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happiness and prosperity : he has never deprived us 
of our rights and properties—he has not suffered the 
white men to carry off our children into slavery—he has 
sent us people to teach us arts and industry unknown 
to us before; to defend us against our enemies, and 
to prevent famine by a more extended cultivation. 
We are happier and safer since the establishment of 
British dominion in our neighbourhood, and we are 
grateful to our good Father, who has procured for us 
these blessings. 
“ His nation and king have made laws to prevent you 
from being carried out of your island into slavery; 
and he has punished such of the whites as have pre¬ 
sumed to violate this law. 
“ He has called on us to assist him in this work for 
our own benefit, and he has promised his powerful 
assistance to punish such as may be refractory or 
disobedient. 
“We willingly agree to this proposal of our Father ; 
and we humbly declare, that if any of our subjects, or 
persons depending on our power, shall henceforward 
be guilty of selling any slave or other person, for the 
purpose of being transported from the island of 
Madagascar, the person guilty shall be punished by 
being reduced to slavery himself, and his property 
shall be forfeited to me. 
“ Let my subjects then, who have slaves, employ 
them in planting rice and other provisions, and in 
taking care of their flocks and herds—in collecting 
bees-wax and gums, and in manufacturing cloths and 
