As Robert Barclay, the apologist for the Quakers, when he dedicated his work to Charles the Second, intimated to this prince, that any merit, which the work might have, would not be derived from his patronage of it, but from the Author of all spiritual good; so I say to the reader, with respect to myself, that I disclaim all praise on account of any part I may have taken in the promotion of this great cause, for that I am desirous above all things to attribute my best endeavours in it to the influence of a superior Power; of Him, I mean, who gave me a heart to feel--who gave me courage to begin--and perseverance to proceed--and that I am thankful to Him, and this with the deepest feeling of gratitude and humility, for having permitted me to become useful, in any degree, to my fellow-creatures. CHAPTER XIII. _Author returns to his History--commitee formed as before mentioned--its proceedings--Author produces a summary view of the Slave-trade and of the probable consequences of its abolition--Wrongs of Africa, by Mr. Roscoe, generously presented to the commitee--Important discussion as to the object of the commitee--Emancipation declared to be no part of it--commitee decides on its public title--Author requested to go to Bristol, Liverpool, and Lancaster, to collect further information on the subject of the trade._ I return now, after this long digression, to the continuation of my History. It was shown in the latter part of the tenth chapter, that twelve individuals, all of whom were then named, met together, by means which no one could have foreseen, on the twenty-second of May 1787; and that, after having voted the Slave-trade to be both unjust and impolitic, they formed themselves into a commitee for procuring such information and evidence, and for publishing the same, as might tend to the abolition of it, and for directing the application of such money, as had been already and might hereafter be collected for that purpose. At this meeting it was resolved also, that no less than three members should form a quorum; that Samuel Hoare should be the treasurer; that the treasurer should pay no money but by order of the commitee; and that copies of these resolutions should be printed and circulated, in which it should be inserted that the subscriptions of all such, as were willing to forward the plans of the commitee, should be received by the treasurer or any member of it. On the twenty-fourth of May the commitee met again to promote the object of its institution. The treasurer reported at this meeting, that the subscriptions already received, amounted to one hundred and thirty-six pounds.