_No. II_
Upon no better principle do we plunder the coasts of Africa, and bring away
its wretched inhabitants as slaves than that, by which the greater fish
swallows up the lesser. Superior power seems only to produce superior
brutality; and that weakness and imbecility, which ought to engage our
protection, and interest the feelings of social benevolence in behalf of
the defenceless, seems only to provoke us to acts of illiberal outrage and
unmanly violence.
The practice which has been followed by the English nation, since the
establishment of the slave trade--I mean that of stirring up the natives
of Africa, against each other, with a view of purchasing the prisoners
mutually taken in battle, must strike the humane mind with sentiments of
the deepest abhorrence, and confer on that people a reproach, as lasting
as time itself. It is surprising that the eastern world did not unite, to
discourage a custom so diabolical in its tendency, and to exterminate a
species of oppression which humbles the dignity of all mankind. But this
torpid inattention can only be accounted for, by adverting to the savage
disposition of the times, which countenanced cruelties unheard of at this
enlightened period. What rudeness of demeanor and brutality of manner,
which had been introduced into Europe, by those swarms of barbarians, that
overwhelmed it from the north, had hardly begun to dissipate before the
enlivening sun of civilization, when this infernal practice first sprang
up into existence. Before this distinguished era of refined barbarity, the
sons of Africa were in possession of all the mild enjoyments of peace--all
the pleasing delights of uninterrupted harmony--and all the diffusive
blessings of profound tranquility. Boundless must be the punishment, which
irritated providence will inflict on those whose wanton cruelty has
prompted them to destroy this fair arrangement of nature--this flowery
prospect of human felicity. Engulphed in the dark abyss of never ending
misery, they shall in bitterness atone for the stab thus given to human
nature; and in anguish unutterable expiate crimes, for which nothing less
than eternal sufferings can make adequate retribution!--Equally iniquitous
is the practice of robbing that country of its inhabitants; and equally
tremendous will be the punishment. The voice of injured thousands, who
have been violently torn from their native country, and carried to distant
and inhospitable climes--the bitter lamentations of the wretched, helpless
female--the cruel agonizing sensations of the husband, the father and the
friend--will ascend to the throne of Omnipotence, and, from the elevated
heights of heaven, cause him, with the whole force of almighty vengeance,
to hurl the guilty perpetrators of those inhuman beings, down the steep
precipice of inevitable ruin, into the bottomless gulph of final,
irretrievable, and endless destruction!
Ye sons of America, forbear!--Consider the dire consequences, that will
attend the prosecution, against which the all-powerful God of nature holds
up his hands, and loudly proclaims, desist!
In the insolence of self-consequence, we are accustomed to esteem ourselves
and the Christian powers of Europe, the only civilized people on the
globe; the rest without distinction, we presumptuously denominate
barbarians. But, when the practices above mentioned, come to be
deliberately considered--when added to these, we take a view of the
proceedings of the English in the East Indies, under the direction of the
late Lord Clive, and remember what happened in the streets of Bengal and
Calcutta--when we likewise reflect on our American mode of driving,
butchering and exterminating the poor defenceless Indians, the native and
lawful proprietors of the soil--we shall acknowledge, if we possess the
smallest degree of candor, that the appellation of barbarian does not
belong to them alone. While we continue those practices the term christian
will only be a burlesque expression, signifying no more than that it
ironically denominates the rudest sect of barbarians that ever disgraced
the hand of their Creator. We have the precepts of the gospel for the
government of our moral deportment, in violation of which, those outrageous
wrongs are committed; but they have no such meliorating influence among
them, and only adhere to the simple dictates of reason, and natural
religion, which they never violate.
Might not the inhabitants of Africa, with still greater justice on their
side, than we have on ours, cross the Atlantic, seize our citizens, carry
them into Africa, and make slaves of them, provided they were able to do
it? But should this be really the case, every corner of the globe would
reverberate with the sound of African oppression; so loud would be our
complaint, and so "feeling our appeal" to the inhabitants of the world at
large. We should represent them as a lawless, piratical set of unprincipled
robbers, plunderers and villains, who basely prostituted the superior power
and information, which God had given them for worthy purposes to the vilest
of all ends. We should not hesitate to say that they made use of those
advantages only to infringe upon every dictate of justice; to trample under
foot every suggestion of principle, and to spurn, with contempt, every
right of humanity.
The Algerines are reprobated all the world over, for their unlawful
depredations; and stigmatized as pirates, for their unreasonable exactions
from foreign nations. But, the Algerines are no greater pirates than the
Americans; nor are they a race more destructive to the happiness to
mankind. The depredations of the latter on the coast of Africa, and upon
the Indians' Territory make the truth of this assertion manifest. The
piratical depredations of the Algerines appear to be a judgment from
heaven upon the nations, to punish their perfidy and atrocious violations
of justice; and never did any people more justly merit the scourge than
Americans, on whom it seems to fall with peculiar and reiterated violence.
When they yoke our citizens to the plow, and compel them to labour in that
degraded manner, they only retaliate on us for similar barbarities. For
Algiers is a part of the same country, whose helpless inhabitants we are
accustomed to carry away. But the English and Americans cautiously avoid
engaging with a warlike people, whom they fear to attack in a manner so
base and unworthy; whilst the Algerines, more generous and courageous
plunderers, are not afraid to make war on brave and well-disciplined
enemies, who are capable of making a gallant resistance.
Whoever examines into the conditions of the slaves in America will find
them in a state of the most uncultivated rudeness. Not instructed in any
kind of learning, they are grossly ignorant of all refinement, and have
little else about them, belonging to the nature of civilized man, than mere
form. They are strangers to almost every idea, that doth not relate to
their labour or their food; and though naturally possessed of strong
sagacity, and lively parts, are, in all respects, in a state of most
deplorable brutality.--This is owing to the iron-hand of oppression, which
ever crushes the bud of genius and binds up in chains every expansion of
the human mind.--Such is their extreme ignorance that they are utterly
unacquainted with the laws of the world--the injunctions of religion--their
own natural rights, and the forms, ceremonies and privileges of marriage
originally established by the Divinity. Accordingly they lived in open
violation of the precepts of christianity and with as little formality or
restrictions as the brutes of the field, unite for the purposes of
procreation. Yet this is a civilized country and a most enlightened period
of the world! The resplendent glory of the gospel is at hand, to conduct us
in safety through the labyrinths of life. Science hath grown up to
maturity, and is discovered to possess not only all the properties of
solidity of strength, but likewise every ornament of elegance, and every
embellishment of fancy. Philosophy hath here attained the most exalted
height of elevation; and the art of government hath received such
refinements among us, as hath equally astonished our friends, our enemies
and ourselves. In fine, no annals are more brilliant than those of America;
nor do any more luxuriantly abound with examples of exalted heroism,
refined policy, and sympathetic humanity. Yet now the prospect begins to
change; and all the splendor of this august assemblage, will soon be
overcast by sudden and impenetrable clouds; and American greatness be
obliterated and swallowed up by one enormity. Slavery diffuses the gloom,
and casts around us the deepest shade of approaching darkness. No longer
shall the united states of America be famed for liberty. Oppression
pervades their bowels; and while they exhibit a fair exterior to the other
parts of the world, they are nothing more than "painted sepulchres,"
containing within them nought but rottenness and corruption.
Ye voluptuous, ye opulent and great, who hold in subjection such numbers of
your fellow-creatures, and suffer these things to happen--beware! Reflect
on this lamentable change, that may, at a future period, take place against
you. Arraigned before the almighty Sovereign of the universe, how will you
answer the charge of such complicated enormity? The presence of these
slaves, who have been lost, for want of your instruction, and by means of
your oppression, shall make you dart deeper into the flames, to avoid their
just reproaches, and seek out for an asylum, in the hidden corners of
perdition.
Many persons of opulence in Virginia, and the Carolinas, treat their
unhappy slaves with every circumstance of coolest neglect, and the most
deliberate indifference. Surrounded with a numerous train of servants,
to contribute to their personal ease, and wallowing in all the luxurious
plenitude of riches, they neglect the wretched source, whence they draw
this profusion. Many of their negroes, on distant estates, are left to
the entire management of inhuman overseers, where they suffer for the
want of that sustenance, which, at the proprietors seat of residence,
is wastefully given to the dogs. It frequently happens, on these large
estates, that they are not clothed, 'till winter is nearly expired;
and then, the most valuable only are attended to; the young, and the
labour-worn, having no other allowance, in this respect, than the
tattered garments, thrown off by the more fortunate. A single peck of
corn a week, or the like measure of rice, is the ordinary quantity of
provision for a hard working slave; to which a small quantity of meat is
occasionally, tho' rarely, added. While those miserable degraded persons
thus scantily subsist, all the produce of their unwearied toil, is taken
away to satiate their rapacious master. He, devoted wretch! thoughtless
of the sweat and toil with which his wearied, exhausted dependents
procure what he extravagantly dissipates, not contented with the ordinary
luxuries of life, is, perhaps, planning, at the time, some improvement on
the voluptuous art.--Thus he sets up two carriages instead of one;
maintains twenty servants, when a fourth part of that number are more than
sufficient to discharge the business of personal attendance; makes every
animal, proper for the purpose, bleed around him, in order to supply the
gluttonous profusion of his table; and generally gives away what his slaves
are pining for;--those very slaves, whose labour enables him to display
this liberality!--No comment is necessary, to expose the peculiar folly,
ingratitude, and infamy of such execrable conduct.
But the custom of neglecting those slaves, who have been worn out in our
service, is unhappily found to prevail, not only among the more opulent but
thro' the more extensive round of the middle and inferior ranks of life. No
better reason can be given for this base inattention, than that they are no
longer able to contribute to our emoluments. With singular dishonor, we
forget the faithful instrument of past enjoyment, and when, by length of
time, it becomes debilitated, it is, like a withered stalk, ungratefully
thrown away.
Our slaves unquestionably have the strongest of all claims upon us, for
protection and support; we having compelled them to involuntary servitude,
and deprived them of every means of protecting or supporting themselves.
The injustice of our conduct, and barbarity of our neglect, when this
reflexion is allowed to predominate, becomes so glaringly conspicuous, as
even to excite, against ourselves, the strongest emotion of detestation and
abhorrence.
To whom are the wretched sons of Africa to apply for redress, if their
cruel master treats them with unkindness? To whom will they resort for
protection, if he is base enough to refuse it to them? The law is not their
friend;--alas! too many statutes are enacted against them. The world is not
their friend;--the iniquity is too general and extensive. No one who hath
slaves of his own, will protect those of another, less the practice should
be retorted. Thus when their masters abandon them, their situation is
destitute and forlorn, and God is their only friend!
Let us imitate the conduct of a neighboring state, and immediately take
measures, at least, for the gradual abolition of slavery.[6] Justice
demands it of us, and we ought not to hesitate in obeying its inviolable
mandates.--All the feelings of pity, compassion, affection, and
benevolence--all the emotions of tenderness, humanity, philanthropy, and
goodness--all the sentiments of mercy, probity, honour, and integrity,
unite to solicit for their emancipation. Immortal will be the glory of
accomplishing their liberation; and eternal the disgrace of keeping them
in chains.
But, if the state of Pennsylvania is to be applauded for her conduct, that
of South Carolina can never be too strongly execrated.[7] The legislature
of that state, at no very remote period, brought in a bill for prohibiting
the use of letters to their slaves, and forbidding them the privilege of
being taught to read!--This was a deliberate attempt to enslave the minds
of those unfortunate objects, whose persons they already held in arbitrary
subjection:--Detestable deviation from the becoming rectitude of man.
One more peculiarly distressing circumstance remains to be recounted,
before I take my final leave of the subject.--In the ordinary course of the
business of the country, the punishment of relatives frequently happens on
the same farm, and in view of each other:--The father often sees his
beloved son--the son his venerable sire--the mother her much-loved
daughter--the daughter her affectionate parent--the husband the wife of his
bosom, and she the husband of her affection, cruelly bound up without
delicacy or mercy, and punished with all extremity of incensed rage, and
all the rigour of unrelenting severity, whilst these unfortunate wretches
dare not even interpose in each other's behalf. Let us reverse the case and
suppose it ours:--all is silent horror!
Othello
Maryland, May 23, 1788.
--_American Museum_, IV, 509-512.