1774: “a trade is carried on in human flesh between the Pennsylvanians and the province of Ulster”

In the Belfast News-Letter, 22 March 1774, a report was published, entitled 'Diary of the Proceedings of the House of Commons, Thursday 10 March 1774'. 

It describes the servant markets of Philadelphia – the city where the First Continental Congress would meet from 5 September - 26 October of that year.  The report said that “a trade is carried on in human flesh between the Pennsylvanians and the province of Ulster” – a servant was worth £15, a saddle horse worth between £25-£40. You could buy two Ulster human servants for the same price as a horse.

“… Dr. (John) Williamson's evidence went to prove, that on an average, for the fifty years preceding the late war, 3000 emigrants came yearly from the North of Ireland to settle in Pennsylvania; that since the war, the number varied from two to five or six thousand annually; that during the two last years they might amount to 7500 each year, as that was about the number he was informed, by the officer of health, came into the province; but that he understood this increase of emigration was owing chiefly to the riots, the rise of lands, and that among all he conversed with, none of them attributed it to the decline of the linen manufacture.

On being interrogated more closely, he confessed that some few said the badness of trade and want of employment was the cause, but he could not pretend to tell what trade or what employment they meant. He likewise said that none of them brought the implements of their trade with them, nor, if weavers, followed their trade.

While he was explaining this part of this evidence, he dropped and expression which called forth the attention of the committee. It was on his saying that a labouring man was of more value, or worth more, than a weaver, or almost any other, except a blacksmith, and one or two other trades; by which it appeared, that a trade is carried on in human flesh between the Pennsylvanians and the province of Ulster.

Such of the unhappy natives of that part of Ireland as cannot find employment at home, sell themselves to the masters of vessels, or persons coming from America to deal in that species of merchandise.

When they are brought to Philadelphia, or to the port which is about thirty miles off, they are either sold a-board the vessel, or by public vendue, which sale or arrival there is public notice given of, either by hand-bill, or in the newspapers.

They bring generally fifteen pounds currency at market, are sold for the term of their indentures, which is from two to four years, and on its expiration, receive a suit of cloaths, and implements of husbandry, consisting of an hoe, an axe, and a bill from their task-masters.

Several gentlemen in the committee expressing their abhorrence of such a barbarous traffic, Mr. Cavendish* asked the value of an ox in that country, or the price of beef, to which he answered he did not know; but Mr Rose-Fuller**, resolving to have some information from him, in order to estimate the comparative value between a man and other animals, asked him the price of a saddle-horse, to which the Doctor replied, from £25 to £40 currency. 

The committee broke up at half after eight, and adjourned till Tuesday.”

  

* William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire.

** Rose Fuller was an MP from 1756-77, who owned plantations in the West Indies.