The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-03-17 00:00:00

•••.•IMII .... le, 1 d . (1 , , q , wt i A A • M t,. At : , 1!I 1 " • • 1 It 1 I!' \l\ I t ,! b 44: gla 1 t::e. tv..it 4 . 11 : I 'Lt. A ! , t• - ' 'lll* r‘st iAlt etc 1 to lilt Ath - - ed it . • •?, • twi me kir dy te- Of Ci ut ty nt to rk .fr 4 Negvnes, se that those npon hand bad been un doubtedly exceedingly well treated ; yet, neverthe- I-ss, they gradually decreased in number, although the proportion of females was great. He was far from disapproving of the enacting of proper laws relative to the condos& of Overseers of Slaves; for he was well aware, that civili zation did not diminish the number of crimes ; but, on the contrary, increased them. For instance, he believed that there were fewer crimes committed in the Island of Jamaica, in one month, than in Lon don and Westminster in one week. It was a mistaken notion to suppose, that the Slaves were unhappy in their situations, or that they did not re ceive money, as a reward for their labour. They aflually received money, and were enabled, upon many occasions, to purchase their freedom; but they, in general, preferred staying in a state davery ; or if they did purchase their free icon, they found themselves more miserable. had been said. that the discussion of this question ..euld cause a revolution in the Islands. The Ne :oes did not attend to discussions, or read aets of r-.liament ; these, therefore, he did not fear so much as the Ails of which they could feel or see the dials, as it were, negatively. Although he did not view the gloomy side of such questions all at once, yet be could not disregard the (minion that hod been gives in France as to the Rebellion in St. Domingo having been occasioned by the agitation of the sub jet% and the subsequent measures of that govern ment as to that Island. Another consideration with him was, that the idea nt compensation was entirely excluded from this Bill, so that it bad cot come in any shape regularly before the House. There was nothing a di.t.tl4l pledge to the Planters tliat any thing was to be given to them. A clause (ight chef rime to be introduced, stating in what cases compensation ought to be granted, and in what nut. kNi hen he began trade, he was con vinced, that if be had canvassed both Houses of Patliarnenti he would have been told by nine out of ten, that he might safely lead money to the West India Traders, owing to the encourage. ment held out by Parliament for individuals to enter into these speculations; and yet in the same Reign, he (wind Parliament ri tufting hum these solemn pledges. *I hat spirit of ad vulture and industry which has raised Great Bri• lain high above other Powers, and furni.hed every means to add to her reverie, was now to be effec- tually put a stop to. Our commercial charatler MUSE decay, if individuals could not rely upon the so:emit pledges and ails of oar legislature ; which, at one time, declared a trade to be consistent with bumai.ity and justice, and at another time enatled, that it was totally inconsistent with humanity, jus tice, and sound policy. He had little doubt tbat the measure proposed would fail of its desired obje.l, and would prove of injurious consequences to the Colonies. Sir PHILIP FRANCIS denied the charge brought against him by the lion. Gentleman, that the persons concerned is the Slave Trade were out of the protation of the law ; but he had declared that he would never bind himself to any pledge of compensation, for that no man who had engaged in that trade, which Parliament had declared to be contrary to justice l humanity, and sound policy, c:nald be so entitles/ ; and, of all others, he con sidered the Planters of Trinidad as haviaß the least claim, bee Luse, as the acquisition of that Island was comparatively recent, what they had done in the st,cking their plantations with African Slaves, was in the lace of the Resolution of the House of Cons nionsol t 792; at the same tame, he declared he would be as ready as any man to offer a remedy, where it lair state of disttesc could be made out. Mr. INT CLE FO declared birwetf decidedly in favour of the Abolition; be described the agony and despair of tile Slaves, arising from the barter in human flesh, and that it was brutalizing, stupily- Mg, and degrading to Lumen nature. He was not apprcherrivc that the consequences would follow which had been prophesied as likely to result from the Abolition of the Trade. The general •nd po pular feeling which prevailed against the Trade was not to be discouraged, for such strong and ge neral impressions were not to be considered as fal lacious. _ _ _ Mr. H. THORN TON said, it did not ap pear to him, that the Hon. Gentleman, who had spoken first•in the debate, bad entered much into the merits of the question. It was of little con. sequence what the opinion was of Muogo Park, or others although he recollraed Mr. Park; haying once stated to him, that on the question of justice and humanity, the Slave Trade would not bear an argument. He thought this measnre would open a wide door towards the civi lization of Attica, and promote the better treatment of the Isigroes in the West Indies, whilst it by no means invaded any of the just rights of the Colo- Lists. The system pursued towards the Slaves in the West Indies was severe ; obliged to work from before sun-rise till after sua-set ; working ender the whip, which was a praaice which had not pre vailed in times of ancient Slavery ; and women, even in a state of pregnancy, were not ex empted from work. A West India Slave could not be said to have any civil right; he had no property by law; could form no contraft ; and was liable to be sold on ace .iat of his :mister's debts, and to be torn from his wife and children, and disposed of to another master. He could give no testimony of injuries received, for his evidence could not be taken in a court of law. Upon these points, the friends of abolition did not argue upon thensy, but from historical facts. With reg.rd to the Africans, they bad not as yet enjoyed the fair chance of civilization, but he trusted this Bill would have a tendency to afford it to them ; for the Africans he considered as a race of men CA :sable of being elevated in the scale of human be .ngs, much higher than they ever had been. This measure would remove from Africa the great bar to civilisation, and at the same time much im prove the state of the Negroes in the West Indies. After stating the various pretences for making slaves, and the evils thereby perpetuated to that ill fated country, he declared, that he considered the sources from which this trade proceeded, and the mantle, in which it was condoaed, as constituting the charaaer of a crime, rather than a trade. It was nut sufficient that Parliament proteadi the liberties and persons of the people of this country, but they were bound t 9 take care, dam no injustice •• 4 ~ . • •• s I be done in a Trade carried on by any subjelfs of this kingdom, and to precept men from preying upon fellow nsen. Mr. fll.-R BERT thought this question aught to be considered, not merely upon the principles of theoretical justice, but that the quantum. of good and evil, upon the whole, ought to be taken into serious consideration. The present was not the moment when the country could afford to sus tain any serious diminution of its revenue, trs de, or resource.. ; nor would this measure abo lish the Slave Trade carried on in other countries. Even if a law should be passed by the American Legislature against the continuance of this trade, that would not abolish the traffic in that country. This measure would only tend to lower the price of the Slaves in the Colonies, and would enable other Powers to procure a greater number of -laves at a less expense; so that our rivals would thereby enjoy greater facility in bringing a greater number of slaves into their Colonies, and a greater quantity of land into cultivation. The West India Merchants and Planters, who were hest acquainted with their own interests, deprecated this measure. As it was understood that the Slave Trade was abolished, our rivals would be able to undersell us in the market. Mr. T PLONIF.R considered the present to be a dangerous time for making an experiment, which would endanger our revenue and commerce ; which would risk three millions of revenue, and 100 mil lions of capital, 100,000 tons of shipping, mid 17,000 sailors ; on these and other ACCOII:4S, he de clared that he should have preferred the men. su-e of suspension, to tile of the abolitien of the trade Mr. BARLOW denied the statement of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Thornton). that the labour of tile Negroes its the islands was more severe than that of the poor in other countries. He had Lirn self plantations in the West Itides, and when he had endeavnured to substitute task work for the accustomed labour, he found the Negroes preferred their usual mode of working, and would not endure the alteration. He alsn denied that the women w'-re e• .•• At hAttd 'Amur, when seven months gone with child.. The Negroes also were allowed to acquire and dispose of their property; and be thought it very unfair in the I lanotsmlde Gentleman and His Associates, to hold out that slass of people (the West India Planters) to the odium of that House, and of the country at large. Mr. H. THORN FON expleilied. Mr. W IMAM remarked, thot although the Overseers of plantations made use of the whip, that did not prove that the Negroes were treeterd with cruelty ; but, after all, it was not the intention of the House to abolish slavery, but the Slave Trade.— Therefore, when the Anti-abolitionists spoke of the mi-erabie condition of the slaves, they were arguing against themselves, inasmuch as it was no pert of the present Bill to abiliish slavery in the West In dies. Slavery WAS as ancient as the days of Homer, who said, 4. Take from a man his liberty, and you take from him his virtue." Still slavery was a de greeting situation for man, and it was to be wished that it could be abolished. Slavery, however, dif fered very much, as to degree, in different countries; and he could not but believe, upon the testimony adduced, that the authority exercised over the Ne groes iu the West Indies wits much less than in most other collieries where slavery existed at all. Mr. Windhem entatieued to anteneethes ~A it ibis nee sure were carried, slavery would continue in the West L.7l , j.eS; and that those advocates for the mea sure were not consistent with themselves, who argued from principles of stria right and justice in favour of tie present measure, and yet did not follow up their own principles, hi emancipating the present Slaves iris the Ws- t Indies. :after push ing this atiunientums ad 44minew to a considerable length, and with Isis accustomed acuteness, he proceeded to observe., that on such if ques tion, the (louse osselit .it to go upon abstract prin ciples of right, but upon the consideration of the consequences of the measure, and the possible ruin of the British Empire resulting from it. As to Africa, this measure would produce no ben.St to that country, sir there would be not less slavery after one abolishing the trade than before it ; in the West Indies it would tend to produce discontent among the Neerees ; to individuals it would be a great Ines and ifejustice, and would prove ruinous to numbers won hid a claim to the prut:aion of •his country. France and other rival nations would ?nest probably refuse to imitate our exempt , ' and would redouble this traffic to our ruin. Nor was this a time to yen- ture such an experiment. We were engaged in a dangerous war with a powerful enemy. Was it not also a time to 'ire mildly economical? Were they nor called to attend to " candle ends and cheese perings ?"'(A immgA). Ani, at'such a time, should Parliament think of throwing away such a resource as the West India Islands? Did they net see empire after empire tumeling like so many nine pins All around them ? He knew there were some of his Hon. Friends would tell him the present measure tended to security against such dangers. He wished it might, but he leafed it. If this qtresten was nue of feeling, merely, all their feelings must be alike ; bet he orprecAted thief feelings running away with their better judgment It was not true that Perliement was about aboi•sh ing, the Slave Trade ; they were only Aboli deng their share in it; and it was even doubotil, it, atter all, this measure would, in any degree, diminish the traffic in Slaves on the coast of Attica. He wished his forebodings and fears might ge oo farther ; but, at any rate, he most renounce the honour a-id glory of effeCtieg a measure which would be produaive, as sue.: gent:elik a etpaled, of such salutary ef fe fls ; at the son e. time, disclaiming any share in the pernicieus conic:pent:es, which, to his appre hension, swim touch more likely to accrue from its adoption. Mr. SHERIDAN sail, his Right Hon. Friend hid made a very eloquent, Icemen Aest (intended fur) a perSll4• iv? speech, but he bed spent an hour and a half in cleinsing a eager to consider (what nobody denied him) wise: might be the consequences of the Aholitian of the Slave Trade ; hut with re gard to the consequences themselves, he b.ie. stated them in a fete words, nor had he employed, as might have been expected, either Isis eloqrserice, his learning, or ingenuity, in proving that cline conse quences would ecru ally foliow. lie had endeavoured topromote edeerotidieg feeling AS to the lasses and re- • venue th e country ; had *ever heard his Right flo table Friend wing the s.sme language for merly ; but, on the contrary, when others had indulged in gloomy representatiors, he had in. sister! upon it, that this country was not even scratched by the war (A 14..0.1 I lis Right Ho noorahle Friend bad chosen the worst period to discharge bus conscience, by postponing the revela tion of his own smtiments, when it was impossible to serve the cause he meant to patronise. Whatever was contrary to justice and .kqimanity, by the eternal ordinance of Heaven, must he contrary to the dic tates of policy ; but if, by so doing, the interest of the planter was materially injured, the House had it in its power to grant him compensation ; and he, for one, should have no ohjeflion so to do, upon a case being fairly made out tisr relief. And he was the mire willing to agree to compensation, since Government had, for 150 years past, countenanced the Slave Tra,le. Lord CASTLEREAGH argued at cnnsidera- Isle length against the measure. He thought it would encourage the smuggling of Slaves into the Islands; but, at the same time, it would be much against the Planters, by being driven to that illicit trade, instead of bring authorised by Law. He contended, that it threw power into the hands of our enemies, while, at the same time, there was no Government in the world that was so likely to dcl liberally with that Trade as the Government ai eat Britain. The Noble Lord was proceeding great length, when the House became exceed ingly clamorous, cries of " Qftottoa Qat,- ' , oh." proceeded from all geartas, and he sat „town. Mr. WILBERFORCE summed up all the ar rtmems of (he evening. After some observations from Mr. WIND HAM, strangers were ordered to withd►aw, ip order that the House might divide ; but we under stord that the Bill Vida read A thus time and passed without a division. Tl-e other Oiders of the Day were dimmed of, and the House adintuned at TKO O'CLOCK. FOREIGN lAIALLIGE:VCE. GOTTEN MAILS. dent, mimed wit to tsrty Fur all ISfack It is sated . its condu when EXTRACtS FROM THE ALTONA PAPERS. SALTZBURG, rea. 10. The report which was circulated, that the For tress of Branau had been given up to the Austrian troops, proves destim:e of foundation. The French are still there, and the place has been again pro visioned for four months. DRPS3EN. ft.. 13. A strong troop of banditti, which iirtest the Goun tries of the Rhine, is again talked of ; the chief is one Ponsell, who formerly aded a distinguished part tinder the famous Schindrrhannes. It is said, that Ponsell has studied at one of Cie German UM vetsitiet. viewrzn, res. 14. The recruiting for this year will commence on the It L instant ; not more than tig,ooo men in the whole will be I.tueLl to till up the vacancies occa sioned by the solJters tvhose service expires next aping. II %NES Of Tilt DANUIt, FM 16. They write from Italy, that since the departure of Marshal Maifelld, G.aneral St. Cyr has taken the kommand of the troops in tate kingdom of Naples. MSNTZ, M. 21. All the letters received from the Th-stre of War agree in saying, that the battle of the 8:h February was most sanguinary ; the Russians fought with a &give of desperation. As they were cut off, it was feared they might make an attempt upon Praga and Wu saw, but it appears that the enemy's army effelled its retreat, by cutting its way through the corps of t' .e French army. It is said, that on several occaskns, the Emperor was exposed to the greatest dangers, and that he had a horse shot under him. Darius or THZ ELS!, MAUCH 1. The last battle, which was fought five miles from Koningsberg, was one of the mlst bbody in the annals of the present war. The number ot killed, on both sides, is estimated at 30,000 men. It ap• peen that a strong column of Russians, ..eho, after the affair of Mohrtngen, had ascended the Vistula. was cut off from the main body, and only effeaed a janai.m by very great efforts, and the loss of a con siJerable number of men, and smne artillery. If the French, who, it is said. made s:x unsuccessful at tacks on the centre of the. Russians, had su:ceesled in forcitr it, they would have become masters of Ko- Lingsberg, and ot the rich magstines which are there ; but since the 18th of February, that city has been tree from all apprehension of the attempts of the enemy; and, Recording to the nlost recent intelli gence, the Franch head-quarters have fallen back t Solstati. Amnrg the number of wounded in the French army are, Marshals Augereau And Lannes ; the former, it is said, will set out fur Fiance. The in sorresii,lnal army of Poland has to regret the loss of one of its bravest chiefs, General Kosinski, who had the rnisiortuue to be taken ptisDner by the Prus sians, who have, it is sail, also taken a French General Of f icer. The Prussian party which harasses the country trom Colberg to near Francfort on the Oder, greatly impedes the communications ; we are assured that lately it seized a considerable transport of money. It i s a l so cnnEtmed, that the French army, since the late affairs ut PrassiA, which all accounts agree in _ . vpresenting its cantonments. The. Letter. that of al ptepai Pun•! taken men EXTR, The Sea, bidden _ in consequence. here it of Potion ert the, ninon , to toffee' my Atly every , bristles, , the centre As Cent meadete Canal, %see re• orders to shut the pis:age of the Canal, the Minister+ et the (newt], powers reset:9r is tionpital &It isthramil of it by the present Oficial Nets. Gtvca on the Stn of the rour.th Zi ;ale, i s the y: et of thee Hegira 1221; .ra. 17th 1807. 00:etraterteOPte, 15. - The Manifesto or Declaration of War by the Pone against Russia, has been published here. It is datall Constantinople, the 25th of the month Chime', in the year of the Hegira 1221 ; (the sth Jan. 1807.) It states the various ails of Russia, inimical to tae seistire of Crimea and of Georgia; the condu3 of Ru.,ia with re7ard to the Seven Bloods, and the Province of Wallachia and Moldavia, the dispute `concerning the Mosopodites of which provinces, aoti the in.erference of Russia on the occasion, is made one of the principal grounds of complaint. Yet though the Porte, to preserve peace, consented to re• store th• Hospodars, the Russian troop; unexpefifedly entered the Ottoman territory ; and when the Porta applied to the Russi in Minister, resident at Con. stantinople, for an explanation of this conduit, it could obnin no other answer, but that he had re. ceived no instruftions from his Court on the subject. General Michelson, the Commander of the Russian troops, at the same time issued Proclamations cal. eslated to render disalrefted the Governors and Ma gist:ates of Romelia, to mislead the Mussulasen, and sow dissension in the states of the empire. • Russia having thus proceeded to open hostilities, the Sublime Porte has been obliged to declare war, as longer forbearance would only tend to increase the insolence and violence of Russia. YUMA. tea. 14. The Greek merchants here have circulated a vs. piety of advices, which they have received front Turkey ; as for example, that Gmitantin. been bombarded by the English Admiral I' that the Porte has, in consequence, thoppg, to adopt another system, &c. Thee reports, ever, are undeserviog the least credit. Acconling to accounts from Wallachia, of Itur,ians, which has passed the DAnut Wilitn, has joined the troops of Czemi The report tbat Paswan Oglou is confirmation. The harbour of Trieste is now blockaded English. Yesterday. the Prussian Envoy Finkerstein, received an ex:raardmary Memel. WAISA The first number of The Gas‘tte published, contains, in a Supplement nary, the following article: •• According to official accounts published on the evening of the 1 2th. the ever int of Rs M.jesty the Emperor and Kiog. on the Bth instant, near Eylau, a •iftury Russians, who were not only defeated, ► routed. Forty pieces clf cannon, IC About 12,000 rison^rs, are the result ►attle. io Willett the Rubsiatt army was ••• • h • • • presenting as extremely sanguinary, has resumed cantonments. ••1' • tiOTTIINDuaGft, MARCH 6. ~,• The French have invested Stralsund. MARCH 9. Letters received fr-ln Stralsund, yestenlis . state, t the Garrison is not under the least apprehensios any suJden attack from the French, but rathe • pared to act upon the offensive. Some French 1-boats which were laying at Barth, have bees i • en by the boats of the Garrison, and 19 French. •' n and 4 alicers made prisoners. • XTRACTS FROM THE HAVIBURGH CORREA- ' FONDENTEN. CONsTAttettloPLll, JAN. 24. rhe passage throng% the Canal into the Black , during the present time of war, has been for. den to Foreign Nations ; and the following Note, • cssisequessce, addressed to the Foreign Ministers e NOTE. A: in time of war between the SislaUtise Porte and flar:.a, of the greatest importance to eropli every k., of pee- inn against the deceptions and craft of the enemy ; to ea. he utmost activity in preventing the conveyance of a /novo- an to the different Rlnsian ports situate on the Black Soot affer no t)ttornan subje:t to go thitipo and to eat" tele eiler• • any written or vernal intelligence ; and teary to eat off y kind .f communication between the Ottoman States; Ae ;- lies, it would be very dangerous to suffer s:iirs t, sail from centre of the capital to the enemy ; since in time of war, point is one of the principal posts of the stAte: It •I t, that so long ass trot passage into airmail sea sisal be per. ed to the merchant skips olotiter powers. lb .11e dangers are 1 to be ay.oded, as the enemy may tamale shriter kW Mgt' and dieceit iiiiJor the number and ranety of forego imps all these leaven*, the Canal of the Black Sea must be &Ile a . 1 Ag the eont•nuance of the war, It n conceived that them .rat prohibition is not e.ntrary to the free navigation of the A Ste, some tine since granted I. wersairt friesety powers. i merely a war measure adopts: for the eteme^ a TO die- I I , dyp eirCumitanCes. The Souttme Poets it areetueed, *het :ondu .t will give no offence to the powers friemfy ti o it; es,, m the danger shall cease, after a var.., or even daring the , the free navigation of the said sea shall be reetered, is the C•marnandeee of the Imperial Fleet, as also the CORI. 0 icier, of the fortresses at the m out h o f t h e C ana l , have re. tantir. ple has ral Louis, and honght proper reports, hose- res. 18. • laehia, a corps Danube, near • • erni George. dead require Ickaded by the ':•:- • here, Count •y courier from AW, ►ae. 16. le of KVc►raw, ent Eztraordi. 4 ,üblished here, nvincible army Uog. obtained. 'dory over the 11, but entirely standards, and It of this great yes &most bow