Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/254

 Africa, in restoring them to the rank of human beings. He trusted we should not think ourselves too liberal, if, by abolishing the slave-trade, we gave them the same common chance of civilization with other parts of the world. If we listened to the voice of reason and duty this night, some of us might live to see a reverse of that picture, from which we now turn our eyes with shame. We might live to behold the natives engaged in the calm occupations of industry, and in the pursuit of a just commerce. We might behold the beams of science and philosophy breaking in upon their land, which at some happy period in some later times might blaze with full lustre; and joining their influence to that of pure religion, might illuminate and invigorate the most distant extremities of that immense continent. Then might we hope that even Africa, though last of all the quarters of the globe, should enjoy at length, in the evening of her days, those blessings which had descended so plentifully upon us in a much earlier period of the world. Then also would Europe, participating in her improvement and prosperity, receive an ample recompense for the tardy kindness (if kindness it could be called) of no longer hindering her from extricating herself out of the darkness, which, in other more fortunate regions, had been so much more speedily dispelled.

It was in this view, it was as an atonement for our long and cruel injustice towards Africa that the measure proposed by his honorable friend, Mr. Wilberforce, most forcibly recommended itself to his mind. The great and happy change to be expected in the state of her inhabitants was, of all the various benefits of the abolition, in his estimation the most extensive and important. He should vote against the adjournment, and he should also oppose every proposition which tended to prevent or even to postpone for an hour the total abolition of the slave-trade.

Two divisions took place. In the first there were 193 votes for gradual abolition, and 125 for immediate; and in the second there were 230 for gradual, and 85 for no abolition at all. On the 25th of April, Mr. Dundas brought forward a plan conformable with the resolutions of the house above mentioned. He considered that eight years ought to be allowed the planters to stock themselves with negroes, and therefore moved that the year 1800 should be the epoch, after which no more slaves should be imported from Africa in British vessels to the West Indies. Sir Edward Knatchbull proposed the year H96, which motion was carried by 151 to 132.

After the debate, the committee for the abolition of the slave-trade held a meeting and voted their thanks to Mr. Wilberforce for his motion, and to Mr. Pitt Mr. Fox, and those other members of the house who had so eloquently supported it. They resolved, also, that a gradual abolition of the slave-trade was not an adequate remedy for its injustice and cruelty; neither could it be deemed a compliance with the general wishes of the people, as expressed ic their numerous and urgent petitions to parliament; and they resolved, lastly, to use all constitutional means to obtain its immediate abolition.