But upon whom did the cruelties, thus arising out of the prosecution of this barbarous traffic, fall?  Upon a people with feeling and intellect like ourselves.  One witness had spoken of the acuteness of their understandings; another of the extent of their memories; a third of their genius for commerce; a fourth of their proficiency in manufactures at home.  Many had admired their gentle and peaceable disposition; their cheerfulness; and their hospitality.  Even they, who were nominally slaves in Africa, lived a happy life.  A witness against the abolition had described them as sitting and eating with their masters in the true style of patriarchal simplicity and comfort.  Were these then a people incapable of civilization?  The argument that they were an inferior species had been proved to be false.

He would now go to a new part of the subject.  An opinion had gone forth that the abolition of the trade would be the ruin of the West India Islands.  He trusted he should prove that the direct contrary was the truth; though, had he been unable to do this, it would have made no difference as to his own vote.  In examining, however, this opinion, he should exclude the subject of the cultivation of new lands by fresh importations of slaves.  The impolicy of this measure, apart from its inhumanity, was indisputably clear.  Let the committee consider the dreadful mortality, which attended it.  Let them look to the evidence of Mr. Woolrich, and there see a contrast drawn between the slow, but sure progress of cultivation, carried on in the natural way, and the attempt to force improvements, which, however flattering the prospect at first, soon produced a load of debt, and inextricable embarrassments.  He might even appeal to the statements of the West Indians themselves, who allowed that more than twenty millions were owing to the people of this country, to show that no system could involve them so deeply as that, on which they had hitherto gone.  But he would refer them to the accounts of Mr. Irving, as contained in the evidence.  Waving then the consideration of this part of the subject, the opinion in question must have arisen from a notion, that the stock of slaves, now in the islands, could not be kept up by propagation; but that it was necessary, from time to time, to recruit them with imported Africans.  In direct refutation of this position he should prove, First, that in the condition and treatment of the Negros, there were causes, sufficient to afford us reason to expect a considerable decrease, but particularly that their increase had not been a serious object of attention; Secondly, that this decrease was in fact, notwithstanding, very trifling; or rather, he believed, he might declare it had now actually ceased; and, Thirdly, he should urge many direct and collateral facts and arguments, constituting on the whole an irresistible proof, that even a rapid increase might henceforth be expected.