Anti-Slavery Monthly Reporter, March 1829

This 1829 issue of a monthly abolitionist journal offers a vivid snapshot of the British anti‑slavery movement at a time of intense debate. It opens with the Bishop of Salisbury, Dr. Burgess, whose powerful 1789 pamphlet is re‑examined, exposing how religious rhetoric was twisted to defend the West Indian plantation system. His sharp critiques of “reciprocal duties” and the futility of legal reforms provide a compelling moral and theological case for immediate emancipation, echoing the broader evangelical push against the cruelty of the slave trade.

The rest of the publication weaves together recent reports from the Caribbean—fresh accounts of atrocities in Berbice, intelligence from Jamaica, and an appeal to fellow bishops for collective action. It also highlights the work of societies such as the Cape of Good Hope’s group for redeeming slaves, underscoring how activists combined persuasive writing, missionary outreach, and grassroots organizing to challenge the entrenched institution of slavery.