BOOK III. CHAP. V. 5-03 



current, or to rcftrain, where it tranfgreffes its bounds. It lias 



been the opinion of very fenfible writers, that the intereft of our 



colonies demands, that the Negroes fhould be better treated, and 



even raifedto a better condition ; this, however, muil be undcrftood 



with fome exceptions againft the imported Blacks, whofe favage 



manners render them incapable of thofe benefits confident with the 



fafety of the colonies, which perhaps might be granted to the natives 



or Creoles, to a certain limit, without any ill confequence. Some 



medium, it is faid, might be ftruck, between liberty, and that ab- 



folute flavery which now prevails ; in this -medium might be placed 



oil Mulattos, after a certain temporary fervitude to their owner ; and 



fuch native Blacks, as their owners, for their faithful fervices, fhould 



think proper to enfranchife. Thefe might have land allotted to 



them, or fome fort of fixed employment, from either of which they 



fhould be obliged to pay a certain moderate rent to the public. 



Whatever they acquired beyond this, to be the reward of their in- 



duftry. The neceffity of paying a rent, would keep them employed; 



and when once men are fet to work through neceflity, they will not 



flop there; but will gradually ftrive for conveniencies, and fome 



even for fuperfluities. All this mull: add to the conlumption of 



manufadtures, and the .cultivation of lands; and the colonies would 



be flrengthencd by the addition of fo many men, who have aa 



intereft of their own to fight for. 



It becomes the gentlemen of Jamaica to fee the example, and 

 raife their ifland to the faiTie rank of fuperiority in the wifdom and 

 mildnefs cf its lavv^s, as it already enjoys in its extent and opulence, 

 above the other Britifli territories in the Weil- Indies ; let them 

 boldly purfue every meafure, which will tend to multiply their 

 psople, or to ftrengthen their country againll: foreign enemies ; let 

 ^lem, in order to prevent domeftic ones, conciliate the attachment of 

 their Negroes by protection and encouragement, rather than leek to 

 exacl an involuntary obedience by aufterity and terror. In the 

 diftribution of our gratitude, we are bound to beflow fome fliare OU' 

 thofe, wliom God has ordained to labour^ T!ie julT: fubordination, 

 within the \\v\<t of which our Negroes mud be kept, does by no 

 means c'ifpenfe with our loving, and treating them humanely. We 

 are obliged to it, both from reafon and felf-intereft ; bodily flrength, 

 5. and: 



