Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-17
WHOLE NO. 1875.

VnO on il'oltIdOlP mCll1l tOTtusr. IL StTl-
klngly illustrates the unity Of a mind and life
Accordingly devoted to the task of studying
the details Of social wrongs, with a view to
their redress, that the latest hours of the NH
lanihrcpists conscious existence were occu-
pied with schemes for the correction of evils
IN the condition OF merchant seamen, with
which his early lahors in the anti-slavery
cause had incidentally made him acquainted.
Tie Is gone from among us-but his work,
and the spirit IN which he worked, live after
him. The idea Of the solitary and agonized
student has grown into fact, and moved the
world, and written itself intellectually in tue
codes Of nations; and the faith in whose
strength he worked and waited, may assure
those who come after him, that the eventual
universally of the triumph Of justice and hu-
mainly Is already decreed by a Providence
which apportions the moral successes of ma
tons, as of individuals, to the simplicity
and fidelity of their allegiance to moral prin.
ciple."
The mental anguish referred TO in the fore
going extract, will be explained by the fol-
lowing quotation, from which it will be seen
that Thomas Clarkson was only ia his Goth
year when his feelings were so keenly AVA
kened TO the wrongs Of the negro race, that
he was induced TO devote the spring-time of
iihC nv VI AASAho " NV . VI lhElA llAFt
ries; and during the remainder Of a period Of
time extending over sixty.one years, he was
ever found at the post Of honor and of dam
ger. struggling for the freedom of men who
could never know sven the name Of their ben
efdctor =
'In the year 1885, DR.. Peckhard, the Vice
Chancellor OF Cambridge, proposed the fol-
lowing question To the senior Bachelors Of
Arts, as the subject of a Latin prize disserta-
tion-'ls il right to make slaves Of others
against their willl' At this time, Clarkson
was a senior Bachelor in the University; and
having gained a prize the previous year, he
resolved 10 enter The lists again as a COMPETE
tor. While studying the general question of
slavery for the purpose of The prize essay, the
whole inquiry Of the negro slave trade burst
upon his view. 1T is IMPOSSIBLE he re-
marked, in his History of Slavery, to ina
CINE the severe anguish which the compost
ton Of this essay cost me. All the pleasure
| had promised myself from the literary con-
test, was exchanged for pain, by the asiound-
ing facts that were continually before me-
1t was one gloomy subject from morning ill
night. In the day | was agitated aud unea-
sy, in the night | had little or no rest. was
SO overwhelmed with grief, that | sometimes
never closed my eyes during The whole night,
$500 a ~ OhE"i bshlo' my ESSAY n q
trial for literary distinction. My great desire
was now 10 produce a work that should call
"a vigorous public effort to redress the wrongs
of injured Africa
He came 10 London TO make inquiries, and
to collect materials. He shortly produced
his celebrated essay 'On the Slnyery and
Commerce of the Human Species He OBJ
tanned the prize but the inferior motives Of
the collegian were annihilated by the nobler
purposes of philanthropy. His aim now be-
came the deliverance of the African race. He
made IA vow of eternal enmity to the slave
trade, and to slavery in every form. He re-
solved to consecrate himself 10 this gigantic,
and then apparently hopeless, task.
From this time, Thomas Clarkson entered
on his work with renewed zeal, and he found
that, the further he inquired into the evil of
slavery and its traffic, the more diabolical and
revolving did the system appear. That emil
nent statesman, William Wherefore, who
was one of the principal leaders in this great
work, and who devoted all the energies of his
powerful mind to the subject, did not, how
ever, enter the field in the cause of the negro
until two years after Thomas Clarkson had
taken a lively interest in the abolition cause.
Between them no rivalship existed. The
question was not, no should have the most
honor, but who should do the most good"
About this period, Clarkson threw his
whole soul, with youthful ardor, into the no.
ly cause he had embarked in. He visited
many towns in England, in search of infOr-
nation, and TO gain friends. His motives
were maligned, and his character calunnia-
ted. In Liverpool, he narrowly escaped with
his life. 1t is recorded that, in that town, a
number Of merchants surrounded him on the
quay, and endeavored to push him into the
river. He visited France in 1880, where he
remained six months in the prosecution Of
his object, and after travelling thousands OF
miles in quest of persons who could give evil
dence, he returned home, where he still Ia
bored untiringly. His great object was 10
obtain correct information respecting the
means employed to procure negroes on the
coast of Africa. After unheard of labors, and
understandable perseverance, he at length sue
ceeded. 1t is stated that he travelled upwards
of thirty-hve thousand miles on these occa-
sions, and that a great part of his journeyings
were performed in the night time; and he
kept up a correspondence during seven years
with four hundred persons, writing annually
a volume besides, in favor of the cause. This
intense bodily and mental excitement affect
ed his health for SOM time.
Mr.. Clarkson was the author of several
works; among which may be named-Hls-
tory of the Abolition Of the Slave Trade, .
vols; Thoughts on the Necessity of Abol-
ishing Slavery; A Portraiture of Quakerism,
3 VOL; Life Of William Penn, &C., &c.
In 1918, soms European sovereigns, and
other distinguished men, met in Paris
Clarkson drew up an address to the sove-
reigns, and was received with distinguished
courtesy by the Emperor Alexander of Rus
STA, who with great inconsistency expressed
his opinion, that Africa ought to be allowed
a chance of raising herself in the scale Of CT.
vilizalion, forgetting that he himself was the
absolute master Of millions Of men scarcely a
degree removed beyond the condition Of the
poor African slave in the West India Islands
and in America.