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EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 203 



permanent or a temporary power, we muft duly con- CHAP, 

 fider, before we haftily judge the whole from partial in- 1 ._ ,^ . 

 formation. 



Cruelty is too often exercifed in our plantations ; but 

 if not fo Hiockingly to human nature as in other coun- 

 tries, what are we doing by a fudden emancipation, but 

 turning the poor creatures over to more cruel mailers? 

 The quantum of fugar, &c. will be had, and mud be pro- 

 vided by negroes, natives of Africa, who alone are born 

 to endure labour under a vertical fun. 



The national character of thefe people, as I have re- 

 marked it, where they are as free to a6t by their own will 

 and difpofition as in Africa, is perfe6tly favage; the twenty 

 thoufand Ouca and Seramica free negroes have lived fe- 

 parated, and under no controul of Europeans, for a num- 

 ber of years, and yet I have never feen any marks of 

 civilization, order, or government among them, but, on 

 the contrary, many examples of ungovernable paffion, 

 debauchery, and indolence. 



I love the African negroes, and have fliewn how fin- 

 cerely I have felt for them on many occalions ; and what- 

 ever wrong conftrudlion may be put on what I have faid 

 on this fubjecSl, I wifh, from the bottom of my heart, 

 that my words could be fubmitted to the conlideration of 

 that refpe(5lable body the Britifli parliament ; and fo far 

 be regarded, as to prevent the fatal decifion of a total 

 abolition of flavery till 1800, or the beginning of next 



D d 2 century. 



