Africa was a country divided into many kingdoms, which had different governments and laws.

In many parts the princes were despotic.

In others they had a limited rule.
But in all of them, whatever the nature of the government was, men were considered as goods and property, and, as such, subject to plunder in the same manner as property in other countries.

The persons in power there were naturally fond of our commodities; and to obtain them (which could only be done by the sale of their countrymen) they waged war on one another, or even ravaged their own country, when they could find no pretence for quarrelling with their neighbours; in their courts of law many poor wretches, who were innocent, were condemned; and, to obtain these commodities in greater abundance, thousands were kidnapped and torn from their families and sent into slavery.

Such transactions, he said, were recorded in every history of Africa, and the report on the table confirmed them.