The Correspondent, No. 8
An American prodigy who passed Yale’s entrance examination at age seven and matriculated at thirteen, John Trumbull (1750–1831) was a prominent educator, jurist, and writer. He supported the American Revolution and emerged afterward as a leading member of the “Hartford Wits,” a group of Connecticut writers that included Joel Barlow and Timothy Dwight. In this piece, the earliest known American satire against slavery, the youthful Trumbull deploys Swiftian irony to mock the conventional defenses and rationalizations of slavery.
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IT IS STRANGE that any persons should be so infatuated, as to deny the right of enslaving the black inhabitants of Africa. I cannot look on silently and see this inestimable privilege, which hath been handed down inviolable from our ancestors, wrenched out of our hands, by a few men of squeamish consciences, that will not allow them, or others peaceably to enjoy it. I therefore engage in the dispute and make no doubt of proving to every unprejudiced mind, that we have a natural, moral, and divine right of enslaving the Africans.
I shall pass over the arguments drawn from the gradation of things throughout the universe, and the privilege every creature naturally enjoys, of trampling upon those, who stand below him in the scale of being. For I must confess, however oddly it may sound, that after a long course of observations upon the conduct of mankind, & many nice calculations upon the magnitude and density of human nature in different latitudes, I am much in doubt, whether there be any thing in our boasted original superiority.
It is positively foretold in the scriptures, that the children of Ham, should be servants of servants to their brethren. Now if our adversaries will but allow these two points, that a prophecy concerning any thing that shall be done, may be construed into a permission for the doing of it, and that the Africans are the children of Ham, which is plain from their being servants of servants to their brethren; the controversy is brought to a point, and there needs nothing further to be said upon the subject.
Besides, was not the slave trade carried on exactly in the same manner, by Abraham and several other good patriarchs, whom we read of in ancient history? Those Gentlemen will doubtless be allowed to have been perfect patterns and examples. (N. B. I am not now speaking concerning the cases of divorce and polygamy.)
The whole world is the property of the righteous; consequently the Africans, being infidels and heretics, may rightly be considered as lawful plunder.
I come now to the most weighty part of the argument; and that it may be conducted with due decorum, I desire my readers to lay their hands on their hearts, and answer me to this serious question, Is not the enslaving of these people the most charitable act in the world? With no other end in view than to bring those poor creatures to christian ground, and within hearing of the gospel, we spare no expense of time or money, we send many thousand miles across the dangerous seas, and think all our toil and pains well rewarded. We endure the greatest fatigues of body, and much unavoidable trouble of conscience, in carrying on this pious design; we deprive them of their liberty, we force them from their friends, their country and every thing dear to them in the world; despising the laws of nature, and infringing upon the rules of morality. So much are we filled with disinterested benevolence! so far are we carried away with the noble ardor, the generous enthusiasm of christianizing the heathen! And are they not bound by all the ties of gratitude, to devout their whole lives to our service, as the only reward that can be adequate to our superabundant charity?
I am sensible that some persons may doubt whether so much pains be taken in teaching them the principles of Christianity; but we are able to prove it not only by our constant assertions, that this is our sole motive, but by many instances of learned pious negroes. I myself have heard of no less than three, who know half the letters of the alphabet, and have made considerable advances in the Lord’s prayer and catechism. In general, I confess they are scarcely so learned; which deficiency we do not charge to the fault of any one, but have the good nature to attribute it merely to their natural stupidity; and dulness of intellect.
But with regard to morality, I believe we may defy any people in the world to come into competition with them: There is among them no such thing as luxury, idleness, gaming, prodigality, and a thousand such like vices, which are wholly monopolized by their masters. No people are more flagrant examples of patience, forbearance, justice and a forgiving temper of mind, &c. And none are so liberally endowed with that extensive charity, which the scriptures tell us, endureth all things.
I would just observe that there are many other nations in the world, whom we have equal right to enslave, and who stand in as much need of Christianity, as these poor Africans. Not to mention the Chinese, the Tartars, or the Laplanders, with many others, who would scarcely pay the trouble of christianizing. I would observe that the Turks and the Papists, are very numerous in the world, and that it would go a great way towards the millennium, if we should transform them to Christians.
I propose at first, and by way of trial, in this laudable scheme, that two vessels be sent one to Rome, and the other to Constantinople, to fetch off the Pope and the Grand Signior; I make no doubt but the public convinced of the legality of the thing, and filled to the brim, with the charitable design of enslaving infidels, will readily engage in such an enterprise. For my part, would my circumstances permit, I would be ready to lead in the adventure and should promise myself certain success, with the assistance of a select company, of seamen concerned in the African trade. But at present, I can only shew my zeal, by promising when the affair is concluded, and the captives brought ashore, to set apart several hours in every day, when their masters can spare them, for instructing the Pope in his creed, and teaching the Grand Signior, to say his Catechism.
(July 6, 1770)