sons 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,)
all hopes of future reformation of this enormous evil would be lost.
They would go back to a trade they had abandoned with redoubled
attachment, and would adhere to it with a degree of avidity and
shameless ardour, to their own humiliation, and to the degradation and
disgrace of the nation in the eyes of all Europe. These were
considerations worth regarding, before they took a decisive step in a
business, in which they ought not to move with any other determination
than to abide by the consequences at all hazards. The honourable
gentleman (who to his eternal honour had introduced this great subject
to their notice) had, in his eloquent oration, knocked at every door,
and appealed to every passion, well knowing that mankind were governed
by their sympathies. But there were other passions to be regarded; men
were always ready to obey their sympathies when it cost them nothing;
but were they prepared to pay the price of their virtue on this great
occasion? This was the question. If they were, they would do themselves
immortal honour, and would have the satisfaction of having done away a
commerce, which, while it was productive of misery not to be d