Star. — London, England, 1824-06-12 00:00:00

it.‘ 1.7\1/4 111.. - 1•••. - _ • 81111.M°11111.1112r5121°1112°e11.1111111 and Medway Canal Bill , the Velhn Ranh. Pat enership Bill, the Tunnel under the Thames Bill, and a number of other Bills. Mr. Jerome, the Commissibneris for Building of Churches, deliverskalsaec of lie agaenses liseurred by the Commis sioners, inlhe elt of Mete - mss stoners, last year. Lord GORT presented a Petition from the Landholders and Householders of the City of Limerick and its Liberties, who com plained that while the old town was going fast to decay, the new town in St. Michael's, which had been well built, was rapidly im proving. The Petitioners stated, that a yearly sum of 600/. had been offered as the contribution of St. Michael's, but that such a sum was considered quite inadequate to general purposes; and the Petitioners now prayed for the repeal of the City of Limetick Regulation Act. The Earl of LIMERICK rose for the purpose of exonerating those persons who, in no courteous language, had been designated as the authors of gross jobs respecting the Petition now before the House. He could safely say, that he should net in posse nvetnish ss the-tr air, ans qeillity he now felt, unless he was able, by a pla u ed t t.i dispel all those illusions which were intended to deceive the I louse. lie must deny, in the first place, that the clause mentioned in the Act for regulating the local taxation of the City of Limerick bad been surreptitiously obtained; though it wee certainly true on the other hand that the new towik of limerick had been built, and was increasing, in consequence of the produce of the tax upon acres. With this, notwithstanding, he had really nothing to do. But he now stood before their Lordships as a culprit, it the statentents, or rather Ore surmises or kis noble assailant were to be received ; for he was arraigned on two Acts, one of which passed before he came into being, and the other with the perfect concurrence of those most concerned in it. With respect to the condition of the old town, which had certainly been superseded by the new town, it might suf fice to assure their Lordships that the streets of the former had boles, or rather bogs, large enough to swallow up waggons; that darkness visible was there realised ; and he must add, that one of the great evils of Ireland now arose from the continuance of those antiquated Corporations which, though useful in their time, had out lived their use. The latter of the Acts to which be had referred bad already done much good to what he considered to be only the third city in the kingdom; and he hoped that, when all irritating pressure should be removed front the population, this city would become the faiourite seat of loyalty and peace. The Earl of CLA RE assured the Noble Viscount (tort) that a Bill would be introduced in the course of the next Session of Par liament to equalise the taxation of the City of Limerick, with re tweet to the old and new towns. The inhabitants, the Noble Earl added, were most anxious to accomplish that object. Lord GOItT was about to go into an explanation personal to himself and a Noble Earl (Limerick), when cries of Order, order! were heald throughout the House. The Marquis of LANSDOWN here observed, that he hoped, as a Bill was about to be introduced on the subject generally, and as the protraction of discussion would interfere with the more ins partant business of the I Jotter, his Noble Friends would be induced to pause—(Cheers).--Ile begged to suggest thia course as the most proper to be pursued on the present occasion, when the subject was ill itself local, and the interest might be comidered as private. The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table. Lord KING preiented two Petitions from the parishes of St. I James, elerketiwell, and St. Paul, Covent-garden, on the subject of the Equitable Limit Bill. Lord SUF'FIELU presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of 0:d -street, in the City-road, in favour of the Equitable Loan Ilia. Lord KEN lON presented a Petition front the Pawtibt silvers of the Town of Manchester, who prayed to be heard by Counsel against the Equitable Loan Bill. The Marquis of 11 UNTLEY presented a Petition from Cro marty, praying fur the Abolition of Slavery. The Marqiiis of LA NSDO WN presented a Petition from the Protestant Diswnters of the Town of Wareham, in the County of Dorset, who prayed to be relieved from the prohibitory provisions of the Corporation and Test Acts. The same Neble Marquis presented a Petition from Mr. Robert 'Wallace, a Gentleman of whose acquirements every one of their Lordships had heard, against the Bill relating to Weights and Mea sures. lie should therefore move, that the Petitiou be laid on the table fur tl.e future consideration of the I louse. Upon the motion of the Earl of SIIATTESCURY, Mr. Richard I Knight Paytir's British Museum Collectisn Legacy Bill was read a I third time, passed, and ordered to Le sent to the Commons. • , The Marquis of 1. A NSDO W N then presented a Petition front a 111. Hamilton, of Dublin, who prayed their Lordships to examine into the ttiscipliiie of the Catholic auel lirotestaut Chorelts,s, for the purpose of ascertaining which mode was, atter all, the best. the Noble Nlarqui% with a smile obsessed that he should nut move the referring of t his Petition to the C mittee on the Affairs if Ire land, as Ile w..s willing to save his Noble Ftielid opposite, in com mon with If, the purgatorial pains, if not penalties, of such an iuquity, to which indeed he was willing to admit hi, own in eonipetency—( Laughter). Lord SUFFIELD pi ewnted a Petition from several Magistrates in the County of Norfolk, praying that the Lent Assizes might be held at Norwich, instead of Thetford. 'llw Duke of 6 11A FTON supported the prayer of the Petition. The 1.0110 CHANCELLOR opposed it, as to grant the prayer of the Petition was exclusively in the power of the Crown.—Or dosed to be printed. GAME LAWS. Earl GROSVENOR moved the second reading of the Game Laws Amendment Bill. His object was to repeal that part of the law which made it penal to buy or sell game. To that his Bill was limited exclusively. Ile flattered himself the measure would meet with the approbation of their Lordships, from what had been said on the first reading of the Bill. From the great mis chief t h at had arisen, ani was likely to ariAsfrom the Game Laws, it wai desirable that the Bid should pass in the course of the present Sesion. It was notorious that game was sold in the markets, and his object was that what Was now done illegally and clandestinely, might be done publicly and legally. In that way the article would become cheaper, and the temptation to poaching be proportionably dimitlished. No one now stole deer, because they might be sold publicly in the markets, and that appeared to him to be a powerful consideration to induce the House to carry his theory into practice. In (reign countries game was publicly sold, and no fears were entertained on that account of its extinction. _ The LORD CHANCELLOR said the present was the smallest Bill he had ever seen on the subject of the Game Laws. After the fate of a similar Bill in the other House. after five months discussion, he could not see the utility of the present Bill, at such an advanced period of the Session. Should the Bill pass, it would take away what had been the principal recreation and solace of his retirement. To enable the poacher to sell—for he never bought—would not, in his mind, diminish the evil of poaching. Though a partridge might serve him for a month, he did not think he should be able to find one on his estate, should the Bill before their Lordships pass into a law. He saw no good in passing such a Bill on the 11th of June, 1824., when other persons had told them, that after five months . disc u .6on they could not make up their minds on the subject. Lord DACIIE rose with great diffidence to support the Bill, after what had fallen ft om the Noble and Learned Lord who had last add:esed the House. He, however, could not avoid taking thar. comse, when he U.:collected that from two to three thousand commit. merits took place annually under the pr,:sent wretched system of the Game Laws. He was afraid, however, the Bill of the Noble Lord would not produce the effect he contemplated, unless a proper moral feeling could be exerted in the lower orders as to the immorality of the practice of poaching. He hoped his Noble Friend would introduce a more extended measure on the sub ject in the next Session. Lord CALTHORPE was in favour of the Bill. The Duke of RICHMOND opposed the Bill. The Marquis of SALISBURY would oppose the Bill. if not greatly altered in another stage. The Earl of CARNARVON should support the mea sure ; though. after what had taken place in another House, it would perhaps be better to postpone the sub ect to another Session of Parliament. t Lord GROSVEINTOR repliedt and denied that.'the Bill had any tendency to enable the' poacher to biing game to the market.—The motion was then negatived without a division. Lord KENYON moved the . committal of the Scotch Judi cature Bill. Lord C ANV DOR opposed the motion. Lord REDESD ALE was in favour of the Bill. The Earl of LIVERPOOL wished the Committee to be post poned to the ensuing week. The Marquis of BUTE was adverse to the Bill. Lord KENYON agreed to postpone the Committee to Monday. The Earl of LIVERPOOL observed, that the case of Lord Stafford was distinguished from the others; the reversal of the attainder of that Noble Person was an act of justice, while that of the others was an act of sp ontaneous g race on the part of the Crown. I, The Report of the Committee was agreed to, and the Bill or dered to be read a third time en Monday. The Weights and Measures Bill was committed and reported. The Bills before the House were forwarded a stage, and the House adjourned at Tsw o'CLocc to Monday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The St. Patrick's Assurance Company and the Irish Mining Company's Bills were read a third time. Sir J. WROTTESLEY pre‘ented the Report of the Peniten tiary Committee.—Ordered to be printed. A Bill was brought in to enable the Proprietors of the South wark Bridge to raise an additional sum of money, to be applied to the improvement of the Bridge.—Read a first,. and ordered to be read a second time. Sir I. COFFI N said, he wished to correct a mistatensent into which he had fallen last night. He was mistaken when he stated that Sir Thomas Trowbridge was impressed—Sir Thomas was not impressed, but he got in at the hawser hole and out at the cabin window! Sir Donald Campbell, who commanded on the \Vest In dia station, was an impressed man, and -111_1a_ that The SPEAKER here reminded the gallant Aa i 1 there was no question before the house. Petitions were presented from various places, praying for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and in favour of Missionary Smith. Mr. IIUAIE said, he had to present a Petition irons a person named Saddler, complaining of the conduct of a Magistrate (Mr. Cuckerill), in refusing to grant him a license for a house, which he had taken and litt,-il up as a public-hou-e. Ile (Mr. flume) was aware that, under the present system, it was utterly iqtp , ,s,ible hut that partiality and injustice must exist. The present case, as it ap peared to him, however, was rather a question for a Court of Com mon Law to decide, than for the Ilouse of Common:, and so he had informed the Petitioner. The Petition, howeesr, was most respectfully worded, and therefore he wool(' move to bring it up. Mr. C. WYNN thought the Douse could do nothing in this case. The SOL I C ITO It-G ER L said, if the Petitioner had sus tained the loss he represented, tlh: Courts of Law were open to him, and would afford him redress. After a few words from Mr. hoax, the Petition was withdrawn. Mr. F. BUXTON moved the bringing up of the Marine luu ranee Bill. Mr. ROBERTSON opposed the Bill, as being unnecessary. Mr. GItEN FELL also opposed the Report being rcecived ; and declared, if persisted in, be would take the sense of the Ilouse upon it. lie contended, that this was an unjast measure, and he called on the House to reject it now as such ; and he Amendment, that instead of now, the Report should be received this day six months. Mr. Alderman WOOD also opposed the Bill, and advised his Honourable Friend to postpone the discussion of it rill a future day. Mr. ROBERTSON said, the Association at Lloyd's was de scribed as a monopoly; it was no such thing, there was not a fairer competition in existence than that of the present underwriters; and this Bill was wholly unnecessary. The Gallery was cleared for a division — For receiving the Report ... Fur the Amendment ... so ... 31 Majority in favour of the 13111 —l9 The Report was then received, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time. Ott the return of strangers to the gallery, Mr. Hume was found addiessing the House on the East India Trade Bill, to which the Hon. Member strongly objected ; and observed, unless the Chan cellor of the Exchequer consented to postpone the third reading of the Bill until Monday, he must now take the sense of the House upon it. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended the Bill. The Honourable Member fur Montrose appeared to think Bill was intended to give increased monopoly to the East In dia Company, there certainly was no such intention ; the object of the Bill was merely to regulate the trade. Mr. E 1,1. ICE wished his 1 lonourable Friend wotild withdraw hi.oppthition to the Bill and allow it to pass ; and next Session his Honourable Friend might try his influence with the Kist India Company with respect to the Canadian trade. He was convinced the Government was favourable to the object, if the Company could be brought to consent. Mr. BRIG HT opposed the 88% which was calculated to give further advantages to the East India Company. Mr. C. W YNN defended the rights of the East India Cornpan)' to the exclusive privileges attending the trade in tea, and read ti:c clause of the Act which gave them that exclusive right. Mr. II U ME said, he was not at all convinced by the arguments he had heard. He would mot, however, divide the House, but would withdraw his motion. • The Bdl was then read a third time and pa,se:Ll. :%ir. SC RLETT brought up the Report of the Lancaster County Courts Bill, which was received, and the Bill was ordered to be r.:atl a third time on Monday. RICHARD CARLILIL Mr. HUME said, he - held in his hand a Petition from Richard Carlile, complaining that now, after having been in prison for upwards of four years, he was still detained for his fines. The Petition said nothing of the offence with which he was originally charged and convicted; hot it complained that the Crown bad seized his property, which he contended would have been suf fiAent to have paid his fines, and have left a surplus. The Petitioner further went on to state, that he was' subjected to severe deprivations in the prison, to which, as a Crown Debtor, he ought not to be subjected. He (Mr. Hume) thought the House ought to institute inquiry into this case. Mr. Secretary PEEL said, he had instituted inquiry into the case of the Petitioner, and he felt it but justice towards the Magistrates of the county of Dorset to say, that they had conducted themselves with the greatest propriety as regarded Mr. Carlile. The restrictions to which Mr. Carlile had been subjected were brought on him by his own conduct ; he had, during the whole of his imprisonment, end...avowed to corrupt all the pti sutlers with whom he could communicate; and more than this, he had given a written notice, that after a certain day, he should consider his imprisonment as at an end, and his detention as illegal, and should, after that day, consider himself justified in taking the life of any one who should attempt to detain him. When this notice was communicated to him (Mr. Peel), he certainly did advise the Magistrates, both as regarded the interests cif Mr. Carlile, and of those who had the custody of him, to adopt every possible precaution as regarded him. He would take this opportunity of acquainting the House, that Mr. Carlile's sister, ary Ann Carlile, had been discharged, and her fine remitted. Mr. HUME could not but consider Mr. Carle as having been harshly treated; he was now a prisoner for debt to the Crown, and as such ought to be treated as a debtor, and not as a prisoner charged with crime. After a few observations from Mr. W. SMmI, Mr. Pm, and Mr. Hum; the Petition was received. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. The SPEAKER said, he wished now to call the at tention of the House to a gross Breach of the Privileges of the House, which had been committed soon after he took the Chair. He was informed that the Member for Winclielsea had, as he approached the House, even us the lobby, been assaulted by a person whose. name was Gourhty. That person was now in custody, and he (the Speaker) waited the pleasure of the House as to the course which was to be adopted. Mr. BROUGHAM then proceeded to state the cir cumstance as it occurred. The Honourable Member said, that he was passing through the lobby, when he . heard a noise, and some one ask," Is that Mr.Brisigliam 7' and soon after he felt two slight blows across the shoul ders, and turning rF und, he saw a man near him, who he recognised to be Mr. Gourlay, having seen him about three years ago, when he applied to him (Mr. Brougham) to present a Petition to the House for him. He now addressed him, and exclaimed, " You have betrayed me! " To what act of his this could apply, he (Mr. Brougham) could not conjecture, but from what he had heard of this person, and of his conduct at different times, he was inclined to credit what had been asserted of him, namely, that he was at times deranged. Under these circumstances, be left the matter to be dealt with as the wisdom of the House might determine. Mr. Secretary PEEL agreed in the opinion given by the Member for Winchelsea, that this unfortunate man was insane. Mr. IIUME thought very little room for doubt re mained on that subject. He had had occasional inter course with him on the subject of Petitions which he wished to have presented to the House. The Honour able Member then proceeded to state various instances of eccentric conduct on the part of Gourlay, especially that of his having Persisted in breaking stones on the highway as a pauper, whilst possessed of a good income. Mr. C. WYNN suege,ted, that if the individual in question was insane, he ought to be under restraint. Mr. Secretary CANNING said, in a common case the House would have proceeded to call the individual before them, and hear what he had to say, but in this case it would he u,eless to do so. He suggested that the most expedient course to be adopted would be to detain Mr. Gourlay in custody, until inquiry could be made, and it could be ascertained what was the real state of his mind. The llouse al:pealing to approic of this course, the SPEAKER ordered that Mr. Gourlay should be kept in custody accordingly. SMITII, TIRE MISSIONARY. Dr.LUSHINGTON tken moved the Order of the Day for resuming the adjourned debate on the subject of the late transactions at Demerara, as connected with the late Mr. Smith. The SPEAKKR having read the motion proposed by Th. Brougham on the former night's debate, Dr. LUSIIINGTON said, never in the course of his public lire had he been so anxious to do his duty by the cause which he had undertaken, and to vindicate Mr. S.nith horn the charges brought against him. For that vindication, and the conduct of the Court-martial, he should icier only to the proceedings of the Court martial. Ile would never inquire whether the trial was fair or other wise; but contend that, in every sense, legal and moral, Mr. Smith was totally innocent. Not so was the conduct of the Court-martial, which was highly illegal. Whether or not the concealing of an intended revolt of the negroes in Demerara was high treason by the law of that colony, he would not inquire; but he would shew that, even if it was, he contended that Mr. Smith was totally innocent. The principal charges were his concealing the intended re volt, and his corresponding with the rebel negroes.— The Court-martial hound him guilty of those alleged climes, having acquitted him of any attempt to excite the revolt. He contended that, from a comparison of dates, it was impossible that Mr. Smith could have I known of the intended revolt. Ilad he been acquainted with it, he (Dr. Liishington) would admit him to be guilty. He would court inqui•y, and desire the most rigid examination of the evidence before the House, which either acquitted Mr. Smith, or condemned the Court-martial. He contended, that no evidence was given on the trial affecting Mr. Smith, but that of negro slaves. In all our West India islands their testimony was universally rejected against their masters, because they knew not the obligation of an oath, and becattse they were actuated by hatred to the whites. Besides, the black man, Bristol, was deeply implicated in the rising, and surely no accomplice was to be believed upon his own unsupported testimony, especially when he acted under the fear of his own hie; for if he had not given such evidence as was satisfactory, he was liable to have been taken from the Court-martial, tried, and hange.l himself. When, according to Bristol's testi mony, Mr. Smith told Quamina they ought to stay a little,as the soldiers would be too strong for them,Bristol swore that none but he and Quamina were present,while Seton swore that he was present also. No man could escape, if he was to be tried by negro testimony. If Mr. Smith had said so to Quamina, he (Dr. Lushing ton) would admit, that he roust have had a notion of the intended rising ; but Semn, a witness for the pro secution, said, he heard nothing about the soldiers. Yet he and Bristol were the only witnesses against Mr. Smith; for them was not one white man examined, while the two negroes contradicted each other. He went into mote of the evidence to shew that Bristol's testimony was unsupported, if not contradicted by other slaves. The slaves expressed their determination to drive the Managers to the Courts, to know whether the good law had come out, which would give them a day or two in a week to themselves. This shewed that the negroes merely meant to go to the Courts of Law to see whether any such provision had been made in their favour. Ilad they meditated a revolt, they durst not have told Mr. Smith of it, lest he should have done that Mk!' lie was accused of not doing, namely, have mounted his horse, ridden to town, and brought down all the military upon them. Besides, when the revolt broke out, Mr. Smith went to Mr. Hamilton's, at his re quest, and remonstrated with the negroes, who ex pressed their distrust of him, because though he had been their Minister, still his colour rendered him na turally their enemy. He could hardly conceal his indig nation at his Hon. and Learned Friend (Mr. Scarlett) even in his absence, when he rested all the proofs against Mr. Smith on the testimony of a contradicted witness like Bristol. His Hon. and Learned Friend had said that Mr. Smith had never attempted to prove an alibi ; but, he would ask when the present Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was accused of a rape on a Lady who called to consult him at his chambers, what he would have thought if the Chief Justice had attempted to prove an alibi? If his Honourable and Learned, Friend should be so accused—(A laug,k)—be hoped he would not try to get rid of the charge by bringing his clerk to swear that he was in the Court of King's Bench, while all the time he was in his chambers in the Temple. This was a sort of argument which never should have left the purlieus of the Old Bailey. The evidence of Mr. Stewart and Mr. Elliott, shewed that Mr. Smith did disclose to them all that he knew, though some white witnesses ran as fast in the race of perjury as did the Blacks against him.—Mr. Hamilton proved that Quamina and Jack saved his life, mindful as they were of the doctrine which Mr. Smith had taught them. What Mr.,Smith had said on that occasion, could never be construed into a knowledge of the re volt, except in the slanders and calumnies in the News- papers of that ►ll•fated Colony. Yet Mr. Smith had been tried upon his actions, expressions, and private writings, for the six previous years of his life. Where was the man in that House who would trust his life to such an ordeal? He was not one of those who wished to prevent innocent amusements on the Sabbath Day ; he wished all to be gladdened ; but above all in a state of slavery they ought to be cautious how they allowed work to be forced on that day. Yet, though it was forbidden by law, the Negroes were compelled to work on that day. Tl:ey complained of it, but received no redress; and yet the witnesses proved that Mr. Smith preached to them that they wore to do any lawful or necessary work on the Sabbath. That was the true doctrine of Christianity, and if he had not preached against unlawful and unnecessary ►works on that day, he would have been an hpo - ,tate from the faith which Ile had undertaken to teach. Mr. Van Houton, the attor• ney of the estate of ltesouvenir, where the tevolt broke out, had declared in his testimony, that the slaves ap. peared to become more oteJient by the in , tructions of Mr. Smith. Upon evidence like this did the Governor of this Colony—to his eternal disgrace be it spoken sentence Mr. Smith. No hone,t Judge or Jury would have done so. Ile directly accused the Court-martial of knowingly and wilfully giving a false verdict. In the first place, tliey compelled Mr. Smi:h to plead before he was allowed Counsel; secondly, they tried him on offences done befi.re Martial Law was proclaimed, and over which it could have no controul. In the neat place, they ought not to have allowed the Judge Advo cate to make gene: al, instead of specific, charges. But the Court-mat tial could not claim ignorance or law, for they had the a-siAance of Chief Justice Rae, a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambiidge, a Barriqer at 1.4 w, and a fiend of the Ilnnourable Member for Peter- borough, yet he did not protest against the illegal pi o • ceedings of the Court-martial, and he (Dr. Liishington) was aahamed of a man who had acted so unlike a Gen- tleman of liberal education and an English Barrister, or who had sullied the gown which he had had the ho nour of wearing. He blamed Lord Bathurst tor sending his letter, and the Governor for allowing it to be tu moured that something good had been oidered to be done for the negroes. Here was hope deferted, and se verity of punishment increased. Was not this enough to rouse men against their oppressors? \Vas it not the will of GOD that men should endure t 3 a certain point, at which they turned round upon their oppressors? and without that principle in the human mind slavery would be universal. He then went into a detail of the Luba- Titles which, he said, had been practised on the e•ta:e of Resouvenir, and resistance to the orders of the Govern ment at home, for the better treatment of the negioe , . He read a Demerara Paper, which he had received that morning, in which the Rev. Mr. Austin, the Minister of the Established Church in that colony, is designated as " a wolf in sheep's clothing," and charged with having lost his character, calling on the inhabitants to expel him by all legal means, and to abstain from gosog to oburch while he remained in the colony. This El.. per was dated the 27th of April last. Thus L'eveti months had been allowed to elapse since the revolt, and yet the spirit of intolerance was still raging—(ffem . ).— " The House will from this, (said the Learned .:s.d lion. Gentleman) be ablz to judge what a malignant and per secuting spirit still exitts in that Colony. I could %hew horn other documents (btit it is rot necessary) the same spirit of hostility to ieligions education ; the same de termination to degrade the negro elm racter, openly, d,-:- gracefully avowed in that. Colony. And, Sir, those opi nions will be to the humiliation and disgi ace of our tri bunals of public justice in the Colonies, unless this House expresses in the strongest and most decided terms its reprobation of such proceedings—(clear, hear.) It you do not do this, you will let it go abroad that you do not mean to govern your Colonies upon principles of law and justice. An awful responsibility now rests upon. his Majesty's Minister; and upon this House. If we al!ow this question to go by without deep and serious consideration, we shad let slip an opportunity not easily regained. The Right Hon. Gen tleman opposite (Mr. Canning), whose talents all admire, and whose weight in this House and the country is noon issue, can mettle the question at once—(Hear, hear). That Right lion. Gentleman has hitherto stood forward as the friend and advocate of every mea sure introduced for the benefit of the negro population of our Co lonies. I call upon him to consider what will be the effect of nega tiving my Ilonourable and Learned Friend's motion this evening. I call upon him to reflect upon the tt iumph that will be obtained ist Demerara by such a proceeding. Let it once be known in that set tlenecut that this motion has been negatived, and the persecutors of N!r. Smith will rejoice, the shouts of victory will burst forth. How then is the complaint of the humble negro to be heard; how are injustices, daily inflicted upon him, to be remedied? The conse quence of such a determination on the part of this House will be, that the severity exercised to the region will be Licreased one hundred fold; the cause of religion will fall to the ground ; Go vernment will lose its authority, and all the hateful and degrading passions of man will be brought into full and unrestrained action — (Hear, hear). I say, Sir, that we owe it to ourselves; we owe it to justice; we owe it to him who is gone to render his account at the bar of I leaven, to come to no decision upon this question, which, as conscientious men, we cannot approve of as just and right— (Hear, hear). I call then upon every man who hears me, not to vote until he has fully sifted the grounds upon which the question stands. I hope the decision to which we shall come will be in unison with the voice of the country, and that we shall by our vote this night, mark as it deserves an act alike iepugnant to British jut rice and Ihitish feeling"—(Hear). Mr. TINDALL commenced his speech in defence of the Court-martial, so unmeritedly reproached by the Honourable and Learned Gentleman. This was a new question, and it was one in which, he admitted, the public felt no ordinary interest. The offence for which Mr. Smith was tried and convicted, was admitted on all hands to be a very serious and a very grievous of fence; and he was prepared with authorities to shew, that the punishment of death was the constant and the only punishment with which such a crime was visited, according to the law of Demerara—(Hear). It was scarcely necessary for him to inform the House that the law of Holland was the law of Demerara; and it was as little necessary for him to call. the attention of the House to the circumstance that the law of Holland was wounded on the old Roman law. Now, Ile be lieved, that no one would for a moment hesitate to as sert, that by the ancient law, concealment of treason was punishable by death. The authority of Hubert on this point was unquestionable. His words were, that " ex amples existed, by which, if any person excited sedi dition, he must suffer loss of life; and the same punish ment must follow if any one knoweth of such sedition, or is conscious of it." He was not standing there to vindicate that law ; it was sufficient for him to see that death, and death alone, was prescribed by the law of Holland. There was another authority, Van Luin, a commentator on the Dutch law, whose works had been translated in 1806, by authority of the Administration of that day. He states that crime against the supreme Majesty— Crinten Majeslatis—is the greatest crime that can be committed in this country. Of tkis crime, those MC also guilty, who, knowing of the treason, have not dis covered it—( Haar, hear). This system of law pre vailed over Europe, and it was quite clear that it was much seveicr in its character than the law by which I fr. at an ed itic 2 The nfi 4'or •ac Sm alit ova suE wh As ser If ind be star led It laic of as Ik col of tit an of sir to ha an ri o 2 1 i ,!. 31 di 111 !~ V' all I 1 , •