Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/193

  by the delegates from North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Georgia, the five states which had the greatest interest in slaves. But even these offered to agree to the article, provided a condition was annexed to it, which was afterwards done, that such abolition should not commence till the first of January, 1808.

In consequence of these circumstances, the society of Pennsylvania, the object of which was "for promoting the abolition of slavery and the relief of free negroes unlawfully held in bondage," became so popular, that in the year 1787, it was thought desirable to enlarge it. Accordingly, several new members were admitted into it. The celebrated Dr. Franklin, who had long warmly espoused the cause of the injured Africans, was appointed President; James Pemberton and Jonathan Penrose were appointed Vice-Presidents; Dr. Benjamin Rush and Tench Coxe, Secretaries; James Star, Treasurer.





 Thomas Clarkson, the historian of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. — Devotes his life to the cause, 1785. — Publishes his Essay on Slavery. — His coadjutors. — William Wilberforce, parliamentary leader in the cause. — Middleton, Dr. Porteus, Lord Searsdale, Granville Sharp. — Clarkson's first visit to a slave-ship. — Association formed. — Correspondence opened in Europe and America. — Petitions sent to Parliament. — Committee of Privy Council ordered by the King, 178S. — Great exertions of the friends of the cause. — Clarkson's interview with Pitt.

historian of the Abolition of the Slave Trade by the British Parliament was Mr. Thomas Clarkson. He was among the warmest supporters of the sacred cause, and from the year 1785 he devoted his life to it. The various measures pursued to promote it, were registered at the time, either by himself or the committee with whom he acted. Not the shadow of a doubt has ever been expressed as to the authenticity of his work, and we cannot present information on this subject in a more satisfactory manner than by giving the reader a concise abridgement of the work itself.

Besides Mr. Clarkson, there was another individual of whose mind the subject took a deep hold. This was William Wilberforce. In October, 1757, he entered upon his journal that "the Almighty had placed before him the great object of the abolition of the slave-trade." Clarkson and Wilberforce, the twin spirits of the movement, were soon able to form a powerful confederacy, including men of all parties, and to impress the mind of the nation.

Dr. Peckard, master of Magdalen College, in the University of Cambridge,