Chapter 9

In chapter 9 of Adam Hochschild's Bury the Chains, Hochschild describes the distribution method of the information that Clarkson was able to acquire about slavery, and the recruitment of allies to their cause.  The turning point in Clarkson's mission was the ability of the Abolition Committee to distribute the information that Clarkson had worked so hard to get.  The committee distributed the information to the public via pamphlets and books while it recruited those of the upper classes by hosting dinner parties and one on one meetings.  The most important figure that they were able to obtain was the young up and coming M.P. Wilberforce.  With his prominent position and closeness with the newly appointed prime minister he was the key to unlocking the lawmakers in parliament.  While raising awareness among the masses was important it was not going to change the laws.  The committee also was able to create symbols against slavery which included the seal of the slave in bondage on his knees and a diagram of a slave ship.  Both these images were important because the those that were pro slavery were unable to retort to these images.  While the committee was able to get Dolben bill passed which required more space for the slaves on the ship it was not what they had hoped for and feared that it would only continue the slave trade with a few sanctions.

This movement like Clarkson's research was very new.  Nothing like it had been done in the past.  The ability of the Committee to promote these images and recruit not only the lower classes but the upper classes solidified a strong anti slave crowd.  It is because of their ingenious strategy's that the campaign was able to flourish so quickly.