among
the governed. It is too much to suppose that one hundred and eighty
millions of the human race can be permanently governed by a power on
the opposite side of the globe, and where there never can exist any
union or sympathy between the nation that rules and the nations that
are ruled, in any religious, social, or political institution; and
when all that is dear to the heart of man, and all that is consecrated
by the traditions of ages, are made to subserve the interests of a
mercantile state.

But it is time to hasten to the consideration of the remaining
subjects connected with the administration of William Pitt.

The agitations of moral reformers are among the most prominent and
interesting. The efforts of benevolent statesmen and philanthropists
to abolish the slave trade produced a great excitement throughout
Christendom, and were followed by great results.

In 1787, William Wilberforce, who represented the great county of
York, brought forward, in the House of Commons, a motion for the
abolition of the slave trade. The first public movements to put a stop
to this infamous traffic were made by the Quakers in the Southern
States of America, who presented petitions for that purpose to their
respective legislatures. Their brethren in England followed their
example, and presented similar petitions to the House of Commons. A
society was formed, and a considerable sum was raised to collect
information relative to the traffic, and to support the expense of
application to parliament. A great resistance was expected and made,
chiefly by merchants and planters. Mr. Wilberforce interested himself
greatly in this investigation, and in May brought the matter before
parliament, and supported his motion with overwhelming arguments and
eloquence. Mr. Fox, Mr. Burke, Mr. William Smith, and Mr. Whitbread
supported Mr. Wilberforce. Mr. Pitt defended the cause of abolition
with great eloquence and power; but the House was not then in favor of
immediate abolition, nor was it carried until Mr. Fox and his friends
came into power.

[Sidenote: War with France.]

The war with France, in consequence of the progress of the revolution,
is too great a subject to be treated except in a chapter by itself.
Mr. Pitt abstained from all warlike demonstrations until the internal
tranquillity of England itself was affected by the propagation of
revolutionary principles. But when, added to these, it was feared that
the French were resolved