TORONTO OF OLD. ( 



Similar notices were common a century since in the English newspapers. It is in fact 

 asserted that at that period there were probably more slaves in England than in Virginia. In 

 the London PuHio Advertiser, of March 28th, 1769, we have, for example, the following : " To 



be sold, a Black Girl, the property of J. B , eleven years of age, who is extremely handy, 



works at her needle tolerably, and speaks English perfectly well ; is of an excellent temper, 

 and willing disposition. Enquire of Mr. Owen, at the Angel Inn, behind St. Clement's Church, 

 in the Strand." And again, in the Edinburgh Evening Courant of April 18th, 1768, we have, 

 " A Black Boy to Sell. To be sold a Black Boy with long hair, stout made and well limbed ; 

 is good tempered ; can dress hair, and take care of a horse indifferently. He has been in 

 Britain near three years. Any person that inclines to purchase him may have him for £40. 

 He belongs to Captain Abercrombie, at Brighton. This advertisement not to be repeated." 



The poet Cowper sings — 



" Slaves cannot breathe in England : if their lungs 

 Receive our air, that moment they are tree ; 

 They touch our country and their shackles fall." 



But this was not true until Lord Mansfield in 1772 uttered his famous judgment in the case of 

 James Somersett, a slave brought over by a Mr. Stewart from Jamaica. Cowper's lines are in 

 reality a versification of a portion of Lord Mansfield's words. A plea had been set up that 

 villeinage had never been abolished by law in England ; ergo, the possession of slaves was not 

 illegal. But Lord Mansfield ruled : " Villeinage has ceased in England, and it cannot be reviv- 

 ed. The air of England," he said, "has long been too pure for a slave, and every man is free 

 who breathes it. Every man who comes into England," Lord Mansfield continued, " is entitled 

 to the protection of English law, whatever oppression he may heretofore have suffered, and 

 whatever may be the colour of his skin : Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus esses. Let the 

 negro be discharged." But this is a digression. 



Peter Bussell's Peggy had been giving him uneasiness a few years previous to the advertise- 

 ment copied above. She had been absenting herself without leave. Of this we are apprised in 

 an advertisement dated York, September 2nd, 1803. It runs as follows: "The subscriber's 

 black servant Peggy, not having his permission to absent herself from his service, the public 

 are hereby cautioned from employing or harbouring .her without the owner's leave. "Whoever 

 wiU do so after this notice may expect to be treated as the law directs. Peteb Russell." 



In the papers published at Niagara advertisements similar to those just given are to be seen. 

 In the Niagara Herald of January 2nd, 1802, we have, " For sale : A Negro man slave, 18 years 

 of age, stout and healthy ; has had the small pox, and is capable of service either in the house 

 or out-doors. The terms wiU be made easy to the purchaser, and cash or new lands received in 

 payment. Enquire of the printer." And again in the iTeraM of January 18th : " For sale ; the 

 Negro man and woman, the property of Mrs. Widow Clement. They have been bred to the 

 business of a farm ; wiU be sold on highly advantageous terms for cash or lands. Apply to 

 Mrs. Clement." 



Cash and lands were plainly beginning to be regarded less precarious property than human 

 chattels. In 1797 pnrchasers, however, were still advertising. In the Gazette and Oracle of 

 October 11th, in that year, we read : "Wanted to purchase, a negro girl from seven to twelve 

 years of age, of good disposition. For fuller particulars apply to the subscribers, W. & J. 

 Crooks, West Niagara, Oct. Ith." 



In respect to the following notice some explanation is needed. We presume the " Indian 

 slave" spoken of must have been only part Indian. The detention of a native as a slave, if 

 legal, would have been difficult. Mr. Charles Field, of Niagara, on the 28th of August, 1802, 

 gives n(*ice in the Herald: "AH persons are forbidden harboring, employing, or concealing 

 my Indian slave Sal, as I am determined to prosecute any offender to the extremity of the law ; 

 and persons who may suffer her to remain in or upon their premises for the space of half-an- 

 hour, without my written consent, will be taken as offending, and dealt with accordingly." 



In the early volumes of the Quebec Gazette these slave advertisements were common. A 

 rough wood-cut of a black figure running frequently precedes them. It appropriately illus- 

 trates the following one : " Run away from the subscriber on Tuesday, the 25th ult., a negro 

 man, named Drummond, near six feet high, walks heavily ; had on when he went away a dark. 



