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AN
ADDRESS
TO
THE INHABITANTS
OF THE
British Settlements
IN
AMERICA,
UPON
SLAVE-KEEPING.
{Rush (Benjamin) m.d. }
PHILADELPHIA: Printed.

BOSTON:
Re-printed by JOHN BOYLES, for JOHN LANGDON, Op-
posite the Post-Office in Cornhill.
MDCCLXXIII.

[1]

AN ADDRESS, &c.

SO much hath been said upon the subject
of Slave-keeping, that an apology may
be required for this address. The on-
ly one I shall offer is, that the evil still conti-
nues. This may in part be owing to the great
attachment we have to our own interest, and
in part to the subject not being fully exhausted.
The design of the following address is to sum
up the leading arguments against it, several of
which have not been urged by any of those au-
thors who have written upon it.

Without entering into the history of the facts
which relate to the slave-trade, I shall proceed
immediately to combat the principal arguments
which are used to support it.

And here I need hardly say any thing in favor
of the Intellects of the Negroes, or of their ca-
pacities for virtue and happiness, although these
have been supposed by some to be inferior to

[2]

those of the inhabitants of Europe. The ac-
counts which travellers give us of their ingenu-
ity, humanity, and strong attachment to their
parents, relations, friends and country, show
us that they are equal to the Europeans, when
we allow for the diversity of temper and geni-
us which is occasioned by climate. We have
many well attested anecdotes of as sublime and
disinterested virtue among them as ever adorned
a Roman or a Christian character See SPECTATOR, Vol. I. No. 11. There is now in the town of Boston a Free Negro Girl, about 18 years of age, who has been but 9 years in the country, whose singular genius and accomplishments are such as not only do honor to her sex, but to human nature. Several of her poems have been printed, and read with pleasure by the public.  But we
are to distinguish between an African in his
own country, and an African in a state of sla-
very in America. Slavery is so foreign to the
human mind, that the moral faculties, as well
as those of the understanding are debased, and
rendered torpid by it. All the vices which
are charged upon the Negroes in the southern

[3]

colonies and the West-Indies, such as Idleness,
Treachery, Theft, and the like, are the genu-
ine offspring of slavery, and serve as an argu-
ment to prove that they were not intended, by
Providence for it.

Nor let it be said, in the present Age, that
their black color (as it is commonly called) ei-
ther subjects them to, or qualifies them for
slavery *Montesquieu, in his Spirit of Laws, treats this argument with the ridicule it deserves. “WERE I to vindicate our right to make slaves of the Negroes, these should be my arguments. The Europeans having extirpated the Americans, were obliged to make slaves of the Africans, for clearing such vast tracts of land. Sugar would be too dear, if the plants which produce it were cultivated by any other than slaves. These creatures are all over black, and with such a flat nose, that they can scarcely be pitied. It is hardly to be believed that God, who is a wise being, should place a soul, especially a good soul, in such a black ugly body. The Negroes prefer a glass necklace to that gold, [continued on pg. 4] which polite nations so highly value: can there be a greater proof of their wanting common sense. It is impossible to suppose these creatures to be men, because, allowing them to be men, a suspicion would follow, that we ourselves are not Christians.” BOOK XV. CHAP. V.  The vulgar notion of their be-

[4]

ing descended from Cain, who was supposed to
have been marked with this color, is too absurd
to need a refutation. – Without enquiring into
the Cause of this blackness, I shall only add up-
on this subject, that so far from being a curse,
it subjects the Negroes to no inconveniencies,
but on the contrary qualifies them for that part
of the Globe in which providence has placed
them. The ravages of heat, diseases and time,
appear less in their faces than in a white one;
and when we exclude variety of color from our
ideas of Beauty, they may be said to possess e-
very thing necessary to constitute it in common
with the white people ‡” Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus esses. ______ Nimium ne crede colori. Alba Ligustra cadunt; Vaccinia nigra leguntur.” VIRGIL. “I am black, — but comely.” SONG of SOLOMON.

[5]

It has been urged by the inhabitants of the
Sugar Islands and South Carolina, that it would
be impossible to carry on the manufactories of Su-
gar, Rice, and Indigo, without negro slaves. No
manufactory can ever be of consequence enough
to society, to admit the least violation of the
Laws of justice or humanity. But I am far from
thinking the arguments used in favor of em-
ploying Negroes for the cultivation of these ar-
ticles, should have any Weight. – M Le Poi-
vre, late envoy from the king of France, to the
king of Cochin-China, and now intendant of
the isles of Bourbon and Mauritius, in his ob-
servations upon the manners and arts of the
various nations in Africa and Asia, speaking of
the culture of sugar in Cochin-China, has the
following remarks – “It is worthy observation
too, that the sugar cane is there cultivated
by freemen, and all the process of preparati-
on and refining, the work of free hands. Com-
pare then the price of the Cochin-Chinese pro-
duction with the same commodity which is cul-
tivated and prepared by the wretched slaves of
our European colonies, and judge if, to pro-
cure sugar from our colonies, it was necessary

[6]

to authorize by law the slavery of the unhappy
Africans transported to America. ^§White sugar, of the best quality, is sold for three Dollars the Cochin-China quintal, which weighs from 150 to 200 pounds French. Ninety-one pounds eight ounces French, makes one hundred pounds English. From what
I have observed at Cochin-China, I cannot en-
tertain a doubt, but that our West-India colo-
nies, had they been distributed without reserva-
tion amongst a free people, would have produced
double the quantity that it now procured from
the labour of the unfortunate negroes.

What advantage, then, has accured to Eu-
rope, civilized as it is, and thoroughly versed
in the laws of nature, and the rights of man-
kind, by legally authorizing in our colonies, the
daily outrages against human nature, permitt-
ing them to debase man almost below the level of
the beasts of the field? These slavish laws have
proved as opposite to its interest, as they are
to its honour, and to the laws of humanity.
This remark I have often made.

Liberty and property form the basis of abun-
dance, and good agriculture: I never observed

[7]

is to flourish where those rights of mankind were
not firmly established. The earth which mul-
tiplies her productions with a kind of profu-
sion, under the hands of the free-born labour-
er seems to shrink into barrenness under the
sweat of the slave. Such is the will of the
great Author of our Nature, who has creat-
ed man free, and assigned to him the earth, that
he might cultivate his possession with the sweat of
his brow; but still should enjoy his Liberty.”

Now if the plantations in the islands and
the southern colonies were more limited, and
freemen only employed in working them,
the general product would be greater, al-
though the profits to individuals would be
less, – a circumstance this, which by diminish-
ing opulence in a few, would suppress Lux-
ury and Vice, and promote the equal di-
stribution of property, which appears best cal-
culated to promote the welfare of Society. _ ^*From this account of Le Poivre’s, we may learn the futility of the argument, that the number of vessels in the sugar-trade, serve as a nursery for seamen, and that the Negroes consume a large quantity of the manufactures [continued on pg. 8] of Great Britain. If freemen only were employed in the islands, a double quantity of sugar would be made, and of course twice the number of vessels and seamen would be made use of in the trade. One freeman consumes yearly four times the quantity of British goods that a Negro does. Slaves multiply in all countries slowly. Freemen multiply in proportion as slavery is discouraged. It is to be hoped therefore that motives of policy will at last induce Britons to give up a trade, which those of justice and humanity cannot prevail upon them to relinquish.

[8]

I know it has been said by some, that none
but the natives of warm climates could undergo
the excessive heat and labor of the West-India
islands. But this argument is founded upon
an error; for the reverse of this is true. I have
been informed by good authority, that one Eu-
ropean who escapes the first or second year, will
do twice the work, and live twice the num-
ber of years that an ordinary Negro man will
do: nor need we be surpriz’d at this, when we
hear that such is the natural fertility of the soil,
and so numerous the spontaneous fruits of the
earth in the interior parts of Africa, that the
natives live in plenty at the expence of little or
no labor, which, in warm climates, has ever
been found to be incompatible with long life

[9]

and happiness. Future ages, therefore, when
they read the accounts of the Slave Trade ( – if
they do not regard them as fabulous) –
will be at a loss which to condemn most, our
folly or our Guilt, in abetting this direct vio-
lation of the Laws of nature and religion.

But there are some who have gone so far as
to say that Slavery is not repugnant to the Ge-
nius of Christianity, and that it is not forbid-
den in any part of the Scriptures ¶This opinion has been lately supported in a Treatise upon the Ranks of Society, by JOHN MILLAR, L.L.D. Professor of LAW in the University of Glasgow..Natural
and Revealed Religion always speak the same
things, although the latter delivers its precepts
with a louder, and more distinct voice than the
former. If it could be proved that no testimo-
ny was to be found in the Bible against a prac-
tice so pregnant with evils of the most destruc-
tive tendency to society, it would be sufficient
to overthrow its divine Original. We read it is
true of Abraham’s having slaves born in his
house; and we have reason to believe, that
part of the riches of the patriarchs consisted in
them: but we can no more infer the lawfulness

[10]

of the practice, from the short account which the
Jewish historian gives us of these facts, than
we can vindicate telling a lie, because Rahab
is not condemned for it in the account which
is given of her deceiving the king of Jericho 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entred into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. 4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were. 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went, I wot not: pursue after them quickly, for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. JOSHUA, Chap. II. .
We read that some of the same men indulg-
ed themselves in a plurality of wives, with-
out any strictures being made upon their con-
duct for it; and yet no one will pretend to say,
that this is not forbidden in many parts of the
Old Testament ^*Prov. v. 18, 19, 20.. But we are told the Jews kept
the Heathens in perpetual bondage Levit. xxv. 44,45, 46. The De-
sign of providence in permitting this evil, was
probably to prevent the Jews from marrying a-
mong strangers, to which their intercourse with
them upon any other footing than that of slaves,

[11]

would naturally have inclined them That marriage with strangers was looked upon as a crime among the Jews, we learn from Ezra ix. 1 to 6, also from the whole of Chapter x. Had
this taken place – their National Religion would
have been corrupted – they would have
contracted all their vices †May not this be the reason why Swine’s flesh was forbidden to the Jews, least they should be tempted to eat with their Heathen neighbours, who used it in diet? This appears more probable than the opinion of Doctor MEAD, who supposes that it has a physical tendency to produce the leprosy; or that of VOLTAIRE, who asserts that the Jews learned to abstain from this Flesh from the Ægyptians, who valued the Hog almost to a degree of idolatry for its great usefulness in rooting up the Ground. What makes this Conjecture the more probable is, that [continued on pg 12] the Jews abstained from several other kinds of flesh used by their Heathen neighbours, which have been accused of bringing on dieseases of the skin, & which were used constantly in diet by the Egyptians. The account which Tacitus gives of the diet and custom of the Jews, is directly to our purpose – – ” Bos quoque immolantur, quem Ægyptii apin colunt. Ægyptii pleraque animalia, Effigiesque compositas venerantur; Judæi mente sola; unumque numen intelligunt, Seperati Epulis, discreti Cubilibus, Alienarum Concubitu Abstinent.” HISTOR. LIB. V., and the intention
of providence in keeping them a distinct people,
in order to accomplish the promise made to A-
braham, that ” in his Seed all the Nations of
the earth should be blessed,” would have been
defeated; so that the descent of the MESSIAH
from ABRAHAM, could not have been trac-
ed, and the divine commission of the Son of

[12]

God, would have wanted one of its most pow-
erful arguments to support it. But with regard
to their own countrymen, it is plain, perpetual
slavery was not tolerated. Hence, at the end of
seven years or in the year of the jubilee, all the
Hebrew slaves were set at liberty ^†Deuteronomy xxiv. 7.], and it was
held unlawful to detain them in servitude lon-
ger than that time, except by their own Con-
sent. ‡Deut. xv. 12.  But if, in the partial Revelation which
GOD made, of his will to the Jews,
we find such testimonies against slavery, what
may we not expect from the Gospel, the De-
sign of which was to abolish all distincti-

[13]

ons of name and country. While the Jews
thought they complied with the precepts of the
law, in confining the love of their neighbour
“to the children of their own people,” Christ
commands us to look upon all mankind even
our Enemies ^§This is strongly inculcated in the story of the good Samaritan, Luke x. as our neighbours and brethren,
and “in all things, to do unto them whatever we
would wish they should do unto us.” He tells
us further that his “Kingdom is not of this
World,” and therefore constantly avoids saying
any thing that might interfere directly with the
Roman or Jewish Governments: so that altho’
he does not call upon masters to emancipate
their slaves, or upon slaves to assert that Li-
berty wherewith God and Nature had made
them free, yet there is scarcely a Parable or a
Sermon in the whole history of his life, but
what contains the strongest arguments against
Slavery. Every prohibition of Covetousness
– Intemperance – Pride – Uncleanness –
Theft – and Murder, which he delivered, –
every lesson of meekness, humility, forbear-
ance, Charity, Self-denial, and brotherly-love

[14]

which he taught, are levelled against this e-
vil; – for Slavery, while it includes all the
former Vices, necessarily excludes the prac-
tice of all the latter Virtues, both from the
Master and the Slave. – Let such, there-
fore, who vindicate the traffic of buying and
selling Souls, seek some modern System of
Religion to support it, and not presume to
sanctify their crimes by attempting to recon-
cile it to the sublime and perfect Religion of
the Great Author of Christianity. ^*The influence of Christianity in putting a stop to Slavery, appears in the first christian emperor Constantine, who commanded, under the severest penalties, all such as had slaves, to set them at liberty. He afterwards contrived to render the manumission of them much easier than formerly, for instead of recurring to the forms prescribed by the Roman laws, which were attended with great difficulties and a considerable expence, he gave leave to masters to infranchise their slaves in the presence of a bishop, or a minister and a christian assembly. Universal History, vol. xv. p. 574, 577. Dr. ROBERTSON, in treating of those causes which weakened the feudal system, and finally abolished Sla-[continued on pg. 15] very in Europe, in the 14th century, as the following observations – “The gentle spirit of the Christian Religion, together with the doctrines which it teaches, concerning the original equality of mankind, as well as the impartial eye with which the almighty regards men of every condition, and admits them to a participation of his benefits, are inconsistent with servitude. But in this, as in many other instances, Considerations of Interest and the Maxims of false Policy, led men to a conduct inconsistent with their principles. They were so sensible, however, of the Inconsistency, that to set their Fellow Christians at liberty from servitude was deemed an act of piety highly meritorious, and acceptable to Heaven. The humane spirit of the Christian Religion, struggled with the Maxims and Manners of the World, and contributed more than any other circumstnace, to introduce the practice of manumission. The formality of manumission was executed in a church or a religious assembly. – The person to be set free, was led round the great altar, with a torch in his hand, he took hold of the horns of the altar, and there the solemn words conferring liberty, were pronounced.” CHARLES V. Historical Illustrations. Note xx.

[15]

There are some amongst us who cannot
help allowing the force of our last argument,
but plead as a motive for importing and keep-
ing slaves, that they become acquainted with

[16]

the principles of the religion of our country. –
This is like justifying a highway robbery be-
cause part of the money acquired in this man-
ner was appropriated to some religious use. –
Christianity will never be propagated by any o-
ther methods than those employed by Christ and
his Apostles. Slavery is an engine as little fitted
for that purpose as Fire or the Sword. A
Christian Slave is a contradiction in terms. ^§St Paul’s letter to Philemon, in behalf of Onesimus, is said by some to contradict this assertion, but, if viewed properly, will rather support it. He desires Philemon to receive him “not as a servant, but as a Brother beloved,” ” as his Son – and part of himself.” In other parts of his Writings, he obliquely hints at the impossibility of uniting the duties of a Christian, with the offices of a Slave. “Ye are bought with a price, be not therefore the servants of men.” 1 Corinth. vii. 23. Had he lived to see christianity established by Law, in the countries where he preached, with what a torrent of christian Eloquence may we not suppose he would have declaimed against slavery!
But if we enquire into the methods employed
for converting the Negroes to Christianity, we
shall find the means suited to the end propos-
ed. In many places Sunday is appropriated

[17]

to work for themselves. Reading and writing
are discouraged among them. A belief is e-
ven inculated among some, that they have no
Souls. In a word, – Every attempt to instruct
or convert them, has been constantly opposed
by their masters. Nor has the example of their
christian masters any tendency to prejudice
them in favor of our religion. How often do
they betray, in their sudden transports of an-
ger and resentment (against which there is no
restraint provided towards their Negroes) the
most violent degrees of passion and fury! – –
What luxury – what ingratitude to the supreme
being – what impiety in their ordinary conversa-
tion do some of them discover in the presence of
their slaves! I say nothing of the dissolution
of marriage vows, or the entire abolition of ma-
trimony, which the frequent sale of them intro-
duces, and which are directly contrary to the
law of nature and the principles of christianity.
Would to Heaven I could here conceal the
shocking violations of chastity, which some of
them are obliged to undergo without daring to
complain. Husbands have been forced to pro-
stitute their wives, and mothers their daughters,

[18]

to gratify the brutal lust of a master. This – all
– this is practised – Blush – ye impure and
hardened monsters, while I repeat it – by
men who call themselves christians!

But further – It has been said that we do a
kindness to the Negroes by bringing them to A-
merica, as we thereby save their lives, which had
been forfeited by their being conquered in war ^§“From the right of killing in case of conquest, politicians have drawn that of reducing to slavery; a consequence as ill grounded as the principle. There is no such thing as a Right of reducing people to slavery, but when it becomes necessary for the preservation of the conquest. Preservation, but not servitude, is the end of conquest; though servitude may happen sometimes to be a necessary means of Preservation. Even in that case it is contrary to the nature of things, that the slavery should be perpetual. The people enslaved ought to be rendered capable of becoming subjects.” Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws, Book x. Chap. 3. “Servi autem ex eo appellati sunt, quod Imperatores captivos vendere, ac per hoc servare, nec Occidere solent. Servitus est Constitutio Juris Gentium, qua quis Dominio alieno CONTRA NATURAM subjicitur. — Justinian. Institut. L. i. Tit. 3..
Let such as prefer or inflict slavery rather than
Death, disown their being descended from or

[19]

connected with our mother countries. – But it
will be found, upon enquiry, that many are
stolen or seduced from their friends, who have
never been conquered; and it is plain, from the
testimony of historians and travellers, that wars
were uncommon among them, until the christi-
ans who began the slave trade, stirred up the
different nations to fight against each other.
Sooner let them imbrue their hands in each o-
thers blood, or condemn one another to perpetu-
al slavery, than the name of one christian, or one
American be stained by the perpetration of such
enormous crimes. Nor let it be urged that by
treating slaves well, we render their situation hap-
pier in this country than it was in their own.
– Slavery and Vice are connected together,
and the latter is always a source of misery. Be-
sides, by the greatest humanity we can show
them, we only lessen, but do not remove the
crime, for the injustice of it continues the same.
The laws of Retribution are so strongly inculca-
ted by the moral governor of the world, that e-
ven the ox is entitled to his reward for “tread-
ing the Corn.” How great then must be the a-
mount of that injustice whcih deprives so many

[20]

of our fellow creatures of the just reward of
their labour!^‡The debt of a master to a negro man whose work is valued at ten pounds sterling a year, deducting forty shillings a year, which is the most that is laid out for their cloathing in the West-Indies, amounts, in the course of 20 years, to £. 160 sterling. The victuals are included in the above wages. These consist chiefly of vegetables, and are very cheap.

But it will be asked here, What steps shall
we take to remedy this Evil, and what shall
we do with those Slaves we have already in this
Country? This is indeed a most difficult ques-
tion. But let every man contrive to answer it
for himself. If you possessed an estate which
was bequeathed to you by your ancestors, and
were afterwards convinced that it was the just
property of another man, would you think it
right to continue in the possession of it? would
you not give it up immediately to the lawful
owner? The voice of all mankind would mark
him for a villian who would refuse to comply
with this demand of justice. And is not keep-
ing a slave after you are convinced of the un-
lawfulness of it – a crime of the same nature?

[21]

All the money you save, or acquire by their la-
bor is stolen from them; and however plausi-
ble the excuse may be that you form to recon-
cile it to your consciences, yet be assured that
your crime stands registered in the court of Hea-
ven as a breach of the eighth commandment.

The first step to be taken to put a stop to
slavery in this country, is to leave off importing
slaves. For this purpose let our assemblies u-
nite in petitioning the king and parliament to
dissolve the African company.^*The Virginia assembly, which had the honor of being first on the continent in opposing the American Stamp Act by their Resolves, have lately set another laudable example to the colonies in being the first in petitioning for a redress of this grievance. It is by this in-
corporated band of robbers that the trade has
been chiefly carried on to America. We have
the more reason to expect relief from an applica-
tion at this juncture, as, by a late decision in
favor of a Virginia slave, at Westminster-Hall,
the Clamors of the whole nation are raised a-
against them. Let such of our countrymen as
engage in the slave trade, be shunned as the
greatest enemies to our country, and, let the ves-

[22]

sels which bring the slaves to us, be avoided as
if they bore in them the Seeds of that forbidden
fruit, whose baneful taste destroyed both the na-
tural and moral world. – As for the Negroes
among us, who, from having acquired all the
low vices of slavery, or who, from age or infir-
mities are unfit to be set at liberty, I would pro-
pose, for the good of society, that they should
continue the property of those with whom they
grew old, or from whom they contracted those
vices and infirmities. But let the young Ne-
groes be educated in the principles of virtue and
religion – let them be taught to read and write
– and afterwards instructed in some business,
whereby they may be able to maintain them-
selves. Let laws be made to limit the time of
their servitude, and to entitle them to all the
privileges of free-born British subjects. At a-
ny rate let Retribution be done to God and to
Society.^*A worthy friend of mine has favoured me with the following Extract of a letter from GRANVILLE SHARP, Esq; of London. ” I AM told of some Regulations that have taken Place in the Spanish Colonies, which do the Spaniards much Honor, and are certainly worthy our Imitation, in case we should not be so happy as to obtain an en-[continued on pg. 23] tire Abolition of Slavery and probably you wou’d find many American Subjects that wou’d be willing to promote such Regulations, tho’ the same People wou’d strenuously oppose the scheme of a total Abolition of Slavery. I have never seen an Account of the Spanish Regulations in writing, but I understand that they are to the following Effect: As soon as a slave is landed, his Name, Price, &c. are register’d in a public Office, and the Master is obliged to allow him One Working Day in every Week to himself, besides Sundays, so that if the Slave chuses to work for his Master on that Day, he receives the Wages of a Freeman for it, and whatever he gains by his Labor on that Day, is so secured to him by Law, that the Master cannot deprive him of it. This is certainly a considerable step towards the abolishing absolute Slavery. As soon as the slave is able to purchase another working day, the master is obliged to sell it to him at a proportionable price, viz. 1-fifth part of his original Cost: and so likewise the remaining 4 Days at the same rate, as soon as the Slave is able to redeem them, after which he is absolutely free. This is such an Encouragement to Industry, that even the most indolent are tempted to exert themselves. Men who have thus worked out their Freedom are inured to the Labour of the Country and are certainly the most useful Subjects that a Colony can acquire. Regulations might be formed upon the same Plan to encourage the Industry of Slaves that are already imported into the colonies, which would teach them how to maintain themselves and be as useful, as well as less expensive to the Planter. They would by such means become members of Society and have an Interest in the Welfare of the Community, which would add greatly to the Strength and Security of each Colony; whereas, at present, many of the Planters are in continual Danger of being cut off by their Slaves, – a Fate which, they but too justly deserve!”

[23]

And now my countrymen, What shall I add
more to rouse up your Indignation against Slave-

[24]

keeping. Consider the many complicated crimes
it involves in it. Think of the bloody Wars
which are fomented by it, among the African
nations, or if these are too common to affect you,
think of the pangs which attend the dissolution
of the ties of nature in those who are stolen from
their relations. Think of the many thousands
who perish by sickness, melancholy and suicide,
in their voyages to America. Pursue the poor
devoted victims to one of the West India islands,
and see them exposed there to public sale. Hear
their cries, and see their looks of tenderness at
each other upon being separated. – Mothers are
torn from their Daughters, and Brothers from
Brothers, without the liberty of a parting em-
brace. Their master’s name is now marked up-
on their breasts with a red hot iron. But let us
pursue them into a Sugar Field, and behold a
scene still more affecting than this – See!
the poor wretches with what reluctance they
take their Instruments of Labor into their hands.
– Some of them, overcome with heat and sick-
ness, seek to refresh themselves by a little rest,
– But, behold an Overseer approahces them.
– In vain they sue for pity. – He lifts up

[25]

his Whip, while streams of Blood follow every
stroke. Neither age nor sex are spared. – Me-
thinks one of them is a woman far advanced in
her pregnancy. – At a little distance from these
behold a man, who from his countenance and
deportment appears as if he was descended from
illustrious ancestors. – Yes. – He is the son of
a Prince, and was torn, by a stratagem, from
an amiable wife and two young children – Mark
his sullen looks! – now he bids defiance to the
tyranny of his Master, and in an instant plunges
a Knife into his Heart. – But, let us return from
this Scene, and see the various modes of arbi-
trary punishments inflicted upon them by their
masters. Behold one covered with stripes, into
which melted wax is poured – another tied down
to a block or a stake – a third suspended in the
air by his thumbs – a fourth obliged to set
or stand upon red hot iron – a fifth, – I
cannot relate it. – Where now is Law
or Justice? – Let us fly to them to step in
for their relief. – Alas! – The one is si-
lent, and the other denounces more terrible pu-
nishments upon them. Let us attend the place
appointed for inflicting the penalties of the law.

[26]

See here one without a limb, whose only crime
was an attempt to regain his Liberty – another
led to a Gallows for eating a morsel of Bread,
to which his labor gave him a better title than
his master – a third famishing on a gibbit – a
fourth, in a flame of Fire! – his shrieks pierce
the very heavens. – O! God! Where is
thy Vengeance! – O! Humanity – Just-
ice – Liberty! – Religion! – Where, – where
are ye fled. –

This is no exaggerated Picture. It is taken
from real Life. – Before I conclude I shall
take the liberty of addressing several Classes of
my countrymen in behalf of our Brethren (for
by that name may we now call them) who are
in a state of Slavery among us.

In the first place let MAGISTRATES both su-
preme and inferior, exert the authority they are
invested with, in suppressing this evil. Let them
discountenance it by their example, and show a
readiness to concur in every measure proposed to
remedy it.

Let LEGISLATORS, reflect upon the Trust re-
posed in them. Let their laws be made after

[26]

See here one without a limb, whose only crime
was an attempt to regain his Liberty – another
led to a Gallows for eating a morsel of Bread,
to which his labor gave him a better title than
his master – a third famishing on a gibbit – a
fourth, in a flame of Fire! – his shrieks pierce
the very heavens. – O! God! Where is
thy Vengeance! – O! Humanity – Just-
ice – Liberty! – Religion! – Where, – where
are ye fled. –

This is no exaggerated Picture. It is taken
from real Life. – Before I conclude I shall
take the liberty of addressing several Classes of
my countrymen in behalf of our Brethren (for
by that name may we now call them) who are
in a state of Slavery among us.

In the first place let MAGISTRATES both su-
preme and inferior, exert the authority they are
invested with, in suppressing this evil. Let them
discountenance it by their example, and show a
readiness to concur in every measure proposed to
remedy it.

Let LEGISLATORS, reflect upon the Trust re-
posed in them. Let their laws be made after

[27]

the Spirit of Religion – Liberty – and our most
excellent English Constitution. You cannot
show your attachment to your King or your
love to your country better than by suppressing
an evil which indangers the dominions of the
former, and will in Time destroy the liberty
of the latter.^*By a late Calculation, it appears that there are eight hundred and fifty thousand Negro slaves in the British colonies and islands. From the number and burden of ships which are sent from England to Africa for slaves, we can with a good deal of certainty, conclude, that there are not less than one hundred thousand of them imported into America every year. By particular enquiry it was found, that one hundred and four thousand were imported in the year 1768. “In moderate governments, it is a point of the highest importance, that there should not be a great number of slaves. The political liberty of those states adds to the value of civil liberty; and he who is deprived of the latter, is also deprived of the former. He sees the happiness of a society, of which he is not so much as a member; he sees the Security of Others fenced by laws, himself without so much protection. He sees his master has a Soul, that can enlarge itself; while his own is constrained to submit to almost continual depression. Nothing more assimilates a Man to a Beast, than living among Freemen, himself a Slave. Such people as these are the natural enemies of a society, and their number must be dangerous.” Spirit of Laws, Book xv. Chap. 12. Population, and the accession
of strangers, in which the Riches of all coun-
tries consist, can only flourish in proportion
as slavery is discouraged. Extend the privile-
ges we enjoy, to every human creature born a-

[28]

mong us, and let not the Journals of our As-
semblies be disgraced with the records of laws,
which allow exclusive privileges to men of
one color in preference to another.¹The alterations in the laws in favour of Negroes, should be gradual, – ’till the evil Habits they have acquired by Slavery, are eradicated. There are several privileges, however, which might be extended to them immediately, without the least risk to Society, in particular that inestimable one of Tryal by JURIES.

Ye men of SENSE and VIRTUE – Ye AD-
VOCATES for American Liberty, rouse up and e-
spouse the cause of Humanity and general Liber-
ty. Bear a testimony against a vice which de-
grades human nature, and dissolves that univer-
sal tie of benevolence which should connect all
the children of men together in one great Fa-
mily. – The plant of liberty is of so tender a
Nature, that it cannot thrive long in the neigh-
bourhood of slavery. Remember the eyes of all
Europe are fixed upon you, to preserve an assy-
lum for freedom in this country, after the last pil-
lars of it are fallen in every other quarter of the
Globe.

But chiefly – ye MINISTERS OF THE GOS-
PEL, whose Dominion over the principles and
actions of men is so universally acknowledged and

[29]

felt, – Ye who estimate the worth of your fel-
low creatures by their Immortality, and therefore
must look upon all mankind as equal; – let
your zeal keep pace with your Opportunities to
put a stop to Slavery. While you inforce the
duties of “tithe and cummin,” neglect not the
weightier laws of justice and humanity. Sla-
very is an Hydra sin, and includes in it every vi-
olation of the precepts of the Law and the
Gospel. In vain will you command your flocks
to offer up the incense of Faith and Charity,
while they continue to mingle the Sweat and
Blood of Negro slaves with their sacrifices. –
If the Blood of Abel cried aloud for venge-
ance; – If, under the Jewish dispensation, Ci-
ties of refuge could not screen the deliberate
murderer – if even manslaughter required sacri-
fices to expiate it, – and if a single murder so
seldom escapes with impunity in any civilized
country, what may you not say against that trade,
or those manufactures – or Laws, ^§“If any Negro or other Slave under punishment by his master, or his order for running away, or any other crimes or misdemeanors towards his said master, unfortunately shall suffer in life or member, no person whatever shall be liable to any fine; But if any man shall of wan-[continued on pg. 30] tonness, or only of bloody mindedness, or cruel intention, wilfully kill a Negro, or other slave of his own, he shall deliver into the public treasury fifteen pounds sterling, and not be liable to any other punishment, or forfeiture for the same.” Laws of Barbadoes, Act 329. which destroy

[30]

the lives of so many thousands of our fellow-
creatures every year? – If in the Old Testa-
ment “God swears by his holiness, and by the
excellency of Jacob, that the Earth shall trem-
ble, and every one mourn that dwelleth there-
in for the iniquity of those who oppress the poor
and crush the needy,” ” who buy the poor with
silver, and the needy with a pair of shoes,”^¶Amos iv. 1, 2. – viii. 6, 7
what judgments may you not denounce upon
those who continue to perpetrate these crimes,
after the more full discovery which God has
made of the law of Equity in the New Testa-
ment. Put them in mind of the Rod which was
held over them a few years ago in the Stamp
and Revenue Acts. Remember that national
crimes require national punishments, and with-
out declaring what punishment awaits this e-
vil, you may venture to assure them, that it
cannot pass with impunity, unless God shall
cease to be just or merciful.

THE END.

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