question of justice between two nations, but it was a moral
question. Although the natives of Africa might be taken by persons
authorized by their own laws to take and dispose of them, and the
practice, therefore, might be said to be legal as it respected them, yet
no man could doubt, whatever ordinances they might have to sanction it,
that it was radically, essentially, and in principle, unjust; and
therefore there could be no excuse for us in continuing it. On the
general principle of natural justice, which was paramount to all
ordinances of men, it was quite impossible to defend this traffic; and
he agreed with the noble baron (Hawkesbury) that, having decided that it
was inhuman and unjust, we should not inquire whether it was impolitic.
Indeed, the inquiry itself would be impious; for it was the common
ordinance of God, that that which was inhuman and unjust, should never
be for the good of man. Its impolicy, therefore, was included in its
injustice and its inhumanity. And he had no doubt, when the importations
were stopped, that the planters would introduce a change of system among
their slaves which would increase their population, so as to render any
further supplies from Africa unnecessary. It had been proved, indeed,
that the Negro population in some of the islands was already in this
desirable state. Many other happy effects would follow. As to the losses
which would arise from the abolition of the Slave Trade, they, who were
interested in the continuance of it, had greatly over-rated them. When
pleading formerly in his professional capacity for the merchants of
Liverpool at their lordships' bar, he had often delivered statements,
which he had received from them, and which he afterwards discovered to
be grossly incorrect. He could say from his own knowledge, that the
assertion of the noble earl (Westmoreland), that property to the amount
of a hundred millions would be endangered, was wild and fanciful. He
would not however deny, that some loss might accompany the abolition;
but there could be no difficulty in providing for it. Such a
consideration ought not to be allowed to impede their progress in
getting rid of an horrible injustice.

But it had been said that we should do but little in the cause of
humanity by abolishing the Slave Trade; because other nations would
continue it. He did not believe they would. He knew that America was
about to give it up. He believed the states of Europe would give it up.
Bu