Slavery being called in to preside over Negroes, Trade, the guardian angel of England, was made the ruler of them. This I attribute to policy; which, however seemingly more constitutional, was not less favourable to the ruling principle of the Crown. I have already admitted, that to erect corporations, and to grant Letters Patent for the purposes of trade, are in the Crown its undoubted prerogative; but, considering Negroes as human creatures, and upon a level with ourselves, I submit it to your Lordship, that the Crown had no right to make slaves of them; whatever the uncontroulable power of an act of parliament might do: and yet Charles the Second, by his Charter only to the Duke of York, _enslaved_ whole nations of these people. The apology, I apprehend, for this, my Lord, will be; that neither this Charter, nor any other Grant, have ever conceived Negroes in this light and view; as, relation being thereunto had, will more fully appear[19]. If so, my Lord, two things come out in proof: _presumptively_, that the Crown had no right of itself to make slaves of Negroes, or it would, in those days at least, have exerted it; _positively_ by these authorities themselves, that Negroes are not considered as slaves under the idea of slavery, but merely as matter of commercial property, and articles of the trade of this country. If now, my Lord, I have supported the doctrine which I took upon me to evince, and have satisfactorily shewn, that property is the gift of action in this case, thereby proving that Mr. Steuart may of course legally compel Somerset to return to the Plantations, I shall leave its decision to your Lordship, on a quotation of your own words: “It is not my business to alter the law; or to make it, but to find the law.” It remains then only to observe, that if Somerset is the legal property of Steuart, he, Somerset, cannot legally be entitled to the writ which he has sued out in aid of relief. The writ of Habeas Corpus is a writ of right given to the subjects of the Crown of England, for the security of their liberties. If Somerset can fall under this predicament and description, he is open to the benefits that may arise therefrom; but if the law has already fixed the _fiat_ of property on him, I apprehend it is a _legal_ exception to the writ, and his right is foreclosed thereby. Having said thus much, my Lord, on one side of the question, I do not mean to conceal my sentiments on the other. My aim is, to establish the truth: my wish, that what is right should be done. Whatever then is here the result of my reflections, to obtain the end I propose, is necessary to your Lordship’s information.