Bury the Chains: Chapter 11

In 1789 Wilberforce introduced an abolition bill in a session of parliament. While talks were going down in parliament Hawkesbury was president of the committee on trade and plantations. Hawkesbury was not a very good man, he was in fact a slave trader who had a slave ship named in his honor (Hochschild 153).
Clarkson once again took charge in organizing abolition witnesses. He produced Ramsay, Falconbridge and many others. While looking for witnesses Clarkson sometimes found people unwilling to contend. Clarkson said often the seamen became embarrassed or frightened when giving information about the slave ships. Clarkson also made a diagram of a slave ship and it almost looked something out of Noah's ark. These Pamphlets worked wonders. Hochschild brought up the point that graphic images have such power because they allow us to see what previously we couldn't imagine (hochschild 156). I find this quote very interesting, and true. Often when making a case people use visual stimulation and now that people have actually seen the horrors of the slave ships they understand the abolitionist movement.
James Phillips came along and he brought poetry to the abolitionist movement. He wrote with heart and passion something putting the feelings of blacks into poetry.
To fight the abolitionist movement a musical play titled The Benevolent Planterscame out and it was about to black slaves "freed" from the grips of Africa and now are in love in their new home. This is horrible. The shit people will tell themselves just to feel better about themselves is rediculous, we need to start manning up to our actions...nike...cough...cough.
In this chapter we also see Ramsay literally "choke" under pressure and hit the sack. It was a big hit to the abolitionist movement, but the show must go on.
Meanwhile in Paris the people have revolted against Louis the XVI and are fighting for a democratic government. I wonder if this too can be linked to what the abolitionists are doing, and if the feeling of democracy and freedom is starting to spread.