d
themselves; and grants them a most beneficial and inviolable
Lease under the Broad Seal of Heaven, who were before only
Tenants at Will; yet through the Indulgence of GOD to our
First Parents after the Fall, the outward Estate of all and
every of their Children, remains the same as to one another.
So that Originally, and Naturally, there is no such thing as
Slavery. _Joseph_ was rightfully no more a slave to his
Brethren, than they were to him; and they had no more
Authority to _Sell_ him, than they had to _Slay_ him. And if
_they_ had nothing to do to sell him; the _Ishmaelites_
bargaining with them, and paying down Twenty pieces of
Silver, could not make a Title. Neither could _Potiphar_
have any better Interest in him than the _Ishmaelites_ had.
_Gen. 37, 20, 27, 28_. For he that shall in this case plead
_Alteration of Property_, seems to have forfeited a great
part of his own claim to Humanity. There is no proportion
between Twenty Pieces of Silver and LIBERTY. The Commodity
itself is the Claimer. If _Arabian_ Gold be imported in any
quantities, most are afraid to meddle with it, though they
might have it at easy rates; lest it should have been
wrongfully taken from the Owners, it should kindle a fire to
the Consumption of their whole Estate. 'Tis pity there
should be more Caution used in buying a Horse, or a little
lifeless dust, than there is in purchasing Men and Women:
Whereas they are the Offspring of GOD, and their Liberty is,

... _Auro pretiofior Omni._

"And seeing GOD hath said, _He that Stealeth a Man, and
Selleth him, or if he be found in his Hand, he shall surely
be put to Death._ Exod. 21, 16. This Law being of
Everlasting Equity, wherein Man-Stealing is ranked among the
most atrocious of Capital Crimes: What louder Cry can there
be made of that Celebrated Warning

_Caveat Emptor!_

"And all things considered, it would conduce more to the
Welfare of the Province, to have White Servants for a Term
of Years, than to have Slaves for Life. Few can endure to
hear of a Negro's being made free; and indeed they can
seldom use their Freedom well; yet their continual aspiring
after their forbidden Liberty, renders them Unwilling
Servants. And there is such a disparity in their