With respect to the situation of the slaves in their transportation, he
knew not how to give the House a more correct idea of the horrors of it,
than by referring them to the printed section of the slave-ship; where
the eye might see what the tongue must fall short in describing. On this
dismal part of the subject he would not dwell. He would only observe,
that the acts of barbarity, related of the slave-captains in these
voyages, were so extravagant, that they had been attributed in some
instances to insanity. But was not this the insanity of arbitrary power?
Who ever read the facts recorded of Nero without suspecting he was mad?
Who would not be apt to impute insanity to Caligula--or Domitian--or
Caracalla--or Commodus--or Heliogabalus? Here were six Roman emperors,
not connected in blood, nor by descent, who, each of them, possessing
arbitrary power, had been so distinguished for cruelty, that nothing
short of insanity could be imputed to them. Was not the insanity of the
masters of slave-ships to be accounted for on the same principles?
Of the slaves in the West Indies it had been said, that they were taken
from a worse state to a better. An honourable member, Mr.
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