Abolition of the Slave Trade Speech

¹When I consider the magnitude of the subject which I am to bring before the House — a subject, in which the interests, not of this country, nor of Europe alone, but of the whole world, and of posterity, are involved — it is impossible for me not to feel both how inadequate I am to such a task, and how unworthy I am to rely on any but the candour of the House for their favourable reception.

²I mean not to accuse anyone, but to take the shame upon myself, in common, indeed, with the whole Parliament of Great Britain, for having suffered this horrid trade to be carried on under their authority. We are all guilty — we ought all to plead guilty, and not to exculpate ourselves by throwing the blame on others.

³I must speak of the transit of the slaves in the West Indies. This, I confess, in my own opinion, is the most wretched part of the whole subject. So much misery condensed in so little room is more than the human imagination had ever before conceived.

⁴So much is true, that a great number of the slaves are taken by force, by treachery, and by the instigation of European agents. That they are torn from their families, from their friends, from every connection which is dear to the human heart.

⁵Let anyone imagine to himself six or seven hundred of these wretches chained two and two, surrounded with every object that is nauseous and disgusting, diseased, and struggling under every kind of wretchedness! How can we bear to think of such a scene as this?

⁶Having now disposed of the first part of this subject, I must speak of the slaves in the West Indies. I do not mean to go into a detail of all the abuses that exist in the slave trade and the West Indies. In doing so, I should occupy the time of the House unnecessarily.

⁷I trust, therefore, I have shown sufficient reason for the House to look at the trade with some degree of horror. Let the policy be what it may — let the consequences be what they will — I from this time determine that I will never rest till I have effected its abolition.

⁸Sir, the nature and all the circumstances of this trade are now laid open to us; we can no longer plead ignorance — we cannot evade it; it is now an object placed before us; we cannot pass it.

⁹We may spurn it, we may kick it out of our way, but we cannot turn aside so as to avoid seeing it. For it is brought now so directly before our eyes, that this House must decide, and must justify to all the world, and to their own consciences, the rectitude of the grounds and principles of their decision.

¹⁰Let not Parliament be the only body that is insensible to the principles of natural justice. Let us make reparation to Africa, so far as we can, by establishing a trade upon true commercial principles, and we shall find the rectitude of our conduct rewarded by the benefits of a regular and growing commerce.