"Consequently, we, the Society in England, aforesaid, in common with
some of your own Mussulman sovereigns and people, hold Slavery, and the
Slave Trade in extreme abhorrence, because it kills and destroys our
brothers whom we ought to love and cherish, because it makes them like
brutes, whom we ought to esteem as reasonable beings, because it hardens
our own hearts and makes us cruel towards our fellows, whom we ought to
treat with kindness and compassion, and because it deforms God's
creatures, in whom we ought to revere his spiritual likeness, man being
made after the likeness of God, in possessing a spiritual reasoning
soul; these evils, however, are the direct and inevitable consequences
of the accursed Slave Trade, and for such reasons we, the people of
England in general, abhor it, and seek, in every legitimate and
righteous way, to persuade men of every nation in the world to abandon
this inhuman and wicked traffic.
"Finally, we implore your Majesty to be pleased to follow out that great
act of confidence which you have exercised towards the negro race, in
appointing them the life-guards of your Imperial person, by graciously
liberating them from the cruel yoke of slavery. From our hearts we
believe that your Majesty will find such a spontaneous act of compassion
towards the desolate African Slaves to be the wisest worldly policy, and
most agreeable to the will of the Eternal Creator of us all. Your loyal
subjects will love the goodness of your heart the more, and serve you
the better, while all Africa, of which the immense dominions of your
Majesty form so large a part, will catch new life and vigour, under the
blessing of the Almighty, and grow happy and prosperous in the ages to
come.
"Signed and sealed on behalf of the Society in England for abolishing
Slavery and the Slave Trade throughout the world.
"(Signed) THOMAS CLARKSON. (L.S.)"
[25] This is not exact. The vizier is often the author of certain lines
of policy.
[26] All the Moorish Sultans are spoken of by the people as _Seedna_,
"Our Lord," and departed Saints are addressed by the same title.
[27] It is curious to see the Spartan principle of theft developing
itself under such different circumstances.
[28] [Transcriber's Note: In our print copy, the text of this footnote
is missing.]
[29] This is the old story of the abettors of the slave-trade in all
parts of the world; I very much doubt if there be any truth in it. None
of the slave-dealers of the Desert whom I conversed with, had ever seen
or heard of prisoners of war being put to death.
[30] The European name of Mogador, is supposed to be derived from
Mugdul, or Modogul, a Moorish Saiut.
[31] The Governor of Mogador told me to go to look at his slaves, and
see that they were well fed and well clothed. But every rich man's
horses and dogs are well-fed and well-housed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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