HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



97 



the purpose of bettering the condi- 

 tion of the soldier. 



After several other members had 

 shortly given their o[)inions, the 

 house divided upon the propriety 

 of going into a committee on the 

 bill. The ayes Avere 219, the noes 

 109— majority 50. 



On the next clay Mr. Wilbcrforce 

 moved that the hou^^e should go into 

 a committee upon the slave trade. 



Mr. Fuller objeeted strongly to 

 the principle of the bill, and denied 

 that the slaves were treated badly 

 in the West Indies. He quoted 

 Mr. Park's book, to prove that 

 slavery had been very long estab- 

 lished in Africa, and that the Afri- 

 can princes had a right to transport 

 out of their country persons con- 

 victed of crimes. 



The bill was supported by Mr. 

 Francis, Mr. Barham, and Mr. 

 Somers Coxe ; and opposed by Mr. 

 Brooke, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Dent, and 

 Mr. Deverell. 



Mr. Wilberforcc replied to the 

 variaus obje(Stions that had been 

 made to the bill. He cited a num- 

 ber of authorities, to prove that 

 the situation of the blacks in Af- 

 rica was as he had before stated ; 

 and he had the testimony of Mr. 



K 



•ng? 



the late American ambassa- 



dor, (one of the worthiest men liv- 

 ing.) to prove that the negroes in- 

 creased in America, so as to hold 

 out a fair prospect of doubling their 

 population in twenfy-fivc years. — 

 As it had been proved that, in other 

 hot countries, the slaves increased 

 their pojjulation, there was no good 

 reason to be assigned why it was 

 only in our islands they should di- 

 minish. 



After some observations from sir 

 William Young, against the bill, 

 and of Mr. William ijmithj iu favour 



Vol. XLIV. 



of it, the house adopted the motion 

 for going into a committee, by a 

 majority of 79 to 20. 



On the 14th of June, the addi- 

 tional force bill was recommitted, 

 and some amendments agreed to in 

 the committee. 



On the following day, upon the 

 motion lor the amendments being 

 read a second time, 



Mr. Peter Moore objefted to the 

 principle of the bill, which went to 

 keep up a large permanent standing 

 army. He thought that if ministers 

 would treat the Irish people as they 

 ought to do, they might bring over 

 to this country, a great part of the 

 army which is now kept as senti- 

 nels upon that country. 



Mr. Denis Browne denied that 

 the army in Ireland were kept as 

 sentinels upon the people, and as- 

 serted that the disposition of the 

 Irish had completely changed, and 

 that they wer« now warmly attached 

 to the government. 



On a division, there were 69 

 against reading the amendments a 

 second time, and 63 for it, being a 

 majority of 6 against the govern- 

 ment. 



The proceedings of this night 

 bore a very singular appearance. 

 The ministers' friends, not having 

 calculated on opposition, did not 

 cows down to the house early, and, 

 for the beginning of the evening, 

 the opposition, as we have seen, 

 wore the majority. On Mr. Grey, 

 immediately after the division, 

 moving, that the amendments should 

 be read a second time on that day 

 three months, the supporters of the 

 ministers made long and elaborate 

 speeches, to which the members of 

 the oj'position made no reply, but 

 by calling loudly for the question. 

 As the evident objctl of (he friends 

 if of 



