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
send out his parties on expeditions of a similar kind, and he saw them
return with slaves. The king had been made intoxicated on purpose, by
the French agents, or he would never have consented to the measure. He
stated also, that in consequence of the temptations held out by
slave-vessels coming upon the coast, the natives seized one another in
the night, when they found opportunity; and even invited others to their
houses, whom they treacherously detained, and sold at these times; so
that every enormity was practised in Africa, in consequence of the
existence of the trade. These specific instances made a proper
impression upon the lords of the council in their turn; for Dr. Spaarman
was a man of high character; he possessed the confidence of his
sovereign; he had no interest whatever in giving his evidence on this
subject, either on one or the other side; his means of information too
had been large; he had also recorded the facts which had come before
him, and he had his journal, written in the French language, to produce.
The tide, therefore, which had run so strongly against us, began now to
turn a little in our favour.
While these examinations were going on, petitions continued to be sent
to the House of Commons, from various parts of the kingdom. No less than
one hundred and three were presented in this session. The city of
London, though she was drawn the other way by the cries of commercial
interest, made a sacrifice to humanity and justice: the two universities
applauded her conduct by their own example. Large manufacturing towns,
and whole counties, expressed their sentiments and wishes in a similar
manner. The Established Church in separate dioceses, and the Quakers and
other dissenters, as separate religious bodies, joined in one voice upon
this occasion.
The committee, in the interim, were not unmindful of the great work they
had undertaken, and they continued to forward it in its different
departments. They kept up a communication by letter with most of the
worthy persons, who have been mentioned to have written to them, but
particularly with Brissot and Claviere; from whom they had the
satisfaction of learning, that a society had at length been established
at Paris, for the abolition of the Slave Trade in France. The learned
Marquis de Condorcet had become the president of it. The virtuous Duc de
la Rochefoucauld and the Marquis de la Fayette had sanctioned it by
enrolling their names as the two first members. Petion, who was placed
afterwards among the mayors of Paris, followed. Women also were not
thought unworthy of being honorary and assistant members of this humane
institution; and among these were found the amiable Marchioness of la
Fayette, Madame de Poivre, widow of the late intendant of the Isle of
France, and Madame Necker, wife of the first minister of state.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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