APPENDIX. From Dr. Franklin's "Effay on Luxury, Idleness and Industry," in his letter to See § 36, 37. 670. "I have not yet thought of a remedy for luxury. I am not fure that in a great ftate it is capable of a remedy; nor that the evil is in itself always fo great as it is represented. Suppofe we include in the definition of luxury all unneceffary expence, and then let us confider whether laws to prevent fuch expence are poffible to be executed in a great country, and whether, if they could be executed, our people generally would be happier, or even richer. Is not the hope of being one day able to purchase and enjoy luxuries, a great spur to labour and industry? May not luxury therefore produce more than it confumes, if, without such a spur, people would be, as they are naturally enough inclined to be, lazy and indolent? To this purpose I remember a circumstance. The skipper of a shallop, employed between Cape-May and Philadelphia, had done us fome fmall fervice, for which he refused to be paid. My wife understanding that he had a daughter, sent her a present of a new-fashioned cap. Three years after, this skipper being at my houfe with an old farmer of Cape-May, his paffenger, he mentioned the cap, and how much his daughter had been pleased with it. "But (faid he) it proved a dear cap to our congregation."—" How fo ?"-" When my daughter appeared with it at meeting, it was fo much admired, that all the girls refolved to get fuch caps from Philadelphia; and my wife and I computed that the whole could not have cost less than a hundred pounds."-" True (said the farmer,) but you do not tell all the ftory. I think the cap was nevertheless an advantage to us; for it was the first thing that put our girls upon knitting worfted mittens for fale at Philadelphia, that they might have wherewithal to buy caps and ribbons there; and you know that that induftry has continued, and is likely to continue and increase to a much greater value, and answer better purposes."-Upon the whole, I was more reconciled to this little piece of luxury, fince not only the girls were made happier by having fine caps, but the Philadelphians by the fupply of warm mittens. Innocent lux ury promotes industry. APPENDIX. when noxious. From Dr. Franklin's Effay, entitled "Precautions to be used by those who are about to undertake a long Sea Voyage." Franklin's Works, Vol. II. p. 128. See § 141. Navigation, 671. "When navigation is employed only for transporting necessary provisions when ufeful & from one country, where, they abound, to another where they are wanting; when by this it prevents famines, which were fo frequent and fo fatal before it was invented and became fo common; we cannot help confidering it as one of those arts which contribute most to the happiness of mankind.—But when it is employed to transport things of no utility, or articles merely of luxury, it is then uncertain whether the advantages refulting from it are fufficient to counterbalance the misfortunes it occafions, by expofing the lives of fo many individuals upon the vast ocean. And when it is used to plunder veffels and transport flaves, it is evidently only the dreadful means of increafing thofe calamities which afflict human nature. Sugar may be faid to be tingedwith human blood; dearer in Paris and London than in Vien na. 672. One is astonished to think on the number of vessels and men who are daily exposed in going to bring tea from China, coffee from Arabia, and fugar and tobacco from America; all commodities which our ancestors lived very well without. The fugar-trade employs nearly a thousand veffels; and that of tobacco almost the same number. With regard to the utility of tobacco, little can be said: and, with regard to fugar, how much more meritorious would it be to facrifice the momentary pleasure which we receive from drinking it once or twice a-day in our tea, than to encourage the numberlefs cruelties that are continually exercised, in order to procure it us? 673. A celebrated French moralift faid, that, when he confidered the wars which we foment in Africa to get negroes, the great number who of course perish in these wars; the multitude of those wretches who die in their paffage, by disease, bad air, and bad provifions; and laftly, how many perish by the cruel treatment they meet with in a state of flavery; when he faw a bit of fugar, he could not help imagining it to be covered with fpots of human blood. But, had he added to these considerations the wars which we carry on against one another, to take and retake the islands that produce this commodity, he would not have seen the fugar fimply Spotted with blood, he would have beheld it entirely tinged with it. 674. Thefe wars make the maritime powers of Europe, and the inhabitants of Paris and London, pay much dearer for their fugar than thofe of Vienna, though they are almoft three hundred leagues diftant from the fea. A pound of fugar, indeed, cofts the former not only the price which they give for it, but also what they pay in taxes, neceffary to fupport those fleets and armies which serve to defend and protect the countries that produce it. Notes Notes and Documents, respecting S. LEONA and BULAMA. NOTE A. See § 330. APPENDIX. provement. 675. I have already given fome inftances of the defire of improvement which Africans deanimates the Africans, and have mentioned with the refpect it deferves, the manly firous of imand humane policy of an African chief, in afferting his independence on the whites, in prohibiting the flave-trade, &c. (See § 16, 23, 38, 147, 497 et feq.) But notwithstanding these inftances, and the very numerous proofs of African genius and docility, contained in the Evidence before the British Privy Council and House of Commons, as well as in the Reportsof the S. Leona Directors, fome perfons may ftill entertain that kind of doubt on this head, which, even in well difpofed minds, often arises from involuntary prejudice. Such persons will be surprised to find that an overture for civilizing Africa fhould have come from a prince of that country, and especially from one of those princes whose barbarity, having been first purposely exaggerated, has been largely infifted on, by fome felf-contradictory slave merchants, as an argument for their traffic. (See Lord Muncaster's Sketches of the History of the Slave-trade.) Colony propofed by an African chief, in 1726, 676. It appears, however, that about the year 1726, after that great, and confequently bloody, conqueror, Trudo Audati, King of Dahomy, had fubjugated the maritime kingdoms of Ardrah and Whydah, he fent Bulfinch Lambe, a fervant of the English African Company, whom in 1724, he had made prisoner at Ardrah, to the Court of Great Britain, to propose the establishment of a British colony in his dominions. Lambe, it seems, was the first white man Trudo had ever feen, and he was so charmed with his accounts of the arts and policy of Europe, that, thinking to make him inftrumental in introducing them into his own country, he had endeavoured, for above two years, to attach him to his interefts, by a profufion of favours. On Lambe's departure, the king presented him with a number of flaves and 320 ounces of gold. In order to know whether Lambe's accounts of England were true, he sent along with him a negro, called Tom, whom he had alfo taken at Ardrah, who was a man of addrefs, fpoke good English and was to return with Lambe. The latter, how- but frustrated ever, like a true flave-dealer, fold poor Tom in Maryland. He afterwards traded by a flavecaptain's vil among the W. Indian islands till 1728, when he heard at Antigua, that Capt. lainy. Snelgrave had faid, that the king, notwithstanding his long abfence, ftill spoke of him with regard. He then went to Maryland and redeemed Tom, whom he brought to London, in 1731. There he found Capt. Snelgrave who told him that, after fo long and unaccountable an abfence, it would be imprudent in him to return to Dahomy. Thinking, however, to profit by Tom's address and his own, Lambe had the impudence to announce him, under the title of "His Excellency Adomo Oroonoko Tomo, ambassador from His Majefty Trudo Audati, King of Dahomy, Ardrah and Whidah." In this character, Tom delivered to King George II. his credentials, which having been referred to the Lords of Trade, APPENDIX. were declared fpurious; as well they might, for Lambe had drawn them up in London. Capt. Snelgrave, however, having explained the whole matter, His Excellency Adomo Oroonoko Tomo had his titles docked, and was reduced to plain Tom: but having been fill looked upon as a perfon actually fent by theKing of Dahomy, though in a very humble ftation, he was not a little noticed by the great. After fpending fome time in viewing the curiofities and enjoying the amusements of London, (fee § 146 n.) he became impatient to return home, and having received fome confiderable prefents for the King his mafter, he was fent over in His Majefty's fhip the Tiger, Capt. Berkley; but Lambe did not think proper to accompany him. The king received the presents very courteously, and made a valuable return; but it never reached England, for Capt. Berkley, not having had time or patience to wait for a messenger from the inland country of Dahomy, had failed before the King's prefent reached the coaft.-See Smith's Voyage to Guinea, p. 83, 125, French tranflation, and Snelgrave's Account of Guinea, p. 9, 78, French tranflation, Most of the of S. Leona an abandoned crew. NOTE B. See § 334. 677. During the American war, many negroes entered on board the British fhips firft colonists of war, or repaired to the British standard, and were formed into regiments of rangers; and they generally behaved well, both by fea and land. At the peace in 1783, part of them, as well as of the white loyalifts, were conveyed to the Bahama iflands, part to Nova Scotia, and others to G. Britain, chiefly to London. Thefe laft, having been indigent, unemployed, defpifed and forlon, foon added to the vices of common foldiers and failors thofe of the numerous beggars who, notwithstanding the prodigious fums levied for maintaining the poor, difgrace the police of this capital. Such, together with a few whites, chiefly ftrumpets, were the first colonifts of S. Leona! Their fubfequent conduct was such as might naturally be expected from perfons of their description. But it was necessary they should be fent fomewhere, and be no longer fuffered to infeft the streets of London. Provided with 678. Accordingly transports, provisions, tools, arms, &c. having been furnished by neceffaries by the British Government, many of the black poor embarked, in the river Thames Government, and with com- before Christmas 1786; and, by confinement and living entirely on falt provifions, forts by Mr. they began to be fickly, even before they left the river. Others delayed going on Sharp. board till Jan. and Feb. 1787; having been deterred by an apprehenfion that they were to be fent to Botany Bay; for fhips with convicts on board then lay at Portf mouth, where the fhips for S. Leona were also to wait for orders. Many having pawned their cloaths, refused to go on board till they were redeemed. Mr. Granville Sharp, however, not only took up their pawns, at his own expense, but also furnished them with many comforts, in addition to the neceffaries allowed by Government. On 679. On arriving at Portfmouth (20th Feb. 1787) it was found that, of 700 blacks APPENDIX. who offered themfelves, only 441 had embarked on board the three tranfports appointed to receive them. On the 22d Feb. they failed from Portsmouth, under Sail, under command of Capt. Thompson of His Majesty's floop the Nautilus; but, having Their Capt Thompbeen immediately feparated by a ftorm, they did not all rendezvous at Plymouth numbers and till the 19th March. Thus the best part of the feafon was loft; and many of the mortality in England. poor people had been on board above three months, and were very fickly. The rum furnished for their comfort proved their greatest bane. Many were daily in toxicated, by drinking their whole day's allowance at once-an irregularity which, with falt provisions, and a fituation rather crowded, increased the sickness so much, that above 50 had died before they reached Plymouth. The rum alfo caufed mutinous behaviour, for which 24 were difcharged; and 23 ran away. But, having received some recruits, 411 finally failed from Plymouth, on the 9th of April 1787, and having experienced the mortality stated in § 334, the furvivors arrived at S. Leona on the 9th of May. &c. but the work. 680. After feveral conferences with King Tom, Capt. Thompson obtained his Land allotted, permission for the black poor to land, which they began to do on the 14th. Divine colonists fervice was performed on fhore, on the Sunday following, and a fuitable fermon would not preached by the Rev. Mr. Frazer, Chaplain to the colony. But very few of the colonists seemed to pay any attention to the fervice, or to the duties inculcated. As Capt. T. could not learn who was the true poffeffor of the land, the purchase was not compleated till the 12th of July, when the grant was ratified by King Naimbanna, his vaffal King Tom, &c. Lots of land, of one acre each, were next drawn for, the fcite of the town chofen, and a flore-house founded. But no fooner were these measures, taken than the worthleffness of the colonists (if they deserved the name) began to appear. The immediate profpect of labour produced it's usual effects on indolent and depraved difpofitions. Inftead of that harmonious exertion which their critical fituation demanded, lazinefs, turbulence and licentioufnefs of every kind so entirely pervaded this wretched crew, that scarcely a man of them could be prevailed on to work fteadily, in building the hut that was to fhelter him, or even to affift in landing the provifions by which he was to be fupported. The rains fet in on the 28th of June, and the mortality became dreadful: yet the infa tuated furvivors perfifted in their exceffes. 681. On the 12th of July, Mr. Irwin, the agent-conductor died, leaving the whole weight of the undertaking on Capt. Thompson, whose well-directed, animated and humane exertions might have been attended with the beft effects, if the people themselves had heartily co-operated. By the 25th of July, he got the flore-house finished, and the provifions and ftores landed from one of the transports (another which had but few flores on board having before failed.) The rains now became fo violent, that it was impoffible to ftir out with comfort, or even fafety. The Store houfe built: mortality dreadful, from bad huts. huts |