Chapter 8

In chapter 8 of Bury the Chains by Hochschild beings by saying that the new committee of abolitionists were pioneers in forging a central tool of modern civil society. He goes on to discuss the role of the Quakers in the progress of the movement during their century long experience as a pressure group. The group decided to start relatively small. Instead of emancipating all of the slaves, they thought, they could just end the slave trade which would have a major effect on the treatment of slaves, especially in the West Indies. If there was no slave trade then those in the West Indies couldn't just work their slaves to death and get no ones whenever they felt like, thus the abolitionists thought at the very least ending the slave trade would force slave owners to give those enslaved much better conditions and they could at least live longer, healthier lives. One abolitionist, Reverend James Ramsey, was mercilessly attacked before the movement had even began. Hochschild then talks about Clarkson's attempt to find witnesses to the atrocities of slavery. He talked to a slave ship doctor Dr. Arnold about the brutal conditions on the ships. After that he gave a sermon in Manchester on the slave trade among people already somewhat sympathetic to the abolitionists' cause. Clarkson's new Manchester friends sent a petition to parliament and the movement was under way.