been charged with fanaticism.
But what had Mr. Long said, when he addressed himself to those planters,
who were desirous of attempting improvements on their estates? He advised
them "not to be diverted by partial views, vulgar prejudices, or the
ridicule which might spring from weak minds, from a benevolent attention to
the public good." But neither by these nor by other charges were he or his
friends to be diverted from the prosecution of their purpose. They were
convinced of the rectitude and high importance of their object; and were
determined never to desist from pursuing it, till it should be attained.

But they had to struggle with difficulties far more serious. The West
Indian interest, which opposed them, was a collected body; of great power,
affluence, connections, and respectability.

Artifice had also been employed. Abolition and emancipation had been so
often confounded, and by those who knew better, that it must have been
purposely done, to throw an odium on the measure which was now before them.

The abolitionists had been also accused as the authors of the late
insurrection in Dominica. A revolt had certainly taken place in that
island. But revolts there had occurred frequently before. Mr. Stanley
himself, in attempting to fix this charge upon them, had related
circumstances, which amounted to their entire exculpation. He had said,
that all was quiet there till the disturbances in the French islands; when
some Negros from the latter had found their way to Dominica, and had
excited the insurrection in question. He had also said, that the Negros in
our own islands hated the idea of the abolition; for they thought, as no
new labourers were to come in, they should be subjected to increased
hardships. But if they and their masters hated this same measure, how was
this coincidence of sentiment to give birth to insurrection?

Other fallacies also had been industriously propagated. Of the African
trade it had been said, that the exports amounted to a million annually;
whereas, from the report on the table, it had on an average amounted to
little more than half a million; and this included the articles for the
purchase of African produce, which were of the value of a hundred and forty
thousand pounds.

The East Indian trade, also, had been said to depend on the West Indian and
the African. In the first place, it had but very little connection with the
former at all. Its connection with the latter was principa