Of the enthusiasm of the nation at this time none can form an opinion but they who witnessed it.  There never was perhaps a season when so much virtuous feeling pervaded all ranks.  Great pains were taken by interested persons in many places to prevent public meetings.  But no efforts could avail.  The current ran with such strength and rapidity, that it was impossible to stem it.  In the city of London a remarkable instance occurred.  The livery had been long waiting for the common council to begin a petition.  But the lord mayor and several of the aldermen stifled it.  The former, indignant at this conduct, insisted upon a common hall.  A day was appointed; and, though the notice given of it was short, the assemblage was greater than had ever been remembered on any former occasion.  Scarcely a liveryman was absent, unless sick, or previously engaged.  The petition, when introduced, was opposed by those who had prevented it in the common council.  But their voices were drowned amidst groans and hissings.  It was shortly after carried; and it had not been signed more than half an hour, before it was within the walls of the House of Commons.  The reason of this extraordinary dispatch was, that it had been kept back by intrigue so late, that the very hour, in which it was delivered to the House, was that in which Mr. Wilberforce was to make his new motion.

And as no petitions were ever more respectable than those presented on this occasion, as far as they breathed the voice of the people, and as far as they were founded on a knowledge of the object which they solicited, so none were ever more numerous, as far as we have any record of such transactions.  Not fewer than three hundred and ten were presented from England; one hundred and eighty-seven from Scotland; and twenty from Wales.  Two other petitions also for the abolition came from England, but they were too late for delivery.  On the other side of the question, one was presented from the town of Reading for regulation, in opposition to that for abolition from the same place.  There were also four against abolition.  The first of these was from certain persons at Derby in opposition to the other from that town.  The second was from Stephen Fuller, esquire, as agent for Jamaica.  The third from J. Dawson, esquire, a slave-merchant at Liverpool.  And the fourth from the merchants, planters, mortgagees, annuitants, and others concerned in the West Indian colonies.  Taking in all these statements, the account stood thus.  For regulation there was one; against all abolition there were four; and for the total abolition of the trade five hundred and nineteen.

On the second of April Mr. Wilberforce moved the order of the day; which having been agreed to, Sir William Dolben was put into the chair.