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selves by paying it to their masters, who are ob- 

 liged to receive it and set them at liberty, and num- 

 bers who have in this manner obtained their free- 

 dom, are to be met with throughout the coun- 

 try. Those who are ill treated by their owners, 

 can demand a letter of sale^ which is a written per- 

 mission to them to seek a purchaser. In case of the 

 master's refusal, they have the privilege of applying 

 to the judge of the place, who examines their com- 

 plaints, and if well founded, grants them the permis- 

 sion required. Such instances are, however, very 

 unusual, either because the master on account of 

 his reputation, avoids reducing his slaves to this ex- 

 tremity, or that the slaves themselves contract such 

 an attachment to their masters, that the greatest 

 punishment inflicted on them would be to sell them 

 to others. From hence it often happens that those 

 who, for their good conduct, have their liberties 

 given them, do not wish to avail themselves of it, 

 in order not to lose the protection of the house they 

 belong to, where they are certain of always having a 

 subsistence furnished them. Masters exercise the 

 rights of fathers of families over their slaves, in cor- 

 recting them for their faults ; the kind and degree 

 of punishment is left with them when they have 

 been guilty of any crime that is not capital. Al- 

 though such a state of servitude appears repugnant 

 to natural right, yet society derives great advantages 

 from it. Families are not exposed to the instability of 

 servants, who, considering themselves as strangers, 

 never become attached to the house, and without 

 hesitation communicate all its secrets. 



