SLA 



SLA 



lord chancellor (Erfkine), the bifhop of London (Dr. 

 Portetis), the bifliop of St. Afaph (Dr. Horfley), earl 

 Grofvenor, carl Stanhope, earl Spencer, carl of Suffolk, 

 and the lords Holland and EUenborough. The refolution 

 iir.d addrefs were at length both carried, by a majority of 

 41 to 20. After this a belitf was generally prevalent, that 

 the flave-trade would fall in the next feffion. This occa- 

 Jioned a fear in the abolitionifts, left it fhould be carried on 

 in the interim, being as it were the laft harvclt of the mer- 

 (.hants, to a tenfold extent, and therefore with tenfold mur- 

 der and defolation to Africa. It was therefore thought 

 necellary, as the feffion was about to dole, to introduce 

 another bill into parliament, and this as quickly as poffible, 

 that no new veflel (liould be permitted to go to the coaft of 

 Africa for flaves. Accordingly a bill to that efFeft was pre- 

 pared, and it pafled both houfes. In the month of Odober 

 following, after thefe great and decifive vidlories, died tlie 

 right honourable Charles James Fox, one of the nobleft 

 champions of this noble caufe. He had lived juft to put it 

 into a train for final triumph. This triumph, however, he 

 enjoyed in anticipation. The profpeft of it foothed his 

 pains, and cheered his fpirit in the hours of his ficknefs. At 

 •his melancholy feafon it became with him a frequent topic 

 of converfation, and the hope of it was perceived to quiver 

 on his lips, in one of the laft moments of his life. 



The feffion of 1807 had not long commenced, when the 

 conteft was renewed. Lord Grenville judged it expedient, 

 at this particular crifis, to reverfe what had been hitherto 

 the order of proceeding, that is, to agitate the queftion firft 

 in the houfe of lords. On the 2d of January he pre- 

 fented a bill there, which he called an aft for the abolition 

 of the African flave-trade. It was very fhort ; he propofed 

 that it fhould be printed, and that it fhould then lie on the 

 table for a while, that it might be maturely confidered be- 

 fore it was difcuffed. On the 4th, no lefs than four coun- 

 fel were heard againft it. On the 5th the debate com- 

 menced. Lord Grenville took a brilliant part in it. He 

 was fupported by his highnefs the duke of Gloucefter, the 

 bilhop of Durham (Dr. Barrington), the earls Moira, Sel- 

 kirk, and Rofslyn, and the lords Holland, King, and Hood. 

 The bill was at length carried, at four in the morning, by 

 a majority of 100 to 36. On the ipth of February it went 

 to the commons. On the 20th counfcl were heard againft 

 it there. On the 23d a debate enfued upon it, on the mo- 

 tion oi lord vifcount Howick (formerly Mr. Grey, and now 

 lurd Grey), who urged the commons to confirm it. The 

 other fpeakcrs in favour of it were Mr. Rofcoe, Mr. Fawkes, 

 Mr. Lufhington, the lords Mahon and Milton, fir Samuel 

 Romilly, fir John Doyle, Mr. Wilberforce, and earl Percy ; 

 and it was carried by the vail majority of 2R3 to 16. On 

 the 6th of March the blanks were filled up. It was pro- 

 pofed, firll, that no vellel (hould clear out for flaves from any 

 port within the Britifh dominions, after the lit of May 

 following, that is, 1807, and that no Have fliould be landed 

 in the Britifh colonies after the ift of March 1808. This 

 and almoft every other propofition were oppofed, but hap- 

 pily without eft'cft. Suffice it to fay, that on the 1 8th the 

 bill, with the blanks filled up, was carried back to the 

 lords ; that in confequence of various amendments, it pafled 

 and repaired from one houle to the other, but always witli 

 oppofition ; that on the 24th it paffed both lioufes ; and 

 that on the 25th, at half palt eleven in the morning, it re- 

 ceived the royal afient. Thus pafled, after a twenty years' 

 hard flruggle, during whicli the field iiad been dilputed inch 

 by inch, and won at lall by the arms of rcafon, this magna 

 charta for Africa in Britain, under the adminillration of 

 lord Grenville and Mr. Fox, an adminillration which, on 

 account of its noble exertions in behalf of the opprcfled 



African race, will pafs to poflerity, living through fuc- 

 ceffive generations, in the love and gratitude of all the moll 

 virtuous of mankind. The news of this great event gave un- 

 common joy throughout the kingdom, and this joy was farther 

 heightened by authentic news juft then received from North 

 America, that the govtrnmcnt there had pafled a fimilar bill, 

 which was to be oblervcd as a law through the United States. 



In France, on there-eftab'.ifhmcnt of the Bourbon dynaily, 

 it was pri pofed to abolifli the flave-tradt at a diitant period. 

 Upon the return of Bonaparte from E'ba: an order was 

 iflued for its immediate abolition ; and a decree to the fame 

 purpofe has been paffed fince the txpulfien of Napoleon, and 

 the reftoration of the prefent reigning monarch. 



SLAVE-COAST, in Geography., a traft of country in 

 Africa, bordering on the Atlantic, fituated between the 

 Gold Coaft and Benin, and comprehending the kingdoms of 

 Ardra, Koto, Popo, and Whidah. See each refpeftively, 

 and alfo Slave-trade. 



The inhabitants refemble tbofe of the Gold Coaft in their 

 politics, religion, and manners. 



SLAVE-FALLS, a cataraft of North America, in 

 Winnipeg river, 100 yards wide and 20 feet in height. N. 

 lat. 50° 6'. W. long. 95° 2c'. 



SLAVE-INDIANS, Indians of North America, who 

 were driven from their original country by their enemies the 

 Knifteneaux, along the borders of the Unjigah or Peace river, 

 where it aflumes from them the name of the Slave river ; 

 though the term by no means involves the idea of fervitude, 

 but was given to thofe fugitives as a term of reproach, that 

 denoted more than common favagtnefs. 



SLAVE-LAKE, Great, a large lake of North America, 

 fo called by the Knifter.eaux, which derived its name from 

 that of its original inhabitants, who were calltd flaves. This 

 lake IS well known to the Knifteneaux, who are among the 

 inhabitants of the plains on the banks of the Safliatchiwine 

 river ; for formerly, when they ufed to make war in this 

 country, they came in their canoes to that lake, and left 

 them there ; from whence there is a beaten path all the way 

 to the Forks, or E. branch of this river, which wa^- their 

 war-road. This lake is faid to be more than 200 miles in 

 length, and about 12 in breadth. It is fuppofed to be the 

 fame with Hearne's Alhapufcoiu, which fee. B'tumen ig 

 found on the coaft of this lake, in N. lat. 60°, near its dif- 

 charge by Mackenzie's river, which, flowing from Slave- 

 lake, difcharges itfelf into the North fea, on the banks of 

 which are coal and bitumen, as far north as latitude 66°. 

 N. lat. 61° 20'. W. long, 115°. 



Slave-lake, Lrjfer, a lake of North America, in N. 

 lat. 55" 30'. W. long. 115°, which difcharges itfelf into the 

 Elk river. 



SLAVENSK, a town of Ruffia, in the government of 

 Ekaterinoflav, on the Dnieper ; 48 miles S. of Ekateri- 

 iioflav. N. lat. 47° 24'. E. long. 34^ 44'. 



SLAVE-RIVER, a river of North America, being a 

 continuation of Unjigah or Peace river, wliich dilcharges 

 itfelf into the greater Slave-lake. Near that part of the 

 Slave-river, where it firft lofes the name of Peace river, and 

 along the extreme edge of the adjoining plains, are very 

 ftrong fait fprings, which in the iummer concrete and cryf- 

 talli/.e in great quantities. 



SLAUGHTER. See Manslaughter, Homicide, 



MuKTllEn, BlJTfllEU, &c. 



SLAUOHTEK-//o«/f, in Rural Praaice, the place where 

 neat cattle and other animals arc kiUgd for th.' butcher. In 

 common houfes for this purpole, the bloc d, filth, and i-'her 

 nallinefs are left to remain upon the floors ; but in tliofe of 

 the improved kind, the floors are laid in fuch a manner as to 

 have a proper full degree of fall or declination towards the 



middle 



