They were fond of ornaments; but it was
not the characteristic of miserable persons to show a taste for finery.
Such a taste, on the contrary, implied a cheerful and contented mind. He
was sorry to differ from his friend Mr. Wilberforce, but he must oppose
his motion.
Mr. Pitt rose, and said, that from the first hour of his having had the
honour to sit in parliament down to the present, among all the
questions, whether political or personal, in which it had been his
fortune to take a share, there had never been one in which his heart was
so deeply interested as in the present; both, on account of the serious
principles it involved, and the consequences connected with it.
The present was not a mere question of feeling. The argument, which
ought, in his opinion, to determine the committee, was, that the Slave
Trade was unjust. It was, therefore, such a trade as it was impossible
for him to support, unless it could be first proved to him, that there
were no laws of morality binding upon nations; and that it was not the
duty of a legislature to restrain its subjects, from invading the
happiness of other countries, and from violating; the fundamental
principles of justice.
Pages:
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780