the civilized world has lately seen the terri- laws and customs of Africa, existing from ble results-projects, sir, that have univer- the remotest antiquity, it is authorized; sally proved subversive of their objects, and the abstract rights of man cannot be and have collaterally caused a mass of mi-profitably applied to societies existing unsery and destruction, of which, to give der established laws. What is consistent even a faint and imperfect description, will with those laws, must be accounted just. puzzle the most eloquent of those whoshall Is the same thing in Africa inhuman? attempt to convey to posterity a record of Surely not. We have abundance of evithe present times.-What is it, sir, that dence to prove, that during famines, which could have resisted a measure, which had [are frequent in Africa, multitudes of the been unquestionably built upon those great natives fly to slavery as a refuge, and withprinciples? Is it the opposition of the West-out it must inevitably perish: and suppose India body in parliament? Alas, sir, who them, at such times, transferred from a ever heard of them as combined into a po-poorer to a richer master-is that inhulitical phalanx or squad, displaying, in this man? I could not but shew an expression or in the other house, a compact and regu- of dissent to-night, when an hon. gent. lar front in critical moments of the battle, (Mr. Fawkes) so positively told us that and, by judicious manœuvres and co-opera-slavery, and the sale of slaves, were fortions with other bodies, giving and recei- bidden by the Divine law. Sir, I did not ving mutual assistance and support? I will look for this part of the discussion; but not say, whether, had they done so, they as it has been brought forward, I must would have stood here now defenceless as say, that in the sacred books I can find no they do; but I have known the West-In-such authority. In the Old Testament, the dia body long, and never saw them thus slave trade, or the sale of men, is spoken arrayed and disciplined. In fact, they of indifferently just as other trades. The have felt their intimate connection with all New Testament inculcates justice and hu the leading interests of the mother coun- manity in every station; but it is remarktry; they could trace all the profit of their able that it interferes with no political elabours into every channel where it might lations whatsoever, whether high or low; benefit the British capitalist, manufactu- inculcating only those duties which tend in rer, and landholder; they have looked every condition of life to make men hapupon the merchant, the banker, the manu-pier and better. If we look narrowly there facturer, the landholder, the soldier, and for any thing that refers to slavery, I need the seaman in this house as their represen- not tell the hon. gentlemen who hear me, tatives, and they have experienced occa- that the Greek word, which in our version sionally support from them all: more par- is every where translated s rvant, does realticularly must I declare, with heart-felt gra- ly mean slave: and since the subject has titude, that in every rank of the British been started, I shall mention, that in the navy, the colonists have found friends. Epistle of Paul to Philemon, Paul sends I believe, sir, I may say, that the British back Onesimus (whose very name bespeaks tars are with us to a man: this I cannot but his station), who was Philemon's slave, look upon as a favourable omen to our and had run away from his master-he cause; and since those gallant fellows have sends him back, I say, to resume his station protected and saved their country in the without one word expressive of his dishour of its greatest danger, and fixed the approbation of slavery, or in vindication of British name beyond all competition in Onesimus, who had fled from it. The hon. the brilliant track of glory, they may, in a gent. cited that admirable rule, " Do unto like extremity (as I consider it), save from others as ye would that they should do unruin the West-India colonies. In this to you," as decisive on this question; but sense it may indeed be said that the West- how does the hon. gent. read that divine India interest has influenced the question; rule as applied to this matter? Does he but of such influence I feel proud-it is maintain, that because being a British lanot the influence of intrigue or of party.-bourer, I should be glad that my master Sir, I will now meet the question fairly, and look to the application of these great principles of justice and humanity. Is it pretended, that the mere possession, or use, or transfer of a slave in Africa, is unjust or inhuman? Is it unjust? By all the

would pay me wages for doing nothing, that therefore I, being a master, ought so to treat my labourer? As applied to slave and master, 1 understand that rule to inculcate no more than this; that a slave may reasonably expect from his master protection and

kindness, in return for diligence and fideli-lish forgery, it might take for its preamble ty; and a kind and careful master has the properly enough, "Whereas forgery is consame right to expect fidelity and diligence trary to justice;" but if it were to go on to from his slave. Sir, it is not the Slave prohibit the use of paper as a medium of Trade, but the abuses incident to that trade exchange, and a representative of money to which the preamble of this Bill can be in commerce, and enact, that in future all properly applied. There can be no ques payments should be made in bullion only, tion concerning the injustice, inhumanity, although such a provision might effectually and impolicy, of these abuses; but the pre- tend to render forgeries less frequent, yet amble of the Bill as it stands is, strictly those who should perceive the inexpediency speaking, untrue, and is liable also to ma- and impracticability of such a measure, in ny other objections, which, at a proper the present state of commerce, and should time, will be suggested to this house. The therefore oppose the bill itself, ought they authorities of the many great and emi- to be denominated the friends and abettors nent men who have opposed this trade in of forgery? I find myself, sir, exactly thus parliament, have been brought forward; placed, in respect to the bill now under and the noble lord (Howick) has appealed consideration. No one values more the with triumph to the united sentiments of blessing of liberty, or regrets more the exthose eminent characters, Mr. Fox and istence and the baneful effects of slavery; Mr. Pitt, upon this subject. Of those no one is more ready to promote whatever two great men, sir, I now believe that the may remedy the abuses of the slave trade, veneration is equal on both sides of this or mitigate the miseries of a state of slahouse; but this was not the only subject very; but this bill, sir, is not, in my op upon which their opinions were in unison. nion, calculated to accomplish those obSir, I recollect, more than 25 years ago,jects, although it professes to be so: and sitting in that gallery, when their elo- if, acknowledging the evil, we are not to be quence, like the streams of two mighty ri- allowed to call in question the insufficiency vers, which, from their source, had held and inapplicability of the remedy, we are a separate course, united its prodigious treated exactly as a mountebank treats his and impetuous volume against one common audience. He pathetically describes every barrier-the state of the representation of disorder to which the human frame is subthe people in this house; and what follow-ject, he touches some spring of sympathy ed? The house was delighted, instructed, in every one of his hearers, and then offers transported, but not convinced. And yet them his pill, neatly boxed and labelledwas there any doubt that the state of the" Can you bear to hear of your pains and representation of the people was unequal, nay defective and faulty? Was there not, as upon this question, a most prevalent and clamorous opinion out of doors? The machine too was in our hands; no co-operation was needed; we could trace effect directly to its cause; we could substi-you would not think that man imprudent, tute instantly the new fabric for the old one; what was it then that stopped our hands? Sir, the house acknowledged the evil, but dreaded the remedy. It was the sentiment of the majority in that day,

"Rather to bear the ills they had, Than fly to others which they knew not of"; and they added one instance more to many which are on record, in which a wise and cautious legislature has felt itself bound to delay the remedy of an acknowledged evil, contrary to the sentiments of the people out of doors, and of the greatest orators within. It is unfair then to call those who oppose the present bill the abettors of slavery

and of the slave trade. If a bill were brought into this house with a view to abo

your sufferings, and not wish to ease them? Here is your cure; take it upon my credit, don't examine into its composition, or enquire into its operation. You have my word for it, it is safe and easy of digestion, and infallible in its effects." And yet, sir,

who, before he swallowed the pill, should open and analyze its contents.-The noble lord (Howick) might have spared himself the proof of the small comparative value of the African part of the trade; it has been reduced by successive acts of parliament into the mere means of necessary supply to the population of our old colonies; and, had not those colonies seen abolition suspended over their heads, their supply would have been much smaller than the average of late years shews it to have been. There is, in fact, sir, no encouragement to the extension of cultivation in the colonies, under the expence of purchasing negroes for that purpose; and a hasty and somewhat improvident importation and purchase

of negroes has been here and there occa- these assertions, does indeed, in his mtrosioned by the dread of immediate aboli-duction to his seventh book, state, that, action. I do not believe, that were you to cording to the accounts of some preceding remove that dread, our old colonies would traveller, the inhabitants of Negro Land require annually more than 7000 imported lead a brutal life, waging no wars, nor slaves and looking to this limited trade as seeking conquests out of their own limits; nécessary for the welfare of the colonies, yet he, who travelled through these counand for the advantage of a population of tries himself, and who thinks it necessary about 600,000 slaves, already existing to state, as an apology for being less partithere; looking to it as subject to wise and cular respecting one city, that he only staid humane regulations, belonging to the British there a month, Leo goes on to describe the trade alone, and which I think, sir, should different districts of Negro Land, and his not have been opposed (those who opposed account differs little from what we read of them, however, were jealous of an interfe- that country at this day. I have the pasrence, the extent and full purport of which sages in my hand, sir, but I will not detain they could not foresee); looking also, sir, the house by reading them, in which he (and this is material,) to what is and has states of many of the sovereigns of those been the state of society in Africa, and the parts, that they were perpetually at war, practice there, I cannot think that this rem- and liable to frequent predatory incursions nant of the trade, thus existing, and for from their neighbours. The sovereign of these purposes, calls upon us for its aboli- Tombuctou, in particular, by his account, tion. Sir, there has been a great and very was a most savage and insidious tyrant, prevalent misrepresentation of what was invading, both by force and fraud, the dothe state of Africa previous to the colonial mains of all the petty princes near him. demand for slaves. I have seen publica- Slaves were publicly sold to the Moors tions coming from respectable quarters, and to the Egyptians, and at so cheap a and extensively circulated by the aboli-rate, as that fifteen to twenty were paid for tionists, which in positive terms assert, that, one horse-aud for what were these horses before the Europeans began to take slaves from the coast, Africa enjoyed internal tranquillity, and that its wars and its miseries, as we find them existing at this day, are all'imputable to the European slavetrade. There is a pamphlet which has the respectable name of a noble lord* (Mun-being placed betwixt two powerful and warcaster), a member of this house, affixed to like states, and having no outlet for its proit, which, adverting to the account given by ductions but over mountains impassable by Leo Africanus (who wrote about the middle camels, the slaves were compelled to carry of the 15th century) of the negro nations, over these mountains each a weight of states, upon his authority, that the Africans 100lbs. on their heads, for a space of ten never made war; and his lordship adds, miles, and sometimes twice in a day, so that "this full and positive declaration of that they became bald with the grievous the most intelligent historian of Africa, pressure.*-Of Borno, a district of not less clearly proves that the whole of the slave than 500 miles in extent from east to west, trade now carried on by the Europeans has Leo relates, that the king was perpetually been alone the work, has been entirely picking quarrels with his neighbours; brought about by the maritime nations of keeping up a large military force, yet having Europe." To the same purport his lord- but little income, excepting what he obship reports" That the amazing numbers tained by frequent predatory excursions which the Europeans are said to have pur- so greedy, that, although he possesse chased, but which they have unquestionably plenty of gold, he yet obliged the merchants' carried out of this unhappy country, have who traded with him, to take slaves in exbeen clearly from a trade created, not di- change for what they bought, and some verted." Now, sir, it may seem extraor- times detained them from year to year, dinary, but it is nevertheless true, that al-much against their will, until the season ar though the "intelligent historian," upon rived for his military expeditions. Here whose authority the noble lord grounds

* Historical Sketches of the Slave Trade.

wanted, sir?-for the purposes of war: he was the most formidable potentate, who could bring the most numerous cavalry into the field, and these were the instruments with which he invaded and plundered his neighbours. Leo relates of one district, that,

The circumstance of their becoming bald, is in the French, and not in the Latin, translation of L 0.

sir, is Africa, at this early day, inviting the in Africa by the operation of this bill.-1 slave trade, not the slave trade seducing beg pardon of the house for thus trespassing Africa. I might quote other passages from upon its patience, but I think it material to this "most intelligent historian," equally shew that the public has not had a candid tending to shew how unjustifiable is the summary of the evidence on this question noble lord's conclusion, upon his authority, laid before it, in the publications which but I will beg to refer gentlemen, who may have been so assiduously circulated. Most be anxious for correct information, to the heartily do I wish, sir, that every hon. gent. book itself, and to the voyages of Cade- who is to give his vote upon this question mosta, who wrote about the same time, to-night, could lay his hand upon his heart, and whose evidence has also been grie- and say that he had attentively perused the vously misrepresented. These accounts evidence which lies upon your table. I do are not, sir, actually anterior to the com- not mean all the voluminous accounts and mencement of the Portuguese trade upon figures, but that which is substantial evithe coast, although contemporary with its dence of facts: that he had consulted the infancy, and they have not the smallest originals, and not relied upon extracts, for connexion with that trade, which commen-I am no friend to extracts, either in literaced, as I understand, in another and more ture or morality; they are seldom made southern district of the coast. I will, also, with an intention of leading us impartially sir, beg leave to call the attention of gen-into the spirit of the work from which they tlemen to the accounts of the travellers are selected.-These are my reasons, sir, Bruce and Parke, and more especially of for doubting whether even a concurrent the latter, which relate more directly to the abolition of the slave trade would erect the scene of the colonial slave trade; and what- Utopia in Africa which the imagination of ever use may be made of some pathetic in- the abolitionists has projected; but a par- ́ cidents which Parke has related, I will ven- tial abolition, an abandonment of that small ture to say, that the whole tenour of what share which we now carry on for the sake he tells us of the Negro nations does not of our old colonies, and which we carry on lead to a conviction that we shall better under the strictest regulations for the pretheir condition by abandoning this trade. vention of abuses, cannot pretend to have We know that he, after all he had seen, the smallest effect fowards that object. It has expressed his doubts upon the subject has the double disadvantage of precluding in the plainest terms-doubts which he the hope of our ever bringing about a conwould not have expressed had they not current abolition, and of inviting our rivals been strongly prevalent in his mind. I to assume, as soon as they can, our place have read and heard, sir, that we are to look in the trade, infinitely to the disadvantage to Parke's facts, and not to his opinions; of Africa in point of humanity. It opens and it has been insinuated, that his editor, the door to France to form and to extend Mr. Edwards, has foisted those opinions colonies upon terms the most advantageous, into the book. It happened to me, sir, and forbids us, under all possible circumonce to converse with Mr. Parke, at a stances, either of our own, or of rival comeeting of the Linnean society, when this lonies, or of Africa, to support and recruit very topic was started, and he assured me, those we possess by an imported populathat, not being in the habits of literary com- tion. Is it, sir, a doubt whether France position, he was obliged to employ some will greedily avail herself of this opportuone to put his manuscript into a form fit nity? Is it not, on the contrary, an acfor the public eye; but that every sheet of knowledged axiom of French policy, that the publication had undergone his strict re- her colonial and naval power must rise and vision, and that not only every fact, but fall together? We have the recent declaraevery sentiment of it was his own. What tion of him who is now at the head of her Mr. Farke has written of the Negro na-government, to this effect; and the history tions, may be advantageously compared of the French commerce and maritime with the comment which Mr. Malthus has connected with it in his book upon Population. I do not, sir, know the sentiments of Mr. Malthus upon the subject of the slave trade; but from what I read in his book, I gather no hopes of accomplishing a salutary revolution in the state of society

strength justifies the policy. In 1715, when Louis the XIV. died, she had only 100. ships of small tonnage in her colonial trade; at the time of the revolution, when she was become a formidable naval power, she had. in that trade more than 800; from the city of Bourdeaux alone, with the colony

of St. Domingo, more than 400 vessels, of and what are we to gather from this, sir, but, an average of 400 tons each, and carrying that the planters do not need the compulsion a larger proportionate number of seamen which you pretend to lay upon them by than our ships do, were constantly trading. this bill, to treat their slaves with humanity? Her whole export tonnage to all Europe, If this fact be connected with the small English America, and the Levant, in 1789, amount of that supply which the islands was 580,000 tons, of which only 152,000 now need, do we not see that all the objects were French; so that her colony trade was which the abolitionists profess to have in that alone to which she could look for her view are gained or gaining-that the supply useful seamen. Is it then a doubt, sir, itself is lessening, and the need of that supwith any man in this house, whether France ply lessening too? And this we find is prowill, at a peace, seek to render her West-gressively effecting without violence, withIndia colonies flourishing, and seek to do out a measure that may elevate the Blacks it by recruiting their population from into a phrenzy, and plunge the Whites into Africa? As to the Spanish share of the despair. Admit however, that population trade, I have it in my power to relate a by natural means is generally on the adfact, which ought to make a stronger im-vance, or rather that, barring accidents, the pression than any general reasoning. An decrease is less rapid than it has been, this hon. baronet, once an intelligent member will not reach individual cases, nor will it of this house, and then one of the first, if remedy those accidents which humanity not the very first, merchant in Europe, now and vigilance neither can foresee nor preretired both from trade and politics, but vent, and which have so often depopulated whose near relations in this house can con- particular districts and whole islands.firm, if need be, the circumstances I state, There have been, sir, in the course of the was, soon after the peace of Amiens, at debate, different measures of gradual aboParis, where he was applied to by one of lition proposed, as substitutes for this the most respectable mercantile houses of bill. I cannot engage to support them; that capital, in conjunction with another but, considering the disposition now preat Madrid, to undertake the furnishing of vailing in parliament, it may be said that 15,000 African slaves for Cuba. Some his majesty's ministers, in respect to this time was to be allowed for doing it; but measure, are all powerful; they need no 6,000 were to go immediately. My friend concurrence on our side; and the responreplied, that his house had no concern in sibility rests upon them not to inflict a sethe African trade: however, considering the vere and a dangerous remedy, if a safer and respectability of those who applied to him, a milder will answer the purposes of huhe undertook to furnish them with the cor- manity as well. Of the instances of rectest possible information from Liver-cruelty which an hon. general (sir John pool and London upon the subject. He Doyle) has detailed to the house, two, I obdid so; and the result was, that they serve, were perpetrated by females; and I thanked him for the information, which hope that the trite observation, corruptio they said had been useful in convincing bonarum pessima, may be applied to these them that they could be supplied otherwise cases. If there exist the smallest doubt upon cheaper terms. However humane whether the general treatment of the slaves our regulations might be, they rendered in the West Indies be kind and humane,why the freight of the negro, too dear, and that not send out, as has been suggested, a parwould not suit them. This, sir, is a single liamentary commission, to enquire into and fact, but it is an authentic and recent one, to report the facts, rather than subject a and of magnitude enough to lead us to re- large class of British subjects to the odium flect how far we conduce to the advantage of their countrymen, by presenting, under of Africa, by abandoning our part of this aggravated colours, a few instances of trade. It cannot be doubted, sir, that in atrocity, committed by individuals, of the West Indies the treatment of slaves has whom good and bad are to be found in every been progressively ameliorated. The ac- society? I can state, with the utmost truth, counts which have been produced and that I have been connected as a merchant cited by the noble lord (Howick) tend with about 60 estates in the island of to prove it. It is stated in those accounts, Jamaica, and that, in the late distresses of that the increase by births in proportion to the trade, we have been compelled to obthe deaths, has, as far as it can be ascer-serve the utmost economy in the amount tained by these accounts, been advancing. and value of the supplies sent out; and yet