Page:Copley 1844 A History of Slavery and its Abolition 2nd Ed.djvu/354

336 were brought to light as attendant on the wretched system, than had ever before been imagined; and, in the best, the determination prevailed, to do as little as possible in adopting any measures for improvement.

Another prominent topic of discussion and information, at this period, was the monopoly in favour of the West Indian colonies, by which it appeared that not only the system of slavery was upholden, but also that the range of our own commercial and manufacturing industry and capital was circumscribed. Hence many petitions, especially from the manufacturing and mercantile districts, Leeds, Halifax, Manchester, Birmingham, Blackburn, Hull, &c. were forwarded to parliament, that the duties might be equalized, and equal facilities afforded for commerce with the East Indies, which would at once open a wide field for honourable enterprize to British manufacture and merchants, and encourage the use of free labour.

In the year 1828, the attention of the friends of abolition was still very much directed to the progress of colonial reform, in consequence of the propositions of government. Very few of these measures had been adopted, and some of them very partially and inefficiently. On the whole it became more and more evident, that nothing effectual would be done in that way. On the 6th of March, reference was made to the subject in the house of commons by Mr. Brougham, who inquired of Mr. Huskisson, (Secretary of State for the Colonial Department,) whether any measures had been adopted in the colonies sufficiently satisfactory to prevent the necessity of parliamentary interference, and intimated his intention, if the