| Description | Contains memoranda, news cuttings, documentary extracts, policy drafts, reports, pamphlets, speeches and letters, relating to the political processes associated with the movement toward abolition of slavery in the West Indian colonies, presumably assembled by or on behalf of Robert John Wilmot Horton in his capacity of Under Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Including examples from John Gladstone and George Hibbert with copy replies by Sir Robert John Wilmot-Horton.
Items are arranged by year, although many items bear no date and many that are dated are not in chronological order. Perhaps they were arranged in the order in which they were given Wilmot-Horton’s attention.
1823
1. Comments on a pamphlet published by William Wilberforce in 1823: “An appeal to the religion, justice and humanity of the inhabitants of the British Empire, in behalf of the Negro slaves in the West Indies” 16 pages of text on one side only (recto), with secondary comments (author unknown) on the opposite side (verso).
2. Transcription of a speech made by Alexander Baring in House of Commons on 15 May 1823, 12 pages. See Hathi Trust Digital Library, www.hathitrust.org/, for a published account of the speech, with transcript. See UK Parliament Hansard, https://hansard.parliament.uk/, for the official record of the speech.
3. Extracts from Parliamentary proceedings:
- from Resolutions of the West India Committee dated 25th April 1823, 2 pages
- from the Report of the Sub-committee appointed by the West India Committee on the 25th April 1823, 2 pages
- from the speech of Mr Canning 15 May 1823, 9 pages
4. Copy of letter 3 Oct 1823 from Charles Ellis to George Hibbert, marked to be sent out by Hibbert to his constituents. Argues that misgivings in Jamaica about the views of the “West India body” are based on misunderstandings, 10 pages
5. List of titles and authors of 20 pamphlets. “I have taken care to be provided with every pamphlet that has hitherto appeared on the slave question”, 4 pages
6. Copy/draft of letter 13 Jun 1823, addressed to “Dear Friend”: from House of Commons; with marginal annotations. Begins with an account of a meeting with Mr Canning. No author named, 34 pages
7. Copy of “Outline of a plan for the gradual emancipation of the slaves in the British West India Colonies.” 14 Apr 1823. No author named, 9 pages
8. “Sketch” [?draft] proposing a plan for emancipation of slaves: Trinidad is suggested as the most suitable location for implementation of the plan. Includes the same text as in 9 (below) but with different marginal comments. No author nor commentator named, 10 pages
9. “Sketch” [possibly meaning draft] proposing a plan for emancipation of slaves: Trinidad is suggested as the most suitable location for implementation of the plan. Includes the same text as in 8 (above) but different comments. No author nor commentator named, 10 pages
10. “Remarks on the plan sketched out for consideration on the part of Government for the gradual emancipation of slaves in the British West Indian Colonies” No author named, 28 pages
11. Discussion of “Three great questions” arising from the subject of emancipation from slavery: “First the National Interest, secondly the Interest of the Proprietors, and thirdly the Interests of the Slaves” with marginal comments. No author named, 10 pages
12. Copy of letter 11 Jun 1823 from Charles Ellis, Audley Square, to William Millar, St James, Jamaica. Discusses tensions between public opinion in England and opinions in the Colonies, 4 pages
13. Copy of letter 21 Jul 1823 from Fred Cort, Demerara [British Guiana], to John Gladstone, Esq, MP: “great work of gradual amelioration”, 25 pages
14. Copy of letter 3 Oct 1823 from Earl Bathurst, Cirencester, to Duke of Manchester: discusses a resolution about to be considered by the Jamaican Assembly, 7 pages
15. Copy of letter to Mr Speaker 11 Dec 1823. Report of Resolution of the House of Assembly (Jamaica) in response to Parliamentary resolution relating to amelioration of the condition of the slave population. No author named, 4 pages. Memorandum 23 May 1823: review of the position of colonists of Demerera and Berbice. No author named, 2 pages
16A. Copy of letter 6 Aug 1823 from William Millar, St James, Jamaica, to Charles Ellis: response to Proceedings and Resolutions of the West India Committee, 6 pages
16B. Draft, with marginal annotations, of a circular dispatch recommending improvements in the colonial laws relating to slaves. No author named, 41 pages
16C. Draft, with marginal annotations, of a circular dispatch recommending improvements in the colonial laws relating to slaves. No author named, 53 pages, with an additional note appended between pages 2 and 3
17. Report Sep 1823 of consultations with established residents of Jamaica in response to Proceedings of People of Colour in Jamaica. No author named 7 pages
1824
18. Copy of letter 26 Jan 1824 by Robert Wilmot Horton: addressee left blank (?draft). Consideration of issues/policies in relation to amelioration/emancipation of slaves and of the desirability of a Parliamentary committee being appointed, 23 pages
19. Notes on the response in each part of West Indies to circular dispatches of 28 May and 9 July 1823. No author named, 23 pages
20. Substance 11 Feb 1824 of a conversation with Mr Palmer [sic]: about implications of amelioration measures for relationships between masters and slaves; and about possible divergence between Parliament and local West Indian assemblies, 12 pages
21. Extract from a despatch 30 Apr 1816 from Sir James Leith to Earl Bathurst: supposed causes of the Barbados Insurrection, 2 pages. The original despatch is at The National Archives, reference CO 28/85/4.
22. Extract from a despatch 25 Apr 1816 from Colonel Codd to Sir James Leith: about the Barbados Insurrection, 2 pages. The original despatch is at The National Archives, reference CO 28/85/4. Digital images of the original despatch are available in their Bussas Rebellion education resources (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/bussas-rebellion)
Not numbered. Provision under Spanish law of the legal competency of a slave: 3rd Partidas Title 13 Law 1, 1 page
23. Extract from the 14th clause of the order in council dated 16 Dec 1822 for the more speedy administration of criminal justice in Trinidad, 2 pages
24. Commentary on “Mr Coleridge’s plan of religious instruction for Barbados”, 3 pages [William Hart Coleridge (1789-1849] was the first bishop of Barbados. See The National Archives, reference CO 28/146 for related documents.
25. Proposed Ecclesiastical Establishment for the Island of Barbados. No author named, 4 pages. See The National Archives, reference CO 28/146 for related documents.
26. Examination of how might opposing views of abolitionists and West Indians become reconciled following the colonial slavery resolutions of the House of Commons. No author named, 9 pages
1825
27. “On Free and Slave Labour” No author named, 18 pages
28. Extracts from Humboldt’s Political Essay on Mexico vol 3 pp 12 -13, 4 pages, and from “On the Happiness of States” Appendix in page 587 by S Gray, 1 page
29. Proposes arguments to counter the reaction of abolitionists, 3 pages. Note: this item is marked “29”, but original page numbering implies that this item should be seen as integral with items numbered 27 and 28. Furthermore the following item is also numbered “29.”
29. Numbers of petitions for the Abolition of Slavery. No author named, 1 page
1826-1827
30. Announcement 7 Jul 1825 by Henry Gloster, Guardian of Slaves relating to numbers of slave manumissions in Trinidad, 1 page
31. Resolution passed 7 Mar 1826 at a committee meeting of West India planters and merchants, 5 pages
32. Extract from letter 2 May 1826 from William Millar to Charles Ellis, MP
33. Extract from letter 6 May 1826 from Mr Gordon to Charles Ellis, MP (with one sentence from letter dated 8 May 1826), 3 pages
34. Account 19 Jan 1824 of landing at Port de Paix, St Domingo [Haiti] and of observations on shore. With pencil note: “The General confirmed this statement at dinner at Mr Gordon’s” No author named, 5 pages
35. Extracts from Consolidated Slave Acts of Virginia passed 2 Mar 1819, 4 pages
36. Extract from letter 6 May 1826 from Mr Harries, Jamaica, to Sir Alexander Grant, 6 pages
37. Copy of letter 19 Nov 1825 from Mr Colquhoun to his constituents. Discusses management of legislation in Parliament and in Colonial assemblies, 27 pages
38. Newspaper cuttings:
- 21 Dec [1825] Jamaica (speech of Duke of Manchester at prorogation of General Assembly, Jamaica)
- 7 Mar [1826] Petition of the Colonial Agents to the House of Lords. 6 Oct 1826 Letter to the Editor, New Times and Representative, from An Old Soldier, Brighton
- 15 Oct 1826 West Indies - discussion of a recent pamphlet
- 24 Jan 1826 Extract from proceedings of House of Assembly [in relation to Bahamas], 6 pages
39. Table: appears to be an analysis of various civil and governmental variables in relation to each West Indian colony. No author or source named, 2 pages
40. An alternative listing of details in 39 (above), 2 pages
41. James Franklin’s answers 26 Nov 1826 to queries submitted by Consul General Mackenzie in Hayti [Haiti], 118 pages.
Note: in 1828, James Franklin published “The Present State of Haiti (Saint Domingo)”. A copy of the text is available from the University of Florida Digital Collection, https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00000957/00001/2j
42. Copy of list of queries 11 Oct 1826 submitted by Consul General Mackenzie in Hayti [Haiti] to John Franklin, 15 pages
43. Copy of letter 27 Dec 1826 from John Gladstone to Robert Wilmot Horton: Gladstone’s reply to a pamphlet about Manumission in our Colonies, 2 pages
44. Copy of letter 30 Dec 1826 from Robert Wilmot Horton to Mr [?George] Canning: denies authorship of the Manumission pamphlet: justifies the pamphlet he did write, 7 pages
45. Copy of letter 12 Feb 1827 from Robert Wilmot Horton to John Gladstone: how the Government will deal with Memorial from Demerara and Berbice Planters, 4 pages
46. Copy of letter 19 Jan 1827 from John Gladstone to Robert Wilmot Horton: continues the correspondence about manumission, 8 pages
47. Copy of letter 25 Jan 1827 from George Hibbert to [Robert Wilmot Horton]: gives information about his contact with an anonymous pamphlet author and expresses appreciation of Wilmot Horton’s efforts, 3 pages
48. Copy of letter 31 Jan 1827 from Robert Wilmot Horton to John Gladstone: reviews debates about manumission, 47 pages
49. Copy of letter (undated) from C N Pallmer to Robert Wilmot Horton: dissociates himself from tone and substance of the Address and Supplement: offers advice about how to respond, 4 pages
50. Copy of letter 26 Jan 1827 from Robert Wilmot Horton to C N Pallmer: in relation to debates about manumission and Demerara, 5 pages
51. ?Copy of letter 28 Jan 1827 from J Colquhoun, Penshurst, Tunbridge, to Robert Wilmot Horton: discussion of debates about slavery, 13 pages
52. List (undated) of questions to be put to Abolitionists in the examination before the Privy Council (refers to Demerera and Berbice). No author named, 11 pages. See Verbatim report of Proceedings before the Privy Council, against compulsory manumission in the colonies of Demerara and Berbice, 7 Jul 1827 [available via Google Books] |
| Administrative History | Gladstone and Hibbert were both slave owners and campaigners against abolition. |