英国曾经是世界上最大的奴隶贸易国，由英国人主导的跨大西洋奴隶贸易又称“三角贸易”，其巨额的利益成为资本主义原始积累的主要来源之一。随着社会的进步，1807年，英国立法禁止了奴隶贸易；1833年，又宣布其所有领地上的奴隶制皆属非法。这篇王夫针对奴隶问题的演讲，声讨了奴隶贸易的罪恶，代表了王室在此问题上的人道主义立场——而不是完全站在金钱和利润的一边。

SPEECHES

AT A MEETING FOR THE ABOLITION OF

SLAVERY

［JUNE 1,1840］

I HAVE been induced to preside at the Meeting of this Society, from a conviction of its paramount importance to the great interests of humanity and justice.

I deeply regret that the benevolent and persevering exertions of England to abolish that atrocious traffic in human beings(at once the desolation of Africa and the blackest stain upon civilized Europe) have not as yet led to any satisfactory conclusion. But I sincerely trust that this great country will not relax in its efforts until it has finally, and for ever, put an end to a state of things so repugnant to the spirit of Christianity, and the best feelings of our nature.

Let us therefore trust that Providence will prosper our exertions in so holy a cause, and that (under the auspices of our Queen and Her Government) we may at no distant period be rewarded by the accomplishment of the great and humane object for the promotion of which we have this day met.