he considered as most disgraceful
to the country, and contrary to all the principles of justice and religion.

Mr. Sumner declared himself against the total, immediate, and unqualified
abolition, which he thought would wound at least the prejudices of the West
Indians, and might do mischief; but a gradual abolition should have his
hearty support.

Major Scott declared there was no member in the house, who would give a
more independent vote upon this question than himself. He had no concern
either in the African or West Indian trades; but in the present state of
the finances of the country, he thought it would be a dangerous experiment
to risk any one branch of our foreign commerce. As far as regulation would
go, he would join in the measure.

Mr. Burke said he would use but few words. He declared that he had for a
long time had his mind drawn towards this great subject. He had even
prepared a bill for the regulation of the trade, conceiving at that time
that the immediate abolition of it was a thing hardly to be hoped for; but
when he found that Mr. Wilberforce had seriously undertaken the work, and
that his motion was for the abolition, which he approved much more than his
own, he had burnt his papers; and made an offering of them in honour of his
nobler proposition, much in the same manner as we read, that the curious
books were offered up and burnt at the approach of the Gospel. He highly
applauded the confessions of Mr. Stanley and Mr. Ryder. It would be a
glorious tale for them to tell their constituents, that it was impossible
for them, however prejudiced, if sent to hear discussion in that house, to
avoid surrendering up their hearts and judgments at the shrine of reason.

Mr. Drake said, that he would oppose the abolition to the utmost. We had by
a want of prudent conduct lost America. The house should be aware of being
carried away by the meteors with which they had been dazzled. The leaders,
it was true, were for the abolition; but the minor orators, the dwarfs, the
pigmies, he trusted, would that night carry the question against them. The
property of the West Indians was at stake; and, though men might be
generous with their own property, they should not be so with the property
of others.

Lord Sheffield reprobated the overbearing language, which had been used by
some gentlemen towards others, who differed in opinion from them on a
subject of so much difficulty as the present. He protested against a
deba