wealbk04-第49章

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the　contrary；　take　place　in　their　colonies；　and　the　discretionary

powers　which　such　governments　commonly　delegate　to　all　their

inferior　officers　are；　on　account　of　the　great　distance；

naturally　exercised　there　with　more　than　ordinary　violence。　Under

all　absolute　governments　there　is　more　liberty　in　the　capital

than　in　any　other　part　of　the　country。　The　sovereign　himself　can

never　have　either　interest　or　inclination　to　pervert　the　order　of

justice；　or　to　oppress　the　great　body　of　the　people。　In　the

capital　his　presence　overawes　more　or　less　all　his　inferior

officers；　who　in　the　remoter　provinces；　from　whence　the

complaints　of　the　people　are　less　likely　to　reach　him；　can

exercise　their　tyranny　with　much　more　safety。　But　the　European

colonies　in　America　are　more　remote　than　the　most　distant

provinces　of　the　greatest　empires　which　had　ever　been　known

before。　The　government　of　the　English　colonies　is　perhaps　the

only　one　which；　since　the　world　began；　could　give　perfect

security　to　the　inhabitants　of　so　very　distant　a　province。　The

administration　of　the　French　colonies；　however；　has　always　been

conducted　with　more　gentleness　and　moderation　than　that　of　the

Spanish　and　Portugese。　This　superiority　of　conduct　is　suitable

both　to　the　character　of　the　French　nation；　and　to　what　forms　the

character　of　every　nation；　the　nature　of　their　government；　which

though　arbitrary　and　violent　in　comparison　with　that　of　Great

Britain；　is　legal　and　free　in　comparison　with　those　of　Spain　and

Portugal。

　　　　　It　is　in　the　progress　of　the　North　American　colonies；

however；　that　the　superiority　of　the　English　policy　chiefly

appears。　The　progress　of　the　sugar　colonies　of　France　has　been　at

least　equal；　perhaps　superior；　to　that　of　the　greater　part　of

those　of　England；　and　yet　the　sugar　colonies　of　England　enjoy　a

free　government　nearly　of　the　same　kind　with　that　which　takes

place　in　her　colonies　of　North　America。　But　the　sugar　colonies　of

France　are　not　discouraged；　like　those　of　England；　from　refining

their　own　sugar；　and；　what　is　of　still　greater　importance；　the

genius　of　their　government　naturally　introduces　a　better

management　of　their　negro　slaves。

　　　　　In　all　European　colonies　the　culture　of　the　sugar…cane　is

carried　on　by　negro　slaves。　The　constitution　of　those　who　have

been　born　in　the　temperate　climate　of　Europe　could　not；　it　is

supposed；　support　the　labour　of　digging　the　ground　under　the

burning　sun　of　the　West　Indies；　and　the　culture　of　the　sugarcane；

as　it　is　managed　at　present；　is　all　hand　labour；　though；　in　the

opinion　of　many；　the　drill　plough　might　be　introduced　into　it

with　great　advantage。　But；　as　the　profit　and　success　of　the

cultivation　which　is　carried　on　by　means　of　cattle；　depend　very

much　upon　the　good　management　of　those　cattle；　so　the　profit　and

success　of　that　which　is　carried　on　by　slaves　must　depend　equally

upon　the　good　management　of　those　slaves；　and　in　the　good

management　of　their　slaves　the　French　planters；　I　think　it　is

generally　allowed；　are　superior　to　the　English。　The　law；　so　far

as　it　gives　some　weak　protection　to　the　slave　against　the

violence　of　his　master；　is　likely　to　be　better　executed　in　a

colony　where　the　government　is　in　a　great　measure　arbitrary　than

in　one　where　it　is　altogether　free。　In　every　country　where　the

unfortunate　law　of　slavery　is　established；　the　magistrate；　when

he　protects　the　slave；　intermeddles　in　some　measure　in　the

management　of　the　private　property　of　the　master；　and；　in　a　free

country；　where　the　master　is　perhaps　either　a　member　of　the

colony　assembly；　or　an　elector　of　such　a　member；　he　dare　not　do

this　but　with　the　greatest　caution　and　circumspection。　The

respect　which　he　is　obliged　to　pay　to　the　master　renders　it　more

difficult　for　him　to　protect　the　slave。　But　in　a　country　where

the　government　is　in　a　great　measure　arbitrary；　where　it　is　usual

for　the　magistrate　to　intermeddle　even　in　the　management　of　the

private　property　of　individuals；　and　to　send　them；　perhaps；　a

lettre　de　cachet　if　they　do　not　manage　it　according　to　his

liking；　it　is　much　easier　for　him　to　give　some　protection　to　the

slave；　and　common　humanity　naturally　disposes　him　to　do　so。　The

protection　of　the　magistrate　renders　the　slave　less　contemptible

in　the　eyes　of　his　master；　who　is　thereby　induced　to　consider　him

with　more　regard；　and　to　treat　him　with　more　gentleness。　Gentle

usage　renders　the　slave　not　only　more　faithful；　but　more

intelligent；　and　therefore；　upon　a　double　account；　more　useful。

He　approaches　more　to　the　condition　of　a　free　servant；　and　may

possess　some　degree　of　integrity　and　attachment　to　his　master's

interest；　virtues　which　frequently　belong　to　free　servants；　but

which　never　can　belong　to　a　slave　who　is　treated　as　slaves

commonly　are　in　countries　where　the　master　is　perfectly　free　and

secure。

　　　　　That　the　condition　of　a　slave　is　better　under　an　arbitrary

than　under　a　free　government　is；　I　believe；　supported　by　the

history　of　all　ages　and　nations。　In　the　Roman　history；　the　first

time　we　read　of　the　magistrate　interposing　to　protect　the　slave

from　the　violence　of　his　master　is　under　the　emperors。　When

Vedius　Pollio；　in　the　presence　of　Augustus；　ordered　one　of　his

slaves；　who　had　committed　a　slight　fault；　to　be　cut　into　pieces

and　thrown　into　his　fish　pond　in　order　to　feed　his　fishes；　the

emperor　commanded　him；　with　indignation；　to　emancipate

immediately；　not　only　that　slave；　but　all　the　others　that

belonged　to　him。　Under　the　republic　no　magistrate　could　have　had

authority　enough　to　protect　the　slave；　much　less　to　punish　the

master。

　　　　　The　stock；　it　is　to　be　observed；　which　has　improved　the

sugar　colonies　of　France；　particularly　the　great　colony　of　St。

Domingo；　has　been　raised　almost　entirely　from　the　gradual

improvement　and　cultivation　of　those　colonies。　It　has　been　almost

altogether　the　produce　of　the　soil　and　of　the　industry　of　the

colonies；　or；　what　comes　to　the　same　thing；　the　price　of　that

produce　gradually　accumulated　by　good　management；　and　employed　in

raising　a　still　greater　produce。　But　the　stock　which　has　improved

and　cultivated　the　sugar　colonies　of　England　has；　a　great　part　of

it；　been　sent　out　from　England；　and　has　by　no　means　been

altogether　the　produce　of　the　soil　and　industry　of　the　colonists。

The　prosperity　of　the　English　sugar　colonies　has　been；　in　a　great

measure；　owing　to　the　great　riches　of　England；　of　which　a　part

has　overflowed；　if　one　may　say　so；　upon　those　colonies。　But　the

prosperity　of　the　sugar　colonies　of　France　has　been　entirely

owing　to　the　good　conduct　of　the　colonists；　which　must　therefore

have　had　some　superiority　over　that　of　the　English；　and　this

superiority　has　been　remarked　in　nothing　so　much　as　in　the　good

management　of　their　slaves。

　　　　　Such　have　been　the　general　outlines　of　the　policy　of　the

different　European　nations　with　regard　to　their　colonies。

　　　　　The　policy　of　Europe；　therefore；　has　very　little　to　boast

of；　either　in　the　original　establishment　or；　so　far　as　concerns

their　internal　government；　in　the　subsequent　prosperity　of　the

colonies　of　America。

　　　　　Folly　and　injustice　seem　to　have　been　the　principles　which

presided　over　and　directed　the　first　project　of　establishing

those　colonies；　the　folly　of　hunting　after　gold　and　silver　mines；

and　the　injustice　of　coveting　the　possession　of　a　country　whose

harmless　natives；　far　from　having　ever　injured　the　people　of

Europe；　had　received　the　first　adventurers　with　every　mark　of

kindness　and　hospitality。

　　　　　The　adventurers；　indeed；　who　formed　some　of　the　later

establishments；　joined　to　the　chimerical　project　of　finding　gold

and　silver　mines　other　motives　more　reasonable　and　more　laudable；

but　even　these　motives　do　very　little　honour　to　the　policy　of

Europe。

　　　　　The　English　Puritans；　restrained　at　home；　fled　for　freedom

to　America；　and　established　there　the　four　governments　of　New

England。　The　English　Catholics；　treated　with　much　greater

injustice；　established　that　of　Maryland；　the　Quakers；　that　of

Pennsylvania。　The　Portuguese　Jews；　persecuted　by　the　Inquisition