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Show 48 0N..TH£ SLAVERY AND CoMMERcll encompalfed it in vain, obtain an eafy victory: in crouds they pour into the defenceJefs avenues, and take poiTeffion of the foul: there is nothing now too vile for them to meditate, too impious to perform. Such was the lituation of the defpotick fovereigns of Africa. They had once ventured to pafs the bounds of virtue, and they foon proceeded to enormity. This was particularly confpicuous in that genera\ conduct, which they uniformly obferved, after any unfuccefful co-nflict. Influenced only by the venal motives of European traffick, they firll: made war upon the neighbouring tribes, contrary to every principle of ju(l:ice; and if, by the flight of the enemy, or by other contingencies, they were difappoin ted of their prey, they made no hefitation ·of immediately turning their arms againll: their own fubjects. The firll: villages they came to, were always marked on this occafion, as the firll: objects of their avarice. They were immediately furrounded, were afterwards fet on fire, and the wretched inhabitants feized, as they were efcaping from the flames. Thefe, conlill:ing of whole fami- * lies, OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. 49 lies, fathers, brothers, hufbands, wives, and cluldren, were inll:antly driven in chains to the merchants, and configned to ilavery. To thefe calamities, which thus arofe from the tyranny of the kings, we may now fubjoin thofe, which arofe from the avarice of pri~ate perfons. Many were kidnapped by their own countrymen, who, encouraged by the merchants of Europe, previoufly Jay in wait for them, and fold them afterwards for ilaves; while the feamen of the different !hips, by every poffible artifice, enticed others on board, and tranfported them to the regions of fervitude. As thefe practices are in full force at the prefent day, it appears that there are four orders of involuntary ilaves on the African continent; of * convitls; of prijimcrs qf •oar; of thofe, who are publickly feized by Virtue of the authority of their prince ; and • In the ancient fcrvitude, we reckoned (fmvit!J among the rvoluntary flaves, becaufe they had it in their power, by a virtuous condu8:, to have avoided fo melancholy a fituation; in the Afrr'can, we include them in the inrvolu11tary, becaufe. as virt~es are frequent!~ confrrued into crimes, frorh the venal motives of the traffick, no perfon whatever potfe!fc5 fuc:h a jo'".t~tror d;oiet. D of |