Labours of the committee during the author's journey; Quakers the
first to notice its institution; General Baptists the
next.--Correspondence opened with American societies for
Abolition.--First individual who addressed the committee was Mr.
William Smith.--Thanks voted to Ramsay.--Committee prepares lists of
persons to whom to send its publications; Barclay, Taylor, and
Wedgewood, elected members of the committee.--Letters from Brissot and
others.--Granville Sharp elected chairman,--Seal ordered to be
engraved.--Letters from different correspondents, as they offered
their services to the committee.
The committee, during my absence, had attended regularly at their posts;
they had been both vigilant and industrious; they were, in short, the
persons who had been the means of raising the public spirit which I had
observed first at Manchester, and afterwards as I journeyed on. It will
be proper, therefore, that I should now say something of their labours,
and of the fruits of them: and if, in doing this, I should be more
minute for a few pages than some would wish, I must apologize for myself
by saying, that there are others who would be sorry to lose the
knowledge of the particular manner in which the foundation was laid, and
the superstructure advanced, of a work which will make so brilliant an
appearance in our history, as that of the abolition of the Slave Trade.
The committee having dispersed five hundred circular letters, giving an
account of their institution in London and its neighbourhood, the
Quakers were the first to notice it. This they did in their yearly
epistle, of which the following is an extract:--"We have also thankfully
to believe there is a growing attention in many, not of our religious
society, to the subject of negro slavery; and that the minds of the
people are more and more enlarged to consider it as an aggregate of
every species of evil, and to see the utter inconsistency of upholding
it by the authority of any nation whatever, especially of such as
punish, with loss of life, crimes whose magnitude bears scarce any
proportion to this complicated iniquity."
The General Baptists were the next; for on the 22nd of June, Stephen
Lowdell and Dan Taylor attended as a deputation from the annual meeting
of that religious body, to inform the committee, that those whom they
represented approved their proceedings, and that they would countenance
the object of their institution.
The first individual who addressed the committee was Mr. William Smith,
the late member for Norwich. In his letter, he expressed the pleasure he
had received in finding persons associated in the support of a cause in
which he himself had taken a deep interest. He gave them advice as to
their future plans. He promised them all the co-operation in his power:
and he exhorted them not to despair, even if their first attempt should
be unsuccessful; "for consolation," says he, "will not be wanting. You
may rest satisfied that the attempt will be productive of some good;
that the fervent wishes of the righteous will be on your side, and that
the blessing of those who are ready to perish will fall upon you." And
as Mr. Smith was the first person to address the committee as an
individual after its formation, so, next to Mr. Wilberforce and the
members of it, he gave the most time and attention to the promotion of
the cause.
On the 5th of July, the committee opened a correspondence, by means of
William Dillwyn, with the societies of Philadelphia and New York, of
whose institution an account has been given. At this sitting a due sense
was signified of the services of Mr. Ramsay, and a desire of his
friendly communications when convenient.
The two next meetings were principally occupied in making out lists of
the names of persons in the country, to whom the committee should send
their publications for distribution. For this purpose, every member was
to bring in an account of those whom he knew personally, and whom he
believed not only to be willing, but qualified on account of their
judgment and the weight of their character, to take an useful part in
the work which was to be assigned to them. It is a remarkable
circumstance, that when the lists were arranged, the committee, few as
they were, found they had friends in no less than thirty-nine
counties[A], in each of which there were several, so that a knowledge of
their institution could now be soon diffusively spread.
[Footnote A: The Quakers, by means of their discipline, have a greater
personal knowledge of each other, than the members of any other
religious society. But two-thirds of the committee were Quakers, and
hence the circumstance is explained. Hence also nine-tenths of our first
coadjutors were Quakers.]
The committee having now fixed upon their correspondents, ordered five
hundred of the circular letters which have been before mentioned, and
five thousand of the _Summary View_, an account of which has been given
also, to be printed.
On account of the increase of business, which was expected in
consequence of the circulation of the preceding publications, Robert
Barclay, John Vickris Taylor, and Josiah Wedgewood, Esq., were added to
the committee; and it was then resolved, that any three members might
call a meeting when necessary.
On the 27th of August, the new correspondents began to make their
appearance. This sitting was distinguished by the receipt of letters
from two celebrated persons. The first was from Brissot, dated Paris,
August the 18th, who, it may be recollected, was an active member of the
National Convention of France, and who suffered in the persecution of
Robespierre. The second was from Mr. John Wesley, whose useful labours
as a minister of the Gospel, are so well known to our countrymen.
Brissot, in his letter, congratulated the members of the committee, on
having come together for so laudable an object. He offered his own
assistance towards the promotion of it. He desired, also, that his
valuable friend Claviere (who suffered also under Robespierre) might be
joined to him, and that both might be acknowledged by the committee, as
associates in what he called this heavenly work. He purposed to
translate and circulate through France such publications as they might
send him from time to time; and to appoint bankers in Paris, who might
receive subscriptions, and remit them to London, for the good of their
common cause. In the mean time, if his own countrymen should be found to
take an interest in this great cause, it was not improbable that a
committee might be formed in Paris, to endeavour to secure the
attainment of the same object from the government in France.
The thanks of the committee were voted to Brissot for this disinterested
offer of his services, and he was elected an honorary and corresponding
member. In reply, however, to his letter, it was stated that, as the
committee had no doubt of procuring from the generosity of their own
nation sufficient funds for effecting the object of their institution,
they declined the acceptance of any pecuniary aid from the people of
France; but recommended him to attempt the formation of a committee in
his own country, and to inform them of his progress, and to make to them
such other communications as he might deem necessary upon the subject
from time to time.
Mr. Wesley, whose letter was read next, informed the committee of the
great satisfaction which he also had experienced, when he heard of their
formation. He conceived that their design, while it would destroy the
Slave Trade, would also strike at the root of the shocking abomination
of slavery also. He desired to forewarn them that they must expect
difficulties and great opposition from those who were interested in the
system; that these were a powerful body; and that they would raise all
their forces, when they perceived their craft to be in danger. They
would employ hireling writers, who would have neither justice nor mercy.
But the committee were not to be dismayed by such treatment, nor even if
some of those who professed goodwill towards them, should turn against
them. As for himself, he would do all he could to promote the object of
their institution. He would reprint a new and large edition of his
_Thought on Slavery_, and circulate it among his friends in England and
Ireland, to whom he would add a few words in favour of their design. And
then he concluded in these words: "I commend you to Him who is able to
carry you through all opposition, and support you under all
discouragements."
On the 4th, 11th, and 18th of September, the committee were employed
variously. Among other things, they voted their thanks to Mr. Leigh, a
clergyman of the Established Church, for the offer of his services for
the county of Norfolk. They ordered, also, one thousand of the circular
letters to be additionally printed.
At one of these meetings a resolution was made, that Granville Sharp,
Esq. be appointed chairman. This appointment, though now first formally
made in the minute book, was always understood to have taken place; but
the modesty of Mr. Sharp was such that, though repeatedly pressed, he
would never consent to take the chair; and he generally refrained from
coming into the room till after he knew it to be taken. Nor could he be
prevailed upon, even after this resolution, to alter his conduct: for
though he continued to sign the papers, which were handed to him by
virtue of holding this office, he never was once seated as the chairman,
during the twenty years in which he attended at these meetings. I
thought it not improper to mention this trait in his character.
Conscious that he engaged in the cause of his fellow-creatures, solely
upon the sense of his duty as a Christian, he seems to have supposed
either that he had done nothing extraordinary to merit such a
distinction, or to have been fearful lest the acceptance of it should
bring a stain upon the motive, on which alone he undertook it.
On the 2nd and 16th of October two sittings took place; at the latter of
which a sub-committee, which had been appointed for the purpose, brought
in a design for a seal. An African was seen, (as in the figure[A],) in
chains, in a supplicating posture, kneeling with one knee upon the
ground, and with both his hands lifted up to heaven, and round the seal
was observed the following motto, as if he was uttering the words
himself,--"Am I not a Man and a Brother?" The design having been
approved of, a seal was ordered to be engraved from it. I may mention
here that this seal, simple as the design was, was made to contribute
largely, as will be shown in its proper place, towards turning the
attention of our countrymen to the case of the injured Africans, and of
procuring a warm interest in their favour.
[Footnote A: The figure is rather larger than that in the seal.]
[Illustration: Seal]
On the 30th of October several letters were read: one of these was from
Brissot and Claviere conjointly; in this they acknowledged the
satisfaction they had received on being considered as associates in the
humane work of the abolition of the Slave Trade, and correspondents in
France for the promotion of it. They declared it to be their intention
to attempt the establishment of a committee there, on the same
principles as that in England; but, in consequence of the different
constitutions of the two governments, they gave the committee reason to
suppose, that their proceedings must be different, as well as slower
than those in England, for the same object.
A second letter was read from Mr. John Wesley. He said that he had now
read the publications which the committee had sent him, and that he
took, if possible, a still deeper interest in their cause. He exhorted
them to more than ordinary diligence and perseverance; to be prepared
for opposition; to be cautious about the manner of procuring information
and evidence, that no stain might fall upon their character; and to take
care that the question should be argued, as well upon the consideration
of interest as of humanity and justice, the former of which he feared
would have more weight than the latter; and he recommended them and
their glorious concern, as before, to the protection of Him who was able
to support them.
Letters were read from Dr. Price, approving the institution of the
committee; from Charles Lloyd of Birmingham, stating the interest which
the inhabitants of that town were taking in it; and from William
Russell, Esq. of the same place, stating the same circumstance, and that
he would co-operate with the former in calling a public meeting, and in
doing whatever else was necessary for the promotion of so good a cause.
A letter was read also from Manchester, signed conjointly by George
Barton Thomas Cooper, John Ferriar, Thomas Walker, Thomas Phillips,
Thomas Butterworth Bayley, and George Lloyd, Esqrs., promising their
assistance from that place. Two others were read from John Kerrich,
Esq., of Harleston, and from Joshua Grigby, Esq., of Drinkston, each
tendering their services, one for the county Of Norfolk, and the other
for the county of Suffolk. The latter concluded by saying, "With respect
to myself, in no possible instance of my public conduct can I receive so
much sincere satisfaction, as I shall, by the vote I will most assuredly
give in parliament, in support of this most worthy effort to suppress a
traffic, which is contrary to all the feelings of humanity, and the laws
of our religion."
A letter was read also at this sitting from Major Cartwright, of
Marnham, in which he offered his own services, in conjunction with those
of the Rev. John Charlesworth, of Ossington, for the county of
Nottingham.
"I congratulate you," says he, in this letter, "on the happy prospect of
some considerable step at least being taken, towards the abolition of a
traffic, which is not only impious in itself, but of all others tends
most to vitiate the human mind.
"Although procrastination is generally pernicious in cases depending
upon the feelings of the heart, I should almost fear that, without very
uncommon exertions, you will scarcely be prepared early in the next
sessions, for bringing the business into parliament with the greatest
advantage. But, be that as it may, let the best use be made of the
intermediate time; and then, if there be a superintending Providence,
which governs everything in the moral world, there is every reason to
hope for a blessing on this particular work."
The last letter was from Robert Boucher Nickolls, dean of Middleham, in
Yorkshire. In this he stated that he was a native of the West Indies,
and had travelled on the continent of America. He then offered some
important information to the committee as his mite, towards the
abolition of the Slave Trade, and as an encouragement to them to
persevere. He attempted to prove, that the natural increase of the
negroes already in the West Indian islands would be fully adequate to
the cultivation of them, without any fresh supplies from Africa; and
that such natural increase would be secured by humane treatment. With
this view, he instanced the two estates of Mr. MacMahon and of Dr. Mapp,
in the island of Barbados. The first required continual supplies of new
slaves, in consequence of the severe and cruel usage adopted upon it.
The latter overflowed with labourers in consequence of a system of
kindness, so that it almost peopled another estate. Having related these
instances, he cited others in North America, where, though the climate
was less favourable to the constitution of the Africans, but their
treatment better, they increased also. He combated, from his own
personal knowledge, the argument, that self-interest was always
sufficient to insure good usage, and maintained that there was only one
way of securing it, which was the entire abolition of the Slave Trade.
He showed in what manner the latter measure would operate to the desired
end: he then dilated on the injustice and inconsistency of this trade,
and supported the policy of the abolition of it, both to the planter,
the merchant, and the nation.
This letter of the Dean of Middleham, which was a little Essay of
itself, was deemed of so much importance by the committee, but
particularly as it was the result of local knowledge, that they not only
passed a resolution of thanks to him for it, but desired his permission
to print it.
The committee sat again on the 13th and 22nd of November. At the first
of these sittings, a letter was read from Henry Grimston, Esq., of
Whitwell Hall, near York, offering his services for the promotion of the
cause in his own county. At the second, the Dean of Middleham's answer
was received. He acquiesced in the request of the committee; when five
thousand of his letters were ordered immediately to be printed.
On the 22nd a letter was read from Mr. James Mackenzie, of the town of
Cambridge, desiring to forward the object of the institution there. Two
letters were read also, one from the late Mr. Jones, tutor of Trinity
College, and the other from Mr. William Frend, fellow of Jesus College.
It appeared from these, that the gentlemen of the University of
Cambridge were beginning to take a lively interest in the abolition of
the Slave Trade, among whom Dr. Watson, the bishop of Llandaff, was
particularly conspicuous. At this committee two thousand new _Summary
View_ were ordered to be printed, and the circular letter to be prefixed
to each.