But this diversity of opinion had proceeded from an erroneous statement of Mr.Dundas against the clear and irrefragable calculations of Mr.Pitt.The former had argued, that, because Jamaica and the ceded islands had retained almost all the slaves which had been imported into them, they were therefore not yet in a situation to support their population without further supplies from Africa.

But the truth was, that the slaves, so retained, were kept, not to maintain the population there, but to clear new land.

Now the House had determined, that the trade was not to be continued for this purpose.

The population, therefore, in the islands was sufficient to continue the ordinary cultivation of them.
He deprecated the idea, that the Slave-trade had been so sanctioned by the acts of former parliaments, that the present could make no alteration in it.

Had not the House altered the import of foreign sugar into our islands?
a measure, which at the time affected the property of many.