In their proceedings they take no care whether the party be guilty, or deserves to be punished.
Golberey.
It is a striking circumstance, that in Africa, before the Slave Trade was introduced, the punishments for offences generally consisted of mulcts or fines, as is evident from the testimony of Artus, Barbot, Ogilby, Bosman, Loyer, Nyendael, and others, and that nobody was mulcted beyond his ability, except by an accumulation of crimes. Murder and sorcery were punished capitally in some of the countries of Africa, but in others, murder and every species of offence had no other punishment than a fine. If people could not pay these fines, they were disposed of in two ways. Some of them were sent into a temporary banishment in Africa; others were sold into home slavery. Debtors also, who refused to pay their debts, or became insolvent, were sold for the benefit of their creditors, in case their relations would not redeem them, and worked for these at their respective homes. But since this trade has been used, says Moore, all punishments are changed into slavery: there being an advantage in such condemnation, they strain for crimes very hard, in order to get the benefit of selling the criminal. Not only murder, theft, and adultery, are punished by selling the criminal for a Slave, but every trifling crime is punished in the same manner.”[[61]]
Moore gives us a history of some of these crimes. “There was a man, says he, brought to me in Tommany, to be sold, for having stolen a tobacco-pipe. I sent for the alcade, and with much ado persuaded the party aggrieved to accept of a composition, and leave the man free. In Cantore, a man seeing a tyger eating a deer, which he had killed and hung up near his house, fired at the tyger, and the bullet killed a man. The king not only condemned him, but also his mother, three brothers, and three sisters, to be sold. These eight persons were brought down to me at Yamyamacunda. It made my heart ache, says Moore (for this was in the infancy of the Trade) to see them, and I did not buy them.” But it appears in the sequel, that this kind action in Moore did not produce the desired end. “For they were sent, says he, further down the river, and sold to some separate traders at Joar, and the king had the benefit of the goods for which they were sold.”
In estimating the revenues of king Forbana, he mentions[[62]] “the criminals that were sold, a part of the profit of which devolved upon his majesty.” [[63]] “In Africa, says he, crimes are punished either by fines, slavery, or death. Offences are rare, but accusations common; because the chiefs frequently accuse for the purpose of condemning, that they may be able to procure Slaves.”
“The crime of magic is that which the Negro kings and chiefs most frequently cause to be preferred against individuals of the lower class, because this crime is punished by slavery, and consequently produces Slaves.”
Evidences examined before the House of Commons.
House of Commons Evidence.
[[64]] Capt. Wilson, of the Royal Navy, says, it is universally acknowledged, and he believes it to be true, that free persons are sold for real or imputed crimes, for the benefit of their judges. Soon after his arrival at Goree, the king of Damel sent a free man to him for sale, and was to have the price himself. One of the king’s guards, who came with the man, on being asked whether he was guilty of the crime imputed to him, replied, with great shrewdness—he did not conceive that was ever inquired into, or of any consequence.
[[65]] Dr. Trotter says, that of the whole cargo, he recollects only three criminals in the ship where he was. One of these had been sold for adultery, and the other for witchcraft, whose whole family shared his fate. The first said, he had been decoyed by a woman, who told her husband of the transaction, and he was sentenced to pay a Slave; but, being poor, he was sold himself. Such stratagems are frequent. The fourth mate of the ship Brookes was so decoyed, and obliged to pay a Slave, under the threat, that trade would be stopped if he did not. The other had quarrelled with one of the Cabosheers. The Cabosher, in revenge, accused him of witchcraft. In consequence of this accusation he was sold with his family. His mother, wife, and two daughters, were sentenced with him. |House of Commons Evidence.| The women shewed the deepest affliction; the man a sullen melancholy; he refused his food, tore his throat open with his nails, and died.