#BTColumn – Seeing the light about Lord Nelson

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today Inc.

It appears that Mr Grenville Phillips the Second – a would-be Prime Minister of Barbados – simply can’t understand why it is inappropriate to maintain the statue of Lord Nelson in our National Heroes Square! Indeed, like an old Confederate soldier of the American South, Mr Phillips continues to fight “The Lost Cause”, and to fulminate against the decision taken by our Government to remove the statue to the Barbados Museum and to treat it as a historical artifact.

Most of us who contemplate the life and record of Lord Nelson see a racist Englishman who was dedicated to maintaining the British colonial domination of Barbados, and who not only befriended and supported the oppressive white slave-owning planter class of the West Indies, but was also vehemently opposed to Mr William Wilberforce and his campaign to abolish the slave trade and slavery itself.

Here then, for the benefit of Mr Phillips, is the text of a letter that his great “hero”, Lord Nelson, wrote to his (Nelson’s) good friend, Mr Simon Taylor of Jamaica – one of the most racist, wicked and oppressive West Indian slave plantation owners of them all:

Letter from Lord Nelson  dated June 10, 1805

“Dear Sir,

“I was in a thousand fears for Jamaica; for that is a blow which Bonaparte would be happy to give us. I had no hesitation in forming my judgment, and I flew to the West Indies without any orders…

“Information at Barbados from St Lucia told us that the enemy’s squadron had sailed…

“They could have no troops that ought to make my Jamaica friends alarmed. When I am satisfied they are on their return… I shall push hard to get off the Streights before them, and kind Providence may some happy day bless my endeavours to serve the Empire, of which the West India colonies form so prominent and interesting a part.

“I have ever been, and shall die a firm friend to our Colonial System. I was bred as you know in the good old school, and taught to appreciate the value of our West India possessions, and neither in the field nor in the Senate, shall their interest be infringed, while I have an arm to fight in their defence or a tongue to launch my voice against the damnable and cursed doctrine of Wilberforce and his hypocritical allies, and I hope my birth in heaven will be as exalted as his, who would certainly cause the murder of all our friends and fellow subjects in the colonies: however, I did not intend to go so far; but the sentiments are full in my heart, and the pen would write them.

“I shall as soon as I have done with this fleet go to England for a few months, and if you have time and inclination, I shall be glad to hear from you; we are near thirty years acquainted, and I am as ever, &c

(Signed)

NELSON”

So, this was who Lord Nelson was – a racist defender of Britain’s imperial interests! Certainly, no hero of any right thinking Barbadian – black or white! And any suggestion that Lord Nelson’s great sin was washed away or can be overlooked because he played a role in saving oppressive slave-based British colonies from occupation by the French is simply ludicrous.

Indeed, the crushing answer to the preposterous suggestion that the enslaved African-Barbadians were grateful to Lord Nelson for having preserved Anglo-Barbadian slave society is the massive “Bussa slave rebellion” which erupted in 1816, a mere three years after the erection of the Nelson statue.

Our enslaved ancestors were sending a clear message that they despised all that Lord Nelson and the Barbadian plantocracy stood for and were determined to destroy it and to replace it with a humane social structure.

Finally, we must dismiss the pathetic argument that Nelson should not be denounced for having supported slavery because he was “a product of his times” and didn’t know any better.

Firstly, it should be noted that the major moral and intellectual issue of the day in late 18th century Europe was the issue of slavery. This issue was extensively discussed and ventilated at all levels of English society. Indeed, all of the numerous compelling moral, economic, religious, scientific and ethical arguments against slavery were well articulated and widely known.

In addition, the horrifying details of slavery and the slave trade had been extensively investigated by the British Privy Council and the House of Lords, the legislative body of which Nelson was a member.

The Privy Council’s report of 1789 detailed the widespread practice of poisoning and murdering slaves when ships became becalmed during the Atlantic voyage and food provisions began to fail. It recorded slave laws which stipulated that – “when any negro shall have any theft proved against him, and the value not amounting to twelve pence, then such negro shall only suffer a severe whipping and have both ears cut off.” Another slave law mandated “twenty lashes on the bare back for selling spirituous liquor and death for assault of a white person.”

Slavery was denounced by Dr Samuel Johnson, Rev. John Wesley, William Wilberforce, Adam Smith, Thomas Clarkson and a host of other prominent 18th century Englishmen. Yet we are to accept that Nelson did not know any better.

Nelson knew exactly what he was doing when he so violently opposed Wilberforce and the other abolitionists.  Indeed, if Nelson had had his way, we black Barbadians would still be slaves today! And this is why the Nelson statue is being removed; treated as a historical artifact; and stored in the Barbados Museum.

David Comissiong

Citizen of Barbados