APPENDIX. child, rich and poor, in that Island, keeps a domeftic flave in waiting! -Thefe facts, I prefume, require not the aid of arguments to prove the neceffity of abfolutely excluding from every new colony, the practice of flavery which, in every view, hath been fo deftructive of the peace, the profperity, the morals and the happiness of the old. Account of the abolition of the flavetrade. NOTE M. See § 337. 703. I fhould be inexcufable, were I to omit this opportunity of paying my little tribute of respect to the distinguished merit of those worthy brothers, the Rev. Mr. Thomas Clarkson, A. M. and John Clarkson, 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 fcarcely permit me to mention the public and hazardous expoftulations of George Fox, the founder of the respectable sect of Quakers, with the planters of Barbadoes, where, in defiance of persecution, he preached against slavery, in 1670: or the early and humane labours of Morgan Goodwyn, or thofe 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 result of the worthy author's personal observation, 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. Ramfay'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. Ramsay, in his various replies, fo ably maintained his ground, as to make on the public mind, a very confiderable impreffion in favour of his caufe; and in 1785, the University of Cambridge, to the appli cation of whose 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 effay on the subject, from Mr. Thomas Clarkson, which was honoured with the first prize of the University, for that year: and of which he foon 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 fubject into the British Parliament, of which he is fo 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. Clarkfon, who was his cotemporary at the Univerfity; and the formation of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave-trade can be distinctly traced to the fame excellent publication. 706. The merit of a performance thus distinguished, and thus persuasive, may be supposed 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. Ramsay'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 personal 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 generoufly offered his fervices 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 person, whose amiable manners and strict integrity, fo eminently qualified for uniting the minds, and fatisfying the scruples, of a set 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 support 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 such a system 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 necessaries, 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 arise from taxes, and profits upon Hh luxuries. Mr. T. ertions, Clark fon's ex and thofe of fo Mr. J. Clark Public fam. APPENDIX. luxuries. Perhaps alfo 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 happiness 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. commended. ple-room, where fpecimens of all approved articles of luxury fhould be difplayed, 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 eq.) Thus there would be few or no luxuries imported on speculation, to wait for customers, till they are probably spoiled. It appears to me that, fome fuch plan as this, executed with proper caution and management, would greatly conduce to civilization, which, as I before obferved, the gradual and prudent introduction of of innocent luxuries very much contributes to promote, (see § 36, 670.) ple-room re Bulama colonifts wifhed not to intrude 709. Refpe&ting the "money-medium" mentioned in the text, I fhall hereafter have occafion to offer fome remarks (fee NOTE W. to § 424.) NOTE O. See § 390. 710. It appears from § 545, that most of the Bulama adventurers, who arrived at 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 fome of their number who wifhed to return to Bulama, after the rains. But there feems to be no reafon for fuppofing, that any of them wifhed to remain permanently at S. Leona. Owing to various caufes of delay, the rainy feafon had overtaken them at Bulama, before proper houses were built. Such of them as were disposed 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 instructions of the Directors, by affifting thofe diftreffed people, as well as the liberal declaration of the Directors (§ 391) certainly call for the grateful acknow. fedgments of every friend to the civilization of Africa. 711. That among the Bulama colonists there were many perfons of an improper iaft, for fuch an undertaking, is evident from Mr. Beaver's letters (See NOTE GG, APPENDIX. Some of them worth. No. 5, 8, 16.) But I think I can take upon me to affirm, that the Directors do not here mean to infinuate that all the Bulama colonists were of this defcription; for, not to mention Mr. Dalrymple, Mr. Beaver, Mr. Hood and Mr. Aberdeen, (§ 551, 559) it is certain that feveral other perfons, of the beft characters and the pureft in- perions of tentions, embarked for Bulama. In like manner, it is evident from the context, that, by perfons who might have "left debts in England," the Directors do not mean unfortunate, but fraudulent, debtors; and it would be the extreme of rafhnefs to affirm, that there were none of this defcription among the adventurers both in the S. Leona and the Bulama undertakings. NOTE P. See § 397. 712. The fevere difcipline, neceffary to preserve order among the convicts at Botany Bay, probably disgusted Mr. Dawes with the refpectable station he held in that new colony, the principles of which are so diametrically oppofite to thofe of S. Leona and Bulama. For the fame cause, Mr. Watt and Mr. Macauley may have been displeased with their fituations in the W. Indies, where the discipline is ftill more fevere. For a more fevere difcipline is certainly neceffary to compel flaves to drudge inceffantly for the fole benefit of other persons, than to maintain tolerable order among the most abandoned convicts. NOTE Q. See § 398. 713. The circumstances intended to have been inserted in this Note have a very clofe connection with thofe which form NOTE BB (527) to which I beg leave to refer the reader. NOTE R. See § 400, 478. 714. I have already hinted at the merits of my late friend Mr. Nordenskiold, 170) but this melancholy paragraph (400) fuggefts the propriety, or rather the neceffity, of inferting, though I cannot well spare the room, fome acccount of the circumftances which preceded his death. But I fhall leave to an abler pen the task of doing juftice to the memory of a man whofe abilities were fo well known in his native country, and whofe penetration of mind was fo ufefully employed in the inveftigation of truth, and in the improvement of his friends. This perfonal detail I hope my readers in general will excufe; as fome circumftances convince me, that I owe it to my friend's relations, efpecially to his poor difconfolate widow and children, and to his respectable brothers*. Something feems alfo due to my own feelings. Otto Nordenskiold, Chief Admiral of the Swedish Navy, Adolph Nordenskiold, Colonel of the I recom Reafons for in ferting an account of Mr. N's expedition and death. APPENDIX. I recommended Mr. Nordenskiold to feveral of the Directors, as well as Mr. Af. zelius, and the late Mr. Strand. But this recommendation was in confequence of their own express request, as Mr. Afzelius can teflify; and I think I cannot take a more effectual method of convincing Mr. Nordenskiold's relations, that I acted both as a friend and an honeft man, than by fhowing that I have no objection to publish the following particulars, in a country where many creditable perfons can confirm or contradict them. Mr. N's ficknefs and diftreis before 715. Mr. N's belt friends muft confefs, that his attention to his health was by no means proportionate to his many good qualities. Before he failed for Sierra Leona, he embarked. he was fo much weakened by a dangerous illness, that I endeavoured to persuade him to poftpone the voyage, till his health was perfectly re-established; but in vain. His refolution was fixed, and he embarked at Bristol on the 10th of Jan. 1792, to endure the hardships of a ftormy paffage, of no less than 16 days from that port to Corke, which fo affected him, that he was moftly confined by fevere sickness, during the fhip's ftay of 7 weeks at that port. I need not conceal that pecuniary difficulties, occafioned by his unexpected delay and fickness, increased his diftrefs. But he was moft generously affisted by Mr. Wolff (for I must mention his name) one of the Sierra Leona Directors, who really knew and valued his talents, and, but for whofe friendly and individual aid, he must have been left, probably to die, in a place where he had not a fingle friend to close his eyes. The grati tude he felt and expreffed for this act of liberality, no doubt contributed to agitate his mind; and, every thing confidered, he must have been then very unequal to the profecution of the voyage. But the voyage he would, and did, profecute. At S. Leona, he was again taken ill, and before his recovery was perfected, and after his conftitution had fuffered feverely from repeated attacks, he fignified an ardent defire to penetrate immediately into the country, where he always hoped to find an innocent, hospitable people, among whom he could purfue his researches, to his own fatisfaction and to the emolument of the Company. His honest mind, too, could not brook the idea of living at the Company's expense (though he had no falary) while he remained inactive; and it must be acknowledged, that dissention and confufion rendered the colony a very uncomfortable habitation for a person of his habits. The remonftrances of his friends, chiefly Mr. Afzelius and Mr. Strand, against such an attempt, in his weak state, and during the rains too, were ineffectual. His mind was fo ardently bent on useful pursuits, that he often neglected that caution which is fo neceffary a concomitant to resolution in all hazardous enterprizes; and there is no doubt that this defect in his character was one chief cause of his death. Some account tion & death. 716. The following is the best account of his percipitate and fatal expedition that I of his expedi- have been able to collect.--Having, by repeated folicitations, obtained, the confent of the Governor and Council, together with the most proper goods the stores then contained, 3 |