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"The Protection of Slaves and Other Property": An Anglican Minister, Criminal Charges, and White Planters' Fears of Emancipation in Barbados

Abstract:In 1827, the churchwarden and vestry of the parish church in St Lucy, Barbados, brought criminal charges against the rector, Rev. William Marshall Harte. They argued that he used his religious position to undermine the racial distinctions of Barbadian society. These charges occurred within the context of metropolitan debates surrounding slavery, amelioration, and emancipation. Using data drawn from Treasury records and papers in the Colonial Office, this article shows that white proprietors accepted Christian instruction for their enslaved people, as Anglican clergy generally preached the compatibility of Anglicanism and slavery. Indeed, they often adopted religious instruction to promote "docility" and "deference" among enslaved people. However, they sought to quash any actions or rhetoric by Anglican ministers that might hinder the enslaver–enslaved power dynamic, the foundation for maintaining the institution of slavery. While Harte fiercely denied the charges, the actions taken against him reveal this to be a late-stage offence by white planters in the waning years of slavery in the British Empire. Ultimately, this article argues that, in the lead up to emancipation, white colonists took physical and legal actions to curtail anti-slavery rhetoric that propagated from the metropole in the hopes of maintaining the institution.