I. Shew, that this custom of making Slaves of our fellow-men, is expressly against the revealed laws of God.
II. That it is likewise against the law of nature, and the Charter of this Province.
III. The disadvantages arising from this base Trade.
IV. The advantages arising from abolishing it. And,
V. Conclude with a short admonition to those concerned, and a method to put the Trade to Africa on a just and lawful footing.
The first head was, That the custom of making Slaves of our fellow creatures, is expressly against the revealed laws of God. And in treating of this part, I shall divide it into the following branches. 1st. By the laws of God, He that stealeth and selleth a man, shall be put to death. 2d. He in whose hands he shall be found, shall be put to death, by the same laws. 3d. He that buyeth a Servant and serveth him six years, shall set him free the seventh, and furnish him liberally with what he hath. And 4th. If thy Brother, that is, your fellow-creature, be sold unto thee, thou shall not compel him to serve as a Bond-man; but as an hired Servant.
The first branch under this head is, He that stealeth and selleth a man, shall be put to death. This is one of the most express laws of Moses, as you may see in Exod. xxi. 16, two first, and last clauses of the verse, there mentioned in the most peremptory words; And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, shall surely be put to death. It certainly can be looked upon in no other light in the Merchants and Ship-masters who are in this Trade to Africa, than stealing of men, being accessary to, and aiding in inciting them to war one with another, and for this purpose, supplying them with prodigious quantities of arms and ammunition, whereby they are hurried into confusion, bloodshed, and all the extremities of temporal misery, which must consequently beget in their minds such a general detestation and scorn of the Christian name, as may deeply affect, if not wholly preclude, their belief of the great truths of our holy religion. Thus an insatiable desire of gain prevails with their Kings, who, instead of being protectors of their people, for this alluring bait laid before them, by the European and American Factors, or Ship-masters, invade the Liberties of these unhappy people, and occasion their oppression. These Kings, whenever they want goods send to the Ship-masters, acquainting them they have Negroes, and sometimes the Factors and Ship-masters send to acquaint them, that they have a quantity of goods, and want Slaves for the same. These Chiefs, whether they have Slaves then or not, agree, and immediately go to war with their neighbours, and in procuring three or four hundred prisoners, burn five or six towns, as appears by the following extract from a Surgeon’s Journal in a Liverpool vessel.
Sestro, December 29, 1724.
“No trade to-day, though many Traders came on board; they inform us, that the people are gone to war within land, and will bring prisoners enough in two or three days; in hopes of which we stay.
“30th. No trade yet; but our Traders came on board to-day and informed us the people had burnt four towns, so that to-morrow we expect Slaves off.