ed during the
transportation with the most loathsome imprisonment, and ending in
perpetual exile and slavery, was a trade so horrid in all its
circumstances, that it was impossible to produce a single argument in its
favour. On the ground of prudence, nothing could be said in defence of it;
nor could it be justified by necessity. It was necessity alone, that could
be brought to justify inhumanity; but no case of necessity could be made
out strong enough to justify this monstrous traffic. It was therefore the
duty of the house to put an end to it, and this without further delay. This
conviction, that it became them to do it immediately, made him regret (and
it was the only thing he regretted in the admirable speech he had heard)
that his honourable friend should have introduced propositions on this
subject. He could have wished that the business had been brought to a
conclusion at once, without voting the propositions, which had been read to
them. He was not over fond of abstract propositions. They were seldom
necessary; and often occasioned great difficulty, embarrassment, and delay.
There was besides no occasion whatever to assign detailed reasons for a
vote, which Nature herself dictated, and which Religion enforced. If it
should happen, that the propositions were not carried in that house or the
other, such a complication of mischiefs might follow, as might occasion
them heartily to lament that they were ever introduced. If the ultimate
resolution should happen to be lost, he was afraid the propositions would
pass as waste paper, if not be injurious to the cause at a future time.

And now, as the house must bring this matter to an issue, he would beg
their attention to a particular point. He entreated them to look further
than the present moment, and to ask themselves, if they had fortified their
minds sufficiently to bear the consequences, which might arise from the
abolition of the Slave-trade, supposing they should decide upon it. When
they abandoned it, other foreign powers might take it up, and clandestinely
supply our islands with slaves. Had they virtue enough to see another
country reaping profits, which they themselves had given up; and to abstain
from that envy natural to rivals, and firmly to adhere to their
determination? If so, let them thankfully proceed to vote the immediate
abolition of the Slave-trade. But if they should repent of their virtue
(and he had known miserable instances of such repentance),