Our opponents had taken advantage of the long delay, which the
examination of evidence had occasioned, to prejudice the minds of many of
the members of the House of Commons against us. The old arguments of
emancipation, massacre, ruin, and indemnification, had been kept up; but,
as the day of final decision approached, they had been increased. Such was
our situation at this moment; when the current was turned still more
powerfully against us by the peculiar circumstances of the times. It was
indeed the misfortune of this great cause to be assailed by every weapon,
which could be turned against it. At this time Thomas Paine had published
his Rights of Man. This had been widely circulated. At this time also the
French revolution had existed nearly two years. The people of England had
seen, during this interval, a government as it were dissected. They had
seen an old constitution taken down, and a new one put up, piece by piece,
in its stead. The revolution, therefore, in conjunction with the book in
question, had had the effect of producing dissatisfaction among thousands;
and this dissatisfaction was growing, so as to alarm a great number of
persons of property in the kingdom, as well as the government itself.
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