of which we had now lost the use, might be restored; indifference might be
fanned into warmth; commercial calculation might be overpowered by justice;
and abolition, rising above the reach of the cry of regulation, might
eventually triumph.

I communicated my ideas to the committee, and offered to go round the
kingdom to accomplish this object. The committee had themselves been
considering what measures to take, and as each in his own mind had come to
conclusions similar with my own, my proposal was no sooner made, than
adopted.

I had not been long upon this journey, when I was called back. Mr.
Wilberforce, always solicitous for the good of this great cause, was of
opinion, that, as commotions had taken place in France, which then aimed at
political reforms, it was possible that the leading persons concerned in
them might, if an application were made to them judiciously, be induced to
take the Slave-trade into their consideration, and incorporate it among the
abuses to be done away. Such a measure, if realized, would not only lessen
the quantity of human suffering, but annihilate a powerful political
argument against us. He had a conference therefore with the committee on
this subject; and, as they accorded with his opinion, they united with him
in writing a letter to me, to know if I would change my journey, and
proceed to France.

As I had no object in view but the good of the cause, it was immaterial to
me where I went, if I could but serve it; and therefore, without any
further delay, I returned to London.

As accounts had arrived in England of the excesses which had taken place in
the city of Paris, and of the agitated state of the provinces through which