slaves, and of lessening the demand for manual labour, without diminishing
the profit of the planters, no considerable or permanent inconvenience
would result from discontinuing the further importation of African slaves.

These propositions having been laid upon the table of the house, Lord
Penrhyn rose in behalf of the planters, and, next after him, Mr. Gascoyne
(both members for Liverpool) in behalf of the merchants concerned in the
latter place. They both predicted the ruin and misery, which would
inevitably follow the abolition of the trade. The former said, that no less
than seventy millions were mortgaged upon lands in the West Indies, all of
which would be lost. Mr. Wilberforce therefore should have made a motion to
pledge the house to the repayment of this sum, before he had brought
forward his propositions. Compensation ought to have been agreed upon as a
previously necessary measure. The latter said, that in consequence of the
bill of last year many ships were laid up and many seamen out of employ.
His constituents had large capitals engaged in the trade, and, if it were
to be wholly done away, they would suffer from not knowing where to employ
them. They both joined in asserting, that Mr. Wilberforce had made so many
misrepresentations in all the branches of this subject, that no reliance
whatever was to be placed on the picture, which he had chosen to exhibit.
They should speak however more fully to this point, when the propositions
were discussed.

The latter declaration called up Mr. Wilberforce again, who observed, that
he had no intention of misrepresenting any fact. He did not know that he
had done it in any one instance; but, if he had, it would be easy to
convict him out of the report upon the table.

Mr. Burke then rose. He would not, he said, detain the committee long.
Indeed he was not able, weary and indisposed as he then felt himself, even