yet it might at least occasion the setting on foot some wholesome regulations, by way of restraint on the masters.

"I am told of some regulations that have taken place in the Spanish colonies, which do the Spaniards much honour, and are certainly worthy of our imitation, in case we should not be so happy as to obtain an entire abolition of slavery; and probably you will find many American subjects that would be willing to promote such regulations, though the same people would strenuously oppose the scheme of a total abolition of slavery.

"Be pleased to inform me, whether you shall be likely to procure any such petitions or memorials as are mentioned above; because I would endeavour to prevail on some of the Bishops to present the memorials that are for the King; as also on Sir George Saville, or some other respectable member of the Lower House, to present the petitions to Parliament. Yet this matter will require good consideration, because the business is certainly in the regular channel when conducted by your own agent.

"Lord Dartmouth, who is lately appointed secretary for the colonies, is esteemed a humane and religious man, and his mediation with the King and Council might probably be very efficacious, were he applied to from your side of the water, by way of memorial accompanying the petition, &c., if signed by any respectable number of American subjects; and then the business would be in a regular track. I need not assure you, Sir, how much you have my good wishes for prosperity and success in your benevolent undertakings, and that I shall always think myself happy in lending what little assistance may happen to be in my power.

"With great esteem," &c. &c.

From these letters, Mr. Sharp's active exertions in the cause of African freedom appear not only to have given fresh zeal to the humane endeavours of the Quakers in America, but to have been the means of collecting their benevolent, but ill-combined, measures into a regular and effective method of procedure.

The tract" on the Injustice of Slavery," and the dispersion of it throughout America by Benezet and other zealous Quakers, during the course of three successive years (from 1769), had already produced the most powerful effects. The House of Burgesses in Virginia sent a petition to the King, dated 1st April, 1772, wherein they

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implored his Majesty's paternal assistance in averting a calamity of the most alarming nature." The importation of Slaves," they said, "into the colonies from the coast of Africa, hath long been considered as a trade of great inhumanity, and, under its present encouragement, we have too much reason to fear will endanger the very existence of your Majesty's American dominions." In some other Colonial Assemblies it had either excited or strengthened an earnest wish to abolish slavery as well as the Slave Trade.

His reply to Benezet was no less cordially welcomed: copies of it were every where circulated through the provinces, and were read with the utmost avidity. His instructions were received with deference, and the distinctions which he pointed out, with regard to the mode of petitioning against the different objects of their complaints, were regarded as rules for further procedure.

The progress and effects of his correspondence with the zealous Benezet will be presently shown, from a manuscript which he (many years afterwards) drew up and presented to the President of the African Institution, and in which he gave a summary account of the result of his public efforts.-But it is first requisite, in order of time, to mention some further circumstances which had occurred, regarding the property in slaves in England.

1772.

By the judgment delivered in the cause of Somerset, a slow but fatal wound had been given to the infamous traffic in a large portion of the human race. It was evident, that the penetrating mind of Lord Mansfield had not failed to perceive, at an early advance of the trial, the extensive consequences of the principle which he was himself about to establish. With the circumspection, therefore, that became the guardian of the property and rightful claims of British subjects, we have seen him, at the close of the second day's sitting, recommending to the West-India merchants to be on their guard respecting the consequences of the proceedings then carrying on, and suggesting the expediency of their applying for advice to Parliament during its actual session.

A motion was accordingly made in the House of Commons, for leave to bring in a bill for the securing of property in Negroes and other slaves in this kingdom. The motion was overruled. The hopes of the slave-dealers, however, survived; nor was the diligence of their opponents abated, as will appear from the following letters..

"Sir,

G. S. to Dr. Fothergill.

27th October, 1772.

"The West-India merchants, traders, and other interested persons, have formed a considerable association, to promote a Bill at the next meeting of Parliament for the toleration of slavery in this kingdom, in order to counteract the late clear decision of the Court of King's Bench in favour of James Somerset and of the Negroes in general.

"The slave-holders' Bill, I apprehend, will be something to the same effect as Mr. 's* motion, that was overruled last year; viz. for securing property in Negroes and other slaves in this kingdom.' I should not have taken the liberty of writing to you on this subject, had I not conceived so great an opinion of your humanity as to suppose that you would choose to be apprised of such a dangerous scheme, in order that you may raise all the opposition against it that you possibly can, among your friends.

"If Mr. 's motion should ever pass into a law; other laws, still more unjust and cruel, must be made to enforce and assist that law, as in all other places where slavery is tolerated. It is necessary, therefore, that all persons, who sincerely regard the welfare of this kingdom, should use their utmost interest against this association of slave-holders, in order that their wretched scheme may once more be overruled; and I hope that more than five, or even fifty, righteous persons may yet be found in this great city, to oppose the measure, and declare their detestation of it in a just petition against the Bill.

"Mr. Benezet is endeavouring to procure signatures in Pennsylvania and Maryland, to a petition against slavery. With great esteem," &c. &c. .

Dr. Fothergill, in reply, to G. S.

"Harford Street, 8th inst.

I have not been inactive in the affair. I am assured of a person,,

* I have omitted the name of the mover in this and the preceding letter, because every one must, in Christian charity, suppose him to have wished the circumstance to be forgotten.

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who will have considerable influence in this business, let it come before Administration which way it will.

"Let my want of leisure be no obstacle to thy informing me frequently of any thing wherein I can be of use. I shall not wait for such information, if an opportunity offers of rendering service to those who are the object of every honest man's care and attention, because they have been grievously oppressed, and are farther threatened with accumulated suffering.

"Dear Sir,

"With much respect," &c.

Mr. Alleyne to Granville Sharp, Esq.

"January 13, 1773.

"At any time that you can spare an hour, I should be very happy in seeing you on the old subject of the slavery of the Negroes. There is now a Bill passing for the horrid purpose of legitimating the dire relation of master and slave in England. It must, and shall be opposed. I wish for the favour of your appointment, and will punctually wait on you when and where you please. "Your affectionate humble servant," &c.

The result of these mutual preparations is not noticed. Granville's vigilance was roused, but the alarm subsided*.

His attention, nearly at the same time, had been called to some transactions of which the connection with the events just related is obvious. They were such as involved the general concerns of humanity and the national character of England.

By an investigation which took place in Parliament, in November 1772, on the subject of the Caribbees in St. Vincent's, (one of the neutral islands ceded by France to Great Britain at the last treaty of

The following sentence, in a letter from G. S. to his brother Dr. J. Sharp, may probably refer to the Bill in question.

"As it has pleased God that the Negro slaves have had a solemn decision of the court in their favour, the West-India slave holders have attempted to evade it, by binding their Negro servants to them as apprentices when they bring them to England. But the law will not endure such an evasion! The servant being in slavery, is incapable of entering into any contract with his master, for the same reason that a contract made in prison is suspected of duress, and is therefore null and void."

peace), it appeared, that very considerable disagreements had arisen, concerning some territorial distributions, between the new settlers and the remaining portion of the aboriginal possessors. At an early period of the contest, Mr. Sharp's indignation was excited by a report of its being the intention of our Government to extirpate the latter.

"The French," he says, in a letter to Dr. Fothergill," attempted in vain to subdue the Caribbees of St. Vincent's, and yet had the assurance to cede the whole island to the English, though they possessed but a small part of it; and the English, lest they should seem less adroit in Machiavelian policy than their Most Christian neighbours, are now about to enforce their title with fire and sword. Suppose, by way of comparison, that the French should think proper to cede Great Britain to the King of Prussia; should we think this a sufficient reason for acquitting the latter of robbery and wilful murder, if he were to come, by virtue of such a title, to measure out and divide our land, and to butcher every English freeholder who should presume to assert his own prior right?

"But the Caribbees possess some of the finest land in the whole island for growing sugar-canes, and therefore-we ought to extirpate them! Again, they claim more land than they possess, and are so insolent as to endeavour to preserve all that they claim; so that we have a right to make war upon them, and take by force not only all that they claim, but even all that they possess! Besides, they were so presumptuous, about three years ago, as to oppose the King's troops, when sent to take possession of their lands without their leave!

"I have carefully attended to the allegations against the Caribbees, and cannot really make out, on the whole, any better meaning of them, when stripped of their sophistical dress, than what I have here said in plain English. I do not recollect that the English annals are stained with so glaring an instance of national injustice, since Ireland was ceded by the Pope to King Henry the Second; but the ignorance and bigotry of those dark times afford