He hoped and
believed, that the melancholy predictions of the worthy aldermen would not
prove true, and that the citizens of London would have too much public
spirit to wish that a great national object (which comprehended the great
duties of humanity, and justice) should be set aside, merely out of
consideration to their own private interests.
Mr. Dempster expected, notwithstanding all he had heard, that the first
proposition submitted to them, would have been to make good out of the
public purse all the losses individuals were liable to sustain from an
abolition of the Slave-trade. This ought to have been, as Lord Penrhyn had
observed, a preliminary measure. He did not like to be generous out of the
pockets of others. They were to abolish the trade, it was said, out of a
principle of humanity. Undoubtedly they owed humanity to all mankind. But
they also owed justice to those, who were interested in the event of the
question, and had embarked their fortunes on the faith of parliament. In
fact, he did not like to see men introducing even their schemes of
benevolence to the detriment of other people; and much less did he like to
see them going to the colonies, as it were upon their estates, and
prescribing rules to them for their management.
Pages:
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89