Evidence had been produced upon this point on both sides. He should not be
afraid to oppose the authorities of Lord Rodney, and others, against any,
however respectable, in favour of the abolition. But this was not
necessary. There was another species of facts, which would answer the same
end. Previously to the year 1730 the decrease of the slaves in our islands
was very considerable. From 1730 to 1755 the deaths were reduced to only
two and a half per cent. above the births: from 1755 to 1768 to only one
and three fourths; and from 1768 to 1788 to only one per cent. This then,
on the first view of the subject, would show, that whatever might have been
the situation of slaves formerly, it had been gradually improved. But if,
in addition to this, we considered the peculiar disadvantages under which
they laboured; the small proportion of females to males; and the
hurricanes, and famines, which had swept away thousands, we should find it
physically impossible, that they could have increased as related, if they
had been treated as cruelly as the friends of the abolition had described.
This species of facts would enable him also to draw still more important
conclusions; namely, that as the slaves in the West Indies had gradually
increased, they would continue to increase; that very few years would pass,
not only before the births were equal to the deaths, but before they were
more numerous than the deaths; and that if this was likely to happen in the
present state of things, how much more would it happen, if by certain
regulations the increase of the slaves should be encouraged?
The only question then was, whether it was more advantageous to breed or to
import.
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