The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-02-10 00:00:00

THE STAIVBiViAti. The single point kelt:fer their infe t s/Watiop_was the fact of slaves being 011 board. This mode has been already found of practical advantage by .Fraufe, aa4 the N o use may look upon it as' a•pian for amieably de ciding io all cases, and for taking away illegal traffic, as evil of a more matiguanr waters than the former. The House has already some experience of the zoo duct of Spain in reference to ,this object. On a for mer occasion, when a 'distinct offer was made of tot ,0001. fur the Abolition, north of the Line, and a Lo:lo of ten millions of dollars, she refused her issseot. The sum now in be paid is very small, com pared ssith the former proposed sacrifice—or the ad 'runlet; .s gained to the cause of humanity. His Lords' I, , -oncluded by saying, he trusted that what ever differences of opinion exist, they will not mix rltemselsea with the question of South America.—He should hist proceed to move the Resolution before .the Cointiiittee—secondly, to propose to the House an Act, pursuant to the articles of the Treaty—and l as tly, to propose in the Committee of Supply, a note of 400,0001. for the purpose of carrying into effect the articles of the Treaty. Sir G. HEATHCOTE did not intend to say much against the motion which the Noble Lord had sub. misted, but he could not help shortly declaring his dissent from a considerable provision of the Treaty. Ile could not but reflect in what a condition many of his fellow.coun . ryinen were at that moment, and how much mig h t h e due for them by the money that was now propuse.l to be pealed to a foreign.Coert and to a Court, and when be said it he did not•mean to offend any party, to say nothing more of it, which was not t!.e most popular in Europe. He did think that it was a false humanity to be seeking means of ex- pending our money amongst foraigo Courts, however good the motive or the intension. It was a great ob ject, indeed, the Abolition of the Slave 'Nadi., bat it did not appear to him that Spain had hereafter the .power of expediting the Abolition of that traffic to the extent desired. It was a notorious fact, that the Provinces of South America were in a state of revolt from the mother country. It was not at all impro., baole,bot that South America might be put in a state of independence; and if such should be the case, : •where would Spain be, with regard to the provisions, of this Treaty ? She would be limited to Cuba, the Spanish portion of St. Domingo, and some other very small possessions. It was plain, then, that if such should ever be the 'tote of things, we might be buy. jig oar humanity too dear. He was indeed 'situ. niche.' that such a transaction should be allowed by the Noble Lord and by the Government at such pelio.; ; because it ought to be recollected, that. whether in war or peace, if the People were to he drisen to desperation, there was great reason for dis senting from any such proposition. It was in-1 deed impossible that we could long continue to be the paymasters of Europe ; and if we were to be compelled to pay money for any phantasy which might enter into the head of any Monerch r bil could not see how it would be possible to make the income of the country meet its annual expenditure.— He was, indeed, surprised, that his Majesty's Mi nisters did not see the folly of the transaction, and' the policy of employing our money at home, where, . if 501. a piece should be given to 8000 persons, very great heoplit indeed might be produced. He hoped, however, if the practice was, in this instance, to he •stibmitted to, that ttils would be the last milieu!, and that a strict Hoe of economy would in future be acted upon. If the House wished to regain a part of that public confidence which they ought pro perly to possess, it would be by well considering grants of the same kind with that now before them : and if they wished to be in the situation of a great and powerful nation, it would be by acting up to the principles of the Constitution, and making them 'elves guardians of the public purse. He was fulls. aware that the final Abolition of the Slave Trade had many zealous mid able advocates ; and be could only say that it was, in his opinion, most detestable, and no man more desired than himself that it should be abonslied in every quarter of the globe.—[hear, hear 1) —He saw one Hon. Gentleman who had been the must able supporter, and almost the cause of the Abolition, who would, he hoped, be remembered almost to the end of time, at least in this. country, the seat of his exertions. But notwithstandlug he was so complete an advocate of the Abolition, he could not but think that there required some care and precaution before the repeated demands upon the country were complied with. Hr hoped, as he had said before, that the present «mild be the last.— 'When so many had stood foremost in sopport of the just prerogatives of the Crown, he hoped that that !louse would be alive to the feelings and the suffer ings of the People, and would therefore keep a vigilant eye upon the acts and proceedingi of the Government; because to make professions of economy without prac tice was doing very little fur the country. Ile wish ed that the House would consider what they were 'about to do ; they would have to pay to,oool.annual ly in addition to the national expences, as interest for the 400,0001. that was to be paid to Spain in consequence of the Treaty. There was a maxim, that one em.h• to be just before one was generous, which was very applicable to our present situation.— If the coffers of the country had been full, he should be willing enough to give the Noble Lord even a tnillion of money if he wanted it--(lJear ! and a .10agh);• but now the coffers were empty, and we could not afford unnecessary espenditure. He should, for his own part, be against the grant of 400,0001. to -any power whatever. Were he to follow his own in clination, it would be to moves that that part of the -treaty which .regerded the 400,0001. should not be carried into.ezecution.. But as it was, he should be solidest with having entered his protest against such *.graut.---(lleor, hear!) Mr. WILBERFORCE began by confessing he regarded the suns es a serious one; but he should view its relative• importance to the People 9f this country in. another way to what the honourable Baronet had done. Instead of reeerding it as a sum which might afford 501. to 8000, he should look at it as so much raised upon the population of this country, which would amount to not more than two pence each householder for a great•national purpose —(hear, hear !)—s purpose which it has beets the wish of this country for years to accomplish, and will he a monument of its benevolence and humanity. Ile filleted his unqualified praise to the. Noble Lord for the diplomatic skill and unceasing seal which he I ad mauifeated la- this interesting business. lie •hati.! 1 now the eatisfactioa of , thinking , that there was a prospeet,4, getting, .rid of this abontivable trade throuhostt i the whole world. lie was supine enough to pipit ;hit he should live to see that time, h for there was alreidy a civilized mid repiilli improv. ing population of 1 1 2,000 persons bn the Shores of Africa, under the protection ofßritish la as.z- , (l}ear!) —He thought a great deal of what could have been done at the Congress of Vienna • and of the enlarged r principles of policy enforced on that occasion by his Noble Friend with so much success. As to the Treaty with Spain, he kneiv there were many interests'which most be satisfied, and . many persons who were to re ceive indemnities for losses. These must be made good by the Government of Spain to the subjects of that country. Therefore it was necessary to make the proposed grant for that purpose. if the question be taken in a commercial point of view, it 'would appear, that the total Abolition of the Tiede Ang the Coast of Africa, would open such facilities to trade in that country, for ourselves and for others, as must be productive of incalculable benefits. We were bound, therefore, by self-interest as well as generosity, to mate the grant which was now re quired. Sir OSWALD MOSLEM wished the lion. Gen tleman would take into his serious consideration how many millions this Ijouse had lavished of the politic money, for which it had never received any tiquiva. lent, and reflect, might not the results be equally un- fortuuate in the present case. if that Hon. Gentle man held that the objection of espence was of no re lidity, 'inept it went to the whole of the proposed vote, he was willing to meet him, and say sooner then vote for the 400,0001. he would rather object to the whole measure. The fact was, Spain bad a po litical object in now making the sacrifice, for if sever. ed from her Colonies, as it was most likely she would, her interest in the trade would cease. Lf so, then this country would soon he called on for a vote of 400,0001. to be advanced to the Independent Provinces to pur chase the Abolition from them. As for the establish ments on the coast of Africa, they had cost an infi nite sum of money and several valuable lives without producing any very encouraging results. The ques tion was not now whether we were to abolish the trade or not. The question strictly was, whether England would assist in arming Spain against those provinces, it e.as our interest to keep independeut of a Power roost unfriendly to this country on all orce. sions.—[clear'!)—ln other words, should she pre vent Spain transporting perhaps for a few years, per haps only a few days, a trifling number of slaves from Africa, or prevent her eit•lavisig millions of Americans, w hose liver , is and Great atitain'i were the earns.—[Hear, hear!)—For these reasons he should, when the RPSOIIItIOII was put, divide the !louse upon it. _ _ _ Lord CASTLER.EAGH observed, that Spain had made, before this Treaty, no engagement as to its Abolition. It had been stated, that, after a lapse of eight years, an arrangement might he accomplish ed; whilst this Treaty at once abrogated the practice two years sooner, accompanied with the assurance that this illicit trade should be put au end to alto gether. .Sir JAMES bIACINTOSII could not agree with the remarks on the impulicy Or the inefficiency of the present measure. The Stare Trade Ah.dittati was the greatest question which could come nefore the House, and to accomplish effectually such an object, no sacrifice could be reckoned too giest, in volving, as it did, not only the greatest prospective advantages to the nation, but the national mnr4lity and character.—(llear, hear!) --lie (Sir James Macintosh) concurred with the Noble Lnrd in the objections he felt to grant the tight of searching Bri tish vessels, except on very strong grounds. lie felt for the glory of the country as warmly as any man; he was proud of that commercial prosperity which it covered, and of those triumphs which it had gained: but while he coosidered that it had never been dis graced by defeat,, or lowered to an enemy ; that it not only constituted our national security, but was the source of our national honour, he thought that it now rose to higher honours by bending to the cause of humanity and justice.—((.'hcering . .)— lie heard with infinite satisfaction, that there was a general desite among the Governments of Europe to take the most effectual means to secure the Abolition. lie heard these assurances with more pleasure as regarded France, because appearances in that country were rather unfavourable. The conduct of llo!land, he was happy to see, was very different; and the mea sures of the Government of that country were the more honourable to it, as they appeared connected with a great apparent sacrifice of national interest, and ran counter to strong national prejudices.— The lion. Member in concluding said, he would take the liberty of giving an explanation of a passage of an eloquent, able, and learned judgment of a Right lion. Gentleman (Sir %V. Scott), whom he was sorry not now to see in his place, which as applied the right of search had been misapprehended. The judgment was given in the case of the,French ship Louis, by the first authority in Europe, and a general observed.° in it bad been misunderstood, — In opposition to the interpretation put on the pas sage to which be referred, he would contend, that if, after this Treaty, the Commander of a British cruiaer sees a ship angled in the Slave Trade, which he be-. lieves to have Spanish property on hoard, and, if it really turns out that it belongs to the subjectkof an-. -other nation, any fraudulent use of the dog protect it against the operation of the 4th, 49cie of the Treaty. That Article 'Opiates the . right,of mutual search, and the pficers oresch 'alm' mar Alit suspected !melt. f ilexes are found on board. belonging to.Spertish subjects, the condemnation is a nuttier of coarse: ff they : belong to Spaniards, Ilseegh wilder the.Dotch, Hamborgh, or tither flag, toe ostriers could not he hiard. Sir OS W A LD .M ELY ,eeplainaul. Mr. C. GRANT supported Abe Rtsolgtiop, and considered the right of search in t?is rase at stalitly Wariatited as in cries - of tkeeiptle s isaiiehila fikr maul• lions of war belligerents.'' Mr. BENNETT could not suffer .the, question to. pa's without making a few Obtereatious on he pro bable execution of the measure. 66 For this purpose," said he, " I beg, leave to nokice - a few crieeinstatires that may tend to4Jecidate the subject. On 17th Jutfr 1815, the Noble II:ord npposlto Was instructed itt quire of the French' Government whether ,the Slave Trade eat not -to be considered as abolished to mita eir Is 446 ;ft' -- - w" • • *berme 'of Itaiblealant atom_ t ..eet,, _wing Use Oisverdmeut of the ivendieid : sleys'i 'arid tin rn to more than a month after that battle Is 'Which tit'W :blood of this country was posred out as water, gt Iwas answered by the ppri ce Talleyrand, that all the acts of the asuiping GeVe6medi were to • tie. consi dered 'as void, but that . on the 30th of July an Ordi mute had been leaved by the King for stoisttiost the' traffic is, slaves wherever it should appear to have been carried on. Notwithstanding Ibis Ordinance the trade flourished with as niveh vigour as ever, and in those Colonies that had been ceded by • this country to France it had been renewed with all the hOrrors that had usually attended it: Sir C. Stuart,oor Ambsuadcir, was subsequently instructed to esquire of the French Government respecting the steps that had been taken for suppressing the Slave Trade in the Qoloaties, and the Died, Richelieu informed hiaititat an Ordinance had been sent out, which proved to be :suety a co: louMi regulation, repressing the trade only in the Colonies ; bet no Decree hwi been issued for gene rally preventing French subjects from engaging in it.' So that French vessels and French =IOW might still he employed in carrying on Oda' nefarious traffic, on the African coast, either North or South of he Equator. The consequences were, as might have been expected, responsive to this mode of proceeding, and in the several places which had been given up to the French Government, the trade was resumed with all the horrid scenes which my Honourable Friend has so frequently and so eloquently enumerated.— Tribe was set against tribe, wars were fomented along the whole extent of the coast, and even the Bar. barian Kings were induced to desolate their ter. itories, to meet the rapacity of the French traders. The traffic was restored to all its wonted activity ; thus throwing bark an extensive country from a state of security and peace to the misery and disorder from which they had been rescued by this country. I wish then to ask the Noble Lord, whether, with these events before our eves, we are to be still fur. 'her deluded, and whether we are again to be made dupes to the old French system of tricking and de. ceit ? We cannot forget the facility with which we 111110 seen the Government of France endeavour to pickholes in most solemn engagements, to evade the esecutioo of it, " to keep the word of promise to the ear and break it to the hopes." We know the faithlessness of the race that governs that couotrv, though, God knows ! they are better than that person whom they displaced; but connecting these circumstances with the recent expedition to St. Domingo, and the documents that have transpired from that expediti.n, 1 think I may expect from the Noble Lord some explanation, to convince the /louse that measures will in all faith .be adopted by the French Government, to prevent the renewal or continuance of the Slave Trade by the stibjects of that Pow/4%n Lord CASTLEREAGH answered, that the French Government were acting up to the engagements they had entered into with ;as a proof of which, he could stale, that the Governor of the isle of Odor bon bad been removed from his situation for giving encouragement to the trade. In the coarse of the communications that had passed between him end the French Acnbassador on this subject, the •litter re.: quested to be put in possession of all the laws mitt= log to it, in order that the laws of France might bi made conformable to them. Mr. GORDON thought this country ought wil lingly to advance the sum of 400,0001., even if we should afterwards be deceived. A 4 to the mer. chants of Cuba advancing above a million, he doubted the feet ; for in the 6r•t piece, he did net think the merchants had the money ; and if they had the King of Spain might force them to give it to him at any time. Mr., MARRYAT said that this country had al ready paid, and must hereafter pay, sums of money to the captors of Slave Ships, which would ultimately amount to much more than the sum now stipulated to be given to Spain ; and therefore the Treaty would be advantageous in point of economy. Mr. WILBERFORCE said he had no partiality for Sierra Leone more than any other place, as a s eat of the Commissioners. Sir W. SintttOliGU conceived that the grant of this sum was nothing mnie than an act of justice to Spain, many of the vessels of which country had been captured in peace, when no Treaty authorised such a proceeding. No less than 5000 Slaves had been seized in this way, and the Value of each wet stared at 751. a head. This alone amounted to 300.0001. ►siothut ioclsding the striae of the vessels, &c. lie thought the Noble Lord and the 'latish Ambassador in Spain were Witted to thanks for_the able 31111111 Pf in which they had conducted 'this sego elation. lie hoped those Members isho had ex pressed disapprobation of the Treaty would, on better rellection, withdraw their oppnsitioo, end the motion would be agreed to unanimously. The gallery was cleared for a division, when the numbers were— For the Resolution Against it 4 Majority - 52 The (loose resumed, and the Report was ordered to he received tormorruw. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the tACCHEQUER, the Spanish Treaty was ordered to be referred to a Committee of Supply on Wednes day next. - Mr,IIIMIETT brought in a Bill for the Pre iention, Abuses in the emplorneUt of Climbing ys to sweep Chimuies ; whilh was reed a lust 'time, and ordered est be read a seilad dine ou Fri *ay neat: • The other Orders of the Day were then proceeded le, after which the Rouse adjourned to tomorrow ' (this day). .~ ELECTIONS. I t . The; Bill now before the . Mese of Commons, to alter aml . *plead the Gerry, concerning the Election of Members, of Periiameot, proposes t o . repeal the Act of the ,lifth of Cat4rgo 11., relative to the erection of booths, or histings,"and to direct, that the Ju s tices of the Peace for every county, or place, in England or Wales, which is entitled to choose any Member of Parliament, shall at the next General Session of the Peace and Quarter Session to be holden after the passing of this Mt, or at some gdjourumeut of the - - - - .. vt:t .e.* 4 ._....t)t.get i 1.4.U1',1 . 6 • same, vinereor Imbue notice slum given by atta ; lertisenieptieirtittie nrespdper, usualy circulating `in f ihrii 'cooky; city, .11.rnugh, or place,'llirint `What Otiniber of pollingpleres stall be erereciTur - vaiy such . I coutity, city; tiiiroilitYi;idirt, 't'r. Plie.:o" - 7 lin"flui iioal of a contested et•iiiiii, and !het .4ihill t also ilicify Ind appiiiitt,.. fat `the 'use 'of IthSv tiiiiilfod, liillisti,•'iiiiird . ,•or s titiiir i diflit‘trf; each /41' , cli'4l;flijog places shall pp applied ;, Of if they k ilintlll/ 11e...Wh0 to tre'trioiee'slAtfieili; id iili'ce's leti4l/111t . o ss fShiting * ii fit ' frieilibri,lfiVe'y Wall "di te . i:l Wilt .. ki . , ti •*'; 1 i etVio 'biislPplilit &We ole tif'lliSt vt;ler's'elittakkl• 'y,%i'dy I , A) ‘WartiV, Companies iiigiiildi,..in stiA allfslh i t lll4y loar . thiotikt; locr'l6 . oilikkitig Atli 'lttitioliit Al i gn( it:iitt apportionment of the number *of polling plti'4l, they shall, so far as the salifeliii he calculated, proridfi 'hat in all CaserisotiliOiri AMA one itimasaiid inters at the utmost that Pelf it'liistel polling place" or division thereof, dtiting the 'whet, if 'any future contested election ; and such appointthent and apportiOndient shall be final' and conclkisive,•escept appealed souk. Sheriff or Returning Oates' lei "erect booths, cte i 6. cording to appOrtinneent of 'Jiiitices." • In itliCeiiitit havfog mo r e thin'lso'olectortquiOlies lint ' filiiiiiid to mike illy ippdrficititnetA, ndi kfikip'stinitlitlifiVe. Poll to Glow on the second day, - if fOiti'liutulNd voters shalt not hive polled. "On account of the espence that has srlsenfand great disturbances that hate taken piece, (rout the'use of cockades, ribbons, and other marks of distinction at elections, it is enacted, that from and after the passing of this Act, no person to be'elected to serve in Parliament shall after the testeof the writ of summons, or after such place becomes egotist in time of Parliament, before his election, by himself or his agent, directly or indirectly, give or allow to any versos' having a vote in such election, or'tti asp inhabitant of such county, city, town, borough, port, or place, any cockade, ribbon, or other mark of distinction. And any person to gieing or allowing, shall be declared disabled and incapecitsted, upon such election, to serve its Parliament."—Another clans!, after mentioning, that more than one-thitdpf the latiti.tax has been purchased of Government, and that difficulty bas arisen in determining which lands are exonerated, and which are not, directs, that free. holders be entitled to vote, although not assessed to the land-tax. LdW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF KING 9 BENCH. Fats. 9. tHE KING V. MIMES AND CLEA4NY. Mr. MAHRTAT and Mr. Dstrespi showed cattail against a rule obtained by Mr. ?scarlet in Michael- Anal Term last, for filing a criminal informatioft against two Gentlemen, named Haber', an oil MeV. •chant,.and Cleasby, an oil broker, for having con. spired to raise the price of oil in the London market. The Learned Counsel recapitulated the grounds upon which this rule had been obtained, contending, Ist, .That there was no conspiracy proved between these perties, inasmuch as the oil, which was, in fact, purchased, was purchased on Mr. lillbers' role ettoitet, Mr. Cleasby being merely the broker 'for 'purchasing, and having no intertist wharever in the oil bought. 2d, Supposing the conspire-Cy to have taken place, in fact, it was melts adt upon hearsay evidence only, which could not be **- seised to support the criminal information ; and, 3d, They undertook to dentoistrele by the affidavits filed against the Role, that the supposed conspirier was a fair mercantile speculation, and that,' ie fatf, the purchases which were made by Mr. Hithers fore'. .ed but a very small portion indeed of the oils brought to market--that Mr. [bitters was an oil exporter, had purchased in consequence of a deficiency in the fo reign market, and had at all times been ready to sell the oils to any body who chose to purchase them at the fair market price. They distinguished this frond the case of the King v. Waddington, 1 Rail R. which was an information for monopolizing hops, be cause there the party had spread false rumours to raise the prices at market. Mr. DENMAN was stopped before he had concluded his argument, and the Court called open " Mr. SCARLETT to support his rule, and he endee. retired to shout that the affidavits' were sufficieet to sustain a criminal information, contending that Itifts was a case infinitely worse in completion than the King v. Waddington ; sod there was one feature Art that case which distinguishedlla, namely ; that the party had made enticipating' purchaies before the commodity was brought to•ntarket: 11. insisted that the affidavits, particularly of Mr. Cleasby, demon. strated that there had been a concerted perpete el raising the market by illegal meal's. . Mr TOITING, for Mr. Cleasby, contoedesk.eimt there was no pretence for this imputation spire like Client. That Gentlemantiad - sireiely eited ai Wolter for purchasing part of the all, emit lied - riiittfirg whet. ever to do with the result • of' the 'Contacts entered into by Mr. Hilbers. Mr. Gurney, Mr. Richardson, Mr.F. Pollock, and Mr. Wilde, who wore on the seine side with Mr. Scarlett, were not beard. The Coutcr were unanimously. of opinion, that dm rule for the criminal itsformatiol could not be sus taitted upon the evidence disclos , d, inasmuch a, that evidence was merely hearsay: A• 4 to the evidence contained is the Defendant,' affidavits. supposink it to have the effect of criminating them, it was net ad osissible, considering the manner in which it was dis closed. Btit as to the allerd conspiracy betweem these persons, it seemed to toast totally failed upon the present evidence. One person could not commit the offence of conspiracy by himself ; now, here it appeared that Mr. Cleasby had acted only as one of the brokers for Mt. Hilbers, and had no interest whatever in the purchases made . by the latter ; and, a's to the alleged monopoly, it was difficult to 941 at %bat period a private speculator became criminal its his porchases,opon the general principle that his pur chases leaded ,to . raise the price of the commodity it market. A purchase, no matter .how small, might have such a tendency. . Upon . the whole, however, their Lordships decided, as a general prictriple,.thae a role for a criminal" information meal require the wee sort of evidence as would he requisite to tel. Lain an indictment, end such evidence not being ad duced,is.this case., the rale oast be ilischarged, Mt without costs. , . ' Kt, tot A ,311114:.... 1