ected it would have acquired, he yet kept it from falling, till
his successors, in whose administration a greater number of favourable
circumstances concurred to give it vigour, brought it to triumphant
maturity.

Lord Grenville and Mr. Fox, having been called to the head of the executive
government on the death of Mr. Pitt, the cause was ushered into parliament
under new auspices. In a former year His Majesty had issued a proclamation,
by which British merchants were forbidden (with certain defined exceptions)
to import slaves into the colonies, which had been conquered by the British
arms in the course of the war. This circumstance afforded an opportunity of
trying the question in the House of Commons with the greatest hope of
success. Accordingly Sir A. Pigott, the attorney-general, as an officer of
the crown; brought in a bill on the thirty-first of March 1806, the first
object of which was, to give effect to the proclamation now mentioned. The
second was, to prohibit British subjects from being engaged in importing
slaves into the colonies of any foreign power, whether hostile or neutral.
And the third was, to prohibit British subjects and British capital from
being employed in carrying on a Slave-trade in foreign ships; and also to
prevent the outfit of foreign ships from British ports.

Sir A. Pigott, on the introduction of this bill, made an appropriate
speech. The bill was supported by Mr. Fox, Sir William Yonge, Mr. Brook,
and Mr. Bagwell; but opposed by Generals Tarleton and Gascoyne, Mr. Rose,
Sir Robert Peele, and Sir Charles Price. On the third reading a division
being called for, there appeared for it thirty-five, and against it only
thirteen.

On the seventh of May it was introduced into the Lords. The supporters of
it there were, the Duke of Gloucester, Lord Grenville, the Bishops of
London and St. Asaph, the Earl of Buckinghamshire, and the Lords Holland,
Lauderdale, Auckland, Sidmouth, and Ellenborough. The opposers were, the
Dukes of Clarence and Sussex, the Marquis of Sligo, the Earl of
Westmoreland, and the Lords Eldon and Sheffield. At length a division took
place, when there appeared to be in favour of it forty-three, and against
it eighteen.

During the discussions, to which this bill gave birth, Lord Grenville and
Mr. Fox declared in substance, in their respective Houses of Parliament,
that they felt the question of the Slave-trade to be one, which involved
the dearest interests of humanity,