f it. It was unusual also to force any question of such importance to
so hasty a decision. For his own part, it was his duty, from the
situation in which he stood, to state fully his own sentiments on the
question; and, however exhausted both he and the House might be, he was
resolved it should not pass without discussion, as long as he had
strength to utter a word upon it. Every principle that could bind a man
of honour and conscience, would impel him to give the most powerful
support he could to the motion for the abolition.

The motion of Mr. Pitt was assented to, and the House was adjourned
accordingly.

On the next day the subject was resumed. Sir William Yonge rose, and
said, that, though he differed from the honourable mover, he had much
admired his speech of the last evening. Indeed the recollection of it
made him only the more sensible of the weakness of his own powers; and
yet, having what he supposed to be irrefragable arguments in his
possession, he felt emboldened to proceed.

And, first, before he could vote for the abolition, he wished to be
convinced, that, whilst Britain were to lose, Africa would gain. As for
himself, he hated a traffic in men, and joyfully anticipated its
termination at no distant period under a wise system of regulation: but
he considered the present measure as crude and indolent; and as
precluding better and wiser measures, which were already in train. A
British Parliament should attain not only the best ends, but by the
wisest means.

Great Britain might abandon her share of this trade, but she could not
abolish it. Parliament was not an assembly of delegates from the powers
of Europe, but of a single nation. It could not therefore suppress the
trade; but would eventually aggravate those miseries incident to it,
which every enlightened man must acknowledge, and every good man must
deplore. He wished the traffic for ever closed. But other nations were
only waiting for our decision, to seize the part we should leave them.
The new projects of these would be intemperate; and, in the zeal of
rivalship, the present evils of comparatively sober dealing would be
aggravated beyond all estimate in this new and heated auction of bidders
for life and limb. We might, indeed, by regulation give an example of
new principles of policy and of justice; but if we were to withdraw
suddenly from this commerce, like Pontius Pilate, we should wash our
hands, indeed, but we should not be innocent as t