afid Tendency of the Driving System, 
1812.1 
5n 
Where the necessity for reform is ob¬ 
vious, where the alternative is ruin, 
it is impertinent to preach, and mis. 
chievous to practise, moderation: it points 
out the politicaster, who makes use of it 
to mask his weakness or his wickedness. 
When applied to modify a measure of 
wise and just policy, moderation operates 
like cucumber mingled with a wholesome 
meal, impeding the progress of digestion ! 
But neither should a measure involving 
ihe happiness and safety of millions be 
recommended without due consideration. 
Its justice, which includes its policy, 
should be distinctly ascertained : and, to 
such of your readers as suppose it com¬ 
patible with justice to abandon the pre¬ 
sent race of plantation-negroes to their 
own discretion, I would beg leave to re¬ 
commend an attentive perusal of the lu¬ 
minous and comprehensive discussion of 
this subject in the Colonial Policy " of 
Mr. Brougham, whose persevering and 
pow'erful exertions in the cause of Af¬ 
rica, as well as in support of his country's 
freedom, have already stamped his name 
with the seal of immortality ; affording a 
fair presumption that length of life will 
enable him to gain an illustrious station 
among the benefactors of the human 
race. Ot) this question, however, the 
argument of Mr. Fox is conclusive: 
“With regard to the emancipation of 
those in slavery, he coincided with Mr. 
Wilberforce and Mr. Pitt; and upon this 
principle, that it might be as dangerous 
to give freedom at once to a man used to 
slavery, as in the case of a man who had 
never seen day-light, to expose hiin all 
at once to the full glare of a meridian 
sun.”—^\^ide Clarkson ii. 330. 
Leaving then the question of eman¬ 
cipation, it is my immediate object and 
most earnest wish, to excite enquiry into 
the present condition of the negro-slaves 
in the British colonies, that the absentee- 
proprietors of plantations may become 
acquainted with the truth,—a consum¬ 
mation devoutly to be wished, as it im¬ 
plies their conviction that only an imme¬ 
diate and radical change in the system 
of management, can avert their owm 
ruin, and the utter extinction of that 
unfortunate race, who have hitherto been 
sacrificed on the altars of ignorance and 
prejudice, and perverted power, and 
terror the prefumptuous and the pettifogging 
politician. Oh that the beneficent genius, 
the godlike apprehension, of that truly great 
man were not, now and for ever, wanting to 
point out the paih to his widowed and bewil¬ 
dered country! 
capricious uncontrouled tyranny; iliat 
others might enjoy tise produce of their 
toils, their tears, and their blood,' in a 
happier, but far distant,country, beyond 
the reach of their complaints, the hear¬ 
ing of their groans, the sad sigiit of their 
suffering and destruction ! Persuaded 
that the intelligent proprietors of plan¬ 
tations, resident in the mother country, 
have only to be informed of tlie truth to 
induce them to act promptly and de¬ 
cidedly for the common good ; and, ani¬ 
mated by the hope that I may, in some 
measure, contribute to that important 
end, I will (notwithstanding the state of 
my health) strain every nerve to prepare, 
for speedy publication, a detail of facts 
disclosing the nature and tendency of the 
driving system, suggesting also the im¬ 
mediate means of melioration. 
Ill the mean time I subjoin a passage 
from the rough draught of a preface, 
which may convey some idea of the 
general views which my opportunities 
have enabled me to take of the disease, 
and the remedies indicated, in its present 
advanced and critical stage. 
“ The enlightened advocates of abolitiorj 
justly considered the slave-trade as the root 
of the tree of evil in the West Indies; ths 
cause of all the waste of life, and loss of pro¬ 
perty, which stain the verdure and blast tho 
blooming luxuriance of scenes which bear on 
their distant surface a semblance of E’ysium ! 
They had a right to conclude that, by de¬ 
stroying the root, and thus cutting off the 
supplyof pernicious nourishment, its branches 
would cease to put forth their poison. They 
had no concern with the noxious weeds whiek 
have sprung up and thriven underneath its 
shade; and which they rightly deemed it ths 
province of the proprietor to uproot. These, 
unhappily, are still suffered to prevent the 
progress of natural and fruitful vegetation 5 
although they cannot reasonably be expected 
to eradicate themselves, otherwise than by- 
exhausting the soil, and giving place to bar¬ 
renness and desolation. In plain terms, tlie 
habits and prejudices of the resident planters,, 
(overseers, &t.) continue unsubdued ; and he 
who expects that habits long established will 
yield even to the cleare.st conviction of their 
destructive tendency, can have little know¬ 
ledge of human nature. Without sormr 
change of men, therefore, any considerable 
chanee of measures cannot soon be effected. 
Superintendents and their underlings, who 
were early initiated into mal-practice, now 
confirmed by habit into prejudice, which they 
call experience, and of winch they are suffi¬ 
ciently proud, cannot alter the plan of cheif 
proceedings, however urgent the necessity for 
a change; and they who trust to the reason 
of men who Iiave been educated in error, and 
long-practised iu caprice and passion, and op» 
pcessIoriT 
