(seq. 10)

[upper lefthand corner] 8.

this distinction, it must forever remain a matter
of perfect indifference, what practical principles
were in any society adopted. But without
stopping more fully to demonstrate the truth of
this principle, it having been recognised as well
by the generality of ethical writers, as by the
wisdom of all good governments, I shall pro-
ceed to enquire how far it will operate to the
determination of the present question.
And in the first place, I shall enquire into the agreement of the law of nature with the Idea
of slavery in general, in opposition to that
principle of natural equality, which is so zea-
lously contended for by the advocates for universal
liberty -

By slavery in general I mean the involuntary
subordination of the will of one to that of another,
whereby, independent of all contract, the actions
of the former are in all things to be directed by
the will of the latter [bracket, asterisk] Now if slavery in general
according to this definition be found agreeable
to the law of nature, the principle of natural
equality must fall [bracket, asterisk] And in order to determine
the question in dispute, it will be necessary
only to apply the general principle to the case
of the African subordination, whereby it will be