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friends." This he knows from inquiring frequently (which he was enabled to do by understanding their language) into the circumstances of their grievous complaints [1].
As the trade may be said to end on the delivery of the slaves in the West Indies, it may not be improper to state the opinion of some of the Evidences concerning it.
Mr. Wilson states, that his reason for quitting his late employment was, that he did not like to continue in a trade, that did not perfectly coincide with his ideas, and was not to his satisfaction, being obliged to make use of means for the preservation of the cargo, contrary to his feelings, and sense of humanity.
Mr. Falconbridge declares, that in his first and second voyage he reflected but little on the justice or injustice of the trade. In his last voyage he reflected more, and the more he did so, the more he was convinced it was an unnatural, iniquitous, and villainous trade, and he could not reconcile it to his conscience. This was the reason for his leaving it. He adds, that he believes at the time he left it, he could have gone again with Capt. Frazer, if he had chosen it, and he was afterwards repeatedly solicited to go to the Gold coast by Captain Thompson.
Captain Wilson declares from the whole of his experience, as an impartial man, he has long since formed an opinion, (which each succeeding day's experience has justified and confirmed) that it is a trade evidently founded on injustice and treachery, manifestly carried on by oppression and cruelty, and not unfrequently terminating in murder.
- ↑ It is evident from hence, that no Regulation of the Trade can heal the evils in this branch of the subject. It can never cure melancholy or a diseased mind. It can never prevent an injured people from rising if out of irons, nor can it take away corrupted air, unless it reduce the number to be carried so low, as not to make it worth the while of the slave-merchants to transport them.
