obvious to the worlds that they were
warranted on every ground of reason and of fact in coming to that vote,
which he trusted would be the end of their proceeding. The grounds for
the attainment of this end were distinctly stated in the propositions.
Let the propositions be brought before the House, one by one, and argued
from the evidence, and it would then be seen that they were such as no
one, who was not deaf to the language of reason, could deny. Let them be
once entered upon the journals of that House, and it was almost
impossible they should fail. The abolition must be voted; as to the mode
of it, or how it should be effected, they were not at present to discuss
it; but he trusted it would be such as would not invite foreign powers
to supply our islands with slaves by a clandestine trade. After a debt,
founded on the immutable principles of justice, was found to be due, it
was impossible but the country had means to cause it to be paid. Should
such an illicit proceeding be attempted; the only language which it
became us to adopt, was, that Great Britain had resources to enable her
to protect her islands, and to prevent that traffic from being
clandestinely carried on by them, which she had thought fit from a
regard to her character to abandon. It was highly becoming Great Britain
to take the lead of other nations in such a virtuous and magnificent
measure, and he could not but have confidence that they would he
inclined to share the honour with us, or be pleased to follow us as
their example. If we were disposed to set about this glorious work in
earnest, they might he invited to concur with us by a negotiation to be
immediately opened for that purpose. He would only now observe, before
he sat down, in answer to certain ideas thrown out, that he could by no
means acquiesce in any compensation for losses which might be sustained
by the people of Liverpool or by others in any other part of the
kingdom, in the execution of this just and necessary undertaking.

Sir William Yonge said, he wanted no inducement to concur with the
honourable mover of the propositions, provided the latter could be
fairly established, and no serious mischiefs were to arise from the
abolition. But he was apprehensive, that many evils might follow in the
case of any sudden or unlooked-for decrease in the slaves. They might be
destroyed by hurricanes. They might be swept off by many fatal
disorders. In these cases, the owners of them would not