Sir George Stephen,[15] after describing the long struggle in England against the West Indian interest and other obstacles, says, that, for some time, "worst of all, we found the people, not actually against us, but apathetic, lethargic, incredulous, indifferent.

It was then, and _not till then_, that we sounded the right note, and touched a chord that never ceased to vibrate.

_To uphold slavery was a crime against God!_ It was a NOVEL DOCTRINE, but it was a cry that was heard, for it would be heard.

The national conscience was awakened to inquiry, and inquiry soon produced conviction." Sir George justly calls the doctrine novel.
As developed in the controversy, it laid down the general proposition, that _men and women are not, and cannot be chattels_; and that all human enactments which decree this are _morally null and void_, as sinning against the higher law of nature and of God.

And the reason of this lies in the essential contrast of a moral personality and chattel.