worst masters, is not only untrue but the reverse of truth, our author observes, "therefore, negroes and mulattoes must be the best masters to negro and mulatto slaves. It is almost unnecessary to observe, how much this assertion is the reverse of truth;' no person who has the least knowledge, of the West Indies, can be ignorant that negroes and mulattoes make the very worst masters, or at all events that the slaves, who ought to be the best judges,* think so. I have frequently known free persons of colour, and also slaves, very anxious to purchase slaves, but unable to do it, from the universal abhorrence negroes have to belong to such masters, for notwithstanding the misrepresentations made to the contrary, it is very seldom that a slave is transferred from one person to another, but with his free consent and approbation. It would be painful for the seller to act otherwise when parting with his people; and extremely hazardous to the purchaser." Page 22. And again, "purchases of negroes often cannot be effected in consequence of their dislike to go to the plantations they are wanted for; and the removal of them is never attempted but with their own free consent and approbation. When slaves do not belong to poor people, the marshall's sales are frequently nominal, for the purpose of making good the conveyance on a private sale. On occasion of such sales, I have seen the negroes openly abuse white persons who wish * Whether the judgment of the slaves on this point, is more to be relied on than that of the white people, because the former are less enlightened than the latter, our author has not thought proper to tell us. ed to purchase them, and of whose characters as masters they had heard an unfavourable report. Their language was to this effect: we know you well—we know what your plantation is, and how you treat your negroes. If you buy us you will lose your money, we will not have you for a master, we will not belong to you, or work for you if we go to live in the woods. Proof enough could be adduced of intended sales and transfers of slaves from place to place, which have been abandoned for no other reason than that the slaves, after sending a deputation of their own body to inspect the new situation, have decidedly objected to the removal." Page 56-7. How then does it happen, since slaves are never transferred without their own free consent, and they are universally opposed to becoming the property of black or coloured persons, either free or bond, that any of the slaves become the masters of slaves, as our author informs us they do? On one estate, he says, there are slave families, possessing among them, between twenty and thirty slaves of their own, as many horses, at least, and twice as many asses, page 271. These specimens indicate the propriety of construing some parts of our author, as Dean Swift did the severe passages of Scripture, with a grain of allowance. In his introduction our author has drawn the following contrast between the situation of the slaves and other persons of colour in Jamaica at or near the time the slave trade was abolished, and the present. "At no very distant period, when savage Africans were pouring into Jamaica, and while there were yet but few natives or creoles, the master's power of punishing his slaves was little restrained by law; and was exercised to a great extent, by the subordinate white people, and the drivers." "It is now limited to thirty-nine stripes, to be inflicted by order, and in presence of the master or overseer, and ten by subordinate agents: and, comparatively speaking, is but seldom required at all. There is not now one punishment for twenty that were inflicted fifteen or twenty years ago." "Ten years ago, chains were in common use on the plantations, for punishing criminal slaves." "The use of them is now entirely abolished." "Twenty years ago, there was scarcely a negro baptized in Jamaica." "Now they are nearly all baptized." "Twenty years ago, the churches were scarcely at all attended by the slaves." "Since then, the number of churches, or places of worship, of one kind or other, has been more than doubled, in fact nearly trebled, and yet, in the districts where I have had an opportunity of seeing them, they are all fully attended, and principally by slaves." "Twenty years ago, negroes were buried at midnight, and the funeral rites, in the form of African superstition, were the occasion of continual excesses among those who attended." "Negroes are now buried during the day, and in the same manner as the white people." "Ten years ago, the marriage rite was altogether unknown among the slaves." "The number now married is not inconsiderable, and is fast increasing." "While the importation of Africans was continued, the practice of Obeah was common and destructive." pose: every manager must swear that he has given them this number of days, and no slaves now work at their grounds on Sunday, but such as are more inclined to make money, than to attend church. A law to forbid their working at all would be of doubtful policy, until they learn to employ the day better than in idling and drinking." "When the abolition of the African trade took place, a large proportion of the slaves were newly imported Africans, maintained with provisions raised or bought by the master; or lodged with other slaves, who had grounds which they assisted in cultivating." "Now the plantation slaves in Jamaica have all houses of their own, and grounds of their own, and are, in every respect, more comfortable and independent. They form more steady connexions, pay more attention to their families in the way of keeping them clean, and dressing them neatly; and, in short, have acquired more taste and desire for domestic enjoyments." "Manumissions were, at one time, burthened with heavy taxes." "They are now perfectly free." "For cruel or improper punishments, slaves had formerly no adequate redress." "Now they are manumitted, and provided with an annuity for life; and magistrates are appointed a council of protection, to attend to their complaints." "Formerly, the trial of slaves was, I believe, by parole; and the power of death was entrusted to the slave courts, who could order the criminal to immediate execution." "Now the whole evidence and conviction must be transmitted to the governor: and, unless in cases of rebellion, the sentence cannot be carried into execution without his warrant." "For ten slaves that were executed twenty years ago, "There is not now more than one, and I think not even that proportion." "Twenty years ago, the coasting vessels of Jamaica were almost exclusively manned with slaves." "From the increase of the free po pulation, the coasting vessels are now more commonly manned with free men." "The operative mechanics about towns-carpenters, ship-builders, &c. were mostly slaves." "This description of work is now performed principally by free people of colour." "A few years ago, marriage was unknown among the free people of colour." "It is now becoming common, and many of them are careful to preserve the sanctity of the institution." "The number of free persons in Jamaica, in 1787, was estimated at only 10,000." "It is now 35,000, and rapidly increasing, by manumissions as well as births." This representation, if it can be fully relied upon, must be highly consolatory to the friends of their species, more especially if it can be admitted as the result of spontaneous exertions on the part of the white colonists. These improvements it would appear, have been greatly facilitated, if not wholly effected, by the abolition of the slave trade. A measure which was advocated by those very men who are now represented as enemies to the colonies, and the instigators of rebellion and massacre; and opposed in every stage by the weight of colonial interest. The abolition which in 1791 was pronounced, on the floor of the British parliament, to be impracticable, visionary, and delusive, now appears to have already effected a large part of the good which its supporters predicted; and the humane and indulgent treatment of the slaves, which was then urged in opposition to the projected abolition, now appears as the result of it.* This sum *See speeches of the agent of the islands, Lord Russel and others, on Wilberforce's motion. It is amusing, mary comprising, according to our author, a correct representation of the state of the case in the latter part of 1825, it may be interesting to examine what other authorities of nearly cotemporary dates have offered to our belief. ERROR CORRECTED. In page 176 of this journal, it is stated that no decision ever was had of the question whether slavery was compatible with the Pennsylvania declaration of rights. This statement I made upon what I supposed unquestionable authority. I since find this was a mistake; though the case I believe, does not appear in any of the printed reports. It was decided in the year 1802, in the High Court of if not instructive, to observe the near correspondence in the account of the treatment of slaves either on their passage or in the colonies, when given by those who are opposed to any interference of the mother country. When Sir W. Dolbin, in 1788, was striving to secure to the ill-fated Africans on board the slave ships, a space equal to what they would require in their coffins, it was asserted that the accommodations already allowed, were sufficiently ample to render the objects of them comfortable; and that the restrictions proposed would be a virtual prohibition of the traffic. Even that innocent measure could not be permitted to pass without the cry of ruin and horror. (See the Lord Chancellor's speech on the subject.) Yet when the effect came to be seen, it was admitted by the merchants themselves, that their profits were increased by it. When the abolition was proposed, oppression to the slaves, and extermination of their masters, were held up as the unavoidable result. Now, that measure being also carried, the situation of the slaves is said to be so far improved by it as to render any further interference by the British parliament worse than useless. Errors and Appeals, in the case of negro Flora against J. Graisberry, after a full argument by the most competent counsel, as the unanimous opinion of the judges, that slavery was not inconsistent with any clause of the constitution of Pennsylvania. To the Editor of the African Observer. you probably, very few of these boys, who were not known to a considerable circle of their own complexion, by whom they might have been clearly identified. To procure among this class of acquaintances, persons willing to encounter the hardships of a distant journey, would have been much easier than among those whom alone the southern tribunals admit. The expense of recovery would likewise, in this case, have been greatly diminished. Had the father of Sinclair, been a competent witness in Alabama, none could have been more capable of proving him, and the expense of his recovery would have been In the last number of your work, I observe you have treated upon the exclusion of negro testimony from the southern tribunals. To the arguments which have advanced, I have no objection to make, but regret that you have not pursued so far as I think you might justly have done, the effect of that exclusion on the recovery of those who have had the misfortune to fall into the hands of kidnappers. It is certainly important that those criminals who pursue this nefarious occupation, should be subjected to the punishments which the laws have prescribed; yet in the view of the philanthropist, it is much more important that the captive should be deliv-living, are probably still held in sla ered from the grasp of lawless authority. The rule of law adopted in the slave-holding states, that the testimony of a coloured person, free or bond, shall not be admitted, in any case wherein a white person is concerned, operates very injuriously, not only on those who are kidnapped, but also on their friends, who attempt their recovery. In the circumstances recently disclosed in this city, we find a strong illustration of the practical effect of this rule. A number of boys, were clandestinely carried off, far into the southern states. In one or two years, it must have been no easy affair to find a white person so intimately acquainted with them, as to be able to identify them, with such unwavering certainty as the case required. And if such white person could be found, the probability would be, that great difficulty and loss must attend the undertaking. To travel a thousand miles or more, in search of a kidnapped child, would require a share of zeal which friendship or philanthropy does not always supply. There were, It of comparatively moderate amount. As the case stood, the boy was recovered at an expense of fifty per cent. beyond what he would have cost, if his friends had purchased him at once of his ostensible owner.* is fully believed, if not absolutely proved, that between twenty and thirty persons of colour have, within the last three years, been clandestinely carried off, from this city. A few of these have been restored to their friends, but a larger number, if very. Should the situation of those persons, by any means become known to their friends, their recovery, under the operation of existing usages and laws, must draw very heavily upon the friends of private charity. And very probably, in some instances, neither labour nor expense would be available, for want of white witnesses to prove their origin. We claim here, in Pennsylvania, no authority to emancipate the slaves, legally held as such in our sister republics, nor to prevent their recovery, when they escape into this state; and surely they on the other hand, will not claim the privilege of preventing the inhabitants of this commonwealth, whether black or white, from being redeemed when carried off, in defiance of law, beyond our jurisdiction. However impertinent any interference with their usages and laws, may appear, when they operate only on them *He might have been bought for 300 dollars; the expense of his recovery was about 450 dollars. the state from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the state having jurisdiction of the crime. 3. No person held to service or labour in one state under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labour; but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labour may be due. selves, it is undeniable that we have a right to complain of the hardship to which, in the protection of our own people, we are sometimes subjected, by the exclusion of testimony which we have thought proper to admit in our own courts of justice. Whatever our southern legislatures may find expedient to maintain among themselves, it seems to me, it would be no extravagant concession, to admit our free coloured persons, to prove the freedom of such of their own colour as may claim it on the plea of nativity within our own jurisdiction.sponsibilities belonging to the inhabi Should a law be enacted, in the slaveholding states, embodying the provisions which are now in force in relation to sable testimony, it might be justly entitled, a law to encourage kidnapping, and for other purposes. It is probable, the effect of the rule as here stated, has been little considered in the southern states. Not two years ago, a deputation from the legislature of Maryland, attended the seat of government in at least two of the states, during the session of their legislative assemblies, to solicit some enactments to facilitate the recovery of fugitive slaves; would an application for a law to facilitate the restoration of kidnapped free persons, be less worthy of respectful attention? Philada. Sept. 21, 1827. L. E. To the suggestion of the correspondent, I take the liberty of adding, that the privilege here claimed, appears to be guaranteed by the spirit, if not by the letter of the Federal constitution. In the 4th article, we find the following provisions. Article 4.-Section 1. 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. Sect. 2. The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in the several states. 2. A person charged in any state with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another state, shall, on demand of the executive authority of The principle of these regulations evidently is, that the rights and re tants of any of the states, by the laws and usages thereof, shall not be impaired by their temporary removal into any other state. Those who are entitled to the privileges of citizenship in one state, do not lose those immunities in any other state. If the full rights of citizens are not enjoyed, but minor rights are, does it not follow that the principle which maintains the greater, must also maintain less? If, according to the laws of Pennsylvania, a black man is a competent witness, in any case within his knowledge, is it not a violation of the principle of the constitution to deprive him of that competency, the moment he crosses Mason and Dixon's line? The criminal escaping into another state, is to be thrown back to suffer the penalties of the law. The slave escaping from a state where slavery is tolerated, to one where it is proscribed, must nevertheless be restored to the owners, upon proper evidence being produced of the legality of their claim; the just reciprocity which the above cited article enjoins, evidently requires that the free person clandestinely carried from a free, to a slave state, should, notwithstanding this unlawful abduction, be secured in the enjoyments of all the immunities allowed in his native state. And of this, he is deprived if the witnesses upon whom in the one, he may safely rely, are rendered totally unavailing in the other. Two persons being lawfully married in any one of the states, even though such marriage may be prohibited by the laws of another, are entitled to all the rights of matrimony in any other, even in that where the |