Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-10-16
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, July
SLRVE TRADE.

Mr. Wilberlorce hoped the inpor-
lance of the subject on which he was
about to address the house, would not be
estimated by the length of his address, as
he wished but to take up few minutes
of their time. He proposed submitting
a motion to the house, the effect of which
would be to call on government TO renew
their efforts to prevail on foreign powers,
formerly engaged in the slave trade, but
who had been prevailed on to pass laws
to abolish it, to adopt measures for ma
king those laws more efectuai. Itwould
be recollected that when the bill for abol-
ishing the slave trade passed, the govern
mcnt Of this country had lost no time in
sailing on other powers to unite their
efforts 10 ours to put an end to that traf-
fic. The noble lord opposite had been
most interchangeable in his endeavors to
accomplish this great object, and he had
succeeded in prevailing on all the great
powers of Europe, to adopt one of the
most forcible declarations ever penned,
denouncing the slave trade. The proper
course had been taken to satisfy other
powers of our earnestness in the cause.
The sacrifices we had proved ourselves
ready to make, evinced our sincerity
One power only remained who had not
complied with our wishes. All the rest
had not only condemned the slave trade,
but had named period for polishing it
With most of the great powers of Eu-
rope conventional arrangements had been
made for carrying this decision fully into
effect. Two powers remained who had
not entered into such engagements, and
who, unfortunately, had not of them
selves taken measures for enforcing the
laws which they had been prevailed upon
to make. The countries of which he
spoke were France and America. 1t
was sad to see nation of cavaliers, as
France had formerly been called, feed
ing as it were on our ofal-prohting by
that traffic, the gain of which, we, who
had been called nation of shopkcepers,
had put away as that which should defile
us. In Africa, where little spots of
ground had been brought into cultiva-
ton, and where small villages were es-
tablished, there fire and sword, fraud and
plllage, had wasted and DESTROYED all
that had been achieved by the natives
for number of years. He trusted that
when this was known in France to have
been done by French subjects, that such
measures would be taken as should pre-
vent few evil minded individuals from
throwing such a stain on the character of
their country. He was still more shock
ed at knowing that many subjects of the
United States of America, were still en-
gagged in the slave trade. They had
been among the first to pass law against
the continuance of the trade, and many
of the states did all that was in their
power to complete its abolition. In
others the laws were not made effectual
Congress had lately passed law for bet
ter rewarding those who seized and
brought in slave ships. He had read of
this with pleasure, and he hoped it would
be carried into effect, and that America
would not be content with mere abo-
lition on paper. The wished for object
in sight, it was mortifying to be kept from
1t SO long: From some parts of Africa
intelligence had been received which
justified the predictions of those who
had looked forward to the improvement
cf the African character. In the much
illuminated colony of Sierra Leone,
1000 Africans were now under instruc-
ton, and 1000 were enjoying the rights
of free citizens. He was DESTROYS That
new exertions should be made r., prevail
on foreign powers to ur.;ite with us in
putting down the slave trade, and he re-
marked, the best way of getting the con-
sent OF OTTER countries to that which we
PROPOSED on this subject, was to continue
r show them, that we ourselves were
sincerely anxious to repair the injuries
which unhappy Africa had formerly re-
xeiyed at our hands. He concluded by
moving a long address to the Prince Re-
gent, embodying the substance OF his
speech, acknowledging the great efforts
already made by his Royal Highness, tc
complete the abolition of the slave trade
and PRAYING his Royal Highness to make
new efforts to obtain the cooperation o
The powers who were formerly engaged
in the slave trade, in this great attempt
that the long afflicted people of Afric'
may at length see the actual termination
1of their wrongs and miseries.
Sir ]. Macintosh seconded the motion
and requested the indulgence OF tn
house for. few moments. The oblec
needed no Recommendation, and it
needed any, mona eqaId be more apPr0