The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament (1808), Volume II — John Shaqi
The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament (1808), Volume IIClarkson, Thomas
History
The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament (1808), Volume II
Clarkson, Thomas
Slave trade -- Africa
upon which evidence had been given, that, exclusively of such as perished
before they sailed from Africa, not less than twelve and a half per cent
died on their passage: besides these, the Jamaica report stated that four
and a half per cent died while in the harbours, or on shore before the day
of sale, which was only about the space of twelve or fourteen days after
their arrival there; and one third more died in the seasoning: and this in
a climate exactly similar to their own, and where, as some of the witnesses
pretended, they were healthy and happy. Thus, out of every lot of one
hundred, shipped from Africa, seventeen died in about nine weeks, and not
more than fifty lived to become effective labourers in our islands.
Having advanced thus far in his investigation, he felt, he said, the
wickedness of the Slave-trade to be so enormous, so dreadful, and
irremediable, that he could stop at no alternative short of its abolition.
A trade founded on iniquity, and carried on with such circumstances of
horror, must be abolished, let the policy of it be what it might; and he
had from this time determined, whatever were the consequences, that he
would never rest till he had effected that abolition. His mind had indeed
been harassed by the objections of the West India planters, who had
asserted, that the ruin of their property must be the consequence of such a
measure. He could not help, however, distrusting their arguments. He could
not believe that the Almighty Being, who had forbidden the practice of
rapine and bloodshed, had made rapine and bloodshed necessary to any part
of his universe. He felt a confidence in this persuasion, and took the
resolution to act upon it. Light indeed soon broke in upon him. The
suspicion of his mind was every day confirmed by increasing information,
and the evidence he had now to offer upon this point was decisive and
complete. The principle upon which he founded the necessity of the
abolition was not policy, but justice: but, though justice were the
principle of the measure, yet he trusted he should distinctly prove it to
be reconcileable with our truest political interest.
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