The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-02-24 00:00:00

T~.. sr the particular interests of those who have been hitt' - in engaged in phi. trade. Another ar gn7. nt. muscled with this part of the subiel. his taco stated b•Jtool.• authorities, akhough wit • urged by the Counerl at the Bar. k :141 beet ail-g-A by those for whom I profess great rcspee, it ts, particularly, a trade which tends to bent& our navy. As individual, who trek the trestest anxiety to assist. by every means iu my p , :vree. thus.• sources by which the supply to the dtitish navy may he derived, both nn account of tee s:toistion I fill in the Government of the country, and soy owe individual trelings, 1 must soy that I entertsio the "neatest doubts upon this snbjed. If I have satisfied the House as to the state of the amailiercial export of this country. aid that the speasine of Abolition is not likely to produce an lie materially iojurious to if. I feel doubly jus taud to stating, not only that the teduaion of the number of vessels r nployed upon the African Trade would i of be injurious to the British Navy, bin that it would be exceedi igly beneficial to it. When the Muster Rolls of Liverpool and Bristol were tai 1 before the House its 1789 (for dote have been none since sat perio 1, but I sot think any thing has alt•red the result,) it Ap i seed chit the navy hod smiled motel tolly fromili traffic. The eacurnstauGe of the state f)1 the *AI , •S being TOM tiered better during the Middle Passat • must, how. oust., have had its fen s but not w full extent whi:h the Legislature intended It has r. ltinented the mortality of British seamen. whoweis , inployed in the Trade. When I cousict 1' what are the CAMS that chiefly produce this err. tality, I am not aurpised at the eW et extiosu.e. to the climate at tile time of colleditig the Slaves ; the dangers in the expeditions to seek them, the sleeping on deck, exposed to the air dining night, the severity of die duty of watching them, have all been musses which have materially diminished the supply of our Navy from that particular source. 'L'he severity of inc blave Captains, and the badness of the air, where so Many persons are eonined, are additional ceases too for that source being diminished. It appears, I say, from the examination of the Mutter Rolls, that the mortality ..t the Blitish seamen, em ployed on the Cast of Africa, as conlyaced with shoot employed in Coe West India Trade, exclu sive 'y. greatly exec( us the mortaiity of the latter. Many one tell me that such a diminution by death can be conducive to the increase of the Bri tish n..vy?—Upon this subject. I may notice not Only the lou by death, but the discharge of persons Orem the service of the navy, by inability un ne ediest of bad health, after they have entered into Ni, Majesty's service. Upon the whole, I may s.#y, that the ships so employed, have not furnished a sin4le man for the service; but that, oa the conltaxy • the nu m'oer w bo might have readered tl.eir assistance, in the defence of their country, has been greatly di:ninished. That tra le has abstracted that scarce, from which the Navy might have been furnished. Yet tee are told, that the Navy could not Is) main tained if it was not by the crews which arrive in these shit' from Africa!! If that were the case, it would furnish a pretty good proof of what that trade really is, whets we findthem so eager to leave t.. In ot;ier cases, the anxiety is to desert from His Majesty's ships in order to colas late the mer *haat movies. Upon these grooms& I dscretore PIWIEIe, that with a view to the capital. the tonnage, the number of seamen employed in the Trade. the increase of our Navy, nothing is to be apprehended from toe Abolition. W.: next come us consider the state of property in the WOK Indies. It has been said, that in this too, a great loss is likely to be sustained, and that it is impossible to maintain it even to its present extent, without fresh importations. It is said, that the pre. strut degree of cultivation could not be supporttd, on account of the great and perpetual decrease, oc casioned by deaths amongst the slaves. Before I tto iato any general rtiSOrililg or statements of any ra , As winch may be culleeed frs:m the experience of other coanot:es, I should wish to examine a little how this as..ertion stands in respea to our islands in the West Indies. Previous to the year 1760, we have returns, and also in 1792, a cal ealation was made by Mr. Pitt, which, I believe, duced universal cot:viclion, end the result was, t!,:st the decrease by deaths WAS gradually diminish tn4, and that there was t.•ason t.i Mieve. that by t e+r• and minaret-tent, nature in the West In dl-et, as well as in other paits ,if the world, could se..th her own ends. if not defeated by sets of •io lence and alai-treatment." Here the Noble Viscount enured into a cal , ulasism of the comparative de case of deaths in the several West India Islands, 'in proportion to the clever of len:ency towards the Slaves. This, he said, he could pre from the &o il:um-As turroshed by tie Plantas. themselves. The deci,,ise, he said, Las gradually dimin:sb 0, so that in some of the Islands the births mid deaths Lad beeorna nearly' equal. These ealculatinns were tram 11:-.:.er the disadvantage of ilcludirg the newly irr.;),Arted slaves, so that it might fairly he in/cried, that the number of births acually exceeded the deatils very considerably. Wren new importatiers Mined.. it winfien be made evid:nt, that the population will flourish. In North America the number of Slaves amounted t 0.20,788, and caking an average of three years, ending in .1404, it has been ascertained, iltat the number of deaths amounted to 1763, and the number of ►irth. to 1780, 110 that 070 births exceeded the deaths by 17. This includes the deaths of the irewly-imported Slaves. Inc returns maeht . twon this point are most satisfadory, as they . unntatn the number of Slaves imported. These were 22.5. sod 15 born ; deduaing these, there would remain 1.;73 ; so that the births might be said to exceed the de .t2ls by 7$ am *ally, upon the old stock. There can be no dAtibt, therefore, that the population could be mairtained .0 the Islanss, particularly in Bermu da, and the Bahama Islands. Now, I would wish to call th• attention of the fitruie to these fadsos bear ing upon tire question. I cave stated generally, that it there were not causes arising from bad manage ment, nr other circumstances. it could not be thought. that the population of these islands would not increase in the same manner, as in other quarters of the woad. Is has been stated by Mr. King. that if the Slaves of North America in . creased in therspid pryponion they have bees doing . for these last 1 0 years. they would double theii. po . palatine, is t!.e cfause if '24) year.. We know 'that in St. Heleras, siuse tie Lst India Company have determined (on acco'tnt of the inhumanity, of the treatment of Si e ves havitin been represente d to them) to Abolish the trade in that Island, the population. which feet formerly decreased, has at wally iner iased. Then what are the censer if the dimieution of the Slave: in the %Vest Indies ? Is it that the climate of America is more healthy, chest the popui 'eon there increases ? No. It is well known. that a cold climate is most prejudiced! to Negrnes ; so that one would thin:, t!-.at that ot North America would he rather unfa vourable. Is it the nature of the labour in the cnitiv.ation? It has been ascertained that the cul ture of sugar. in the %Vest India islands, is more favourable than the cultivatern of rice in North America, on account of the damps. Arguments have been used upon the disproportion of the sexes, and the dissoluteness of manners. As to the first of these points it might be observed, that the Planters had it in their power to afford a remedy. 1 am sorry to hear that all the warn ings that hive been given upon the suhjed of the disproportion of die sexes have not had their effea Parliament had made their declarations so early as the year 1783, and yet nothing has been done by thosewhn deal in slave: to reetity the errors they had observed." Here ,'e Noble Viscount en tered into a statement of the proportion of males to females, in the several West India Islands : With respell to the dissoluteness of manners, and the iodiscrimante connection betwixt the sexes, I think that a remedy might be effected, by an at tendance to the euucation of the slaves, and the promotion of marriage and good behaviour. That degree of superintendence was always the duty of the Planters, but after the abolition, it would be come their interest to observe it. The meastare proposed, therefore, not on:y puts an end to the traffic with Africa, but ameliorates the situation of the Slaves in the West ladies, in regard to their happiness, comfort, and moral duties. There are various kinds of mal-treatment which ate practised by the Planters, which in future they will make it their study to avoid, and among others, bad food, and want of cleanlines s amongst the Negroes.— These r. ere completely in their power to rectify, by aril-ding the ne rind enforcing the necessity of the other. %Vhen I say this, I mean to throw out no reelection against the West India Planters them sellrs, many of them residing in this country. — Much was to be attributed to the overseers. Mr. Long, in his Higuey ql.famai, a, proves, that the do mestic female Negroes have more children than those who are employed upon fens, and here is a proof of what mid treatment will accomplish, by not over straining :hens to perform more than what they can do with comfort to themselves. By affordiug them more care, paying them more attention, and be. stowing more care upon their morals, the Planters might ultimately more improve the state of the West India islands, atter the abolition is Accomplished, than they could do by annual importations. It has been frequently found, that d inns the half days, which arc allowed tLeni for relaxation, during the seven days. they have done more than double the work they could do when labouring under the lash of a harbasone and un feeling overseer. The women ton, are, in general, employed in a wax that is shocking to human Ba nature; no particular care Cr attention is pal tat those of them who are with child ; this is another' cause of she depopulation ; the child it, in many in stances destroyed before it is born, or else the mo ther is prevented from affording her infant that degree of nourishment which is necessary for its wel fare. We all know how tender a woman is at diet particular period. Many instances of miscarriage occur among.t them. We are told by the enemies o tOis measure, that the West India Islands will be put in a state of revolt. if we agree to the Aboli tion ; that it will create a mit it of disaffedion and rebellion. The preamble to the Hill is particularly cempleined of, because it declares, that the traffic in Slaves is c•nit!ary to the dictates of justice and humanity. Is it necessary, Sir, to tell use Negro, who is torn Irons his native land, his wife, his c!Ohltee, And his friends, that that ad of wllizh tears him from all his for , mer endearments in life, is contrary to huma nity ? This is a principle which is implanted in his breast by the great hand of the Almighty. Yet it is said, it is told them by the preamble of the Bill! It he cannot see it upon the wounds infiided on the Lack of his fellow sufferer, if he cannot hear it in the cries of his fellow shave, are see to suppose th .t he will reedit in the preamble of a Bill?--(Hear ! near!) Such an argument is futile and • absurd ; and what is more, too, I may say, that the Planters and West India Merchants themselves do nut be lieve it, or if they do, never was the conduct of min snore imprudently regulated. After twenty f years, during which this question has been often agitated. is the House to be told that all the debates which have token place, all the motions and resolu tions which have been made by the House of Corn. mons, all the reports that have in consequence gone forth, declaring that their slavery was contrary to humanity. have had DO did in inducing that Colln vision, which is so anxiously, at present, wished to be avoided in the preamble of a Bill ? Has not Tile Jamaica Gazette, on various occasions, stated the very means by which that insurrection might be produced, by which their plans of revolt might he or ganised, and a stimulus and incitement afforded to the Negroes to carry their operations into effect? Look at the state of these islands for the last teventy years, and say is it not notorious, that there never were so few inunredions. amongst the Negroes, at at the very time they knew that such an abolition of this infamous traffic was under discussion.— But, it has been argued, that the non-importation of fresh Negroes would tend to impose additional labour upon the old ones already in the islands ; but this is a consequence which I am far from thinking would follow in fad; for is it not well known, that the newly-imported Negroes are nut calculated, at least fur a length ot time, to disninish the labours of those who are actually employed in clearing and cultivating the new grounds What source of consolation could h be to the old Negroes to behold fresh importations of their unhappy coun trymen, doomed to endure similar slavery With themselves? Ile only effeet this could produce, would be thAt of sowing the seeds of continual insurrection. lint the prohibition to import fresh Negroes, could t be fairly adduced as a motive why the old creo etould revolt. It was proved by experience and fait, that its those islands, where there was too re, ular supply a i fresh Negryes, no nstureee dot' ever took piece. With rupees to the general security of the islands, the danger dues not ar ise horn those Negroes who have fleen long settled in them, and :tied to their Masters, but from those itiaio have been fresh imputed. and were smerrin,t under recent wrongs. The errs of the Islane of St. Domingo has been cited by the Anti-Abolitionists, Ai an example of C alltl3l ; I Sir, in my turn, would beg leave to cite the events which took place in that Island, as a warning how the encourage successive importations ; for is it not known, that in that ill-fated Island, there had Ewen unesuelly Urge importations from ethics', previous to the insurrections and intestine comrno 'ions which prevailed t Other causes, indeed, might have cceesperated, and have hid diet,' etre& ; t:.e passions of men lied been set loose and inlarned, at the cnieniemeineat of the French Revolt:- time, threugheut every part of that Empire : hence St. Domingo became a prey to intestine co:mo tions, and was divided into different political par ties, each of which in their al n endeevoured to avail themselves of the assistance of the Blacks ; but the fresh and large importations hem Africa, which were carris don during that period, so far from di. mihishing, tended greatly to increase the danger. If, indeed, it were proposed by tbepresem measure, that the Negroes should at once be emancipated, acknowledge that there would be just reasnu to ap prehend scenes of terror; but running of this sort is in contemplation. It has been stated, that eudre- Yours have already bee e made to excite the Slaves at Jamaica into insurreetion, horn the example of et. Domingo. I allow it pessible, that emissaries frora the letter island may have been sent to Jamaica ; but as the best means to render abortive such at tempts, I would say, "attach your Negroes of :la ma:its to your service by good ti cement and a kind system ;" at any rate, new imporrations would not diminish, but rather increase the danger of insurrec tion. Experien .e ce nfirms the faa. In Sat inam, warn a Dutch colony, the Masters mede use of the most rigorous treatment towards their Sieves, and there insurredlions broke out ; witereas, in the islands where the Negroes have been treated wit'a kind usage, they hive even proteeted their Masters, when threatened with attack. But, upon this subject, we, who are advocates for the abolition of this trait:, have been branded as theorists and enthusiasts, whilst we have, almost exclusively, teas, and experi ence, to allege, in opposition to the objeaiens of the Anti-abolitionists. But it has been also objetted, that this measure will also tend to diminish the white ?opulation in the islands, and that it will discourage those who go out from this country to the islands, as book-keepers and overseers, with the hope of procuring plantations and making their fortunes ; but the expeaation of making large fortunes, cannot be considered as the main inducement for such persons to go from this country to the West Indies, but tether that they may obtain such a competent provision as they were not so likely to meet with at home. But, perhaps, it may be tit matter of in quiry, whether adequate measures have been adopt ed by the colonists themselves to keep up the white population, and such a Militia as may ba needed to center:at nee Negroes. list •rie mere Do 'liners of employment. in which the Whites may be usefully employed in the West Indies, as an encouragement for them to settle these ? I think, Sir, that much may be done to encourage their setilement in these islands, and that a great deal of what is now pafermed by the Blacks, might be performed by means of machinery, as well as that there are a great many articles of useful labour to which the Whites are competent. I hope, there fore, that one good elicit' of the present measure will be to encourage the Whites to mule in the West ladies, and to pursue such trades us those of blacksmith., coopers, &c. and thus to increase the proportion of Whites to Blacks. There have been repeated emigrations from the highlands and Islands of Scotland to America ; but in the upper lands of Jamaica, if I am not misinformed, there are better soils, where such as are driven by neces sity from their native country, might be usefully employed. In short, Sir, were I called to state , my belief of what would be the measure of the greatest security and advantage to the West Indies, I would state this very measure. 'I he Negroes in the islands would then become attached to the suil, and to their masters, from kind treatment, and at ' ford the increased means of defence from a foreign enemy. But, there are one or two general 'epics More, on ti. is subjea, to which I must briefly advert, before I sit down. We have been told, that if this be considered as a measure el justice, we do not fol low up oar own principles ; tor, it slavery be in it self unjust, we ought to abolish it altogether. I think it sufficient to say, thet the result of this mea sure will. I trust, lead to the abolition of slavery, en couraged and asisted by such regulations as the wisdom of Parliament may afterwards think fit to adopt. I trust, th a t by thi s measure , s l avery will gradually weer out without the immediate in tervention of any positive law, id like Manner ai took place in the States of Greece and Rome, and some &arts of modern Euro:se, where Slaves have been permitted to work out. and purchase their own freedom, and that such relent:dons may be adopted as have been in some of the Spanish and Portuguese Colonies. In all the States of America. with the exception of one, the Slave Trade has ac tually been abolished ; and not only so, but in some of the States, rneasnres of gradual eman cipation, by means of education, and the like, have been adopted ; and, I believe, that in some private estates, particularly that of General Washingtoro, the. Sieves have been actually emancipated : anti I would ask, whether any instance can be pointed out of insurrections and revolutions. in c eiseq tie y n e ce n o ot f , s i u n ch su ni ch a S s' t ir a e te s s, or rather, whether they t in ta,orwniohthreraeedevotAinniettrajczreys n b . e t e th n i nPe i g pe ac eab le and orderly; apt l t o excite revolt. ne groes our islands witnesi the superior e f f jfe he a tdaswuhebehle:iovtu: slaves,li :cliy sdt l ro t bri t h niFe, e o:ltt i r pthn e rvolao t at i phpnlnpc n err,:he;:e rn w asb;iaotrir s , neltsstgi d,o i rr n u.i an: nceodnedi America. udliaatta hhrtic i el eftreocstapoDomingo.ntnarniidivaniuistet notßai ppßnu which ce t ahte nhsseti mc l nood i ii to set have already bre been akeeted, that if we abandon this trade,. other nations will take it tip. The same objet};, may he made uie of by them :' thus, th's argue 4 proceeds in a circle, without leading to any ta: ta.iory cnnclubion. 1 confess, Sir, I am % from being sanguine, that even if peace to take place tu.in.rrow, any such general al libteat measure would be adripeed ; bet let us least hope that France, which is contending with for power , when it sees us take the lead, m a y ashamed to confess itself inferior ro us in liberate, and virtue. At all events, this appeari to b e ; L; most proper m anent fOr tatting the saint l y. meastne ; for tlic trade of France and Hollaad nearly annihilated; Denmark and Amci ice ba t already abolished the traffic in Slaves ; Poe legi alone continues it, and her trade is not on e - s i xt h of ours; and may** not hope that Poraivil self. when she sees that other nations hart abut. Boned this trade, will also relinquirh shall now, 81r, only notice one other general a t . gnawed, which be, been made use of by the tee . mies of the Abolition; namely, that this trinte been saationed by antiquity, as wt.ll as by the nt. of statesmen, particularly by Lord Clarendon, sr Mr. Locke. I entertain as great a saspkt as any na fer sack names; although, as to the farmer, I not I ink upon him as the best authority that coin be quo.ed in favour of freedom but surely it, attempting to prove too mach, that because tle t'r:.l • %, a . an which' they Aid „ attempt to resist, therefore, we must tenth, it. The *Arne argument might be made asa of against the Reformation, because Sir Thorne Mote did not imm-diately, encourage it ; and Lyn in favour of torture, because this very Sir rharn., More encouraged tha use of it in his own Coen %Vali all due deference for authority, it must n% p:rmitted us to judge for ourselves; eed writ we are convinced that any iustimtion i, founded inhumanity, by whomsoever it may hay , is, santlioned, we are bound to resist it. It is rumbl e that this trade in its infancy may not lore am.... notice, or that those who coiwenanced it me i have been aware of its dreadful cansequ-n.:., ; . Mr. Locke may not, probably, have ex a nso., this subject with the SAM: attention or ar. - era7 with which he examined oilier sableds. Bu: alter all, we are to rest upon &nasality, I not think it entirely rests on one side. 1 mention the acme t f one as mach entitled tr. sped, the President Montesquieu, who ann,!rinn, this traffic; but, not to quote other names, I caw , but recal to rnmicry mote illustrious stinesm..n, House and country have iu lately 14).r—incr. al felt so deeply interested in the w.-Ifirre of tie s:d. and who bent all the force of tteir minds an tl: great question, where all rival hip ceased. Ti, names or Pitt and Fez are not inferior so any mho., and we know how anxiously they wished for to abolition or this trade. Let me call upon tl House, then, in this first Session. to pay that tri;:t to their memories ; and. if we are sati.fied on ground of fads, of experience, or justice, of ba manity, and of Christianity, Let us rear this mo nument, snore dear and splendid to their me. mory than any other that can be erefled: Ti measure these great men left as a legacy to ti House and to their country ; the st.ccat - s.nf it ats 'slat- their hearts, raw WAS *e of the last wishes e pressed by my iliastr;ous predecessor. 1.1,ai I: great question, which was nurse. 11441 than t.l 1 ,. peace and happiness to Africa, all other diff.osi., fur a moment subsided. " Cencida..t vent., Ingiuntque nnbes." Ills is a subjelif whicir is most worthy of the as. teution of the House of Commons, and I tru,t stilt be successfully carried." General GASCOYNE lamented, that on this subjeft he led to contead not only against but prejudice, and witlifort that eeideirce..• rob, if admitted, would have shown the staegeroui ten dency of the present measure. He declared hint. self, upon every view of toe subjea, and after ?la. cure consideration, bgaSrined in his former opinion. But that opinion ha not been fairly-represented. The Noble Lord had said, that there was an indi vidual so charmed s the Slailer rade. that eves if it were abolished, he woolal tru e for its re•esta blishinent; but his (Gen. Gascoy 's) words were to this effeet—that seeing all the consequences wh. eh re• stilted from she Slave 't rade, and the tiourishieg s'4ll of the colonies, and that no other method has ;reel found out fur bringing them into thak estate but the cultivation by Slaves, and that unsicy this system our navy and commerce had so flourished, be should rather than that our coloni: s should remaia uncultivated, wish the Slave Trade to be continued. Had t:.e Noble Lord beer. candid enough to have agreed to the produeh3n of evidence, he could not have denied this statement; but having rejetlell that evidence, which the Learucd Counsel had offered to produce to substantiate their allegation% nothing remained but matters of mare assertion and opinion. This was a question of great importance to the commercial interests of the couctry in ge neral, and to the town of Liverkpol in particular. The Ntible Lord . ad heat adverted to the evidanee which had been giver in the year 1792.witn reaped to enormities in this trade then es:stint! ; but what proof had he brought forward of any thin similar own 1 The Noble Lord had stated what had been the case twenty, and in same instances forty or 30 years ago. Std quoted them as eresent existing evils. He had stated many el those evils which formerly existed to the middle passage, before the tes.riclions and re gulatiuns of late yeats had been adopted. He had made an appeal pallaioos, whilst he excluded the evide n ce °felt fads. There was no one el ir would say that slavery was better than freedom; ac the same time looking at this subjed as a matter of policy, it was requisite to consider first of all what immediately related to ourselves, rather than slut respeated others. The Noble Lord hid even sp. p:ied the epithets n: .• rohbers, murderer , . Etc." and that not to the Traders alone,but also to the Colo nists. What did the Noble ord mean to represent them as so cruel that no justice was to be expelled from them Surely this wise &gross end an ill-icund ed charge! But this he would maintain, that never had a proceeding of seen magnitude been b ought into that House. wherein there had beet sees a want of justice and candour as to ref r le the produftion of evidence. The Noble Lord had J-- mended, who are the persons that would appear, but such as were rate:rested t Undotibtredl Wow persons would have appeared, who felt the •Aelves I Eel inju' ite et ttN ar Fa' , Lit et! aice and It 1 is at w as r b e vitt: 410 7 tie drs ea s y had ate the base for tig a i dei Part toil he. tti prl It er se slid. P' ta..; r 1 di It I tve .14 ten f. MU, 1 0 1 114 11 .3 tort Si dig lithte 4,$ gvtt tr. rr It 1 C. lll.{ k r. Ii rrinel I, C.'. Tne ' the this in the t ha me- me- This o des es et, LI [IA gilt t le 20. • this id, if low *