SLAVE TRADE (Hansard, 4 May 1814)

§ Lord Grenville

rose to call their lordships' attention to the subject of the African Slave Trade. It had been for some time his intention to propose to the House to agree to an Address to the Prince Regent, requesting his Royal Highness, in the course of the negociations for the restoration of a general peace, to use his endeavours to procure from the allied sovereigns, and whatever other powers might be parties to the negociation, a renunciation of the African Slave Trade. He had delayed it till now, however, in consequence of an understanding that a similar proposition was to be moved in the other House, and then to be sent up to their lordships for their concurrence. It appeared, that the matter had taken there a different course; from some objection in point of form, he believed. He therefore thought it right to delay his proposition no longer, being most anxious to obtain their lordships' concurrence in a resolution 648 which he trusted would be unanimously adopted, as it had been unanimously agreed to in the other House. It would be a libel on their lordships' House to imagine that they could desire to remain behind in their exertions to promote an object in every point of view so desirable. It was for this reason, anticipating no objection from any quarter, that he now gave notice, that he should to-morrow submit a proposition to their lordships to agree to an Address of the nature which he had stated. If he had thought that there was any likelihood of opposition, he should certainly have conceived it his duty, from respect to their lordships, and the importance of the subject, to have given a longer notice; and if any intimation should be given him that there was any intention in any quarter to oppose the proposition, he should still give a longer notice. Not anticipating any objection, however, nor any opposition which was likely to create debate, and in the hope of an unanimous concurrence on the part of their lordships, he should submit the proposition for the Address to-morrow; and moved that the House be summoned.