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he committee. When I came
there they informed me of the intention of government; and as they
seemed to think me qualified to superintend part of the undertaking,
they asked me to go with the black poor to Africa. I pointed out to
them many objections to my going; and particularly I expressed some
difficulties on the account of the slave dealers, as I would certainly
oppose their traffic in the human species by every means in my power.
However these objections were over-ruled by the gentlemen of the
committee, who prevailed on me to go, and recommended me to the
honourable Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy as a proper person to
act as commissary for government in the intended expedition; and they
accordingly appointed me in November 1786 to that office, and gave me
sufficient power to act for the government in the capacity of
commissary, having received my warrant and the following order.

 _By the principal Officers and Commissioners of
 his Majesty's Navy_.

 Whereas you were directed, by our warrant of the 4th of last
 month, to receive into your charge from Mr. Irving the
 surplus provisions remaining of what was provided for the
 voyage, as well as the provisions for the support of the
 black poor, after the landing at Sierra Leone, with the
 cloathing, tools, and all other articles provided at
 government's expense; and as the provisions were laid in at
 the rate of two months for the voyage, and for four months
 after the landing, but the number embarked being so much
 less than was expected, whereby there may be a considerable
 surplus of provisions, cloathing, &c. These are, in addition
 to former orders, to direct and require you to appropriate
 or dispose of such surplus to the best advantage you can for
 the benefit of government, keeping and rendering to us a
 faithful account of what you do herein. And for your
 guidance in preventing any white persons going, who are not
 intended to have the indulgences of being carried thither,
 we send you herewith a list of those recommended by the
 Committee for the black poor as proper persons to be
 permitted to embark, and acquaint you that you are not to
 suffer any others to go who do not produce a certificate
 from the committee for the black poor, of their having their
 permission for it. For which this shall be your warrant.
 Dated at the Navy Office, January 16, 1787.

 J. HINSLOW,
 GEO. MARSH,
 W. PALMER.

 To Mr. Gustavus Vassa,
 Commissary of Provisions and
 Stores for the Black Poor
 going to Sierra Leone.

I proceeded immediately to the execution of my duty on board the
vessels destined for the voyage, where I continued till the March
following.

During my continuance in the employment of government, I was struck
with the flagrant abuses committed by the agent, and endeavoured to
remedy them, but without effect. One instance, among many which I
could produce, may serve as a specimen. Government had ordered to be
provided all necessaries (slops, as they are called, included) for 750
persons; however, not being able to muster more than 426, I was
ordered to send the superfluous slops, &c. to the king's stores at
Portsmouth; but, when I demanded them for that purpose from the agent,
it appeared they had never been bought, though paid for by government.
But that was not all, government were not the only objects of
peculation; these poor people suffered infinitely more; their
accommodations were most wretched; many of them wanted beds, and many
more cloathing and other necessaries. For the truth of this, and much
more, I do not seek credit from my own assertion. I appeal to the
testimony of Capt. Thompson, of the Nautilus, who convoyed us, to whom
I applied in February 1787 for a remedy, when I had remonstrated to
the agent in vain, and even brought him to be a witness of the
injustice and oppression I complained of. I appeal also to a letter
written by these wretched people, so early as the beginning of the
preceding January, and published in the Morning Herald of the 4th of
that month, signed by twenty of their chiefs.

I could not silently suffer government to be thus cheated, and my
countrymen plundered and oppressed, and even left destitute of the
necessaries for almost their existence. I therefore informed the
Commissioners of the Navy of the agent's proceeding; but my dismission
was soon after procured, by means of a gentleman in the city, whom the
agent, conscious of his peculation, had deceived by letter, and whom,
moreover, empowered the same agent to receive on board, at the
government expense, a number of persons as passengers, contrary to the
orders I received. By this I suffered a considerable loss in my
property: however, the commissioners were satisfied with my conduct,
and wrote to Capt. Thompson, expressing their approbation of it.

Thus provided, they proceeded on their voyage; and at last, worn out
by treatment, perhaps not the most mild, and wasted by sickness,
brought on by want of medicine, cloaths, bedding, &c. they reached
Sierra Leone just at the commencement of the rains. At that season of
the year it is impossible to cultivate the lands; their provisions
therefore were exhausted before they could derive any benefit from
agriculture; and it is not surprising that many, especially the
lascars, whose constitutions are very tender, and who had been cooped
up in ships from October to June, and accommodated in the manner I
have mentioned, should be so wasted by their confinement as not long
to survive it.

Thus ended my part of the long-talked-of expedition to Sierra Leone;
an expedition which, however unfortunate in the event, was humane and
politic in its design, nor was its failure owing to government: every
thing was done on their part; but there was evidently sufficient
mismanagement attending the conduct and execution of it to defeat its
success.

I should not have been so ample in my account of this transaction, had
not the share I bore in it been made the subject of partial
animadversion, and even my dismission from my employment thought
worthy of being made by some a matter of public triumph[X]. The
motives which might influence any person to descend to a petty contest
with an obscure African, and to seek gratification by his depression,
perhaps it is not proper here to inquire into or relate, even if its
detection were necessary to my vindication; but I thank Heaven it is
not. I wish to stand by my own integrity, and not to shelter myself
under the impropriety of another; and I trust the behaviour of the
Commissioners of the Navy to me entitle me to make this assertion; for
after I had been dismissed, March 24, I drew up a memorial thus:

 _To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of
 his Majesty's Treasury:
 The Memorial and Petition of_ Gustavus Vassa _a black Man,
 late Commissary to the black Poor going to_ Africa.

 HUMBLY SHEWETH,

 That your Lordships' memorialist was, by the Honourable the
 Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy, on the 4th of December
 last, app

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