36 INfTRODUCTION, 



fupport of their chiefs. Theft, adultery, and mur- 

 der, are the higheft crimes ; and whenever they are 

 detected, fubje£l the whole family to flavery. But 

 any individual condemned to flavery for the crime 

 of his relation, may redeem his own perfon by fur- 

 nifliing two flaves in his room ; or, when a man 

 commits one of the above cardinal crimes, all the 

 male part of his family are forfeited to flavery — if a 

 woman, the female part is fold : This traffic in crimes 

 makes the chiefs vigilant. Nor do our planters who 

 purchafe them, ufe any pains to inflrud them in re- 

 ligion, to make amends for the oppreffion thus exer- 

 cifed on them. I am forry to fay, they are naturally 

 averfe to every thing that tends to it ; yet the Portu* 

 guefe, and French, and Spaniards, in their fettle- 

 ments, fucceed in their attempts to inftrud them, 

 as much to the advantage cf commerce, as of reli- 

 gion. It is for the fake of Chriftianity, and the ad* 

 vantages accompanying it, that the Englifh flaves em- 

 brace every occafion of deferting to the fettlements 

 of thofe nations. 



'^ It is high time for the legiflature to interfere, and 

 put an end to this moft infamous of all trades, f© 

 difgraceful to the Chriftian name, and fo repugnant 

 to the principles of our conftitution. Let the negroes 

 in Our iilands be properly treated, made free, and 

 encouragement given to their population — meafures 

 that would be attended with no lefs profit than ho- 



*- Guthrie's Geography, 



Africa, 



