15.6. 6. The true Origin of the Right of Slavery.
It is time to inquire
into the true origin of the right of slavery. It ought to be founded on
the nature of things; let us see if there be any cases where it can be
derived thence.
In all despotic governments people make no difficulty in selling
themselves; the political slavery in some measure annihilates the civil
liberty.
According to Mr. Perry,
[7]
the Muscovites sell themselves very
readily: their reason for it is evident; their liberty is not worth
keeping.
At Achim every one is for selling himself. Some of the chief
lords
[8]
have not less than a thousand slaves, all principal merchants,
who have a great number of slaves themselves, and these also are not
without their slaves. Their masters are their heirs, and put them into
trade. In those states, the freemen being overpowered by the government,
have no better resource than that of making themselves slaves to the
tyrants in office.
This is the true and rational origin of that mild law of slavery
which obtains in some countries: and mild it ought to be, as founded on
the free choice a man makes of a master, for his own benefit; which
forms a mutual convention between the two parties.
Footnotes
[7]
"Present State of Russia."
[8]
Dampier, "Voyages," vol. iii.
