The questions which he put to me were judicious.

He asked me, first, whether, if the slaves were emancipated, there would not be much confusion in the islands?
I told him that the emancipation of them was no part of our plan; we solicited nothing but the stopping of all future importations of them into the islands.

He then asked what the planters would do for labourers?
I replied, they would find sufficient from an increase of the native population, if they were obliged to pay attention to the latter means.

We discoursed a long time upon this last topic.

I have not room to give the many other questions he proposed to me: no one was ever more judiciously questioned.