IMPOLICY OF THE SLAVE-TRADE. 



299 



of despotism, still he must be careful not to go 

 too far ; for he has not the means of enforcing 

 obedience to his edicts in the chief provinces, if 

 any one of them chose to withdraw its alle- 

 giance. The government would be, I rather 

 think, inclined to follow the example of the chief 

 powers of Europe ; but it must not be precipi- 

 tate; the people must be prepared for the change, 

 and have time given them to think upon a sub- 

 ject, which, under their present impressions, is 

 supposed to injure them so materially. It is at 

 Bahia that the slave-dealers and planters have 

 shown themselves most violent in favour of the 

 slave-trade ; it is from that place that the most 

 extensive traffic is carried on to the coast of 

 Africa. In the province of Bahia there are great 

 estates, possessing two, three, and four hundred 

 slaves ; the owners of these are consequently 

 rich, and they possess power over the free popu- 

 lation as well as over their own immediate de- 

 pendants. It is in that quarter that the greatest 

 inclination to resist whatever its people does not 

 relish, has been experienced. Petitions contain- 

 ing forcible language have been made to the 

 government at Rio de Janeiro, against the abo- 

 lition and against the proceedings of the British 

 cruisers stationed upon the coast of Africa, by 

 which several slave-ships have been captured. * 



* The cry against the injustice and tyranny which is said 

 to have been exercised by Great Britain in the employment 



