But so thoroughly corrupt and ferocious in this particular, was the state of legality then in England, that no prosecution could be had of the murderers. The pecuniary claims of the underwriters were vindicated—but the blood of the poor was despised. Its cry is going to meet its tyrants and their fellows, where persons are not respected; where He presides, who has declared "Vengeance is mine—I will repay, saith the Lord."
"So far," said J. Lee, the counsel of the owners, "so far was the transaction from any thing like the guilt of a murderous act; or any shew or suggestion of cruelty, or even a surmise of impropriety, that to bring a charge of murder against the perpetrators, would argue nothing less than madness." Such, at times, is the worse than lawlessness of law! So fearfully true is it, that "no tyranny is more cruel, than that which is exercised under the shadow of law, and with the pretense of justice" Witness slavery as it now exists in the United States.
It is most pleasing to contrast, with this utter abandonment in wickedness, the following words of Granville Sharp, extracted from a letter dated Old Jewry, 18th July, 1783, addressed by him, to His Grace the Duke of Portland: "but only wish, by the horrible example related in the enclosed papers, (the case of the Zong) to warn your Grace, that there is an absolute necessity to abolish the slave trade and West Indian slavery; and that 'to be in power, and to neglect, as life (and I may say, the tenure of office,) is very uncertain, even a day, endeavoring to put a stop to such monstrous injustice and abandoned wickedness, must necessarily endanger a man's eternal welfare, be he ever so great in temporal dignity or office.'"
The extravagance of wickedness, however, which thus with brazen front, polluting openly the streams of law, not only screened these murderers from punishment, but gave them heart as above, to scoff at the very idea of justice, reacted with powerful effect, upon many of the first minds in the nation; and prepared the way for that glorious and wholesome overthrow of despotism, beneath the sacred and advancing influences of which, the world is reviving. Such
