Editing William Wilberforce (section)

===Final phase of the campaign===
[[File:House of Commons Microcosm.jpg|thumb|The House of Commons in Wilberforce's day by [[Augustus Pugin]] and [[Thomas Rowlandson]] (1808–1811)|alt=see caption]]
Following Pitt's death in January 1806, Wilberforce increased his collaboration with the Whigs, especially the abolitionists. He gave general support to the [[Ministry of All the Talents|Grenville–Fox administration]], which brought more abolitionists into the cabinet; Wilberforce and Charles Fox led the campaign in the House of Commons.<ref name="Turner1997">{{cite journal| last = Turner| first = Michael| title = The limits of abolition: Government, Saints and the 'African Question' c. 1780–1820| journal = The English Historical Review| volume = 112| issue = 446| pages = 319–357| publisher = Oxford University Press| date = April 1997| jstor = 578180| doi=10.1093/ehr/cxii.446.319}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=328–330}}</ref>

A radical change of tactics, which involved the introduction of a bill to ban British subjects from aiding or participating in the slave trade to the [[French colonies]], was suggested by the maritime lawyer James Stephen.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pollock|1977|p=201}}</ref> A bill was introduced and approved by the cabinet, and Wilberforce and other abolitionists maintained a self-imposed silence, so as not to draw any attention to the effect of the bill.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=335–336}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| last = Drescher | first = Seymour| title = People and Parliament: The Rhetoric of the British Slave Trade| journal = Journal of Interdisciplinary History| volume = 20| issue = 4| pages =561–580| publisher = MIT Press| date =Spring 1990| doi =10.2307/203999| jstor = 203999}}</ref> The approach was successful and the Foreign Slave Trade Bill received [[royal assent]] on 23 May 1806.<ref name="Pollock 1977 211">{{Harvnb|Pollock|1977|p=211}}</ref> Wilberforce and Clarkson collected a large volume of evidence against the slave trade over the previous two decades, and Wilberforce spent the latter part of 1806 writing ''A Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade'', which was a comprehensive restatement of the abolitionists' case.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=342–344}}</ref>

Wilberforce was re-elected as an MP for Yorkshire in the [[1806 United Kingdom general election]],<ref name="Hague 2007 348">{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|p=348}}</ref> after which he returned to finishing and publishing his ''Letter'', a 400-page book which formed the basis for the final phase of the campaign.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|p=351}}</ref> Lord Grenville, the Prime Minister, successfully introduced an Abolition Bill in the House of Lords first,<ref name="Hague 2007 348"/> then [[Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey|Charles Grey]] moved for a second reading in the Commons on 23 February 1807. As tributes were made to Wilberforce, whose face streamed with tears, the bill was carried by 283 votes to 16.<ref name="Pollock 1977 211"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|p=354}}</ref> Excited supporters suggested taking advantage of the large majority to seek the abolition of slavery itself, but Wilberforce made it clear that total emancipation was not the immediate goal.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|p=355}}</ref>