Letter from a planter

Mr. URBAN,

THE scheme for the abolition of the

slave-trade is, in every view of it,

absurd and impolitic. It is founded on

a mistaken notion of humanity, or rather

on ignorance, folly, and enthusiasm.

The Negroes of Africa, in their native

country, are apparently useless in the

great scale of human society; they are

totally incapable of refinement, arts, or

sciences. The only way to promote

their civilization, to make them service-

able in their generation, and happy in

themselves is to introduce them into a

state of activity and industry. Man was

not designed for a life of idleness. An

idle man is a wretched creature. A Ne-

gro, removed to the West Indies, is

placed in a climate much more agreeable

to a labourer than the burning plains of

Africa. His work in the Plantations is not

harder, or more oppressive, than that

of our common labourers in England,

such as miners, blacksmiths, founders,

paviours, scavengers, coal-heavers and

many others, whose situation is viewed,

by those very humane and compassionate

people who are advocates for their Afri-

can brethren, without the least concern.

Yet most of these drudges in this coun-

try have been compelled by necessity to

leave the place of their nativity.

The vulgar are influenced by names

and titles. Instead of SLAVES, let the

Negroes be called ASSISTANT-PLANT-

ERS; and we shall not then hear such

violent outcries against the slave trade by

pious divines, tender-hearted poetesses,

and short-sighted politicians.

Yours, &c.

No Planter. Mr.

Need some help?

impolitic = unwise, rash

refinement = being knowledgable in social customs and manners

founders = people who worked in factory moulding and melting metals

paviours

scavengers = people who searched rubbish for items to reuse

coal-heavers = people who move coal

brethen = brothers or sisters

vulgar = ordinary people, the masses

pious = a person who is very religiously observant

divine = a clergyman