PART II.
THE AFRICAN COMMERCE, OR SLAVE TRADE.
* * * * * CHAP.

I.
As we explained the History of Slavery in the first part of this Essay, as far as it was necessary for our purpose, we shall now take the question into consideration, which we proposed at first as the subject of our inquiry, viz.

how far the commerce and slavery of the human species, as revived by some of the nations of Europe in the persons of the unfortunate Africans, and as revived, in a great measure, on the principles of antiquity, are consistent with the laws of nature, or the common notions of equity, as established among men.
This question resolves itself into two separate parts for discussion, into _the African commerce (as explained in the history of slavery)_ and _the subsequent slavery in the colonies, as founded on the equity of the commerce_.

The former, of course, will be first examined.

For this purpose we shall inquire into the rise, nature, and design of government.