Mr. Addington had proposed to cure the disproportion of the sexes in the islands, by a bounty on the importation of females; or, in other words, by offering a premium to any crew of ruffians, who would tear them from their native country.  He would let loose a banditti against the most weak and defenceless of the sex.  He would occasion these to kill fathers, husbands, and brothers, to get possession of their relatives, the females, who, after this carnage, were to be reserved for—­slavery.  He should like to see the man, who would pen such a moderate clause for a British parliament.

Mr. Dundas had proposed to abolish the Slave Trade, by bettering the state of the slaves in the islands, and particularly that of their offspring.  His plan, with respect to the latter, was not a little curious.  They were to become free, when born; and then they were to be educated, at the expense of those to whom their fathers belonged.  But it was clear, that they could not be educated for nothing.  In order, therefore, to repay this expense, they were to be slaves for ten or fifteen years.  In short, they were to have an education, which was to qualify them to become freemen; and after they had been so educated, they were to become slaves.  But as this free education might possibly unfit them for submitting to slavery; so, after they had been made to bow under the yoke for ten or fifteen years, they might then, perhaps, be equally unfit to become free; and therefore, might be retained as slaves for a few years longer, if not for their whole lives.  He never heard of a scheme so moderate, and yet so absurd and visionary.

The same honourable gentleman had observed, that the conduct of other nations should not hinder us from doing, our duty; but yet neutrals would furnish, our islands with slaves.  What was the inference from this moderate assertion, but that we might as well supply them ourselves?  He hoped, if we were yet to be supplied, it would never be by Englishmen.  We ought no longer to be concerned in such a crime.

An adversary, Mr. Baillie, had said, that it would not be fair to take the character of this country from the records of the Old Bailey.  He did not at all wonder, when the subject of the Slave Trade was mentioned, that the Old Bailey naturally occurred to his recollection.  The facts, which had been described in the evidence, were associated in all our minds with the ideas of criminal justice.  But Mr. Baillie had forgot the essential difference between the two cases.  When we learnt from these records, that crimes were committed in this country, we learnt also, that they were punished with transportation and death.  But the crimes committed in the Slave Trade were passed over with impunity.  Nay, the perpetrators were even sent out again to commit others.