394 December 1748. 



fourteen pounds in Penfylvanian currency. 

 Not only the quakers, but likewife feveral 

 chriftians of other denominations fometimes 

 fet their Negroes at liberty. This is done 

 in the following manner : when a gentle- 

 man has a faithful Negro who has done 

 him great fervices, he fometimes declares 

 him independent at his death. This is 

 however very expenfive ; for they are oblig- 

 ed to make a provifion for the Negro thus 

 fet at liberty, to afford him fubfiftence 

 when he is grown old, that he may not 

 be driven by neceflity to wicked actions, 

 or that he may be at any body's charge, 

 for thefe free Negroes become very lazy and 

 indolent afterwards. But the children which 

 the free Negro has begot during his fervi- 

 tude are all (laves, though their father be 

 free. On the other hand thofe Negro chil- 

 dren are free whofe parents are at liberty. 

 The Negroes in the North American colo- 

 nies are treated more mildly, and fed better 

 than thofe in the Weft Indies. They have 

 as good food as the reft of the fervants, and 

 they poflefs equal advantages in all things, 

 except their being obliged to ferve their 

 whole life time, and get no other wages 

 than what their mafter's goodnefs allows 

 them : they are likewife clad at their 

 mafter's expence. On the contrary, in the 

 Weji Indies, and efpecially in the Spanifo 



I/lands 



