THE CAMBRIDGE REVIEW

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England

13 February 1896

(page 204)

THE UNION SOCIETY.

Tuesday, February 11, 1896.

Mr. E. H. Cunningham-Craig, Clare College, moved "That the abolition of Slavery was a mistake."

The honourable opener having replied, the House divided; Ayes, 13; Noes, 67. Majority against the motion, 54.

Despite the exceedingly paradoxical character of the motion, the debate last Tuesday was in most respects a great success. The Opener made a speech whose most halting passages were enlivened by flashes of brilliant thought. The Opposer was mildly familiar, and his speech was a conversation with the President. It is, we think, a great mistake to regard the Chair as a subject of infinite jest, and, certainly, matters went a long way when one speaker asked the President to "Consider a Bride." Even monumental patience gets tired of "taking its own case."

[ . . . ]

Mr. Bryers took the motion seriously. Slavery does not pay. That was the practical point. He agreed in this with John Stuart Mill, or rather John Stuart Mill agreed with him. The salve-owner was not actuated by feelings of humanity, but by self-interest.

After some melodious remarks from Mr. Crowley.

Mr. Sampson delivered a capital speech full of facts, power-fully stated, and coloured at times by real pathos. Mr. Sampson is one of our best speakers.

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