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Show 222 ON THE SLAVERY AND CoMMERCE has but little notion either of equity or honour. We come now to thofe fccncs of felicity, which flaves are faid to enjoy. The fidl: advantage which they are f.1id to experience, is that of manum!fji'on. But here the advocates for flavery conceal an important circumll:ance. They expatiate indeed on the charms of freedom, and contend that it mull: be a blelling in the eyes of thofe, upon whom it is conferred. We perfeCl:ly agree with them in this particular. But they do not tell us that thefe advantages are confined; that they are confined to fome favourite domejlick; that not one in a?t hundred en joy them; and that they are never extended to thofe, who arc employed in the cultivation of the .field, as long as they can work. Thefe are they, w.ho are moll: to be pitied, who are dell:ined tp perpetual drudgery; and of whom no one •vhatever has a chance of being freed from his fituation, till death either releafes him at once, or age renders him incapable of continuing his former labour. And here let oF TilE IIu~rAN SPECIES. 223 let it be remarked, to the difkrace qf the receivers, that he is then made free, not ·-as a re7Mrdfor his pa.fl.fervices, but, as his labour is then of little or no value,-to. Jave the * tax. With the fiune artifice is mention alfo made of the little fpots, or gardms, as they are called, which Oaves are f.1id to pollefs from the liberality of the receivers. But people mull: not be led away by agreeable and pleaf. 1nt founds. They mull: not fuppofe that thefe gardens are made for Jlo•oers ; or that they are places of amufement, in which they can fpend their time in botanical refearches and delights. Alas, they do not furnilh them with a theme for fuch plealing purfuits and [peculations! They mull: be cultivated in thofe hours, which ought to be • The cxpenccs of every parifh are defrayed by a poll-tax on negroes, to f.1.vc which they pretend to liberate thofc who are pall: labour; but they frill keep them employed in repairing fences, or in doing fome trifling work on a fcanty all~wance. For to free ajield-tugrot, fo long as he can work, ts a maxim, which, notwithftanding the numerous boaftcd manumillion s, no matlcr t'lltr tbinl:s of adopting in the colonies. appropriated |