No retrospect of the happiness of former days, compared with existing misery, disturbed his slumber, nor horrid dreams occasioned him to wake in agony at the dawn of day.  No barbarous sounds of cracking whips reminded him, that with the form and image of a man his destiny was that of the beast of the field.  Let the advocates for the bloody traffic state what they had to set off on their side of the question against the comforts and independence of the man, with whom they compared the slave.

The amendment was supported by Sir William Yonge, Sir William Pulteney, Colonel Tarleton, Messrs. Gascoyne, C. Brook, and Hiley Addington.  On dividing the House upon it, there appeared for it seventy-seven, but against it only seventy.

This loss of the question, after it had been carried in the last year by so great a majority, being quite unexpected, was a matter of severe disappointment; and might have discouraged the friends of the cause in this infancy of their renewed efforts, if they had not discovered the reason of its failure.  After due consideration it appeared, that no fewer than nine members, who had never been absent once in sixteen years when it was agitated, gave way to engagements on the day of the motion, from a belief that it was safe.  It appeared also, that out of the great number of Irish members, who supported it in the former year, only nine were in the House, when it was lost.  It appeared also that, previously to this event, a canvass, more importunate than had heard of on any former occasion, had been made among the latter by those interested in the continuance of the trade.  Many of these, unacquainted with the detail of the subject, like the English members, admitted the dismal representations, which were then made to them.  The desire, of doing good on the one hand, and the fear of doing injury on the other, perplexed them; and in this dubious state they absented themselves at the time mentioned.

The causes of the failure having been found accidental, and capable of a remedy, it was resolved that an attempt should be made immediately in the House in a new form.  Lord Henry Petty signified his intention of bringing in a bill for the abolition of the foreign part of the Slave Trade; but the impeachment of Lord Melville, and other weighty matters coming on, the notice was not acted upon in that session.

CHAPTER XXXII.

[Sidenote:—­Continuation from July 1805 to July 1806—­Author returns to his duty in the committee—­Travels again round the kingdom—­Death of Mr. Pitt—­His character, as it related to the question—­Motion for the abolition of the foreign Slave-Trade—­Resolution to take measures for the total abolition of it—­Address to the King to negotiate with foreign powers for their concurrence in it—­Motion to prevent any new vessel going into the trade—­these carried through both Houses of Parliament.]