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Show So ON THE SLAVERY AND CoMMERCE tains their relations and friends; which contains the whole body of the people, among whom they were bred and educated. In thefe fufFerings, which arife to men, both in bidding, and in having bid, adieu to all that they ell:eem as dear and valuable, banijhmmt confifis in part; and we may agree therefore with the ancients, without adding other melancholy circumfiances to the account, that it is no inconfiderable punilhment of itfelf. With refpeCl: to the lqfs of liberty, which is the fecond confideration in the punilhment, it is evident that men bear nothing worfe; that there is nothing, that they lay mor~ at heart; and that they have fhewn, by many and memorable infiances, that even death is to be preferred. How many could be named here, who, having fuffered the lqfs of liberty, have put a period to their exifience! How many, that have willingly undergone the hazard of their lives to dell:roy a tyrant! How many, that have even gloried to perilh in the attempt! How many bloody and publick wars have been undertaken (not to mention the numerous firvile infurreCl:ions, oF THE HuMAN SPECIES. St infurreCl:ions, with which hill:ory is fiained) for the caufe of ji-eedom I But if nothing is dearer than liberty to men, with which, the barren rock is able to afford its joys, and without which, the glorious fun lhines upon them but in vain, and all the [ weets and delicacies of life are tall:elefs and unenjoyed; what puni01ment can be more fevere than the lofs of fo great a bleffing? But if to this deprivation of liberty, we add the agonizing pangs of banijhment; and if to the complicated ll:ings of both, we add the inceffant jlripes, 1oozmds, and miflries, which are undergone by thofe, who are fold into this horridJervitude; what crime can we poffibly imagine to be fo enormous, as to be worthy of fo great a punilhment? How contrary then to rcafon, jull:ice, and nature, mull: thofe act, who apply this, the feverefl: of human puni01ments, to the moil: infignificant offence ! yet fuch is the cull:om with the Africans : for, from the time, in which the Europeans firll: intoxicated. the African princes with their foreign draughts, F no |