The second is the _Rev. James Ramsay_. This gentleman resided for many years in the _West-Indies_, in the clerical office. He perused all the colonial codes of law, with a view to find if there were any favourable clauses, by which the grievances of slaves could be redressed; but he was severely disappointed in his pursuits. He published a treatise, since his return to England, called _An Essay on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies_, which I recommend to the perusal of the humane reader. This work reflects great praise upon the author, since, in order to be of service to this singularly oppressed part of the human species, he compiled it at the expence of forfeiting that friendship, which he had contracted with many in those parts, during a series of years, and at the hazard, as I am credibly informed, of suffering much, in his private property, as well as of subjecting himself to the ill will and persecution of numerous individuals. This Essay _on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves_, contains so many important truths on the colonial slavery, and has come so home to the planters, (being written by a person who has a thorough knowledge of the subject) as to have occasioned a considerable alarm. Within the last eight months, two publications have expressly appeared against it. One of them is intitled "_Cursory Remarks_ on Mr. Ramsay's Essay;" the other an "_Apology for Negroe Slavery_." On each of these I am bound, as writing on the subject, to make a few remarks. The _cursory remarker_ insinuates, that Mr. Ramsay's account of the treatment is greatly exaggerated, if not wholly false. To this I shall make the following reply. I have the honour of knowing several disinterested gentlemen, who have been acquainted with the West Indian islands for years. I call them disinterested, because they have neither had a concern in the _African_ trade, nor in the _colonial_ slavery: and I have heard these unanimously assert, that Mr. _Ramsay's_ account is so far from being exaggerated, or taken from the most dreary pictures that he could find, that it is absolutely below the truth; that he must have omitted many instances of cruelty, which he had seen himself; and that they only wondered, how he could have written with so much moderation upon the subject. They allow the _Cursory Remarks_ to be excellent as a composition, but declare that it is perfectly devoid of truth.