It remains now to recommend, as earnestly and as strongly as possible, to the inhabitants of this Land of Freedom individually, a particular and serious attention to THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY, ON EVERY CONSIDERATION OF MORALITY AND JUSTICE, OF PUTTING AN END TO A PRACTICE SO PREGNANT WITH CIRCUMSTANCES OF TERROR AND ALARM TO THIS COUNTRY.
Much has been lately done, by the united friends of equitable freedom, in circulating throughout the kingdom important information on this interesting subject: but much remains yet to be done. The minds of many have been informed, and their indignation justly kindled by the history of a commerce “written throughout in characters of blood[12].” But the understandings it is to be fear’d, of a great majority of the people of England, are still unenlightened. Should the foregoing Short Sketch of the Evidence, awaken the feelings, or quicken the attention, of any, in favour of their greatly injured fellow-creatures, the oppressed Africans, it is much to be wished, that they will not hastily dismiss the subject from their recollection, or suffer its painful impressions to be made in vain: but seek a further acquaintance with the evidence, which the more they examine, the stronger will be their inducements to exert every power and faculty they possess, for the purpose of procuring the Abolition of the Slave-Trade. Let no one say, “my situation of privacy and obscurity, precludes all possibility of serving the cause”—for the greatest numbers consist of units, and the most mighty exertions of states and empires are but aggregates of individual ability. Next to Members of Parliament, all who have any just influence in the election of them, are particularly concerned to consider, how far the attainment of the great end we have in view may depend upon their conduct. We may certainly conclude, that whoever is not a friend to the liberty of the meanest subject, is not fit to be entrusted with that of the state: and even those who have no vote, are nevertheless comprehended in our idea of the public mind,—nor is any man of sense and virtue, let his situation in a free country be what it may, to be deemed of no account. Upon his judgment, his voice (if not his vote,) his example, much may depend. The discovery of truth, the communication of useful knowledge, and the exemplary recommendation of virtuous conduct, may dignify a plebeian, as well as add lustre to a crown. Even a negro slave, amidst the horrors of a middle passage, and debased by every external circumstance of degradation and misery that the imagination can conceive, shall divide his meagre morsel[13] with the inhuman monster in distress, who stole him from his native country, and his nearest connexions, thereby returning all the GOOD in his power, for all the EVIL his merciless enemy could inflict, and giving an example of true benevolence of heart and real greatness of mind, unsurpassed in the history of civilized nations, and worthy of the best and purest of all religions:—“if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink[14].” Let no one, therefore, think too meanly of himself when called upon to assist in a good cause, seeing, that from the most abject state of human wretchedness a lesson may sometimes be learnt, and an influence imparted which the proudest philosophy need not blush to own. The abolition of the slave trade is an object of such high importance, and so nearly concerns every one who has a mind to comprehend, and a heart to feel, that no communication or assistance is too small, nor any too great, to be exerted upon this occasion.
Some people seem inclined to lend an ear to tales of human woe, and feel a certain gratification in beholding the exhibitions of tragedy, or in the perusal of pathetic poetry, and the like. Even the case of the oppressed Africans, when represented by their favourite bards, or appearing in the form of the “Dying Slave,” or the “Negro’s Complaint,” seem to possess, if not charms to please, at least powers forcibly to attract their willing attention, and to win their sympathetic regard. Yet the evidence delivered before the House of Commons, containing a true and faithful account of the miseries and wickedness attendant upon the traffic in their fellow-creatures, unembellished by flourishes of rhetoric, undecorated with the splendid habiliments of poetry, is almost in vain recommended to their notice. Should they be prevailed upon to cast their eye over a few pages of the shocking history, they presently shut up the book—it makes them shudder—they have read enough—such horrid barbarities, such complicated sufferings, are not to be endured even in imagination! But let such remember—“that humanity consists not in a squeamish ear—it consists not in a starting or shrinking at such tales as these, but in a disposition of heart to relieve misery, and to prevent the repetition of cruelty:—Humanity appertains rather to the mind than to the nerves, and prompts men to real, disinterested endeavours to give happiness to their fellow-creatures[15].” It is therefore to be wished that no affection of extreme sensibility, or real effeminacy of manners, may disincline, or disqualify, for the service of humanity. That extreme DELICACY which deprives us, if not of the disposition, yet of the ability to encounter suffering for the sake of, and in order to help our brethren in affliction, and under the severest oppression, is detrimental to its possessor, and injurious to the community; it renders compassion a painful, useless thing, and makes beneficence fruitless.
To the busy and the gay “a great book is a great evil.” Two thousand pages in folio, written (like Ezekiel’s roll) within and without,—lamentations, mourning and woe, stand but little chance of obtaining their notice—even the Abstract of the Evidence, would detain some of them too long from their eager pursuits of business, or their favourite schemes of pleasure. This HASTY SKETCH will not, however, it may be presumed, encroach too much upon their time; and well rewarded will the compiler of it be, if it should prove a stimulus to further investigation of the Evidence. No one knows what opportunities he may have, or how far his influence may extend, to assist the endeavours now using for the abolition of a trade, the continued carrying on of which, after being so fully apprized of its dreadful enormity, may be expected (without the smallest tincture of superstitious fear) to expose this nation to the just punishment of Providence.
Three nations, Juvan, Tubal, and Meshech, are mentioned in Scripture[16] as having their principal trade at Tyre in the selling of men. This circumstance has been appealed to in vindication of the African Slave-Trade:—but mark the sequel. In the following chapter, verse 18, the Prophet addresses the Prince of Tyre thus:—“Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic: therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth.” A prophecy which has been remarkably fulfilled.
The great leader in the Debates of the House of Commons on this momentous subject has declared—“That interested as he may be supposed to be in the final event of the question, he was comparatively indifferent as to the then decision of the House. Whatever they might do, the people of Great Britain, he was confident, would abolish the slave-trade, when, as would now soon happen, its injustice and cruelty should be fairly laid before them. It was (said he) a nest of serpents, which would never have endured so long, but for the darkness in which they lay hid. The light of day would now be let in upon them, and they would vanish from the sight.”
W. B. C.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the House of Commons.