Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-07-01
A MAGNIFICENT PROPOSITION.

A MAGNIFICENT PROPOSITION.
-
The friends of freedom in England, DESTROYS to
secure the best and most efficiently useful essay
possible, on the question of slavery, offer a prize Of
200 guineas for the best essay, and 100 for the Sec
ond best.
The circular below which has been forwarded us
for publication, will fully explain the whole:
To TIE FRIENDS OF FREEDOM: An idea is enter
tanned by many friends Of the Slave, that much
good will result '.om the offer of q Prize for the
most apr- .ed Essay o the sintalness Of slavery;
The best mode Of terminating ii; and The benefits that
rould result hcyeflom." The subject was consid-
cred at a recent meeting of the Leeds Anti-Slavery
Association and steps are being taken for raising
q Fund, to make an offer of 200 guineas for such
Essay, and 100 guineas for the second best.
In addition to what may be elected by such a
performance, the offer of a Prize for its production
will be the means Of awakening dormant energies
of turning the attention Of Q large number of
persons to the subject, who have not yet examined
into, or considered it-as in the case of Thomas
Clarkson annexed as we'll as of bringing the
minds of those who have studied it, to look still
more closely into all its bearings. Sufficient time
will be allowed for the production of Essays, that
American as well as European talent and energy
may be elected.
The friends of the Slave are desired to forward
their contributions without delay, to
WILSON ARMISTEAD,
PRESIDENT OF THE LEEDS ANrI-sLAvERY ASSOCIATION,
AND TREASURER FOR TIE PRIZE FUND, pro tenn.
Leeds, England 4h mo-. III, 1854.
psgn Friends of the cause in America who will
kindly assist in making up the Essay Fund, will
oblige by soliciting donations in their respective
localities, and forward the same without delay,
with any suggestions, either direct to Wilson Arm
istead, Leeds, England or to George w. Taylor,
Fifth and Cherry Streets, Philadelphia. Samuel
May, Jr., Boston, Massachusetts. James McCune
Smith, NJ. d., New York. Frederick Douglas,
Rochester. N. Y.
To enforce the importance of the measure, its
friends publish in their circular the following in
~teresting history of Thomas Clarkson's first essay
on the subject:
Extraordinary result Of a prize essay in awakening
the mind Of Thomas CiarkSon, and in turning
his whole enermies into The anti-Slare'y field.
1t was in 1885, that DR.. Packard was raised to
the Vice-Chancellorship of the University of Cam
bridge. That benevolent and patriotic divine, took
the first opportunity that presented itself Of ex-
citing the attention of the public to the crimes he
had himself denounced from the pulpit. This he
effected through the fundamentally of a Univcr.
sity Prize, offered to the young and ardent minds
of the undergraduates, for the best Latin disserta.
ton upon the following subject Anne liceat inuito'
in s~erpitutem dare 7"-"B ii right 10 make slaues o.
others against their wiU
Thomas Clarkson was at this time senior wrang.
Ter in the University. In the previous year, h,
had gained a prize for the best Latin dissertation
That he might retain his former reputation, he fel
himself called upon again to prepare for the con
fict; and thus obtain for himself a still higher
degree of scholastic fame. In studying the subjec'
proposed, the young aspirant properly conceived
that the proposition, though couched in genera
terms, pointed indirectly at the African slave trade
which had begun to occupy a share of public at
%tention, but which he regretted his entire ignc
rance Of, and that only a few weeks we're allowed
for the composition of the essay. He commenced
however, with determination, and made the bes,
use of his time. He gathered information from
every source he could think of, and armed himself
with authorities on the subject. But no man, he
pathetically says, can imagine the severe trials
which the composition of this essay subjected hin
to. He had expected to find much pleasure il
collecting his materials, in arranging and in con
structing his Gdicula to freedom. He anticipated
qualification from the invention of his propose,
arguments, from the arrangement of his facts
from the skill to be displayed in the proper con
~nections, from the proofs he should give by Undue
ton of the unlawfulness of making persons slave
against their will, and from the laudable aspiration
so natural in a youthful heart, of being engage
f in an innocent contest for literary honors from hi
> alma mater.
+ But all these anticipations of delight wer
~damped by the narrowing and astounding fact
n that presented themselves continually to his view
1t was a continued succession of perpetual wo
g and misery. and noaght but gloomy scenes
mental agony and bodily anguish was before hi
from early morn till dusky night. By day he wa
~wretched at night he could take but little res
a sometimes not closing his eyes for very grief
Chains. whips, letters, branding-irons, collars as
for wild beasts, blood, gashes, sobs, convulsion
Ishrieks, as described in the terrific narratives !