He was involved in a case that was to be overturned by the British Government. Louis Celeste Lecesne and John Escoffery were arrested on 7 October 1823 under the Alien Act by a warrant of the Duke of Manchester, the Governor of Jamaica. They were considered by Burge to be of a dangerous character and to be aliens as they were thought to be Haitians. They had time to raise a writ of Habeas Corpus in the Supreme Court of Jamaica.[3]
The two were later rearrested and exiled. They travelled to London and had the case overturned. In the course of this action Burge wrote a letter (more like a book) which put forward his view and the facts to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, George Murray.[4]
Subsequently, Burge was in practice in London and served as Agent for Jamaica. While claiming to "hate slavery" Burge supported Jamaican Assemblymen who opposed abolition.[5]
He became influential in jurisprudence through his book Commentaries on Colonial and Foreign Laws which went through many editions between 1838 and 1907.
Burge remained Agent for Jamaica until the position was abolished in 1847. He was then trialed for bankruptcy, 1847-8, and as a result imprisoned until his release on 26 April 1849. He died at home in York Street, London, on 12 November 1849.[7]
Private lifeedit
Burge's first wife was from a Jamaican family. Helen Grace Murray Ludford, died in 1839. He was then able to marry Margaret Anne Forbes Alison (1798–1881) in 1841. She was the daughter of the Revd Archibald Alison and Dorothea Gregory.[8]
Worksedit
Letter to the Right Honorable Sir George Murray Relative to the Deportation of Lecesne and Escoffery from Jamaica], William Burge, 1829[4]
Commentaries on Colonial and Foreign Laws, 1838 (and new editions to 1907)
Referencesedit
^Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Burge, William
^The Anti-slavery Reporter, Zachary Macaulay, Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery, pp. 27-31,accessed 12 October 2008
^ abLetter to the Right Honorable Sir George Murray Relative to the Deportation of Lecesne and Escoffery from Jamaica, William Burge, 1829, accessed 8 October 2008
^"BURGE, William (c.1786-1849), of 7 New Square, Lincoln's Inn and 50 Wimpole Street, Mdx. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org.
^Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN0-900178-26-4.
^Graham, Benjamin (20 June 2020). "William Burge: Opposition to the Abolition of Slavery and Criticism of its Implementation in…". Medium. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
^Whyte, William (6 October 2016). "Burge, William (1786–1849), barrister, slave owner, and anti-abolition advocate". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/109602. ISBN978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 7 August 2023. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
The Common Law Abroad by Jerry Dupont, Fred B Rothman & Co,2000
External linksedit
Media related to William Burge at Wikimedia Commons
Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by William Burge
william, burge, 1786, november, 1849, british, lawyer, privy, councillor, contents, biography, private, life, works, references, external, linksbiography, edit, matriculated, wadham, college, oxford, 1803, admitted, inner, temple, being, called, 1808, then, jo. William Burge 1786 12 November 1849 was a British lawyer and Privy Councillor Contents 1 Biography 2 Private life 3 Works 4 References 5 External linksBiography editWilliam Burge matriculated at Wadham College Oxford in 1803 1 and was admitted to the Inner Temple being called to the bar in 1808 He then joined the Colonial Service being stationed to Jamaica where he served for 12 years as Attorney General Burge received compensation for slaves he and his wife owned upon the abolition of slavery in the British Empire 2 He was involved in a case that was to be overturned by the British Government Louis Celeste Lecesne and John Escoffery were arrested on 7 October 1823 under the Alien Act by a warrant of the Duke of Manchester the Governor of Jamaica They were considered by Burge to be of a dangerous character and to be aliens as they were thought to be Haitians They had time to raise a writ of Habeas Corpus in the Supreme Court of Jamaica 3 The two were later rearrested and exiled They travelled to London and had the case overturned In the course of this action Burge wrote a letter more like a book which put forward his view and the facts to the Secretary of State for the Colonies George Murray 4 Subsequently Burge was in practice in London and served as Agent for Jamaica While claiming to hate slavery Burge supported Jamaican Assemblymen who opposed abolition 5 He became influential in jurisprudence through his book Commentaries on Colonial and Foreign Laws which went through many editions between 1838 and 1907 He was Member of Parliament MP for Eye from 1831 to 1832 After that borough was reduced to one seat under the Reform Act 1832 he stood at the 1832 general election in Oldham but did not win a seat 6 Burge remained Agent for Jamaica until the position was abolished in 1847 He was then trialed for bankruptcy 1847 8 and as a result imprisoned until his release on 26 April 1849 He died at home in York Street London on 12 November 1849 7 Private life editBurge s first wife was from a Jamaican family Helen Grace Murray Ludford died in 1839 He was then able to marry Margaret Anne Forbes Alison 1798 1881 in 1841 She was the daughter of the Revd Archibald Alison and Dorothea Gregory 8 Works editLetter to the Right Honorable Sir George Murray Relative to the Deportation of Lecesne and Escoffery from Jamaica William Burge 1829 4 Commentaries on Colonial and Foreign Laws 1838 and new editions to 1907 References edit Alumni Oxonienses the Members of the University of Oxford 1715 1886 Burge William https www ucl ac uk lbs person view 13564 The Anti slavery Reporter Zachary Macaulay Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery pp 27 31 accessed 12 October 2008 a b Letter to the Right Honorable Sir George Murray Relative to the Deportation of Lecesne and Escoffery from Jamaica William Burge 1829 accessed 8 October 2008 BURGE William c 1786 1849 of 7 New Square Lincoln s Inn and 50 Wimpole Street Mdx History of Parliament Online www historyofparliamentonline org Craig F W S 1989 1977 British parliamentary election results 1832 1885 2nd ed Chichester Parliamentary Research Services ISBN 0 900178 26 4 Graham Benjamin 20 June 2020 William Burge Opposition to the Abolition of Slavery and Criticism of its Implementation in Medium Retrieved 24 June 2020 Whyte William 6 October 2016 Burge William 1786 1849 barrister slave owner and anti abolition advocate Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 109602 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Retrieved 7 August 2023 Subscription or UK public library membership required The Common Law Abroad by Jerry Dupont Fred B Rothman amp Co 2000 Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPsExternal links edit nbsp Media related to William Burge at Wikimedia Commons Hansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by William BurgeParliament of the United KingdomPreceded bySir Edward Kerrison andSir Philip Sidney Member of Parliament for Eye1831 1832 With Sir Edward Kerrison Succeeded bySir Edward Kerrison Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Burge amp oldid 1171873550, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
