The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade

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Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839), by Thomas Clarkson
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Title: The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839)
Author: Thomas Clarkson
Release Date: May 16, 2007 [EBook #10633] [This file was first posted on January 8, 2004]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE HISTORY OF THE RISE, PROGRESS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE-TRADE, BY THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT
BY THOMAS CLARKSON, M.A.
1839

[Illustration: Thomas Clarkson]
* * * * *

TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM, LORD GRENVILLE,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES, EARL GREY,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FRANCIS, EARL MOIRA,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE GEORGE JOHN, EARL SPENCER,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY RICHARD, LORD HOLLAND,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THOMAS, LORD ERSKINE,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD, LORD ELLENBOROUGH,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD HENRY PETTY,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THOMAS GRENVILLE,
* * * * *
NINE OUT OF TWELVE OF HIS MAJESTY'S LATE CABINET MINISTERS,
TO WHOSE WISE AND VIRTUOUS ADMINISTRATION BELONGS
THE UNPARALLELED AND ETERNAL GLORY
OF THE ANNIHILATION,
AS FAR AS THEIR POWER EXTENDED,
OF ONE OF THE GREATEST SOURCES OF CRIMES AND SUFFERINGS,
EVER RECORDED IN THE ANNALS OF MANKIND;
AND TO THE MEMORIES OF
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM PITT,
AND OF
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES JAMES FOX,
UNDER WHOSE FOSTERING INFLUENCE
THE GREAT WORK WAS BEGUN AND PROMOTED;
THIS HISTORY
OF
THE RISE, PROGRESS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE,
IS RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED.
* * * * *

CONTENTS
PREFATORY REMARKS ON THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY
CHAPTER I
Introduction.--Estimate of the evil of the Slave Trade; and of the blessing of the Abolition of it.--Usefulness of the contemplation of this subject
CHAPTER II
Those, who favoured the cause of the Africans previously to 1787, were so many necessary forerunners in it.--Cardinal Ximenes; and others
CHAPTER III
Forerunners continued to 1787; divided now into four classes.--First consists of persons in England of various descriptions, Godwyn, Baxter, and others
CHAPTER IV
Second, of the Quakers in England, George Fox, and his religious descendants
CHAPTER V
Third, of the Quakers in America.--Union of these with individuals of other religious denominations in the same cause
CHAPTER VI
Facility of junction between the members of these three different classes
CHAPTER VII
Fourth, consists of Dr. Peckard; then of the Author.--Author wishes to embark in the cause; falls in with several of the members of these classes
CHAPTER VIII
Fourth class continued; Langton, Baker, and others.--Author now embarks in the cause as a business of his life
CHAPTER IX
Fourth class continued; Sheldon, Mackworth, and others.--Author seeks for further information on the subject; and visits Members of Parliament
CHAPTER X
Fourth class continued.--Author enlarges his knowledge.--Meeting at Mr. Wilberforce's.--Remarkable junction of all the four classes, and a Committee formed out of them, in May, 1787, for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
CHAPTER XI
History of the preceding classes, and of their junction, shown by means of a map.
CHAPTER XII
Author endeavours to do away the charge of ostentation in consequence of becoming so conspicuous in this work.
CHAPTER XIII
Proceedings of the Committee; Emancipation declared to be no part of its object.--Wrongs of Africa by Mr. Roscoe.
CHAPTER XIV
Author visits Bristol to collect information.--Ill-usage of seamen in the Slave Trade.--Articles of African produce.--Massacre at Calabar.
CHAPTER XV
Mode of procuring and paying seamen in that trade; their mortality in it.--Construction and admeasurement of slave-ships.--Difficulty of procuring evidence.--Cases of Gardiner and Arnold.
CHAPTER XVI
Author meets with Alexander Falconbridge; visits ill-treated and disabled seamen; takes a mate out of one of the slave-vessels, and puts another in prison for murder.
CHAPTER XVII
Visits Liverpool.--Specimens of African produce.--Dock duties.--Iron instruments used in the traffic.--His introduction to Mr. Norris.
CHAPTER XVIII
Manner of procuring and paying seamen at Liverpool in the Slave Trade; their treatment and mortality.--Murder of Peter Green.--Dangerous situation of the Author in consequence of his inquiries.
CHAPTER XIX
Author proceeds to Manchester; delivers a discourse there on the subject of the Slave Trade.--Revisits Bristol; new and difficult situation there; suddenly crosses the Severn at night.--Returns to London.
CHAPTER XX
Labours of the Committee during the Author's journey.--Mr. Sharp elected chairman.--Seal engraved.--Letters from different correspondents to the Committee.
CHAPTER XXI
Further labours of the Committee to February, 1788.--List of new Correspondents.
CHAPTER XXII
Progress of the cause to the middle of May.--Petitions to Parliament.--Author's interviews with Mr. Pitt and Mr. Grenville.--Privy Council inquire into the subject; examine Liverpool delegates.--Proceedings of the Committee for the Abolition.--Motion and Debate in the House of Commons; discussion of the general question postponed to the next Session.
CHAPTER XXIII
Progress to the middle of July.--Bill to diminish the horrors of the Middle Passage;