Slavery and Scotland (2)
I was speaking about slavery and how men from the Highlands married
black women in the West Indies. Some of them were slaves. Scotland has
a good history and a bad history with regard to slavery. Some Scots
lobbied against slavery.
But Scots were among the most brutal landlords who had slaves in
Jamaica. A third of slaves in Jamaica were on estates owned by Scots.
Even the man who wrote ‘A Man’s a Man for A’ That’ – a famous song
about equality – was considering going to work on a sugar plantation in
Jamaica where there were slaves. I mean Robert Burns.
In 1843, a new church was born in Scotland – The Free Church. It was in
a difficult situation. Many landlords were deeply against it. It was
short of money and messengers went to America to raise money for it.
Money came from some people who still owned slaves in the southern
states.
The Free Church was in the middle of a controversy about the money it
got. In 1846, a famous slave came on a tour of Scotland. Frederick
Douglass spent two years in Britain and Ireland, giving lectures about
slavery.
Douglass was happy in Scotland. People weren’t showing him disrespect
because of the colour of his skin. But he spoke out strongly about the
money the Free Church was getting. People at his meetings were shouting
‘Send the Money Back!’
Representatives of the Free Church were saying that if people wanted to
shun money from slavery that they shouldn’t wear cotton clothes, eat rice
or smoke tobacco. Those things were all made by slaves. They didn’t return
the money. One good thing came out of the debate, however. Frederick
Douglass got a lot of help for his campaign against slavery. Cheerio just
now.
Tràilleachd agus Alba (2)
Bha mi a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn tràilleachd agus mar a phòs fir às a’
Ghàidhealtachd boireannaich dhubha anns na h-Innseachan an Iar. Bha cuid
dhiubh nan tràillean. Tha deagh eachdraidh agus droch eachdraidh aig Alba
ann an co-cheangal ri tràilleachd. Rinn cuid de dh’Albannaich coiteachadh
an aghaidh tràilleachd.
Ach bha Albannaich am measg nan uachdaran a bu bhrùideile aig an robh
tràillean ann an Iameuga. Bha an treas cuid de thràillean ann an Iameuga
air oighreachdan a bha le Albannaich. Bha eadhon am fear a sgrìobh ‘ A Man’s a Man for A’ That’ – òran ainmeil mu cho-ionannachd – a’
beachdachadh air a dhol a dh’obair air tuathanas-siùcair ann an Iameuga far
an robh tràillean. Tha mi a’ ciallachadh Raibeart Burns.
Ann an ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ʼs a trì (1843), rugadh eaglais ùr ann an
Alba – An Eaglais Shaor. Bha i ann an suidheachadh duilich. Bha mòran
uachdaran fada na h-aghaidh. Bha i gann de dh’airgead agus chaidh
teachdairean a dh’Ameireagaidh airson airgead a thogail dhi. Thàinig
airgead bho fheadhainn a bha fhathast a’ cumail thràillean anns na stàitean
sa cheann a deas.
Bha an Eaglais Shaor ann am meadhan connspaid mun airgead a fhuair i. Ann
an ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ʼs a sia (1846) thàinig tràill ainmeil air
turas a dh’Alba. Chuir Frederick Douglass seachad dà bhliadhna ann am
Breatainn is Èirinn, a’ toirt òraidean mu thràilleachd.
Bha Douglass air a dhòigh ann an Alba. Cha robh daoine a’ dèanamh dì-meas
air air sàillibh dath a chraicinn. Ach bhruidhinn e a-mach gu làidir mun
airgead a bha an Eaglais Shaor a’ faighinn. Bha daoine aig na coinneamhan
aige ag èigheachd ‘Cuiribh an t-Airgead Air Ais!’
Bha riochdairean na h-Eaglaise Saoire ag ràdh, nam biodh daoine airson a
bhith a’ seachnadh airgead à tràilleachd, nach cuireadh iad aodach cotain
orra, nach itheadh iad rus ʼs nach smocadh iad tombaca. Bha na rudan sin
uile air an dèanamh le tràillean. Cha tug iad an t-airgead air ais. Thàinig
aon rud math às an deasbad, ge-tà. Fhuair Frederick Douglass tòrr taice
airson iomairt an aghaidh tràilleachd. Mar sin leibh an-dràsta.
