7. “But the furnishing us with slaves is necessary, for the trade, and
wealth, and glory of our nation:” here are several mistakes. For 1.
Wealth is not necessary to the glory of any nation; but wisdom, virtue,
justice, mercy, generosity, public spirit, love of our country. These
are necessary to the real glory of a nation; but abundance of wealth
is not. Men of understanding allow, that the glory of _England_ was
full as high, in Queen _Elizabeth’s_ time as it is now: although our
riches and trade were then as much smaller, as our virtue was greater.
But, secondly, it is not clear, that we should have either less money
or trade, (only less of that detestable trade of man-stealing) if
there was not a negro in all our Islands, or in all _English America_.
It is demonstrable, white men, inured to it by degrees _can_ work as
well as them: and they _would_ do it, were negroes out of the way, and
proper encouragement given them. However, thirdly, I come back to the
same point: better no trade, than trade procured by villany. It is far
better to have no wealth, than to gain wealth at the expence of virtue.
Better is honest poverty, than all the riches bought by the tears, and
sweat and blood of our fellow-creatures.
8. “However this be; it is necessary when we have slaves, to use them
with severity.” What, to whip them for every petty offence, till they
are all in gore blood? To take that opportunity, of rubbing pepper and
salt into their raw flesh? To drop burning sealing-wax upon their skin?
To castrate them? To cut off half their foot with an axe? To hang them
on gibbets, that they may die by inches, with heat, and hunger, and
thirst? To pin them down to the ground, and then burn them by degrees,
from the feet, to the head? To roast them alive?--When did a Turk or a
Heathen find it necessary to use a fellow-creature thus?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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