s of the earth, and
to conduct them out of the shades of darkness into the realms of light;
thus exhibiting to an astonished and an admiring world the blessings of
a free constitution? Let us then not allow such a glorious opportunity
to escape us.

It had been urged that we should suffer by the abolition of the Slave
Trade; he believed that we should not suffer. He believed that our duty
and our interest were inseparable; and he had no difficulty in saying,
in the face of the world, that his own opinion was, that the interests
of a nation would be best preserved by its adherence to the principles
of humanity, justice, and religion.

The Earl of Westmoreland said, that the African Slave Trade might be
contrary to humanity and justice, and yet it might be politic; at least,
it might be inconsistent with humanity, and yet not be inconsistent with
justice; this was the case when we executed a criminal, or engaged in
war.

It was, however, not contrary to justice, for justice, in this case,
must be measured by the law of nations. But the purchase of slaves was
not contrary to this law. The Slave Trade was a trade with the consent
of the inhabitants of two nations, and procured by no terror, nor by any
act of violence whatever. Slavery had existed from the first ages of the
world, not only in Africa, but throughout the habitable globe, among the
Persians, Greeks, and Romans; and he would compare, with great advantage
to his argument, the wretched condition of the slaves in these ancient
states with that of those in our colonies. Slavery too had been allowed
in a nation which was under the especial direction of Providence; the
Jews were allowed to hold the heathen in bondage. He admitted that what
the learned prelate had said relative to the emancipation of the latter
in the year of jubilee was correct; but he denied that his quotation
relative to the stealers of men referred to the Christian religion. It
was a mere allusion to that which was done contrary to the law of
nations, which was the only measure of justice between states.

With respect to the inhumanity of the trade, he would observe, that if
their lordships, sitting there as legislators, were to set their faces
against everything which appeared to be inhuman, much of the security on
which their lives and property depended might be shaken, if not totally
destroyed. The question was, not whether there was not some evil
attending the Slave Trade, but whether by th