, as is often done, cuts off his ears,and marks himby cuting his face, or other parts of his body. What more could be done to a brute beast, who was brought up and designed for the yoke? Oh! how long will you continue in this delusion and horrid abuse of the principal workmanship ofGod. It is astonishing how a people who so much value themselves upon their Freedom can continue in the practice of so much oppression. Will not the groans of this afflicted and miserable people reach Heaven! And when the cup of inequity is filled, the unavoidable tendency must be the pouring forth ofGod’s judgments upon their oppressors. But alas! is it not too plain that this cruelty has already been the object of divine anger? For what greater judgment can befal any person than to become a prey to that obduracy of heart, that neglectfulness ofGod, and a callousness to every religious impression?
I could say a great deal more concerning the unparralleled cruelty that these Negroes meet with: But I apprehend more has been said already than will be believed, although it is far from coming up to thereal truth; for it is impossible my pen can represent in proper colours the hard usage they meet with. The sympathizing Reader must feel the rest, for I can assist him no farther. I believe there are but few that have not heard or read of the cruel treatment of those unhappy mortals. Indeed it is almost incredible that such cruelty should be practised in any of theBritishdominions.
I could have quoted a dozen Authors, setting forth the inhuman punishments inflicted upon theAfricans; but that would have swelled my page. I hope this short, but true narrative, for great part of which I am much obliged to Mr.Benezet, will answer the same end of raising in every breast an utter detestation and abhorrence of the horrid customs and savage usage in the Islands and Colonies abovementioned, and I make no doubt but every one will clearly see,they do not to these Negroes as they would that they should do to them.
I think it is time to leave this part and go to the last,viz.That this base custom is likewise against the Charter of this Province; as is clearly and most simply demonstrated by a clause in said Charter, granted by KingWilliamand QueenMary, dated atWestminster, the 7th ofOctober, in thethird year of their reign, wherein,inter alia, it is established and ordained,That all and every of the Subjects of Us, our Heirs, and Successors, which shall go to and inhabit within Our said Province and territory, and every of their Children which shall happen to be born there, or on the seas in going thither, or returning from thence, shall have and enjoy allLibertiesand immunities ofFREEand natural Subjects within the dominions of Us, Our Heirs, and Successors, to all intents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever, as if they and every of them were born within our realm ofEngland. I need say but little as to this branch of the head further than to observe, that the clause of the Charter just cited, proves clearly, and which cannot be further disputed,that all and every of the Subjects, the Inhabitants ofNew-England,which shall come to and inhabit within the Province and territory of the same, and every of their Children which shall happen to be born there, shall have and enjoy all theLiberties, &c.ofFREEand natural Subjects of the realm ofEngland. Indeed I am sorry to mention that this Charter should have been so long subverted and remained unobserved by the Publick in so interesting a point, when by timely observance it might have saved many thousands from Slavery that are now dead and moulderedinto dust. I hope this easy found light will not be too late discovered to direct and save the present Slaves from their Bondage, which many! too many! groan under: So that I expect the inhabitants of theAmericanProvinces will not give any person an opportunity of charging them with that infamous character of making or keeping any man or woman Slaves, when they are complaining daily that their Liberties are wrested from them, and little think how they deprive these poor Black People of their Freedom, when there is as little reason for it as there is for making Slaves ofBritishSubjects. The above cited clause in the Charter, says,Those born in or shall come to and dwell within the Province of theMassachusetts-Bay areFREE; from which I am led to think, and which every person must see, will extend to Black as well as White. But, Reader, excuse me, whoever you are, that may take offence at my construing this clause of the Charter in the manner I have done, it is only my opinion, and every one is at liberty to enjoy his own sentiments upon it as well as I; therefore I flatter myself of hearing soon, that means will be taken by the Legislature of most, if not all the Provinces ofNorth-America, and theWest-IndiaIslands, totally prohibiting the importation of Negroesinto theBritishPlantations; and setting at Liberty with universal consent, every Negro throughout the whole, at least inNorth-America, which will be an honour to human nature, to say that this great and this only remaining hinderance to the absolute freedom as well as legality of theEnglishtrade is now happily and gloriously abolished; and then we may all cry with shouts of joy! which few more countries in the four quarters of the globe can,That completeFREEDOMboth in people and trade is allowed throughout theBritishIslands and Plantations inAmericaandthe West-Indies!
The IIId General Head proposed was, To shew the disadvantages arising from this base Trade. This head I propose to consider separately, and shall 1st. Shew the disadvantages toAfricain taking so many of its natives away yearly. 2d. Treat of the hurt and prejudice of this Trade withEurope. 3d. Shew the disadvantages to theBritishPlantations inAmerica, particularly to theWest-Indies, in carrying Black People thither.
The first part of this head is, To shew the disadvantages toAfricain taking so many of its natives yearly. Before I enter upon this branch it may not be improper to mention a few observations which Mr.Postlethwaytmakes upon the great qualities which this country abound with. “Its situation for commerce is certainly beyond any of the other quarters of the world, for it stands in the center between the other three, and has thereby a much nearer communication withEurope,Asia, andAmerica, than any other quarter has with the rest. It is wonderfully accommodated for commerceby the interpositionof islands, and more particularly by the assistance of the trade winds, which render the navigation safe, easy, and constant. It is furnished with the greatest and most convenient navigable rivers, and perhaps with as many of them as any other of the chief parts of the world: Such are theNile,Nubia,Niger,Natal, which are rivers of the first magnitude; besides these there are innumerable others, though not equal to the former, are yet very excellent streams, situated for navigation and commerce, and which by their noble courses penetrate far inland; if theEuropeans, &c.would cultivate a human and Christian like commerce with theAfricans, they might through these rivers become the medium of an endless beneficial commerce. The country is populous beyond credibility, the soil fruitful, the season for thegreatest part mild and clement, and the air salubrious.” I must stop in the midst of this agreeable description, being afraid of leading myself into an undue length in this narrative of the beautious perfection of that rich and fruitful part of the world.
I shall now consider the disadvantages toAfricain taking so many of its natives away yearly. But it is needless to speak much on this head, as most of my Readers will perceive the prejudices toAfricain thus draining it of the inhabitants yearly in the mannerBritainand the Plantations do. I shall mention a few of them. 1st. There can be no loss to any country (particularly to one likeAfricathat is yet mostly to cultivate) equal to that of depopulating it. 2d. It prevents the inland country, where the incessant broils are carried on, from defending themselves against the attacks and encroachments made on their properties by the Kings and Chiefs, whereby many thousands of their subjects being taken prisoners, are sold to the Coasters, they being nourished and caressed by theEuropeans, particularly byBritainand the Colonies, in doing so, for the sake of the Slave Trade toAmerica, and theWest-Indies; and further, in consequence of this depriving them of defending themselves against thesebase assaults, it prevents them entirely from cultivating and manuring that fruitful and rich country, to the degree it is capable of. 3d. It ever obstructs the civilizing of those people, and consequently of propagating amongst them the Christian religion, and extending the Trade into the bowels ofAfrica, which by contrary means might be easily practicable. 4th. That whilst the slaving Trade of those people, continue to be the great object of the powers that trade there it is to be feared it will ever, as it does at present spirit up wars and hostilities amongst the Negro Princes and Chiefs, for the sake of making captives of each other for sale. And 5th. The greatest disadvantage toAfrica, by thus draining it of the inhabitants is, that it prevents them from cultivating and peopling that great fertile country, of introducingEuropeanarts and sciences amongst them, and of carrying on a friendly, civil, and christian Commerce with them into the heart of their region.
The second branch alluding to the third head was, to treat of the prejudice toAfrica, and its trade withEurope. It is an absolute fact, that these people are incessently at war with their neighbouring Princes so that they cannot get their businesslooked into or followed, and consequently a great hinderance to the manufacturing such quantities of their country’s produce of every kind, to send toEuropeandAmerica,&c.as they might do, were this Slave Trade abolished, and the Rulers in amity, friendship, and concord, one with another.
It is further a hurt to theAfricantrade withEurope, for the Slave Trade has so gained upon the minds of those men that traffick toAfrica, that they never once think of the other commodities, at least in such quantities asEuropemight consume were the attention necessary paid to it by making this the only object of the traders notice. I believe it would turn out much more profitable to keep wholly to the produce of this country,viz.gums, ivory, gold and silver dust,&c.and to resign that base unchristian Trade of Man-selling.
Lastly, on this head, To shew the disadvantages to theBritishPlantations inAmerica,&c.in bringing Black people into them. This will be made very easily appear when you consider, that these numerous Black People, which are yearly brought into the southern-most parts ofNorth-Americaand theWest-Indieswere very poor at that time, not having a penny to command, and never so much as once in their lifetime had it in their power to make one half that sum for themselves, so that the different Provinces in the Continent, and the Islands in theWest-Indiesare filled with these necessitous Black People, and must be put upon the townships to which they belong, in case this enslaving them be ever abolished, which I flatter myself, and I hope not vainly, will be done in time, and that with effect. Further, why do they fill their Plantations with Black People, so unnatural to the Whites, the Proprietors of the different Colonies, when it seems no way difficult to obtain White People to serve free in their stead?Europein general affords numbers of poor and distressed objects for that purpose, and if these were not overworked, as the Negroes generally are, they would make as good Servants for theAmericanandWest-IndiaPlantations as the Blacks do. And if theEuropeanswere upon a level with regard to the price of labour, in their Colonies, I cannot but think they would reap great advantage in laying aside the Slave Trade, and cultivate a friendly and civilised Commerce with theAfricans. Until this is done it does not seem possiblethat the inland trade of that country should ever be extended to the degree it is capable of; for while the spirit ofButcheryand making Slaves of each other, is promoted by theEuropeans,Americans,&c.amongst those people, they will never be able to travel with safety into the heart of the country, or to cement such commercial friendship and alliance with them, as will actually introduce our arts and manufactures.
The IVth General Head was, To shew the advantages arising from abolishing this base custom. This Head I propose dividing into two parts, 1st. The advantages toAfrica, and 2d. The advantages toEuropeparticularly toBritainand the Plantations inAmericaand theWest-Indies.
First toAfrica. The advantages that would arise to it, in abolishing this base and unchristian-like Commerce are numerous, some of which may be comprehended under the following. 1st. The abolishing this Trade may be a means of peopling this country, and of cultivating it in the same manner with any other country inEuropeorAsia, so as to render it capable of bearing in as great abundance as theEast-Indies, spices of equal quality to those ofBanda,Ternate, andAmboyna; I say, thelike spices might be produced on the rich and fruitful shores ofMelindaon the east side, or of the slave coast on the west side ofAfrica, and that as easy and to as great advantage, as where they are now raised, the latitude being the same, and soil not unlike; and, in short, cinnamon and all others, the production ofEastandWest-Indies, by proper management might be raised here as well as in those parts. 2d. It would introduce the Christian religion among them, which is a shame to these nations who pretend to hold fast the principles of Christianity, to keep so long hid, and of consequence, be a means of bringing among them the more civilized arts and sciences. 3d. It will recommend theEuropeandress, and introduce their customs among the natives, and of course civilize them like other Christian nations. Lastly. It will be a means of bringing this country to as great perfection in trade, riches, and grandeur, as any inEurope, it being a much more fertile and plentious soil for many valuable productions.
Much more could I say upon the numerous advantages arising to this excellent country: But let what has been said suffice, I leave the rest to the Reader’s own feeling, if he has any for this poor distressedAfricawhich groans under a heavy load of oppression.
The next thing in course is, the advantages that would arise toEuropein thus carrying on a Christian-like Commerce withAfrica. This trade even in its present state, excluding that of the Slaves, is as advantageous as any that is now followed; and what will it be when a friendly traffick is carried on? It is as it were all profit, the first cost being some things ofEuropean, particularly ofBritishmanufactures, and others generally purchased with them; for which there is in return, gold, elephant’s-teeth, wax, gums, cotton-wool, divers dying-woods, and Slaves: But this last piece of Commerce,viz.Man-slaving, I am far from making a part of theBritishtrade, and I dare say every humane person will be likeminded. These are articles which the country abound in, and would be still cheaper to an immense degree, were the inland parts settled with their own people; but instead of that, a hundred thousand are yearly carried away.Britainpays but little for the commodities it exports toAfrica, being mostly, as observed before, its own produce, such as worstedand cotton clothsof all kinds, brass, iron, and copper work of every sort, particularly largequantities of all kinds of defensive arms, with powder and shot in proportion;East-Indiagoods, every kind ofBritishmanufactures, and a good deal ofAmericanandWest-Indiarum,&c.It is not easy to say what vast quantities of the aboveBritishandAmericanproductions would be exhausted yearly among so great a people, and in so very extensive a country, were the Slave Trade stopped. It is the interest of every Merchant inBritainand the Plantations who are now concerned in traffick toAfrica, to cultivate the inland commerce in its utmost extent, as having no manner of concern with the Slave Trade, there being the greatest reason to believe, that where they now export twenty shillings worth of commodities thither, they would then export an hundred pound; and I am inclined to think when the trade comes to be extended to the degree it will admit of, notwithstanding those goods that are imported fromAfrica, there will still be discovered an infinite variety of trafficable articles, with which the present Traders are totally unacquainted, and this Trade become the most beneficial toBritain,America, and theWest-Indies, of any that is at present on foot, as it is common to every individual, and of which the government has taken muchnotice, by granting an annual sum of ten thousand pounds sterling for the maintaining and upholding the forts and castles in theBritishSettlements inAfrica, so that they are entirely defended against the attacks of any enemy, and their Trade and Colonies secured by irresistible strength of forts and castles.
A great deal more could be mentioned on the thousands of advantages that may arise to the interest ofBritainand the Plantations in abolishing this wicked Trade: However, I shall detain my Readers no longer on this head, but as proposed,
Conclude the whole with some short admonitions to those concerned, and a method to put this Trade toAfricaupon a just and lawful footing. I advise every Merchant and Ship-master who is in this Trade of Man-slaving to renounce and give it up. What arguments or reason, pray, can be advanced for his justification, when he sees such threats and curses against him, particularly mentioned in the first head? Why should any person incur the penalties ofGod’s Law so daringly for the sake of gain? Should they think themselves on a death-bed, what agonies and troubles of mind must they undergo in the thoughts of enslaving so many miserablecreatures, of murdering so many thousands of innocent people in the wars they occasion, treacherously taking them out of their own country, using them barbarously, massacring numbers of them in all the cruel ways imaginable on the passage, selling them for life, and depriving them even of a comfortable living, notwithstanding they serve for nothing else; surely the judgment ofGodmust come upon such men who will thus use their own Brethren who were born to inherit the same salvation with us, and if his judgment does not come upon them, it will pursue their children unto the third and fourth generation, until the riches that have been thus scandalously amassed be squandered away, and they become as poor as these Negroes themselves, by selling of whom such unjust gain was made. But this is only one way out of thousands thatGodchuses to afflict his enemies in this world. And,
Still pursuing, thatGodwill be revenged on those that punish wrongfully such poor Negroes, I shall insert what the above mentioned Mr.George Whitefieldsays in a letter to the inhabitants ofVirginia, &c. “We have,” says he, “a remarkable instance ofGod’s taking cognizance of, and avenging the quarrel ofpoor Slaves, 2Sam.xxi. 1. There was a famine in the days ofDavid, three years, year after year, andDavidenquired of theLord, and theLordanswered, it is forSaul, and his bloody house, because he slew theGibeonites. Two things are here very remarkable, 1st. TheseGibeoniteswere only hewers of wood and drawers of water; or in other words, Slaves like yours. 2d. That this plague was sent byGodmany years after the injury(the cause of the plague) was committed. And for what end were this and such like examples recorded in holy Scripture? Without doubt for our learning. ForGodis the same to-day as he was yesterday,and will continuethe same for ever. He does not reject the prayer of the poor and destitute, nor disregard the cry of the meanest Negro.” When speaking of the oppression and unchristian usage these poor Negroes meet with from the Ship-masters in their passage, and from the Masters they are sold to in the south parts ofAmericaand theWest-Indies, he adds, “The blood of the Negroes spilt for these many years in your respective Provinces will rise up to Heaven against you,” together with that lost inAfrica, occasioned by the Traders that go thither. It may notbe improper to observe here, that this plague was sent byGodonSauland his bloody housemany years after the slaughter of theGibeonites; so may these men reasonably expect, that have occasioned and still continue to be the cause of spilling so much innocent blood inAfricaand the different Provinces, to have a plague or curse come upon them,many years after the perpetrating these wicked deeds.
I will insert a few questions, for which I am indebted to Mr.Postlethwayt, by way of argument or persuasion to give up this enslaving of Men to those people who will be ready to defend this scandalous Trade toAfrica, and of keeping these people in ignorance, who are brought into a country where the gospel is preached on all sides of them.
1st. “Whether the people of this country notwithstanding their colour, are not capable of being civilized and brought into the Christian religion, as well as great numbers of theIndiansofAmericaandAsiahave been; and whether the primitive inhabitants of all countries so far as we have been able to trace them were not once as savage and inhuman as the people inAfrica,and whether the ancientBritonsthemselves of our country were not once upon a level with theAfricans?
2d. “Whether therefore, there is not a probability that those people might in time, by proper management in theEuropeans, become as wise, as industrious, as humane, and as good Christians, as the people of any other country?
3d. “Whether their rational faculties are not in general equal to those of any other of the human species; and whether they are not, from experience, as capable for mechanical and manufactural arts and trades, as even the Bulk of theEuropeans?
4th. “Whether it would not be more to the interest of all theEuropeanNations concerned in the Trade toAfrica, rather to endeavour to cultivate a friendly and humane Commerce with these people, into the very centure of their extended country, than to content themselves only with skimming a trifling portion of Trade upon the Coast ofAfrica?
5th. “Whether the greatest hinderance and obstruction to theEuropean’s cultivating a Christian-like and humane Commercewith those populous countries has not wholly proceeded from that unjust Traffick called the Slave Trade, which is carried on by theEuropeansAmericans,&c.
6th. “Whether this Trade and this only was not the primary cause, and still continues to be the chief cause of these eternal and incessant broils, quarrels, and animosities which subsist between the Negro Princes and Chiefs; and consequently of those endless wars which abide among them, and which they are induced to carry on in order to make prisoners of one another for the sake of the Slave Trade?
7th. “Whether, if trade was carried on with them for a series of years, as it has been with most other savage countries, and theEuropeansgave no incouragement whatever to the Slave Trade, those cruel wars among the Blacks would not cease, and a fair and honourable Commerce in time take place throughout the whole country?
8th. “Whether the example of theDutchin theEast-Indies, who have civilized innumerable of the natives, and brought them to theEuropeanway of cloathing,&c.does not give reasonable hopes that thesesuggestions are not visionary, but founded on experience as well as on humane and Christian principles?
9th. “Whether Commerce in general has not proved the great means of civilizing all nations, even the most savage and brutal; and why not theAfricans?
10th. “Whether the territory of theEuropeannations who are interested in the Colonies and Plantations inAmerica, are not populous enough, or may be rendered so, by proper encouragement given to matrimony and the breed of foundling infants, to supply their respective Colonies with labourers in the place of Negro Slaves? And
Lastly. “Whether theBritishdominions in general have not an extent of territory sufficient to increase and multiply their inhabitants; and whether it is not their own faults that they do not increase them sufficiently to supply their Colonies and Plantations, with Whites instead of Blacks?”
I make no doubt, but some persons who are concerned in the Slave Trade toAfrica, will attempt making answer to some of these questions: But I presume there are others of them they will not ventureupon, knowing they are founded upon reason and truth, and I hope will have great influence on those this Treatise concern.
I would add one necessary query more, to those who hold the sword of justice, and who must account to God for the use they make of it. Since theEnglishLaw is so truly valuable for its justice, how can they overlook the barbarous deaths and wrongful Slavery of the unhappyAfricans, without trial or proof of being guilty of crimes adequate to their punishments? Why are those Masters of vessels (who are not the most considerate of men) suffered to be sovereign arbiters of the lives of these miserable Negroes in their passage, and allowed with impunity to destroy, may I not say murder their fellow creatures in a manner so cruel as can never be related but with shame and horror? Answer me this, ye pretended Judges and Governors in the different Colonies where such practices are used, and not be shocked at the negligence you have sleeped in. Since you are put in remembrance of it now, I hope and sincerely wish, I, or any other person may not have occasion to remind you of the same again, but that you will punish with equity all those who import Negroes;there being hundreds of poorEuropeansthat would be glad to come and serve in any of theBritishPlantations, and those that could not pay a passage doubtless would sell part of their time for it; and this I make no doubt, considering they have not the charge of their funeral and death-bed expences and sundry other things to pay, will come nigh if not full as cheap as buying and keeping Negroes; and it will be attended with this advantage, that these White people when they have served some years in the lowest capacities turn out upon the waste land, marry, and in a few years we see a town well settled, and in less than fifty years there will be an increase of fourfold; by this means the country will fill up and we become respectable and secure from an enemy, and furnished with every conveniency of life. And you Governors,&c.who have the legislative power in your hands will still further make Laws and put them in execution, stopping any further importation of Slaves into the Provinces or Islands where you are the Representative head, so that in that time they may furnish themselves with sufficient numbers, and by proper usage keep up that quantity which so much decrease by improper management. Now give me leave to proceed