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Show 250 ON THE SLAVERY AND COMMERCE every man is to give an account of his ac.., tions hereafter, it is neceffitry that he lhould be free. Another argument yet remains, which, though nature will abfolutely turn pale at the recital, cannot poffibly be omitted. In thofe wars, which are made for the fake of procuring flaves, it is evident that the conte£ 1: mu£1: be generally obftinate, and that great numbers mu£1: be flain on both fides before the event can be determined. Thi~ we may reafonably apprehend to be the cafe: and we have *!hewn, that there have not been wanting inftances, where the conquerors have been fo incenfed at the reliftance they have found, that their fpirit of vengeance has entirely got the better of their avarice, and they have murdered, in cool blood, every individual, without difcrimination, either of age or fex. From thefe and other circumftances, we thought we had fufficient reafon to conclude, that, where ten were fuppofed to be taken, an hundred, including the victors and vanquilhed, might • See the defcdption of an African battle, p. 98. be oF THE HuMAN SPECIES. be fuppofed to peri!h. Now, as the annual exportation from Africa con lifts of an hundred thoufand men, and as the two orders, of thofe who are privately kidnapped by individuals, and of thofc, who are publicldy feized by virtue of the authority of their prince, compofe together, at lea!l:, nine-tenths of the -'1fi·ican flaves, it follows, that about ten thouf.1nd conli!l: of conviCts and prifoners of war. The la!l: order is the moll: numerous. Let us fuppofe then that only fix thouf.1nd of this order are annually fent into fervitude, and it will immediately appear that no lefs than.ftxty thoufond people annually peri!h in thofe wars, which are made only for the purpofe of procuring flaves. But that this number, which we believe to be by no means exaggerated, may be free from all objeCtion, we will include thofe in the e!l:imate, who die as they are travelling to the f11ips. Many of thefe unfortunate people have a journey of one thoufand miles to perform on foot, and are driven like lheep through inhofpitable woods and deferts, where they frequently die in great numbers, from fatigue ~nd want. No>v * |
