d: HENRY TAYLOR ON ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.]

It seems that the Government project (or perhaps only the fact
that they have one) about West Indian emancipation has got wind,
and the West Indians are of course in a state of great alarm. They
believe that it will be announced, whatever it is to be, in the
King's Speech, though I doubt there being anything but a vague
intention expressed in it. Of all political feelings and
passions--and such this rage for emancipation is, rather than a
consideration of interest--it has always struck me as the most
extraordinary and remarkable. There can be no doubt that a great
many of the Abolitionists are actuated by very pure motives; they
have been shocked at the cruelties which have been and still are
very often practised towards slaves, their minds are imbued with
the horrors they have read and heard of, and they have an
invincible conviction that the state of slavery under any form is
repugnant to the spirit of the English Constitution and the
Christian religion, and that it is a stain upon the national
character which ought to be wiped away. These people, generally
speaking, are very ignorant concerning all the various difficulties
which beset the question; their notions are superficial; they pity
the slaves, whom they regard as injured innocents, and they hate
their masters, whom they treat as criminal barbarians. Others are
animated in this cause purely by ambition, and by finding that it
is a capital subject to talk upon, and a cheap and easy species of
benevolence; others have satisfied themselves that slavery is a
mistaken system, that the cruelty of it is altogether gratuitous,
and that free labour will answer the purpose as well or better,
and get rid of the odium; and thousands more have mixed feelings
and opinions, compounded of some or all of the above in various
degrees and proportions, according to the bent of individual
character; but there are some persons among the most zealous and
able of the Abolitionists who avail themselves of the passions and
the ignorance of the people to carry this point, while they
carefully conceal their own sentiments as to the result of the
experiment. I say some because, though I only know (of my own
knowledge) of one, from the sagacity of the man and the conformity
of his opinions with those of others on this and other topics, I
have no doubt that there are many who view the matter in the same
light. I allude to Henry Taylor,[6] who rule