William Burge matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford in 1803[1] and was admitted to the Inner Temple being called to the bar in 1808.
Burge received compensation for slaves he and his wife owned upon the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
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.
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.
While claiming to "hate slavery" Burge supported Jamaican Assemblymen who opposed abolition.