Bury the Chains; Chapter 6

Summary:
By 1783, many people of Britain had become dependent on slavery. They wondered how else they would get sugar and tea without slaves. While there seemed to finally be a few standout voices opposing slavery, the actual trade itself was still ingrained in society. The attacks on religion are very prevalent in this chapter as well. Major religious figures of the time are described as everyday slave owners. Thomas Clarkson, attending Cambridge at the time, was the first ever to win both a lower-ranking Latin prize and eventually competing for the big one with Peckard's competition. After months of devoted research and realizations, Clarkson became completely engrossed in putting slavery to an end. This "moral steam-engine" is credited as a true pioneer of the anti-slavery movement. After publishing an English version of his essay, he approached the Anti-Slavery Quaker movement where he was happy to learn they had already been making moves on both sides of the Atlantic. Clarkson was introduced to Ramsary, an Evangilical minister, controversial author of a few anti-slavery books of his time. Realizing that there was more to learn about slavery from a strictly first hand perspective, Clarkson decided to board Fly on it's voyage from Ghana to Jamaica. One interesting fact was that sick sailors that were on the third leg of the voyage were not kept alive. This is interesting point; some of the ruthless tactics used against the slaves poured into many Captain's relationships with his own sea men. Clarkson turned to his Quaker allies for help. While he needed the Quaker community for their networking and loyalty to the cause, the Quakers needed Clarkson because of his Anglican background. A committee of 12 men was sanctioned; consisting of nine Quakers and three Anglicans. The task that this committee faced seemed unfathomable at a time where slavery was so engrossed in British culture. Yet, in this smelly and musty eighteenth century printing shop, these twelve men were able to join forces together and embark on one of the greatest movements in the history of human rights.

Comments:
While it seems as the book progresses, the horror of slavery was starting to become more of a realization for many of the British people. However, because there hadn't ever been a prominant figure with enough courage to start making a difference until Clarkson, slavery had been untouched. Before reading this book, i wasn't aware of how important the Quakers effect on the abolitionist's movement was. With the help of an organized team of people who all hated slavery just as much as the next man, the movement had gone into full effect. The will power and passion of these twelve abolitionists was one that no person could hold down.