But when persons coolly talked of putting an end to the Slave Trade through the medium of the West India legislatures, and of gradual abolition, by means of regulations, they surely forgot the miseries which this horrid traffic occasioned in Africa during every moment of its continuance.  This consideration was conclusive with him, when called upon to decide whether the Slave Trade should be tolerated for a while, or immediately abolished.  The divine law against murder was absolute and unqualified.  Whilst we were ignorant of all these things, our sanction of them might, in some measure, be pardoned.  But now, when our eyes were opened, could we tolerate them for a moment, unless we were ready at once to determine, that gain should be our god, and, like the heathens of old, were prepared to offer up human victims at the shrine of our idolatry?

This consideration precluded also the giving heed for an instant to another plea, namely, that if we were to abolish the trade it would be proportionably taken up by other nations.  But, whatever other nations did, it became Great Britain, in every point of view, to take a forward part.  One half of this guilty commerce had been carried on by her subjects.  As we had been great in crime we should be early in our repentance.  If Providence had showered his blessings upon us in unparalleled abundance, we should show ourselves grateful for them by rendering them subservient to the purposes for which they were intended.  There would be a day of retribution, wherein we should have to give an account of all those talents, faculties, and opportunities with which we have been intrusted.  Let it not then appear that our superior power had been employed to oppress our fellow-creatures, and our superior light to darken the creation of God.  He could not but look forward with delight to the happy prospects which opened themselves to his view in Africa, from the abolition of the Slave Trade, when a commerce, justly deserving that name, should be established with her; not like that, falsely so called, which now subsisted, and which all who were interested for the honour of the commercial character (though there were no superior principle) should hasten to disavow.  Had this trade indeed been ever so profitable, his decision would have been in no degree affected by that consideration.  “Here’s the smell of blood on the hand still, and all the perfumes of Arabia cannot sweeten it.”

He doubted whether it was not almost an act of degrading condescension to stoop to discuss the question in the view of commercial interest.  On this ground, however, he was no less strong than on every other.  Africa abounded with productions of value, which she would gladly exchange for our manufactures, when these were not otherwise to be obtained:  and to what an extent her demand might then grow, exceeded almost the powers of computation.  One instance already existed of a native king, who being debarred by his religion the use of spirituous liquors, and therefore not feeling the irresistible temptation to acts of rapine which they afforded to his countrymen, had abolished the Slave Trade throughout all his dominions, and was encouraging an honest industry.