On October 28, 1787, William Wilberforce famously wrote in his diary, “God Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of [morals].” It was a resolution which would shake the world. Yet even before Wilberforce joined the fray, there was a substantial abolitionist movement in late 18th century England. This movement was an entirely Christian effort. Virtually every significant abolitionist figure was a committed evangelical Christian. All of these men and women are worthy of our admiration. To describe all of their contributions would be beyond the scope of this blog. However, several are worthy of special mention.
Thomas Clarkson was a 25 year old divinity student at Cambridge University in 1785 – the year of William Wilberforce’s “Great Change.” Each year, the University held a highly prestigious essay contest. The topic for this year’s contest was a provocative one: Is it lawful to enslave others against their will? Although Clarkson was a faithful Christian, he had little knowledge about the invisible slave trade prior to the essay contest. Determined to win the prize, Clarkson devoted himself to learning all he could about the slave trade. What he learned shocked and sickened him. Thomas Clarkson’s essay was indeed awarded first prize, but more consequentially, it radically changed his life. He resolved to put an end to this vile traffic in human flesh. Clarkson began by publishing his essay. He would later dedicate himself to thoroughly researching and documenting the injustices of the slave trade – often at great personal risk.
James Ramsay was a surgeon in the British navy. As such, he became familiar with the deplorable conditions aboard the slave ships – conditions which deeply troubled him. Ramsay later left the navy and took up residence on the island of St. Kitt’s in the British West Indies. On the island, Ramsay served in two important roles. First, he became the physician overseeing the sugar plantations. In doing so, Ramsay became well acquainted with the subhuman conditions the Africans faced. Second, he served as an Anglican pastor. Ramsay determined to do all he could to minister to both the spiritual and the physical needs of the slaves. His outreach soon came to the attention of the plantation owners who sharply resented the fact that Ramsay would regard their slaves as full human beings. In 1781, James Ramsay returned to England where he became a key figure in the abolitionist movement. His firsthand knowledge of the slave trade would be essential to the effort to outlaw this wicked commerce. Abolitionist friends implored Ramsay to write a full account of his experiences. This long essay was published in 1784 and was instrumental in shaping public opinion. Sadly, James Ramsay paid a heavy price for his faithful witness. He endured bitter personal attacks and character smears by the slave industry.
What the abolitionist movement lacked was political representation in Parliament. This was what made William Wilberforce such a valuable ally. In Wilberforce, the abolitionist movement finally had someone who could apply pressure where it really mattered, at the highest levels of the British government where laws were crafted. If Parliament abolished the slave trade, then the full weight of the British government and the might of the British navy could be brought to bear in ending this evil.
The abolition of the British slave trade arguably represents the first successful democratic pressure campaign in history. We see such strategies at work all the time in our modern world. Campaigns are launched first to sway public opinion. Then, that public opinion is brought to bear upon the political machinery. The abolitionists had already made substantial strides in gaining the attention of the British public. Thomas Clarkson’s and James Ramsay’s essays were printed and widely distributed. Petitions were signed and gathered. Abolitionist societies were formed. Speeches were given and letters written to newspapers. But Wilberforce would be the tip of the spear, so to speak. He was the person given the task of bringing this matter before the nation’s representatives.
The forces arrayed against Wilberforce and his abolitionist friends were formidable. The English slave trade had made the ship captains and owners very wealthy men. Nor did the slave industry have any compunction about using their power to destroy those who threatened their interests. The primary argument against ending the slave trade was economic. Indeed, the triangle trade did represent a substantial portion of the British economy. There was quite widespread sentiment throughout England that terminating the slave trade would have severe economic ramifications. This is perhaps the main reason why the abolitionist movement did not initially try and outlaw slavery itself throughout the empire, but instead set their sights only upon the slave trade.
Many other arguments advanced against the abolitionist cause had no merit whatsoever. The pro-slavery forces certainly proved they were willing to deceive at every opportunity. For instance, the slave traders often argued that the slave ships provided invaluable training for young Englishmen who could later serve in the British navy! In reality, the slave trade was nearly as harsh for the white English sailors as for the slaves themselves. The slave ships were indeed giant floating petri dishes, where diseases of all kinds flourished. Pestilence killed both slaves and sailors alike. By some calculations, the annual mortality rate for an English sailor toiling aboard a slave ship approached a stunning 25%. This discovery shocked even the abolitionists.
Wilberforce saw many things which encouraged him greatly. He knew that abolition was strongly supported by the prime minister – his close friend William Pitt. Other politicians of very different stripes such as Charles Fox also had thrown their support behind the effort. The wickedness of the slave trade had been thoroughly researched and documented. In late 1787, Wilberforce would write, “As to our probability of success, I assure you I entertain no doubt of it.” In this opinion, Wilberforce was hugely naive. Little did he know that it would be 20 long years before abolition would be accomplished. Nonetheless, Wilberforce announced to the House of Commons that he would soon be bringing forth a motion for the abolition of the slave trade.
All of Wilberforce’s efforts came to a screeching halt when he fell dreadfully ill in early 1788. Wilberforce had been stricken by fever and diarrhea – most likely related to what be now call ulcerative colitis. The doctors who examined him did not think he could survive much longer. While Wilberforce languished, William Pitt stepped into the breech. Pitt proposed that the House of Commons should launch an official inquiry into the British slave trade. But the first real blow in this titanic struggle was landed by an MP named William Dolben. Dolben had seen for himself the horrendous, cramped conditions aboard English slave ships. He proposed a bill which would limit the number of slaves transported by each vessel depending on the ship’s size. The slave industry now knew that they were facing quite a scrap. Meanwhile, William Wilberforce spent the better part of a year convalescing, slowing regaining his strength.
In the spring of 1789, the investigative report on the slave trade was presented to the House of Commons. The report was an exhaustive effort – running over 800 pages in length – documenting the appalling conditions of the slave trade. Debate on abolition was scheduled to soon begin.
Thus on May 12th, 1789 William Wilberforce rose before the House of Commons in order to advocate for the abolition of the British slave trade. He had spent countless hours in preparation for this moment and now spoke for 3 1/2 hours with only a few brief notes. Wilberforce’s speech was by all accounts one of the finest he – or any other orator – had ever given. He methodically described the horrors of the slave trade, including the ghastly Middle Passage. He carefully deconstructed the lies and misinformation put forth by the slave interests. Near his conclusion, Wilberforce challenged his hearers: “The nature and the circumstances of this trade are now laid open to us. We can no longer plead ignorance, we cannot evade it…it is brought now so directly before our eyes that this House must decide, and must justify to all the world, and to their own consciences, the rectitudes of their grounds and of the principles of their decision.”
Sadly, it would take more than Wilberforce’s soaring oratory to move the hearts and minds of his fellow Englishmen. In the end, the gentlemen of Parliament did what politicians often do when faced with a clear moral choice: they kicked the can down the road. Despite the mountains of evidence that had already been presented, the House of Commons decided that still more information would be needed before a definitive decision could be reached. Yet all the while, thousands of black Africans would face exquisite suffering and a miserable death.
