rpool.
And the fourth from the merchants, planters, mortgagees, annuitants, and
others concerned in the West Indian colonies. Taking in all these
statements, the account stood thus. For regulation there was one; against
all abolition there were four; and for the total abolition of the trade
five hundred and nineteen.

On the second of April Mr. Wilberforce moved the order of the day; which
having been agreed to, Sir William Dolben was put into the chair.

He then began by soliciting the candid attention of the West Indians to
what he was going to deliver to the House. However others might have
censured them indiscriminately, he had always himself made a distinction
between them and their system. It was the latter only, which he reprobated.
If aristocracy had been thought a worse form of government than monarchy,
because the people had many tyrants instead of one, how objectionable must
be that form of it, which existed in our colonies! Arbitrary power could be
bought there by any one, who could buy a slave. The fierceness of it was
doubtless restrained by an elevation of mind in many, as arising from a
consciousness of superior rank and consequence: but, alas! it was too often
exercised there by the base and vulgar. The more liberal too of the
planters were not resident upon their estates. Hence a promiscuous censure
of them would be unjust, though their system would undoubtedly be odious.

As for the cure of this monstrous evil, he had shown, last year, that
internal regulations would not produce it. These could have no effect,
while the evidence of slaves was inadmissible. What would be the situation
of the bulk of the people of this country, if only gentlemen of five
hundred a-year were admitted as evidences in our courts of law? Neither was
the cure of it in the emancipation of the slaves. He did not deny that he
wished them this latter blessing. But, alas, in their present degraded
state, they were unfit for it! Liberty was the child of reason and order.
It was indeed a plant of celestial growth, but the soil must be prepared
for its reception. He, who would see it flourish and bring forth its proper
fruit, must not think it sufficient to let it shoot in unrestrained
licentiousness. But if this inestimable blessing was ever to be imparted to
them, the cause must be removed, which obstructed its introduction. In
short, no effectual remedy could be found but in the abolition of the
Slave-trade.

He then took a cop