Columbia IniWitp 
 
 intfjeCttpoflftoPtirk 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 ni^ 1929 
 
a 
 
 dissuasion 
 
 from the 
 
 Slave-Trade . 
 
DISSUASION 
 
 T O 
 
 GREAT-BRITAIN 
 
 AND THE 
 
 COLONIES, 
 
 F R O. M T H E 
 
 SLAVE-TRADE to Africa. 
 
 Shewing the Injuftice thereof, &c. 
 
 Revised and A&ridged. 
 
 by 
 
 JAMES SWA N. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 Printed for J. Greenleaf, at the New Print-. 
 iXG-Qffice, in Hanover ftreet.. 1773. 
 
THE 
 
 Dedication 
 
 To 
 
 His Excellency the Governor, 
 The Honorable 
 His Majesty Council, 
 
 And the Houfe of Reprefentatives 
 Qf the Province of the Majpicbufetts-Bay, 
 In New-England. 
 
 H OWEVER prefuming it may be 
 in me to addrefs you in this 
 manner, who are the legiflative 
 body of this province ; yet I 
 dare lay you will excufe it, when you 
 recoiled; a common faying, that no¬ 
 thing proteds a Scotfman, but his im¬ 
 pudence, <&c. and I am urged to it by 
 hearing that your Excellency and a ma¬ 
 jority of both houfes,are inclined to re¬ 
 lieve in one degree or other the moll 
 dejeded part of pur fpecies, from a 
 flavery that is realy odious in the eyes 
 pf every true gritiih fubjed. 
 
vi DEDICATION. 
 
 I shal l not enter in this place,upon 
 enumerating the arguments which I 
 might ufe to fupport the eligibility and 
 legallity of giving the Negroes a proper 
 redrefs,both in a chriftian and political 
 light, and the utility of liich a meafure 
 being fpeedily entered into: Thefehave 
 been difculs’d with greater elegance 
 than I pretend to, by gentlemen, whofe 
 endeavours and pains, have rendered 
 them valuable to their country, in try¬ 
 ing to obtain that fuccour, which they, 
 with all ferious well thinking people, 
 conceived to be the inherent right of 
 all mankind, ' 
 
 I do not mean to lengthen out this 
 Dedication, or the Preface and Diffua- 
 fion following it, as was done in. the for¬ 
 mer edition, with more than enough 
 of canting ftyle : But be as laconick 
 as poffible ; that refolufion neceflarily 
 obliged me to fay, that I now flicker 
 this Difluafion under your wings ; 
 and at the enluing Seflion I expert 
 at leaft a finiftiing of what was begun in 
 the laft, of flopping a further importa- 
 
DEDICATION, vii 
 
 tioil of Negroes into this province ; 
 and yon may do as much more for the 
 relief of thofe that are here, as you, in 
 your great wifdom, fhall fee meet.— 
 Think they are men poflefled of reaibn- 
 able fouls ; that we were all upon a 
 level in the beginning ; and what right 
 we have to keep them in their prelent 
 lituation,—then I am pretty well fatis- 
 lied you will give them the relief they 
 wantj aiid which I moft ardently wilh 
 for. 
 
 I am with all becoming refpecl 
 Your moft obedient 
 Humble fervant, 
 James Swan* 
 
 Bosto-n, z 773* 
 
E VER fince the appearance, or pub¬ 
 lic exiftance of the former edition 
 of this paitiphlet, have I reperited 
 with a truly contrite heart, at my 
 prefixing my name to it; and not being 
 able to pay a neceffary attention to the 
 correction ; however I was in this par¬ 
 ticular, what is faid to belong to the 
 Scots nation in general, wife behind the 
 hand, i. e. wife too late. I fay, ever fince, 
 all that is within me have yearned at the 
 bad luck I met with, in attempting a 
 publication, Without having time to 
 correct it ; and in leaving it to a gen¬ 
 tleman whofe employment neceflarily 
 demanded his abfence from town : But 
 the inaccuracy has been apologized for* 
 in a genteel, true and model! way, by 
 a perfon who publifhed fome time fince 
 the Appendix, &c. to whom, be who 
 
PREFACE-, ix 
 
 he may, I return my thanks in this pub¬ 
 lic manner ; hoping he will meet with 
 a reward in fome future day, or after 
 world if he does not in this, 
 
 I often times think to rriyfelf what 
 motives urged ; what impulfe drove 
 me ; or what principle acluated me, to* 
 write it after the form of a fermon, and 
 puting it in the hacknied llyle of the 
 clergy—the——Scots——and—'-I mean* 
 or what Others you pleafe : However 
 to makean amend to r he minifters(them 
 I always put firft)-—laity—Negroes and 
 all perfons whatever, that have happen¬ 
 ed to read it in that mould ; I have al¬ 
 tered, defaced, abridged and added, as 
 you will fee by looking over the few 
 fheets that follow this preface 5 and I 
 think, to fay the Very leaft, and at the 
 fame time tire mod, concerning it, thefe 
 meliorations are much for the better. 
 
 I shall makeno apology for trou¬ 
 bling the public, further thanthis edition 
 appears in the world, at the earneft de¬ 
 lire of the Negroes in Bolton, in order 
 to anfwer the purpofe of lending a co J 
 py to each town. Nothing but an in- 
 B clina- 
 
x PREFACE, 
 clinatlon to granting their requeft, and 
 that I hope every town will be actuated 
 to give their Reprefentatives inltructi- 
 ons, in imitation-of that well dilpoled 
 one' Medford, who in the laft felfion. 
 directed their member to •“ ul’e his ut- 
 “ molt influence to have a final period 
 
 put to that afloft cruel, inhuman and 
 “ unchriftianpra£lice,thd flave-tradc.” 
 Thefe motives have worked ttport me 
 lo much a$ td Venture nlyfelf a fecon'd 
 time to the eeiifure or applaufe of the 
 world. 
 
 Favor me with one thing reader, 
 ail'd I will grant you fifty ; that is, to 
 read this DifTUafion with an unpVeju- 
 tlicecrihiiid ; . and remember, with not 
 ope itphirig of a critic ; f6r as litre as 
 you. do, dOwn falls the fabric, and 
 craflied is‘the whole edifice, I mean the 
 ftyle aild J manner Of eRpreffiony &'c.- 
 not the ai-gumehls. And I have jiifi to 
 eblbrVe, that if this meets with but half 
 the lUecefs I wifti for, in redrelling the 
 fllokihg date in which the Negroes are 
 heldvllhalibe & thoufand times reward¬ 
 ed; • ■ 
 
^ “k'k kk™k'%■ -yL % 
 
 U <<&■%, *%J$* 
 
 '%%.4f s &4f* 4f%< %r^ 
 
 X «3f *3?J 
 
 D t S S U A S ION, 6v. 
 
 J?ifes£ 3 es£ M HE fiibjeft of which thefe 
 j« f ew fheets treat, would 
 ^ &¥& have been one of the laft 
 j^^asff'VSs* ^ I fhould have ventured 
 ‘ vMSHOfS- upon,- had not the delu- 
 lion of the men who are concerned in 
 enflaving the people called Negroes ap¬ 
 peared fo glaring, and the contradic¬ 
 tion that the flave-trade bears to chrifti- 
 anity, prompted me to it, 
 
 I shall be as cool and impartial in 
 treating of this matter as any perfon 
 living in a land of liberty can : But, 
 in cafe any thing {hoyId be mentioned 
 in the fequel that may give unintended 
 offence to any perfon, I hope the ten- 
 . der feelings for thefe diftreffed cap- 
 tives which is interwoven in my heart,. 
 
C 12 ] 
 
 and an unintcrrniting delire that lodges 
 in my bread, to have this trade aboUfli- 
 ed, will be fuflicient excufe. 
 
 It is for thofe, who-are in a date, 
 of bondage to difcribe the dread hor¬ 
 rors, the 1 tearing anguifh, and the 
 direful pains that alternately feize them 
 when thinking, of their being among 
 people who boaft of their liberties, and 
 at fame time aft- repugnant to the Ipi- 
 rit ol their conditution in keeping in. 
 11avery thoulands of blacks, when they 
 know it is alio derogatory to the prin¬ 
 ciples of chriftlanity, and fociety. 
 Under the molitic law that perfon who 
 ftole another, aud fold him,, was to be 
 ■purified with death And it mod cer¬ 
 tainly can be looked upon in no 
 other light in the merchants who are- 
 in the trade to Africa, than dealing of 
 picn, being acceflary to, and aiding in 
 inciting them to. war one with another 
 and for this purpofe, fupplying them, 
 with arms and ammunition, whereby 
 they are hurried into confufion, blood- 
 Ihed, and all the extremities of tem¬ 
 poral mifery, which mud confequently 
 beget in their minds fuch a general. 
 
£ 13 ] 
 
 deteftation and fcorn of the ehrifti'an 
 name, as may deeply affect, ifnofwhol- 
 ly preclude, their belief of the great 
 truths of our holy religion,' Thus an 
 infatiable defire of gain prevails with 
 their kings, who, inflead of being pro¬ 
 testors. of their people, for this ■alluring 
 bait laid before them, by the European 
 and American factors, and fhip-mafters, 
 invade the liberties of thefe unhappy 
 people, and oecafipn their oprefhqu. 
 The kings, when they, want .. goods 
 fend to. the fhip-mafters, acquainting 
 them they have Negroes, a,nd feme- 
 times the factors and fhip-mafters feqd 
 tor inform them, that. they have a 
 quantity of goods, and want flaves for 
 the fame, Thefe chiefs, whether they 
 have flaves then or not, agree, andlm- 
 mediately go to war with their neigh¬ 
 bours and make fqch havotk ih burn¬ 
 ing towns and the, devaftatiqn of war, 
 as really fhocks human nature; which 
 appears by the following cxtracl from 
 a furgeon’s journal in a Liverpool veffei. 
 
 Sefiro, December 29, 1724. ■ ; 
 
 NO trade to-day, though rtlaqy 
 . traders came on board ; they inform. 
 
f H 1 
 
 “ us, that tj^e people are gone to war 
 “ within land, and W ill bring prifoners 
 “ enough in two or three days ; in 
 f‘ hopes of which we flay. 
 
 “ 30th. N(p trade yet ; but ourtra^ 
 “ d$rs eameon board .to-day and in- 
 “ formed Us the. people had burnt four 
 “ towhs, fo that to-morrow We expert ■ 
 
 Haves enough.. 
 
 “ 31ft. Fair weathet, but 110 trade 
 “ yet; we fee each night towns burn- 
 “ ihg ; but we hear the Sefiro men are 
 '•** niany of them killed by the inland 
 “ Negroes, fo that we fear this war 
 “ will be unfuccefsful, 
 
 “ The ad. of January. Laft night 
 . “ .we faw ft prodigious fire br^ak out . 
 ‘‘ about eleven o ? clock, and this morn- . 
 “ ing fiw the town of Sefira burn; 
 “ dpwp ,jt.o tho ground, (it contained j 
 “ fome hundred lioufes) fo that we ■ 
 find . their enemies are too hard for ' 
 . “ them at .prefent ; confequently our 
 “ trade fpoiled here, fo, that about 
 f *. feven, o’clock we weighed anchor, as j 
 “ did alfo the three other velfels, to 1 
 Vproceed lower down/’ ~ 
 
[ 15 ] 
 
 Here follows another relation ta rf 
 ken from an original journal of a fur- 
 geon who failed out of Neiu-Tork , 
 “ Being oil the coaft of Guinea at a 
 “ place called Bafalia, the commander 
 u of the veflel, according to cuftom, 
 “ ferit a perfon on fhore, with a pre- 
 “ fent to the King, acquainting him 
 “ with his arrival,- and informing him 
 “ they wanted a cargo of flaves. The 
 “ King pfomifcd to furnifti them- and 
 “ in order to do it, let out to war* 
 “ again!! his enemies ; defignirig alfo 
 to furprife l’ome town, and take all 
 the people prifoners : Some time af- 
 “ ter, the King fent them word, he had 
 “ not met with the defired- fuccefs, 
 “ having been twice fepulfed in at- 
 “ tempting to break up two towns ; 
 “ but that he hill hoped to procure a 
 “ number of haves for them, and in 
 “ this defignperlifted, until he met his 
 “ enemies in the field, where a battle 
 “ was fought, which lafted three days, 
 “ during which time, the engagtneftt 
 “ was fo bloody that four thoufand five 
 hundred men were hain on the fpot. 
 t ( Think (fays he) what a pitiful fight 
 
[ 1.6 1 - 
 
 “ft, was to fee the widows weeping 
 “ over -their loft hufbands, orphans 
 “ deploringjthe lofsof their fathers6 5 c.” 
 Oh! (hocking phenomenon, four or 
 five thoufand people killed, for no other 
 caufe than that our very humane, and 
 ciiriftianized merchants, &c. want three 
 or . four, hundred prifonei's to make 
 flaves of. 
 
 It is a practifed cuftom among the 
 factors ,who refide in Jfrica, and the 
 fltip-mafters who trade thither, to cor¬ 
 rupt many negroes on the fea coaft, 
 who flop at no act of cruelty for gain. 
 They efteem it heroic, to kidnap abun¬ 
 dance: of little blacks of both fexes, 
 tv hen found on the roads or in the 
 fields, where their parents keep them 
 all.day' to watch the corn, &c. If any 
 perfon fliould prefume to fay, that the 
 Africans are not ftolen, and that it is not 
 direct Health . in the fliip-mafters, . I 
 fHould think he would deferve to be 
 laughed at ; becaufe, if they did not 
 go there and entice 'the chiefs with 
 money or goods, there would be no 
 wars, as is the cafe at prefent; and 
 there would be, none ftolen if the fteal- 
 
[ *7 ] 
 
 ‘ers were not bribed by the fa&ors ot 
 fliip-mafters ; and befide thofe that 
 are made Haves of, there would be 
 ten tlioufand others who are killed in 
 the broils, that would be laved, were 
 they to difcontiriue this unhumane trade. 
 
 It may be faid thdy pay for them. I 
 anfwer; they give money or goods by 
 Way of price to fome of the princes 
 and Negroes; who; for lucres fake take 
 theiri prifoners by war or Health, fo 
 that What money they give thofe 
 inOre than brutal men; who take them, 
 irithefeways cannot be looked upon as 
 a price paid in lieu, for the perfons 
 thehifeives never corifeiited to be 
 hiancipated; as they get none of the 
 money that is pretOridedly given for 
 them. They at length arrive it the 
 port, tbe lhip-mafters fell them at a inolt 
 exorbitant profit, and iri a few voyages 
 he makes what he calls liis fortune s 
 this is all He aimed at; and wilhed for ; 
 and What follows, but his eternal de- 
 ftruffion, tinlefs timely repented of: 
 For the truth of this, 1 could mention 
 very finking inftances of men, whole. 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 principles are as vicious as their actions, 
 and who I lee alnioft every day. 
 
 To fay more as to their being ftolen 
 would be needlels, becaufe it is clear 
 that they are fo in every lenle it can be 
 underftood ; and it is not, nor can be 
 denied that they fell them, fo that they 
 who practife thefe laudable branches 
 of man-ftealing and felling can expect 
 nothing but the penalties of God’s 
 laws, which he, in his oWn time, will 
 inflift, fince man ! indolent bale dege¬ 
 nerate man ! will not punilh them 
 with death, as warranted liifficiently 
 by the eternal decrees of heaven. 
 
 In regard to the barbarous ufage 
 thefe unhappy people meet with from 
 the fhip-mafters in their paflage from 
 Jfrica. After they have got them on 
 board fhackled two and two together, 
 they keep them confined below all the 
 paflage, never permitting more than 
 two on deck at a time to take one 
 breath of frelh air, the molt common 
 bleifing we enjoy, confcious that they 
 are doing them wrong, and not cer¬ 
 tain but the juft wrath of God might 
 raife them againft the fliip-mafter and 
 
[ i9 ] 
 
 3 i!s crew, {herald they feek and embrace 
 the firft opportunity to retrieve that 
 liberty which they had in their own 
 country, and which they ought to en¬ 
 joy by laws divine and human. 
 
 Further, the following cafe i 
 mentioned in Aj! ley’s collection of 
 voyages, by John, Atkins , furgeon on. 
 board Admiral Ogles’s fquadron, “ Of. 
 “ one Harding, mafter of a veflel, in 
 “ which feveral of the man-daves and 
 “ a woman-flave had attempted to rhv 
 “ in order to recover their liberty 
 “ fome of whom the mafter of his own 
 “ authority fentenced. to cruel deaths,, 
 “ making them firft eat the heart and 
 “ liver of one of thofe he killed.. The 
 “ woman he h.oifted by the thumbs, 
 “ whiped, and flaflied with knives bc- 
 “ fore other {laves, until (he died." : 
 Moft unparralelled cruelty !, Humay. 
 nature is aghaft at fuch barbarity i. 
 
 Next is an account by a fhip-maficr 
 who brought a cargo of flaves to Bar! 1.,- 
 does, upon being aflted the fuccefs of hi.: 
 voyage,anfwered, “Thathe-had found T. 
 “ a difficult matter to fet the Negroes 
 “ fighting with each other in, order tv 
 
E 2° J 
 
 r procure the number he wanted: 1 '- 
 But when he had obtained his end, 
 “ having filled his veflel with ilaves, a 
 “ new difficulty arofe from their refu- 
 “ fal to. take food : Thofe defperate 
 e( creatures chufing rather to die with 
 “ hunger than to be carried from their 
 tl native country.” Upon a further 
 enquiry how he got them to forego 
 this defperate refolution, he anfwered, 
 ‘‘ That he obliged all the Negroes to 
 e ‘ come on deck, where they perfifting 
 ^ in their refolution of not taking food* 
 “ he carded his failors to, lay hold on 
 “ one qf the moll obftinate, who chop-, 
 “ ped the poor creature into fmall; 
 “ pieces, forcing fome of the others to, 
 “ eat a part of the mangled body 
 “ fwcaring -to the furvivers, that he, 
 e .‘ would ufe them all, one after the. 
 “ other, in the fame manner ifithey did 
 “ not confent to eat.” This horrid 
 execution he applauded as a good aft, 
 it having had the defired effect. “ As 
 deteftable and {hocking as thefe ufages 
 to the poor Negroes niay appear, it will- 
 not be ftrange to thofe who have been 
 concerned or employed in the trade,” 
 
[ 21 ] 
 
 It is mentioned in fcripture concern-, 
 ing the punifhment of man dealing,^-. 
 If the perfon ftolen be found in bis hands , 
 he finely fall be put to death , If either 
 the laws of God or man, were to be 
 put in execution, the ftealer, and 
 buyer too, would be punifhed with 
 death, for it is equally clear as to both, 
 in the mofaic inftitutions. It is mod; ab-. 
 furd, for any perfon to alledge they 
 bought them, for no money can be 
 equal .to. the worth of a man : And it 
 is a poor juflification to fay, that they 
 purchafed the Negroes with a price 
 tantamount to their value ; for as 
 there are no laws, either of Heaven or 
 nations, authorizing the buying and 
 ftealingof Africans, lam inclined to think, 
 it cannot be fuppofed, but the lead; 
 they deferve is death •- And the man 
 who buys them,, is full as culpable as 
 the ftealer, and liable to the fame pun- 
 ifliment, for it is expreflly written, If 
 he be found in his hands , he furely fall be 
 put to death . 
 
 When Mofes in his code of laws is 
 fpeaking relative to feven .years, fer- 
 jj,ce, molt poffitively fays, That if an- 
 
Hebrew fcrvant be fold unto thee, and as 
 I conceive if you buy him, he Jhailferve 
 thee fix years, and the feventh, thou Jhail 
 let him go free from thee, and /hall furnijh 
 him liberally with what he hath. Thou 
 Jhail not let him go away empty. Thou 
 Jhall furnijh him liberally out of thy flock, 
 and out of thy floor, and of thy wine prefs j 
 of that wherewith the Lord thy God 
 bath blejfed thee, thou Jhalt give him. This 
 is in token'that thou doji acknowledge the 
 benefit that thou haft received by his labours. 
 This I hope will make fuch impref- 
 lions upon the minds of men, that they 
 will not bind a fervant to ferve above 
 fix years ; but will fet him at liberty 
 in the feventh, and give him liberally 
 of what the Lord hath bleffed them 
 with in complyance with the divine 
 command, 
 
 The practice of makingflaves of our 
 brethren is likewife againft the law of 
 nature, which teaches us, that whatjo- 
 ever we- would that men Jhould do unto, 
 us, we Jhould do even fo to them. Would 
 any perfon confent to be torn from his 
 friends and native country, and be 
 made a have for life, and to haye his 
 
t ~3 ] 
 
 children continue in the lame condi¬ 
 tion from one generation to another ? 
 “ Bring the matter home to your- 
 felves, and think whether any condi¬ 
 tion in life can be more completely 
 miferable than that of thofe diftreffcd 
 captives* On reflecting, that each of 
 them had lome tender attachments 
 which were broke by the cruel repara¬ 
 tion ! fonie parent or wife who had 
 not an opportunity of mingling tears 
 in a parting embrace ! perhaps fome 
 infant or aged parent whom his labour 
 was to feed, and vigilance protect! and 
 himfelf under the dreadful apprehen- 
 fions of perpetual flavery.” 
 
 The crimes attending the Have trade 
 are greatly aggravated by the extreme 
 cruel ufage the Negroes meet with in 
 the plantations, as well with regard to 
 food and cloathing as the hard and 
 unreafonable labour that is exacted 
 from them, and what cannot be forgot, 
 the fevere chaftifement they frequently 
 fuffer, which is bounded by the wrath 
 and pleafure of their hard talk-mafters, 
 
..[Hi 
 
 As to their food : In Bavbadoes, * 
 three quarts of corn and three her¬ 
 rings are a. weeks allowance for a work¬ 
 ing flare ; and it is mentioned in the 
 fyftem of geography, that in Jamaica 
 the owners of the Negro flaves fet alide 
 for each, a piece of ground * and allow 
 them fundays to cultivate it* the pro¬ 
 duce of which with a few fait herrings 
 or other fait filh is all that is allowed 
 for their fllpport; In Virginia they do 
 the fame; As to their cloathing. Iii 
 the Iflands, the allowance for a Have’s 
 cloathing isfeldomnidre than fix yards 
 of oznabrigs a year, and in the foutlieni 
 Colonies, where the piercing wefterly 
 winds are long and fenfibly felt, tliefe 
 poor Africans fuffer much for the want 
 of fufficient cloathing ; indeed* (hock¬ 
 ing to relate ! fome of them are obii- 
 
 * It is fuppofed eighty thoufitnd Negroes are 
 updn the iflands of Barbodoes, and yet thrdugh 
 the hard labour they exact of tliefe poor crea¬ 
 tures, and wlrat of them are killed through 
 their barbarous chafdfements, a decreale is 
 niade of five tltoufand flaves yearly, which 
 they are refupplied with from Africa. One may 
 fonh an idea from this, of what an additional 
 fupply molt of the Weft-India iflands and foutlieni 
 provinces need, for there is not one of them 
 but wliat do import a confiderable number of 
 flaves annually, to keep uptfieir common flock, 
 
C 25 ] 
 
 ged to work mod ol the night in boil- 
 ing-houfes, notwithftanding the hard 
 days work they have performed. If 
 they are detected in taking any thing 
 from the plantation they belong to, 
 which they have fo hardly laboured 
 for, they are cruelly whiped.” “The 
 “ talk-mafters (to ufe the words of Mr. 
 “ Wbitefeld) by their inhumane ufage 
 “ and unrelenting fcourges have 
 “ ploughed their backs and made long 
 “ furrows, and at length brought them 
 “ even to death.” When fpeaking of 
 their cloathing and food, he adds, 
 “ When palling along I have viewed 
 ■“ your plantations cleared and culti- 
 “ vated, many fpacious holifes built 
 “ and the owners of them faring fump- 
 “ tuoufly every day. My blood run 
 tc cold within me to confider how many 
 “ of your flaves had neither conveni- 
 “ ent food to eat or proper raiment to 
 “ put on, notwithftanding many of 
 “ the comforts you enjoy were folely 
 “ owing to their indefatigable labours.” 
 It is aftonilhing how a people who fo 
 much value themfelves upon their free- 
 dom can continue in the practice of fo 
 
 D 
 
£ *6 ] 
 
 much opprcfiion. Will not the groans 
 of this afflicted and milerable people 
 reach Heaven? when the cup of iniquity 
 is filled, the unavoidabletendencymuft 
 be, the pouring 'forth of God’s judg¬ 
 ments upon the opprelfors.- 
 
 I hope this fliort narrative, for great 
 part of which 1 am indebted to Mr. Be- 
 nezet, will raife in' every breaft an utter 
 deteflation and abhorrence of the hor¬ 
 rid culloms and favage ufage in the 
 Illailds and Colonies abovementioned, 
 and I make no doubt but every one will 
 fee, they do not to thefe N'egroeSi as the y 
 woidd they fbould do to them* 
 
 The charter of this province granted 
 by King' William and Queen Mary,- 
 dated at Wejhuinfter,- the 7th. of Olio- 
 her, in the 3d.- year of their reign, 
 inter alia, eftablilheth and ordains, T bat 
 all and every of the fubjetts of us, our heirs 
 and fuccefors, -which goto- and inhabit within 
 our faid province and territory, and every 
 of their children vshich fait happen to be born 
 there, or on the feas in going thither, or re¬ 
 turning from thence, fall have and enjoy all 
 liberties and immunities of free and nattc- 
 ral Julje&s within the dominions of us, our 
 
[ 27 ] 
 
 heirs and fucceffors, to all intents, conjlrutti- 
 ons, and purpofcs ivhatfoever, as if they and 
 every of them mere horn ivithin our realm of 
 England. 
 
 We are complaining daily that our 
 liberties are wrefted from us, and little 
 think how we deprive thefepoor black 
 people of their freedom, when there 
 is as little reafon for it as there is 
 for making haves o f Brit if fubj eels : As 
 appears plainly, from the foregoing 
 claufe in the charter, Ihope means will 
 be ufed by the legiflature of mod, ifn ot ad 
 the provinces of North-America, totally 
 pi ohibiting the importation of Negroes, 
 andfetting at liberty thofe who are now 
 in bondage, which will be an honor 
 to human nature. The cruelty of forc¬ 
 ing the Africans from their own country, 
 appears the more glaring when wc con- 
 fid er as Mr. Pojlletlrwait obferves, that 
 Its iituation for commerce is certainly 
 beyond any of the other quarters of the 
 world, being in the center, and has 
 thereby a much nearer communication 
 with Europe, Afia and America, than any 
 other quarter has with the reft. It is 
 wonderfully accommodated for com’ 
 
L *8 1 
 
 merce by the interpofition of iilands, 
 and more particularly by the affillance 
 of the trade winds, which render the 
 the navigation ia-fe, eafy, ancl conftant. 
 It is furnifhed with the greateft and 
 moll convenient navigable rivers, fuch 
 as the Nile, Nulia, Nataly yvhich are ri¬ 
 vers of the firlt magnitude ; befidesthefe 
 there are many others, well fituatecl 
 for nevigation and commerce, and 
 which by their noble courfes penetrate 
 far inland ; if the Europeans , &c. would 
 cultivate a humane and chriftian like 
 commerce with the Jfricans, they might 
 through thefe rivers, become the medi¬ 
 um of an endlefs beneficial'commerce. 
 The country is populous beyond credi¬ 
 bility, the fpil fruitful, the feafon for the 
 greateft part, mild and clement, and the. 
 air falubrious. - 
 
 The difad vantages to Africa in taking 
 fo many of its natives away yearly, are 
 i ft. Its depopulation, which prevents 
 the inland country, where the inceflant. 
 broils are carried on, front defending 
 themfelves againft the attacks and en¬ 
 croachments made on their properties 
 by the Kings and Chiefs, whereby many 
 
r 2 9 3 
 
 thoufands of their fubjedts being taken 
 prifoners, are fold ; and further, in 
 conl’equence of this, depriving theni of 
 the means of defence, ad. It obftrufts 
 the civilizing thofe people, and confer 
 quently the propagating amongft them 
 the chriftian religion, and extending 
 the trade into the bowels of Africa. 3d. 
 It prevents the introducing arts and fci- 
 ences amongft them, and the carrying 
 a friendly, civil and chriftian commerce 
 into the heart of their region. It is an 
 abfolute faff, that thefe people are in- 
 ceftently at war with their neighbouring 
 Princes fo that they cannot g et their bufi- 
 nefs followed, whichisagreat hinderance 
 to the manufacturing fuch quantities of 
 their country’s produce of every kind 
 as they might do, were this,trade abo- 
 lilhed, and the riders in friendfhip. 
 Avith each other. 
 
 The flavetrade has fo engrofted the 
 attention of thofe men tha t traffick to 
 Africa , that they never oai.ee think of 
 fuch commodities as Euro pe might con- 
 fume, viz. gums, ivory, gold, fdver, <&r. 
 and torelign that bafe trad e ? man-fellin g 
 
[ 3 ° ) 
 
 But Tome may afk, if we abolifli this 
 trade where fliall we get labourers ? the 
 anfwer is at hand, Europe in general 
 affords numbers -of poor and diftrefled 
 objects for that purpofe. The advan¬ 
 tages that would arife to Jfrica in abo- 
 lifhing this inhumane commerce are 
 numerous, ift. It would be a means 
 of peopling that country, and of culti¬ 
 vating it, fo its to render it capable of 
 bearing in as great abundance as the 
 Eajl-Indies, fpices of equal quality to 
 thofe of Banda, Ternate and Ambojna ; 
 which might be produced on the rich 
 fhores of Melinda on the eaft, or of the 
 Have coaft on the weft fide of Jfrica, 
 and that as eafy and to as great advan¬ 
 tage, as tvhere they are now railed, the 
 latitude feeing the fame, and foil not 
 unlike ; and, in fliort, cinnamon and 
 all other productions of Eaft and Weft- 
 Indies, by proper management might be 
 raifed here as well as. in thofe parts, 2d. 
 It would introduce thechriftian religion 
 among them, which is a fhame to thofe 
 nations who pretend to he influenced by 
 the principles of chriftianity, to keep fo 
 long hift, a T [id of confequence, be a 
 
[ 31 1 
 
 means of bringing among them the 
 more civilized arts and fciences. 3d. It 
 will recommend the European drefs, and 
 introduce their cuftoms among the na- 
 tives, and of courle civilize them like 
 other chriftian nations; Laflly. It will 
 be a means of bringing this country to 
 as great perfection in trade, riches, and 
 grandeur, as any in Europe, it being a 
 much more fertile foil for many valu¬ 
 able productions. 
 
 The advantages that would arife to 
 Europe ill this trade even in its prefent 
 Hate, excluding that of the haves, is 
 very great ; for which there is in rec¬ 
 tum, gold, elcphantVteeth, wax, gums 1 , 
 cotton-wool and divers dying-woods. 
 Thefe are articles which the country 
 abound in, and would be hill cheaper 
 to an immenfe degree, were the inland 
 parts fettled with their own people. 
 Britain pays but little for the coni'- 
 inodities it exports to Africa, being 
 moftly, as obferved before, its own 
 produce, fuch as worfted and cotton 
 cloths of all kinds, brafs, iron and 
 copper work of every fort, particularly 
 large quantities of all kinds ofdefenhve 
 
[ 3 - ] 
 
 arms, with powder and fliot in propof- 
 tion. It is the intereft of every mer¬ 
 chant in Britain and the plantations who 
 are now concerned in traffick to Africa, 
 to cultivate the Inland commerce in its 
 utmoft extent; there being the greateft 
 feafon to believe* that where they now 
 export twenty (hillings worth of com¬ 
 modities thither, they would then export 
 an hundred pound : The government 
 at home are aware of thefe advantages, 
 and have granted an annual fum of ten 
 thoufand pounds fterling for the main¬ 
 taining and upholding the forts and 
 .caftles in the Biitifi fcttlements in Afri¬ 
 ca, fo that they are entirely defended 
 againft the attacks of any enemy, and 
 their trade fecured by forts and caftles. 
 A great deal more could be mentioned 
 on the advantages that may arife to 
 Britain and the plantations in abolifliing 
 this wicked trade: However, I (hall con¬ 
 clude with forne fliort admonitions to 
 thofe concerned, and propofe a method 
 to put this trade to Jfricaupon a juft and 
 
 lawful footing.--1 advife every 
 
 •merchant who is in this trade of manda¬ 
 ting torenounce and give it up. Why 
 fliould any perftm incur the penalties 
 
L 33 ] . 
 
 of God’s law for the fake ofgain ? Were they 
 on a death-bed, what agonies and troubles 
 of ntind muft they undergo uponthe reflecli- 
 on—-ofhaving enflavedfo many miferable 
 creatures and caufing tlioufand more to 
 perifli ill the wars they occalion ; furely 
 the judgment of God muft come upon fuch 
 men who will thus ufe their own,brethren 
 born to inherit the fame falvation with 
 them. Mr. Whitefield in a letter to the in¬ 
 habitants of Virginia , &c. faith, u We have 
 a remarkable inftance of God’s taking 
 cognizance of, and avenging the quarrel 
 “ of poor flaves, 2 Sam-, xxi. t. There 
 “ was a famine in the days of David , three 
 “ years; year after year, and David enquir- 
 ed of the Lord, and the Lord anfwer- 
 £< ed, it is for Saul, and his bloody houfe* 
 “ becaufe he flew the Gibeonites. Two 
 “ things are here very remarkable, ift. 
 “ Thefe Gibeonites were only hewers of 
 wood and drawers of water ; or in other 
 u words; flaves like yours. 2d. That this: 
 “ plague was fent by God many years af- 
 “ ter the injury (the caufe of the plague) 
 “ was committed. And for what end 
 “ were this and fuch like examples record- 
 ed in holy Scriptures ? Without doubt. 
 £ ' 
 
[ 34 J 
 
 s ‘ for our learning. For God is the fame 
 “ to-day as he was yefterday, and will 
 “ continue the fame for ever. He does not 
 “ rejeft the prayer of the poor and defti- 
 “ tutg, nor difregardthe cry of the mean- 
 “ eft Negro.” When (peaking of the op- 
 prelfion and unchriftian ufage thefe diftref- 
 ed people meet with front the fhip-maf- 
 ters in their paflage, and from the mailer's 
 they are fold to in the fouth parts of Ame¬ 
 rica and the Weft-Indies, he adds, “ The 
 “ blood of the Negroes fpilt for thefe many 
 “ years in your relpetftive provinces will 
 “ rife up to Heaven againftyou.”-Per¬ 
 
 tinent to my fubject are the following 
 queftions of Mr. Poftlctbiuayt. 
 
 ift. “ Whether fthe people of this 
 country notwithftanding their colour, arc 
 not capable of being civilized and brought 
 into the chriftian religion, as well as great, 
 numbers of the Indians of America and Aft a 
 have been ; and whether the primitive 
 inhabitants of all countries fo far as we 
 have been able to trace them, tvere not 
 once as favage and inhuman as the people 
 in Africa , and whether the ancient Britons 
 themfelves of our country were not once 
 tipon a level with the Africans ?_----- 
 2d. “ Whether therefore, there* is not- 
 
C 35 ] 
 
 a probability that thofe people might in 
 time, by proper management in the Euro¬ 
 peans, become as wife, as induftrious, as 
 humane, ancl as good chriltians, as the 
 
 people of any other country ?- 
 
 3d. “ Whether their rational faculties are 
 not in general equal to thofe of any other 
 of the human fpecies ; and whether they 
 are not, from experience, as capable for 
 mechanical and manufactural arts and 
 trades,as even the bulk of the Europeans ? - 
 f- - qth, “ Whether it would not be more 
 to the intereft of all the European nations 
 concerned in the trade to Africa, rather to 
 endeavour to cultivate a friendly and hu¬ 
 mane commerce with thefe people, into the 
 very center of their extended country, 
 than to content themfelves only with fkiin- 
 mi ng a trifling portion of trade upon the 
 
 coaft of Africa -5th. “ Whether 
 
 the greateft hinderance and obftru&ion to 
 the European's cultivating a chriftian-like 
 and humane commerce with thofe popul¬ 
 ous countries has not wholly proceeded 
 from that unjuft traffick called the Have 
 trade, which is carried on by the Europeans, 
 Americans, &c. ----- 6th. Whether this trade 
 and this only was not the primary caufe, 
 and ftill continues to be the chief caule of 
 
[ 3.6 } 
 
 thefe eternal and in cedant broils, quarrels, 
 and animolities whichfublift between theN e- 
 gro Princes and Chiefs ; and confequent- 
 ly of thole endlefs wars which abide among 
 them, and which they are induced to carry 
 on in order to make prifoners of one ano¬ 
 ther for the fake of the 1 lav e-trade ?. 
 
 jth. “ Whether, if trade was carried on 
 with them for a leries of years, as it has 
 been with mod: other lavage countries, and 
 the Europeans gave no incouragement 
 whatever to the flave-trade, t.hofe cruel 
 wars among the blacks would not ceafe, 
 and a fair and honourable commerce in 
 time take place throughout the whole 
 country 8th. “ Whether the exam¬ 
 
 ple of the Dutch in the Eajirlnciies, who 
 have civilized innumerable of the natives, 
 and brought them to the European way of 
 cloathing, &c. does not give reafonable 
 hopes that thefe fuggeftions. are not vilion- 
 ary, but founded on experience as well 
 as on humane and chriftian principles ? — 
 9th. “ Whether commerce in general has. 
 not proved the great means of civilizing 
 all nations, even the mod: favage and bru¬ 
 tal ; and why not the Africans? -10th. 
 
 Whether the territory of the European 
 nations who are interefted in thq felonies. 
 
[ 37 ] 
 
 and plantations in America, are not popu¬ 
 lous enough, or may be rendered l'o, by- 
 proper encouragement givento matrimony 
 and the hreed of foundling infants, to fup- 
 ply their refpective colonies with labour¬ 
 ers in the place of Negro (laves ? And—- 
 laftly. “ Whether the Britifi dominions in 
 general have not an extent of territory 
 Sufficient to increafe and multiply their 
 inhabitants ; and whether it is not their 
 own faults that they do not increafe them 
 Efficiently to fupply their colonies and 
 plantations, with whites inftead of blacks?” 
 
 I wou ld add one neceflary query more, 
 to thole who hold the (word of juftice, and 
 who muft account to God for the ufe they 
 make of it. Since the Englijh law is fo 
 truly valuable for its juftice, how can they 
 overlook the barbarous deaths, and wrong¬ 
 ful (lavery of the unhappy Africans, with¬ 
 out trial or proof of being guilty of crimes 
 adequate to their punifhments ? Why are 
 thofe matters of veflels (who are not the 
 moft confiderate of men), fuffered to be 
 fovereign arbiters of the lives of thefe 
 miferable Negroes in their paflage, and 
 allowed with impunity to deftroy, may I 
 not fay murder their fellow creatures in a 
 scanner fo cruel as can never be related 
 
r 38 ] 
 
 but with horror ? Anfwer me this, ye 
 Judges aucl Governors in the different 
 colonics where fuch practices are ufed, if 
 you can, and not be (hocked at your neg¬ 
 ligence : There are thoufands of poor Euro¬ 
 peans that would be glad to ferve in any 
 of the Britijh plantations at lefs expence to 
 the planter than (laves ; employing them 
 would be attended with this advantage, 
 that when they have ferved fome years in 
 the lowed capacities they would turn out 
 upon the wade land, marry, and in a few 
 years we might fee a town well fettled, and 
 in lefs than fifty there will be an increafe 
 of forty fold ; by this means the country 
 will become relpeftable and fecure from 
 an enemy, and furnhhed with every con- 
 veniency of life, 
 
 In order to put this trade to Africa on a 
 jud and lawful footing. If 1 may be al¬ 
 lowed to give my opinion there diould be 
 *a number of men (who may chufe to ven¬ 
 ture in this trade, both in Britain and the 
 colonies) incorporated into feparate bodies 
 by the name of Englijh, or Britijh ; Ameri¬ 
 can or New-England African companies, or 
 by the denominationof other provinces in 
 America , or plantations in the Weft Indies ; 
 and thefe companies (hall equip and rig 
 
t 39 1 
 
 out as many veflels as they think proper# 
 loading them with Britijb, America, Eaji 
 and Wefi-lndia goods, and bring back in 
 return, the rich produce of Africa ; then 
 Britain and the colonies will fiourilh by fo 
 great and profitable a commerce, in furnifli- 
 i ng a hundred thoufand p eople annully ,more 
 than are at prelent with cloathing, pow'der, 
 fhot, and warlike arms, and many more 
 things needlels here to enumerate out of 
 England ; rum, and fundry other articles 
 out of America and the Wef-Indies. 
 
 Infine, I beg y*ou who are concerned 
 in this trade, to free yourfelves from a cuf- 
 tom which is fo pernicious to your w elfare 
 here and hereafter; and as molt men have 
 objections to this bafe trade, you ought to 
 vindicate yourfelves to the world, upon 
 principles of reafon.honefty and humanity ; 
 I believe you will be at a lofs to make tills 
 juftificadon but upon motives weak and 
 unreafonable ; therefore I think you (bould 
 forever lay it afide, for there fiov.ld he no trade 
 carried on, but Juch as is jufifahle before God 
 and man, but this is in dire ft oppofition to 
 both. Think of a future rekoning, and what 
 reafons you will be able to produce at the 
 great day. You now accumulate riches and 
 live in pleafure ; but what will you do in 
 
[ 4° J 
 
 the end ? what if you fhonld be hurried out 
 of this world under the vaft load of blood 
 guiltinefs that is now lying upon ydu ? be¬ 
 ing the primary caufe of killing thousands 
 in the wars and broil's of the African Chiefs ■, 
 t o obtain your number to enflave ? an d no lefs 
 have been murdered in the paffage, when 
 they were trying to retrieve the liberties 
 which they had in their own country, and 
 .which you unjuftly take from them. Re- 
 .memberthatat thefametimeandbythefame 
 meaks'you aretreafuring up worldly riches* 
 youare treafuringup wrath agai nft the day of 
 anger and vengeance thatlhall comeupoii 
 the workers of iniquity, unlefs they repent;, 
 How can you pray for mercy or hope for 
 favor from him that made yon, while you 
 go on thus boldly and publickly diflionor- 
 ing him, in deftroying the nobleft work- 
 manfliipofhis hands ? Can yOu think that 
 God will hear your prayers, while you aft 
 thus grofsly and openly againft his divine 
 revealed will ? And do you fuppofe that he 
 who is the father of all men, will not avenge 
 the mal-treatment of his offspring whomhe 
 gave his fon for, that they Jkould not perijj) 
 but have everlajling life ? If God regards us 
 with fo great affection, we ought alfo to 
 ]oye one another! 
 
C 4 ! 1 
 
 REFLECT fora moment upon the nature 
 of this vile and deteftable man-trade, and 
 your hearts mull certainly relent, if you 
 have not loft aft fenfe ot benevolence and 
 compaflion towards thofe of your brethren, 
 who have capacities, underftandings and 
 fouls, and who were born to inherit the 
 Jame falyation with you ; I fay, if you are 
 jiotdeftituteof every chriftian,humane and 
 manly fenfibility,you certainly muftfeel for 
 thofe opprelfed people,, when you confider 
 what miferies,. devaluations and maffacres 
 among them, you have been the authors ofj 
 The thpughtof this accurfed trade touches 
 my very heart,'and finding if I continue any, 
 longer fhall getoutof the bounds of decency, 
 muft therefore conclude. And if all that has 
 been, mentioned, fhould have no weight 
 upon you, this remains for my confola- 
 tion that I have done my duty ; God grant 
 that you maybe fenfible of your guilt and 
 repent of thefe your execrable and really, 
 deteftable deeds.. 
 
 r i tr i &