advantages, of the melioration and ultimate freedom of the American
slave population, I shall proceed to communicate some facts and remarks
on the interior traffic in slaves, and on the practice of kidnapping
coloured persons, legally free.

42. To those who may object to the propriety of exposing to public view
such deeds as are likely to shock the feelings and sympathy of the
friends of humanity, I reply, that the object is not to excite popular
execration against their authors, but commiseration towards the
sufferers, and to discourage the repetition of cruelty. In supplications
for redress of grievances, it is customary and necessary too, for the
aggrieved party, to represent the wrongs complained of. The facts
adduced, can be well substantiated:--but as it is believed that no
valuable purpose will be gained, by the mention of names and specific
places where they occurred, they will be omitted as far as it may be
convenient.

43. In the structure of our political institutions, we have, in some
respects, undoubtedly excelled the ancient republics:--and in others, we
have evidently degenerated. Solon perceived that slavery was a fruitful
source of moral depravity to the Athenians, and abolished it;
notwithstanding it had its origin in the previous voluntary contraction
of debts, by the slaves. We neglect this valuable lesson of Solon, and
also a political maxim of his, which ought to form the corner-stone of
every republic. Being asked what kind of government is best, he
answered, "that in which an injury to the meanest member of the
community is esteemed an aggression upon the whole." Our laws for the
protection of the rights and liberty of free yellow and black people,
must be exceedingly defective, or there could not at this moment be
thousands of them illegally held in slavery.

44. Slavery, says Sterne, however disguised, _is still a bitter
draught_; but it is rendered tenfold more bitter and intolerable, when
the members of families are dragged asunder, never to behold each
other, or their native _wonted_ country again.--And it is the
_uncontrolled slave trade_, between the middle and southerly states,
which gives facility to the extensive and increasing practice of
kidnapping (slaves as well as freemen,) and secures it from the
possibility of detection, except casually. Under the existing laws, if a
free coloured man travels without passports certifying his right to his
liberty, he is generally apprehended;