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Show 2 ON THE SJ..A.VERY A.ND CoMMERC~ are founded alfo on the principles of jufiice. Such is the cafe with refpcct to Slavery: it has had the concurrence of all the nations, which hifl:ory has recorded, and the repeated practice of ages from the rcmotefl: antiquity, in its favour. Here then is an argument, deduced from the general confent and argrecment of mankind, in favour of the propofed fubject: but alas! when we reflect that the people, thus reduced to a fiate of fervitude, have had the fame feelings with ourfelves; when we reflect that they have had the fame propenfities to pleafure, and the fame averfions from pain; another argument feems immediately to arife in oppofition to the former, deduced from our own feelings and that divine fympathy, which nature has implanted in our breafl:s, for the mofi ufeful and generous of purpofes. To afcertain the truth therefore, where two fuch oppofite fources of argument occur; where the force of cufiom pleads firongly on the one hand, and the feelings of humanity on the other; is a matter of much importance, as the dignity of human nature is concerned, and the rights and liberties of mankind will be involved in its difcufiion. It oF THE HuMA.N SPECIES. 3 It will be nccelrary, before this point can be determined, to confult the Hifiory of Slavery, and to lay before the reader, in as concife a manner as pollible, a general view of it from its earliefl: appearance to the prefent day. The firfi, whom we !hall mention here to have been reduced to a fiate of fervitude, may be comprehended in that clafs, which is ufually denominated the Mercmary. It confified of free-born citizens, who, from the various contingencies of fortune, had become fo poor, as to have recourfe for their fupport to the fer vice of the 'rich. Of this kind were thofe, both among the Egyptians and the Jews, who are recorded in the* facred writings. t The Grecian Tbetu alfo were of this defcription, as well as thofe among the Romans, from whom the • Genelis, Ch. 47· Leviticus xxv. v . .39, 40. t The CJ'hetts appear very early in the Grecian Hiftory. ------ ~ TIYH' aJ·r; KW'fol i?rovT I8a.'x.11~ E~a.lri7ot; ~ iol a.V1if eii7H n 6p.;£; 7i; Od. Homer . .6.. 642. They were aftcr.,uards fo much in ufe, that u Muflot foi.IT~t ri7rtl'iJow1o u i:~.u7~tr, rJH 1'111-.WiiV x.a.Ttltr,?-ff~I!JI/' till Solon fuppretfed the cw.ftom in Athens.. A 2 |
