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A general view of the African slave-trade, demonstrating its injustice and impolicy: with hints towards a bill for its abolition

Anti-Slavery International, 'Recovered Histories' collection. Goldsmiths' Library of Economic Literature, University of London.

Slave Trade Africa Abolition Rights British Foreign Legislation

This abolitionist pamphlet condemns the slave trade as a violation of the "natural and unalienable rights" of man to personal liberty and security. The possibility of abolition is considered from a political, economic and moral viewpoint, including Britain's foreign trade in slaves - this is considered "disgraceful to the national character", and the author expresses his concern that "the British nation should be branded in future times as procurers of slaves for all Europe" (26). An appendix is attached, entitled 'Hints towards a bill for abolishing the trade for slaves to the Coast of Africa' (29-32).

Anonymous author, attributed to the Liverpool poet, radical and abolitionist William Roscoe, author of The Wrongs of Africa, A Poem (1787-88) and Ode to the People of France (1789).