DEDICATION.

ΤΟ

THE MARQUESS OF SLIGO, K.P.

ETC. ETC. ETC.

LATE GOVERNOR AND CAPTAIN-GENERAL OF JAMAICA.

THIS Speech is inscribed with peculiar propriety to the humane and virtuous Viceroy, who, himself a Master of Slaves, gained by his just and beneficent Government of the greatest Slave colony in the world, the truly enviable title of the Poor Negro's Friend. The only other publication upon the subject to which I ever affixed my name, was dedicated to an illustrious Statesman, whose life has been devoted to his country's service, and whose noble ambition has always connected itself with the improvement of mankind, by that natural sympathy which unites brilliant genius with public virtue. But the fame with which your Administration has surrounded your character makes it not unfit to name you even after a Wellesley.

The anxiety expressed from all parts of the country

to obtain an authentic report of this Speech, and the acceptance with which my countrymen have honoured the humble though zealous efforts of their fellowlabourer in this mighty work, I regard as by far the highest gratification of a long public life. The present occasion also affords me an opportunity of contradicting the studied misrepresentations of some injudicious supporters of the Government, who have not scrupled to assert that my principal object in proposing the measures of yesterday, was not the abolition of Negro Apprenticeship, but only the regulation of the Master's conduct. Nothing can be more wide of the fact than such a statement.

I appeal to your Lordship, and to all who heard me, whether my whole contention was not in behalf of Instant and Complete Emancipation, as the only effectual remedy, and whether I wasted more than a single sentence upon any mere palliatives. To regulate the master's conduct, while the abominable system is suffered to continue, was the purpose of the first five resolutions-but my whole forces, such as they are, were brought to bear upon the only position to take which I was very anxious, and, to force an immediate, unconditional surrender of the master's rightsan immediate, unconditional liberation of the slave.

I think I have some right to complain of these misstatements. It was surely enough that I should be resisted by the whole strength of the Government, and that, in consequence of their resistance, my great object of obtaining the Negro's freedom should be defeated, as well as all hopes of effectually destroying the Slave Trade itself disappointed by the rejection of my other

propositions. There is a refinement of subtle injustice in those men propagating a belief through the country, that the conduct of the Ministry, by which my motion was defeated, and by which I verily think their official existence is endangered, did not altogether thwart the intentions of the parties by whom that motion was brought forward and supported. The reader of this speech will be at no loss to perceive how entirely its object was the Immediate Destruction of Slavery, and how invariably every word of it was inspired by hostility to the existing system, inextinguishable and uncompromising.

February 21, 1838.

BROUGHAM.