A particular instance
occurred in the evidence of a prince, who, when sober, resisted their
wishes; but in the moment of inebriety he gave the word for war, attacked
the next village, and sold the inhabitants to the merchants.
The second mode was kidnapping. He referred the House to various instances
of this in the evidence: but there was one in particular, from which we
might immediately infer the frequency of the practice. A Black trader had
kidnapped a girl and sold her; but he was presently afterwards kidnapped
and sold himself; and, when he asked the captain who bought him, "What! do
you buy me, who am a great trader?" the only answer was, "Yes, I will buy
you, or her, or any body else, provided any one will sell you;" and
accordingly both the trader and the girl were carried to the West Indies
and sold for slaves.
The third mode of obtaining slaves was by crimes committed or imputed. One
of these was adultery. But was Africa the place, where Englishmen, above
all others, were to go to find out and punish adulterers? Did it become us
to cast the first stone? It was a most extraordinary pilgrimage for a most
extraordinary purpose! And yet upon this plea we justified our right of
carrying off its inhabitants.
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