HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
negroes they would procure, in 
despite of all our prohibitions ; 
their neighbours would not be 
tardy in serving them ; and all our 
vigilance would not suffice to pre- 
vent a clandestine trade between 
our islands and the others in their 
neighbourhood. 
Another argument against the 
abolition, was the situation in which 
the planters might be placed in re- 
gard to their creditors, through any 
sudden and unexpected deprivation 
of their usual methods of settling 
their mutual accounts:—a difficulty 
that would be obviated by the gra- 
dual progress of the habits and 
usages that would be introduced 
by the measures and regulations 
proposed. 
The issue of this. debate was a 
majority of forty-nine votes in fa- 
vour of Mr, Dundas’s motion. But 
this tedious affair was not finally 
settled in the House of Commons 
till the twenty-seventh of April; 
when, on the motion of Sir Edward 
Knatchbull, a compromise was pro- 
posed, and accepted by both par- 
ties; in consequence of which the 
teri of the abolition was fixed for 
the Ist of January, 1796. 
The resolutions proposed by 
Mr. Dundas were, on the Ist of 
May, laid before the House, with 
some slight alterations by Mr. Pitt; 
and being approved of, were carried 
up to the House of Lords. 
But here the friends of the im- 
mediate abolition of the slave trade 
were fewer, in proportion, than 
among the commons. ‘Lhe oppo- 
sition to the schemes of those who 
determined to promote its continu- 
ance, was weak, and soon over- 
powered by the weight of a nume- 
Fous majority. It was observed, 
vy mi a prince of the blood spoke on 
[155 
this occasion with marked disap- 
probation of the attempt to set aside 
the slave trade. 
The advocates in its favour, un- 
willing totally to oppose its adver- 
saries, consented to the appoint- 
ment of a committee for the hear- 
ing of evidence at the bar of the 
House. This was vigorously op- 
posed by Lord Grenville, the Bi- 
shop of London, Lord Portchester, 
Earls Stanhope, and Lord Raw- 
don, who befriended the abolition, 
and exerted themselves strenuously 
for an upstairs committee, know- 
ing it would answer much more 
effectually than the examination of 
witnesses at the bar. But those 
who proposed this measure were so 
powerfully seconded, that it was 
adopted against the repeated argu- 
ments and remonstrances of their 
opponents. Those who took the 
principal part in frustrating the in- 
tentions and endeavours of the 
afore-mentioned noblemen, were > 
the Duke of Clarence, the Lord 
Chancellor, the Bishop of St. Da- 
vid’s, Lord Stormont, and Lord 
Hawkesbury. 
In this manner the most powerful 
effort ever made, not only in this 
country, but in all Europe, to abo- 
lish a branch of commerce which, 
however justified by those who con- 
sult barely what they deem of uti+ 
lity to the state, has constantly met 
with the general disapprobation of 
mankind, was defeated.— Whether 
the reiterated endeavours of Mr. 
Wilberfurce, and his associates in 
this business, mect ultimately with 
success or disapprobation, no doubts 
can be entertained of the purity of 
his motives; and the indefatigable 
pains he has taken in this tedivus 
affair, will always entitle him to 
praise and respect. 
CHAP. 
