Mr. Addington (the speaker) professed himself to be one of those moderate persons called upon by Mr. Dundas.  He wished to see some middle measure suggested.  The fear of doing injury to the property of others, had hitherto prevented him from giving an opinion against a system, the continuance of which he could not countenance.

He utterly abhorred the Slave-trade.  A noble and learned lord, who had now retired from the bench, said on a certain occasion, that he pitied the loyalty of that man, who imagined that any epithet could aggravate the crime of treason.  So he himself knew of no language which could aggravate the crime of the Slave-trade.  It was sufficient for every purpose of crimination, to assert, that man thereby was bought and sold, or that he was made subject to the despotism of man.  But though he thus acknowledged the justice due to a whole continent on the one side, he confessed there were opposing claims of justice on the other.  The case of the West Indians deserved a tender consideration also.

He doubted, if we were to relinquish the Slave-trade alone, whether it might not be carried on still more barbarously than at present; and whether, if we were to stop it altogether, the islands could keep up their present stocks.  It had been asserted that they could.  But he thought that the stopping of the importations could not be depended upon for this purpose, so much as a plan for providing them with more females.

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.