estroying herself if not soon released.

SLAVERY.

The right of slavery is established in Sumatra, as it is throughout the
East, and has been all over the world; yet but few instances occur of the
country people actually having slaves; though they are common enough in
the Malayan, or sea-port towns. Their domestics and labourers are either
dependant relations, or the orang mengiring above described, who are
usually called debtors, but should be distinguished by the term of
insolvent debtors. The simple manners of the people require that their
servants should live, in a great measure, on a footing of equality with
the rest of the family, which is inconsistent with the authority
necessary to be maintained over slaves who have no principle to restrain
them but that of personal fear,* and know that their civil condition
cannot be altered for the worse.

(*Footnote. I do not mean to assert that all men in the condition of
slaves are devoid of principle: I have experienced the contrary, and
found in them affection and strict honesty: but that there does not
result from their situation as slaves any principle of moral rectitude;
whereas every other condition of society has annexed to it ideas of duty
and mutual obligation arising from a sense of general utility. That
sublime species of morality derived from the injunctions of religion it
is almost universally their fate to be likewise strangers to, because
slavery is found inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel, not merely
as inculcating philanthropy but inspiring a principle of equality amongst
mankind.)

There is this advantage also, that when a debtor absconds they have
recourse to his relations for the amount of his debt, who, if unable to
pay it, must mengiring in his room; whereas when a slave makes his escape
the law can give no redress, and his value is lost to the owner. These
people moreover are from habit backward to strike, and the state of
slavery unhappily requires the frequent infliction of punishment in that
mode. A slave cannot possess independently any property; yet it rarely
happens that a master is found mean and sordid enough to despoil them of
the fruits of their industry; and their liberty is generally granted them
when in a condition to purchase it, though they cannot demand it of
right. It is nothing uncommon for those belonging to the Europeans to
possess slaves of their own, and to acquire considerable substance. Their
condition is here for t