Following the abolition of the British slave trade in 1807, there was heated debate on how this should be extended to other countries, and how people already enslaved should be treated. Marryat exposed many flaws in his opponents' arguments, and argues for gradual emancipation to avoid revolution and economic collapse.

Joseph Marryat (1757-1824) was an M.P., chairman of Lloyd's and colonial agent for Grenada. This volume contains three of his pamphlets - Thoughts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade (1816), More Thoughts (1816) and More Thoughts Still (1818) which replied to his critics. The first pamphlet was very controversial, running to four editions in the year of publication. It vigorously attacks the policies and influence of the African Institution, whose arguments regarding the operation of slavery since the Abolition Act of 1807 he proves, by using evidence from official British and colonial government reports, to contain many falsehoods. Marryat believed that, with regard to emancipation, lessons must be learned from the French Revolution: ideals, if taken too quickly to extremes, cause national and even international conflict. His critics accused him of equal economy with the truth by selective use of source material: his responses were also best-sellers.