Young, Mr. Dickenson, G. Rose, Addington, and Dent: and supported by Mr.
Pitt, W. Smith, Francis, and Barham; when it was carried by a majority of
sixty-nine to thirty-six. It was then taken up to the Lords; but on a
motion of Lord Hawkesbury, then a member of that House, the discussion of
it was postponed to the next year.
The session being ended, the committee for the abolition of the Slave-trade
increased its number, by the election of the right honourable Lord
Teignmouth, Dr. Dickson, and Wilson Birkbeck, as members.
In the year 1805, Mr. Wilberforce renewed his motion of the former year.
Colonel Tarleton, Sir William Yonge, Mr. Fuller, and Mr. Gascoyne opposed
it. Leave, however, was given him to introduce his bill.
On the second reading of it a serious opposition took place; and an
amendment was moved for postponing it till that day six months. The
amendment was opposed by Mr. Fox and Mr. Huddlestone. The latter could not
help lifting his voice against this monstrous traffic in the sinews and
blood of man, the toleration of which had so long been the disgrace of the
British legislature. He did not charge the enormous guilt resulting from it
upon the nation at large; for the nation had washed its hands of it by the
numerous petitions it had sent against it; and it had since been a matter
of astonishment to all Christendom, how the constitutional guardians of
British freedom should have sanctioned elsewhere the greatest system of
cruelty and oppression in the world.
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