Star.
London, England, 1805-03-01 00:00:00

SLAVE ?RADE.

Mr. WILBERFORCE role to move the fecund
reading of the Rill for the Abolition of the Slave
Trade. The Hon. Mei/11)er (laced, that this meafure
had been fo often difeuffed, the fenfe of Parliament
had been hi frequently taken upon it, and that Houle
had fo decidedly expreffed its opinion upon the rub-
-1 jed in the conrfe of the-lail Salons, he felt it ur,ne-
cefiery to trelpafs upon the attention of theHoufe on
the ptefent °cc:akin, but referved to himfelf the right
of replying to any arguments that might be advanc-
ed againft the motion he had the honour to fubmit.
The SPEAKER (tferved, that according to the
eullom of the Houle, none but a member originating
a new motion; had the right of general reply to ant
objatione made againfl it, and therefore the Hon.
Gentleman pod-riled no inch right.
General GASCOIGNE began by obferving as to
the difficulty of producing any thing new upon this
fubjett. Yet, although he could not offer any new
thoughts, he could cot reconcile it tehis (safe of
duty to let the motion pat', without a few °Werra.
vationl. There were two prints of view in which he
rodidered this important queltion ; firfl, whether the
Abolition of the slave Trade was agreeable to *if.
dom and policy ? and fecundly, whether, even if it
were, this was the proper time for fuch an abolition
to take place ? As to the first pointi enough had al-
ready been laid refpeCling it, and he took it for
granted that the Hon. Mover had nothing further to
add ON the fct,r, ut iulaurnanity or snack, to the

Negroes, or he would not have failed to bring it for
ward. But ever fume the regulations enacted rerpee-
ing the middle pelage, &c. he was quite perfuaded
that the Hon. Mover could not find out one folitany
inßance of cruelty. That Hon. Member had nothing
new wi,h uti:ch to intereit the feelings of the Houk,
and therefore it was left to its cool judgment to de
cide the miellion. To that judgment then he would.
confidently appeal egainft this wild propofition. If
the Houfe would content to abolilh the Trade, he
would put it to the candour cf Gentlemen to confider
whether, from the avidity with which the Slaves were
fought after, that valuable traffic would not fall into
other hands? It was known, indeed, that there were
not leis, by the laR accounts, than five American
(Lips of large burthen taking in Slaves un the Coon of
Africa ; and to thew this and other important farts
necelfary to qualify the Houfe to determine fairly.,
was the rearon for willing that evidence Mould be
examined and enunfel heard at the bar, as the peti-
tions on the table rcquefted. Among the mifchiefs
confequent upon the difeuffion of this meafure, and
which mull inevitably follow its adoption, he Rated
the sffociaticm that would naturally arife in the minds
of the Negroes between the abolition of the trade,
and their emancipation. Such an ace, he thought,
mull reafonablyfellow—and what claim, he would
ale, could thole Negroes have to the rights of free
dem in this country. who forfeited their liberty in
their own native foil ? In anfwcr to the charge of
kidnapping, which had been fo often urged, and
which no doubt would be repeated this night, he had
only to Rate in proof of the improbability of loch a
praOrce,that reveral of the principal mercantile bottles
in this trade had fixed eflablifhments on the coati
of Africa, a thing ..Bich it wastint reafonable to rop•
pore never could h iv: Ivo c been attempted, had our
merchants been liti'ty Of a praltice that mull have
Tendered them peculiarly h itcful to the natives, and
perpetually apprehenfive of their jolt refen;ment. If
the trade were to be ahnlilhed, he could not conceive.
what was to !leonine of the cultivation of our Colo.
nies—for no rational heing'coold think that the pre-
fent negro popi.l aloft of the Inands was rofficient for
filch cultivation. That was too alvfurd to be imagined,
and it was not let's to, in his opinion, to maintain that
it would be go id policy, loom chimerical notions of
humanity, to dlr.:a d the experience of a century and a
half. Would i. he pt ',dent. he would afk, to lay afide
merely in compliment to a fpcculative opinion, the fyf-
tern tinder whic.. tint Coliitiies had lb long profpered,
and our revenue been fo materially improved? Would
it be prudent at this period, particularly when our
colonies were ro circumftanced, with the
yeeollealon of the calamities In recently fuffered in
St. Domingo, hr confequence of the operation of. a
!hailer procedure. and the proximity of that ifland
to our colonies ? Thin proximity was a circumflance
from which more was to be apprehended than Gen-
tlemen were pe-h.or. aware of. • Symptoms of its ef-
fees had vet y lately appeared in our Blanch, and had
not a fpirit of coniairacy among our negroes been
date/red in due tine, it was dreadful to race upon
what might h.tre been the fate oldie Whites. Bo-
naparte had &elm ed a particular folicitude with re-
(pea to the colonies ; and fhould the French fleet
have gone, as was apprehended, to the Welt Irdies,
wilathope could the enemy entertain of any material
fuccefs in that quarter, uniefs through the co-ope-
ration'of the Blacks, amonga whom the mcafure be-
fore the Houle was fo well calculated to excite no-
tions congenial to his views ? Soch notions, it was
reafonable to foppofe, and it was obvious (ruin expe-
rilnce, it wiiti?,l be improper to diffeminate among
men not in a lime to comprehend and digell them.
The recent etatnple in France afforded an awful ex-
ample of the confequences of communicating liberty
to men before they were fitted to receive it. What
then was likely to follow from giving emancipation
to the Blacks, fur which they would, in the event of
this Bill palling, very naturally look ? Emancipation
Could not, from the grounds upon which this mea-
fore relied, be conli.tently refuted. The principle
upon which the whule feet who were warmed in fup-
porting the motion• before the Houfe, as Itrongly
pleaded for the one thing el,lthe other.. Whether that
principle originated in a religious niaion• or from a
wildners of imagination, he would not inquire ; but
. it Renck him as particularly fingular, that his Ma-
jetty's Minittcrs Ihould set upon it in this inflance, af-
ter having very recently entered into a contract for
5000 laves, for the purpofe of converting them into
an armed body for the ore of the Well India Minds.
If laves were to he purchafed at all, he could nett fee
why not for civil as well as military purpofes. The
principle alle, Aed by the advocates of the motion be-
fore the fut cly alloaved of no exception; and
with this mcafute in contemplation, it was a very
grange policy in cloverhment to go into the market
for the purchafe of filch a number of Raves. Molt
men out of 'loots, who were unconnected with the
WeR India Minds, and who bad not much confider-
ed the fuhjee, were in the habit of crying out for
tfie abolition of the trade under dircoffion ; but he,
would call upon filch men to race upon the effen-
tial importance of this trade to the profperity of opr
colonies, and the importance of thole colonies to the
revenue and ftrength of the empire, particularly at
the prefent crifis, when it was fo material that no part
cf that revenue or ftrength fhould be diminifhed.—
He requeßed the Houfe and the Country to confider
what a number of our manufacturers, particularly in
the cotton branch, which was at prefent in rather an
unfavourable Rate, derived employment from the
Weft India trade. If the Bill before the Houle were
adopted, he was Pure he did not over.rate, when he
ited that the effect would be to throw not lefs than'
'se,ooo perfons out of employment. This was a fe-
films confideration, Which, he trotted, would make
a due impreflion upon the Houfe. It had been inti-
mated that fume planters were anxious for the paffirig
of this Bill. Puffibly they were, but if fo he fhould
rather think them the owners of large plantations
who had their full complement of,firtee, and who
might, therefore, be biaffed in their judgment, parti-
cularly as it was obvious that the Immediate effea
of this meafore would be to extinguifh the fmaller
planters. The opinion, therefore, of inch puffins,
wee gather acs chic& of fufpicion. The Honourable
Mover had oliferved that nothing new had offered
fince the left feflion on this fubjea. From this obfer-
cation, it was evident the Honourable Member had
not teen the report of the Affembly of Jamaica, for,
in that very able report, there were many fees and
arguments both new and forcible, again a the adop-
tion of the Bill before gie Houle. This report

would, be trufled, have the aka of producing fo*E
change oefentiment among the Member& of that
Houfe and the people out of doors. To the argo
ments draws fsom the difproportion of Blacks to
Whites in the Wands againß any further imyortatiou
of negroes, and of courfe In favour of this Bill, be
thought an anCwer eafy. The general proportion at
prefent throughout our large Wands was go Blacks
to one White. It was obvtius, therefore, that any

. .
danger that could arife from numbers already esift-
ed, and that a farther addition to that number in
the ordinary progrefs of importation could not be
contemplated as a ferious ground of alarm. On the
whole, much as he regretted the difeuffinn. of this
meafure at any time, his regret was particularly ex-
cited by the introduainn of it at prefent. But, as it
was introduced, it was his ansious wi(h that the opi
nion of the linufe fhould be decidedly exprefred
again( it, in order that the minds of the Planters
(horrid be fet at cafe, and that any fermentat.
fhould be prevented among the Negroes. The _
nourable Member concluded with movingitn amertd-
ment, that the Bill fhould be read a feeond time "on
this day fix months."
' Th: Qt2eflion being put from the Chair, that the_
word " nnw" (boold :land part of the Bill,

Mr. C. BROOKE conceived that if the Bill before
tit Houk were agreed to, the effect would be t 6 throw
the trade into the hands of our rivals and enemies,
France and Spain, and Oro to induce the emigra-
tion of the greater part of our fmaller planters to
their colonies.—The temptations held out to fuch
perfons, and to our merchants and mariners alto, by
the French Government during the laR peace, were
well known, and fuch temptations ntuß ebvionfly
derive increafed influence at a future period from
this meafdre, (hoed it pals into. a 14w. As an
evidelce of the with of the Spaniards to puvfue this
traffic, he could Rate that the ports of the Oland of
Cuba had been thrown open to the (hips of all po-
tions, hnd that within the laft year no lefs than eighty
thonland Slaves were imported into that fingle ifland.
If the trade only ()lifted hands, what advantage, he
would afk, could arifc to the Africans front quitting ,
it ? On the contrary, he contended that, on the fcore
of humanity, the Africans were better treated in out
colonies than they were in their native country, or
were likely to be by any other nation.
Sir WILLIAM YOUNG thought it difrefpeeful
in the Honourable Mover towards the Colonifts,to af-
fert that nothing new had offered fince the lift Ser.
fivn upon this important object, notwithilanding the
able report of the Committee of the Legifl ttive Af
fembly of Jamaica, which the Honourable Gentle.
man had palled by in (Hence. That report contained
filch arguments as were fdfficient to make many Gen-
tlemen change the opinion they entertained IRA year,
and there was ground to hope that as not more than
27,0 members had ever voted on this mearnre, the re-
maining
members of the Houle would come forward
to lave the country from the cenfecinences that mull
enfue to the Colonies from the adoption of this Bill.
The Houle fhould ever bear in mind, that although
we tn igh t quit it, it was not in our power to abolifh
the African trade.. from the authority of Mr. Mungo
Park, and Mr. Brown, it appeared that not lels than
three fourths of the population of that part of Africa

to whit:: we traded were slaves, and if we did not
purchafe them, other purchafers whom we could not
prevenC would be found. The Honourable Ilaronet
rqmarked upon the :We of the Colonies a: prefent to
be fuch,th.tt it would be impoffrble that a Committee
fhould not be appointed in the courfe of the Seffions
to inquire into their fituation. In refpee to the impor-
tance of the colonial trade to this country, and its
progreffive advancement, he limed that the whole
amount of that trade in the reign of Charles 11. was
not equal to the mere ditties payable out of it at pre-
fent and that from January 1803, to January 1804,
the imports from the Welt India Wands to this coun-
try, in coffee, fugar, &c. exceeded feventeen millions
Reding. When this was confidered in conjunction
exports,
with the amount of our which were particu-
_ _

lady valuable from Ireland, which fenrout annually
above 7o fail of (tipping laden with indvifmns and
linen, and imrrtenfe capital employed, he Magid the
}Lac would be cautious of tampering with fuch a
produaive fource of national wealth.
Mr. BARHAM laid, that he was convinced-that
as an Hon. Gentleman below him had tad, this was
the time for the abolition of the Slave Trade, if it was
to be done at all, he was fatisfied that it was now
praelicable, that it was always deferable, but that
now it was neceflary. There were four points to
which he willed to call the attention of tfie Houfe.
i ft, The general policy of the meafure. ad, Its prac-
ticability. 3d, The danger arifing to the colonies
from not promoting it; and, laftly, The joflice of the
thing. As to the general policy, it was once laid that
this traffic was abfolutely neceffary. This afrertion
was hoWever partly abandoned. This individual
branch of trade would certainly be defkroyed ; but as
it was only a fault part, this was of lefs importance.
idly, With regard to the prafticability of the mea-
lure, he was once of 6pinion that it was not praftf-
cable ; and it the fame circumflances had esifted he
would have been Rill of the fame opinion. The ca-
pitals would once have been certainly cartied away
into foreign countries, but now the cafe was altered.
Inflead of engaging their capitals in hazardous (pe-
culation, the metthants and planters would rather
bring them borne if neceffary. Slaves could not
now be fmuggled into Jamaica from St. Domingo.
He had no doubt that if the meafure was pallid now,
it would fucceed. It was not likely that the traffic
would pafs into other' hands. Other nations had
given indications of their intentions to put an end to
the Slave Trade. He knew that no change could be
adopted which would not be attended with danger.
But was there no danger in continuing the trade ?
The increale of the proportion of Negroes to the
White Inhabitants of the colonies was daily increafing.
The ttaffic was conflantly adding to the difpropor-
lion, and the defire of liberty was inflamed by every
cargo of frcfh imported negroes. Regard was to be
had to the fituatton of St. Domingo, where there was
no people to enter into competition with us in the
Weft Indies. The danger of abolifhing the trade was
lefs, then, than that of continuing it.—ln the Cafe.of
a man who laboured under a difeafe, what would a
wife phyfician do ? He applied the remedy while the
patient was capable of receiving it ; and thus flood
the affair with refpeft to our Weft India colonies.—
He could mention a great man whom he could pro-
duce at the bar of the Houfe, who was of opinion
that the aboF.tiou was a proper meafure. As to the

aat♦teain tie We In4hes, he hied/ hAdone, and

is want of labourers ;L but flu he could nut re-
-tab his Went to mexfure. The danger from the
'abuiltioo would come When we were prep.tred for it:
bull, in the other cafe, it might come unawares and
overwhelm us while unprepared to refill it. He ap-
proved of a propolition which he once heard, of de-
fending the colonies by foldiers from our dominions
'in the EA. He meant no difrefped to the merchants,

who were enraged in this traffic. There were many
enlightened men among them. Yet their intereils
were not the fame with thole of the landed proprietors.

.
The merchants derived their profijos from the extent
of the traffic, in which rapid fortunes were accumu-
lated. To the trade, no doubt, it would be ruinous
to pafi this meafure. He would no longer trouble the
Wok, but allow that point to be difeulfed by thole
whoa interens might be more immediately cncerned.
General TA RLETON.—" I confides it as a duty

iiiiiinbent on me to oppo( this meafure with all the
isbalry which I poll ifs. The godliest) is fuch, that
it certainly deferves the molt ferinus deliberation, and
the Cook inveftigation of the Houle. I truft, there-
fore, that the reasons urged againft the meafure
will be heard and weighed with all that candour that
becomes an Altembly Inch as this. In the opening,
part of the speech of the Gentleman who has jolt
fat down, he Paid that now or never was the time
to put in pra(hce the meafure of the Abolition.—
Sir. I fee nothing in the prefent time that, in this
rdped, peculiarly dillingnifhes it from former
times. At all times, I have thought this a moll
ruinous meek . and the prefent time contains
nothing t• make me alter my opinion. The Gen-
tleman then obferved, that the Slave Trade was not
the great nurfery of our feamen. This is a molt
extraordinary affertion. Surely, if the Honourable
Gentleman bad attended to the fubjed, he would be
fully convinced that our very belt feamen came from
the Guinea (hips and the Welt India trade. In or-
der to be convinced of tne vaR importance of this
traffic io every refped, we have only to attend to the
fituation of Liverpool, and compare the Rate of that
, city with what it was not more than a century ago.
Its population, about a hundred years ago, was
about 2500. This population carried on its trade in
about 100 barks. Its capital was then about ro,oool.
What is its (late now ? It employs no lefs than about
nine thoufand (hips manned by a praiser complement
of feamen, the belt and molt expert in the Britilh
Navy. Its population is between 8o Ind sio,ooo, and
its capital confi(ts of the number of its former thou.
lands turned into millions. Yet it is certain that this
amaxing profperity is almoll entirely owing to the
Slave Trade. This is certainly a curious time to put
an end to the source from which the wealth and gran-
deur of a confiderable city in the empire is derived.—
Bonaparte has raid that we cannot contend with him
!Ingle handed : now, however, lie is backed by Spain,
and, in all probability, Portugal will foon be ranged
on his fide. Are not, I would ark, our principal means
of fecurity derived from our feamen, and thefe are in a
great mature, at lean many of the bell of them,
procured by the trade of Liverpool. It is not a little
aftonifhing, therefore, to hear any one fay that this is
the time for abolishing; trade which fupplies us with
fo many feamen. Is the time when we are engaged
in (oda war as the relent, a war in which fo many
feamen are required, upon whom we Ferias our chief
fecurity, is this a tima for Inch a meafure as this, a
meafure that gnes to eoniplete the ruin of one of the
'chief nurferies from which oK feamcp, and conse-
quently our meafures of fecurity, are in a great mea-
lure derived. This meafure, sir,is certainly founded
on the opinions refpeding the Rights of Man, which
have produced fo much horror and &variation all
over the World. It is a remnant of jacobinifm. I
am Pure that the Honourable Gentleman who urges
it, is not in his heart a Jacobin, but fill' the effed of
his condudi is the fame as if he were one. I (hall beg
leave to mention a Rory to him, in which I we,
myfelf concerned :—I went to Paris in t yet, out of
euttofity, (a laugh). Yes—l had nearly as much
curiofity to fee what was going on, as you (alluding
to Mr. Fox), hid in going to fee Bonaparte.—
Having arrived at Paris, I was :anxious, like moil
grangers, to fee what was going for Ward. Among
other things, I wished to go to vile the Jacobin
Club. But a friend, who knew the place better
than I did, diltuaded me, laying, 66 Oh! my dear
Sir, you muft not think of going there, you have
oppofcd the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and
confequently are regarded as an abomination by the
Jacobins, and you might be in daner of your life.
Mr. Wilberforce is :he great favourite of tie Jaco-
bins, who has arenuoufly defended their tenets of the
Abolition. It is even credibly believed, that the Club
will fend to Mr. Wilberforce a Diploma of Jacobi.
nifm." I am cbnvinced that the principle of Jacobi-
nifm is that upon which this meafure is formed. Let
us regard the hiftory of Europe for the fait 3o years.
What was it but a tiffue of crimes, murders, and
defolation ? Horrible sera, which ought, if poliible,
to be blotted out of the memory of man. Kings
were maffiscrell, their thrones overturned, regular
Governments were deliroyed, and anarchy and con-'
fufion fubllituted in their (lead. The paflions
of people were roofed, the controul of reafon was
laid aside, and the conqnences molt dreadful. The
whole of this ended in a military manibeing railed
to the throne with mote splendour and honours than
if it had been poffeffed by the Houfe of Bourbon; and
yet, if we trace the principle that led to all there
horrors, we (hall find it to be precifely the fame with
that upon which this meafure is founded. Both pro-
ceed from the fpirit of the Rights of Man. In confider-
ing all this, it may perhaps °be allowed, that what we
call an averfenefs to change, and a fOncluefs fur expe-
rienced fyltems, are virtues of a hiuher clefs than has
been generally imagined. He would advife the Hon.
Gentleman to confult with his friend on his left hand
( Mr. Pitt) and ark him to reconcile the fuppoit
which he gives to the prefent meafure with the in-
trododion of black troops, compiled of flares, to
defend our colonies in the Welt Indies. Thit fuch
a projeift as this was in contemplation, I am credibly
informed, and I have no intention to affirm that it
is not a good one. But yet it is wonderful that tlinfe
who perfill in such a projed, can defend their confif-
tency in the prefent itillance. lithe Slaves could with
fafety, and with juftice, be emancipated, I would cer-
tainly give my hearty concurrence to the Abolition
of the Trade. But let us look at the flare of our co-
• lonics, and our own fituation at this moment, and we
mull be convinced that we cannot pat's filch a Bill as
/this with fafety to ourfelves, and plaice to the rani

cidar clars of petrons who are more imm:diately in
welled in the Slave Trade. Tie colonies would be

reedy to do every thing. confillent with their own
Infety and interells, for the good of the State ; but
this mesfure is certainly contrary to both : let us,
therefore, abandon this excel, of goodnefs, and tread
in the pro dent Reps of our forefathers.
Mr FULLER.—" I am told that a contrail is
aetually entered upon with Government to procure
(laves, as troops for the Weft Indies at 551. per man.
How this can be reconciled with the cundua of a

Right Honourable Gentleman on the prefent occa-
fiott, >L utterly at a lofs to conceive. This is fup-
porting a meafure in one way, and oppofing it in ano-
ther. An Honourable Gentleman has raid that this
was the proper time for abolifltlng the Slave Trade.
This, Sir, is in complete contradietion to the re-
port of the AfTembly at Jamaica. This is not the
proper time for this meafure. There has not as yet
been fufficicnt time for one of the patties to be
heard,. The Honourable Gentleman has &id that
fufficient evidence has already been given. &it'
this evidence has not been given on oath. Another
reafon agtinfl this abolition is that the plantations,
efpecially the fmall ones, mutt be abfolutely given up
in cafe it is effeled. But an Honourable Gen.

tleman (Markham) defponds, aud Pays " Oh Lotto,
I with I had my capital in this country." Why fa •
would we all, if. we could get it there without any
hopes of an adequate advantage. But what could
we do if we were all to defpond on the prefent mato
(ion ? Nothing would remain for us but to throw our-
('elves at, the feet of Bonaparte. It has been raid that .
foreign nations had given indications of abandoning
this traffic. The Honourable Gentleman, I fuppofe,
means the former. It was very eafy for then', to be
fore, to give it up, fence they have loft almoft all
their colonies, and therefore have very little need of
(laves ; but is that the fituation of this country
Another difadvantage which would refult hem the
adoption of this mealure, is, that in fuch a cafe, we
could fcarcely find agents to manage our proper-
ty in the Weft Indies. The great inducement
to them for going out, is the chance of being able
'to procure Slaves, and commence Planters on
a fmall kale at firft for themfelves. Utiles a
profpeft of this kind is held out, it is certain that no'
people will remain in the Colonies, even for the ma-
nagement of our belt eflates. The people of this
country are fo good, and their feelings for others,
though millaken, are fo amiable, that I would wit-
lingly indulge them if I could. If, therefore, they will
begin to cultivate another ifland with Malays or Hie-
doos, or what do you call them, and fucceed in the
fcheme, then I (ball certainly follow the example. An
Hon. Gentleman had adverted to the want of com-
penfation in this Bill. certainly it does happens that
in a Bill that goes to deprive fo many people of their
property, there is not one claufe to indemnify the
fufferers for their loges. Would this have been done
even in a common Ttimpike Bill ? If the .1-10n4ur-
able Gentleman had propofed fuch a thing he would
be fcoated from one end of the Houfetto the other ;
and can the Houfe be fo iodifferent refpefting the
colonies, that any perfon dares bring in a mea-
lure to treat them with fuels injuftice, and is lie- •
tend to with patience ? He would not dare to pro-
pole to meddle with Englifh property in this man-
, ner. The only mode in which he could proceed would'
' be this : He would fay to the perfons whom it might
be thought neceffary to deprive of their property—we
want your land for public purpofes—we will go to an
inn, and pay down to you the value. Some men
who would be obliged to attend to reafon in com!
mon inftances at home, dare to bring forward
opprefhive meafures refpedting Wands at three thou-
fand miles didance. I have already foie!, that the
inducement of having fhares to purchafe, is one
without which we could not procure agents. As
it is, they go and loon have the fame interefts
with ourfelves ; but the whole is deßroyed, if you
pats this meafttre. The lunation cf the negroes
has been the fubjeft of complaint. Very well, Sir,
but when we come to talk of the fable, it might
be better were we to attend a little to the applica-
tion. Is not the fituation of the poor in this country
in many inflances worfe than that of the negroes?
Without meaning to boon, I have given pertuiffion
to my own negroes so cultivate considerable fpots cf
ground for themfelves, and 'ample time for this pur.
pole. I have lodged and' cloth:d, and have engaged
a phyfician to attend and prefiribe to them. 1 have
done every thing for their comfort. Can he fay that
he has done fo much, with all his talk and noife
about humanity, for the peafantry of Yorkfhire ?
What would we fay of th- tailors of this country,
thofe to whom we owed f muet for our fecurity ?
They were liable to be 'mpreffel, were fubjea to
quarantine, and cape f d to p:rpetual hardfhips.—
But then we are told that they chufe this fort of life.
No, they do not chufe it—they are feized by officers
while they are boys, and fent on board almoff before
they have a minde capable of choice. Upon the
whole, confidering the injultice done to the dolo*s
in this cafe, there is reafon to apprehend, that tone::.
times they who make the greatest profeffions of reli'ai
gion are often the greateft cheats (a laugh).
Mr. HILEY ADDINGTON role to exprefs his
opinion againft the Abolition of the Trade; the
queftion was certainly one of the greateft importance,
and of vaft magnitude, and the decifion of it molt
be productive of great good, or 'of the molt ferious
mifchief. He was lorry to fay that the opinion he
originally gave of the impracticability of the propof-
ed Abolition (till remains unaltered. It was not from
any want of confederation that his mind had not been
changed; on the contrary, he had beftowed uncom-
mon attention to the confederation of this quellion,
from the circumftance of having the misfortune to
differ in opinion from many Honourable Friends of
his, and from Come who palled the molt diftinguifh-
ed talents and higheft endowments ; he, at the firfl,
thought the ateafure imprafticable. and he thouglt
fo ftill ; and he thought, moreover, that the cattle if
humanity had not been at all promoted by the agita•
lion of the queflion, and was not likely to be benefited
by its further dikullion. He was aware that there was
a fort of popular odium attached to the defence of
the exilling Slave Trade; but Rill he felt a perldt
confidence that no popular prejudice of that fort
would difincline the Houfe from giving a fall and
candid hearing to thole who might think differently
on the fubjeft. As for himfelf, lie gave his opinion
as an individual, utterly unconnefted-with the Trade.
or with the Welt India Colonies, having no other
intereft in the qncflion, than the general intact!

Negroes, or he would not have failed to hying it for
ward. But ever fence the regulations enacted refpell
ing the middle pelage, &c. he was quite perfuadet
that the Hon. Mover could not find out one Caw
inßance at:cruelty. That Hon. Member had within,
new wi,h oh:ch to intereit the feelings of the Houk
and therefore it was left to its cool judgment to de
cide the quelleoto To that judgment then he woul
confidently appeal egaine this wild propofition. I
the Houle would content to aboliffi the Trade, h
would put it to the candour cf Gentlemen to confide
Iwhether, from the avidity with which the Slaves wet
fought altor, that valuable traffic would not fall int
other hands? It was known, indeed, that there wei
1 not lets, by the tan eccounts, than five America
thips of large burthen taking in Slaves un the Coon
Africa ; and to thew this and other important fail
necelfary to qualify the Monte to determine fair',
was the rearon for willing that evidence Mould I
examined and enunfel heard at the bar, as the pet
tions on the table rcquefted. Among the mifchie
confequent upon the difeuffion of this meafore, ar
which mull inevitably follow its adoption, he (late
the sffociaticm that would naturally arife in the mint
of the Negroes between the abolition of the trad
and their emancipation. Such an ace, he though
mull reatonably follow—and what claim, he wou
all, could thole Negroes have to the rights of ire
dour in this country. who forfeited their liberty
their own native foil ? In anfwer to the charge
kidnapping, which had been fo often urged, at
which no doubt would be repeated this night, he h;
only to Rate in proof of the improbability of loch
praetceohat feveral of the principal mercantile heml
in this trade had fixed eflablifhments on the co:
of Africa, a thing oltich it washot feat:math to fu
pore never could h iv: Ivo e been attempted, had u
merchants been 1-,tti'ty of a praltice that mull ha
rendered them peculiarly h !tau' to the natives, al
perpetually apprehenfive of their jolt referoment.
the trade were to be aholilhed, he could not concei
what was to become of the cultivation of our Col
Hies—for no rational being'cotild think that the p
fent negro polo.' etinn of the Inands was fitfficienti
filch cultivation. That was too aisfurd to be imagine
and it was not lefs to, in his opinion, to maintain ti
it would be go tel policy, loom chimerical notions
humanity. to Meat d the experience of a century an,
half. Would i. be pt ',dent. he would all, to lay all
merely in compliment to a fpeculative opinion, the I
tern under whit'. new Colooics had lb long profper,
and our rrventic been fo materially improved? Woi
it be prudent at this period, particularly when e
colonies were ft oectdiatly circumftanced, with I
recollection of the calamities fo recently fuffered
St. Domingo, la confequence of the operation o
limiter proc:dure, and the proximity of that ifh
to our colonies ? That proximity was a circumflai
from which more was to be apprehended than G
tiemen were oe-hair. aware of. • Symptoms of its
fees had vet y lately appeared in our if:kinds, and I
not a fpirit of contairacy among our negroes b
dttefred in due tine, it was dreadful to refleft to
what mig'st hare been the fate oldie Whites.
naparte had declared a particular folicitude with
(pea to the colonies ; and fhoold the French f
have gone, as was apprehended, to the Welt IrO
whathope ensile' the enemy entertain of any mate
fuccefs in that quarter, uniefs through the coo
ratiorOof the Blacks, amonglt whom the mcafure
fore the Houle was fo well calculated to excite
tions congenial, to his views ? Stich notion,, it
ieafonable to foppofe, and it was obvious from e:
rilnce, it would be improper to diffcminate am,
men not in a hate to comprehend and digeft th
The recent etatnple in France afforded an awful
ample of the confequences of communicating libi
to men before they were fitted to receive it. W
then was likely to follow from giving emancipa
to the Blacks, fur which they would, in the even
this Bill palling, very naturally look ? Emancipa
&mid not, from the grounds upon which this n
fore relied, be confidently refuted. The print
upon which the whole feet who were warmed in
porting the motion• before the Houfe, as 'troy
pleaded for the one thing as the other.. Whether
principle originated in a religious notion, or fro;
wildnefs of imagination, he would not inquire ;
. it Renck him as particularly fingular, that his
jelly's Minittcrs fhotild act upon it in this inßance
ter having very recently entered into a contract
5000 laves, for the purpofe of converting them
an armed body for the ufe of the Well India lad
If laves were to he purchafed at all, he could tut
why not for civil as well as military purpofes.
principle allcs Aed by the advocates of the motion
fore the Hitu.c, finely alloaved of no exception;
with this ;realism in contemplation, it was a :
grange policy in clovernment to go into the ma
for the putchale of fuch a number of (Lives. I
men out of clones, who were unconnefted with
WeR India Maids, and who had not much confi
ed the fuhiee, were in the habit of crying out
tfie abolition of the trade under dileoffion ; but
would call upon filch men to race upon the el
turf importance of this trade to the profperity of
colonies, and the importance of thole colonies to
revenue and flrength of the empire, particular':
the prefent crifis, when it was fo materialthat no
cf that revenue or ftrength fhould be diminifhet
He requeßed the Houle and the Country to con]
what a number of our manufacturers, particular]
the cotton branch, which was at prefent in rathe
unfavourable Rate, derived employment from
Well India trade. If the Bill before the Houle I
adopted, he was Pure he did not overrate, whet
ll toed that the effect would be to throw not lets I
'se,oooperfons out of employment. This was ;
rictus confiderarion, Which, he trolled, would il
a due impreflion upon the Houle. It had been
mated that Come planters were anxious for the pa
of this Bill. Poflibly they were, but if fo he Oa
rather think them the owners of large plantar
who had their full complement of.flaoes, and
might, therefore, be Wafted in their judgment, I
cularly as it was obvious that the immediate e
of this meafore would be to extinguiffi the fm
planters. The opinion, therefore, of fuch per
was rather acs chic& of fufpicion. The Honour
Mover had olifervcd that nothing new had of
fince the loft refrion on this fubjee. From this o
'teatime. it was evident the Honourable Member
not teen the report of the Affembly of Jamaica
in that very able report, there were many fafts
arguments both new and forcible, again] the s
tion of the Bill before the Houle. This :I