“Man is a being holding large discourse, Looking before and after.”

But a slave was incapable of looking before and after.  He had no motive to do it.  He was a mere passive instrument in the hands of others, to be used at their discretion.  Though living, he was dead as to all voluntary agency.  Though moving amidst the creation with an erect form, and with the shape and semblance of a human being, he was a nullity as a man.

Mr. Pitt thanked his honourable friend Mr. Wilberforce for having at length introduced this great and important subject to the consideration of the house.  He thanked him also for the perspicuous, forcible, and masterly manner, in which he had treated it.  He was sure that no argument, compatible with any idea of justice, could be assigned for the continuation of the Slave-trade.  And, at the same time that he was willing to listen with candour and attention to every thing, that could be urged on the other side of the question, he was sure that the principles from which his opinion was deduced were unalterable.  He had examined the subject with the anxiety which became him, where the happiness and interests of so many thousands were concerned, and with the minuteness which would be expected of him, on account of the responsible situation which he held; and he averred, that it was sophistry, obscurity of ideas, and vagueness of reasoning, which alone could have hitherto prevented all mankind (those immediately interested in the question excepted) from agreeing in one and the same opinion upon the subject.  With respect to the propriety of introducing the individual propositions, which had been offered, he differed with Mr. Burke, and he thanked his honourable friend Mr. Wilberforce for having chosen the only way, in which it could be made obvious to the world, that they were warranted on every ground of reason and of fact in coming to that vote, which he trusted would be the end of their proceeding.  The grounds for the attainment of this end were distinctly stated in the propositions.  Let the propositions be brought before the house, one by one, and argued from the evidence; and it would then be seen, that they were such as no one, who was not deaf to the language of reason, could deny.  Let them be once entered upon the journals of that house, and it was almost impossible they should fail.  The abolition must be voted.  As to the mode of it, or how it should be effected, they were not at present to discuss it; but he trusted it would be such, as would not invite foreign powers to supply our islands with slaves by a clandestine trade.  After a debt, founded on the immutable principles of justice, was found to be due, it was impossible but the country had means to cause it to be paid.  Should such an illicit proceeding be attempted, the only language which it became us to adopt was, that Great Britain had resources to enable her to protect her islands, and to prevent that traffic from being clandestinely carried on by