, as well as there; how can we praise such forced
humanity? how, on the contrary, not give vent to all the indignation, which
must naturally arise in every feeling mind?

"And to do justice to both, you add, if the Virginians are not so severe,
it is because the Negroes themselves are less treacherous and thievish than
in the islands, because the propagation of the black species being very
considerable here, most of the Negroes are born in the country, and it is
remarked, that these are in general less depraved than those imported from
Africa."

Here is a strange confusion of causes and effects, and a strange abuse of
words. First let us clear up the facts. Here are some valuable ones for the
cause of the Negroes.

You say they are not so thievish in Virginia, propagate faster, and are
less depraved: Why? Because they are less cruelly treated.--Here is the
cause and the effect, you have mistaken one for the other.

We must conclude from this fact, that if the Virginians were no longer
severe, and should treat the blacks like fellow-creatures, they would not
be more vicious than their white servants.

The degree of oppression is the measure of what is improperly called the
viciousness of the slaves.--The more cruel their tyrants, the more
treacherous, villainous and cruel are the slaves in return--Can we wonder
that Macronius should assassinate his master Tiberius? This viciousness is
a punishment that heaven inflicts upon tyranny.

Can the efforts of a slave for the recovery of his liberty, be denominated
vicious or criminal? From the moment you violate the laws of nature, in
regard to them, why should not they shake them off in their relative duties
to you? You rob them of liberty, and you would not have them steal your
gold! You whip and cruelly torment them, and expect them not to struggle
for deliverance! You assassinate them every day, and expect them not to
assassinate you once! You call your outrages, rights, and the courage which
repulses them, a crime! What a confusion of ideas! what horrid logic!

And you, sir, a humane philosopher! are accessory to this injustice, by
describing the blacks in the style of a dealer in human flesh! You call
what are no more than natural consequences of the compression of the spring
of liberty--treachery, theft and depravation.[2] But can a natural
consequence be criminal? Remove the cause or is it not the only crime?

For my part, sir, I firmly believe, that the barbariti