SLAVE-TRADE. 



thing, if it were only a fmall part, of what belonged to the 

 caufe. Accordingly his eftimable friend, Mr. Henry Thorn- 

 ton, lately deceafed, brought in a bill, at his requeft, to 

 abolifh a very fmall part of the flavc-trade. It may be re- 

 membered, that a colony had been eftablifhed at Sierra 

 Leona, to promote agriculture and a new fpecies of com- 

 merce in Its neighbourhood. Now, while the flave-trade was 

 carried on all around it, it was found that thefe objefts 

 could be but little advanced. The bill, therefore, of Mr. 

 Thornton, went only fo far as to fay that the llave-trade 

 Ihould not be carried on within a certain diftance of that 

 colony. This bill was carried through the commons, but 

 though it only aflied that an infant eftabUfhment, founded 

 on the principles of liberty, and this by parliamentary fanc- 

 tion, (hould be protefted from the ravages of the flave- 

 trade, it was loft in the houfe of lords. This latter cir- 

 curaftance was indeed truly diflieartening ; yet amidft the 

 clouds which darkened the horizon, one gleam of hope ap- 

 peared ; for the queftion had been fo argued, fo fifted, and 

 put into fuch various lights, that it began now to be under- 

 ftood. The confequence was, that conviftion flafhed upon 

 many, among whom were three planters, Mr. Ellis, Mr. 

 Barham, and Mr. Vaughan. Thefe gentlemen had the can- 

 dour to rife up in the houfe of commons, and exprefs them- 

 felves in favour of the abohtion, in one of the laft debates. 



The queftion had been now tried and loll in almoll every 

 poffible fhape ; Mr. Wilberforce and the committee feemed 

 to have but two alternatives of choice left them, either to per- 

 fevere againft all hope, or to hold themfelve» in readinefs to 

 feize the firft favourable opportunity which fliould prefent it- 

 felf for furthering the caufe. It was determined to adopt the 

 latter, and by no means to let the queltion degenerate into a 

 mere annual motion of form. It was thought proper alfo, as 

 feveral members of the houfe of commons were changing 

 their opinions on the fubjeft, to give others time to digeft 

 the powerful eloquence which had been expended upon it, 

 Mr. Wilberforce, therefore, fuffered the years 1800, 1801, 

 1802, and 1803, to pafs over without noticing it. In 1804, 

 however, he refolved to renew his exertions. The commit- 

 tee refolved to fecond them, and immediately increaled its 

 number, that it might aft with extraordinary vigour. The 

 circumftance, which marked this year in particular as favour- 

 able for another trial, was the union with Ireland, in con- 

 fequence of which a great number of Irifli members, gene- 

 rous, and open-hearted, and in general friends to the poor 

 Negroes, were added to the Britifti parliament. Mr. Wil- 

 berforce, therefore, under thefe circumltances, afl<ed leave to 

 renew his bill for the abohtion of the llave-trade within a 

 limited time. This motion was as violently oppofed as any 

 of the former, but was carried at length in a very handfome 

 manner: nolefsthan 124 divided in favour of it, and but 

 49 againft it. The bill was oppofed in its fecond reading, 

 for which however there were 100, and againft it but 42. 

 When a motion was made for going into a committee it was 

 oppofed, but carried by 79 to 20. The bill alfo was op- 

 pofed in its laft ftage, but carried by a majority of 69 to 

 36. It was taken up to the lords, but on a motion by lord 

 Hawkefbury (now lord Liverpool) the difcullion there was 

 put off till the next fcffion. 



In the fedion of J805, Mr. Wilberforce renewed his 

 former motion. Leave was at length given him to bring in 

 the bill, but not till after a moft furious oppofition. On 

 the fecond reading of it the oppofition increafed, and an 

 amendment was propofed, -viz. to put it off to that day fix 

 months. This amendment was aftually carried by a majority 

 of 77 to 70. This defeat occalioned the abohtionifts the fe- 

 vereil difappointment. The committee inftantly met, when 



forrow was feen in the countenances of all prefent. Their 

 firft objeft was to endeavour to develope the caufes of the 

 mifcarriage now mentioned. It appeared clearly, after the 

 moft minute examination, that thefe were accidental. The 

 committee, therefore, refolved upon renewing the contelt 

 with redoubled vigour the enfuing year. Juft at this mo- 

 ment, who (hould join them but Mr. Clarkfon ! Eight 

 years' retirement had nearly reftored him, and the tirlt 

 moment he found himfelf able to embark again in the caufe, 

 he returned to his poft. As it then feemed probable that 

 the queftion would be carried the next year through the 

 commons, and, if fo, that it would go to the lords, and 

 that the lords would probably require farther evidence, it 

 was judged proper that evidence fliould be prepared. But, 

 alas ! the noble band of witncflcs which had been laft col- 

 lefted, had been broken by death and difperfion, and a new 

 one was to be formed. Herculean taik ! tremendous, how- 

 ever, as it was, Mr. Clarkfon undertook it. He left Lon- 

 don in two or three days afterward, and returned in January 

 1806, after having travelled in purfuit of his object above 

 5000 miles. In this month died Mr. Pitt, who was then 

 prime miniftef, and who had been one of the great fup- 

 porters of the caufe. 



On the 31ft of March, 1806, this great queftion was 

 wfliered again into parliament, but under new aufpices, 

 namely, under the adminiftration of lord Greiiville and Mr. 

 Fox. It was thought proper that Mr. Wilberforce fhould 

 be as it were in the back-ground on this occafion, and that 

 the attorney-general, as a confpicucus officer of the govern- 

 ment, fliould introduce it. The latter accordingly brought 

 in a bill, one of the objefts of which was to prohibit Britilh 

 merchants and Britifti capital from being employed in the 

 foreign flave-trade. This bill palled both houfes of parlia- 

 ment, and was therefore the firft that difmerabcred this cruel 

 traf&c. In the debate which enfued upon it, it was de- 

 clared in fubitance, both by lord Grenville and Mr. Fox, in 

 their refpeftive houfes, that they would do every thing to 

 effeft the abolition, and ftiould they fiicceed in fuch a noble 

 work, they would regard their fuccefs as entailing more true 

 glory on their adminiftration, and more honour and advan- 

 tage on the country, than any other ineafure in which they 

 could be engaged. Conformably with this fentimont, Mr. 

 Fox himfelf, on the loth of June, in a fpeech moft luminous 

 and pathetic, followed up the viftory which had been juft 

 gained, by moving a refolution, " that this houfe, confider- 

 int; the African flave-trade to be contrary to the principles 

 of humanity, juftice, and policy, will, with all praftical ex- 

 pedition, take effeftual meafures for the abolition of it, in 

 fuch manner and at fuch a period as may be deemed moft 

 advifeable." This motion produced an oppofition as before, 

 and an interefting debate. It was fupportcd by fir Ralph 

 Milbank, Mr. Francis, fir Samuel Romilly, Mr. Wilber- 

 force, lord Henry Petty (now marquis of Lanfdown), fir 

 John Newport, Mr. Canning, and Mr. William Smith. It 

 was carried by a majority of 114 to 15. Mr. Wilberforce 

 direftly moved an addrefs to his majefty, " praying him to 

 direft a negociation to be entered into, by which foreign 

 powers (hould be invited to co-operate with his majefty, in 

 meafures to be adopted for the abolition of the African 

 flave-trade." This was alfo carried, but without a divifion. 

 On the 24th of June, the lords met to confidcr both the 

 refolution and addrefs. A propofition was direftly made in 

 that houfe (in order to create delay), that counfel and evi- 

 dence fhould be heard. This, however, was happily over- 

 ruled. Lord Grenville then rofe up and introduced the fub- 

 jeft. His fpeech was among the mailer-pieces of eloquence. 

 He was fupported in the debate, which followed by the 

 I of lord 



