Cobbett's Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason Volume 25; And Other Crimes and Misdemeanor from the Earliest Period to the Present Time from the Ninth Year of the Reign of King Henry, the Second, A.D.1163, to [George IV, (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1818 Excerpt: ... humanity in favour of the wretched--we petition your majesty, in whose hands is mercy, to recommend, or command the British senate immediately to abolish, in the fullest manner, and without any qualification, negro slavery in the West India islands--because it is insulting to human nature in an age of reason and philosophy--because it tends to open wide the flood-gates of patronage, corruption, and dependance: inflames and stimulates the sordid passion of avarice, which is ever ready to feed ambition, to furnish the first means of engaging in ruinous, bloody, and destructive wars, by which courtiers are enriched, and nations beggared--because its abolition will redeem the national honour, loo long sullied by the trade of blood--because it will promote the cause of liberty, which is striding apace throughout all the regions of the world--because it will avenge peacefully ages of wrongs dope to our negro brethren--because it will give to industry its just latitude--because it will put an end to injustice, impolicy, cruelty, avarice, havoc, spoil, and blood--because it will cover a multitude of national sins, and, instead of national fasts, which are too frequently the dreadful preludes of blood and sorrow, it will be a national feast, grateful to God, and pleasing to man. It will extend the empire of benevolence, the brotherhood of the human race, and immortalize your majesty's reign, for having established on their purest principles, the claims of justice, and the rights of man.' " The above petition, and the following resolutions were received with unbounded applause, and without one dissenting voice, except at the word humbly, which was several times used in the petition, was objected to, and on being put to the vote, was unanimously agreed to be exp...