Slaves Of The Second Description Generally Become Such By One Or
Other Of The Following Causes:- 1, Captivity; 2, Famine; 3,
Insolvency; 4, Crimes.
A freeman may, by the established customs of
Africa, become a slave by being taken in war.
War is of all others
the most productive source, and was probably the origin, of slavery;
for when one nation had taken from another a greater number of
captives than could be exchanged on equal terms, it is natural to
suppose that the conquerors, finding it inconvenient to maintain
their prisoners, would compel them to labour - at first, perhaps,
only for their own support, but afterwards to support their masters.
Be this as it may, it is a known fact that prisoners of war in
Africa are the slaves of the conquerors; and when the weak or
unsuccessful warrior begs for mercy beneath the uplifted spear of
his opponent, he gives up at the same time his claim to liberty, and
purchases his life at the expense of his freedom.
In a country divided into a thousand petty states, mostly
independent and jealous of each other, where every freeman is
accustomed to arms and fond of military achievements, where the
youth, who has practised the bow and spear from his infancy, longs
for nothing so much as an opportunity to display his valour, it is
natural to imagine that wars frequently originate from very
frivolous provocation. When one nation is more powerful than
another, pretext is seldom wanting for commencing hostilities.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 87 of 167
Words from 23438 to 23689
of 45368
