,,transcriber',s ,,note ,italic text is denoted by underscores4 ,the original text used the character 7long-form s72 these have been replaced by the normal s in this etext4 ,there is only one ,footnote and this has been placed at the end of the book4 ,some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book4 ,a ,,dissuasion ,,from ,,the ,,slave ,,trade4 ,a ,,dissuasion ,,to ,,great-,,britain ,,and ,,the ,,colonies1 ,,from ,,the ,,slave ,,trade ,,to ,,africa4 ,,shewing1 ,the ,contradiction this ,trade bears1 both to ,laws divine and provincial2 the ,disadvantages arising from it1 and ,advantages from abolishing it1 both to ,,europe and ,,africa1 particularly to ,,britain and the ,plantations4 ,,also ,,shewing1 ,how to put this ,trade to ,,africa on a just and lawful ,footing4 ,by ,,james ,,swan1 ,a ,native of ,,great-,,britain1 and ,friend to the ,welfare of this ,,continent4 ,,boston3 ,,ne4 ,printed by ,e4 ,,russell1 near the ,new ,intelligence-,office and ,auction-room1 and next the ,cornfield1 ,union-street4 ,,the ,,dedication4 ,to all ,,friends to ,,liberty4 ,,fellow ,,subjects1 ,it is to you ,i dedicate this ,treatise1 and beg your protection of the same1 hoping it will meet with a kind reception4 ,the approbation men of character and sense have given the following ,work1 has made me venture it into your hands3 ,and ,i hope in the perusal you will keep in view the ,author1 ,i am certain you cannot then fail of making great allowances4 ,i am a ,north-,briton6 ,and when you know that1 it alone may be judged by some1 sufficient to brand me with the hateful name of ,tory1 and thereby condemn this ,dissuasion4 ,but let me inform you 7for there is no general rule without an exception7 that ,i am a most sincere well-wisher to the common cause of ,liberty1 both personal and constitutional2 then you will1 give me a place in the list of your staunch ,friends1 and accept of this ,attempt1 as intended to be a mean of abolishing one great part of ,slavery here4 ,if there is any merit in endeavouring to set free from ,bondage our fellow creatures1 and in trying to promote the good and welfare of any nation1 province1 country1 or individual1 surely ,i may claim it2 for my sincere endeavour is to these purposes3 ,and if ,i should happen to miss my aim1 ,i shall sit down satisfied with the merit of a good intent4 ,readers1 ,i have but one favour to ask of you1 which is1 to peruse this ,performance with an open unbiassed mind2 overlooking any defects you may observe in these sheets1 knowing they are the hasty and undigested thoughts of the ,author1 put together with more good intent than ability2 after this you may either reject or practise1 according to your own consciences1 and the light of this ,treatise1 if there is any to be found in it4 ,enslaving your fellow men1 and using and massacring them as they do in the ,west-,indies and ,southern ,provinces1 is a matter of too great importance to be only slightly thought of4 ,and as ,i hope you have the humanity of ,britons1 and that love of ,liberty1 with which every true ,englishman is1 or ought to be possessed of1 you will not countenance it1 but declare yourselves as ,i do1 well-wishers of the ,british ,empire1 and consequently enemies to ,slavery4 ,accept then1 ,friends and ,brethren in one common cause1 this small token of that love and veneration which ,i bear to freedom1 7for no country can be called free where there is one ,slave7 and give me leave to subscribe myself1 ,your ,friend and humble ,servant1 ,,james ,,swan4 ,,the ,,preface4 ,i had not well arrived in ,america1 when casting my eyes on so many ,black ,slaves1 ,i immediately found a warm inclination arise in my breast1 to do my endeavours for relieving them by publishing to the world my sentiments upon their state4 ,scarce had ,i time to draw a breath of this air1 before ,i immediately applied myself to enquire into the state of this ,slavery1 and the constitution upon which it is founded1 and having met with proper preliminaries by way of foundation for a small ,treatise1 ,i set myself to work in forming1 and in short finished this ,pamphlet4 ,from the consideration of the smallness of this production1 and my inability to treat the subject properly1 ,i was nigh resolving not to prefix my name hereto3 ,but thinking again1 some opposite party might take hold of that1 ,i thought it most proper to shew my common signature1 knowing the cause ,i defend is good and well founded4 ,some will no doubt be surprised that ,i have wrote this ,dissuasion after the form of a ,sermon3 ,it is easily accounted for4 ,a ,sermon being a discourse of instruction pronounced by a ,divine for the edification of the people4 ,i am no ,divine nor ever expect to be2 but ,i hope that is no reason why these sheets should not be of publick benefit1 as my design was for that end2 ,i chose to write it in this form1 as being the truest way to display with perspicuity and plainness the unlawfulness1 c4 of the ,slave ,trade1 for which purpose ,i have attempted it in different heads and branches1 in some of which are contained many pertinent remarks or observations on this inhuman ,commerce2 and ,i thought further1 it was the easiest method for myself1 and plainest for my ,readers2 it being intended for the weakest and highest capacities4 ,it may be objected by some1 that the writings on this subject are too numerous already4 ,i answer1 that however many there may be extant1 7although ,i could find but very few7 yet there are none so full as not to admit of amendments or improvements3 ,if so1 and that these may not altogether be of inconsiderable use to mankind1 why may not ,i make them8 and why may they not be transmitted to mankind8 ,a ,treatise of this kind may not be unnecessary1 notwithstanding many ,books1 ,pamphlets1 and ,letters have been published on the subject4 ,but however ineffectual this ,treatise may prove hereafter among men1 this ,i comfort myself with1 it is as full1 considering the largeness1 as any upon the subject which ,i have seen2 and there are few arguments that possibly could be advanced1 or citations drawn from ,scripture concerning man-selling1 c4 that have escaped1 in trying to wean men from this base and inhuman trade4 ,and in fine1 if this ,work meets with encouragement equal to the ,author's care and endeavours to make it the most useful of the kind1 by having the desired effect he shall esteem himself sufficiently rewarded4 ,with regard to the ,dissuasion1 ,i leave the ,reader to judge1 after having read it over cooly and impartially1 whether it ought to be approved or disapproved2 if the former1 it will no doubt meet with his protection in publick4 ,but ,i have something to ask1 which ,i beg may not be refused1 and that is1 if you have not a fund of patience laid up in store1 before you begin to peruse it1 you are requested to lay it aside1 until you have4 ,there is one small part of it taken from ,postlethwayt's ,dictionary of ,commerce4 ,another part from ,a4 ,benezett's ,caution to ,great-,britain and her ,colonies1 both which ,authors ,i am very glad were born before me1 they having assisted me so far4 ,and with regard to the remaining part1 ,i can tell where it came from4 ,as it is necessary in order to bring about a change in any1 particularly a publick affair1 to touch the minds of the people with a just and true sense of the unlawfulness of the thing wanted to be removed1 that to the end they may be unanimous in the abolishment thereof2 this ,dissuasion ,i am convinced you will find upon perusal1 is calculated for that purpose1 and am very sensible1 that it alone never can strike the great blow without the legislative force added to it4 ,i will detain you no longer2 indeed ,i have almost run into an ,introduction amidst this ,preface3 ,but it could not well be otherwise1 the connexion between them was so great1 and had ,i separated them1 ,i should have incurred your displeasure1 by increasing the ,prolegomenas to a degree larger than the ,dissuasion itself4 ,j4 ,s4 ,a ,,dissuasion1 c4 ,the subject of which these few sheets treat1 would have been one of the last ,i should have ventured upon2 had not the delusion of the men who are concerned in enslaving the people called ,negroes appeared so glaring1 and the contradiction that the ,slave ,trade bears to ,christianity1 prompted me to it4 ,i shall be as cool and impartial in treating of this matter1 as any ,british subject or ,christian can3 ,but why do ,i say cool8 ,it is impossible ,i should speak cooly of such base1 unchristian1 and inhuman practices1 in a land of ,liberty and ,christianity3 ,however1 in case any thing should be mentioned in the sequel that may give unintended offence to any person1 ,i hope the tender feelings for these distressed ,captives1 with which ,i am possessed1 and the warmth that is in my breast1 to have this ,trade abolished1 will be sufficient excuse4 ,i propose dividing the following ,treatise into these different heads4 ,i4 ,shew1 that this custom of making ,slaves of our fellow-men1 is expressly against the revealed laws of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,that it is likewise against the law of nature1 and the ,charter of this ,province4 ,,iii4 ,the disadvantages arising from this base ,trade4 ,,iv4 ,the advantages arising from abolishing it4 ,and1 ,v4 ,conclude with a short admonition to those concerned1 and a method to put the ,trade to ,africa on a just and lawful footing4 ,the first head was1 ,that the custom of making ,slaves of our fellow creatures1 is expressly against the revealed laws of ,,god4 ,and in treating of this part1 ,i shall divide it into the following branches4 #ast4 ,by the laws of ,,god1 ,he that stealeth and selleth a man1 shall be put to death4 #b;d4 ,he in whose hands he shall be found1 shall be put to death1 by the same laws4 #c;d4 ,he that buyeth a ,servant and serveth him six years1 shall set him free the seventh1 and furnish him liberally with what he hath4 ,and #dth4 ,if thy ,brother1 that is1 your fellow-creature1 be sold unto thee1 thou shall not compel him to serve as a ,bond-man2 but as an hired ,servant4 ,the first branch under this head is1 ,he that stealeth and selleth a man1 shall be put to death4 ,this is one of the most express laws of ,moses1 as you may see in ,exod4 xxi4 #af1 two first1 and last clauses of the verse1 there mentioned in the most peremptory words2 ,and he that stealeth a man1 and selleth him1 shall surely be put to death4 ,it certainly can be looked upon in no other light in the ,merchants and ,ship-masters who are in this ,trade to ,africa1 than stealing of men1 being accessary to1 and aiding in inciting them to war one with another1 and for this purpose1 supplying them with prodigious quantities of arms and ammunition1 whereby they are hurried into confusion1 bloodshed1 and all the extremities of temporal misery1 which must consequently beget in their minds such a general detestation and scorn of the ,christian name1 as may deeply affect1 if not wholly preclude1 their belief of the great truths of our holy religion4 ,thus an insatiable desire of gain prevails with their ,kings1 who1 instead of being protectors of their people1 for this alluring bait laid before them1 by the ,european and ,american ,factors1 or ,ship-masters1 invade the ,liberties of these unhappy people1 and occasion their oppression4 ,these ,kings1 whenever they want goods send to the ,ship-masters1 acquainting them they have ,negroes1 and sometimes the ,factors and ,ship-masters send to acquaint them1 that they have a quantity of goods1 and want ,slaves for the same4 ,these ,chiefs1 whether they have ,slaves then or not1 agree1 and immediately go to war with their neighbours1 and in procuring three or four hundred prisoners1 burn five or six towns1 as appears by the following extract from a ,surgeon's ,journal in a ,liverpool vessel4 ,sestro1 ,december #bi1 #agbd4 8,no trade to-day1 though many ,traders came on board2 they inform us1 that the people are gone to war within land1 and will bring prisoners enough in two or three days2 in hopes of which we stay4 8#cjth4 ,no trade yet2 but our ,traders came on board to-day and informed us the people had burnt four towns1 so that to-morrow we expect ,slaves off4 8#cast4 ,fair weather1 but no trade yet2 we see each night towns burning1 but we hear the ,sestro men are many of them killed by the inland ,negroes1 so that we fear this war will be unsuccessful4 8,the #b;d of ,january4 ,last night we saw a prodigious fire break out about eleven o'clock1 and this morning saw the town of ,sestro burnt down to the ground1 7it contained some hundred houses7 so that we find their enemies are too hard for them at present2 consequently our trade spoiled here1 so that about seven o'clock we weighed anchor1 as did also the three other vessels1 to proceed lower down40 ,here follows another relation taken from an original ,journal of a ,surgeon who sailed out of ,new-,york1 8,being on the ,coast of ,guinea at a place called ,basalia1 the ,commander of the vessel1 according to custom1 sent a person on shore1 with a present to the ,king1 acquainting him with his arrival1 and informing him they wanted a cargo of ,slaves4 ,the ,king promised to furnish them1 and in order to do it1 set out to war against his enemies2 designing also to surprise some town1 and take all the people prisoners3 ,some time after1 the ,king sent them word1 he had not yet met with the desired success1 having been twice repulsed in attempting to break up two towns2 but that he still hoped to procure a number of ,slaves for them1 and in this design persisted1 until he met his enemies in the field1 where a battle was fought1 which lasted three days1 during which time1 the engagement was so bloody that four thousand five hundred men were slain on the spot4 ,think 7says he7 what a pitiful sight it was to see the ,widows weeping over their lost ,husbands1 ,orphans deploring the loss of their ,fathers1 c40 ,oh6 shocking spectacles6 to see four or five towns burnt1 and four thousand five hundred people killed1 for the sake of taking three or four hundred1 and you6 you6 ,merchants1 ,ship-masters and ,factors the cause of it all6 ,think you ever to get the crime of spilling so much blood repented of8 ,it is a known custom among the ,factors who reside in ,africa1 and the ,ship-masters who trade there1 to corrupt many ,negroes on the sea coast1 who stop at no act of cruelty for gain4 ,they make it a practice1 to steal abundance of little ,blacks of both sexes1 when found on the roads1 or in the fields1 where their ,parents keep them all day to watch the corn1 c4 ,can it be denied that the ,africans are stolen after so many proofs of it1 and if it is not direct stealth in the ,ship-masters1 c4 yet it is the same in effect2 for if they did not go there and entice the ,chiefs with money or goods1 there would be no wars1 as is the case at present2 and there would be none stolen if the stealers were not bribed by the ,factors or ,ship-masters2 and not only those that are made ,slaves of1 there would still be ten thousand others who are killed in the broils1 that would be saved1 were they to discontinue this base ,trade4 ,thus far ,i have shewn that they are stolen4 ,they may say they pay for them4 ,i answer1 they give money or goods by way of price to some of the ,princes and ,negroes1 who1 for the sake of lucre1 take them prisoners by war or stealth1 so that what money they give these scoundrels1 7forgive me the expression2 for1 what name can a man expect who would take his ,father or ,brother and sell then for gain87 who take them in these ways cannot be looked upon as a price paid in lieu1 for the ,negroes themselves never condescend to be mancipated1 as they get none of the money that is pretendedly given for them4 ,they at length arrive at the port1 the ,ship-master sell them at a most exorbitant profit1 and in a few voyages he makes what he calls his fortune2 this is all he aimed at and wished for2 and what follows1 secures his eternal destruction1 unless timely repented of3 ,for the truth of this1 ,i could mention very striking instances of men1 who ,i see almost every day2 but ,i do not chuse mentioning names1 for fear of seeing them contemned and despised by every well thinking person4 ,i need add no more on this branch1 it being clear that they are stolen in every sense it can be taken2 they1 the ,ship-masters1 c4 being the sole cause of the many wars and broils that are amongst the ,negro ,princes and ,chiefs1 consequently the cause of these poor creatures being taken and made ,slaves of1 and of the many thousands that are killed in the wars3 ,besides1 it is not1 nor can be denied that they sell them1 so that they who practise this branch of ,man-stealing and selling can expect nothing but the penalties of ,,god's laws1 which he1 in his own time1 will inflict1 since man6 indolent man6 will not punish them with death1 as warranted sufficiently by the above cited passage in holy writ4 ,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 from ,africa4 ,after they have got them on board shackled two and two together1 they keep them confined below all the passage1 never permitting more than two on deck at a time to take one breath of fresh air1 the most common blessing we enjoy1 conscious that they are doing wrong to these people1 and not certain but ,,god might raise them against the ,ship-master and his crew1 if they had the least opportunity to stir up an insurrection in the ship1 to retrieve their ,liberty which they had in their own country1 and which they ought to enjoy by the laws of ,,god1 of ,britain1 and the ,plantations4 ,for the ,reader's true satisfaction as to this inhuman and unchristian usage1 which could be expected of no other than ,barbarians1 ,i shall here narrate some accounts which have been given by men concerned in the ,slave ,trade4 ,first1 the following case is mentioned in ,astley's ,collection of ,voyages1 by ,john ,atkins1 ,surgeon on board ,admiral ,ogle's squadron1 8,of one ,harding1 ,master of a vessel1 in which several of the ,men-slaves and a ,woman-slave had attempted to rise in order to recover their ,liberty2 some of whom the ,master of his own authority sentenced to cruel deaths1 making them first eat the hearts and liver of one of those he killed4 ,the woman he hoisted by the thumbs1 whiped1 and slashed with knives before other ,slaves1 until she died40 ,oh unparralelled cruelty6 ,next is an account given by a ,ship-master who brought a ,cargo of ,slaves to ,barbadoes1 upon an enquiry what had been the success of the voyage1 he answered1 8,that he had found it a difficult matter to set the ,negroes a fighting with each other in order to procure the number he wanted40 ,this shews1 ,reader1 what methods they practise to obtain these ,slaves1 by setting them a fighting with each other4 8,but when he had obtained his end1 having filled his vessel with ,slaves1 a new difficulty arose from their refusal to take food3 ,those desperate creatures chusing rather to die with hunger than to be carried from their native country40 ,upon a further enquiry how he got them to forego this desperate resolution1 he answered1 8,that he obliged all the ,negroes to come on deck1 where they persisting in their resolution of not taking food1 he caused his sailors to lay hold on one of the most obstinate1 who chopped the poor creature into small pieces1 forcing some of the others to eat a part of the mangled body2 swearing to the survivors1 that he would use them all one after the other in the same manner if they did not consent to eat40 ,this horrid execution he applauded as a good act1 it having had the desired effect in causing them to take food4 ,as detestable and 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 mind1 it will not be strange to those who have been concerned or employed in the ,trade4 ,the second branch was1 ,if he be found in his hands1 he surely shall be put to death4 ,this is the third and fourth clause of the before cited verse in ,exod4 ,if he be found in his hands4 ,this is to be understood in two senses1 either found in the ,ship-master's hands who stole him1 or bought1 as he says1 or in the person's hands who purchases him4 ,as to the first of these senses in which this passage may be taken1 if the laws of ,,god1 yea1 even of man1 were to be put into execution1 he1 the stealer1 or even the buyer1 would be punished with death1 for it is clear as to ,man-stealing1 that it deserves death1 by the above passage of ,scripture1 and it is no less with regard to buying3 ,but why do ,i say buying8 ,for no money can be equal to the worth of a man3 ,buying1 ,i admit that word because ,ship-masters and others in this ,trade1 say1 for their justification that they purchased the ,negroes1 but as there are no laws1 either of ,,god or man1 for the buying and stealing of ,africans1 ,i am inclined to think it cannot be supposed1 but they justly deserve death4 ,and in the second sense1 the man who buys the ,africans or ,negroes is full as culpable as the stealer1 and liable to the same punishment1 for ,scripture does not point out particularly either of them1 but only just1 ,if he be found in his hands1 that is1 in any man's hands1 so that it can be proved he stole or bought him1 he surely shall be put to death4 ,the third part was1 ,he that buyeth a ,servant and serveth him six years1 shall set him free the seventh1 and furnish him liberally with what he hath4 ,the first part of this branch is proved in three different texts1 viz4 ,exod4 xxi4 #b4 ,deut4 xv4 #ab4 and ,jer4 xxxiv4 #ad4 ,in all which parts it is expressly mentioned1 ,that if an ,hebrew ,servant be sold unto thee1 or if you buy him he shall serve thee six years1 and the seventh1 thou shall let him go free from thee1 that is1 he shall pay nothing for his ,liberty4 ,some persons for argument sake may object to this1 saying1 these people are not ,hebrews1 as mentioned in these texts of ,scripture1 but ,heathens4 ,this may be difficult enough to determine4 ,however1 admit they are ,heathens1 7although it is well known they are not7 it must be owned by those who know them1 that the natives of ,africa have exalted notions of a ,deity4 ,it is an odd method these ,traders take to civilize and teach them the ,christian religion1 by importing one hundred thousand of them yearly into ,virginia and other ,southern ,provinces1 together with the ,west-,india islands1 where they are kept in greater darkness than before1 as they are not allowed to worship ,,god on the ,sabbath2 but are employed in worldly business on that day1 which is a scandal to the ,rulers of the ,british ,colonies and ,islands where such things are practised4 ,it is subversive of the ,christian religion not to allow those ignorant people the benefit of it1 who make up more than two thirds of the inhabitants of the beforementioned places4 ,it is expressly against the laws of ,,god2 for he gave ,paul and other ,apostles commission to go and preach the gospel to every nation1 kindred1 and tongue2 but instead of that1 where the gospel is preached throughout the ,british ,colonies1 and where these people might expect to receive the light of it2 ,i say1 instead of that1 they are kept from divine worship on ,sundays1 and never once in their lifetime admitted to church1 but obliged to cultivate their small piece of ground allowed them by their ,masters4 ,the last part of the verse runs thus1 ,and shall furnish him liberally with what he hath4 ,that is1 when the ,servant hath served thee six years1 as expressed in ,exod4 xxi4 #b1 and ,deut4 xv4 #ab4 ,then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you2 and in ver4 #ac4 ,thou shall not let him go away empty4 ,ver4 #ad4 ,thou shall furnish him liberally out of thy flock1 and out of thy floor1 and out of thy wine press2 of that wherewith the ,,lord thy ,,god hath blessed thee1 thou shalt give him4 ,this is in token that thou dost acknowledge the benefit that thou hast received by his labours4 ,marg4 ,bible4 ,it is still further required to set your ,servants or ,bond-men free at the above appointed time1 by the #aeth verse of the same chap4 ,and thou shalt remember that thou wast a ,bond-man in the land of ,egypt1 and the ,,lord thy ,,god redeemed thee2 therefore ,i command thee this thing to-day4 ,i command thee4 ,you are ordered1 yea1 commanded to do this thing4 ,what thing8 ,to set free your ,bond-servants after six years service4 ,you are commanded to do it to-day1 viz4 ,at the expiration of six years1 for1 says ,,god1 by the voice of his ,servant1 ,i command thee this thing to-day4 ,there is a blessing promised to those who do this thing in ver4 #ah of the above chap4 ,after enjoining that it may not seem hard unto you in sending away this ,servant1 as he hath been worth a double hired one1 in serving thee six years1 he says1 and the ,,lord thy ,,god shall bless thee in all that thou doest4 ,sweet encouragement for poor sinful souls6 ,to be blessed in every thing that they do4 ,what man will forfeit this great blessing for the sake of the service of one1 two1 or more ,servants for life8 ,will he allow himself to be cursed by ,,god in every thing that he doeth for the small gain he can make by their services8 ,this charming promise of a blessing in all that thou doest1 and the dreadful events that may take place in contradicting the command of ,,god1 ,i hope will make such impressions upon the minds of men1 that they will not bind ,servant to serve above six years2 but will set him at liberty in the seventh year1 and give him liberally of what the ,,lord hath blessed them with1 as required in the above cited text4 ,if you think you have not enough of this1 pass along to ,the fourth and last section on this head1 ,if thy ,brother be sold unto thee1 thou shall not compel him to serve as a ,bond-man2 but as an hired ,servant4 ,this is proved by ,lev4 xxv4 #ci1 #dj4 where it is said1 ,if thy ,brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor1 and be sold unto thee1 thou shalt not compel him to serve as a ,bond-servant4 ,this is expressly against making ,slaves of any of our poor ,brethren1 or compeling them to serve as ,bond-servants4 ,if thy ,brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor1 are the words of the verse2 the poor ,africans who fall into the hands of the ,men-wolves that prowl on their coasts1 are obliged to serve their lifetime1 and their children after them3 ,this is being ,bond-men with a witness1 and as we have great reason to believe they are poor enough when they steal them1 they are kept so forever after1 not having means to make a penny themselves4 ,the ,africans will be understood1 if not primarily intended1 to be the people mentioned in this text6 ,it is said1 ,thy ,brother who dwelleth by thee3 ,when they are in ,africa it is certain they are at a great distance2 but when they come to ,america or the ,west-,indies they then dwell by us2 therefore ,i think1 from the above citations1 no person can buy these people1 and oblige them and their children to serve as ,slaves1 without incuring the displeasure of ,,god and his punishments for disobeying his just commands4 ,it may be added1 as in v4 #db;d of the same chap4 ,for they are my servants1 which ,i brought forth out of ,egypt2 they shall not be sold as ,bond-men4 ,the last part of this verse is expressly against selling them as ,bond-men4 ,should it be objected1 that the ,africans were not brought forth out of the land of ,egypt1 it would not affect the controversy4 ,i would sincerely advise every man who is in this abominable ,trade not to persist in it1 seeing the many threats and commands against him in ,,god's laws1 and the blessings that are promised if he does not4 ,the ,i,id ,general ,head proposed1 is1 ,that this practice of making ,slaves of our ,brethren is likewise against the law of nature1 and the ,charter of this ,province4 ,the first part of this head1 may be easily proved by the following texts of ,scripture2 ,matt4 vii4 #ab4 ,therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you1 do ye even so to them4 ,luke vi4 #ca4 ,and as you would that men should do to you1 do ye so to them likewise4 ,who is that proud one that will not receive these instructions8 ,and who is that man that will do unto any person1 either white or black1 ,christian or ,savage1 contrary to what he would that he should do to him8 ,this would be acting contrary to reason and common sense4 ,would any person consent to have himself torn from his friends and native country1 and be made a ,slave for life1 and to have his dear1 dear little children continue in the same condition from one generation to another8 ,no2 surely no person would agree to that4 ,well then1 it certainly must be contrary to the laws of nature1 christianity1 and subversive of the texts just quoted1 which were wrote for our direction and guidance in this world4 ,it is likewise certain1 that those who carry on this ,trade1 do not unto men as they would men should do to them2 for if these poor people which they1 the ,ship-masters take from their own ,country and then sell for ,slaves1 were doing to them as they are done to1 they would 7were it in their power1 which seldom is the case1 the owners being conscious of the wrong they are doing1 and dreading what naturally would follow7 revenge the injury they receive in being made ,slaves1 and resume that ,liberty again1 which was wrongfully taken from them2 ,i say1 they would often revenge the injury offered them by killing the ,captain of the ship who had taken them to be mancipated for life1 and would serve in the same manner the ,owners of the vessel if they could get them1 who are no better than the ,masters1 in putting them into such employ4 ,who could find fault with them8 ,no person4 ,they were only retrieving the most common blessing we enjoy1 ,liberty1 and instead of being punished1 the law would protect them in so noble an action4 ,but1 ,readers1 before ,i leave this1 let me beg you to 8bring the matter home to yourselves1 and think whether any condition in life can be more completely miserable than that of those distressed ,captives4 ,on reflecting1 that each of them had some tender attachments which were broke by the cruel separation6 ,some ,parent or ,wife who had not an opportunity of mingling tears in a parting embrace6 ,perhaps some ,infant or aged ,parent whom his labour was to feed1 and vigilance protect6 and himself under the dreadful apprehensions of perpetual ,slavery40 ,to inforce this part of the head1 allow me1 ,reader1 to intrude a little upon your time1 by giving you a short account of the barbarous usage these poor ,negroes meet with from their ,masters in the ,west-,indies and ,southern ,provinces of ,north-,america2 on reading of which1 you will not be long in concluding1 that they do not in this case observe the golden rule4 ,the crimes attending the ,slave ,trade are greatly aggravated by the extreme cruel usage the ,negroes meet with in the ,plantations1 as well with regard to food and cloathing as the hard and unreasonable labour that is exacted from them1 and what cannot be forgot1 the severe chastisements they frequently suffer1 which is bounded by the wrath and pleasure of their hard task-masters4 #ast4 ,as to their food4 ,in ,barbadoes1 c4#a 8three quarts of corn and three herrings are a weeks allowance for a working ,slave2 and it is mentioned in the ,system of ,geography1 that in ,jamaica the ,owners of the ,negro ,slaves set aside for each1 a piece of ground1 and allow them ,sundays to cultivate it1 the produce of which with a few salt herrings or other salt fish is all that is allowed for their support4 ,but need ,i go so far as ,jamaica to prove this8 ,no4 ,in ,virginia they do the same4 #b;d4 ,as to their cloathing4 ,in the ,islands1 the allowance for a ,slave's cloathing is seldom more than six yards of oznabrigs a year1 and in the ,southern ,colonies1 where the piercing westerly winds are long and sensibly felt1 these poor ,africans suffer much for the want of sufficient cloathing2 indeed1 shocking to relate6 some of them are obliged to work most of the night in boiling-houses1 notwithstanding the hard days work they have performed4 ,their ,owners make great gain by their ,slaves' labour4 ,they lay heavy burdens on them1 and yet feed and cloath them very sparingly1 and some scarcely at all2 so that it cannot be wondered that these poor creatures are obliged to shift for their living as they do1 which occasions many of them being killed in stealing potatoes or other food to satisfy hunger4 ,if they are detected in taking any thing from the plantation they belong to1 which they have so hardly laboured for1 they are cruely whiped40 ,lastly4 ,with respect to the beating which these poor people meet with in the ,west-,indies4 ,for the least fault they whip them most unmercifully1 viz4 for not being at work in half an hour after the usual notice2 speaking a word which the ,overseer may think saucy2 not shewing respect enough to him2 not doing with agility some hard piece of work ordered them2 and any thing which the ,overseer may take exception at4 ,they beat them with thick clubs1 and you may see their bodies all whaled in a terrible manner4 ,mr4 ,george ,whitefield writes in a letter to the ,planters in ,virginia1 ,carolina1 c4 8,the task-masters1 by their inhuman usage and unrelenting scourges have ploughed their backs and made long furrows1 and at length brought them even to death40 ,this is the fate which great numbers in the islands and ,southern ,provinces meet with4 ,when speaking of their cloathing and food1 he adds1 8,when passing along1 ,i have viewed your plantations cleared and cultivated1 many spacious houses built1 and the ,owners of them faring sumptuously every day4 ,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 on1 notwithstanding many of the comforts you enjoy were solely owing to their indefatigable labours40 ,in ,virginia1 c4 in case a ,negro gives the slightest affront to a white person1 he goes to the ,negroe's ,master and demands satisfaction1 the ,master delivers him to the white person to take what satisfaction he pleases2 who whips him1 strikes him with clubs1 and1 as is often done1 cuts off his ears1 and marks him by cuting his face1 or other parts of his body4 ,what more could be done to a brute beast1 who was brought up and designed for the yoke8 ,oh6 how long will you continue in this delusion and horrid abuse of the principal workmanship of ,,god4 ,it is astonishing how a people who so much value themselves upon their ,freedom can continue in the practice of so much oppression4 ,will not the groans of this afflicted and miserable people reach ,heaven6 ,and when the cup of inequity is filled1 the unavoidable tendency must be the pouring forth of ,,god's judgments upon their oppressors4 ,but alas6 is it not too plain that this cruelty has already been the object of divine anger8 ,for what greater judgment can befal any person than to become a prey to that obduracy of heart1 that neglectfulness of ,,god1 and a callousness to every religious impression8 ,i could say a great deal more concerning the unparralleled cruelty that these ,negroes meet with3 ,but ,i apprehend more has been said already than will be believed1 although it is far from coming up to the real truth2 for it is impossible my pen can represent in proper colours the hard usage they meet with4 ,the sympathizing ,reader must feel the rest1 for ,i can assist him no farther4 ,i believe there are but few that have not heard or read of the cruel treatment of those unhappy mortals4 ,indeed it is almost incredible that such cruelty should be practised in any of the ,british dominions4 ,i could have quoted a dozen ,authors1 setting forth the inhuman punishments inflicted upon the ,africans2 but that would have swelled my page4 ,i hope this short1 but true narrative1 for great part of which ,i am much obliged to ,mr4 ,benezet1 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 abovementioned1 and ,i make no doubt but every one will clearly see1 they do not to these ,negroes as they would that they should do to them4 ,i think it is time to leave this part and go to the last1 viz4 ,that this base custom is likewise against the ,charter of this ,province2 as is clearly and most simply demonstrated by a clause in said ,charter1 granted by ,king ,william and ,queen ,mary1 dated at ,westminster1 the #gth of ,october1 in the third year of their reign1 wherein1 inter alia1 it is established and ordained1 ,that all and every of the ,subjects of ,us1 our ,heirs1 and ,successors1 which shall go to and inhabit within ,our said ,province and territory1 and every of their ,children which shall happen to be born there1 or on the seas in going thither1 or returning from thence1 shall have and enjoy all ,liberties and immunities of ,,free and natural ,subjects within the dominions of ,us1 ,our ,heirs1 and ,successors1 to all intents1 constructions1 and purposes whatsoever1 as if they and every of them were born within our realm of ,england4 ,i need say but little as to this branch of the head further than to observe1 that the clause of the ,charter just cited1 proves clearly1 and which cannot be further disputed1 that all and every of the ,subjects1 the ,inhabitants of ,new-,england1 which shall come to and inhabit within the ,province and territory of the same1 and every of their ,children which shall happen to be born there1 shall have and enjoy all the ,liberties1 c4 of ,,free and natural ,subjects of the realm of ,england4 ,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 point1 when by timely observance it might have saved many thousands from ,slavery that are now dead and mouldered into dust4 ,i hope this easy found light will not be too late discovered to direct and save the present ,slaves from their ,bondage1 which many6 too many6 groan under3 ,so that ,i expect the inhabitants of the ,american ,provinces will not give any person an opportunity of charging them with that infamous character of making or keeping any man or woman ,slaves1 when they are complaining daily that their ,liberties are wrested from them1 and little think how they deprive these poor ,black ,people of their ,freedom1 when there is as little reason for it as there is for making ,slaves of ,british ,subjects4 ,the above cited clause in the ,charter1 says1 ,those born in or shall come to and dwell within the ,province of the ,massachusetts-,bay are ,,free2 from which ,i am led to think1 and which every person must see1 will extend to ,black as well as ,white4 ,but1 ,reader1 excuse me1 whoever you are1 that may take offence at my construing this clause of the ,charter in the manner ,i have done1 it is only my opinion1 and every one is at liberty to enjoy his own sentiments upon it as well as ,i2 therefore ,i flatter myself of hearing soon1 that means will be taken by the ,legislature of most1 if not all the ,provinces of ,north-,america1 and the ,west-,india ,islands1 totally prohibiting the importation of ,negroes into the ,british ,plantations2 and setting at ,liberty with universal consent1 every ,negro throughout the whole1 at least in ,north-,america1 which will be an honour to human nature1 to say that this great and this only remaining hinderance to the absolute freedom as well as legality of the ,english trade is now happily and gloriously abolished2 and then we may all cry with shouts of joy6 which few more countries in the four quarters of the globe can1 ,that complete ,,freedom both in people and trade is allowed throughout the ,british ,islands and ,plantations in ,america and the ,west-,indies6 ,the ,i,i,id ,general ,head proposed was1 ,to shew the disadvantages arising from this base ,trade4 ,this head ,i propose to consider separately1 and shall #ast4 ,shew the disadvantages to ,africa in taking so many of its natives away yearly4 #b;d4 ,treat of the hurt and prejudice of this ,trade with ,europe4 #c;d4 ,shew the disadvantages to the ,british ,plantations in ,america1 particularly to the ,west-,indies1 in carrying ,black ,people thither4 ,the first part of this head is1 ,to shew the disadvantages to ,africa in taking so many of its natives yearly4 ,before ,i enter upon this branch it may not be improper to mention a few observations which ,mr4 ,postlethwayt makes upon the great qualities which this country abound with4 8,its situation for commerce is certainly beyond any of the other quarters of the world1 for it stands in the center between the other three1 and has thereby a much nearer communication with ,europe1 ,asia1 and ,america1 than any other quarter has with the rest4 ,it is wonderfully accommodated for commerce by the interposition of islands1 and more particularly by the assistance of the trade winds1 which render the navigation safe1 easy1 and constant4 ,it is furnished with the greatest and most convenient navigable rivers1 and perhaps with as many of them as any other of the chief parts of the world3 ,such are the ,nile1 ,nubia1 ,niger1 ,natal1 which are rivers of the first magnitude2 besides these there are innumerable others1 though not equal to the former1 are yet very excellent streams1 situated for navigation and commerce1 and which by their noble courses penetrate far inland2 if the ,europeans1 c4 would cultivate a human and ,christian like commerce with the ,africans1 they might through these rivers become the medium of an endless beneficial commerce4 ,the country is populous beyond credibility1 the soil fruitful1 the season for the greatest part mild and clement1 and the air salubrious40 ,i must stop in the midst of this agreeable description1 being afraid of leading myself into an undue length in this narrative of the beautious perfection of that rich and fruitful part of the world4 ,i shall now consider the disadvantages to ,africa in taking so many of its natives away yearly4 ,but it is needless to speak much on this head1 as most of my ,readers will perceive the prejudices to ,africa in thus draining it of the inhabitants yearly in the manner ,britain and the ,plantations do4 ,i shall mention a few of them4 #ast4 ,there can be no loss to any country 7particularly to one like ,africa that is yet mostly to cultivate7 equal to that of depopulating it4 #b;d4 ,it prevents the inland country1 where the incessant broils are carried on1 from defending themselves against the attacks and encroachments made on their properties by the ,kings and ,chiefs1 whereby many thousands of their subjects being taken prisoners1 are sold to the ,coasters1 they being nourished and caressed by the ,europeans1 particularly by ,britain and the ,colonies1 in doing so1 for the sake of the ,slave ,trade to ,america1 and the ,west-,indies2 and further1 in consequence of this depriving them of defending themselves against these base assaults1 it prevents them entirely from cultivating and manuring that fruitful and rich country1 to the degree it is capable of4 #c;d4 ,it ever obstructs the civilizing of those people1 and consequently of propagating amongst them the ,christian religion1 and extending the ,trade into the bowels of ,africa1 which by contrary means might be easily practicable4 #dth4 ,that whilst the slaving ,trade of those people1 continue to be the great object of the powers that trade there it is to be feared it will ever1 as it does at present spirit up wars and hostilities amongst the ,negro ,princes and ,chiefs1 for the sake of making captives of each other for sale4 ,and #eth4 ,the greatest disadvantage to ,africa1 by thus draining it of the inhabitants is1 that it prevents them from cultivating and peopling that great fertile country1 of introducing ,european arts and sciences amongst them1 and of carrying on a friendly1 civil1 and christian ,commerce with them into the heart of their region4 ,the second branch alluding to the third head was1 to treat of the prejudice to ,africa1 and its trade with ,europe4 ,it is an absolute fact1 that these people are incessently at war with their neighbouring ,princes so that they cannot get their business looked into or followed1 and consequently a great hinderance to the manufacturing such quantities of their country's produce of every kind1 to send to ,europe and ,america1 c4 as they might do1 were this ,slave ,trade abolished1 and the ,rulers in amity1 friendship1 and concord1 one with another4 ,it is further a hurt to the ,african trade with ,europe1 for the ,slave ,trade has so gained upon the minds of those men that traffick to ,africa1 that they never once think of the other commodities1 at least in such quantities as ,europe might consume were the attention necessary paid to it by making this the only object of the traders notice4 ,i believe it would turn out much more profitable to keep wholly to the produce of this country1 viz4 gums1 ivory1 gold and silver dust1 c4 and to resign that base unchristian ,trade of ,man-selling4 ,lastly1 on this head1 ,to shew the disadvantages to the ,british ,plantations in ,america1 c4 in bringing ,black people into them4 ,this will be made very easily appear when you consider1 that these numerous ,black ,people1 which are yearly brought into the southern-most parts of ,north-,america and the ,west-,indies were very poor at that time1 not having a penny to command1 and never so much as once in their lifetime had it in their power to make one half that sum for themselves1 so that the different ,provinces in the ,continent1 and the ,islands in the ,west-,indies are filled with these necessitous ,black ,people1 and must be put upon the townships to which they belong1 in case this enslaving them be ever abolished1 which ,i flatter myself1 and ,i hope not vainly1 will be done in time1 and that with effect4 ,further1 why do they fill their ,plantations with ,black ,people1 so unnatural to the ,whites1 the ,proprietors of the different ,colonies1 when it seems no way difficult to obtain ,white ,people to serve free in their stead8 ,europe in general affords numbers of poor and distressed objects for that purpose1 and if these were not overworked1 as the ,negroes generally are1 they would make as good ,servants for the ,american and ,west-,india ,plantations as the ,blacks do4 ,and if the ,europeans were upon a level with regard to the price of labour1 in their ,colonies1 ,i cannot but think they would reap great advantage in laying aside the ,slave ,trade1 and cultivate a friendly and civilised ,commerce with the ,africans4 ,until this is done it does not seem possible that the inland trade of that country should ever be extended to the degree it is capable of2 for while the spirit of ,butchery and making ,slaves of each other1 is promoted by the ,europeans1 ,americans1 c4 amongst those people1 they will never be able to travel with safety into the heart of the country1 or to cement such commercial friendship and alliance with them1 as will actually introduce our arts and manufactures4 ,the ,i,vth ,general ,head was1 ,to shew the advantages arising from abolishing this base custom4 ,this ,head ,i propose dividing into two parts1 #ast4 ,the advantages to ,africa1 and #b;d4 ,the advantages to ,europe particularly to ,britain and the ,plantations in ,america and the ,west-,indies4 ,first to ,africa4 ,the advantages that would arise to it1 in abolishing this base and unchristian-like ,commerce are numerous1 some of which may be comprehended under the following4 #ast4 ,the abolishing this ,trade may be a means of peopling this country1 and of cultivating it in the same manner with any other country in ,europe or ,asia1 so as to render it capable of bearing in as great abundance as the ,east-,indies1 spices of equal quality to those of ,banda1 ,ternate1 and ,amboyna2 ,i say1 the like spices might be produced on the rich and fruitful shores of ,melinda on the east side1 or of the slave coast on the west side of ,africa1 and that as easy and to as great advantage1 as where they are now raised1 the latitude being the same1 and soil not unlike2 and1 in short1 cinnamon and all others1 the production of ,east and ,west-,indies1 by proper management might be raised here as well as in those parts4 #b;d4 ,it would introduce the ,christian religion among them1 which is a shame to these nations who pretend to hold fast the principles of ,christianity1 to keep so long hid1 and of consequence1 be a means of bringing among them the more civilized arts and sciences4 #c;d4 ,it will recommend the ,european dress1 and introduce their customs among the natives1 and of course civilize them like other ,christian nations4 ,lastly4 ,it will be a means of bringing this country to as great perfection in trade1 riches1 and grandeur1 as any in ,europe1 it being a much more fertile and plentious soil for many valuable productions4 ,much more could ,i say upon the numerous advantages arising to this excellent country3 ,but let what has been said suffice1 ,i leave the rest to the ,reader's own feeling1 if he has any for this poor distressed ,africa which groans under a heavy load of oppression4 ,the next thing in course is1 the advantages that would arise to ,europe in thus carrying on a ,christian-like ,commerce with ,africa4 ,this trade even in its present state1 excluding that of the ,slaves1 is as advantageous as any that is now followed2 and what will it be when a friendly traffick is carried on8 ,it is as it were all profit1 the first cost being some things of ,european1 particularly of ,british manufactures1 and others generally purchased with them2 for which there is in return1 gold1 elephant's-teeth1 wax1 gums1 cotton-wool1 divers dying-woods1 and ,slaves3 ,but this last piece of ,commerce1 viz4 ,man-slaving1 ,i am far from making a part of the ,british trade1 and ,i dare say every humane person will be likeminded4 ,these are articles which the country abound in1 and would be still cheaper to an immense degree1 were the inland parts settled with their own people2 but instead of that1 a hundred thousand are yearly carried away4 ,britain pays but little for the commodities it exports to ,africa1 being mostly1 as observed before1 its own produce1 such as worsted and cotton cloths of all kinds1 brass1 iron1 and copper work of every sort1 particularly large quantities of all kinds of defensive arms1 with powder and shot in proportion2 ,east-,india goods1 every kind of ,british manufactures1 and a good deal of ,american and ,west-,india rum1 c4 ,it is not easy to say what vast quantities of the above ,british and ,american productions would be exhausted yearly among so great a people1 and in so very extensive a country1 were the ,slave ,trade stopped4 ,it is the interest of every ,merchant in ,britain and the ,plantations who are now concerned in traffick to ,africa1 to cultivate the inland commerce in its utmost extent1 as having no manner of concern with the ,slave ,trade1 there being the greatest reason to believe1 that where they now export twenty shillings worth of commodities thither1 they would then export an hundred pound2 and ,i am inclined to think when the trade comes to be extended to the degree it will admit of1 notwithstanding those goods that are imported from ,africa1 there will still be discovered an infinite variety of trafficable articles1 with which the present ,traders are totally unacquainted1 and this ,trade become the most beneficial to ,britain1 ,america1 and the ,west-,indies1 of any that is at present on foot1 as it is common to every individual1 and of which the government has taken much notice1 by granting an annual sum of ten thousand pounds sterling for the maintaining and upholding the forts and castles in the ,british ,settlements in ,africa1 so that they are entirely defended against the attacks of any enemy1 and their ,trade and ,colonies secured by irresistible strength of forts and castles4 ,a great deal more could be mentioned on the thousands of advantages that may arise to the interest of ,britain and the ,plantations in abolishing this wicked ,trade3 ,however1 ,i shall detain my ,readers no longer on this head1 but as proposed1 ,conclude the whole with some short admonitions to those concerned1 and a method to put this ,trade to ,africa upon a just and lawful footing4 ,i advise every ,merchant and ,ship-master who is in this ,trade of ,man-slaving to renounce and give it up4 ,what arguments or reason1 pray1 can be advanced for his justification1 when he sees such threats and curses against him1 particularly mentioned in the first head8 ,why should any person incur the penalties of ,,god's ,law so daringly for the sake of gain8 ,should they think themselves on a death-bed1 what agonies and troubles of mind must they undergo in the thoughts of enslaving so many miserable creatures1 of murdering so many thousands of innocent people in the wars they occasion1 treacherously taking them out of their own country1 using them barbarously1 massacring numbers of them in all the cruel ways imaginable on the passage1 selling them for life1 and depriving them even of a comfortable living1 notwithstanding they serve for nothing else2 surely the judgment of ,,god must come upon such men who will thus use their own ,brethren who were born to inherit the same salvation with us1 and if his judgment does not come upon them1 it will pursue their children unto the third and fourth generation1 until the riches that have been thus scandalously amassed be squandered away1 and they become as poor as these ,negroes themselves1 by selling of whom such unjust gain was made4 ,but this is only one way out of thousands that ,,god chuses to afflict his enemies in this world4 ,and1 ,still pursuing1 that ,,god will be revenged on those that punish wrongfully such poor ,negroes1 ,i shall insert what the above mentioned ,mr4 ,george ,whitefield says in a letter to the inhabitants of ,virginia1 c4 8,we have10 says he1 8a remarkable instance of ,,god's taking cognizance of1 and avenging the quarrel of poor ,slaves1 #b ,sam4 xxi4 #a4 ,there was a famine in the days of ,david1 three years1 year after year1 and ,david enquired of the ,,lord1 and the ,,lord answered1 it is for ,saul1 and his bloody house1 because he slew the ,gibeonites4 ,two things are here very remarkable1 #ast4 ,these ,gibeonites were only hewers of wood and drawers of water2 or in other words1 ,slaves like yours4 #b;d4 ,that this plague was sent by ,,god many years after the injury 7the cause of the plague7 was committed4 ,and for what end were this and such like examples recorded in holy ,scripture8 ,without doubt for our learning4 ,for ,,god is the same to-day as he was yesterday1 and will continue the same for ever4 ,he does not reject the prayer of the poor and destitute1 nor disregard the cry of the meanest ,negro40 ,when speaking of the oppression and unchristian usage these poor ,negroes meet with from the ,ship-masters in their passage1 and from the ,masters they are sold to in the south parts of ,america and the ,west-,indies1 he adds1 8,the blood of the ,negroes spilt for these many years in your respective ,provinces will rise up to ,heaven against you10 together with that lost in ,africa1 occasioned by the ,traders that go thither4 ,it may not be improper to observe here1 that this plague was sent by ,,god on ,saul and his bloody house many years after the slaughter of the ,gibeonites2 so may these men reasonably expect1 that have occasioned and still continue to be the cause of spilling so much innocent blood in ,africa and the different ,provinces1 to have a plague or curse come upon them1 many years after the perpetrating these wicked deeds4 ,i will insert a few questions1 for which ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,postlethwayt1 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 to ,africa1 and of keeping these people in ignorance1 who are brought into a country where the gospel is preached on all sides of them4 #ast4 8,whether the people of this country notwithstanding their colour1 are not capable of being civilized and brought into the ,christian religion1 as well as great numbers of the ,indians of ,america and ,asia have been2 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 in ,africa1 and whether the ancient ,britons themselves of our country were not once upon a level with the ,africans8 #b;d4 8,whether therefore1 there is not a probability that those people might in time1 by proper management in the ,europeans1 become as wise1 as industrious1 as humane1 and as good ,christians1 as the people of any other country8 #c;d4 8,whether their rational faculties are not in general equal to those of any other of the human species2 and whether they are not1 from experience1 as capable for mechanical and manufactural arts and trades1 as even the ,bulk of the ,europeans8 #dth4 8,whether it would not be more to the interest of all the ,european ,nations concerned in the ,trade to ,africa1 rather to endeavour to cultivate a friendly and humane ,commerce with these people1 into the very centure of their extended country1 than to content themselves only with skimming a trifling portion of ,trade upon the ,coast of ,africa8 #eth4 8,whether the greatest hinderance and obstruction to the ,european's cultivating a ,christian-like and humane ,commerce with those populous countries has not wholly proceeded from that unjust ,traffick called the ,slave ,trade1 which is carried on by the ,europeans ,americans1 c4 #fth4 8,whether this ,trade and this only was not the primary cause1 and still continues to be the chief cause of these eternal and incessant broils1 quarrels1 and animosities which subsist between the ,negro ,princes and ,chiefs2 and consequently of those endless wars which abide among them1 and which they are induced to carry on in order to make prisoners of one another for the sake of the ,slave ,trade8 #gth4 8,whether1 if trade was carried on with them for a series of years1 as it has been with most other savage countries1 and the ,europeans gave no incouragement whatever to the ,slave ,trade1 those cruel wars among the ,blacks would not cease1 and a fair and honourable ,commerce in time take place throughout the whole country8 #hth4 8,whether the example of the ,dutch in the ,east-,indies1 who have civilized innumerable of the natives1 and brought them to the ,european way of cloathing1 c4 does not give reasonable hopes that these suggestions are not visionary1 but founded on experience as well as on humane and ,christian principles8 #ith4 8,whether ,commerce in general has not proved the great means of civilizing all nations1 even the most savage and brutal2 and why not the ,africans8 #ajth4 8,whether the territory of the ,european nations who are interested in the ,colonies and ,plantations in ,america1 are not populous enough1 or may be rendered so1 by proper encouragement given to matrimony and the breed of foundling infants1 to supply their respective ,colonies with labourers in the place of ,negro ,slaves8 ,and ,lastly4 8,whether the ,british dominions in general have not an extent of territory sufficient to increase and multiply their inhabitants2 and whether it is not their own faults that they do not increase them sufficiently to supply their ,colonies and ,plantations1 with ,whites instead of ,blacks80 ,i make no doubt1 but some persons who are concerned in the ,slave ,trade to ,africa1 will attempt making answer to some of these questions3 ,but ,i presume there are others of them they will not venture upon1 knowing they are founded upon reason and truth1 and ,i hope will have great influence on those this ,treatise concern4 ,i would add one necessary query more1 to those who hold the sword of justice1 and who must account to ,god for the use they make of it4 ,since the ,english ,law is so truly valuable for its justice1 how can they overlook the barbarous deaths and wrongful ,slavery of the unhappy ,africans1 without trial or proof of being guilty of crimes adequate to their punishments8 ,why are those ,masters of vessels 7who are not the most considerate of men7 suffered to be sovereign arbiters of the lives of these miserable ,negroes in their passage1 and allowed with impunity to destroy1 may ,i not say murder their fellow creatures in a manner so cruel as can never be related but with shame and horror8 ,answer me this1 ye pretended ,judges and ,governors in the different ,colonies where such practices are used1 and not be shocked at the negligence you have sleeped in4 ,since you are put in remembrance of it now1 ,i hope and sincerely wish1 ,i1 or any other person may not have occasion to remind you of the same again1 but that you will punish with equity all those who import ,negroes2 there being hundreds of poor ,europeans that would be glad to come and serve in any of the ,british ,plantations1 and those that could not pay a passage doubtless would sell part of their time for it2 and this ,i make no doubt1 considering they have not the charge of their funeral and death-bed expences and sundry other things to pay1 will come nigh if not full as cheap as buying and keeping ,negroes2 and it will be attended with this advantage1 that these ,white people when they have served some years in the lowest capacities turn out upon the waste land1 marry1 and in a few years we see a town well settled1 and in less than fifty years there will be an increase of fourfold2 by this means the country will fill up and we become respectable and secure from an enemy1 and furnished with every conveniency of life4 ,and you ,governors1 c4 who have the legislative power in your hands will still further make ,laws and put them in execution1 stopping any further importation of ,slaves into the ,provinces or ,islands where you are the ,representative head1 so that in that time they may furnish themselves with sufficient numbers1 and by proper usage keep up that quantity which so much decrease by improper management4 ,now give me leave to proceed ,in a method to put this ,trade to ,africa on a just and lawful footing4 ,first1 in order to this1 it is my humble opinion1 if ,i may be allowed to give it1 that there be a number of men who may chuse to venture in this ,trade1 both in ,britain and the ,colonies1 that shall be incorporated into separate bodies by the name of ,english1 or ,british2 ,american1 or ,new-,england ,african companies1 or by the denomination of other ,provinces in ,america1 or ,plantations in the ,west-,indies2 and these companies shall equip and rig out as many vessels as they think proper1 loading them with ,british ,america1 ,east and ,west-,india goods1 and bring back in return1 the rich and plentiful produce of ,africa4 ,but before ,i go any further into this point it must be observed1 there is one real hinderance in the way which must be removed1 or else no man or company need ever think of penetrating into the heart of this country1 but just content themselves with taking the skim of this ,trade1 leting the body stand1 and that is1 the ,slave ,trade2 this must be entirely renounced and given up by the ,europeans1 particularly by ,britain and the ,colonies2 then we may with a good face and conscience travel into the heart of ,africa1 and meet with a friendly and hearty reception from the natives1 who will trade with us1 and give in exchange their valuable productions for our goods which are generally exported thither4 ,when that great1 that only chief obstacle1 the ,slave ,trade is removed1 then ,britain and the ,colonies will flourish by so great and profitable a ,commerce4 ,think what a great addition it will make to their traffick1 the furnishing a hundred thousand people annually1 more than are at present with cloathing1 powder1 shot1 and warlike arms1 and many more things needless here to enumerate out of ,england2 rum1 and sundry other articles out of ,america and the ,west-,indies4 ,it is supposed that the above extraordinary number of ,blacks are taken out of ,africa yearly1 and either murdered or made ,slaves of1 by the ships that go there out of ,boston1 c4 and what advantages may arise to the inhabitants in peopling1 and consequently of cultivating and manuring their ground1 and of bringing their rich trade to the perfection it is capable of1 with ,britain1 c4 is hard to say1 when the innermost parts of that great and fruitful country is settled1 and a free and happy trade carried into the heart of it3 ,but thus far ,i will venture to say1 as ,i have done already1 that where twenty shillings worth of commodities is at present exported an hundred pound will be1 when a friendly ,commerce is carried on with the natives4 ,these companies may say1 that if once this trade is set on foot1 other ,european powers1 who have ,settlements in ,africa will invade them whenever they begin to thrive by not having sufficient funds for the keeping in good defence the forts1 c4 on the ,settlements4 ,as to this ,i answer1 that those companies have a sum of ten thousand pounds sterling annually1 from the ,crown of ,britain1 for maintaining and upholding the forts and castles that are built upon the ,british ,colonies1 which with the duties arising from the ,trade will be sufficient to maintain1 uphold1 and defend them with strength superior to the strongest enemy4 ,thus far ,i hope ,i have removed your fears of inability in supporting and continuing this ,trade1 and likewise have moved ways and means to put the same on a just and lawful footing4 ,now let me1 patient ,reader1 conclude with a short ,exhortation to the ,ship-masters and ,merchants concerned in this ,trade1 in part of which ,i have had recourse again to my good old ,friend ,mr4 ,benezet4 ,i beg you all would fly from the oppression and ,bondage to which the poor ,africans are subjected1 loose the bonds from off their necks1 and thereby extricate yourselves from a custom which is pernicious to your welfare here and hereafter2 and as you are sensible most men have objections to this base1 unlawful ,trade1 you ought to vindicate yourselves to the world1 upon principles of reason1 honesty1 and humanity1 and then you will not attack the persons1 or invade the rights of these people4 ,i believe those who are concerned in this ,trade will be at a loss to make this justification but upon motives so weak and unreasonable1 that ,i do not think any of them which have been advanced for their defence worthy of notice2 and if they are undeserving of that1 they certainly are below regard2 therefore ,i think you should forever lay it aside4 ,this is the best and shortest way2 for there should be no trade carried on1 it being a national and provincial concern1 but such as is justifiable both to ,,god and man1 and this is in direct opposition to both4 ,but laying man's resentment aside1 which is of little moment in comparison with that of the ,almighty's1 ,i counsel you once more to think of a future reckoning1 consider what reasons you will be able to produce at the great and last day4 ,you now accumulate riches and live in pleasure2 but what will you do in the end1 and that will be but short8 ,what if you should be called hence and hurried out of this world under the vast load of blood guiltiness that is now lying on your souls8 ,how many thousands have you been the instruments to1 and primary cause of being killed in the wars and broils with the ,african ,chiefs1 wanting to obtain your number to enslave2 and how many have you killed in the passage1 when these poor ,creatures were trying to retrieve their ,liberty which they had in their own country1 and which you unjustly take from them1 or rather chusing to die than take food to nourish and preserve themselves for being mancipated with their children after them8 ,it is declared in the most express terms in ,scripture1 that thieves and murderers shall not inherit the kingdom of ,,god4 ,you who are in this ,trade take warning by that1 and if you have any thoughts or ,christian feeling you must certainly renounce it2 for that you are thieves and murderers 7,i hope after what has been said7 will not be disputed2 and you should think that at the same time and by the same means you are treasuring up worldly riches1 you are treasuring up fountains of wrath against the day of anger and vengeance that shall come upon the workers of iniquity1 unless timely repented of4 ,what injustice is greater8 ,what offence more heinous8 ,is there any carries in it more consummate guilt than that in which you now live8 ,how can you lift your culpable eyes to ,heaven8 ,how can you pray for mercy1 or hope for savour from him that made and formed you1 while you go on thus boldly and publickly dishonouring him1 in degrading and destroying the noblest workmanship of his hands in this sublunary world8 ,can you think that ,,god will hear your prayers1 receive your supplications1 or grant your desires1 while you act thus grossly and openly against his divine revealed will and pleasure8 ,and do you suppose that he who is the ,parent of all nations1 the ,protector of all people1 and the ,father of all men1 will not revenge the mal-treatment of his offspring whom he once so loved as to give his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believed in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life8 ,this love of ,,god to man1 which is disclosed in ,scripture1 adds double provocation to your crimes2 for if ,,god regards us with so much affection1 we ought also to esteem one another4 ,permit yourselves for a moment to reflect equitably and deliberately upon the nature of this horrid1 detestable1 vile1 and abominable ,man ,trade1 and your hearts must certainly relent1 if you have not lost all sense of benevolence1 all sympathy and compassion towards those of your ,brethren who have the same capacities1 understandings and souls1 and who were born to inherit the same salvation with you2 ,i say1 if you are not callous to every ,christian1 humane1 and manly sensibility1 you certainly must feel compassion for those extremely oppressed people1 when you think what miseries1 what devastations and massacres among them you have been the author of1 and all for filthy lucre's sake4 ,the thoughts of this accursed ,trade touches my very heart1 and finding if ,i continue any longer ,i shall get out of the bounds of decency1 must therefore conclude4 ,and if all you have read should have no weight upon your hardened hearts1 this remains for my consolation that ,i have done my duty2 and ,i pray6 ,fervently pray6 ,that ,,god would have mercy on your sinful souls2 and that he of his infinite goodness would grant that you may be made sensible of your guilt and repent of these your execrable and really detestable deeds4 ,,finis4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,author makes no doubt but the ,publick1 after reading this ,pamphlet1 will readily agree with him1 that the words in the ,dedication are verified1 8,that it was put together with more good intent than ability10 which he is very sensible of3 ,but at the same time thinks all criticism and scrutinizing should be laid aside1 when they reflect1 that the will to do good is next in order to the action itself4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,it is supposed eighty thousand ,negroes1 are upon the ,island of ,barbadoes1 and yet through the hard labour they exact of these poor creatures1 and what of them are killed through their barbarous chastisements1 a decrease is made of five thousand ,slaves yearly1 which they are resupplied with from ,africa2 and it may be reasonably expected1 that the children eighty thousand ,negroes would have1 were they worked in the same manner with the white people1 and did not so many of them die through hard labour1 and from the treatment they suffer3 ,i say1 it may be expected1 there would be an increase of ten thousand at a moderate computation yearly1 instead of five thousand decreasing4 ,one may form an idea from this1 of what an additional supply most of the ,west-,india ,islands and ,southern ,provinces need1 for there is not one of them but what import a considerable number of ,slaves annually1 to keep up their common stock4 ,,transcriber',s ,,note ,obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources4 ,some hyphens in words have been silently removed1 some added1 when a predominant preference was found in the original book4 ,except for those changes noted below1 all misspellings in the text1 and inconsistent or archaic usage1 have been retained4 ,pg xvi3 #8shonld have incurred' replaced by #8should have incurred'4 ,pg #ag3 #8base1 unchristan' replaced by #8base1 unchristian'4 ,pg #bj3 #8their opression' replaced by #8their oppression'4 ,pg #bf3 #8concerned ni the' replaced by #8concerned in the'4 ,pg #bg3 ,quote marks have been removed from the paragraph #8,as 444 ,trade4'4 ,pg #ca3 #8land of ,egygt' replaced by #8land of ,egypt'4 ,pg #cd3 #8out of ,eygpt' replaced by #8out of ,egypt'4 ,pg #dj3 #8and mark him' replaced by #8and marks him'4 ,pg #de3 #8by the interposion' replaced by #8by the interposition'4 ,pg #eb3 #8and conton cloths' replaced by #8and cotton cloths'4 ,pg #ef3 #8and will coutinue' replaced by #8and will continue'4 ,pg #fg3 #8the istruments to' replaced by #8the instruments to'4 ,pg #fi3 #8the male-treatment of' replaced by #8the mal-treatment of'4 ,pg #gj3 #8your hardned hearts' replaced by #8your hardened hearts'4