Commons, in
which every lash which was inflicted under magisterial authority would
be told and counted. My apprehension is that the result of continuing
for twelve years this dead slavery,--this state of society destitute of
any vital principle,--will be that the whole negro population will sink
into weak and drawling inefficacy, and will be much less fit for liberty
at the end of the period than at the commencement. My hope is that the
system will die a natural death; that the experience of a few months
will so establish its utter inefficiency as to induce the planters to
abandon it, and to substitute for it a state of freedom. I have voted,"
he said, "for the Second Reading, and I shall vote for the Third
Reading; but, while the bill is in Committee, I shall join with other
honourable gentlemen in doing all that is possible to amend it."

Such a declaration, coming from the mouth of a member of the Government,
gave life to the debate, and secured to Mr. Buxton an excellent
division, which under the circumstances was equivalent to a victory. The
next day Mr. Stanley rose; adverted shortly to the position in which the
Ministers stood; and announced that the term of apprenticeship would be
reduced from twelve years to seven. Mr. Buxton, who, with equal energy
and wisdom, had throughout the proceedings acted as leader of the
Anti-slavery party in the House of Commons, advised his friends to make
the best of the concession; and his counsel was followed by all those
Abolitionists who were thinking more of their cause than of themselves.
It is worthy of remark that Macaulay's prophecy came true, though not
at so early a date as he ventured to anticipate. Four years of the
provisional system brought all parties to acquiesce in the premature
termination of a state of things which denied to the negro the blessings
of freedom, and to the planter the profits of slavery.

"The papers," Macaulay writes to his father, "will have told you all
that has happened, as far as it is known to the public. The secret
history you will have heard from Buxton. As to myself, Lord Althorp
told me yesterday night that the Cabinet had determined not to accept
my resignation. I have therefore the singular good luck of having saved
both my honour and my place, and of having given no just ground of
offence either to the Abolitionists or to my party-friends. I have more
reason than ever to say that honesty is the best policy."

This letter is dated th