The Lectures, Corrected and Improved, Which Have Been Delivered for a Series of Years, in the College of New-Jersey (Volume 1-2); On the Subjects of M

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1812. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... serviees rendered by his slave. It would then beeome a small, but valuable fund on whieh to eommenee a new eourse of industry, and with whieh to animate and assist his opening hopes. In this way liberty would be within the reaeh of all who possessed health, and a proper disposition to labor. Those who should be too indolent to purehase it, would not deserve it; and if it were bestowed on them, would abuse it. This seems to be the most probable means by whieh slaves ean be introdueed to the possession of freedom with sueh good habits as shall be nt onee useful to themselves, and not dangerous to the publie order and safety. On this prineiple the elaims of justiee, and of a wise benevolenee might be equally satisfied. None would be exeluded from the reasonable hope of liberty, but the idle and undeserving; and they, no longer than till they should render themselves worthy to possess it.* * Such an institution might be the more easily earried into effect in many of the southern states; because, so mild is the form of slavery there at present, that it is eustomary to exaet of any field slave only a definite portion of labor in the clay, called a task. This task is a small square of ground marked out by the overseer in the morning, whieh is equal for each slave, and is usually caleulated aceording to the strength of the weakest hand in the field. To cultivate this is all that is required in the day. The strongest hands often finish their tasks before the middle of the afternoon. They then voluntarily help the weaker, if they have any particular friendships. If not, the One danger would probably arise from liberty obtained even in this way. The prejudiees whieh exist against a anion of the whites with the blaeks, would render it impossible to amalgamate the two raees....