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
It was peculiarly agreeable to me to find, on reading the first two
questions, that I had formed an acquaintance with Monsieur Geoffroy de
Villeneuve, who had been aide du camp to the Chevalier de Boufflers at
Goree; but who was then at his father's house in Paris. This gentleman had
entertained Dr. Spaarman and Mr. Wadstrom; and had accompanied them up the
Senegal, when under the protection of the French government in Africa. He
had confirmed to me the testimony, which they had given before the privy
council. But he had a fund of information on this subject, which went far
beyond what these possessed, or I had ever yet collected from books or men.
He had travelled all over the kingdom of Cayor on foot; and had made a map
of it. His information was so important, that I had been with him for
almost days together to take it down. I determined therefore to arrange the
facts, which I had obtained from him, of which I had now a volume, that I
might answer the two first questions, which had been proposed to me; for it
was of great importance to the Comte de Mirabeau, that he should be able to
appeal, in behalf of the statements in his speech to the Assembly, to an
evidence on the spot.
In the course of my correspondence with the Comte, which continued with but
little intermission for six weeks, many circumstances took place, which
were connected with the cause, and which I shall now detail in their order.
On waiting upon Mr. Necker, at his own request, he gave me the pleasing
intelligence, that the committee of finances, which was then composed of
members of the National Assembly, had resolved, though they had not yet
promulgated their resolution, upon a total abolition of all the bounties
then in existence in favour of the Slave-trade.
The Deputies of Colour now began to visit me at my own hotel. They informed
me, that they had been admitted, since they had seen me, into the National
Assembly. On stating their claims, the president assured them, that they
might take courage; for that the Assembly knew no distinction between
Blacks and Whites, but considered all men as having equal rights. This
speech of the president, they said, had roused all the White Colonists in
Paris. Some of these had openly insulted them. They had held also a meeting
on the subject of this speech; at which they had worked themselves up so as
to become quite furious. Nothing but intrigue was now going forward among
them to put off the consideration of the claims of the free People of
Colour. They, the deputies, had been flattered by the prospect of a hearing
no less than six times; and, when the day arrived, something had constantly
occurred to prevent it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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