The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-11-09

In the Imperial code, on this subject, plainly
intimate the extent and Importance OF
these acquisitions. The Roman slave was
also allowed, BY law, TO engage in CONNER
cial and other contracts, by which, to an ex.
tent equal 70 the value of his peculium, the
master was bound.(b) Ii this respect the
slave and tlomesticated son, were similarly
crcumstanccd; and their civil incapacities
did not prevent them from exercising, for
their own advantage, with the permission
Of the mas..r or father. or in his right as
factors or agents, all those powers OF ac-
quirng and enjoying property, which be-
longcd to persons of free condition.(c) When
the son or the slave conducted any general
business, on account of the father or master,
the contracts of the former in that business,
were held obligatory on the latter; but when
the peculium only WAS the basis Of credit,
the parent or master was bound to apply the
peculium to the fulimcnt of those contracts.
On the other hand such contracts as vera
made with the slave or son might be enforc-
ed for his benfit at the suit Of the master or
IITGUl. toO tudt luC iNouidl olahto tJuGHt-
ly conducted mercantile concerns, to consid
cradle extent to the improvement of their
situation, and to the attainment of freedom.
According to the laws OF English villen-
seized by the lord, though without actual
seizure it did not vest in him, but might be
enjoyed on transferred by the vilein, and, at
his DEATH transmitted to his representative.
But in practice, it was usual for vileins not
only to hold personal property to a consid-
cradle amount, bur to purchase lands and
tenemcats and even manors.(d) The rec
ord ofthe Judicial proceedings Of those days,
abound with cases resulting from the ac~
QUESTION Of real estate, by those scryile peo-
ple.(e)
The villrn was liable to chastiseHrAt by
his lord, but this could be inflicted only in
person, and not by deputy. In some cases
he would carry on a prosecution against his
lord, i3r injuries received, in which cases he
was entitled 70 enfranchisemcnt.
1t has hten frequently asserted By the adj
yocates II slavery that large part OF the
Africans are slaves in their own country, aud
that their transportation across the Atlantic,
though they are still subjected to the servile
yoke, is an important melioraton of their
state.
B. Edwards observes, when speaking Of
the slave trade, which he admits to be inca
pable of general defence, "A good mind may
I1r &c ti,,n
in considering that all such of the wretched
victims as were slaves in Africa, are, by be-
ing seld to the whites, removed to q situa-
ton infinitely more desirable, even in its
worst state, than that of the best and most
favoured slaves in their native country. 1t
is, on all hands, admitted, that the condition
of these poor people, under their own gov
ernments, is the most deplorable that We IAN
conceive human creature to be subject to
They have no security for property, nor pro-
lection for their persons; they exist at the
will and caprice of a master, who is not a
menable to any law for his i'll treatment Of
them, and who may slaughter them at his
pleasure. He has in truth, very little inter.
o. employing them in profitable labonr, ane
when provisions are scarce, he has even 1
strong inducemcnt to destroy them."Q)
For these sweeping declarations, no ALI
thorties are cited, but from whatever source
he derived his information, he must hav,
been unhappy in his selections, asavery diff
ferent account uf African slavery, in gcner
al. is given by numerous witnesses, to whom
the learned historian could not object; sever
al of them being the avowed supporters 0
of the African slave trade, in defence O
which, or at least to prevent its abolition
this history appears to have been written.
From the statements contained in the pre-
ceding essays, it is obvious that the wore
slave is less definite in its meaning than i
generally supposed. Indeed the situation
of those to whom this term is applied, are s.
exceedingly various, that to speak of slave
without indicating the age or nation in view
is about as precise as to speak, in the sam
lndefiinate manner, of pounds, sllillings, an