Had we never heard of
seamen being flogged from ship to ship, or of soldiers dying in the very
act of punishment? Had we not also heard, even in this country of boasted
liberty, of seamen being seized, and carried away, when returning from
distant voyages, after an absence of many years; and this without even
being allowed to see their wives and families? As to distressed objects, he
maintained, that there was more wretchedness and poverty in St. Giles's,
than in all the West Indian islands belonging to Great Britain.
He would now speak of the African and West Indian trades. The imports and
exports of these amounted to upwards of ten millions annually; and they
gave employment to three hundred thousand tons of shipping, and to about
twenty-five thousand seamen. These trades had been sanctioned by our
ancestors in parliament. The acts for this purpose might be classed under
three heads. First, they were such as declared the colonies and the trade
thereof advantageous to Great Britain, and therefore entitled to her
protection. Secondly, such as authorised, protected, and encouraged the
trade to Africa, as advantageous in itself, and necessary to the welfare
and existence of the sugar colonies: and, Thirdly, such as promoted and
secured loans of money to the proprietors of the said colonies, either from
British subjects or from foreigners.
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