4 Negro Slavery : PlaJi for its Abolition. [Jan. 



wholly exterminated, whilst the descendants of the poor contemned 

 Africans are the pecifliar objects of our care. Let us still continue to 

 nurture and to cherish, without inflaming and exciting them. It is with 

 this view I call upon the Anti-Slavery Association to aid and assist in 

 their amelioration, their civilization, and their emancipation. I call 

 upon them to do So upon a basis at once just, honourable, and effectual. 

 Let us have no more idle declamation or heated invective. If the 

 planters are cruel and severe, let us put it out of their power to be so 

 any longer — ^let us purchase the slaves, and silence the complaints 

 of the master when we relieve the sorrows of the servant. 



The slave question has been preached for years, and though eyes may 

 have xvept, and hearts may have bled, no jmrse-strings have been unloosed ; 

 not such was the conduct of our forefathers, when the crusade was 

 preached to redeem the Christian from the Saracen. There was no 

 lack then of men or money ; but in those days men spoke by their 

 actions, and gave vent to their philanthropy in deeds, not words. 

 Let us now put the abolitionists to the test, and see what exertions 

 they will make, when it is proposed to purchase, not ravish the pro- 

 perty of the planter. I have shewn it to be possible, and I subjoin a 

 rough calculation, drawn indeed from uncertain data, but sufficient to 

 form some judgment of the operation of the measure. 



I estimate the value of our colonies at £120,000,000 sterling: — 



Annual charge for interest i£:'4.,800,000 

 Charge to be paid to the Ex- 7 3 (3(X),000 



chequer in lieu of duty . . ) 

 Palance annually to meet the \ a ^cyn nnn 



■ trienpial instalments , 



; 



^12,000,000 



Amount of proceeds from ~ 

 the annual Imports of; 

 colonial produce ' 



^12,000,000 



^12,000,000 



If this statement be in any way correct, the whole sum would be 

 paid in the time specified, without taking into consideration the annual 

 reductions of interest, which would remain a surplus in the Exchequer, 

 and enable the Chancellor to dimmish other taxes. Tlie fee would 

 eventually belong unencumbered to the nation, and remain at the dis- 

 posal of Parliament. Though the minor details of this scheme may 

 at first strike us as difficult, or insurmountable, a little reflection will 

 convince us that they are less complex than we have been led to 

 imagine. I shall refrain from entering more minutely into the inves- 

 tigation, as I might exceed the limits fairly allotted to one article in a 

 periodical journal, but conclude by observing, that if the laivful re- 

 demption of tlie negroes is undertaken with half the zeal and half the 

 energy which has been exercised in an unjust attempt to divest the 

 colonists of their property, the final issue will be gratifying to those 

 interested, and glorious to the nation ; and I recommend it to Mr. 

 Wilberforce, as his life has been devoted to the cause of suffering 

 humanity, to close his career in behalf of the slaves, by an act of 

 justice to their masters, and then he will have completed a work, which 

 will carry his name blest and honoured to posterity. 



