The first persons in England who took united practical action against the slave trade were the Quakers, following the expression of sentiment which had emanated as early as 1671 from their founder George Fox. In 1727 they declared it to be "not a com mendable or allowed" practice; in 1761 they excluded from their society all who should be found concerned in it, and issued appeals to their members and the public against the system. In 1783 there was formed among them an association "for the relief and libera tion of the negro slaves in the West Indies, and for the discourage ment of the slave trade on the coast of Africa." This was the first society established in England for the purpose. The Quakers in America had taken action on the subject still earlier than those in England. The Pennsylvanian Quakers advised their members against the trade in 1696; in 1754 they issued to their brethren a strong dissuasive against encouraging it in any manner ; in 1774 all persons concerned in the traffic, and in 1776 all slave holders who would not emancipate their slaves, were excluded from mem bership. The Quakers in the other American provinces followed the lead of their brethren in Pennsylvania. The individuals among the American Quakers who laboured most earnestly and inde fatigably on behalf of the Africans were John Woolman (172o-73) and Anthony Benezet (1713-84), the latter a son of a French Huguenot driven from France by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The former confined his efforts chiefly to America and, indeed, to his co-religionists there; the latter sought, not without success, to found a universal propaganda in favour of abolition. A Pennsylvanian society was formed in 1774 by James Pember ton and Dr. Benjamin Rush, and in 1787 (after the war) was reconstructed on an enlarged basis under the presidency of Frank lin. Other similar associations were founded about the same time in different parts of the United States. The next important move ment took place in England. Dr. Peckard, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, who entertained strong convictions against the slave trade, proposed in 1785 as subject for a Latin prize dissertation the question, "An liceat invitos in servitutem dare." Thomas Clarkson obtained the first prize, translated his essay into English in an expanded form, and published it in 1786 with the title Essay on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species. In the process of its publication he was brought into contact with several persons already deeply interested in the ques tion; amongst others with Granville Sharp, William Dillwyn (an American by birth, who had known Benezet), and the Rev. James Ramsay, who had lived 19 years in St. Christopher, and had pub lished an Essay on the Treatment and Conversion of the African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies. The distribution of Clark son's book led to his forming connections with many persons of influence, and especially with William Wilberforce (q.v.). A com mittee was formed on May 22, 1787, for the abolition of the slave trade, under the presidency of Granville Sharp. It is unquestion able that the principal motive power which originated and sus tained their efforts was Christian principle and feeling. The most earnest and unremitting exertions were made by the persons so associated in investigating facts and collecting evidence, in form ing branch committees and procuring petitions, information and support of those who pleaded the cause in parliament. To the original members were afterwards added several remarkable per sons, amongst whom were Josiah Wedgwood, Bennet Langton (Dr. Johnson's friend), and, later, Zachary Macaulay, Henry Brougham and James Stephen.
In consequence of the numerous petitions presented to parlia ment, a committee of Privy Council was appointed by the Crown in 1788 to enquire concerning the slave trade; and Pitt moved that the House of Commons should early in the next session take the subject into consideration. Wilberforce's first motion for a committee of the whole House upon the question was made on March 19, 1789, and this committee proceeded to business on May 12 of the same year. After an admirable speech, Wilber
force laid on the table 12 resolutions which were intended as the basis of a future motion for the abolition of the trade. The dis cussion of these was postponed to the next session, and in 1790 91 evidence was taken upon them. At length, on April 18 of the latter year, a motion was made for the introduction of a bill to prevent the further importation of slaves into the British colonies in the West Indies. Opinion had been prejudiced by the insur rections in St. Domingo and Martinique, and in the British island of Dominica; and the motion was defeated by 163 votes against 88. Legislative sanction was, however, given to the establish ment of the Sierra Leone company, for the colonization of a district on the west coast of Africa and the discouragement of the slave trade there. It was hoped at the time that that place would become the centre from which the civilization of Africa would proceed ; but this expectation was not fulfilled. On April 2, 1792 Wilberforce again moved that the trade ought to be abolished; an amendment in favour of gradual abolition was carried, and it was finally resolved that the trade should cease on Jan. 1, 1796. When a similar motion was brought forward in the Lords the consideration of it was postponed to the fol lowing year, in order to give time for the examination of wit nesses by a committee of the House. A bill in the Commons in the following year to abolish that part of the trade by which British merchants supplied foreign settlements with slaves was lost on the third reading; it was renewed in the Commons in 1794 and carried there, but defeated in the Lords. Then followed several years during which efforts were made by the abolitionists in parliament with little success. But in 1806, Lord Grenville and Fox having come into power, a bill was passed in both Houses to put an end to the British slave trade for foreign supply, and to forbid the importation of slaves into the colonies won by the British arms in the course of the war. On June Io of the same year Fox brought forward a resolution "that effectual measures should be taken for the abolition of the African slave trade in such a manner and at such a period as should be deemed advisable," which was carried by a large majority. A similar resolution was successful in the House of Lords. A bill was then passed through both Houses forbidding the employment of any new vessel in the trade. Finally, in 1807, a bill was presented by Lord Grenville in the House of Lords providing for the abolition of the trade, was passed by a large majority, was then sent to the Commons (where it was moved by Lord Howick), was there amended and passed, and received the royal assent on March 25. The bill enacted that no vessel should clear out for slaves from any port within the British dominions after May 1, 1807, and that no slave should be landed in the colonies after March I, i8o8.
In 1807 the African Institution was formed, with the primary objects of keeping a vigilant watch on the slave traders and procuring, if possible, the abolition of the slave trade by the other European nations. It was also to be made an instrument for promoting the instruction of the negro races and diffusing in formation respecting the African continent.
The act of 1807 was habitually violated, as the traders knew that, if one voyage in three was successful, they were abundantly remunerated for their losses. This state of things, it was plain, must continue as long as the trade was only a contraband com merce, involving merely pecuniary penalties. Accordingly, in 1811, Brougham carried through parliament a bill declaring the traffic to be a felony punishable with transportation. Some years later another act was passed, making it a capital offence ; but this was afterwards repealed. The law of 181i proved effectual and brought the slave trade to an end so far as the British dominions were concerned.