I must then apprize your Lordship, that from this instant it is my intention to drop the term Slavery, at least as a term in argument with me. It is an odious word, that engendered this law-suit, and now feeds and supports it with the fuel of heated passions and imaginations. Instead therefore of such prejudiced and unpopular ground, whereupon the case has hitherto been made to stand, I shall take the liberty to remove its situation, to change its point of view, and to rest it on the land of _commercial Property_; from whence, perhaps, it will be seen, not only in a less offensive light, but where also it may find a foundation more solid and substantial for its support. It is matter of course, my Lord, to say, that you are well acquainted with all the acts of parliament relative to the royal African company of England, from its establishment by charter in the reign of Charles the Second down to the present time[3]. Now, my Lord, the end of this company was trade: the object of that trade Negroes, as the preamble to the act of the 23d of Geo. II. c. xxxi. thus expressly declares: “Whereas the trade to and from Africa is very advantageous to Great Britain, and necessary for supplying the plantations and colonies thereunto belonging with a sufficient number of Negroes, at reasonable rates, it is therefore enacted, &c. &c.” Whatever then, my Lord, is matter of trade, your Lordship knows, must be matter of property. The idea of the one is necessarily involved in the other. But, my Lord, these acts have not been content with this general construction: they have gone farther, and have themselves set the mark and stamp of property upon Negroes. Whether, my Lord, the Legislature is justifiable herein, or whether it has authority by the laws of nature to do this, is not for me to determine. It is, perhaps, a right, like many other civil rights, established by power, and maintained by force: but this is matter of speculation for the speculative. I here contend only, that the fact is as I have stated it to be; and as it will appear by the statute of the 25th of Geo. II. c. xl. “which was made for the application of a sum of money therein mentioned, granted to his Majesty, for making compensation and satisfaction to the Royal African company of England, for their charter, lands, forts, castles, slaves, military stores, and all other their effects whatsoever; and to _vest_ the lands, forts, castles, slaves, military stores, and _all other their effects_, in the company of merchants trading to Africa;” and wherein it is enacted, that “the royal African company of England, from and after the tenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and fifty-two, shall be, and they are hereby, absolutely divested of and from their said charter, lands, forts, castles, and military stores, _canoe-men_, _castle-slaves_, and all _other their estate, property, and effects_ whatsoever; and that all and every the