He then desired the House to reflect upon the state of St. Domingo.  Had not its calamities been imputed by its own deputies to the advocates for the abolition?  Were ever any scenes of horror equal to those which had passed there?  And should we, when principles of the same sort were lurking in our own islands, expose our fellow-subjects to the same miseries, who, if guilty of promoting this trade, had, at least, been encouraged in it by ourselves?

That the Slave Trade was an evil, he admitted.  That the state of slavery itself was likewise an evil, he admitted; and if the question was, not whether we should abolish, but whether we should establish these, he would be the first to oppose himself to their existence; but there were many evils, which we should have thought it our duty to prevent, yet which, when they had once arisen, it was more dangerous to oppose than to submit to,—­The duty of a statesman was, not to consider abstractedly what was right or wrong, but to weigh the consequences which were likely to result from the abolition of an evil, against those which were likely to result from its continuance.  Agreeing then most perfectly with the abolitionists in their end, he differed from them only in the means of accomplishing it.  He was desirous of doing that gradually, which he conceived they were doing rashly.  He had therefore drawn up two propositions.  The first was, That an address be presented to His Majesty, that he would recommend to the colonial assemblies to grant premiums to such planters, and overseers, as should distinguish themselves by promoting the annual increase of the slaves by birth; and likewise freedom to every female slave, who had reared five children to the age of seven years.  The second was, That a bounty of five pounds per head be given to the master of every slave-ship, who should import in any cargo a greater number of females than males, not exceeding the age of twenty-five years.  To bring, forward these propositions, he would now move that the chairman leave the chair.

Mr. Este wished the debate to be adjourned.  He allowed there were many enormities in the trade, which called for regulation.  There were two propositions before the House:  the one for the immediate, and the other for the gradual, abolition of the trade.  He thought that members should be allowed time to compare their respective merits.  At present his own opinion was, that gradual abolition would answer the end proposed in the least exceptionable manner.

Mr. Pitt rejoiced that the debate had taken a turn, which contracted the question into such narrow limits.  The matter then in dispute was merely as to the time at which the abolition should take, place.  He therefore congratulated the House, the country, and the world, that this great point had been gained; that we might now consider this trade as having received its condemnation; that this curse of mankind was seen in its true light; and that the greatest stigma on our national character, which ever yet existed, was about to be removed!  Mankind, he trusted, were now likely to be delivered from the greatest practical evil that ever afflicted the human race—­from the most severe and extensive calamity recorded in the history of the world.