The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-21

vcmber? The pretext, it is faid, is, that nforma-
ton had been received of the fmuggling of gin,
brandy, and Ealt India goods, into the Wet In
dia ilands in American ve1els, and thereby in
juring the commerce and revenue of the nc
ther country but, if this faetwere truly alleged,
why not make fuch regulations in the cu!tom-
houfes Of the iflands as would prevent the fuc-
eefs of this contraband trade ? And, belides,
does any one imagine that the prohibition of
the prefent intercourse will prove to be rcme-
dy for this evil? Does any one believe, that
fnuggling is not likely to be carried on in Bri-
tifh as we'll as in American fhips, failing from
the fame ports This mutt be mere pretext !;
and, when we are Informed, that the order
went out by the October packet, it is not DIFF
hcu,t to conceive real motive for the order !;
II is by no means difficult to conceive why Mr..
Pitt fhould with to make the planters of Jamai-
Ca feel the effects of his return to power. They
had remonfrated againf his taxes upon their
produce they had called thofe taxes oppref-
five; they had ventured TO exprefs their fatis-
faction that he and Mr.. Dundas had been fuc-
ceeded by perfons lefs hottie to their intercfts,
lcfs deaf to their complaints, lefs Indifferent to
their diitreflrs. After all, taxation is at the
bottom. The minifter mnft have taxes, eoute
quieoRte. The continent of America was loft
by the rigours of taxation and, it is greatly
TO be feared, that the Islands will be Topped off
by the fame fatal influence. What Some
ono will fay. will the loyal inhabitants of Jamai-
ca, rather than iharc the bnrthens of the mother
Sountry, feek to break in funder the bands of
their connection with her? No: am perfna-
died that there is not county in England more
firmly and affeetionately attached to the throne
and to the perfon of his Maiefty than the colo
ny of Jamaica is. But, this is not the queiton.
The queftionis, will the inhabitants OF lanai
Ca quietly fubmit to utter ruin, rather than
legally ufe their utmof exertions to enjoy their
hiare, whatever it may be, of the liberties and
PROPERTY of the empire? That they ought
not, nobody will deny and, that they will not
every one who has been an obferver of their
conduct muft be thoroughly convinced. Much
OF what I could with to fay upon this fubietf
mutt be poitponed to my next !: yet, I cannot
forbear, upon the Raue trade, here to addreis
word or two to Mr.. Wilberforce, who, ifthe
public papers fpeak truth, is about 10 renew
thofe "attacks," which form one of the grounds
of the Jamaica complaints.-Thatch charity ought
to begin at home, fir, is very good m AKIN
and 70 ought philanthropy Some years ago,
oefought your attention to the subtle flave
trade, which then was, and now is, carrying
on between this United Kingdom, and the A.
mercan States. l informed you, that thip loads
of Iriih and Welfh, and fome Enelifh and
Scotch, were yearly fent TO America, and there
fold ny public advertisement. I af1ured YOU,
and produced dates and names in proof of my
afiurances, that thefe poor creatures were trea-
ted during their paflage much worfc than ne
eroes and that, if, after being fold, they elo-
ped from their matters, and were caught again,
they were logged like dogs, and were fome-
times further puniihed by being compelled to
wear, for years, an iron collar rivetted round
their necks. / was greatly mortified to per-
celve, that my representation was altogether
ufelefs, though strengthened by the then recent
fact of fome of the parifh officers in Wales hav-
ing actually laid out the pariih rates in furnih-
ing the means of fhipping off many of their
poor to live in fuc fate of llavery in foreign
land. But, fir, I will now come RW nearer
BONE, very near indeed, and invoke the full
force of your philanthropy in behalf of the more
than million of wretched creatures, called pau
pers. who, at this moment, are in cXitence,
in England. Yes, in England Engi;hmen
and women and children more than mil
ion of them One eighth part of our whole
Population "Bnt, they are not Haves." Saw,
rather, Fir, that they are not black a circum-
farce which they may, feeling the preference
which is given To that colour, well regard as
extremely unfortunately neeroe naves in
the Wen Indies are, in every reflect, better of
than the labouring poor are in England. They
81 ''Su f'tS' tuOY dC lOuRCu Dttttr
they fuffeh much lefs from the incleuen-
ay of the weather; they have far greater
portion of >.chirureical and medical afIiH-
ance they are q fpeak generality full as
kindly treated by their matters they work
not half 70 hard they have a hundred times
more lcifilre TING I; the Sunday is proverbia!ly
called their holiday, and, if they dance or o.
therwife recreate themfrlves thereon, they are
not dragged to prifon handcuffed. But, they
arc not free. They cannot go where they
ike. They cannot change their matters,
nor even their place of reiidence." And, can
a poor Engliih labourer do any Of thefe Can
he remove from pariih TO parih with impunity!
Is he not circumfcribed by the law as well AS
by his miiery And, where, then, is the diff
ference to him whether he be thus reftraned,
or refraihed by the fole will of a mater
" But, the poor negroes children are taken
from them and transferred TO other matters"
Aud, how many thoufands and hundreds
of thoufands of Englifh children are at this
moment, IN fuch a fate of feparation from
their parests Children, mean, who have
been bafoutely forced from their parents
by due courfe of law, and who are, or will
be, every one of them, placed under maj
tiers without any permiliion, and, in many ca
fes, doubtefs, aganf the will of their parents.
am not finding fault with this power given by
the law. ] am only Eating the fact and, there
renainsinmy mind verylitte doubt, that there is
caufed by thefe separations of chiIdren and pa