Batson's Coffeehouse |
Friday the 4th August 1786. |
Mr. Andrews |
Mr. Peters |
Mr. Shaw |
Mr. Hanway in the Chair |
| Read the Minutes of the last Committee and confirmed
the same. |
| Mr. Taylor the Clerk reported that he had read
to the Blacks the Paper which Mr. Hanway had put into his hands,
viz. |
| Nothing can be more apparent than the sincerity
of Government with regard to the Black Poor. It is at the same
time most evident that the Lords of the Treasury reserve to
themselves the Right of judging what is most fit and proper
to be done respecting the Interests of the State, and the most
effectual means of preserving the said Black Poor in whatever
Place or Country they shall be settled. |
| Africa is too well known ˆ in the World to
be the Country where the Natives professedly make a traffick
of buying and selling one another, and in consequence of this
inhuman and antichristian Commerce, thousands and tens of thousands
are annually transported to work in Plantations in distant Countries.
The English, the French, Spaniards, Portuguese and Hollanders
carry on this Trade, and when this false Principle is to erase
is known only to the great God who governs the World. |
| With regard to the Committee for the Black Poor,
it appears that there is no Place on the whole Coast of Africa
where there can be any solid Security against Slavery. To depend
on Arms what is a Small number of Men to do against a great
force? But the notion of carrying Arms beyond a certain limitation
implies a hostile Settlement, whereas Government certainly never
meant any thing, but what is friendly, founded upon Principles
of liberty and Sacred Rights which may, be derived from a Solemn
Compact and Agreement for the security of such liberty, and
consequently whatever is right to be done it is presumed Government
will do. |
With respect to the deceased Mr. Smeathman,
he had the art of telling his Story very well and represented
things in the most favourable light, but in the latter days
of his life he avowed his Intention of trafficking in Men,
so far that he would buy though he would not sell. The Committee
thought that his Judgment misled him, if not his heart; and
if he had not changed his mind or said that he would acquiesce
in the Sentiments of the Committee, the Committee would have
certainly dropped any further connection with him. What his
real Designs were when he should have landed in that Country
and had nothing farther to hope or fear from the Committee,
will be a subject for strong suspicion in the Breast of every
Man concerned as long as they live. There were many other
reasons why Mr. Smeathman would not have been considered as
a fit and proper Person to be intrusted with the conduct of
such an Enterprise, but he was the only one that offered,
and since his death no one has appeared as a fit substitute,
every one acquainted with the country hitherto thoughts of
being either actually engaged in the Slave Trade, or entertaining
an opinion as if it were not possible to make a Settlement
without slaving. Indeed this was the language that Mr. Smeathman
held only that he would upon no consideration sell the Man
that he should buy, but unluckily nobody believed or had faith
in such a Doctrine. To buy and forego all the advantages of
selling was not credible. There is another great ambiguity
respecting the Coast of Africa. The various accounts given
leave many doubts. Mr. Smeathman himself brought from thence
a Constitution which lasted him but a little while, and always
seemed to be more anxious about his medical knowledge and
Medicine Chest than his Tools for husbandry. To all appearance
there will be much greater security for liberty and life and
the Comforts arising from freedom and health in his Majesty's
Dominions in New Brunswick than there can possibly be in any
Part of the Coast of Africa. And the more as every comfort
and necessary will be provided as setting off both of Food
& Raiment; and consequently with suitable labour in a
soil professedly capable of producing the Necessaries of life,
the comforts of it may be handed down from Generation to Generation
under all the advantages of distributive Justice, the exercise
of Humanity and obedience to be laws of Christ which may be
found in that Country, the peaceful Government of which must
be a security beyond any which the most sanguine hope can
suggest respecting Africa. |
/Signed/ |
| 2d. Aug[us]t 1786. |
J Hanway |
That the Blacks seemed very well pleased and
satisfied with the justice of the Remarks but on putting the
Question individually to them the number of those inclined
to go to New Brunswick was comparatively small, being only
67 of whom 5 afterwards retracted.
|
Resolved
That from the general view of the Disposition of the Blacks
it is not probable that any Decision will be come to, unless
they are permitted to go to Sierra Leona carrying with them
such a number of Arms as the Lords of the Treasury shall think
to entrust them with. |
Resolved
That this Committee approves in the fullest manner possible
of the Letter written by Mr. Peters to Mr. Steele for a Conference
with the Lords of the Treasury as it may be a means of bringing
this Knotty Business to some conclusion, it being already trained
out to a tedious length. |
Resolved
That for the Execution of this Enterprise it is absolutely necessary
that the Lords Comm[isioner]s of the Treasury should appoint
a fit and proper Person to take the charge of it and to see
it executed in the best manner practicable. |
Resolved
That the Lords Comm[issione]rs of the Treasury be informed
that there are among the Blacks 23 East Indians who have been
brought over in the King's Ships, 23 in the East India Company's
Ships and 4 in foreign Ships, and that they seem disposed
to mix with the Blacks and to accompany them to Africa in
case their Lordships should have no objections, the greatest
Part of them having been here 2, 3 and 4 years, some of them
8 years and some 24 years.
Resolved That a Copy of these Minutes be carried to George
Rose Esq[ui]r[e].
Adjourned to Wednesday the 9th. Inst. |
