The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

1972 WHEN MEN APPEAL FROM TYRANNY TO GOD 329very diverse linguistically and culturally.It was said that a hundreddifferent languages and dialectswere spoken on the streets of Freetownin those days. It was a costlyproject, and often a heart-rendingone too; and the British stood togain nothing in the transaction.Yet, Wilberforce and others continuedto press the battle on everyfront in spite of continuing frustration.The final victory in the Englishabolition campaign came longafter the slave trade was outlawed.The remaining step wasemancipation of the slaves in theBritish colonies, mostly plantationworkers on the sugar islands ofthe West Indies. Wilberforce hadgrown old in the fight. He died in1833 as the emancipation bill wasmaking its way through Parliament,but he lived long enough toknow it would be enacted. An interestingfeature of the law beingpassed was the provision that theslaveholders should be compensatedby the British governmentfor the loss of their slaves. "ThankGod," said the aged Wilberforce 7a few days before his death, "thatI should have lived to witness aday in which England is willingto give twenty millions sterlingfor the abolition of Slavery."Opponents of the bill and thefaint hearted promised dire calamitieswhen the law became effectiveon the first of August thefollowing year (1834). Militaryreinforcements were sent to theCaribbean to maintain order, butthey were never needed. As RalphWaldo Emerson tells us, writingten years later, everything wentoff smoothly:On the night of the 31st of July,they met everywhere at their church­"es and chapels, and at 'midnight,when the clock struck twelve, on theirknees, the silent, weeping assemblybecame men; they rose and embracedeach other; they cried, they sang,they prayed, they were wild with joy,but there was no riot.... The first ofAugust came on Friday, and a releasewas proclaimed from alf workuntil the next Monday. The day waschiefly spent by the great mass of thenegroes in the churches and chapels.The clergy and missionaries throughoutthe island were actively engaged,seizing the opportunities to enlightenthe people on all the duties and responsibilitiesof their new relation,and urging them to the attainment ofthat higher liberty with which Christmaketh his children free. 8Good Works and Laissez FaireThe reformers who abolishedslavery throughout the BritishEmpire are a fascinating group,both for what they did and forwhat they believed. It is standardsocialist doctrine that the menwho made the Industrial Revolutionin England, the laissez-faire