APPENDIX. to be avoided by giving the colonists a share in the government. Ill ufage of black American loyalists. of the fuddenly overgrown Weft Indian fortunes accumulated. By fimilar means, 699. In order, therefore, to exclude for ever all forts of enemies to this establish ́ment, enlightened and industrious colonists should be encouraged to go out, and be allowed to take part in their government, and to give their votes at the election of the Directors. For annual elections, by the subscribers independent of the colonists, as practised at present, expose the undertaking more or less, at every new election, to the machinations of it's enemies, who, in fpite of every precaution, may fucceed at laft, and then the ruin of the colony will be fealed. The prefent fyftem lodges the whole power in the Directors, who refide in Europe, and whofe orders the Governor and Council in the colony are bound to obey. The colonists can only petition or remonftrate; and remonftrances are commonly generated in, and seldom fail to increase, ill humour. Having no other means of defence against incroachment and oppreffion, it appears to me, that the colonists must inevitably be ruined or crushed, if ever a majority of the Directors, (which Heaven avert!) should be ignorant of, or adverse to, their real interefts. But in my humble opinion, fome fuch conftitution as I propofed at § 181 et feq. would have greatly tended to fecure the colony from fuch ferious dangers. Indeed, when I confider, that, besides the dangers just mentioned, the prefent Directors may be removed by death and other causes, and that it is poffible, they may be fucceeded by perfons lefs difpofed, or lefs qualified, to watch over and promote the interefts of the colony-I say, when I confider these circumstances, I certainly do wifh, and even hope, that the colonists may obtain the exercise of the undoubted right of every free community, to elect their own government; and that this government and the Court of Directors may be incorporated into one body. For, as the interefts of the colonifts and fubfcribers, are, or ought to be, the fame, their reprefentatives ought not to be feparated. See § 181, 182, 183. NOTE L. See § 374. 700. I have already mentioned that, at the peace of 1783, many white and black American loyalifts were conveyed to G. Britain, the Bahamas, and Nova Scotia. A few alfo went to Jamaica and other W. Indian iflands; and, I believe fome to Canada, and other places. The fate of the blacks who came to England, has been noticed, (Append. Note B.) Their brethren in the Bahamas fared far worfe. The laws of thofe Iflands, like the other flave-laws, prefume all blacks te be flaves, unless they can prove the contrary, and admit not their evidence against white men. Hence free blacks are very often reduced to flavery, especially in the more more extenfive colonies, by unprincipled whites; for fuch have only to fwear to APPENDIX. their property in any free negro, who cannot produce formal proof of his freedom, and he becomes ipfo facto the flave of the fwearer. Two very notorious inftances. very. of this practice, in Jamaica, one of them in the case of the wife and children of a Iniquitously free black loyalift, from Carolina, were ftated in evidence to the Houfe of Com- reduced to fla mons, by Capt. Giles of the 19th regiment of foot, who humanely interfered, and fucceeded in a public trial, attended with much trouble and expenfe, the greater part of which, by the way, I am well informed, he never was repaid. In the other cafe, Major Nefbit of the fame regiment, after a fimilar trial, delivered a free woman from a white villain who had feized her as his flave. And, but for the interpofition of those worthy officers, these women and children, though really free, would, like many other free blacks, have been retained in flavery. (Min. Evid. 1791, p. 105.) 701. In Bahama this iniquity was practifed by the white loyalifts against the black ones, to fuch a degree, that the late worthy Governor Maxwell was obliged to take public notice of it, a step which rendered him extremely unpopular, among the guilty, and was ultimately ineffectual. The white loyalists carried the fame difpofition with them to Nova Scotia ; but I have not fpecifically learnt that they proceeded to fuch flagrant exceffes. The difpofition, however, they certainly showed, and even indulged, to a certain extent. In particular, they in feveral inftances, deprived the blacks of the houses they had built, and the lands they had cleared; and, at laft removed many of them to an inhofpitable part of that inhofpitable country, fo very diftant from any market, that it was impracticable for them to fell their produce, and to procure neceffaries. In fhort, a Chief Justice declared publicly from the bench, That the climate of Nova Scotia was too cold for whites to fubfift there without the help of slaves,―a very fignificant hint to the blacks, what they were to expect. The fact is, that men who have once been suffered to indulge in the practice of flavery, must still have slaves. The W. Indian islands are too hot, and Nova Scotia too cold, for them to do without auxiliaries, whom the pride and laziness generated by flavery, have rendered neceffary to their very existence. rupts masters.. 702. Among other writers, Montefquieu, in his Spirit of Laws, and Dr. Franklin, Slavery enerin his Thoughts on the peopling of Countries, have noticed the tendency of flavery to vates and corvitiate the minds of masters, as well as flaves. I have been seriously assured, that it is common in the W. Indies to describe the distress of a ruined planter by saying, "Poor man he has but one negro left to bring him a pail of water," an expreffion which, in the phraseology of that country, fignifies the deepest diftrefs. And indeed it must be no small hardship to be fuddenly deprived of the attendance of 20 domeftic flaves, or even double the number, who, Mr. Long affures us, are not unufual in a Jamaica family. Hift. of Jam. Vol. II. p. 281. By comparing account No. 3 in the Privy Council's Report, Part IV. with the Report or Answers of the Barbadoes Affembly, we find that on an average, every white man, woman and APPENDIX. child, rich and poor, in that Island, keeps a domestic flave in waiting!—These facts, I prefume, require not the aid of arguments to prove the neceffity of absolutely excluding from every new colony, the practice of flavery which, in every view, hath been so destructive of the peace, the prosperity, the morals and the happiness of the old. NOTE M. See § 337. 703. I should be inexcufable, were I to omit this opportunity of paying my little tribute of respect to the diftinguished merit of those worthy brothers, the Rev. Mr. Thomas Clark fon, A. M. and John Clark fon, Efq. Lieutenant in the British Navy. 704. In order to appreciate the extent and importance of their fervices, it might not be amifs to enter a little into the hiftory of the grand and important queftion of the Abolition of the Slave-trade. But my limits will scarcely permit me to mention the public and hazardous expoftulations of George Fox, the founder of the respectable feet of Quakers, with the planters of Barbadoes, where, in defiance of perfecution, he preached against flavery, in 1670: or the early and humane tabours of Morgan Goodwyn, or those of Woolman and Benezet, Whitfield and Wefley; and Mr. Sharp's valuable exertions have been already hinted at (see Note B.) I must therefore content myself with obferving, that, in 1784, the late Rev. Mr. James Ramfay, Vicar of Tefton, in Kent, published his excellent "Effay on the Treatment and Converfion of African Slaves, in the British Sugar Colonies." This work was the refult of the worthy author's perfonal obfervation, during a long refidence in the W. Indies; and, although it rather extenuated than exaggerated, the horrors of flavery; yet it very much alarmed the planters, whose retainers, in order to destroy it's effect, attempted to ruin the reputation of the author. But they were disappointed; for Mr. Ramsay's character was too well established to fuffer any permanent injury from their attacks, and their clamour excited that very enquiry which they so much dreaded. Mr. Ramfay, in his various replies, fo ably maintained his ground, as to make on the public mind, a very considerable impreffion in favour of his caufe; and in 1785, the University of Cambridge, to the application of whofe eminent learning the liberties of mankind have, at various times, been fo much indebted, propofed a question respecting the flavery and commerce of the human species. This produced a Latin essay on the subject, from Mr. Thomas Clarkson, which was honoured with the first prize of the University, for that year: and of which he soon after published an English translation. 705. About that time, Mr. Wilberforce, one of the Members for Yorkshire, appears to have formed his refolution of introducing the subject into the British Parliament, of which he is so distinguished an ornament. This noble design, which he he has fince profecuted with fuch ability and perfeverance, I believe, was firft fug- APPENDIX. gefted to his mind by the work of Mr. Clarkson, who was his cotemporary at the University; and the formation of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave-trade can be diftinctly traced to the fame excellent publication. 706. The merit of a performance thus diftinguished, and thus perfuafive, may be fupposed to have been great; and it is but doing it justice to say, that it has always preferved a decided fuperiority over all the numerous tracts which fucceeded it. His next works were "An Effay on the Impolicy of the Slave-trade," and another on "the Inefficiency of Regulation as applied to the Slave-trade" both which contain a most valuable fund of information, then entirely new, but which, as well as Mr. Ramfay's writings, has fince been fully confirmed by the Evidence delivered before the British Legislature. But Mr. Clarkson's active benevolence was not fatisfied with merely writing in favour of the Abolition. His unremitting exertions, fometimes attended with great perfonal hazard, primarily contributed to drag into light the dark secrets of this horrid mystery of iniquity; and, it is to be hoped, will ultimately contribute to it's annihilation. 707. His amiable and worthy brother all along participated, more or lefs, in his labours; and, when the tranfit of the Nova Scotia blacks to Sierra Leona was refolved upon, he generously offered his services to the Company, or rather to Government; though he was perfectly aware of the difficulty of the undertaking. The manner in which he performed it, is mentioned by the Directors in terms of approbation; and indeed it would have been very difficult for them to discover a perfon, whose amiable manners and Atrict integrity, fo eminently qualified for uniting the minds, and fatisfying the fcruples, of a fet of men who had but too much reason to diftrust the profeffions of white men. His fubfequent conduct, in the more delicate task of governing a mixed multitude, during a period of awful mortality and alarming discontent, appears to me, very meritorious, and so disinterested, that I verily believe the only reward to which he looked (certainly the best he ever received) was the consciousness of having done his duty-the only idea that can fupport the mind under unmerited neglect, in a world where it often happens, "That Virtue, from preferment barr'd, "Gets nothing but her own reward.” NOTE N. See ◊ 389. 708. When a colony may have been begun, upon fuch a fyftem as I recommend, and is incorporated into one focial body, of which the government is a part (§ 182, 183, 194,) they will confequently have one common intereft; in which case, the government may be empowered to keep a ftore of neceffaries, to be bought with the public money, and fold for prime cost and charges; for to require a profit on fuch articles, would, in my view of it, not only be unreasonable but inhuman. The income or revenue of the community ought alone to arife from taxes, and profits upon Hh luxuries. Mr. T. ertions, Clark fon's ex and those of Mr. J. Clarkfon. Public fam. APPENDIX. luxuries. Perhaps alío upon a certain moderate quit rent, for fuch land, as may be bought on account of the community. (See § 696 No. 2.) The Government of a new colony, whofe object is civilization, ought to be empowered to regulate and controul the ufe of luxuries, with a view to moral improvement; and that, not fo much perhaps by compulfive laws, as by example and influence. The government alone can be fuppofed competent to judge, whether or not any particular luxury be compatible with the happinefs and improvement of the community; and if it be, when and how it ought to be introduced. In an infant colony, therefore, the government alone ought to be authorized to keep a public retail shop, or rather fam. ple-room, where fpecimens of all approved articles of luxury should be displayed, with the prices, including a determinate profit, affixed. Having previously estimated the probable demand for fuch luxuries, by the orders lodged at the shop or sampleroom, the government might then import them, in fuch quantities as would be likely rather to fall fhort of, than to exceed, the expected demand. (See § 114, et feq.) Thus there would be few or no luxurics imported on fpeculation, to wait for customers, till they are probably spoiled. It appears to me that, some such plan as this, executed with proper caution and management, would greatly conduce to civilization, which, as I before observed, the gradual and prudent introduction of of innocent luxuries very much contributes to promote, (fee § 36, 670.) ple-room recommended. Bulama colo nitts wished 709. Refpecting the "money-medium" mentioned in the text, I fhall hereafter have occafion to offer fome remarks (fee NOTE W. to § 424.) NOTE O. Sce § 390. 710. It appears from § 545, that most of the Bulama adventurers, who arrived at not to intrude S. Leona in the Calypfo, intended to return to England, and that their chief view into S. Leona. in touching at the latter place, was to procure accommodation for some of their number who wished to return to Bulama, after the rains. But there feems to be no reason for fuppofing, that any of them wifhed to remain permanently at S. Leona. Owing to various causes of delay, the rainy season had overtaken them at Bulama, before proper houses were built. Such of them as were difpofed to perfift in the undertaking, but dreaded the rains, against which they were not provided, naturally enough expected to find accommodation during that dangerous period, in the S. Leona colony, which had then been fome time fet on foot. In this expectation they were disappointed; but the readiness with which the government executed the inftructions of the Directors, by affifting those diftreffed people, as well as the liberal declaration of the Directors (6 391) certainly call for the grateful acknowledgments of every friend to the civilization of Africa. 711. That among the Bulama colonists there were many perfons of an improper caft, for such an undertaking, is evident from Mr. Beaver's letters (See NOTE GG, |