Prev | Current Page 608 | Next

Clarkson, Thomas, 1760-1846

"The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839)"

Viewing these and other circumstances,
which might be thrown into this comparative statement, it was some
consolation to us to know, amidst the disappointment which this new
measure occasioned, and our apparent defeat in the eyes of the public,
that we had really beaten our opponents at their own weapons, and that,
as this was a victory in our own private feelings, so it was the presage
to us of a future triumph.
On the 29th of May, Mr. Tierney made a motion to divide the
consideration of the Slave Trade into two heads, by separating the
African from the West Indian part of the question. This he did for the
more clear discussion of the propositions, as well as to save time. This
motion, however, was overruled by Mr. Pitt.
At length, on the 9th of June, by which time it was supposed that new
light, and this in sufficient quantity, would have been thrown upon the
propositions, it appeared that only two witnesses had been fully heard.
The examinations, therefore, were continued, and they went on till the
23rd. On this day, the order for the call of the house, which had been
prolonged, standing unrepealed, there was a large attendance of members.
A motion was then made, to get rid of the business altogether, but it
failed.


Pages:
596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620