Political double-talk at its best? Transcribed from the Hull Advertiser, July 1807 SLAVE TRADE Mr. Browne, one of the Members in Parliament for Hedon, has written to his constituents there to explain the grounds on which he opposed the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, now depending in Parliament, and to prevent any prejudices which might be formed on any imperfect representation of his speech on that subject, delivered in Parliament on Friday fortnight. On the general question he says: “I do not defend the trade as an abstract question; but connected as it is with a complicated and widely extended system of both public and private interests, the remedy of the evil should be considered with reference to those interests. If on examination it should be found that these interests are likely to be materially affected, it becomes us not to be influenced by the consequences to Africa only, but to attend also to the consequences as they affect ourselves.”  Speaking of the state of slavery, he says, “However abhorrent it be to our minds, I contend, that it is not induced by the Slave Trade; that it is inseparable from the situation and circumstances of Africa, and cannot be cured by the abolition as proposed by the Bill; that it is the effect and not the cause of slavery in Africa; that we cannot practically carry into Africa the benefits of our ideas of humanity; and that we are, on a doubtful chance of this benefit, incurring a certain prospect of imminent danger to the property and lives of our own subjects. These are the points of my objection. I do not cherish the Slave Trade as a principle or a traffic suited to my mind or feelings, but I view the consequences of an alteration in the system as they regard ourselves on the one hand, and as they regard Africa on the other, and I am decided that the proposed remedy is worse than the disease.” Jane Charlottesville, VA

After he has been deposed from being conservative party leader, and whilst he was in Opposition, William Hague, MP for Richmond, Yorks wrote an excellent biography on William Wilfberforce, MP for the West Riding. Was Hedon a Rotten Borough because this happened before the Reform Bill? Chris ________________________________ From: Jane Hansen <melmrby@yahoo.com> To: yorksgen@rootsweb.com Sent: Wednesday, 27 June 2012, 5:02 Subject: [YORKSGEN] Local MP defends the Slave Trade! Political double-talk at its best? Transcribed from the Hull Advertiser, July 1807 SLAVE TRADE Mr. Browne, one of the Members in Parliament for Hedon, has written to his constituents there to explain the grounds on which he opposed the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, now depending in Parliament, and to prevent any prejudices which might be formed on any imperfect representation of his speech on that subject, delivered in Parliament on Friday fortnight. On the general question he says: “I do not defend the trade as an abstract question; but connected as it is with a complicated and widely extended system of both public and private interests, the remedy of the evil should be considered with reference to those interests. If on examination it should be found that these interests are likely to be materially affected, it becomes us not to be influenced by the consequences to Africa only, but to attend also to the consequences as they affect ourselves.”  Speaking of the state of slavery, he says, “However abhorrent it be to our minds, I contend, that it is not induced by the Slave Trade; that it is inseparable from the situation and circumstances of Africa, and cannot be cured by the abolition as proposed by the Bill; that it is the effect and not the cause of slavery in Africa; that we cannot practically carry into Africa the benefits of our ideas of humanity; and that we are, on a doubtful chance of this benefit, incurring a certain prospect of imminent danger to the property and lives of our own subjects. These are the points of my objection. I do not cherish the Slave Trade as a principle or a traffic suited to my mind or feelings, but I view the consequences of an alteration in the system as they regard ourselves on the one hand, and as they regard Africa on the other, and I am decided that the proposed remedy is worse than the disease.” Jane Charlottesville, VA ..... Ancestors in Yorkshire? http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/index.html; www.ryedalefamilyhistory.org; www.wharfedalefhg.org.uk; www.yorkshireparishregisters.com; www.yorkshireroots.org.uk; ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to YORKSGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message