Journal of the Plague Year

continued, by a Gentleman

I have lately received grave Tidings from the family Plantations at Virginia, where an honeſt and educative Living is given unto Thouſands of Primitives through the virtuous Cultivation of addictive Subſtances. There is lately much Unreſt among the Negroes, which the Overſeers and the local Watch have put downe, though with indifferent Succeſs, and the Overſeers are greatly indignant that owing to the preſent high Level of Slave Prices they are not permitted to utiliſe the diſciplinary Advantage of Minimum Deadly Force. Mr Wyde-Wyndpype at the Bloater and Blueſtocking Coffee-houſe is of the Opinion that the troublous Enſlaved ſhould all be freed and then kept on low Wages and in poor Houſing and regularly beaten by the Watch, which would render a capital Sanction more economically viable, ſo that even the pooreſt Homeſteader would not greatly ſuffer by an occaſional ſalutory Maſsacre of the Uppity. It all ſounds very fine in Theory, but I am of the View that Mr Wyde-Wyndpype has ſomewhat neglected the wider Implications. Were the free ſlaving Routes to be curtailed or even aboliſhed, what would become of our great tranſ-Atlantic Liberty of Trade? What would be the Effect upon our World-beſtriding Culture, with our Millions of hard-working Families who are kept from Idleneſs and Starvation ſolely by the Threat of the Laſh? The ſocial Diſturbance and Anarchy would ſurely be little ſhort of Satanic, ſince without forcible Labour for the Unworthy there can be no Liberty for the Deſerving. And one need only caſt an Eye upon theſe ſelfiſh Overſeers to obſerve that the Tranſition from Slave to payed Hireling, however economically waged, doth not neceſsarily entail a correſponding Advance in Sobriety of Temper. What with this Peſtilence ſtill abroad, the nexte Thing you know they will be inſiſting upon Health and Safety Meaſures while cleaning the Corſes off the Slave-ſhips, on account of the Delicacy of their Complexion.