From Lord Palmerston   8 Feby 1826

My dear Sir

I shall start this evening & be in Cambridge early tomorrow for I know by experience that two good days will scarcely be sufficient to get through 60 calls, & I must be in town on Saturday to dine with the Duke of York.

You may tell all the inquirers upon the subject of slavery that my deliberate opinions are decidedly adverse to the existence of such a condition as slavery in any part of the world over which we have any control; & that I think that Parliament ought to take every practicable step towards the extinction of slavery, and towards its extinction as rapidly as is consistent with a well understood regard for the slaves themselves. Upon the general principle I have no reserve; but of course I must reserve to myself the discretion of judging with respect to particular measures which may from time to time be proposed for the practical execution of that principle, whether they seem to be judiciously calculated to accomplish their purpose.

My dear Sir

Yrs sincerely

Palmerston

I have but little to add today to your list which however is a good one

This was written at home in the morning but I find I was too modest in my statement as Sulivan had not sent you yesterdays acquisitions & Simons has brought us to the committee four votes Battley, Osborn, Roberts & Lambe.