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
On my return to Liverpool, I was informed by Mr. Falconbridge, that a
ship-mate of Ormond, of the name of Patrick Murray, who had been
discharged in the West Indies, had arrived there. This man, he said, had
been to call upon me in my absence, to seek redress for his own bad
usage; but in the course of conversation he had confirmed all the
particulars as stated by Ormond, relative to the murder of Peter Green.
On consulting the muster-roll of the ship, I found his name, and that he
had been discharged in the West Indies on the 2nd of February. I
determined, therefore, to see him. I cross-examined him in the best
manner I could. I could neither make him contradict himself, nor say
anything that militated against the testimony of Ormond. I was
convinced, therefore, of the truth of the transaction; and, having
obtained his consent, I sent him to London to stay with the latter, till
he should hear further from me. I learnt also from Mr. Falconbridge,
that visitors had continued to come to the King's Arms during my
absence; that they had been very liberal of their abuse of me; and that
one of them did not hesitate to say (which is remarkable) that "I
deserved to be thrown over the pierhead."
Finding now that I could get no further evidence; that the information
which I had already obtained was considerable[A]; and that the committee
had expressed an earnest desire, in a letter which I had received, that
I would take into consideration the propriety of writing my Essay on the
_Impolicy of the Slave Trade_ as soon as possible, I determined upon
leaving Liverpool.
[Footnote A: In London, Bristol, and Liverpool, I had already obtained
the names of more than 20,000 seamen, in different voyages, knowing what
had become of each.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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