The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-03-01 00:00:00

. . '
. , . .
*ere the common conditions of civilised nature, and
must be submitted to ; but humanity was a catch-
iug word, and, for his part, he had seen it sa
much abused, that. he was inclined to think those
who pretended to be the most humane and the most
religious, were the greatest cheats.
Mr. H. ADDING lON said it had been allowed
on all hands this subjea had been so thoroughly de-
bated, that nothing now remained to be said upon it.
He would therefore trouble the House with only a
few words, as a reason for the vote he should give
that night. He had maturely considered the sub-
jea, and weighed it. well in all its bearings, because
the opinion be had formed nn it was different from
those who possessed the most eminent talents, and
for whom he had the highest respea. He thought,
however, f: tern the manner in which the measure
was brought forward, it could not be of advantage
to the Colonies, and it might he attended with great
mischief anti much danger. He should therefore
give his vote against the Bill. He was altogether
unconneaed with the West India Islands, or with
any persons in the least concerned in them, and, in
the vote he should give to-night, was solely aatiated
by a sense of duty.
Mr. TRENCH said a few words, but, in so low a
tone of voice, we could not distinguish whether he
was for or ag iinst the Bill.
Sir W. PULTENF.Y said, he would not trouble
the House at any length, but be:wished to make a
few observations. There was certainly a consider-
able difference of opinion, as to this Bill. Some
say, it may he highly dangerous in its consequences;
others, that it cannot fail to be very advantageous.
It was however ascertained, that the Slave Trade
had been very advantageous to the West India
Islands. This Bill was built on theory, and he was
not fond of then, ies ; they had been produaive of
ton much mischief. It was agreed on all hands, that
the cultivation of the West India Islands cannot be
carried on by Europeans; but then it was said, that
negroes might in time be made labourers for hire.
This might be true; but some countries were so
situated, and subsistence so easy to be obtained, that
people would not work unless they were forced to it;
that he understood was much the case in the West In-
dia islands, and was the case in this country also with
respea to sailors, who were alway 2 forced into the
service in time of war. It bad beUirged, that thehe
was rest danger accruing to theishile people of
th ands, from ;he great superiollEy in numbers
who the blacks bore to the whites. He owned he
felt considerable alarm for the islands, when he re-
fleaeti on that vast disproportion ; but still he
thought ihe danger would be as great from the el-
feas of a convulsion, which an immediate abolition
would create, as from a continuance of the trade
some time longer. The present Rill, he thought,
was founded in theory, and he had seen and heard
many specimens of splendid theories introduced
into that House, and supported by the first talents
and eloquence, which, alter all, had gone off as
mere vapour. Few grave and considerate men
suffered themselves to be hurried away by the mere
influence of eloquence ; but he feared it had been
alters led with but ton much effea on the minds both
of the Memberslif that House, and of the people at
large, when this measure was first introduced. The
subjea had since been more thoroughly investigated,
anti he believed much of that influence, which elo-
quence had created, was now done away. He con-
sidered this as a question of the highest importance,
both to this country and the West India colonies,
and he cautioned the House to pause before they
adopted such a measure. He thought a gradual
abolition would be more likely to prove successful
than an immediate one.
Mr. SULLIVAN said, he rose merely to say a
few words as to a contra& which had been men-
tioned for raising .4 Black corps of 5,000 men, for the
service of the West India Islands. An Hon. Gen-
tleman over the way had said, no such contrail was
or had been made by the present Administration.
He would, also, assure the House, that no such con-
tra& was ever made by the late Administration.
Mr. FOX said, he should not have spoken at all
this evening, but for something which had dropped
From the Hon. Baronet on the subjea of eloquence
employed in support of theories tn that House, to
which he begged leave to say a very few words.
The Honourable Baronet had thought it neces-
sary to caution the House not to be led away
by eloquence, with the dread of which he had
been so suddenly seized ; and he wares them to
take care of eloquence. *This reminded him of
the argument used in France at the commence-
ment of the revolution, when it was said in all their
public clubs and meetings, " that the aristocracy of
eloquence was the most dangerous aristocracy in
the world." The Hon. Baronet had said, that he
had seen many splendid theories introduced into that
House, and heard them supported by the first ta-
lents and eloquence, and yet they had gone off. He
could not tell to what particular theories the Hon.
Baronet might mean to allude; but he supposed it
was generally to such measures as might have been
. brought forward, and, t:.ough supported by do-
quence, had nut Leen adopted, But what theory,
said he, is there in this case ? We say she African
trade is not a good one—and, therefore, we wish
it abolished. We say it is fraught with danger
to the West India islands.—Can the Honourable
Baronet deny it? What is the state of the We-t
India islands ? Is not the Honourable Baronet
alarmed for them ? --Yes. Why ?—Because he
has allowed there are thirty blacks to one white.—
Here then they were agreed in the danger; and it
was only for the House to say, which was the best
way of securing the islands against it. He con-
demned the idea of gradual abolition, which had
been proposed thirteen or fourteen years ago, and
not one step was as yet taken towards it. He
hoptd, therefore, the House would agree to adopt
immediately a measure which had so repeatedly re-
ceived their san&ion, as he was convinced it was the
only one that could ever prove efficacious.

Mr. HUDDI.F.STONE spoke in favour of the
Bill. He asked whether it was just to exercise a trade
which was founded in cruelty and bloodshed ? or
whether it was honourable to a government, whose
principal basis is freedom ? He went over the same
ground which has been so often trod on most of
the points urged against the Bill I and hoped he
might congratulate the House on a sp edy release
from the foul stigma under which the country had
so long laboured, in consequence of the continuant
of this scandalous traffic.