8

I might return to England with the assurance from himself 

that he would never desert the cause of the injured Africans, 

he would never disappoint our hopes, and if I as one 

of the individuals who had laboured in that glorious 

cause should be disposed to write to him, I was at 

liberty so to do, but I must write to him freely and 

without ceremony and as to a friend acting in unison 

for the same great object, he added "I trust we have 

so labour'd in the Congress that the result will be very 

satisfactory to all Christian People"  This last sentence 

was uttered after a pause, and as if it come out unexpectedly, 

so that I was at a loss to determine whether it related 

to the Slave trade, or to some arrangements at the Congress 

as Paris respecting religious toleration or any other 

religious Subject; while I was reflecting upon it the 

Emperor turned to another subject and asked me how 

Mr. Allen, Mr. Wilkinson, and Mr. Grillet were and where 

they now were I replied the two former were in England 

and were well when I saw them last but the latter had 

gone home to America to the bosom of his family.  

The Emperor said that the two hours conversation he had

			

Thomas Clarkson Papers

Account of an Interview with Emperor Alexander I of Russia