Henry Dundas encouraged gradual abolition by incremental measures over 8 years starting in 1792, with compensation to those who suffered financially. He believed immediate abolition was doomed to fail because opposing forces were too powerful to overcome, and the slave trade would just go underground. Getting the support of plantation owners and slave traders meant they had to be bought off, and he was prepared to do that. W Wilberforce and others refused to consider paying them even one cent and denounced him and his plan. It took them another 15 years to pass their legislation.