THE BEE, 



OR 



LITER ART WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER, 



FOR 



WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23. I79I. 



Obfcrvations on the Laws of Britain, refpeBing hfipri-^ 



fonment for .Delt. 

 Ax a time when the Britiih parliament is making fuch 

 a diftin^^uifiied ftand m defence of the rights of juftice! 

 and humanity, fuppofed to Irave been injured in Afia, 

 and when the people at large have interelled ihemfclves 

 fo confpicuoully in favour of thofe unfortunate negroe-i 

 who have been reduced to a ftate of (lavery in our Wefti 

 India fcttlements, it feems to be fomewhat furpriling, 

 that we fnould quietly tolerate among ourfclves a fpe- 

 ciea of ilavery of a more oppreffive nature, than that of 

 which they fo juitly complain, while it is at the fame 

 time fo impolitic, as to feem to admit of no defence. 

 I here allude to the power of iviprifoiimetit /i->r debt, as 

 at pi"efent permitted by our laws, which, in its nature is 

 fo cruel, and in its confequences lo fociety is fo pernici- 

 ous, that it never could have been tolerated by a fentible 

 and humane people, had not the diilrcires wliich it oc- 

 .cafions, and which r.re fo much concealed from ]>ublic 

 view, in a great meafuie efcaped the notice of perfons 

 in the higlier ranks of life. 



. The confequences of this f|;ecit.s of ilavery, lioW£v-cr, 



■with regard to the unfortunate fuiTerers themfclves, and 



their families, are fo obvious, that the llightdl degree 



! attention will difcover niiem ; and tiie fubfequen. 



V^OL. I. I N n 



