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Show X p R E F A C E. rians there, to oblige their members to liberate their llaves. The quefl:ion was negatived by a majority of but one perfon; and t~i~ oppolition fecmed to arife rather from a dtlltke to the attempt of forcing fuch a meafure upon the members of that community, than from any other conlideration. I have the pleafure of being credibly informed, that the manumiffion of llaves, or the employment of free men in the plantations, is now daily gaining ground in North America. Should lla:ery be abolilhed there, (and it is an event, whtch, from thefe circumfl:ances, we may reafonably expeCl to be produced in time) let it be remembered, that the ~akers will have had the merit of its abolition. Nor have their brethren here been lefs alliduous in the caufe. As there are happily no llaves in this country, fo they have not had the fame opportunity of lhewing their benevolence by a general emancipation. They have not however omitted to lhew it as far as they have been able. At their religious meetings they have regularly inquir~d if any of their members arc concerned 111, the iniquitous African trade. They bve appointed P R E F A C E. xi appointed a committee for obtaining every kind of information on the fubject, with a view to its fupprcllion, and, about three or four years ago, petitioned parliament on the occalion for their interference and Cupport. I am forry to add, that their benevolent application was ineffectual, and that the reformation of an evil, productive of confequences equally impolitick and immoral, and generally acknowledged to have long difgraced our national charac1er, is yet left to the unfu pported efforts of piety morality and jullicc, againfi: interefi: violence and opprellion; and thefe, I blulh to acknowledge, too 11rongly countenanced by the legillative authority of a country, the balis of whofe government is liberty. Nothing can be more clearly il1ewn, than that an inexhaullible mine of wealth is neglected i11 Africa, for the profecution of this impious traffick; that, if proper meafures were taken, the revenue of this country might be greatly improved, its naval fi:rength increafed, its colonies in a more fiourilhing lituation, the planters richer, and a trade, which is now a fcene of blood and defolation, |
