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
There was another topic which he would submit to the notice of the house
before he concluded. They were perhaps not aware, that a fair and
honourable trade might be substituted in the natural productions of Africa,
so that our connection with that continent in the way of commercial
advantage need not be lost. The natives had already made some advances in
it; and if they had not appeared so forward in raising and collecting their
own produce for sale as in some other countries, it was to be imputed to
the Slave-trade: but remove the cause, and Africa would soon emerge from
her present ignorant and indolent state. Civilization would go on with her
as well as with other nations. Europe three or four centuries ago was in
many parts as barbarous as Africa at present, and chargeable with as bad
practices. For, what would be said, if, so late as the middle of the
thirteenth century, he could find a parallel there for the
Slave-trade?--Yes. This parallel was to be found even in England. The
people of Bristol, in the reign of Henry the Seventh, had a regular market
for children, which were bought by the Irish: but the latter having
experienced a general calamity, which they imputed as a judgment from
Heaven on account of this wicked traffic, abolished it. The only thing,
therefore, which he had to solicit of the house, was to show that they were
now as enlightened as the Irish were four centuries back, by refusing to
buy the children of other nations. He hoped they would do it. He hoped,
too, they would do it in an unqualified manner. Nothing less than a total
abolition of the trade would do away the evils complained of. The
legislature of Jamaica, indeed, had thought that regulations might answer
the purpose. Their report had recommended, that no person should be
kidnapped, or permitted to be made a slave, contrary to the customs of
Africa. But might he not be reduced to this state very unjustly, and yet by
no means contrary to the African laws? Besides, how could we distinguish
between those who were justly or unjustly reduced to it? Could we discover
them by their physiognomy?--But if we could, Who would believe that the
British captains would be influenced by any regulations made in this
country, to refuse to purchase those who had not been fairly, honestly, and
uprightly enslaved? They who were offered to us for sale were brought, some
of them, three or four thousand miles, and exchanged like cattle from one
hand to another, till they reached the coast. But who could return these to
their homes, or make them compensation for their sufferings during their
long journeyings? He would now conclude by begging pardon of the house for
having detained them so long. He could indeed have expressed his own
conviction in fewer words. He needed only to have made one or two short
statements, and to have quoted the commandment, "Thou shalt do no murder."
But he thought it his duty to lay the whole of the case, and the whole of
its guilt, before them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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