ment
along with them. Were an impartial and competent observer of the state
of society in these middle colonies asked whence it happens that
Virginia and Maryland--which were the first planted, and which are
superior to many colonies, and inferior to none in point of natural
advantages--are still so exceedingly behind most of the other British
transatlantic possessions in all those improvements which bring credit
and consequence to a country, he would answer, 'They are so because they
are cultivated by slaves.' I believe it is capable of demonstration,
that except the immediate interest he has in the property of his slaves,
it would be for every man's interest that there were no slaves, and for
this plain reason, because the free labor of a free man, who is
regularly hired and paid for the work he does, and only for what he
does, is in the end cheaper than the eye-service of a slave. Some loss
and inconvenience would no doubt arise from the general abolition of
slavery in these colonies, but were it done gradually, with judgment and
with good temper, I have never yet seen it satisfactorily proved that
such inconvenience would be either great or lasting. North American or
West Indian planters might possibly for a few years make less tobacco,
or less rice, or less sugar, the raising of which might also cost them
more; but that disadvantage would probably soon be amply compensated to
them by an advanced price, or (what is the same thing) by the reduced
expense of cultivation. * * * * * * *

"I do you no more than justice in bearing witness that in no part of the
world were slaves ever better treated than, in general, they are in
these colonies. That there are exceptions needs not to be concealed: in
all countries there are bad men. And shame be to those men who, though
themselves blessed with freedom, have minds less liberal than the poor
creatures over whom they so meanly tyrannize! Even your humanity,
however, falls short of their exigencies. In one essential point I fear
we are all deficient: they are nowhere sufficiently instructed. I am far
from recommending it to you at once to set them all free, because to do
so would be a heavy loss to you and probably no gain to them; but I do
entreat you to make them some amends for the drudgery of their bodies by
cultivating their minds. By such means only can we hope to fulfil the
ends which we may be permitted to believe Providence had in view in
suffering them to be brought a