6. This in general. But to be more particular, I ask, 1. What is necessary? And secondly, To what end? It may be answered, “The whole method now used by the original purchasers of negroes, is necessary to the furnishing our colonies yearly with a hundred thousand slaves.” I grant this is necessary to that end. But how is that end necessary? How will you prove it necessary that one hundred, that _one_ of those slaves should be procured? “Why, it is necessary to my gaining an hundred thousand pounds.” Perhaps so: but how is _this_ necessary? It is very possible you might be both a better and a happier man, if you had not a quarter of it. I deny that your gaining one thousand is necessary, either to your present or eternal happiness. “But however you must allow, these slaves are necessary for the cultivation of our Islands: inasmuch as white men are not able to labour in hot climates.” I answer, 1. It were better that all those Islands should remain uncultivated for ever, yea, it were more desirable that they were altogether sunk in the depth of the sea, than that they should be cultivated at so high a price, as the violation of justice, mercy and truth. But, secondly, the supposition on which you ground your argument is false. For white men, even _English_ men, are well able to labour in hot climates: provided they are temperate both in meat and drink, and that they inure themselves to it by degrees. I speak no more than I know by experience. It appears from the thermometer, that the summer heat in _Georgia_, is frequently equal to that in _Barbadoes_, yea to that under the line. And yet I and my family (eight in number) did employ all our spare time there, in felling of trees and clearing of ground, as hard labour as any negro need be employed in. The _German_ family likewise, forty in number, were employed in all manner of labour. And this was so far from impairing our health, that we all continued perfectly well, while the idle ones round about us, were swept away as with a pestilence. It is not true therefore that white men are not able to labour, even in hot climates, full as well as black. But if they were not, it would be better that none should labour there, that the work should be left undone, than that myriads of innocent men should be murdered, and myriads more dragged into the basest slavery.
7. “But the furnishing us with slaves is necessary, for the trade, and wealth, and glory of our nation:” here are several mistakes. For 1. Wealth is not necessary to the glory of any nation; but wisdom, virtue, justice, mercy, generosity, public spirit, love of our country. These are necessary to the real glory of a nation; but abundance of wealth is not. Men of understanding allow, that the glory of _England_ was full as high, in Queen _Elizabeth’s_ time as it is now: although our riches and trade were then as much smaller, as our virtue was greater. But, secondly, it is not clear, that we should have either less money or trade, (only less of that detestable trade of man-stealing) if there was not a negro in all our Islands, or in all _English America_. It is demonstrable, white men, inured to it by degrees _can_ work as well as them: and they _would_ do it, were negroes out of the way, and proper encouragement given them. However, thirdly, I come back to the same point: better no trade, than trade procured by villany. It is far better to have no wealth, than to gain wealth at the expence of virtue. Better is honest poverty, than all the riches bought by the tears, and sweat and blood of our fellow-creatures.
8. “However this be; it is necessary when we have slaves, to use them with severity.” What, to whip them for every petty offence, till they are all in gore blood? To take that opportunity, of rubbing pepper and salt into their raw flesh? To drop burning sealing-wax upon their skin? To castrate them? To cut off half their foot with an axe? To hang them on gibbets, that they may die by inches, with heat, and hunger, and thirst? To pin them down to the ground, and then burn them by degrees, from the feet, to the head? To roast them alive?--When did a Turk or a Heathen find it necessary to use a fellow-creature thus?