A Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade

WilliamWilberforce(1759–1833)wasapolitician,philanthropistandevangelicalChristian,nowbestknownforhisworktoendtheslavetrade.ElectedtoParliamentin1780,hecampaignedunsuccessfullyforpenalandelectoralreform.In1787,attheencouragementofWilliamPitt,hetookupthecauseofabolitionatWestminster,buthumanitarianandethicalargumentswereslowtoovercometheeconomicinterestsofthosewhohadmadefortunesfromtheslavetradeortheuseofslavelabour.Itwasnotuntil1807thattheAbolitionBillwasfinallypassed:shortlybeforehand,WilberforcehadpublishedthisLettertohisconstituents,justifyinghispreoccupationwithabolitionagainstclaimsthathewasneglectingtheirlocalinterestsatWestminster,andsettingoutallhisargumentsagainsttheslavetrade.Itisfollowedbyhis1814lettertoTalleyrand,callingforaEurope-widebanofthetrade.