xt7h445hbc3b https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7h445hbc3b/data/mets.xml Clarkson, Thomas, 1760-1846. 1816  books b92326c5612009 English D. Barrow; J. N. Lyle. : Georgetown, Ky. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Slavery --History. Slave-trade --Africa. An essay on the slavery and commerce of the human species, particularly the African. In three parts. translated from a Latin dissertation, which was honored with the first prize in the University of Cambridge, for the year 1785. text An essay on the slavery and commerce of the human species, particularly the African. In three parts. translated from a Latin dissertation, which was honored with the first prize in the University of Cambridge, for the year 1785. 1816 2009 true xt7h445hbc3b section xt7h445hbc3b 
  
  
  
  
  
  
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SLAVERY AND COMMERCE
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TRANSLATED FROM A

DISSERTATION,
W H I C H WAS H O N O U R E D WITH

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UNIVERSITY
FOR THE

OF
YEAR

CAMBRIDGE,
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LOMBARD* STRAND, IN THE

PHILLIPS, SOLD

GEORGE-YARD, CADELL,

AND

PHILLIPS.

M.DCC. i x i i r i .

  
  
TO T H E RIGHT HONOURABLE

WILLIAM EARL

CHARLES OF

COLYEAR,

PORTMORE,
MILSINTOWN.

VISCOUNT MY LORD,

T H E d ignity of the fubjedl of this little Treatife, not any perfuafion of its merits as a literary composition, encourages me to offer i t to your LordShip's patronage. T he caufe o f freedom has always been found fufficient, i n every age and country, to attract the notice of the generous and h umane; and it is therefore, i n a more peculiar manner, w orthy o f the attention and favour of a perfonage, who holds a distinguished rank in that i lluftrious ifland, the very air of which has been determined, upon a late investigation of its laws, to be an antidote againSt Slavery. I feel a fatisfaclion in the opportunity, which the publication of this treatife affords me, of acknowledging your Lord/hip's c ivilities, w hich can only be equalled by the refpecl, w ith w hich I am, Y our L ordfhip's m uch obliged, and obedient fervant, THOMAS CLARKSON,

  
Books P rinted and Sold by

J . PHILLIPS.

E SSAY on the T R E A T M E N T and C ONVERSION of A FRICAN SLAVES in the B R I T I S H Sugar Colonies. By the Rev. J . R A M S A Y , Vicar of Teflon in Kent, who refided many Years in the Weft-Indies. In One Volume, Octavo. Price 5s bound, or 4s in Boards. A n I NQUIRY into the Effects of putting a Stop to the African Slave Trade, and of granting L i berty to the Slaves in the Britifh Sugar Colonies. By J . R A M S A Y . Price 6d. A R E P L Y to the Perfonal Invectives and Objections contained in two Anfwers, publifhed by certain anonymous Perfons, to an Effay on the Treatment and Converfion of African Slaves, in the Britifh Colonies. By J A M E S R A M S A Y . Price 2s. A L E T T E R from Capt. J . S. S M I T H , to the Rev. M r. H I L L , on the State of the Negroe Slaves; to which are added an Introduction, and Remarks on Free Negroes, &c. by J . R A M S A Y . Price 6 d . T H O U G H T S on the Slavery of the Negroes. Price 4d. The C ASE of our Fellow-Creatures, theOppreffed Africans, refpeftfully recommended to the ferrous Confideration of the Legislature of Great-Britain, by the People called Quakers. Price 2 d. A S ERIOUS A DDRESS to the Rulers of America, on the Inconfiftency of their Conduct respecting Slavery. Price 3 d. A C A U T I O N to G R E A T B R I T A I N and her Colonies, in a Short Reprefentation of the calamitous State of the enflaved Negroes in the Britifh Dominions. By A N T H O N Y B E N E Z E T . Price 6 d . A Defcription of Guinea, its Situation, Produce, and the general Difpofition of its Inhabitants ; with an Inquiry into the Rife and Progrefs of the Slave Trade, & c. By A N T H O N Y B E N E Z E T . Bound 2s. 6 d .

  
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A S the fubje<  t o f the f ollowing w ork i " \ has fortunately become of late a topick o f converfation, I cannot begin the preface in a manner more fatisfadtory to the feelings of the benevolent reader, than by g iving an account of thofe humane and w orthy perfons, who have endeavoured to draw upon it that mare of the p ublick attention w hich i t has obtained. A mong the w ell difpofed i ndividuals, o f different nations and ages, who have humanely exerted themfelves to fupprefs the abject perfonal Slavery, introduced in the o riginal c ultivation o f the European colonies in the weilern w orld, Bartholomew de las Co/as, the pious bifhop of Cbiapa, i n the fifteenth century, feems to have been the firfl. T his amiable man, during his refidence in SpaniJJj America, was fo fenfibly affected at the treatment w hich the miferable Indians underwent, that he returned to Spain, to make a a3 p ublick

  
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p ublick remonftrance before the celebrated emperor Charles the fifth, declaring, that heaven would one day c all h im to an account for thofe cruelties, w hich he then had it in his power to prevent. The fpeech w hich he made on the occalion, is now extant, and is a moft perfect picture of benevolence and piety. B ut his intreaties, by the oppofition of avarice, were rendered ineffectual: and I do not find by any books w hich I have read upon the fubject, that any other perfon interfered t ill the lafl century, when Morgan Godwyn, a Britifh clergyman, diftinguifhed h imfelf i n the caufe. T he prefent age has alfo produced fome zealous and able oppofers of the colonial flavery. F or about the middle of the prefent
century, John Woolman and Anthony Benezet,

two refpectable members of the religious fociety called Quakers, devoted much of their time to the fubject. The former travelled through moft parts o f North America on foot, to h old converfations w ith the members o f his own feet, on the impiety of retaining thofe in a ftate of. involuntary fervitude, who had never given them offence. T he latter kept a free fchool at Philadelphia, for

  
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for the education of black people. He took every opportunity of pleading in their behalf. H e publifhed Several treatifes againSt Slavery,'* and gave an hearty proof of his attachment to thecaufe, b y leaving the whole o f his fortune in fupport of that fchool, to w hich he had fo generoufly devoted his time and attention when alive. T i l l this time it does not appear, that anybodies of men had collectively interested themfelves in endeavouring to remedy the e vil. B ut in the year 1 754, the religious fociety, called Quakers, p ublickly testified their fentiments upon the fubject,|| declaring, that " to live i n eafe and plenty b y the t oil " o f thofe, whom fraud and violence had " put into their power, was neither confiit" ent w ith C hristianity nor common juStice." ImpreSTed w ith thefe fentiments, many of this Society immediately liberated their Slaves; and though fuch a meafure appeared to be
* A D efcription o f G u i n e a , w ith a n I nquiry i nto the R i f e a nd P iogiefs o f the S lave T r a d e , & c. A C aution to G reat B ritain a nd her C olonies, i n a i hort R eprefentation o f the c alamitous State o f the enflaved N egroes i n the B ritifh D o m i nions. Befides f everal f maller p ieces. || T h e y h ad c enfured the African Trade i n the y ear 1 727, but b ut h ad t aken n o p ublick n otice o f the colonial flavery t ill t his t ime.

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attended w ith considerable lofs to the benevolent individuals, who unconditionally prefented them w ith their freedom, yet they adopted it w ith pleafure : nobly confidering, that to poiTefs a l ittle, i n an honourable way, was better than to poiTefs much, through the medium o f injuitice. Their example was gradually followed by the reft. A general emancipation of the Slaves i n the poSTefiion o f Quakers, at length took place; and fo effectually d id they ferve the caufe w hich they had undertaken, that they denied the c laim o f membership in their religious community, to all fuch as Should hereafter oppofe the fuggeStions of juStice in this particular, either by retaining Slaves in their poffeSIion, or by being in any manner concerned i n the Slave trade: and it is a fact, that through the vaft tract of North A merica, there is not at this day a Single Slave in the poSTeSSion o f an acknowledged Quaker. B ut though this meafure appeared, as has been obferved before, to be attended w ith considerable lofs to the benevolent i ndividuals who adopted it, yet, as virtue feldom fails of obtaining its reward, it became u l timately beneficial. M oft o f the Slaves, who were

  
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were thus unconditionally freed, returned without any folicitation to their former mailers, to ferve them, at ftated wages, as free men. The work, w hich they now did, was found to be better done than before. It was found alfo, that a greater quantity was done in the fame time. Hence lefs than the former number of labourers was fufficient. F rom thefe, and a variety of other circumstances, i t appeared, that their plantations were confiderably more profitable, when worked by free men, than when worked, as before, by flaves; and that they derived therefore, contrary to their expectations, a considerable advantage from their benevolence. Animated by the example of the Quakers, the members of other fects began to deliberate about adopting the fame meafure. Some of thofe of the church o f E ngland, o f the R oman C atholicks, and of the Prefby terians and Independants, freed their flaves; and there happened but one inflance, where the matter was debated, where it was not immediately put i n force. T his was in Pennfylvania. It was agitated in the fynod o f the Prefbyterians

  
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rians there, to oblige their members to liberate their (laves. The queftion was negatived by a majority o f but one perfon ; and this oppofztion feemed to arife rather from a d illike to the attempt o f forcing fuch a meafure upon the members of that c ommunity, than from any other confideration. I have the pleafure of being credibly informed, that the manumiffion o f flaves, or the employment of free men i n the plantations, is now daily gaining ground i n N orth A merica. Should Slavery be abolished there, (and it is an event, w hich, from thefe circumstances, we may reafonably expect to be produced in time) let it be remembered, that the Quakers w ill have had the merit of its a bolition. N or have their brethren here been lefs afiiduous i n the caufe. As there are happily no flaves in this country, fo they have not had the fame opportunity of Shewing their benevolence by a general emancipation. T hey have not however omitted to Shew it as far as they have been able. A t their r eligious meetings they have regularly inquired i f any of their members are concerned in the iniquitous African trade. They have appointed

  
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appointed a committee for obtaining every k ind o f information on the fubject, with a view to its fuppreffion, and, about three or four years ago, petitioned parliament on the occaiion for their interference and fupport. I am forry to add, that their benevolent application was ineffectual, and that the reformation of an e vil, productive of confequences equally i mpolitic!: and i m moral, and generally acknowledged to have l ong difgraced our national character, is yet left to the unfupported efforts of piety morality and juftice, againif intereSt v iolence and oppreSiion; and thefe, I blufJi to acknowledge, too Strongly countenanced by the legislative authority of a country, the bafis of whofe government is liberty. N othing can be more clearly Shewn, than that an inexhaustible mine of wealth is neglected in Africa, for the profecution o f this impious traffick; that, i f proper meafures were taken, the revenue of this country might be greatly improved, its naval Strength increafed, its colonies in a more flourishing Situation, the planters richer, and a trade, w hich is now a fcene of blood and defolation,

  
PREFACE. defolation, converted into one, w hich might be profecuted w ith advantage and honour. Such have been the exertions of the Quakers in the caufe of humanity and virtue. T hey are f till profecuting, as far as they are able, their benevolent defign; and I m ould flop here and praife them for thus c ontinuing their humane endeavours, but that I conceive it to be unneceffary. They are acting confidently w ith the principles of r eligion. T hey w ill find a reward in their own confciences   , and they w ill receive more real pleafure from a fingle reflection on thenconduct, than they can poffibly experience from the praifes of an hofl o f writers. I n g iving this fhort account of thofe humane and worthy perfons, who have endeavoured to reftore to their fellow creatures the rights of nature, of w hich they had been unjuftly deprived, I fhould feel myfelf unjuft, were I to omit two zealous oppofers of the colonial tyranny, confpicuous at the prefent day. T he firff. is M r . Granville Sharp. T his Gentleman has particularly d iflinguiihed h imfelf i n the caufe of freedom. It is a notorious

  
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notorious fact, that, but a few years fince, many of the unfortunate black people, who had been brought from the colonies into this country, were fold i n the metropolis to merchants and others, when their mailers had no farther occafion for their fervices; though it was always under/rood that every perfon was free, as foon as he landed on the B ritifh fhore. In confequence of this notion, thefe unfortunate black people, refufed to go to the new mailers, to w hom they were coniigned. They were however feized, and f orcibly conveyed, under cover of the night, to ihips then l ying i n the 'Thames, to be retranfported to the colonies, and to be delivered again to the planters as merchantable goods. The humane M r . Sharpe, was the means o f     putting a flop to this iniquitous traffick. Whenever he gained information of people i n fuch a fituation, he caufed them to be brought on fhore. A t a confiderable expence he undertook their caufe, and was i n strumental in obtaining the famous decree i n the cafe of Somerfett, that as foon as any perfon whatever fet his foot in this country, he

  
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he came under the protection of the BritiJJj laws, and was confequently free. Nor did he interfere lefs honourably in that cruel and difgraceful cafe, in the fummer o f the year 1 781, when an hundred and thirty two negroes, in their pafTage to the colonies, were thrown into the fea alive, to defraud the underwriters; but h ispious endeavours were by no means attended w ith the fame fuccefs. T o enumerate his many laudable endeavours i n the extirpation of tyranny and oppreffion, w ould be to fwell the preface into a volume : fufiice i t to fay, that he has written feveral books on the fubject, and one particularly, w hich he diftinguifhes by the title of " A Limitation of
" flavery." T he fecond is the Rev. James Ramfay.

T his gentleman refided for many years in the JVeJi-Indies, i n the clerical office. H e perufed all the colonial codes of law, w ith a view to find i f there were any favourable claufes, by w hich the grievances of flaves could be redrefied ; but he was feverely disappointed in his purfuits. He published a treatife, fince his return to England, called
An mj'ay on the Treatment and Converfon of African

  
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Slaves in the Britifh

Sugar Colonies,

w hich I recommend to the perufal of the humane reader. T his work reflects great praife upon the author, i ince, i n order to be o f fervice to this Angularly opprefled part of the human fpecies, he compiled i t at the expence of forfeiting that friendship, w hich he had contracted w ith many in thofe parts, during a feries of years, and at the hazard, as I am credibly informed, of Suffering m uch i n his private property, as w ell as of fubjecting h imfelf to the i l l w ill and perfecution o f numerous i ndividuals. T his Elfay on the Treatment and Converfion of African Slaves, contains fo many

important truths on the c olonial Slavery, and has come So home to the planters, (being w ritten by a perSon who has a thorough knowledge of the fubject) as to have occafioned a conliderable alarm. W ithin the l alt eight months, two publications have exprefsly appeared againfl it. One of them
is intitled " Curfory Remarks on M r . Ram-

" fay's E ffay;" the other an " Apology for      JSfegroe Slavery." O n each of thefe I am bound,

  
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bound, as w riting on the fubject, to make a few remarks. T he curfory remarker infinuates, that M r . Ramfay's account of the treatment is great* l y exaggerated, i f not w holly -falfe. T o this I fhall make the f ollowing r eply. I have the honour of knowing feveral difinterefted gentlemen, who have been acquainted w ith the Weft Indian iflands for years. I c all them difintereited, becaufe they have neither had a concern in the African trade, nor in the colonial Slavery : and I have heard thefe unanimoully aiTert, that M r . Ramfay's account is fo far from being exaggerated, or taken from the moft dreary pictures that he could find, that i t is abfolutely below the t ruth; that he muft have omitted many inftances of cruelty, w hich he had feen h i m felf; and that they only wondered, how he could have written w ith fo much moderation upon the fubject. They allow the Curfory Remarks to be excellent as a compofition, but declare that i t is perfectly devoid of truth.
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pend fo much on the circumstances w hich he has advanced, (nor can he, fince they have

  
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have no other existence than in his own brain) as on the instrument detra&ion. T his he has uSed w ith the utmoSt virulence through the whole of his publication, artfully fuppoiing, that i f he c ould b ring M r .    Ram/ay s reputation into difpute, his work would fall o f courfe, as of no authenticity. I fubmit this Simple queStion to the reader. W hen a writer, in attempting to filence a p ublication, attacks the character of its author, rather than the principles of the work itfelf, is it not a proof that the work i t felf is unquestionable, and that this writer is at a lofs to find an argument againSt i t? B ut there is fomething fo very ungenerous in this mode of replication, as to require farther notice. For i f this is the mode to be adopted in literary difputes, what writer can be fafe ? O r who is there, that w ill not be deterred from taking up his pen i n the caufe of virtue ? T here are c ircumstances in every perfon's life, w hich, i f given to the p ublick i n a malevolent manner, and without explanation, might eSTentially injure him in the eyes of the w orld ; b though,

  
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t hough, were they explained, they w ould be even reputable. The curfory remarker has adopted this method of difpute; but M r . Ramfay has explained h imfelf to the fatisfaction o f a ll parties, and has refuted him i n every point. The name of this curfory remarker is Tobin: a name, w hich I feel myfelf obliged to hand down w ith deteflation, as far as I am able; and w ith an hint to future writers, that they w ill do themfelves more credit, and ferve more effectually the caufe w hich they undertake, i f on fuch occafions they attack the work, rather than the character of the writer, who affords them a fubject for their lucubrations. N or is this the only circumftance, w hich induces me to take fuch particular notice of the Curfory Remarks. I feel i t incumbent upon me to refcue an injured perfon from the cruel afperfions that have been thrown upon h im, as I have been repeatedly i n formed by thofe, who have the pleafure of his acquaintance, that his character is i rreproachable. I am alfo interested myfelf. F or i f fuch detraction is paiTed over in iilence, m y own reputation, and not my ' work,

  
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w ork, may be attacked by ail anonymous h ireling i n the caufe of flavery.
T he Apology for Negr'oe Slavery is almoft

too defpicable a compofition to merit a reply. I have only therefore to obferve, (as is frequently the cafe in a bad caufe, or where writers do not confine themfelves to truth) that the work refutes itfelf. T his writer, fpeaking o f the Slave-trade, afierts, that people are never kidnapped on the coaSt of Africa. I n fpeaking of the treatment o f flaves, he afierts again, that i t is of the very m ildeil nature, and that they live i n the moft comfortable and happy manner imaginable. T o prove each of his afiertions, he propofes the f ollowing regulations. That the Jlealing o f flaves from Africa m ould be felony. That the premeditated murder o f a flave b) any perfon on board, Should come under the fame denomination. T hat when flaves arrive in the colonies, lands fhould be allotted for their p rovisions, in proportion to their number, or com-

mifiioners fhould fee that a fufjicient q uantity o f found wholefome provisions is purchafed. That they Should not work on Sundays and other holy-days. That extra b2 labour,

  
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labour, or night-work, out of crop, m ould be prohibited. That a limited number o f flripes m ould be inflicted upon them. That they mould have annually a fuit o f clothes. T hat old i nfirm flaves fhould be properly caredfor, & c . Now it can hardly be conceived, that i f this author had tried to injure his caufe, or contradict himfelf, he could not have done it in a more effectual manner, than by this propofal of thefe falutary regulations. F or to fay that flaves are honourably obtained on the coaft; to fay that their treatment is of the m ildefl nature, and yet to propofe the above-mentioned regulations as necefTary, is to refute h imfelf more clearly, than I confefs myfelf to be able to do i t : and I have only to requeft, that the regulations propofed by this writer, in the defence of flavery, may be confidered as fo many proofs o f the aflertions contained in my own work. I fhall clofe my account w ith an obfervation, w hich is of great importance in the prefent cafe. O f a ll the publications in favour o f the flave-trade, or the fubfequent flavery i n the colonies, there is not one, w hich

  
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w hich has not been written, either by a chaplain to the A frican factories, or by a merchant, or by a planter, or by a perfon whofe interelt has been connected in the .caufe w hich he has taken upon him to defend. O f this defcription are M r . Tobin, and the Apologijl for Negroe Slavery. W hile on the other hand thofe, who have had as competent a knowledge of the fubject, but not thefame intereft as themfelves, have unanimoufly condemned i t ; and many of them have written their fentiments upon it, at the hazard of creating an innumerable hoff. .of..enemies, and of being Subjected to the moft malignant o ppoiition. N o w , w hich o f thefe are we to believe on the occalion ? A re we to believe thofe, who are parties concerned, who are interested in the practice ?   But the queftion does not admit of a difpute. Concerning m y own work, it feems proper to obferve, that when the o riginal L atin D ilfertation, as the title page e xprefies, was honoured by the U niverfity o f Cambridge w ith the firft o f their annual prizes for the year 1 785, I was waitb3 ed

  
PREFACE. ed upo,n by fome gentlemen of refpeclability and confequence, who requested me to pub-* liSh i t in E nglifh. T he only objection w hich occurred to me was this; that having been prevented, by an attention to other Studies, from obtaining that c ritical knowledge of my own language, w hich was neceffary for an E nglifh composition, 1 was fearful of appearing before the publick eye : but that, as they flattered me w ith the hope, that the publication o f it m ight be o f ufe, I would certainly engage to publish it, i f they w ould allow me to postpone it for a little time, t ill I was more i n the habit of w riting. T hey replied, that as the publick attention was now excited to the cafe of the unfortunate Africans, i t w ould be ferving the caufe w ith double the effect, i f i t were to be published w ithin a few months. T his argument prevailed. Nothing but this circumStance could have induced me to offer an E nglish composition to the infpection o f an hoSt of c riticks: and I truft therefore that this circumStance w ill plead much w ith the benevolent reader, i n favour of thofe faults, w hich he may find i n the prefent work. H aving

  
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H aving thus promifed to p ublifh i t, I was for fome time doubtful from w hich o f the copies to tranflate. There were two, the o riginal, and an abridgement. The latter (as thefe academical compofitions are generally o f a certain length) was that w hich was fent down to Cambridge, and honoured w ith the p rize. I was determined however, upon confulting w ith my friends, to tranflate from the former. T his has been f aithfully done w ith but few * additions. T he reader w ill probably perceive the L atin i diom i n feveral paflages of the work, though I have endeavoured, as far as I have been able, to avoid i t. And I am fo fenfible of the difadvantages under w hich i t muff yet lie, as a translation, that I wifh I had written upon the fubject, without any reference at all to the original copy. I t w ill perhaps be afked, from what authority I have collected thofe facts, w hich
    T h e inftance o f the

Dutch

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firft p art o f the ElTay ; the d efcription o f an A frican b attle, i n the fecond ; a nd the p oetry o f a negroe g i r l i n the t hird, are the o nly c onfiderable a dditions t hat have been m ade.

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relate to the colonial flavery. I reply, that I have had the means of the very beft o f i nformation on the fubject; having the pleafure of being acquainted w ith many, both in the naval and m ilitary departments, as w ell as w ith Several others, who have been long acquainted w ith America and the Weji-Indian iflands. T he facts therefore w hich I have related, are compiled from the difinterefted accounts o f thefe gentlemen, all of w hom, I have the happinefs to fay, have coincided, i n the m i nuteft manner, in their defcriptions. It muft be remarked too, that they were compiled, not from what thefe gentlemen heard, w hile they were refident in thofe parts, but from what they actually Jaw. N or has a fingle inftance been taken from any book whatever upon the fubject, except that w hich is mentioned i n the 2 35th p age; and this book was publifhed in France, i n the year 1 777,
by authority.

I have now the pleafure to fay, that the accounts of thefe difinterefted gentlemen, w hom I confulted on the occafion, are c onfirmed by a ll the books w hich I have ever perufed upon flavery, except thofe w hich have

  
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have been written by merchants, planters, &c. T hey are confirmed by Sir Hans Shane's V oyage to Barbadoes ; Griffith Hughes's H iftory of the fame ifland, printed 1 750 ; an A c count of North A merica, by Thomas Jefferies, \j6i, a ll Benezet's works, & c. & c . and particularly by M r . Ram/ay's Effay on the Treatment and Converfion of the A frican Slaves i n the B ritifh Sugar Colonies ; a work which is now firmly eftablifhed; and, I may add, i n a very extraordinary manner, i n confequence o f the controverfy which this gentleman has fuftained with the Curfory Remarker, by which feveral facts which were mentioned in the original copy of my own w ork, before the controverfy began, and w hich had never appeared i n any work upon the Subject, have been brought to light. N or has it received lefs Support from a letter, publifhed only laft week, from Capt. J . S. Smith, of the R oyal N avy, to the R ev. M r . H i l l ; on the former of whom too high encomiums cannot be beftowed, for Standing forth in that noble and difinterefted manner, i n behalf of an injured character, I have

  
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I have now only to Solicit the reader again, that he w ill make a favourable allowance for the prefent work, not only from thofe circumftances w hich I have mentioned, but from the confideration, that only two months are allowed by the Univerfity for thefe their annual compofitions. Should he however be unpropitious to my requeft, I muff c onfole myfelf w ith the reflection, (a reflection that w ill always afford me pleafure, even amidfr. the cenfures of the great,) that by undertaking the caufe of the unfortunate Africans, I have undertaken, as far as my a bilities w ould permit, the caufe of injured innocence. L ondon, June i f l 1 786.

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T he Hiftory of Slavery. C H A P . I . Introduction.   Diviiion of flavery into voluntary and involuntary.   The latter the fubject of the prefent w ork.   Chap. I I. T he firft clafs of involuntary flaves among the ancients, from war.   Conjecture concerning their antiquity.   Chap. III. The fecond clafs from piracy.   Short hiftory of p iracy.   The dance carpcea.   Considerations from hence on the former topick.    T hree orders o f involuntary flaves among the ancients.   Chap. I V . Their perfonal treatment.   Exception in /Egypt.   Exception at Athens.   Chap. V . The caufes o f fuch treatment among the ancients i n general.    A dditional caufes among the Greeks and R omans.   A refutation of their principles.    Remarks

  
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Remarks on the writings of /Efop.   Chap. V I . T he ancient flave-trade.   Its antiquity.   /Egypt the firft market recorded for this fpecies of traffick.--Cyprus the fecond.-The agreement o f the writings of Mofes and H omer on the fubject.   The univerfal prevalence of the trade.   Chap. V I I . The decline o f this commerce and flavery in E u rope.   The caufes of their decline.   Chap. V I I I . T heir revival i n Africa.   Short hiftory of their revival.;   Five claffes of i nvoluntary flaves among the moderns.   Cruel infl.ance o f the Dutch colonists at the Cape.

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T he A frican Commerce or Slave-Trade. C H A P . I . The hiftory of mankind from their firft Situation to a State o f government.   Chap. II. A n account of the SirSt governments.   Chap. III. L iberty a natural r ight.   That of government adventitious.   Government, its nature.   Its end.    C hap. I V . M ankind cannot be confidered as property.   -

  
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p roperty.   An objection anfwered.   Chap. V . D iviiion o f the commerce into two parts, as it relates to thofe who f ell, and thofe who purchafe the human fpecies into flavery.    T he right of the fellers examined w ith r efpect to the two orders of A frican flaves,      o f " thofe who are p ublickly feized by virtue " o f the authority of their prince, and of " thofe, who are kidnapped by i ndividuals.Chap. V I . Their right w ith refpect to convicts.   From the proportion of the punifhment to the offence.   From its object and end.   Chap. VII. T heir right w ith refpect to prifoners of war.   The jus captivitatis, or right of capture explained.   Its injuftice.    Farther explication o f the right of capture, i n anfwer to fome fuppofed objections.    C hap. V I I I . A dditional remarks on the two orders that were firft m entioned.   The number w hich they annually contain.   A defcription of an A frican b attle.   Additional remarks on prifoners of war.   On convicts.   Chap. I X . The right of the purchasers examined,   Conclufion.

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T he Slavery of the Africans i n the European Colonies. C H A P . I . Imaginary fcene in A f r i ca.   Imaginary converfation w ith an A f r i can.   His ideas o f C hristianity.   A D escription o f a body of flaves going to the Ships.    T heir embarkation.   Chap. II. Their treatment on board.   The number that annually perifh i n the voyage.   Horrid inftance at fea.   Their debarkation in the colonies.    H orrid inStance on the fhore.   Chap. III. T he c ondition of their pofterity in the colonies.   The lex nativitatis explained.   Its i njuftice.   Chap. I V . The feafoning in the c olonies.   The number that annually die i n the feafoning.   The employment of the Survivors.   The colonial discipline.   Its tendency to produce c ruelty.   Horrid inftance o f this effect.   Immoderate labour, and its confequences.   Want of food and its confequences.   Severity and i