the only sure foundation of every social virtue.  Africa has about ten thousand miles of sea coast, and extends in depth near three thousand miles from east to west, and as much from north to south, stored with vast treasures of materials, necessary for the trade and manufactures of Great-Britain; and from its climate, and the fruitfulness of its soil, capable, under proper management, of producing in the greatest plenty, most of the commodities which are imported into Europe from those parts of America subject to the English government;[A] and as, in return, they would take our manufactures, the advantages of this trade would soon become so great, that it is evident this subject merits the regard and attention of the government.

[Footnote A:  See note, page 109.]

EXTRACT

FROM A

REPRESENTATION

OF THE

INJUSTICE

AND

DANGEROUS TENDENCY

OF TOLERATING

SLAVERY;

OR

Admitting the least CLAIM of private Property in the Persons of Men in England.

By GRANVILLE SHARP.

FIRST PRINTED IN LONDON.

MDCCLXIX.

CONTENTS.

The occasion of this Treatise.  All Persons during their residence in Great Britain are subjects; and as such, bound to the laws, and under the Kings protection.  By the English laws, no man, of what condition soever, to be imprisoned, or any way deprived of his LIBERTY, without a legal process.  The danger of Slavery taking place in England.  Prevails in the Northern Colonies, notwithstanding the people’s plea in favour of Liberty. Advertisements in the New-York Journal for the sale of SLAVES. Advertisements to the same purpose in the public prints in England.  The danger of confining any person without a legal warrant.  Instances of that nature.  Note, Extract of several American laws, Reflexions thereon.

EXTRACT, &C.

Some persons respectable in the law, having given it as their opinion, “That a slave, by coming from the West Indies to Great Britain or Ireland, either with or without his master, doth not become free, or that his master’s property or right in him is not thereby determined or varied;—­and that the master may legally compel him to return again to the plantations,”—­this causes our author to remark, that these lawyers, by thus stating the case merely on one side of the question, (I mean in favour of the master) have occasioned an unjust presumption and prejudice, plainly inconsistent with the laws of the realm, and against the other side of the question; as they have not signified that their opinion was only conditional, and not absolute, and must be understood on the part of the master, “That he can produce an authentic agreement or contract in writing, by which it shall appear, that the said slave hath voluntarily bound himself, without compulsion or illegal duress.”