Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/440

 424 work for another, is very jut: but when applied to trict lavery, in the ene of the laws of old Rome or modern Barbary, is alo impoible. Every ale implies a price, a quid pro quo, an equivalent given to the eller in lieu of what he transfers to the buyer: but what equivalent can be given for life, and liberty, both of which (in abolute lavery) are held to be in the mater's dipoal? His property alo, the very price he eems to receive, devolves ipo facto to his mater, the intant he becomes his lave. In this cae therefore the buyer gives nothing, and the eller receives nothing: of what validity then can a ale be, which detroys the very principles upon which all ales are founded? Latly, we are told, that beides thee two ways by which laves "fiunt," or are acquired, they may alo be hereditary: "ervi nacuntur;" the children of acquired laves are, jure naturae, by a negative kind of birthright, laves alo. But this, being built on the two former rights, mut fall together with them. If neither captivity, nor the ale of one's elf, can by the law of nature and reaon reduce the parent to lavery, much les can they reduce the offspring.

thee principles the law of England abhors, and will not endure the exitence of, lavery within this nation: o that when an attempt was made to introduce it, by tatute 1 Edw. VI. c. 3. which ordained, that all idle vagabonds hould be made laves, and fed upon bread, water, or mall drink, and refue meat; hould wear a ring of iron round their necks, arms, or legs; and hould be compelled by beating, chaining, or otherwie, to perform the work aigned them, were it never o vile; the pirit of the nation could not brook this condition, even in the mot abandoned rogues; and therefore this tatute was repealed in two years afterwards. And now it is laid down, that a lave or negro, the intant he lands in England, becomes a freeman; that is, the law will protect him in the enjoyment of his peron, and his property. Yet, with regard to any right which the matter may have acquired to the perpetual ervice of John or Thomas, this will remain exactly in the ame tate as before: for this is no Rh