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Clarkson/Folder 1-5/Doc 62
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- 1828 (Undated, so date is estimated) (Creation)
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6p paper
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Biographical history
Entered St John's 1780, BA 1783. Clarkson won the Members' Prize for a Latin Essay in 1785, the subject being 'anne liceat invitos in servitutem dare?' ('is it lawful to make slaves of others against their will?'). This contest determined the course of the rest of his life. The essay was read in the Senate House to much applause in June 1785, and was published by James Phillips in June 1786. Clarkson met William Wilberforce in 1786 and co-founded a committee for the suppression of the slave trade in 1787. He travelled to France in 1789 in an attempt to persuade the French Government to abolish the slave trade and continued to travel widely in Britain in support of the cause until forced by ill health to retire from his work in 1794. Returning to the struggle in 1805 with much success, he was finally rewarded by the passing of the bill abolishing the slave trade in 1807. With the bill Clarkson was celebrated as a national figure and a model of philanthropy. With Wilberforce he was made a vice-president of the Anti-slavery Society, formed in 1823, and in 1839 was admitted to the freedom of the City of London in recognition of his work. His final appearance on a public platform was at an Anti-slavery Convention held at the Freemason's Hall in 1840. Clarkson published a number of books and pamphlets regarding the abolition movement, including the comprehensive 'History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade' in 1808, an important record of the movement, and 'Thoughts on the Necessity for improving the Condition of the Slaves in the British Colonies, with a view to their ultimate emancipation' in 1823. Wordsworth addressed to him a sonnet 'on the final passing of the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade' in March 1807 which began 'Clarkson, it was an obstinate hill to climb'.
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Refers to the 'Berbice Case' and the defense which shall be made. The first letter gives the views expressed by Mr. Horton in the Privy Council and during a speech in the House of Commons (1) as follows: The planters cannot work their estates profitably without slaves. Therefore they must have compensation for the loss of the slaves which at present is not set high enough. Negroes will not work without compulsion. It is stated that these two arguments will be defeated by the use of The Privy Council Report and its supplement of 1789, a report commissioned by Parliament under Lord Hawkesbury on the slave trade. They will also use an Abridgement of this evidence which was compiled by the anti slavery committee and used in the House of Commons. The second letter provides evidence from the Abridgement to show that the Planters of Berbice are not in any way losing money with the current rate of compensation. Only a very few slaves can buy their freedom and therefore the workforce is not declining. (1) Refers to a speech made by the Right Honourable R. Wilmot Horton in the House of Commons, on 6 March 1828, on moving for the production of the evidence taken before the Privy Council, upon an appeal against the compulsory manumission of slaves in Demerara and Berbice.