Continuation of the fourth Class of forerunners and coadjutors Up to
1787.--Author resolves upon the distribution of his book.--Mr.
Sheldon; Sir Herbert Mackworth; Lord Newhaven; Lord Balgonie
(afterwards Leven); Lord Hawke; Bishop Porteus.--Author visits African
vessels in the Thames; and various persons, for further
information.--Visits also Members of Parliament; Sir Richard Hill; Mr.
Powys (late Lord Lilford); Mr. Wilberforce and others; conduct of the
latter on this occasion.
On my return to London, I called upon William Dillwyn, to inform him of
the resolution I had made at Teston, and found him at his town lodgings
in the Poultry. I informed him also, that I had a letter of introduction
in my pocket from Sir Charles Middleton to Samuel Hoare, with whom I was
to converse on the subject. The latter gentleman had interested himself
the year before as one of the committee for the Black poor in London,
whom Mr. Sharp was sending under the auspices of government to Sierra
Leone. He was also, as the reader may see by looking back, a member of
the second class of coadjutors, or of the little committee which had
branched out of the Quakers in England as before described. William
Dillwyn said he would go with me and introduce me himself. On our
arrival in Lombard-street, I saw my new friend, with whom we conversed
for some time. From thence I proceeded, accompanied by both, to the
house of James Phillips in George-yard, to whom I was desirous of
communicating my resolution also. We found him at home, conversing with
a friend of the same religious society, whose name was Joseph Gurney
Bevan. I then repeated my resolution before them all. We had much
friendly and satisfactory conversation together. I received much
encouragement on every side, and I fixed to meet them again at the place
where we then were in three days.
On the evening of the same day, I waited upon Granville Sharp to make
the same communication to him. He received it with great pleasure, and
he hoped I should have strength to proceed. From thence I went to the
Baptist-head coffee-house, in Chancery-lane, and having engaged with the
master of the house that I should always have one private room to myself
when I wanted it, I took up my abode there, in order to be near my
friend Richard Phillips of Lincoln's Inn, from whose advice and
assistance I had formed considerable expectations.
The first matter for our deliberation, after we had thus become
neighbours, was, what plan I ought to pursue to give effect to the
resolution I had taken.
After having discussed the matter two or three times at his chambers, it
seemed to be our opinion, that, as members of the legislature could do
more to the purpose in this question, than any other persons, it would
be proper to circulate all the remaining copies of my work among these,
in order that they might thus obtain information upon the subject.
Secondly, that it would be proper that I should wait personally upon
several of these also. And thirdly, that I should be endeavouring in the
interim to enlarge my own knowledge, that I might thus be enabled to
answer the various objections which might be advanced on the other side
of the question, as well as become qualified to be a manager of the
cause.
On the third day, or at the time appointed, I went with Richard Phillips
to George-yard, Lombard-street, where I met all my friends as before. I
communicated to them the opinion we had formed at Lincoln's Inn,
relative to my future proceedings in the three different branches as now
detailed. They approved the plan. On desiring a number of my books to be
sent to me at my new lodgings for the purpose of distribution, Joseph
Gurney Bevan, who was stated to have been present at the former
interview, seemed uneasy, and at length asked me if I was going to
distribute these at my own expense. I replied, I was. He appealed
immediately to those present whether it ought to be allowed. He asked
whether, when a young man was giving up his time from morning till
night, they who applauded his pursuit and seemed desirous of
co-operating with him, should allow him to make such a sacrifice, or
whether they should not at least secure him from loss; and he proposed
directly that the remaining part of the edition should be taken off by
subscription, and, in order that my feelings might not be hurt from any
supposed stain arising from the thought of gaining any thing by such a
proposal, they should be paid for only at the prime cost. I felt myself
much obliged to him for this tender consideration about me, and
particularly for the latter part of it, under which alone I accepted the
offer. Samuel Hoare was charged with the management of the subscription,
and the books were to be distributed as I had proposed, and in any way
which I myself might prescribe.
This matter having been determined upon, my first care was that the
books should be put into proper hands. Accordingly I went round among my
friends from day to day, wishing to secure this before I attended to any
of the other objects. In this I was much assisted by my friend Richard
Phillips. Mr. Langton began the distribution of them. He made a point
either of writing to or of calling upon those to whom he sent them. Dr.
Baker took the charge of several for the same purpose; Lord and Lady
Scarsdale of others; Sir Charles and Lady Middleton of others. Mr.
Sheldon, at the request of Richard Phillips, introduced me by letter to
several members of parliament, to whom I wished to deliver them myself.
Sir Herbert Mackworth, when spoken to by the latter, offered his
services also. He seemed to be particularly interested in the cause. He
went about to many of his friends in the House of Commons, and this from
day to day, to procure their favour towards it. Lord Newhaven was
applied to, and distributed some. Lord Balgonie took a similar charge.
The late Lord Hawke, who told me that he had long felt for the
sufferings of the injured Africans, desired to be permitted to take his
share of the distribution among members of the House of Lords, and Dr.
Porteus, now Bishop of London, became another coadjutor in the same
work.
This distribution of my books having been consigned to proper hands, I
began to qualify myself, by obtaining further knowledge, for the
management of this great cause. As I had obtained the principal part of
it from reading, I thought I ought now to see what could be seen, and to
know from living persons what could be known on the subject. With
respect to the first of these points, the river Thames presented itself
as at hand. Ships were going occasionally from the port of London to
Africa, and why could I not get on board them and examine for myself?
After diligent inquiry, I heard of one which had just arrived. I found
her to be a little wood-vessel, called the Lively, Captain Williamson,
or one which traded to Africa in the natural productions of the country,
such as ivory, bees'-wax, Malaguetta pepper, palm-oil, and dye-woods. I
obtained specimens of some of these, so that I now became possessed of
some of those things of which I had only read before. On conversing with
the mate, he showed me one or two pieces of the cloth made by the
natives, and from their own cotton. I prevailed upon him to sell me a
piece of each. Here new feelings arose, and particularly when I
considered that persons of so much apparent ingenuity, and capable of
such beautiful work as the Africans, should be made slaves, and reduced
to a level with the brute creation. My reflections here on the better
use which might be made of Africa by the substitution of another trade,
and on the better use which might be made of her inhabitants, served
greatly to animate and to sustain me amidst the labour of my pursuits.
The next vessel I boarded was the Fly, Captain Colley. Here I found
myself for the first time on the deck of a slave-vessel. The sight of
the rooms below and of the gratings above, and of the barricado across
the deck, and the explanation of the uses of all these, filled me both
with melancholy and horror. I found soon afterwards a fire of
indignation kindling within me. I had now scarce patience to talk with
those on board. I had not the coolness this first time to go leisurely
over the places that were open to me. I got away quickly. But that which
I thought I saw horrible in this vessel had the same effect upon me as
that which I thought I had seen agreeable in the other, namely, to
animate and to invigorate me in my pursuit.
But I will not trouble the reader with any further account of my
water-expeditions, while attempting to perfect my knowledge on this
subject. I was equally assiduous in obtaining intelligence wherever it
could be had; and being now always on the watch, I was frequently
falling in with individuals, from whom I gained something. My object was
to see all who had been in Africa, but more particularly those who had
never been interested, or who at any rate were not then interested, in
the trade. I gained accordingly access very early to General Rooke; to
Lieutenant Dalrymple, of the army; to Captain Fiddes, of the engineers;
to the reverend Mr. Newton; to Mr. Nisbett, a surgeon in the Minories;
to Mr. Devaynes, who was then in parliament, and to many others; and I
made it a rule to put down in writing, after every conversation, what
had taken place in the course of it. By these means, things began to
unfold themselves to me more and more, and I found my stock of knowledge
almost daily on the increase.
While, however, I was forwarding this, I was not inattentive to the
other object of my pursuit, which was that of waiting upon members
personally. The first I called upon was Sir Richard Hill. At the first
interview he espoused the cause. I waited then upon others, and they
professed themselves friendly; but they seemed to make this profession
more from the emotion of good hearts, revolting at the bare mention of
the Slave Trade, than from any knowledge concerning it. One, however,
whom I visited, Mr. Powys, (the late Lord Lilford,) with whom I had been
before acquainted in Northamptonshire, seemed to doubt some of the facts
in my book, from a belief that human nature was not capable of
proceeding to such a pitch of wickedness. I asked him to name his facts.
He selected the case of the hundred and thirty-two slaves who were
thrown alive into the sea to defraud the underwriters. I promised to
satisfy him fully upon this point, and went immediately to Granville
Sharp, who lent me his account of the trial, as reported at large from
the notes of the short-hand writer, whom he had employed on the
occasion. Mr. Powys read the account. He became, in consequence of it,
convinced, as, indeed, he could not otherwise be, of the truth of what I
had asserted, and he declared at the same time that, if this were true,
there was nothing so horrible related of this trade, which might not
immediately be believed. Mr. Powys had been always friendly to this
question, but now he took a part in the distribution of my books.
Among those whom I visited was Mr. Wilberforce. On my first interview
with him, he stated frankly, that the subject had often employed his
thoughts, and that it was near his heart. He seemed earnest about it,
and also very desirous of taking the trouble of inquiring further into
it. Having read my book, which I had delivered to him, in person, he
sent, for me. He expressed a wish that I would make him acquainted with
some of my authorities for the assertions in it, which I did afterwards
to his satisfaction. He asked me if I could support it by any other
evidence. I told him I could. I mentioned Mr. Newton, Mr. Nisbett, and
several others to him. He took the trouble of sending for all these. He
made memorandums of their conversation, and, sending for me afterwards,
showed them to me. On learning my intention to devote myself to the
cause, he paid me many handsome compliments. He then desired me to call
upon him often, and to acquaint him with my progress from time to time.
He expressed also his willingness to afford me any assistance in his
power in the prosecution of my pursuits.
The carrying on of these different objects, together with the writing
which was connected with them, proved very laborious, and occupied
almost all my time. I was seldom engaged less than sixteen hours in the
day. When I left Teston to begin the pursuit as an object of my life, I
promised my friend Mr. Ramsay a weekly account of my progress. At the
end of the first week my letter to him contained little more than a
sheet of paper. At the end of the second it contained three; at the end
of the third, six; and at the end of the fourth I found it would be so
voluminous, that I was obliged to decline writing it.