in, some existing families, their last state may be worse than their 
first, and the economic effects may be the exact opposite of those 
anticipated bv Dr. Maxwell. 
Onindon of the Provincial Commissioners. 
On receipt of Captain Stanley’s minute, I caused it and all the 
available papers to be circulated to the other Provincial Commis- 
sioners (Mr. Bowden, Mr. Ross and Mr. Hooker®), with a request 
that they would study the question carefully with a view to 
discussion at a conference of Provincial Commissioners to be 
held in the spring of this year. This was done and the Provincial 
Commissioners dealt with the subject at their conference from 25th- 
30th April last. 
The following is an extract from the report of the conference :— 
“ We have examined and dealt with the collected opinions 
and facts on this subject, with particular attention to Captain 
Stanley’s minute. We are-of opinion that the time has 
arrived when domestic slavery should be abolished in the 
Protectorate. If it is a fact that domestic slavery is gradu- 
ally diminishing, and of this we have no satisfactory evidence, 
such diminishment is extremely slow and does not admit of 
further procrastination in abolition. Although we are in agree- 
ment that, compared to other West African colonies, the 
type of slavery existing here is mild and not productive of 
great oppression, its social evils and sustained effect on 
economic conditions cannot but be harmful to the welfare of 
the general development of the country. We do not antici- 
pate that total abolition will cause the social upheaval and 
concomitant emigration that in some quarters has been feared 
and deprecated. We rather lean to the opinion that abolition, 
although carried into effect definitely and absolutely, will in 
its actual incidence be gradual in its effects on the population 
of thig Protectorate. The fact recorded above that the slavery 
existing here is of a milder type than elsewhere strengthens 
our conviction that its abolition in the way and in the time 
we recommend will have no drastic and sudden effect on the 
social and economic activities of the people. We are of opinion 
that compensation to slave-owners is not expected, is not 
desirable, and is not necessary, and that retrospective legisla- 
tion embodying abolition is neither desirable nor applicable 
to the condition of the Protectorate we are dealing with. 
“ We are of opinion that on the Liberian frontier the 
importation of slaves continues and is not diminishing. We 
are also of opinion that masters or owners of slaves thus intro- 
* Mr. Hooker's substantive rank is that of a District Commissioner, but he has 
acted as Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Province for the greater part of 
the last two years.