The Commodity itself is the Claimer.  If Arabian Gold be imported in any quantities, most are afraid to meddle with it, though they might have it at easy rates; lest it should have been wrongfully taken from the Owners, it should kindle a fire to the Consumption of their whole Estate.  ’Tis pity there should be more Caution used in buying a Horse, or a little lifeless dust, than there is in purchasing Men and Women:  Whereas they are the Offspring of GOD, and their Liberty is,

... Auro pretiofior Omni.

“And seeing GOD hath said, He that Stealeth a Man, and Selleth him, or if he be found in his Hand, he shall surely be put to Death. Exod. 21, 16.  This Law being of Everlasting Equity, wherein Man-Stealing is ranked among the most atrocious of Capital Crimes:  What louder Cry can there be made of that Celebrated Warning

Caveat Emptor!

“And all things considered, it would conduce more to the Welfare of the Province, to have White Servants for a Term of Years, than to have Slaves for Life.  Few can endure to hear of a Negro’s being made free; and indeed they can seldom use their Freedom well; yet their continual aspiring after their forbidden Liberty, renders them Unwilling Servants.  And there is such a disparity in their Conditions, Colour, and Hair, that they can never embody with us, & grow up in orderly Families, to the Peopling of the Land; but still remain in our Body Politick as a kind of extravasat Blood.  As many Negro Men as there are among us, so many empty Places are there in our Train Bands, and the places taken up of Men that might make Husbands for our Daughters.  And the Sons and Daughters of New England would become more like Jacob and Rachel, if this Slavery were thrust quite out of Doors.  Moreover it is too well known what Temptations Masters are under, to connive at the Fornication of their Slaves; lest they should be obliged to find them Wives, or pay their Fines.  It seems to be practically pleaded that they might be lawless; ’tis thought much of, that the Law should have satisfaction for their Thefts, and other Immoralities; by which means, Holiness to the Lord is more rarely engraven upon this sort of Servitude.  It is likewise most lamentable to think, how in taking Negroes out of Africa, and selling of them here, That which GOD has joined together, Men do boldly rend asunder; Men from their Country, Husbands from their Wives, Parents from their Children.  How horrible is the Uncleanness, Mortality, if not Murder, that the Ships are guilty of that bring great Crowds of these miserable Men and Women.  Methinks when we are bemoaning the barbarous Usage of our Friends and Kinsfolk in Africa, it might not be unreasonable to enquire whether we are not culpable in forcing the Africans to become Slaves amongst ourselves.  And it may be a question whether all the Benefit received by Negro Slaves will balance the Accompt