the origin of the distinction of ranks-第48章

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y　a　train　of　such　abuses；　unrestrained　by　the　laws；　and　palliated　by　the　influence　of　example？　It　would　seem　that　nothing　could　exceed　the　dishonesty　and　profligacy　of　the　Roman　slaves；　unless　we　except　the　inhumanity　and　the　extravagant　vices　which　prevailed　among　the　rest　of　the　inhabitants。　　　　　　Various　statutes　were　made　to　restrain　the　manumission　of　slaves；　and　to　prevent　the　dignity　of　a　Roman　citizen　from　being　communicated　to　such　infamous　persons。　　　　　Such　is　the　confusion　of　our　times　＇says　Dionysius　of　Halicarnassus；＇　so　much　has　the　Roman　probity　degenerated　into　shameful　meanness；　that　some；　having　gathered　money　by　robberies；　prostitutions；　and　all　kinds　of　wickedness；　are　enabled　to　procure　their　freedom；　and　to　become　Romans；　others；　associating　with　their　miters；　in　poisonings；　murders；　and　crimes　committed　both　against　the　gods　and　the　commonwealth；　are　rewarded　in　the　same　manner。（18*）　　　　　It　has　been　alleged　that；　in　one　respect；　the　institution　of　slavery　is　beneficial　to　a　nation；　as　it　affords　the　most　convenient　provision　for　those　who　are　become　unable　to　maintain　themselves。　The　maintenance　of　the　poor；　is　doubtless；　a　very　important　object；　and　may　be　regarded　as　one　of　the　most　difficult　branches　in　the　police　of　a　country。　In　the　early　periods　of　society；　when　family…attachments　are　widely　extended；　the　rich　are　commonly　willing　to　take　care　of　their　indigent　relations；　and　from　the　dispositions　of　a　people　unacquainted　with　luxury；　those　persons　who　have　no　other　resource　may　expect　relief　from　the　occasional　charity　of　their　neighbours。　But　in　a　commercial　and　populous　nation　in　which　the　bulk　of　the　people　must　work　hard　for　their　livelihood；　many　individuals　are；　by　a　variety　of　accidents；　reduced　to　indigence；　while　at　the　same　time；　from　their　numbers；　as　well　as　from　the　prevailing　spirit　of　the　age；　their　misery　is　little　regarded　by　their　fellow　creatures。　The　cunning　impostor；　in　such　a　case；　may　sometimes　carry　on　a　profitable　trade　of　begging；　but　the　real　object　of　distress　is　apt　to　be　overlooked；　and　without　some　interposition　of　the　public；　would　often　perish　from　want。　Poor…rates　therefore；　in　some　shape　or　other；　must　be　established；　and　from　the　nature　of　such　an　establishment；　it　is　usually　attended　with　much　expense；　and　liable　to　many　abuses。　In　a　country　where　slavery　is　practised；　no　such　inconvenience　is　felt。　As　the　master　may　be　obliged；　in　all　cases；　to　maintain　his　slaves；　no　assessment　is　necessary；　no　charges　are　incurred　in　collecting　and　distributing　money；　for　the　benefit　of　the　poor：　not　to　mention；　that　the　nuisance　of　common　begging　is　thus　effectually　removed。　　　　　It　must　be　owned　that　this　is　a　frugal　regulation；　but　that　it　will　answer　the　purpose　is　far　from　being　so　evident。　When　the　same　person；　who　is　subjected　to　a　tax；　is　also　entrusted　with　the　application　of　the　money；　what　security　is　there　that　he　will　ever　apply　it　to　the　uses　for　which　it　is　intended？　When　a　master　is　ordered　to　support　his　slaves；　after　they　have　become　unfit　for　labour；　what　measures　can　be　taken　to　secure　their　obedience？　As　it　is　plainly　his　interest　to　get　free　of　this　burden；　what　reason　have　we　to　expect　that　he　will　submit　to　it　longer　than　he　thinks　fit？　In　a　matter　of　domestic　economy；　how　is　it　possible　for　the　public　to　watch　over　his　conduct；　or　to　observe　one　of　a　thousand　instances　in　which　he　may　neglect　his　decayed　servants；　or　withhold　from　them　the　common　necessaries　of　life？　Instead　of　maintaining　the　poor　therefore；　this　is　only　a　method　of　starving　them　in　the　most　expeditious；　and　perhaps；　in　the　most　private　manner。　In　perusing　the　Roman　history；　with　relation　to　this　subject；　we　meet　with　enormities　which　fill　the　mind　with　horror。　Among　that　people　it　appears　that；　notwithstanding　all　the　laws　that　were　made　by　emperors；　of　the　best　intentions　and　possessed　of　absolute　power；　the　master　did　not　even　think　it　necessary　to　conceal　his　barbarity；　or　to　show　more　regard　to　his　slaves；　than　is　usually　shown　to　cattle　which；　from　age　or　diseases；　are　no　longer　of　service　to　the　owner。　　　　　Considering　the　many　advantages　which　a　country　derives　from　the　freedom　of　the　labouring　people；　it　is　to　be　regretted　that　any　species　of　slavery　should　still　remain　in　the　dominions　of　Great　Britain；　in　which　liberty　is　generally　so　well　understood；　and　so　highly　valued。　　　　　The　situation　of　the　colliers　and　salters　in　Scotland　may　seem　of　little　consequence；　as　the　number　of　persons　engaged　in　that　employment　is　not　very　great；　and　their　servitude　is　not　very　grievous。　The　detriment；　however；　which　arises　from　thence　to　the　proprietor　of　such　works　is　manifest。　No　man　would　choose　to　be　a　slave　if　he　could　earn　nearly　the　same　wages　by　living　in　a　state　of　freedom。　Each　collier　therefore　must　have　an　additional　premium　for　his　labour；　upon　account　of　the　bondage　into　which　he　is　reduced：　otherwise　he　will　endeavour　to　procure　a　livelihood　by　some　other　employment。　　　　　Many　of　the　coal　masters　begin　to　be　sensible　of　this；　and　with　that　their　workmen　were　＇are＇　upon　a　different　footing；　although；　with　a　timidity　natural　to　those　who　have　a　great　pecuniary　interest　at　stake；　they　are　averse　from　altering　the　former　practice；　until　such　alteration　shall　be　rendered　universal　by　an　act　of　parliament。　But　whatever　advantages　might　accrue　to　them　from　a　general　law　abolishing　the　slavery　of　the　colliers；　it　seems　evident　that　these　advantages　would　be　reaped　in　a　much　higher　degree　by　any　single　proprietor　who　should　have　the　resolution　to　give　liberty　to　his　workmen；　and　renounce　the　privileges　which　the　law　bestows　upon　him；　with　respect　to　those　who　might　afterwards　engage　in　his　service。　If　the　slavery　of　the　colliers　tends　to　heighten　their　wages；　surely　any　one　master　who　should　be　freed　from　this　inconvenience　before　the　rest；　would　be　in　the　same　circumstances　with　a　manufacturer　who　produces　a　commodity　at　less　expense　than　his　neighbours；　and　who　is　thereby　enabled　to　undersell　them　in　the　market。（19*）　　　　　The　slavery　established　in　our　colonies　is　an　object　of　greater　importance；　and　is；　perhaps；　attended　with　difficulties　which　cannot　be　so　easily　removed。　It　has　been　thought；　that　the　management　of　our　plantations　requires　a　labour　in　which　free　men　would　not　be　willing　to　engage；　and　which　the　white　people　are；　from　their　constitution；　incapable　of　performing。　How　far　this　opinion　is　well　founded；　according　to　the　present　manner　of　labouring　in　that　part　of　the　world；　seems　difficult　to　determine；　as　it　has　never　been　properly　examined　by　those　who　are　in　a　condition　to　ascertain　the　facts　in　question。　But　there　is　ground　to　believe　that　the　institution　of　slavery　is　the　chief　circumstance　that　has　prevented　those　contrivances　to　shorten　and　facilitate　the　more　laborious　employments　of　the　people；　which　take　place　in　other　countries　where　freedom　has　been　introduced。　　　　　Notwithstanding　the　connexion　between　our　colonies　and　the　mother…country；　the　instruments　proper　for　some　of　the　most　common　branches　of　labour　are　little　known　in　many　parts　of　the　West　Indies。　In　Jamaica　the　digging　of　a　grave　gives　full　employment　to　two　men　for　a　whole　day；　as　from　the　want　of　proper　tools　it　is　necessary　to　make　a　large　hole　no　way　adapted　to　the　human　figure。　I　am　informed；　that；　unless　it　has　been　procured　very　lately；　there　is　hardly　a　spade　in　the　whole　island。　In　procuring　firewood　for　boiling　sugar；　etc。；　a　work　that　takes　up　about　five　or　six　weeks　yearly；　no　use　is　made　of　the　saw；　but　the　trees　are　cut　with　an　axe　into　logs　of　about　30　inches　in　length。　Instead　of　a　flail　the　negroes　make　use　of　a　single　stick　in　threshing　the　Guinea…corn；　so　that　in　this　and　in　winnowing；　ten　women　are　capable　of　doing　no　more　work　in　a　day；　than；　with　our　instruments　and　machinery；　two　men　would　perform　in　two　hours。　From　the　want　of　a　scythe　or　sickle；　they　are　obliged　every　night　to　cut　with　a　knife；　or　pull　with　their　hands；　a　quantity　of　grass　sufficient　to　serve　their　horses；　mules；　and　black　cattle。（20*）　　　　　With　regard　to　the　planting　of　sugar；　experiments　have　been　made；　in　some　of　the　islands；　from　which　it　appears　that；　in　this　species　of　cultivation；　cattle　might　be　employed　wi