The speech of Sir Samuel Romilly, in the House of Commons, on the twenty-eighth of June, 1814, on that article in the treaty of peace which relates to the slave trade.

ROMILLY, Sir Samuel.

Published by J. M'Creery for T. Cadell and W. Davies,, London, 1814

About this Item

In-8° relié cartonnage du début du XX° siècle, paginé 408-430. - - First separate edition, to be distinguished from the appearance of the speech as pp. 407-430 of volume 4 of The Pamphleteer (1813). This is an important speech advocating the inclusion of stipulations in the peace treaty with Napoleon that the French should abandon the slave trade. Romilly, a lawyer of French extraction, maintained a broadly Whig outlook throughout his career, and had been a vocal opponent of slavery since 1787, when he joined the committee against slavery, making friends with Wilberforce and Bentham. A major argument levelled against abolition by the British in 1807 was that other nations would continue the trade regardless. Romilly, whose interests were whole-heartedly European was one of the most important forces in British politics for a wider movement towards abolition, recognising that slavery would only be abolished with European concensus. His contention in this speech was that the treaty was far to weak on the subject of slavery, stipulating as it did that the French abandon slavery in its colonies within 5 years. For Romilly, this was 5 years too many, especially since France showed every intention of breaking that deadline. An excellent copy. [COPAC gives Cambridge Edinburgh, Newcastle, University of London. Not in the BL online catalogue.]. Seller Inventory # GGB434

Bibliographic Details

Title: The speech of Sir Samuel Romilly, in the ...

Publisher: J. M'Creery for T. Cadell and W. Davies,, London

Publication Date: 1814

Binding: Couverture rigide

Condition: Très bon