There would be a day of retribution, wherein we should have to give an account of all those talents, faculties, and opportunities, with which we had been intrusted.
Let it not then appear, that our superior power had been employed to oppress our fellow-creatures, and our superior light to darken the creation of God.

He could not but look forward with delight to the happy prospects which opened themselves to his view in Africa from the abolition of the Slave-trade; when a commerce, justly deserving that name, should be established with her; not like that, falsely so called, which now subsisted, and which all who were interested for the honour of the commercial character (though there were no superior principle) should hasten to disavow.

Had this trade indeed been ever so profitable, his decision would have been in no degree affected by that consideration.
"Here's the smell of blood on the hand still, and all the perfumes of Arabia cannot sweeten it." He doubted, whether it was not almost an act of degrading condescension to stoop to discuss the question in the view of commercial interest.

On this ground, however, he was no less strong than on every other.

Africa abounded with productions of value, which she would gladly exchange for our manufactures, when these were not otherwise to be obtained: and to what an extent her demand might then grow exceeded almost the powers of computation.