Having gained these preliminary points, Mr. Clark son and the committee were roused to new exertions. Above 50,000 pamphlets were circulated, and much fresh evidence procured. On the 19th March 1789, Mr. Wilberforce moved the House to consider its own resolution of last session. This motion was agreed to; but it seemed only to rouse all the passions and interests which it affected. Au opposition of the most tremendous character was excited, and such was the cry which was raised against the motion, against the characters of the abolitionists, that many well-wishers or the cause began to waver in their opinions. 1.11r. Wilberforce's motion was, on a motion of Mr. Pitt's, postponed till the 12th Alay, when Mr. Wilberforce, in a speech of three and a half hours, introduced the question into parliament, and laid down twelve lead ing propositions. These lay on the table till the 21st May, when the opponents of the measure insisted upon bringing forward evidence against it. In this way they gained time, and from the slowness with which they adduced their evidence, the question was post poned to next session.
In order to get the better of these dilatory measures, Mr. Wilberforce carried a motion that the witnesses should be examined in a committee room. The op ponents of the measure closed their case, and that of the abolitionists came to be heard. Mr. Clarkson, who had been in Paris pleading the cause among the leaders of the French revolution, and who had been on board every ship of war at our naval stations to collect witnesses, now arranged his evidence for the House of Commons. Twenty-five witnesses were ex amined this session, and forty-five gave their evidence at the beginning of the next. The revolution in St. Domingo, however, and an insurrection in Dominica, furnished the anti-abolitionists with plausible argu ments. The complete emancipation of the slaves. the indemnification of the planters, the massacre of the whites, and the total ruin of our colonies, were held forth as the immediate consequences of abolition. These circumstances produced a powerful effect, and notwithstanding the powerful, and eloquent, and ar gumentative appeal of Mr. Wilberforce, on the 18th April 179 t, the question was lost by 163 votes against 88. This minority was graced with the names of Pitt, Fox, Burke, Grey, Sheridan, Wyndham, Whit bread, and Francis; and mortifying as the defeat was, it served perhaps to advance the cause, by enlisting on its side the feelings of the great body of the peo ple, and by giving the committee an opportunity of unmasking the specious pleas of their opponents, and placing in their true light the imaginary horrors which had been held out as the legitimate consequences of the abolition.
In June 1791, Mr. Clarkson undertook to abridge the evidence taken before parliament. It was printed in September, and in order that it might be perused by the people, he followed his book through the island; he employed influential individuals to peruse it, and lend it out to others, and with the aid of Mr. William Dickson, a zealous ally, he completed his arduous task.
By the end of March 1792, no fewer than 517 peti tions against the slave trade were laid before parlia ment. On the 2nd of April, Mr. Wilberforce moved that the African slave trade be abolished. The house agreed to its gradual abolition, but various divisions took place both then and on the 23d and the 25th of the same month, on the question whether it should terminate in 1793, 1795, or 1800. Both 1793 and 1795 were rejected; but the intermediate year of 1796 was preferred to 1800, by a majority of 151 to 132.
It now came to the Ilouse of Lords, where evi dence was again heard, and the matter postponed to next session.
In 1793, Mr. Wilberforce again moved the Com mons on the subject; but his motion was lost by a majority of 61 against 53. In May, he again moved for a bill to abolish that part of the trade by which British merchants supplied foreigners with slaves.
This motion was carried by a majority of seven, but the bill was lost on the third reading by a majority of 31 to 29.
Thus defeated on all hands, the abolitionists were thrown into a state of inconceivable perplexity. Vexa tion and disappointment had begun to affect even the powerful mind of Mr. Clarkson. His bodily frame now gave way, and he nearly lost his memory, his hearing, and even his powers of articulation. Mr. Wilberforce, however, still kept the field, and tried the question in 1796, 1798, and 1799, but he could gain nothing but the acknowledgment of the principle of abolition in a limited time. The year 1800, 1801, 1802, and 1803 were allowed to pass without any new application to parliament; but in 1804, after the union with Ireland, which added to the House of Commons several warm friends of abolition, Mr. Wilberforce resumed his motion of abolition in a limited time. which was carried by very considerable majorities. When taken up to the Lords, however, it was post poned to next session.
In 1805, Mr. 'Wilberforce's renewed motion was actually lost by a majority of 77 to 70: but this de feat, severe as it was, was compensated by the re-ap pearance of Mr. Clarkson at his post. The cause had declined with his health, and was again clestined to revive under his management. The death of Mr. Pitt in January 1806, led to the formation of a new ministry under Mr. Fox and Lord Grenville, who, to a certain degree, took up the question of abolition as a cabinet measure. With this view the Attorney General brought in a bill to prohibit British mer chants and British capital from being employed in the foreign slave trade. This bill passed both ITouses, and in the debate which took place, both Lord Gren ville and Mr. Fox declared that they would exert themselves to effect the abolition of the slave trade, and that they would consider their success as adding more glory to their administration than any other measure which they could pass. Mr. Fox accord ingly, on the 10th June, moved " that this House. considering the African slave trade to be contrary to the principles of humanity, justice, and policy, will. with all practicable expedition, take effectual measures for the abolition of it in such manner. and at such a period as may be deemed most advisable." This mo tion was carried by 114 against 15. Mr. Wilberforce then moved an address to his Majesty. praying him "to direct a negotiation to he entered into by which foreign powers should be invited to cooperate with his Majesty in measures to be adopted for the aboli tion of the African slave trade." This was carried without a division.
The resolutions and the address were submitted to the House of Lords, on the 24th June, by Lord Gren ville in a speech of great power. They were both carried by a majority of 41 against 20. It was now generally believed that the slave trade would be abo lished during the next session; and therefore it was feared that the merchants would avail themselves of this last year to carry on the trade to a tenfold extent. Another bill was therefore introduced and carried, to prevent any new vessel from going to the coast of Africa for slaves.
The session of 1807 was not far advanced when the subject was again introduced. Lord Grenville thought it expedient to introduce it into the House of Lords under the name of an act for the abolition of the African slave trade. It was presented on the 2d Jan uary. Four counsel were heard against it on the 4th, and on the 6th, after a brilliant debate, it was carried at six in the morning by a majority of 100 to 36. On the 10th January, it was brought before the Com mons; on the 20th counsel was heard against it; and on the 23d January, upon the motion of Lord Howick (Earl Grey,) it was carried by the triumphant major ity of 283 to 16. After the blanks were filled up, it again passed both Houses, and received the royal as sent on the 25th January 1807, a day memorable in the annals of humanity.