The assumptions of these interested advocates for the slave trade, proceed on the illogical basis of a petitio principii, or begging of the question; taking that for granted, as a fixed law of nature, which is not to be found in any system of philosophy, and is irreconcilable with the history of God's creation: for it is recorded in the Old Testament, that God hath made man of one blood to dwell over all the corners of the earth. If examples were wanting of nations in a state of nature emerging from equal barbarism, and advancing progressively to the summit of civilization and refinement, let us compare the state of the Roman empire under the kings, with the glorious days of the republic when a Cæsar and a Cicero directed its councils. If we recur even to the period when our ancestors, assimilated in roughness to the animals of the field, displayed none of the higher energies of mind, we shall find no unfavourable analogy to cheer the hopes and stimulate the exertions of the friends to African improvement. The early Britons became an easy prey to the Roman conquerors, and successively to Danish, Saxon, and Norman invasions. Their huts were little superior to the den of the wild beast, and their bodies stained with woad, vied in decoration with the tattoo of the savage.

Even the later annals of our country reflect no pleasing images on the memory. The nation was long disgraced by intestine discord and by domestic cruelty. It was the revival of learning that, by enlightening the understanding, and exciting habits of reflection, humanized the mind of man, rendered him a better adept in the science of government, and taught him to doubt the purity of the national religion. The glorious reformation ensued, and the same people arose to greatness and renown, distinguished for intellectual acquirement and excellence in every department of genius, who, but a few centuries before, resembled the inhabitants of Africa as described by Sallust: "an untutored savage people, who knew no food but the flesh of wild animals, or the grass of the field, which they ate like the herds of cattle; a people without laws, without forms of government, without any authority over them; a race of wandering vagabonds, who had no settled habitation, but, when night came on, lay down to rest where chance directed

them."

The light of knowledge, the influence of good impressions, and the benefit of education, produce those incidental differences in mankind which are erroneously ascribed altogether to natural causes. So far at least as the argument goes to invalidate the notions of those who venture to deny the identity of the species, and the susceptibility of culture in all, generally speaking, it is presumed to hold good, notwithstanding the degrees of advancement certainly vary in nations, as well as individuals, enjoying advantages apparently similar.

* It is necessary here to observe, that the author of this treatise wrote in his character as a British subject, the work being intended for publication by the African Institution in London, under the patronage of Mr. Wilberforce. Note by the Editor.

Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam,

Rectique cultus pectora roborant.

Conclusive proof has been furnished of a respectable degree of understanding prevailing in numerous individuals, natives of Africa, or descendants of Africa, who have visited England, some for improvement and the acquisition of knowledge in particular arts and branches of trade, others for commercial purposes. Two African youths, educated at Joseph Lancaster's national school in the Borough road, near London, lately returned to Sierra Leone, thoroughly instructed in the system of that establishment, and qualified to impart it to others. A multitude of instances might be adduced to show that the germ of knowledge does exist among the natives of Africa, needing only the fostering hand of cultivation to expand its blossoms. Witness the effects produced upon the dormant faculties of the negro when, transported to the labours of a plantation, he sees and adopts improved customs, acquires new skill, and learns from his fellow-labourers in captivity, to advance as it were, in the scale of being. Can that man be said to be on a level with the brute, who, endowed with thought, and the principle of imitation, the great source of human improvement, appears to be proportioned in his acquisitions to the opportunities of example and instruction that are afforded him? Uncultivated nature is uniformly rude and imbecile: By imitation alone we at first acquire knowledge, and the means of extending its bounds.

Steadfast in the observance and application of so important a faculty of the human mind, and keeping in view the tendency of man to adopt what appears, by observation and experience, to contribute to his welfare and advantage, may we not hope, in time, to furnish such examples, to communicate such lessons of meliora. tion, important to their interests, as shall be acceptable to an untaught people, and calculated to shed the rays of knowledge on benighted Africa-to civilize her sons, and unfold the treasures of her commerce?

Will the return of the labouring Krooman, whose character appears to stand so favourably, after the expiration of his limited term of service, proposed in a former essay, have no effect upon his wondering countrymen, introduce no improvements, and diffuse not the useful arts employed in agriculture, trade, and domestic economy before unknown? Already we find the attention of the directors of the African Institution of London engaged on this most interesting object, and it is announced, in one of their annual reports, that they "contemplate engaging in America, or the West Indies, persons of good character, natives of Africa, or the descendants of Africans, who should instruct the colonists and natives in the cultivation and manufacture of indigo, in the best mode of raising and cleaning cotton, rice, and other articles of tropical culture." In this view it does appear that, to afford a settlement in Africa to such American free blacks* as may voluntarily ex

*During the past winter many efforts were made by a number of philanthropic individuals in America, to form a voluntary colony of free people of colour. The question assumed so much importance, as to be made the subject of inquiry

press a wish to repair to that country, might be productive, under certain regulations, of beneficial lessons and instructions to the natives, whilst, at the same time, the circumstance of their speaking the English language, might render their reception in the British colony of Sierra Leone, useful and agreeable to all concerned. The senate and house of representatives of the United States of America have, very properly, resolved to provide for the necessary expenses attending this measure, and in conformity with their resolution, that "a negociation with all the governments where ministers of the United States are or shall be accredited, be entered into as to the best means of effecting an immediate and entire abolition of the traffic in slaves," and that, with regard to the measure in question, "a convention with the government of Great Britain be proposed, stipulating such terms as shall be most beneficial to the colonists, while it promotes the peaceful interests of Great Britain and the United States," it is reasonable to expect that the same spirit of amity in which these resolutions are conceived will be met with a correspondent feeling on the part of the British cabinet, and followed up by the necessary arrangements. The subject is one of considerable interest to the people of America, where the coloured inhabitants have multiplied to such an extent as, in some degree, to preclude the employment of whites in cases where it certainly would be more politic. The emigration of coloured persons to a climate undoubtedly more congenial to their constitutions than that of America is for at least six months in the year, might be promoted by holding out certain encouragements to the colonists, and probably might be influenced by the reflection that, in America they hardly can expect more than a menial employment, or aspire beyond the toil of manual labour, whereas their prospects in a country composed of persons of their own complexion, far behind them in a knowledge of the arts of civilized life-a country too under British protection, and needing the employment of their experience and exertions, may well excite the ambition and adventure even of the most prudent.

A similar policy to that pursuing by the government of the United States ought to be observed by the British legislature with respect to the labourers who may hereafter resort to the West India islands. Indeed if a prohibition were enacted to prevent their purchasing property in those islands it might have the effect at once of debarring their ultimate residence and proving beneficial to Africa by the circulation of some money, and probably a little knowledge on the return of the Kroomen to their native homes. Their permanent settlement in the West Indies ought by all means to be discouraged, because it would manifestly tend to the rapid increase of the black over the white population-a case which it is incumbent on the legislature to reverse as much as possible, and the carrying trade might be no inconsiderable object to the

by the house of representatives of the United States, and a committee was appointed to report thereon, which was accordingly done on the 11th of February The report contains some enlightened views of the committee.

shipping interest. Were even a free intercourse as to particular articles of commerce permitted between the western coast of Africa and the West Indies it might be attended with advantage to both. The run-down before the trade winds would be short and easy, though the return to Africa would require a much longer voyage, the course being northerly to clear the trades as they are termed, until reaching a proper latitude to bear away for the coast. The idea of a commerce between the two places is started principally with a view to vessels carrying passengers being duly freighted, and in order to facilitate the remittance of property in bulk on account of the labourers. The restriction of all coffee and sugar, the produce of West India estates, being consigned to the mother country alone, would of course continue to be enforced.

It is material to observe that, by opening as many sources as possible to African commerce, we pave the way for a true development of its resources, and more especially, a beneficial interest in that country. The British trade to India, first confined to a humble factory on the Coromandel coast, of scarce a mile in circumference, grew by degrees in extent and importance, until merchants became the sovereigns of the East, and an empire greater than that of the Mogul, proverbial for wealth-prolific in all that aggrandizes the possessor, rewarded the labours of a speculative company. Zeal, perseverance, constancy, valour in its servants, were the qualities leading to success, and may not the imagination conceive at some future day another Asia emerging from amid the clouds and darknesss that envelop Africa? The same means are ready to be employed, the same exertions may insure similar results: the important measure of raising and maintaining on liberal terms a native Sepoy force, sealed the doom of Eastern Rajahs, and proved to be the certain precursor of those splendid achievements which extended the British empire over all the provinces, from the Indus on the one hand to the coasts of Ava on the other. The mutual jealousies of the native chiefs served only to keep each other in check, and neutralize their separate oppositions, whilst it afforded constant ground of foreign arbitration and interference. The reign of imbecility, in short, yielded to that of wisdom, foresight and vigour. At length the mighty torrent of irresistible power rolling on, as the Ganges, its rapid course, and swollen by tributary streams, swept before it antiquated establishments, reared by superstition, and long worshipped by a false idolatry. From the moment of the tide of opinion setting in, opinion of the superiority of the British name-from that moment the conquest of Asia is to be dated. It is so in most uncivilized countries.

Who shall say that to terminate the thraldom under which Africa now groans to abolish the iniquities of princes and potentates, dealers in human flesh, accustomed to engage in war solely to profit by the sale of prisoners, will not meet the concurrence of Africans themselves? If the friend to civilization and humanity needs a further persuasion to engage his assent, let it be considered that the regeneration of Africa is not so hopeless as to deter experiment; that she is represented in Sacred History to have sent eight

hundred bishops to the Holy Land; that Hannibal, who certainly possessed consummate capacity as a commander, was of Mauritanian blood, and that Terence was an African slave. Let him remember, that in the present day, the natives, as appears from the reports of travellers are advancing from brutal manners towards habits of order and decorum, that commerce, tillage, barter, policy, manufacture, find their way into the interior from the west and from the north. Europeans fortify their sea ports, enlarge their trade, traverse in caravans the vast expanse of internal territory, and teach them geography by their example, astronomy by their glasses, their telescopes and their mechanic powers. It is impossible to peruse the travels of Mungo Park, of Houghton, Hornemann, Barrow, Corry, Golberry, Winterbottom and Wadstrom, without being struck with the vast resources of commerce and agricultural wealth throughout that immense tract of country, still latent, and promising abundantly to reward the enterprize of the colonist.

Sallust, introducing a brief account of Africa in his history of the Jugurthine war, describes the soil on the sea coast as producing grain in abundance and affording good pasture for cattle.* Its attractions, even in the time of the Romans, appear to have been duly appreciated, since we find that the consuls ever had an eye to Africa as an important acquisition, and Scipio Africanus, so styled in honour of his great military achievements in that country, Metellus and Marius, deemed it a field worthy of the employment of their exalted rank and abilities.

In considering the various articles of exportable produce which may be cultivated with advantage in Africa, our attention is particularly drawn to cotton, entering as it does so extensively into the uses even of the Africans themselves, as well as of manufacturing industry in Europe. With the mode of raising the cotton tree, the natives of the western coast of Africa are almost universally acquainted, although one particular species of cotton, most cultivated there, (and from which they manufacture cloth of an excellent fabric,) is so unsuitable to the European market, that the price which it would obtain would not repay the expense of raising it, and conveying it to a foreign port. Seeds, however, of the primest Georgia as well as Brazil cotton have been introduced into the country, and as it requires only six or seven months from the time of sowing to bring it to maturity, there is every reason to expect that the growth of a superior species of this plant will become general. The process of preparing it for sale is short and simple.

Gold is found in many parts of Africa, sometimes in small lumps, in a pure state, but, for the most part it is procured by merely washing, with care, the sand taken from the bed of the river. This circumstance proves the existence of gold mines in

*The British squadron in the Mediterranean during the late war, drew the most of their supplies from the north of Africa, and wheat was exported thence in considerable quantities to Gibraltar and Cadiz, from which places it found its way over Spain and Portugal.