Lords Sitting of 9 February 1807

SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION BILL.
Lord Walsinghambrought up the report of the bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
Lord Grenvillestated. that it had been found more adviseable to fix the same period in all the clauses of the bill for the Abolition of the Trade, namely, the 1st of May next, and to introduce a proviso, allowing vessels employed in the trade which had cleared out from the ports of this country for Africa previous to that day, to complete their cargoes in Africa and trade with them to the West Indies until the 1st of January 1808, at which period the trade should be finally abolished. He also thought it advisable, in order to obviate any objection with respect to the construction of the general words of the bill, to introduce words for the purpose of limiting its operation to Africa, the West Indies and other parts of America. His lordship proposed amendments in the clauses of the bill to the effect he had stated, and some verbal amendments, which were all agreed to. The proviso introduced on Friday was struck out, and another proposed by the noble lord, allowing vessels which should have cleared out from the ports of this country for Africa previous to the 1st of May next to take in their lading in Africa, and trade with their cargoes to the West Indies until the first of January 1808.
Lord Redesdalesuggested, that as the loss of a vessel or other unavoidable accident might prevent the arrival of a cargo from Africa in the West Indies within the time limitted, it might be adviseable to make an exception for such a case.
Lord Grenvillesaid, that the period of the first of January, 1808, had been fixed upon for the purpose of making an amply sufficient allowance of time for the voyages to be completed. He had no objection however, to the introduction of words for the purpose of providing for the occurrence of circumstances such as those mentioned by the noble and learned lord.—After a
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short conversation between lords Redesdale, Grenville, and earl Stanhope, it was agreed, to introduce words, excepting from the operation of the bill those cases where the voyage to the West Indies could not be completed within the time limited, on account of capture, the loss of the vessel, or other unavoidable accident, the proof of which to lie on the party.—On the question for engrossing the bill,
The Bishop of Londonrose and spoke to the following effect: "My lords, I cannot suffer this opportunity to escape, without declaring my sincere and ardent satisfaction at the decision of your lordships. My lords, you have performed a great and signal act of humanity, you have executed a great legislative measure of relief to an oppressed and degraded population. The reasons and arguments which many noble lords have thought proper, with such eloquence and perspicuity, to introduce, have been felt by me with their fullest force; but there is one of such an important nature and in which such serious interests are involved, that I trust I shall be excused for submitting it to your lordships, more particularly as it has not been adverted to in any previous discussion. The moral and religions consequences which may be expected to accrue from this salutary and humane act of legislative justice, are many and extremely desirable; for hitherto they have been entirely neglected—neglected, not by the clergymen in the respective islands, but it is a neglect naturally arising out of the unjust and unchristian system, which has been acted upon in the colonies. Worked all day upon the estates of their owners, the negroes have been forced to consign every other moment of their unhappy existence, to the cultivation of their own little spots of land, and even on the Sabbath, shame to say! a market was held for the specific purpose of enabling the slave to purchase his Sunday dinner. The number of clergymen has also been too few, compared with the great population of the blacks. In the island of Jamaica, where there are from 2 to 300,000 negroes, there are only 20 clergymen, whose time is in a great degree taken up in the performance of their numerous duties to the Whites. There is another beneficial consequence which will follow from the accomplishment of the present bill; namely, the great increase of population, which the good treatment of the negroes will produce, independent of the

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cessation of those evil effects which the present indulgence in promiscuous intercourse between the sexes must of necessity occasion. The only true method of obviating the mischief is, to impress upon the moral and religious consideration of the negroes, the danger of a continuance in such irregularities, to their health and constitutions, and, therefore, the immediate and absolute necessity of submitting to this kind of self-denial. It was said by Mr. Pitt, that the Slave Trade with Africa was the greatest practical evil; I can safely say, that the abolition of that execrable traffic is the greatest practical good that can be effected. A good which will immortalize the British senate, and which will display, to an admiring world, the striking contrast between this country, the great stay and hope of the civilized world, and the conduct of that arch enemy of human happiness, who, whilst we are relaxing the oppressive bondage of the unfortunate African, and communicating freedom to a fourth of the world, is pursuing his race of terror and desolation, and subjugating the continent of Europe, in violation of every principle of justice, and in contempt of every maxim of a generous policy.
Earl St. Vincenttook this last opportunity to enter his protest against the adoption of the measure, the consequences of which he was persuaded, would prove fatal to the best interests of this country. As soon as France made peace with this country (and she would hasten a pacification in consequence of this measure), her first object would be to get compleat possession of the Slave Trade, and if she succeeded in that object, it would soon appear that she had got possession of an engine that would work the downfall of the naval superiority of this country. Such was his conviction, and he uttered it now for the last time. His Lordship then withdrew immediately from the house.—The different clauses were then agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be engrossed, and read a third time to-morrow.