BOOK HI. CHAP. V. 501 



might lie on the landholder. It is true, it may be faid, that fvery 

 landholder has the remedy at prelent in his own hands; he iias oidy 

 to make his contrails by mortgage, inliead of bond or note ; but the 

 prolixity ot mortgage deeds, which enumerate all the parcels of pro- . 

 perty, and contain a multitude of covenants and claufec, make them 

 lefs convenient for ordinarv tranfadions in borrowing and lendincr, 

 efpecially for fmall fums ; perhaps fuch deeds might be (hortened 

 without lofmg their efficacy ; but, if this be impraiflicable, we muft 

 then turn back to the firft propofition, in regard to bond^: and give 

 them effedlive operation again ft the planter's cattle, furniture, and 

 implements, or (thefe tailing) againft the annual produce, by f;- 

 queftration, until they are fully fatibfied. The iniquitous advan- 

 tages which have been taken of the laws, as they now ftaiul, are 

 innumerable: among the multitude of planters, fome \yill be found, 

 whofe hearts are petrified with avarice, and rapacity ; whofe views 

 all center in felf ; and who Ipar around with the keen appetite of 

 vultures, feeking whom they may devour. Iremember one of thefe 

 Iwrpies, who, in order to ftock his eftate with feafoned Negroes, 

 went fyftematically to work. He engaged the deputy marfhal in his 

 intereft, and having bought up judgements, extant againft. leveral" 

 inferior fettlers in his neighbourhood, caufed their flaves to be levied' 

 on, and fold ; he himfejf was the uiklerhandpurchafer, and thus 

 found means to advance his own fortune, upon the certain ruin of 

 many induftrious fettlers, who threw up their lands after beinf 

 ftripped. of their labourers ; and this furniflied him with a further 

 opportunity of driving advantageous bargains, by engroffing the con- 

 tiguous acres at a cheap rate.- 



The fallacy of their opinion, who fuppofe, that no harm is done 

 by the (hifting of property, may be demonftrated in nuinberlefs in- 

 ftances more than I have already given; and they all tend to prove 

 thefe maxims : "That changing the property of lands from one 

 " owner to another, can be of no injury to this ifland, in hindering 

 "the fettlement and improvementof thofc; lands, fuppoling the (kill 

 *' in hufbandry pretty equal at an average. 



" But changing the property of labouring Negroes from one 

 " o.vner to another, living in difterent places, obftruds the fettle- 

 *' ment of lands ; turns thofe already fettled into ruinate ; l.flens the 



" number 



