Slave Labor on the Rise

EDMUND WHITE, Letter to Joseph Morton (1687)

The colonies participated in a transatlantic economy regulated by a series of Navigation Acts passed by the English Parliament in the seventeenth century. In addition to the sugar, rice, and tobacco exported to England, African slaves were imported to England’s North American colonies in increasing numbers by the end of the century. Colonists experimented with different forms of labor, including using white indentured servants, before embracing a race-based slave-labor agricultural system in the Americas. In the letter reproduced here, Edmund White writes from London to South Carolina governor Joseph Morton in February 1687 expressing the advantages of “negroes” over white servants.

Sir.…

If anything be recoverable there my Lord Cardross told me negroes were more desirable tha[n] English servants [and] such you may have enough of from Barbadoes: or if you desire to be concerned in a small vessel from hence to Ginny [and] your port the Royall Comp[any] now gives leave uppon the allowance of 20 pr. cent? or thereabouts for any vessell to trade to any of their ports [and] they furnish the cargo cheaper than others can buy [and] so the East India Comp[any] permitts ships to trade to this coast: allowing the Comp[any] such a certain profit. Now if you [and] Mr. Grimball or any other would joyne in ordering their corresponds here to fitt out a small vessell to the byte or other port on the Coast of Ginny I understand how to manage it to the best advantage. I have twice lett ships to the Royall Comp[any] but their termes are so hard that they make the owner tak out their freight [1/3] in money [and 2/3rds] in negroes at 15 lb pr head if to Barbadoes; [and] 16 lb pr. head for other ports. Now at Barbadoes I sold the negroes but for 11 lb a head bills of exc. [and] at Nevis for 3000 lb sugr a head but the accompt is not yet cleared [and] it was A … er they arrived: so that losing 4 lb a head by the freight negroes there was loss by the ship [and] I gave over those voyages: If you approve not of this way or can have none to joyne [with] you, then write to Coll John Johnson at Barbados that was Major Johnson (for I understand by his son in law Capt Mercer that resides here, that he is much at the bridge though he hath a plantation) that he would do you the kindness, when any bargaine of negroes is to be had, he would buy them for you and keep them upon his plantation till he can send them you [and] this he can doe with much care [and] the negroes will be the better after they have been ashore for sometime an their work will be worth their keeping [and] he may draw upon me [and] I doubt not but he will buy of masters of ships for bills of exchange at 11 or 12 lb a head [and] that will certainly be the most profitable for you [and] you need not trouble your friends for servants from hence: you still fill up yr letters with the bad conditions of the Milkmayd I sent. I shall endeavor the next ship to gett another having lately heard of one that was willing to goe upon wages, and the same party I hope will supply me when I want one. But as to all other serv[ants] let [your] negroes be taught to be smiths shoemakers [and] carpenters [and] bricklayers: they are capable of learning anything [and] I find when they are kindly used [and] have their belly full of victualls and clothes, they are the truest servants: one Coll. Bach that came lately from Jamaica had 100 slaves upon his plantation that prayed God to bless him when he came away [and] prayed him not to dispose of the plantation for they would rather dye than serve another M[aste]r: [and] there was an instance of negroes that did hang themselves on a tree as soon as they heard the plantation was sold: so my friend promised he would not sell [and] since he is dead his widow keeps it during her lyfe; such a love this was between Mr and Mrs [and] slaves: [and] I have often thought: If they could be brought to the knowledge of Christ what a happiness it would be that they came out of their owne country.

The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine, vol. XXX (January 1929): 2–4.

READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS