THE SUBSTANCE OF A COURSE OF LECTURES ON BRITISH COLONIAL SLAVERY, DELIVERED AT BRADFORD, YORK, AND SCARBOROUGH. BY THE REV. BENJAMIN GODWIN, CLASSICAL TUTOR OF HORTON COLLEGE, BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE. "Homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto."-TERENCE. "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them."-HEB. xiii. 3. LONDON: PRINTED BY ELLERTON AND HENDERSON, GOUGH SQUARE; PUBLISHED BY J. HATCHARD AND SON, PICCADILLY; AND J. AND A. ARCH, CORNHILL. MDCCCXXX. 521. PREFACE. " WHEN the following Lectures were delivered, the Author had not the remotest idea of publication; but as he has ventured to come before the Public, he begs to say a few words in explanations of his reasons and his object. From his earliest years he felt a hatred to oppression: his love of liberty, civil and religious, grew with his growth and strengthened with his strength." He no sooner heard of slavery in the British dominions, and the miseries necessarily attendant on such a state, than he deeply deplored the case of the injured Negro. He was too young to take any part in the great struggle for the abolition of the slave. trade, though he sincerely rejoiced in that great triumph of humanity. Since 1823, however, he has taken a more lively interest in the subject; and towards the close of the last year, by means of the information which was laid before the public from time to time, his mind became so strongly impressed with the subject, that it followed him night and day : he felt that, for the peace of his own mind, he must make some attempt on behalf of his suffering fellow-creatures; it became a point of conscience. The inquiry then arose, what could he do, engaged as he was as tutor in a Dissenting college, and pastor of a church and congregation? The first thing suggested was, to preach on the subject; but, besides the probability that many might hesitate to come to a Dissenting chapel, there were many topics connected 1 |