Dundas,
"that the abolition should be, gradual;" when the votes for gradual
exceeded those for immediate by one hundred and ninety-three to one
hundred and twenty-five. He then put the amended question, that "it was
the opinion of the committee that the trade ought to be gradually
abolished." The committee having divided again, the votes for a gradual
abolition were, two hundred and thirty, and those against any abolition
were eighty-five.
After this debate, the committee for the abolition of the Slave Trade
held a meeting. They voted their thanks to Mr. Wilberforce for his
motion, and to Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, and those other members of the House
who had supported it. They resolved, also, that the House of Commons,
having determined that the Slave Trade ought to be gradually abolished,
had by that decision manifested their opinion, that it was cruel and
unjust. They resolved, also, that a gradual abolition of it was not an
adequate remedy for its injustice and cruelty; neither could it be
deemed a compliance with the general wishes of the people, as expressed
in their numerous and urgent petitions to Parliament; and they resolved
lastly, that the interval in which the Slave Trade should be permitted
to continue, afforded a prospect of redoubled cruelties and ravages on
the coast of Africa; and that it imposed therefore an additional
obligation on every friend to the cause to use all constitutional means
to obtain its immediate abolition.
Pages:
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903