I wondered how
members of parliament, and these Englishmen, could talk as they did on this
subject; how they could bear for a moment to consider their fellow-man as
an article of trade; and how they should not count even the delay of an
hour, which occasioned so much misery to continue, as one of the most
criminal actions of their lives.
It was in vain, however, to sink under our burthens. Grief could do no
good; and if our affairs had taken an unfavourable turn, the question was,
how to restore them. It was sufficiently obvious that, if our opponents
were left to themselves, or, without any counteracting evidence, they would
considerably soften down the propositions, if not invalidate them in the
minds of many. They had such a power of selection of witnesses, that they
could bring men forward, who might say with truth, that they had seen but
very few of the evils complained of, and these in an inferior degree. We
knew also from the example of the Liverpool delegates, how interest and
prejudice could blind the eyes, and how others might be called upon to give
their testimony, who would dwell upon the comforts of the Africans, when
they came into our power; on the sprinkling of their apartments with
frankincense; on the promotion of music and the dance among them; and on
the health and festivity of their voyages.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115