British West Indies- Amelioration Proposals
Amelioration refers to the act of relieving ills, and changing for the better.
The West India Interest was made up of planters who lived in the colonies and those in the mother colonies. The London Society for the gradual abolition of slavery was formed in 1823. The society wanted amelioration to be made a part of the government’s policy, to be enforced by law and to be followed by abolition (at an early date). Thomas Fowell Buxton, the chief parliamentary spokesman on slavery introduced in 1823 his famous resolution that slavery “ought to be gradually abolished throughout the British colonies”. However, the West India Interest was determined to undermine the activities of the anti-slavery society. In order to prevent the abolition of slavery, they decided to draft their own amelioration proposals. The proposals seemed reasonable so Buxton, not knowing the true intentions of the West India Interest, withdrew his resolution. The amelioration proposals put forward by the West India Interest were accepted and George Canning the foreign minister put forward the Amelioration bill based on these proposals.
Reasons for the West India Interest Amelioration Proposals. 1. They wanted to appease the humanitarians. 2. Undermine the efforts of the abolitionists. 3. Forestall the abolition of slavery. 4. Improve the conditions under which the slaves lived.
Responses to the Amelioration Proposals.
PLANTERS.
They fiercely resisted and rejected the amelioration proposals in all colonies. For example: 1. The assembly in Barbados arrayed that the slave laws were already lenient. 2. Trinidad planters asked that the proposals be withdrawn. 3. The 1820 revised slave code in Jamaica violated the proposals: slaves could not receive religious instruction, church services were forbidden and slaves could not preach without their owner’s consent. SLAVES.
The slaves believed the proposals meant freedom had been granted but was being withheld which
The West India Interest was made up of planters who lived in the colonies and those in the mother colonies. The London Society for the gradual abolition of slavery was formed in 1823. The society wanted amelioration to be made a part of the government’s policy, to be enforced by law and to be followed by abolition (at an early date). Thomas Fowell Buxton, the chief parliamentary spokesman on slavery introduced in 1823 his famous resolution that slavery “ought to be gradually abolished throughout the British colonies”. However, the West India Interest was determined to undermine the activities of the anti-slavery society. In order to prevent the abolition of slavery, they decided to draft their own amelioration proposals. The proposals seemed reasonable so Buxton, not knowing the true intentions of the West India Interest, withdrew his resolution. The amelioration proposals put forward by the West India Interest were accepted and George Canning the foreign minister put forward the Amelioration bill based on these proposals.
Reasons for the West India Interest Amelioration Proposals. 1. They wanted to appease the humanitarians. 2. Undermine the efforts of the abolitionists. 3. Forestall the abolition of slavery. 4. Improve the conditions under which the slaves lived.
Responses to the Amelioration Proposals.
PLANTERS.
They fiercely resisted and rejected the amelioration proposals in all colonies. For example: 1. The assembly in Barbados arrayed that the slave laws were already lenient. 2. Trinidad planters asked that the proposals be withdrawn. 3. The 1820 revised slave code in Jamaica violated the proposals: slaves could not receive religious instruction, church services were forbidden and slaves could not preach without their owner’s consent. SLAVES.
The slaves believed the proposals meant freedom had been granted but was being withheld which