With the mode suggested by his right honourable friend, Mr. Dundas, he was pleased, though he, did not wholly agree to it.  He could not grant liberty to the children born in the islands.  He thought, also, that the trade ought to be permitted for ten or twelve years longer, under such arrangements as should introduce a kind of management among the slaves there, favourable to their interests, and of course to their future happiness.  One species of regulation which he should propose, would be greater encouragement to the importation of females than of males, by means of a bounty on the former till their numbers should be found equal.  Rewards also might be given to those slaves who should raise a certain number of children; and to those who should devise means of lightening negro-labour.  If the plan of his honourable friend should comprehend these regulations, he would heartily concur in it.  He wished to see the Slave Trade abolished.  Indeed it did not deserve the name of a trade.  It was not a trade, and ought not to be allowed.  He was satisfied, that in a few years it would cease to be the reproach of this nation and the torment of Africa.  But under regulations like these, it would cease without any material injury to the interests of others.

Mr. Fox said, that after what had fallen from the two last speakers, he could remain no longer silent.  Something so mischievous had come out, and something so like a foundation had been laid for preserving, not only for years to come, but for ever, this detestable traffic, that he should feel himself wanting in his duty, if he were not to deprecate all such deceptions and delusions upon the country.

The honourable gentlemen had called themselves moderate men:  but upon this subject he neither felt, nor desired to feel, anything like a sentiment of moderation.  Their speeches had reminded him of a passage in MIDDLETON’S Life of Cicero.  The translation of it was defective, though it would equally suit his purpose.  He says, “To enter into a man’s house, and kill him, his wife, and family, in the night, is certainly a most heinous crime, and deserving of death; but to break open his house, to murder him, his wife, and all his children in the night, may be still very right, provided it be done with moderation.”  Now, was there anything more absurd in this passage, than to say, that the Slave Trade might be carried on with moderation; for, if you could not rob or murder a single man with moderation, with what moderation could you pillage and wound a whole nation?  In fact, the question of the abolition was simply a question of justice.  It was only, whether we should authorize by law, respecting Africa, the commission of crimes, for which, in this country, we should forfeit our lives:  notwithstanding which, it was to be treated, in the opinion of these honourable gentlemen, with moderation.