In 1772 a runaway slave named James Somerset was recaptured, and abolitionists brought legal proceedings demanding his release, forcing a legal decision for the first time under English law as to the legality of a slave's detention. One of Somerset's lawyers, Francis Hargrave, stated "In 1569, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a lawsuit was brought against a man for beating another man he had bought as a slave overseas. The record states, 'That in the 11th [yr] of Elizabeth [1569], one Cartwright brought a slave from Russia and would scourge him; for which he was questioned; and it was resolved, that England was too pure an air for a slave to breathe in.'" He argued that the court had r...

In 1772 a runaway slave named James Somerset was recaptured, and abolitionists brought legal proceedings demanding his release, forcing a legal decision for the first time under English law as to the legality of a slave's detention. One of Somerset's lawyers, Francis Hargrave, stated "In 1569, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a lawsuit was brought against a man for beating another man he had bought as a slave overseas. The record states, 'That in the 11th [yr] of Elizabeth [1569], one Cartwright brought a slave from Russia and would scourge him; for which he was questioned; and it was resolved, that England was too pure an air for a slave to breathe in.'" He argued that the court had ruled in Cartwright's case that English Common Law made no provision for slavery, and without a basis for its legality, it would otherwise be unlawful as false imprisonment and/or assault. In his judgment of 22 June 1772, Lord Chief Justice William Murray, Lord Mansfield, of the Court of King's Bench, declared: "Whatever inconveniences, therefore, may follow from a decision, I cannot say this case is allowed or approved by the law of England; and therefore the black must be discharged." Several different reports of Mansfield's long deliberated, but very short, decision appeared, and most disagree as to what was actually said. The decision was only given orally, and so no formal written record of it was issued by the court. Abolitionists widely circulated the view that it was declared that the condition of slavery did not exist under English law, although Mansfield himself later said that all that he actually decided was that a slave could not be forcibly removed from England against his will. Mansfield had in his household and family someone who would have been covered by this ruling; his marriage was childless, and he and his wife were raising Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate mixed race daughter of his late nephew.
Worth a read:
[url=http://woman.http//en.wikipedia.o

Amazing Grace was composed by Rev. John Newton of Olney, Buckinghamshire, who wrote it some time after converting to Christianity in the village of Kineton, in Warwickshire, England. The lyrics are based on his reflections on an Old Testament text he was preparing to preach on, adding his perspective about his own conversion while on his slave ship, the Greyhound, in 1748.

Olney is not far from where we live, and last year on 25 March 2007, we were visiting the local museum and spoke to one of the helpers there. On remarking that the town seemed busy we were told: ‘’Well, yes there are lot of Americans here today. It is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, and many are ...

Amazing Grace was composed by Rev. John Newton of Olney, Buckinghamshire, who wrote it some time after converting to Christianity in the village of Kineton, in Warwickshire, England. The lyrics are based on his reflections on an Old Testament text he was preparing to preach on, adding his perspective about his own conversion while on his slave ship, the Greyhound, in 1748.

Olney is not far from where we live, and last year on 25 March 2007, we were visiting the local museum and spoke to one of the helpers there. On remarking that the town seemed busy we were told: ‘’Well, yes there are lot of Americans here today. It is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, and many are visiting the town and church where John Newton had his living.’’

A choir from (I think) Alabama were due to perform Amazing Grace that evening in the Parish Church.

Unfortunately, we were unable to stay for that long, but being there on such a day with so many friends from America there . . . well . . . it really felt special.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton

Please stop me if I go on too much, but I like your clips. They have meat in them . . . 