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which we are directed or can be justified , in -waging a war for religion . The idea is subversive of the very foundations on which it stands , which are those of peace and good-will a-
inong men . Religion never was , and never can be , a justifiable cause of war j but it has been too often grossly used as the pretext and the apology for the most unprincipled wars . , 4
48 . Abolition of the Slave Trade , — Mr . Fox ' s last Speech * ( June 10 , 1806 . ) In pursuance of the notice he had given , Mr . Secretary Fox rose and spoke as follows : Before , Sir , I proceed to state the grounds on which I look with confidence for the almost unanimous
countenance of the House in this measure , 1 feel myself called upon to say a few words by way of apology , for being the person to come forward upon the present occasion . For the last sixteen or seventeen years of my life , I have been in the habit of uniformly
and strenuously supporting the several motions ruade by an honourable gentleman ( Mr . Wilberfor <; e ) who has so often , by his meritorious exertions on this subject , attracted the
applause of this House and obtained the admiration of the public . During the long period that I found it in such excellent hands , it was impossible for me to feel the slightest disposition to take it out of them . I am
still of the same opinion ; and cannot but think it would have been much better , if the same honourable member and his friends had retained it in their own hands , and they might certainly have depended upon me and those with whom 1 have the honour
to act , for the same ardent support which we have uniformly given them . But , Sir , the honourable member and many of his friends seemed so strongly to entertain different sentiments in that respect , from me , that I submitted my own opinion totheirs , ftiid now assume the task , reluctantly ,
on that account , but on every other , most gladly . So fully am I impressed with the vast importance and necessity of attaining what will be the object of my motion this night , that if , during the almost forty years that I have had the honour of a seat in parliam * nt % I had heen so fortunate as to
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accomplish that , and that only , J should think 1 had done enough , and could retire from public life with co mfort , and the conscious satisfaction , that I had done my duty * Having made these preliminary observations , I now come to the main
question , but do not think it necessary to stop at present , for the sake of referring in detail to all the entries on your journals , made at different periods since the year 1792 , the different motions made by the honourable gentleman , the resolutions of
the House , and the bills brought in to abolish the trade , particularl y that which received the sanction of this House , though it was unfortunately negatived in another place . I have not lately had time , from other occupations , to prepare myself by
referring minutely to dates and details ; and must , therefore , content myself with a general reference , in which , should 1 fall into any mistake , I am sure there are gentlemen who will be certain to set me right . In the execution of this duty , I am
happy to reflect , that whatever difference of opinion might have prevailed upon some points of this subject , between a few members , and , at one time , unhappily , so as to defeat the measure , the opinion of this House upon the subject was , 1 will not say unanimous , for in that I may be
contradicted , but as nearly unanimous as any thing of this kind could be , " that the slave trade is contrary to the principles of justice , humanity and sound policy . " These , 1 believe , were the words of the resolution , adopted after long and serious deliberations ; and they are those which I mean to introduce into the
resolutions which I shall propose this night . Surely , Sir , it does not remain yet to be argued , that to carry men by violence away to slavery , in distant countries , to use the expression of an illustrious man , now no more , ( Mr . Burke , ) a man distinguished in every way , and in nothing more than for
his great humanity , " is uot a traffic in the labour of man , but in the man himself . " I will not now enter , for it would be unnecessary , into that exploded argument that we did not make the negroes slaves , but found them already in that state , and condemned to it for crimes . The nature of the crimes themselves ( witch-
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f $ 4 Charles James Fox .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1815, page 734, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1767/page/6/
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