Thus many were left
in a diseased and deplorable state; either to perish by sickness, or to
enter into foreign service; great numbers of whom were for ever lost to
their country. The Governor concluded by declaring, that the enormities
attendant on this trade were so great, as to demand the immediate
interference of the legislature.
The next objection to the abolition was, that if we were to relinquish
the Slave Trade, our rivals, the French, would take it up; so that,
while we should suffer by the measure, the evil would still go on, and
this even to its former extent. This was, indeed, a very weak argument;
and, if it would defend the continuance of the Slave Trade, might
equally be urged in favour of robbery, murder, and every species of
wickedness, which, if we did not practise, others would commit. But
suppose, for the sake of argument, that they were to take it up, what
good would it do them? What advantages, for instance, would they derive
from this pestilential commerce to their marine? Should not we, on the
other hand, be benefited by this change? Would they not be obliged to
come to us, in consequence of the cheapness of our manufactures, for
what they wanted for the African market? But he would not calumniate the
French nation so much as to suppose that they would carry on the trade,
if we were to relinquish it.
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