ved lastly, that the interval, in
which the Slave-trade should be permitted to continue, afforded a prospect
of redoubled cruelties and ravages on the coast of Africa; and that it
imposed therefore an additional obligation on every friend to the cause to
use all constitutional means to obtain its immediate abolition.

At a subsequent meeting they voted their thanks to the right honourable
Lord Muncaster, for the able support he had given to the great object of
their institution by his Historical Sketches of the Slave-trade, and of its
Effects in Africa, addressed to the People of Great Britain; and they
elected the Reverend Richard Gifford and the Reverend Thomas Gisborne
honorary and corresponding members; the first on account of his excellent
sermon before mentioned and other services, and the latter on account of
his truly Christian and seasonable pamphlet, entitled Remarks on the late
Decision of the House of Commons respecting the Abolition of the
Slave-trade.

On the twenty-third of April, the House of Commons resolved itself into a
committee of the whole House, to consider the subject again; and Mr.
Beaufoy was put into the chair.

Mr. Dundas, upon whom the task of introducing a bill for the gradual
abolition of the Slave-trade now devolved, rose to offer the outlines of a
plan for that purpose. He intended, he said, immediately to abolish that
part of the trade, by which we supplied foreigners with slaves. The other
part of it was to be continued seven years from the first of January next.
He grounded the necessity of its continuance till this time upon the
documents of the Negro-population in the different islands. In many of
these, slaves were imported, but they were re-exported nearly in equal
numbers. Now all these he considered to be in a state to go on without
future supplies from Africa. Jamaica and the ceded islands retained almost
all the slaves imported into them. This he considered as a proof that these
had not attained the same desirable state; and it was therefore necessary,
that the trade should be continued longer on this account.

It was his intention, however, to provide proper punishments, while it
lasted, for abuses both in Africa and the Middle Passage. He would take
care, as far as he could, that none but young slaves should be brought from
the Coast of Africa. He would encourage establishments there for a new
species of traffic. Foreign nations should be invited to concur in the
abolitio