But he judged it prudent,
previously to this, to sound some of the members of the Assembly on the
subject of it. This he did, but he was greatly disappointed at the
result; there was not one member, out of all those with whom he
conversed, who had not been canvassed by the planters' committee; and
though most of them had been proof against all its intrigues and
artifices, yet many of them hesitated respecting the abolition at that
moment. There was a fear in some that they should injure the revolution
by adopting it; others, who had no such fears, wished for the
concurrence of England in the measure, and suggested the propriety of a
deputation there for that purpose previously to the discussion of the
question in France. While others maintained that, as England had done
nothing, after having had it so long under consideration, it was fair to
presume that she judged it impolitic to abandon the Slave Trade; but if
France were to give it up, and England to continue it, how would
humanity be the gainer?
While the Comte de Mirabeau was continuing his canvass among the members
of the National Assembly, relative to his motion, attempts were again
made in the public papers to mislead them; emancipation was now stated
to be the object of the friends of the negroes.
Pages:
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660