1808-Dated, First American Edition, Volume II, “The History of the Rise, Progress, & Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade by the British Parliament.”, written by Thomas Clarkson, Published by James P. Parke, Philadelphia, Fine.
1808-Dated Hardcover Book, measuring 4.5” x 7.25” with 468 pages, well worn front leather covered boards with outline gilt decoration, complete but lacking the engraved Slave Ship diagram illustration. The spine cracking and worn from use. Internally, the pages are crisp and clean with even tone and almost no spotting of foxing. This is Volume II of the 2 volume set written by Thomas Clarkson. Noted on title page, it is the rarer: “First American, from the London Edition.” This book outlines in detail the history of the rise, progress, and accomplishment of the abolition of the African Slave-trade by the British parliament.

"Thomas Clarkson was a leading campaigner against slavery and the African slave trade. Clarkson with Granville Sharp founded the “Committee for the Abolition of the African Slave Trade” in 1787, which increased popular support for abolition and was the main campaigner behind the abolition of the slave trade. This volume contain a unique contemporary account of the Abolition movement from one of its major leaders. Clarkson describes in great detail the Quaker background to the abolitionist movement and the parliamentary debates leading to the “Slave Trade Act of 1807”. The contemporary arguments both in support and in opposition to abolition and the researches and actions of the abolition movement's members are described, creating an important historical record of the movement. Reference: Sabin 13486. Blockson 101, 17. Dumond page 40.