The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-01-10 00:00:00, page 1

For the New-Jersey Gazette.
AS the manumission of Daves has become a
tcpick of general cpnyerlation, we beg
permission to offer a few iedtiments on the
lubjedl.
The merits of almost every case of litigation ge
nerally turns upon one or two points. In the pre
sent instance the question is, we conceive, Whether
law, justice, and policy warrant the retaining our
Haves in their present situation?
That we became legally possessed of them, or that
they were introduced into this country agreeable to
its laws, no one will presume to deny ; and that we
cannot con ftitutionaily be divested of them by legis
lative authority, is, we humbly imagine, as evident
as that white is not black, or that Havery is not
freedom. Our most excellent constitution admits
not the fubjed to be deprived of his life, liberty,
or property but by a trial of a jury of his equals;
and left this inestimable privilege, the glory of free
men, should be infringed on, the constitution ex
pressly requires that no member of the legislature
shall poffHs a feat in the house, until he has solemn
ly fivorn that he will maintain this immunity invio
late. It becomes therefore one of the unalterable
particulars of our rights, and cannot be relinquilh
ed by the guardians of our liberties but at the ex
pence of perfidy, and even of perjury itfelf. The
liberation of our Haves therefore, without the con
currence of their possessors, we apprehend, is an ob
jed infinitely further distant from the legal attenti
on of our Assembly than are the heavens above the
earth.
Whether, as individuals, justice permits the de
tention of our Negroes, is next to be considered.—
The Divine Saviour of men hath been pleased to give
a Summary of our duty towards each other in a tin
gle sentence, viz. “ To do unto others as we would
they should do to us ;" or, “ to love our neighbour
as ourselves." As we profefs to believe in a future
judgment, that we shall one day give an account to
the Supreme Governor of the world of gui actions,
it highly concerns us to be attentive that they be
conformable to the heavenly law. That barbarity
to our Daves is repugnant to this law, cannot be
controverted; but whether the divine precept en
joins us to free them or not, is the dispute. Were
we in their situation it is more than probable we
should pant after freedom; and so does the poor
debtor desire a release from his creditor, but the in
jun&ion, " to do unto others as we would be done
to," does not oblige the latter to free the former of
the debt, if it hath not been contracted by injustice.
Nor can this command oblige us to liberate our Daves
unless they were finfully obtained, or are thus held
in bondage. If the usages of the nations of Africa
juftify the foreign and domeftick Havery of their
captives, they can be purchased and retained with
out iniquity. But let us suppose our Negroes were
stolen from their country ; diveiled of that natural
liberty given to them by heaven, and reduced to
vaflalage, it may be alked whether the whole of the
guilt devolves not on the perpetrators of the deed ?
Whether any of the fin rests on those who have pur
chased of the posterity of the (laves, or inherit them
Ay the gift or will of parents ? The people of Afri
ca were formerly and lawfully exposed here to fate
as articles of commerce, and it may be queried if
tin conference we were bound toenquire whether the
Guinea-merchant became more rightfully pofTeffed
of his Haves than @f his gold-dud, or any other
commodity of Africa? It is possible an African may
part with his liberty for temporary considerations,
as many Europeans have exchanged their freedom,
for a few years, for a pafiage only to America; and
the purchasers of such servants never perhaps thought
it incumbent on them to enquire whether they were
.stolen or decoyed away by their masters, which we
believe was often the case, or received an equiva
lent for their loss of liberty. We do not conceive
that Havery in itfelf is iniquitous. The Jews were
Buffered to have Daves ; and our very sons are such,
that is, perfectly fubjed to the will of their fathers
and at their disposal until they attain the age of
[VoL. lt] TH E [Numb. i„.]
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
WED NESD A Y, January io, 1781.
twenty-one years, till then they are not free ; and
what is llavery but an entiie submission to the com
mands, dilpolal,. or will of another? But this val
falage we endure without repining, as we esteem
ourlelves helpleSs and incapable of fell-government
during our date of legal infancy or nori-age. It may
be laid, if our Daves were unjultly obtained it mull
be unjust to hold them in bondage. We readily
grant it would be so for an unjust importer of them,
or the heirs of the importer who received them
without paying what is deemed an equivalent for
the property; and we freely declare we would, not
retain a Have under thele circumstances, or be in-
Hrumental in reducing a freeman to llavery for any
consideration. But as the flares are among us; as
the sale of them among ourlelves does not cause a
farther importation of their countrymen, and if it
is not diladvautageous to the Have, we are as free
to declare we cannot comprehend why, without any
injustice to him, he may not how be purchased and
polTefied.
Humanity, indeed, wishes they could enjoy li
berty and happinels, confident with justice to those
who have honei^y bought them, and we, in truth,
confider our liberty as a prelude to their release from
llavery. lire love of freedom in due season, we
trull, will be so predominant that either the indi
viduals whole property they are, will, for their e
mancipation, disregard their cost ; or the pnblick, by
fubfeription or donation and not by law, (for we know
of no just authority the legiilatuie have to command
the property oftheir constituents for this purpose with
out exprels permillion) will chearfully defray it, and
put them on an equal footing with ourlelves. But
a mealuie so important cannot be adopted without
the approbation of our Assembly; for though, we
conclude, they have not the right to free our Ilaves
without the consent of their owners, they are judg
es of the propriety of receiving them as freemen of
the state. Taking it for granted this difpolition of
benevolence now prevails either in their proprietors
among the people, or, if the reader pleales, that
juHice demands the freedom of our .Africans, for
we wish not ;o contend for the negative in this par
ticular.
The other enquiry is, Whether the present is a
proper period to eH'ecl so laudable a design.
That there is " a time for all things," is an indis
putable truth. A filial! error in the execution of
Schemes, in point of time only, has been productive
of the moll unhappy effects. A potion of medicine
adminiftred unlealonably may occasion the death of
a patient, or the word of command given by a Ge
neral a moment too loon may not only lose a victo
ry, but be productive of ruin to his army. If we
desire the freedom of our Negroes may not be in
jurious to ourlelves, or render them more misera
ble than at prelent, we should duly attend to this
circumstance of time as well as to the mode of their
release. A premature attempt of this fort may be
productive of the most serious consequences. That
the present day would be improper for the executi
on of this bulinefs must, we think, appear evident
to every one on the lead reflection. Should our
Ilaves be freed, they must either continue with us
or inhabit home territory by themselves. If the
freemen of the country find it difficult to fopport
themselves and families at the prelent time, is it
reasonable to suppose that our Haves, naturally in
dolent; unaccustomed to felf-government; destitute
of mechanical knowledge; unacquainted with let
ters; with a peculiar propensity to Spirituous liquors;
destitute of property, and without credit, would
pay their taxes and provide for themselves, in the
path of integrity, the necessaries and comforts of
life? Is it not more rational to infer, from these
confederations, that many of them would soon re
vert to their former Hate, more wretched than be
fore ; that great numbers would become pests to So
ciety ; by plunder and rapine add to the horrors of
war, and that dire neceflity would compel us to de
prive Some of them not only of liberty but also of
life ? 1 heir sloth alone might be sensibly felt by the
community at this juncture, and on their arms, we
are of opinion, for Several obvious reasons, there
could not be any iuft dependence. Our Hate of war
forbids their removal to any exterior part of the
country, not only in regard of fafety, but also in o
ther refpd&s. Whenever they shall be emancipat
ed, on mature deliberation perhaps it will be tho't,
that small settlements of them in different parts of
the continent, under proper regulations, will be most
compatible with our fafety and their felicity, I hey
may thus become ufeful members ct the body poli
tick ; enjoy the fuhfhine of freedom, together with
the chearing rays of the light of the gospel. Some
compensation will this be for their Servitude! A
Hiking exhibition too of the goodness of the Divine
Being towards theiri, and of the wisdom of his ho
ly providence in bringing good out of evil ; in caus
ing the inhumanity of their brethren, like that of
the sons of Jacob to their brother Joseph, to ter
minate in honor, glory and happiness !—Until this
day shall arrive, it is to be hoped the pofleffors of
Haves will revere the sacred precept, " to do as they
would be done by ;" mollify the hardness of llavery
by aCts of kindness; but above all, be particularly
anxious to have them freed by inftruCtion, admoni
tion and example from Spiritual thraldom, and
" brought into the glorious liberty of the children
of God." The effecting of this will not only be
paying a tribute to justice, but also an advancement
of our temporal emolument ; for experience will de
cide, that it will not be less politick and wife than
humane and chriftian.
Impartial.
Public Notice is hereby giver
THAT the Partnership of COXE and F
MAN, and of COXE, FURMAN 1
CoXE, are dissolved. All perlons having t :-
tied accounts with the former, are requested t c
tle the lame with Moore Furman immediately, id
those who have any accounts with the latter, re
desired to adjull them with TENCH CONE.
tTle-nT"
LaH night out of the Hable of Colonel Smith f
Elizabeth-Town,
A SORREL HORSE, fifteen hands high, 1b
- 1 - 'or five years old next Spring, a liar in his f<
head, a white upper lip, one white hind foot a
small white mark on the near hip; the property of
the subscriber. Whoever apprehends the thief or
thieves and horse, so as the owner may have him a
gain, and the villains brought tdjuihee, shall have
a reward of One Ihoufand dollars continental cur
rency, or Five Hundred dollars for the horse only,
and all reasonable charges paid by me
John Adam, Com. PrE
Elizabeth-Town, Dec. 26, 1780.
TO BE SOLD Wholesale and Retail, at the Print
ing-Office, in Trenton,
The NEW-JERSEY
ALMANA C K,
For the Year of our Lord 1781.
Containing a Variety of ufeful and entertaining Mat
ter in Prose and Verse.
N. B. Great allowance will be made
to those who purchase large quantities
Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
Strayed or Stolen,
Out of the pasture of Abraham Bulmore, on the 22d
of November last,
A YOUNG red roan MAR E, three years old
' next Spring, neither docked nor branded, a star
in her forehead, and on both sides of her neck a
small rose. Whoever takes up the laid mare and
brings her to Abraham Bulmore, in Somerset coun
ty near Steel's Gap, or to George Beaty, near
Trenton, shall receive the above reward, with all
reasonable charges, paid by
3 w " SOLOMON DAVIS,