Published in 1824, this influential work by James Stephen provides a detailed and damning description of the horrific conditions faced by enslaved people in the British West Indies. Drawing on his own experiences as a colonial official and on extensive research, Stephen exposes the cruelty and corruption of the slave system, and makes a compelling case for its abolition. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.