The abolitionist issue was not one-sided. A number of lobbying institutions had opposed the abolition of slavery in Britain, and continued to pursue their own interests after 1833. Robert Hamilton’s descendent, Archibald, was contacted by one such association, the West India Association of Glasgow, on 26 February 1842, by means of a circular letter:
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Click on the image for enlarged view. [AA/DC17/63] |
Talk of protective subsidies against cheaper slave-grown products and an in-migratory boost for the workforce would have been very attractive to the owners of failing West Indies plantations.