What do you think?
Rate this book
Thoughts on the Necessity of Improving the Condition of the Slaves in the British Colonies: With a View to Their Ultimate Emancipation and on the ... of the Latter Measure
Excerpt from Thoughts on the Necessity of Improving the Condition of the Slaves in the British With a View to Their Ultimate Emancipation and on the Practicability, the Safety, and the Advantages of the Latter Measure
West Indian Slaves, it is only because they have been, and continue to be, de prived of it by force. And here let us consider for a momentwhich of these two different sorts of property is of the greatest value. Let us suppose an English gentleman to be seized by ruflians on the banks of the Thames (and why not a gentleman when African princes have been so served?) and hurried away to a land (and Algiers is such a land for instance), where white persons are held as Slaves. Now this gentleman has not been used to severe labour (neither has the African in his own country); and being therefore unable, though he does his best, to please his master, he is roused to further exertion by the whip. Perhaps he takes this treatment indignantly. This only secures him a severer punishment. I say nothing of his being badly fed, or lodged, or clothed. If he should have a wife and daughters with him, how much more cruel would be his fate! To see the tender Skins of these lacerated by the whip! To see them torn from him, with a knowledge, that they are going to be compelled to submit to the lust of an overseer and no redress How long, says he, is this frightful system which tears my body in pieces and excruciates my soul, which kills me by inches, and which involves my family in unspeak able misery and unmerited disgrace, to continue For ever, replies a voice for ever, as relates to your own life, and the life of your wife and daughters, and that of all their posterity. Now would not this gentleman give all that he had left behind him in England, and all that he had in the world besides, and all that he had in prospect and expectancy, to get out of this wretched state, though he foresaw that on his return to his own country he would be obliged to beg his bread for the remainder of his l1fe?/i am sure he would. I am sure he would instantly prefer his liberty to his gold. There would not be the hesitation qf'a moment as to the choice he would make. I hope then, that if the argument of property should be urged on one side of the question, the argument of property (liberty) will not be overlooked. On the other, but that they will be fairly weighed, the one against the other, and that an allowance will be made as the scale shall preponderate on either side.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
West Indian Slaves, it is only because they have been, and continue to be, de prived of it by force. And here let us consider for a momentwhich of these two different sorts of property is of the greatest value. Let us suppose an English gentleman to be seized by ruflians on the banks of the Thames (and why not a gentleman when African princes have been so served?) and hurried away to a land (and Algiers is such a land for instance), where white persons are held as Slaves. Now this gentleman has not been used to severe labour (neither has the African in his own country); and being therefore unable, though he does his best, to please his master, he is roused to further exertion by the whip. Perhaps he takes this treatment indignantly. This only secures him a severer punishment. I say nothing of his being badly fed, or lodged, or clothed. If he should have a wife and daughters with him, how much more cruel would be his fate! To see the tender Skins of these lacerated by the whip! To see them torn from him, with a knowledge, that they are going to be compelled to submit to the lust of an overseer and no redress How long, says he, is this frightful system which tears my body in pieces and excruciates my soul, which kills me by inches, and which involves my family in unspeak able misery and unmerited disgrace, to continue For ever, replies a voice for ever, as relates to your own life, and the life of your wife and daughters, and that of all their posterity. Now would not this gentleman give all that he had left behind him in England, and all that he had in the world besides, and all that he had in prospect and expectancy, to get out of this wretched state, though he foresaw that on his return to his own country he would be obliged to beg his bread for the remainder of his l1fe?/i am sure he would. I am sure he would instantly prefer his liberty to his gold. There would not be the hesitation qf'a moment as to the choice he would make. I hope then, that if the argument of property should be urged on one side of the question, the argument of property (liberty) will not be overlooked. On the other, but that they will be fairly weighed, the one against the other, and that an allowance will be made as the scale shall preponderate on either side.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
68 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2003
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Clarkson
161 books3 followersThomas Clarkson was an English abolitionist, and a leading campaigner against the slave trade in the British Empire. He helped found The Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade (also known as the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade) and helped achieve passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807, which ended British trade in slaves.
He became a pacifist in 1816 and, together with his brother John, was among the twelve founders of the Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Universal Peace.
In his later years, Clarkson campaigned for the abolition of slavery worldwide; it was then concentrated in the Americas. In 1840, he was the key speaker at the Anti-Slavery Society's (today known as Anti-Slavery International) first conference in London which campaigned to end slavery in other countries.
He became a pacifist in 1816 and, together with his brother John, was among the twelve founders of the Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Universal Peace.
In his later years, Clarkson campaigned for the abolition of slavery worldwide; it was then concentrated in the Americas. In 1840, he was the key speaker at the Anti-Slavery Society's (today known as Anti-Slavery International) first conference in London which campaigned to end slavery in other countries.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.