But the great cause of the decrease of the slaves was in the non-residence of the planters.  Sir George Yonge, and many others, had said, they had seen the slaves treated in a manner, which their owners would have resented, if they had known it.  Mr. Orde spoke in the strongest terms of the misconduct of managers.  The fact was, that these in general sought to establish their characters by producing large crops at a small immediate expense; too little considering how far the slaves might suffer from ill-treatment and excessive labour.  The pursuit of such a system was a criterion for judging of their characters, as both Mr. Long and Mr. Ottley had confessed.

But he must contend, in addition to this, that the object of keeping up the stock of slaves by breeding had never been seriously attended to.  For this he might appeal both to his own witnesses, and to those of his opponents; but he would only notice one fact.  It was remarkable that, when owners and managers were asked about the produce of their estates, they were quite at home as to the answer; but when they were asked about the proportion of their male and female slaves, and their infants, they knew little about the matter.  Even medical men were adepts in the art of planting; but when they were asked the latter questions, as connected with breeding and rearing, they seemed quite amazed; and could give no information upon the subject of them.

Persons, however, of great respectability had been called as witnesses, who had not seen the treatment of the Negros as he had now described it.  He knew what was due to their characters; but yet he must enter a general protest against their testimony.  “I have often,” says Mr. Ross, “attended both governors and admirals upon tours in the island of Jamaica.  But it was not likely that these should see much distress upon these occasions.  The White People and drivers would take care not to harrow up the feelings of strangers of distinction by the exercise of the whip, or the infliction of punishments, at that particular time; and, even if there were any disgusting objects, it was natural to suppose that they would then remove them.”  But in truth these gentlemen had given proofs, that they were under the influence of prejudice.  Some of them had declared the abolition would ruin the West Indies.  But this, it was obvious, must depend upon the practicability of keeping up the stock without African supplies; and yet, when they were questioned upon this point, they knew nothing about it.  Hence they had formed a conclusion without premises.  Their evidence, too, extended through a long series of years.  They had never seen one instance of ill-treatment in the time; and yet, in the same breath, they talked of the amended situation of the slaves; and that they were now far better off than formerly.  One of them, to whom his country owed much, stated that a master had been sentenced to death for the murder of his own slave; but his recollection must have failed him; for the murder of a slave was not then a capital crime.  A respectable governor also had delivered an opinion to the same effect; but, had he looked into the statute-book of the island, he would have found his error.