Petitioning
Petitions to Parliament were a clear way that people could voice their opposition to the slave trade and showed how many opposed it. There were two major campaigns - the first in 1788, in which over 100 petitions were presented to Parliament in the space of three months and another in 1792 when 519 were presented to Parliament. This was the greatest number ever received on one subject in a single session. The abolitionists well understood how to use these campaigning tactics, as evidenced by a letter from Thomas Clarkson to Thomas Wilkinson in Cumbria on 1 March 1792 giving him instructions on the sending of petitions.
"By no means let the People of Brough add their names to those of Appleby - the two petitions must be perfectly distinct. It is on the number of petitions that the H [ouse] of Commons will count - Brough and Appleby petition united will count but 1 - but Brough and Appleby separate will count 2. This is of infinite importance to the Cause."
Letter from Thomas Clarkson to Thomas Wilkinson
1 March 1792 [TEMP MSS 128 /14 (Wilkinson MSS)]