Di" Davy's Agricultural Discourse. 347 



care, entailing expense, of the labouring slaves ; and tliis, although 

 from 200 to 500 dollars is the market-price of a slave. Such par- 

 ticulars, and others of a horrid kind, we have from a writer, who has 

 lately been in Cuba, he says, and, judging from the want of expres- 

 sion of feeling by him in giving the particulars, not averse to slave- 

 labour ; and therefore, probably, he has not exaggerated. 



Such a system — such proceeding, may glut the home-market for a 

 time ; but can it be profitable long \ surely not ; a system connected 

 with such monstrous vice, we may be confident cannot flourish. I 

 should as soon expect that piracy would be successful for a continu- 

 ance, and become an authorised calling. If it be profitable for the 

 moment, depend upon it, it will meet with some great reverse, after 

 the manner of piracy, as exemplified in the history of the Buccaneers, 

 and with a punishnjent equal to the crimes that maintain it. Even 

 without some signal visitation, I cannot believe that such a system 

 can be long protitable, — when so high a price is paid for slaves, — 

 and the period of their labour is so short, averaging, it is said, not 

 more than ten years. And that it is not, seems to be denoted by 

 these very colonies in>porting free labourers ; and one of them, it is 

 stated, even from China. But whether profitable or not, whether 

 signally punished or not, this we are sure of — that man has a con- 

 science, through which, even in this life, it cannot be doubted, that 

 he is punished for his misdeeds, and rewarded for his good acts. In 

 the ancient drama, the perpetrators of great crimes were held up to 

 horror, as haunted by the avenging Furies, lashed by their Avhips of 

 snakes and scorpions, and allowed no rest. These, in all times, are 

 the stings of conscience, when awakened to a sense of guilt. 



A President of the United States, Mr Jefferson, who, from his 

 own experience, knew well the evils of slavery, and the dangers con- 

 nected with it, alluding to these, has said : — " Indeed, I tremble 

 for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice can- 

 not sleep for ever ; that considering numbers, nature, and natural 

 means only, a revolution in the wheel of fortune, an exchange of 

 situation, is among possible events ; that it may become probable by 

 supernatural interference ! The Almighty has no attribute which can 

 take side with us in such a contest." 



Your success. Gentlemen, to which I have said, I look forward hope- 

 fully, if earned, as I expect, will be of the right kind, owing to your 

 own exertions, without any strain on humanity, or violation ol' duty, 

 beneficial to your labourers and the community at large ; nor likely 

 to be ephemeral, or soon to pass away ; on the contrary to be stable, 

 and to increase in amount with its endurance, which may be held to 

 be characteristic of what is right, of which we have so many proofs 

 in history, both ancient and modern, and remarkably so, as regards 

 the converse, in the history of our own times, during the last half 

 century, of which that of St Domingo alone may bu liold to be an 

 epitome. 



These few remarks, I trust you will receive with the indulgence I 



