Social England under the Regency, Vol. 1 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
Social England under the Regency, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Ashton, John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Regency -- England
"When the Administration, of which Mr. Fox, and Lords Grey and
Grenville were at the head, came into office, they were a good deal
surprised, on Mr. Fulton's claiming performance of this contract,
to find that such an instrument actually was in existence. The plan
would never have met with any encouragement from that Administration;
but, as it had already been accepted, they were under the necessity
of agreeing to allow the necessary experiments to be made, or paying
the forty thousand pounds. Earl Grey, then at the head of the
Admiralty, gave orders, reluctantly enough, that Mr. Fulton should be
supplied with whatever he required as necessary for the success of
his experiment, and the execution was entrusted to one of the ablest
and most enterprizing officers of the Navy. Several attempts were
made on the enemy's vessels at Boulogne; but from one circumstance
or other, the plan was found impracticable. On Mr. Fulton's still
insisting on the payment of the forty thousand pounds, the matter
was submitted to four arbitrators, who, after a full investigation,
pronounced the plan not so far _novel, practicable, or effective_, as
to entitle Mr. Fulton to the sum in question."
The Slave Trade Bill of 1807, it must be remembered, did not
_abolish_ Slavery, but only prohibited the Traffic in Slaves; so
that no vessel should clear out from any port within the British
Dominions, after May 1, 1807, with Slaves on board, and that no Slave
should be landed in the Colonies after March 1, 1808. So that the
following advertisement in _The Morning Chronicle_ of November 16th
was strictly within the bounds of legality:--
"JAMAICA SLAVES to be Let or Sold, being Fifty-four in Number, all
young or middle-aged, of both sexes, and well seasoned, having for
some years worked together in the parish of Clarendon. Any purchaser
with good security would have every reasonable indulgence for his
payments."
I am bound to say that this advertisement was a novelty in an English
Newspaper; and, in the same journal of November 19th, appeared an
indignant letter on the subject.
"SIR,--Nothing can be more repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen,
than to read in an English Newspaper, peculiarly devoted to the
cause of Freedom, the advertisement which appeared in the first
page of Tuesday's _Chronicle_, relative to the offer of 'Fifty-four
Jamaica Slaves.' Surely, Sir, this offensive advertisement must have
been inserted without due consideration, and, I am sure, _without
your knowledge_; especially at the time when we are about to
_Christianize_ the whole world!
"For the sake of humanity, and the best feelings of every true
Briton, I trust that this abominable advertisement will not make
its appearance a second time in your respectable Paper, and remain,
yours, &c.,
"LIBERTAS."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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