But while the distribution of these different articles thus contributed to make us many friends, it called forth the extraordinary exertions of our enemies.  The merchants and others interested in the continuance of the Slave-trade wrote letters to the Archbishop of Aix, beseeching him not to ruin France; which he would inevitably do, if, as then president, he were to grant a day for hearing the question of the abolition.  Offers of money were made to Mirabeau from the same quarter, if he would totally abandon his motion.  An attempt was made to establish a colonial committee, consisting of such planters as were members of the National Assembly; upon whom it should devolve to consider and report upon all matters relating to the Colonies, before they could be determined there.  Books were circulated in abundance in opposition to mine.  Resort was again had to the public papers, as the means of raising a hue and cry against the principles of the Friends of the Negros.  I was again denounced as a spy; and as one sent by the English minister to bribe members in the Assembly to do that in a time of public agitation, which in the settled state of France they could never have been prevailed upon to accomplish.  And as a proof that this was my errand, it was requested of every Frenchman to put to himself the following question, “How it happened that England, which had considered the subject coolly and deliberately for eighteen months, and this in a state of internal peace and quietness, had not abolished the Slave-trade?”

The clamour which was now made against the abolition, pervaded all Paris, and reached the ears of the King.  Mr. Necker had a long conversation with him upon it.  The latter sent for me immediately.  He informed me, that His Majesty was desirous of making himself master of the question, and had expressed a wish to see my Essay on the Impolicy of the Slave-trade.  He desired to have two copies of it; one in French, and the other in English; and he would then take his choice as to which of them he would read.  He (Mr. Necker) was to present them.  He would take with him also at the same time the beautiful specimens of the manufactures of the Africans, which I had lent to Madame Necker out of the cabinet of Monsieur Geoffrey de Villeneuve and others.  As to the section of the slave-ship, he thought it would affect His Majesty too much, as he was then indisposed.  All these articles, except the latter, were at length presented.  The King bestowed a good deal of time upon the specimens.  He admired them; but particularly those in gold.  He expressed his surprise at the state of some of the arts in Africa.  He sent them back on the same day on which he had examined them, and commissioned Mr. Necker to return me his thanks; and to say that he had been highly gratified with what he had seen; and, with respect to the Essay on the Impolicy of the Slave-trade, that he would read it with all the seriousness, which such a subject deserved.