slaves throughout the British Empire, which fanned all smouldering
discontents into an active flame.

It must be confessed that on this occasion the British
philanthropist was willing to pay for what he thought was right. It
was a noble national action, and one the morality of which was in
advance of its time, that the British Parliament should vote the
enormous sum of twenty million pounds to pay compensation to the
slaveholders, and so to remove an evil with which the mother
country had no immediate connection. It was as well that the thing
should have been done when it was, for had we waited till the
colonies affected had governments of their own it could never have
been done by constitutional methods. With many a grumble the good
British householder drew his purse from his fob, and he paid for
what he thought to be right. If any special grace attends the
virtuous action which brings nothing but tribulation in this world,
then we may hope for it over this emancipation. We spent our money,
we ruined our West Indian colonies, and we started a disaffection
in South Africa, the end of which we have not seen. Yet if it were
to be done again we should doubtless do it. The highest morality
may prove also to be the highest wisdom when the half-told story
comes to be finished.

But the details of the measure were less honourable than the
principle. It was carried out suddenly, so that the country had no
time to adjust itself to the new conditions. Three million pounds
were ear-marked for South Africa, which gives a price per slave of
from sixty to seventy pounds, a sum considerably below the current
local rates. Finally, the compensation was made payable in London,
so that the farmers sold their claims at reduced prices to