The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839)Clarkson, Thomas
History
The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839)
Clarkson, Thomas
Slave trade -- Africa
The account which I shall now give, will exhibit a concurrence of
extraordinary and important circumstances. It will show, first, that in
each of the three classes now introduced, there were individuals, in the
year 1787, who had been educated as it were for the purpose of becoming
peculiarly qualified to act together for the promotion of the abolition
of the Slave Trade. It will show, secondly, that these, with their
respective classes, acted upon their own principles, distinctly and
independently of each other. And lastly, that by means of circumstances,
which they themselves had neither foreseen nor contrived, a junction
between them was rendered easily practicable, and that it was beginning
to take place at the period assigned.
The first class of forerunners and coadjutors consisted principally, as
it has appeared, of persons in England of various descriptions. These, I
may observe, had no communication with each other as to any plan for the
abolition of the Slave Trade. There were two individuals, however, among
them who were more conspicuous than the rest, namely, Granville Sharp,
the first labourer, and Mr. Ramsay, the first controversial writer, in
the cause.
That Granville Sharp received an education as if to become qualified to
unite with others, in the year 1787, for this important object, must
have, appeared from the history of his labours, as detailed in several
of the preceding pages. The same may be said of Mr. Ramsay; for it has
already appeared that he lived in the island of St. Christopher, where
he made his observations, and studied the laws, relative to the
treatment of slaves, for nineteen years.
That Granville Sharp acted on grounds distinct from those in any of the
other classes is certain. For he knew nothing at this time either of the
Quakers in England or of those in America, any more than that they
existed by name. Had it not been for the case of Jonathan Strong, he
might never have attached himself to the cause. A similar account may be
given of Mr. Ramsay; for, if it had not been for what he had seen in the
island of St. Christopher, he had never embarked in it. It was from
scenes, which he had witnessed there, that he began to feel on the
subject. These feelings he communicated to others on his return to
England, and these urged him into action.
With respect to the second class, the reader will recollect that it
consisted of the Quakers in England: first, of George Fox; then of the
Quakers as a body; then of individuals belonging to that body, who
formed themselves into a committee, independently of it, for the
promotion of the object in question. This committee, it may he
remembered, consisted of six persons, of whom one was William Dillwyn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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