of its advocate; but when he recollected that in the progress of his
inquiries he had every where been received with candour, that most people
gave him credit for the purity of his motives, and that, however many of
these might then differ from him, they were all likely to agree in the end,
he had dismissed his fears and marched forward with a firmer step in this
cause of humanity, justice and religion. He could not, however, but lament
that the subject had excited so much warmth. He feared that too many on
this account were but ill prepared to consider it with impartiality. He
entreated all such to endeavour to be calm and composed. A fair and cool
discussion was essentially necessary. The motion he meant to offer was as
reconcileable to political expediency as to national humanity. It belonged
to no party-question. It would in the end be found serviceable to all
parties; and to the best interests of the country. He did not come forward
to accuse the West India planter, or the Liverpool merchant, or indeed any
one concerned in this traffic; but, if blame attached any where, to take
shame to himself, in common indeed with the whole parliament of Great
Britain, who, having suffered it to be carried on under their own
authority, were all of them participators in the guilt.

In endeavouring to explain the great business of the day, he said he should
call the attention of the house only to the leading features of the
Slave-trade. Nor should he dwell long upon these. Every one might imagine
for himself, what must be the natural consequence of such a commerce with
Africa. Was it not plain that she must suffer from it? that her savage
manners must be rendered still more ferocious? and that a trade of this
nature, carried on round her coasts, must extend violence and desolation to
her very centre? It was well known that the natives of Africa were sold as
goods, and that numbers of them were continually conveyed away from their
country by the owners of British vessels. The question then was, which way
the latter came by them. In answer to this question the privy council