the origin of the distinction of ranks-第49章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the islands； from which it appears that； in this species of cultivation； cattle might be employed with advantage； and that the number of slaves might be greatly diminished。（21*） But these experiments have been little regarded； in opposition to the former usage； and in opposition to a lucrative branch of trade which this innovation would in a great measure destroy。 At any rate； the interest of our colonies seems to demand that the negroes should be better treated； and even that they should be raised to a better condition。 The author of a late elegant account of our American settlements has proposed； that small wages should be given them as an encouragement to industry。 If this measure were once begun； it is probable that it would gradually be pushed to a greater extent； as the master would soon find the advantage of proportioning the wages of the slaves to the work which they performed。 It is astonishing that so little attention has hitherto been paid to any improvements of this nature； after the good effects of them have been so fully illustrated in the case of the villains in Europe。 The owner of a sugar or tobacco plantation； one would think； might easily estimate the average value of the crop which it had formerly yielded； and could run no hazard； whatever profit he might reap； by allowing the people employed in the cultivation to draw a share of any additional produce obtained by their labour and frugality。 It affords a curious spectacle to observe that the same people who talk in a high strain of political liberty； and who consider the privilege of imposing their own taxes as one of the unalienable rights of mankind； should make no scruple of reducing a great proportion of their fellow…creatures into circumstances by which they are not only deprived of property； but almost of every species of right。 Fortune perhaps never produced a situation more calculated to ridicule a liberal hypothesis； or to show how little the conduct of men is at the bottom directed by any philosophical principles。 In those provinces； however； of North America； where few slaves have ever been maintained； and where slavery does not seem to be recommended by the nature of those employments in which the people are usually engaged； there may be some ground to expect that its pernicious effects upon industry will soon be felt； and that the practice will of course be abandoned。 It is said that some of the provincial assemblies in that country have lately resolved to prevent or discourage the importation of negroes； but from what motives this resolution has proceeded； it is difficult to determine。（22*） The advancement of commerce and the arts； together with the diffusion of knowledge； in the present age； has of late contributed to the removal of many prejudices； and been productive of enlarged opinions； both upon this and upon a variety of other subjects。 It has long been held； in Britain； that a negro slave； imported into this country； obtained thereby many of the privileges of a free man。 But by a late judgment in the court of king's…bench it was found that the master could not recover his power over the servant by sending him abroad at pleasure。（23*） By a still more recent decision of the chief court in Scotland； it was declared： That the dominion assumed over this negro； under the law of Jamaica； being unjust； could not be supported in this country to any extent： that therefore the defender had no right to the negro's service for any space of time； nor to send him out of the country against his consent。（24*） This last decision； which was given in 1778； is the more worthy of attention； as it condemns the slavery of the negroes in explicit term； and； being the first opinion of that nature delivered by any court in the island； may be accounted an authentic testimony of the liberal sentiments entertained in the latter part of the eighteenth century。 NOTES： 1。 These captives are worse treated by some of the American nations than by others； but in fact they are always retained in the condition of slaves。 See Lafitau； Moeurs de Sauvages Ameriquains； 4to。 tom。 2； p。 308。 2。 In north America； where slaves are said to be much better treated than in the West…India islands； it is believed； the expense of a negro…slave； for common labour； is not much inferior to that of a free labourer。 In the Jerseys； and in New York； the expense of a negro slave may be stated as follow： The original price； about 100 l。 currency； for which double interest allowed； at 7 per cent。 ？4 Yearly expence of clothing 6 For medicines； etc。 3 For maintenance 15 In all ？8 yearly。 A free labourer； in those provinces； when hired by the year； receives from 24 l。 to 30 l。 yearly； to which may be added 15 l。 for maintenance。 And in balancing this account we must take in the risk that the negro； when purchased； may not be fit for the purpose； and that his labour may be of little value。 3。 See Heineccius； Ant。 Rom。 lib。 1； tit。 5； ？6。 This regulation； however； admitted of an exception； where a man fraudulently suffered himself to be sold in order to share in the price； in which case he became the slave of the person whom he had defrauded。 L。 3。 Dig。 quib。 ad。 libert。 proclam。 non licet。 4。 It is accordingly held； in the later Roman law； that a soldier is entitled to no part of the plunder acquired in war； unless from the special donation of the emperor。 L。 20。 ？1。 Dig。 de capt。 et postl。 1。 36。 ？1。 c。 de donat。 5。 Plautus； Amphitr。 6。 Juvenal； Sat。 6。 Vedius Pollio； a Roman citizen； is said to have fed the fishes in his fish…ponds with the flesh of his own slaves。 Donat。 ad Terentii Phorm。 act 2； scen。 1。 With regard to the treatment of the Roman slaves； see Mr Hume's learned essay on the populousness of ancient nations。 7。 Exodus； chap。 xxi； ver。 20； 21； 26； 27。 It has been a question whether the last quoted laws； in ver。 26 and 27； related to the slaves acquired from foreign nations； or only to such of the israelites as had been reduced into a state of servitude。 Grotius is of the latter opinion。 Vide Grotius； com。 ad cit。 cap。 8。 The following account is given by Tacitus； concerning the state of the slaves among the ancient Germans。 'Gambling；' says he； speaking of that people； 'one may be surprised to find； they practice in all seriousness in their sober hours； with such recklessness in winning or losing that； when all else has failed； they stake personal liberty on the last and final throw： the loser faces voluntary slavery； though he be the younger and the stronger man； he suffers himself to be bound and sold； such is their persistence in wrong…doing； or in their good faith； as they themselves style it。 Slaves so acquired they trade； in order to deliver themselves； as well as the slave； from the humiliation involved in such victory。 'Their other slaves are not organized in our fashion： that is； by a division of the services of life among them。 Each of them remains master of his own house and home： the master requires from the slave as serf ＇colonus＇ a certain quantity of grain or cattle or clothing。 The slave so far is subservient； but the other services of the household are discharged by the master's wife and children。 To beat a slave and coerce him with hard labour and imprisonment is rare： if they are killed； it is not usually to preserve strict discipline； but in a fit of fury； like an enemy； except that there is no penalty to be paid。' Tacitus； de mor。 Germ。 ？24； 25。 9。 Potgiesserus； de statu servorum； lib。 2 cap。 1。 3； 4； 5。 9 Ibid。 cap。 10； ？。 7； 8。 Ibid。 lib。3；？。3； 10。 Potgiesserus； de statu serv。 lib。 2； cap。 1； ？24。 A singular proof of the moderation of the masters in correcting their slaves； about this period； is mentioned by the same author； as follow： 'The punishment was； however； lenient in this way； that slaves might not be beaten with a stick wider and thicker than one veru （thickness of an arrow） as I remember having seen in the ancient parchment codex of Werdinensis。' Ibid。 11。 See Dr Wallace； on the numbers of mankind。 12。 The stock which is delivered by the master to his
