He had never heard an instance of a
master being punished for the murder of his slave. The propagation of the
slaves was so far from being encouraged, that it was purposely checked,
because it was thought more profitable and less troublesome to buy a full
grown Negro, than to rear a child. He repeated that his interest might have
inclined him to the other side of the question; but he did not choose to
compromise between his interest and his duty; for, if he abandoned his
duty, he should not be happy in this world; nor should he deserve happiness
in the next.
Mr. Pitt rose, but he said it was only to move, seeing that justice could
not be done to the subject this evening, that the further consideration of
the question might be adjourned to the next.
Mr. Cawthorne and Colonel Tarleton both opposed this motion, and Colonel
Phipps and Lord Carhampton supported it.
Mr. Fox said, the opposition to the adjournment was uncandid and
unbecoming. They who opposed it well knew that the trade could not bear
discussion. Let it be discussed; and, although there were symptoms of
predetermination in some, the abolition of it must be carried. He would not
believe that there could be found in the House of Commons men of such hard
hearts and inaccessible understandings, as to vote an assent to its
continuance, and then go home to their families, satisfied with their vote,
after they had been once made acquainted with the subject.
Pages:
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247