390 JAMAICA, 



tion (already fo favoured in feveral local circumftances, as has been 

 mentioned) to the utmoft of their power; in order that they may 

 never want a fufficient number for their domeftic fervices, for agri- 

 culture, and other purpofes ; befides enough of fupernumeraries, to 

 fupport and augment their revenues arifing from trade with the 

 Europeans. Slaves may therefore be now confidcred with them, 

 d,Ct\.\^\ ftaple produdfs, as much as wool and corn are to Great Britain. 

 They have gained by this means a conftant vent for all their rogues 

 and vagabonds ; and the tranfportation of them is fo far from being 

 a burthen to then" flates, as the cafe is with refpe£l to the European 

 nations, that it is highly lucrative to them. Thus they are relieved 

 from their vilefl criminals, with a large profit into the bargain ; 

 whilft the European plantations in America are made the common 

 receptacle of thefe abandoned outcafts ; and are become as ufeful to 

 the African provinces, as fcavengers to a dirty town, or Virginia and 

 Maryland to Britain. It is clear, that the African flates have juft as 

 oood right as any European power, to banifli their criminals to 

 other parts of the world that will receive them ; it is certainly 

 ^crreeable to the principles of humanity, that captives alfo fhould 

 be exiled, rather than cruelly tortured to death ; and by banifliment 

 of all thefe viiflims for life, they reap this fure benefit, that they 

 are effeftually prevented from returning to repeat again their former 

 courfe of criminal or hoftile pra6lices ; nor is the indemnification 

 for thefe practices trifling, which accrues to the refpedlive ftates, 

 from the fale of their bodies to the Europeans. 



In England, multitudes are hanged, and many more fcnt to the 



plantations and fold into flavery; fome for a term, others for life. 



Such as are executed, can no longer commit injury nor do good; but 



of the many hundred wretches tranfported, many find methods of 



returning, and generally, if not univerfally, follow the fame trade of 



villainy as before, till they fufFer the ult'imum jus of hanging. It 



may be faid of our Engliih tranfported felons, as of the Negroe cri- 



ininals, that neither of them go into a voluntary banhhment; but 



it muft be allowed, that the Africans may with equal juftice fell 



their convids, as the Englifli fell theirs ; and equally well veft a legal 



right to their fervice in the purchafers. The argument that fome are 



wrongfully puniflied in this way, is nothing to the purpofe ; it holds 



equally 



