But this question would lead me too far beyond the limits which my subject prescribes.

Carelessness of Masters with respect to their Slaves.

Prayer is the only article of provision for which a Spanish slave is indebted to his master. His food and clothing make but a very small, if any item of the account; and the law, which appears upon all occasions to be very favourable to liberty, is entirely silent upon these important articles. The consequence is, that with the exception of a small number of proprietors, whose hearts are not altogether callous to the sentiments of humanity, they all keep their slaves with scarcely a rag to cover their nakedness, do not allow them any provisions, but what they raise themselves, upon a small spot of ground allotted to them for that purpose. Whether the season is favourable or unfavourable; whether the crop is abundant or scanty; in a word, whether the slave wallows in the enjoyment of plenty, or has not a crust to eat, all that is a matter of perfect indifference to the proprietor. It is easy to conjecture that theft, decay and mortality, must be the inevitable consequence of such wretched management. The subsistence of the household slaves is as badly provided for as that of the field slaves. The rations allowed them for the whole day is scarcely sufficient for breakfast. Intrigue rapine, debauchery must supply what is wanting.They receive no other clothing than what is called the livery suit, because they only wear them when they follow in the train of their masters. As soon as

they return home, they are either stripped as naked as worms, or covered with such tatters as deserve not the name of garments. Their treatment is different in the French colonies; for there, both house and field slaves are provided with a new suit at least once every year.

In sickness, the Spanish slaves are entirely abandoned, to die or recover as nature determines. Not a single plantation is provided with a physician; and very rarely is any to be fonnd, even in the village where it lies. All the assistance which art affords to the poor slaves, whose constitutions are materially impaired by the fatigue of hard labour, is limited to the use of a few plants, which old women recommend, or administer without judgment or discrimination. In our plantations on the contrary, every day, at least every other day, a physician goes through his routine of duty according to positive agreement, and visits hospitals, abundantly provided with medicine, even if they should contain no patients to require his assistance. Since I am so far advanced in the disagrecable task of telling severe truths, I must likewise say, that the slaves who live in the cities are almost equally neglected. The physician is rarely called till interest becomes alarmed at the danger of property. I have even seen masters, who, on the supposition of their slaves being possessed of some paltry resource, or shift of industry, obliged them to pay for medicine. I am assured that this is a general custom, although I confess I had not courage to make any direct inquiry. I am aware that personal pride, galled by this humiliating representation, and the shame of

appearing to have so much religion and so little humanity, will prompt a great number of individuals to prefer their claims of exception; I am willing to grant them all, provided they put their application on that footing,

Such a mode of management loudly calls for a salutary reform. But local circumstances require that it should be promoted by an easy and gradual progression. To attack abuses in an open and direct manner; to attempt to suppress them with too much precipitation, is only to run the risk of creating unavailing commotion, more calculated to perpetuate than to terminate the evil. Besides, in a country where masters themselves enjoy upon their plantations but few of the conveniencies of life, it is not reasonable to expect that slaves should be allowed by law, more than the indispensable necessaries of life, that is a comfortable diet and homely dress. It is from the appearance of extending too much indulgence to that unhappy class of mortals, that the local authority does not permit the royal ordinance of the 31st of May, 1789, to be carried into execution.

Reforms contemplated.

The first article of that ordinance recommends to masters to instruct their slaves in the christian doctrines, to make them observe holy-days and Sabbaths, and to have upon their plantations, priests to say mass, upon the particular days prescribed by the church.

The second article orders that comfortable food and clothing be allowed to the slaves, the quantity and quality of which is to be determined by the tribunals.

By the third article, the labour of each slave is to be rated by the police judges. The person who suggested this idea undoubtedly thought that the plantations lay so contiguous to one another, and formed such clean and commodious streets, as to render it easy for the magistrate, even without the trouble of changing his slippers, to make the round of his official visits; whereas there are plantations at the distance of twenty or thirty leagues from the civil officer, who has the nearest place of residence. This same ordinance subjects to the assessment of labour only male sláves, who are come to the age of seventeen years; and exempts all those who have reached the age of sixty. The slaves of both sexes are not allowed to be engaged in promiscuous labour. By such measures it is much easier to make monks than cultivators of the soil.

The amusements of the slaves upon rest days are regulated by the fourth article: they must be innocent, and without the promiscuous intercourse of the

sexes.

The fifth article prescribes to masters to lodge their slaves in commodious and spacious houses, where, above all things, care must be taken to keep the sexes separate: every slave must have a bed furnished with blankets, &c. and his chamber apart. Whatever may be the urgency of the occasion, he is forbidden to put more than two of them in the same room; that is to say, the slave is to be better provided for than a great many of the proprietors, who are obliged to sleep upon hides, and have frequently, for the accommodation of a numerous family, but one miserable leaky cabin.

The rest of the ordinance, consisting of 14 articles, contains arrangements exhibiting equally striking proofs of the ignorance of the person who devised them. By attempting to do too much, nothing has been effected in favour of these unfortunate creatures, whose wretchedness might have been alleviated, had the law been dictated by a spirit of intelligence, equally attentive to local circumstances, as to the claims of humanity.

As some compensation for the ungenerous treatment experienced by the Spanish slaves, the law, to soften the rigour of their lot, gives them some resources entirely unknown in the colonies of other nations.

Advantages which the Laws offer to Slaves.

In every other country, the slave is condemned for. life, to suffer under an unjust master. Amongst the Spaniards, he may quit the domain of him who abuses the right he has over his person. The law, however, requires that he should specify his reasons; but the judge who administers the law, is easily satisfied on that point. The most trifling allegation, whether true or false, is sufficient to compel the master to sell the slave, that does not wish any longer to serve him. He is not allowed to exact an exorbitant price. He must sell at whatever price he purchased him; and further, it must not exceed 300 dollars, whatever talent or qualification he may have to recommend him. All that has been advanced for him above that sum, is charged to the caprice of the purchaser, which can