The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-04-21 00:00:00

. nd discretion. apply themselves to the deliberate consideration of I the communications made to them, with a view to corret what. er may be amiss, and to supply what may be wanting tcwatits ewe improving the condition and promoting the civilization of the aloe, population. •• 'That those independe^t Colonial Legislatures, upon which. for a hog period, has practically rested issbjeet to the sanction of the Cam la Council) the right of municipal and internal regulation, wtll, however, claim that themselves, from the local experience and ifnandiste knowledge of all that is passing around them. can belt judge of the tittest time and manner of introditerng any chintzes in thew law and practice, and will plead that while they feel the re. spoasibillty of their situation, they cannot consistently be required to do what they conscientnusiy consider as dangerous to the tran. 4 oinks and prosperity of the Colonies over which they preside. '' That your petitioners have embarked their property in Colonial reearitira. greatly induced thereto, by their confluence in the ex portent:la and practical knowledge of the Colonial Legislatures. and in two advantage of having the laws and internal regulations of tf‘e Celestes framed by those most competent to adapt them to Mielimmediate character, habits, and intelligence. of the various claws which compose their population ; that if the slaves be fatnehl to look for their protection and government to any other authority than that of the Kirg and the legislative or other local power, which they have been long accustomed to respect and obey, the tranquillity of the Colonies, and consequently the security of ptoperty thereto, will be greatly endangered. " That your petitioners would therefore regard an interference by the Imperial Parliament with the established jurisdiction of love Legislatures, as a removal of one of the securities of property i tented in the Colonies, and they know that the bare stiggestinn of such interference has contributed to the discredit which already attaches to West India securities. ** That the conduct of the Colonial Legislatures respecting the Registry Laws, together with their zealous reception and liberal support of the echelons establ is hments with whlth they have been favoured, prove the good-will of the Colonists, and theirinclina tion to arquiese in those views of the Patent Legislature, which ..re directed to objects of unquestionable utility, provided they be secured against attacks upon their constitutional privileges. and those rights of property which have been established under titles and sat , ctiona as valid as the law could give them. That your petitioners feel themselves authorised to declare that tie opinions which, in 11123, were expressedlo his Mejesty'sMinis ten by several possessors of colonial property resident in this coun. try, and which have often, in discussion upon this subject, been referred to, were directed solely towards measures of amelioration, and did neither contemplate any compulsory emancipation of the slaves. nor any COMIIMIII spot, die independence of the Colonial Lesishoures. . . . . . 7 That Great Britain, if she have the will, may doubtless im pose upon het Colonies a constraint which they cannot resist; and it is equally true that precipitate acts of point might produce ruinous extremities which the mother country did not contemplate, arid which she might in vain attempt to remedy. But the atttibute of the British Legislature is Justice, end to that your petitioners will make their appeal. Confident in their undeviating attachment in his Majesty's person and Government, and conscious of no crime by which their title to protection is totfeit«l„ they do respectfully Lit firmly prefer their claim to full indernnEication for all injury which constraint and force may inflict upon that property, which, whatever may have been the circuttistonccs of its original sequisi. bon. is held, as it now stands, under the solemn guarantee of llrnish laws. That your petitioners cannot conclude without noticing that tnany of the petitions to your Honourable House. which ask Its inm-terence with the Colonial Legislatures, there is a prayer, that Sri respect to the West India Colonies the mother country will de part from that established policy, by which the produce of capital sad industry, which is purely and intimately British, and situated in parts of the empire whose commerce the mother country strictly (-Intro's, has a protection afforded to it in the home consumption ever that which is foreign or brought from appendages of the em pire not so controlled, and less identified with the resources and in terests of the mother country. " That this prayer, if traced to its source, would, as your ppd. tioners believe, be found to originate in interests of commercial Ilrelry, since it is at variance with a spirit of humanity towards the alive, whose well-being cannot possibly be promoted by any pro ceeding which tends to impoverish his master. " Upon the grounds which your petitioners have now stated, they humbly pray, " That your Honourable House will, by a legislative declaration, Of by such other means as to your wisdom shall appear mast cape. • diem, restore to the property of your petitioners, and of other British subjects connected with the West India Colonic*, that ere •dit and confidence which is ever due to property protected by Bri tish laws ; and also that your Honouralde House will forbear to 'adopt towards the local Legislatures in the West India Colonies, *any r easurea which may be at variance with the rights of iutemal legislation which they have so long exercised." 1 1 1 T. W. SMITH said that he agreed in every measure which had been adopted by his Majesty's Uovernment. The Hon. 'Gentleman quoted a statement trom the planters of Antigua, which - had been laid before the Privy Council ; which went to prose that the slaves on that island were much improved by the system of eieneliorw.ion which had been adopted ; that they went regularly on 'Sundays to Blethtdut Meetings ; and that they were much better used than heretofore. Mr. WAR RE said, that the enressonable language which had been used by the abolitionists in this country had necessarily caused Unreasonable conduct upon the pert of the 'oltmies. The course pursued by the abolitionists tended to retard the atiainnient of their ohject. What, he would ask the House, could the West India planters think of the pamphlet of Mr. Stephen. who was a Muter in C.hancery, lending his pen and the influence of his name to a work which denounced any person connected with slaves—what could they think, when they beheld him dragging into the argu ment matters which had nothing to do with it, for the sake of ex. coing Feelings of indignation against the slave.owners ? v You 1.1,e." said Mr. Stephen, ‘• been Jealous in the cause of the lireeite—you have been strenuous in the cause' of the Spaniards__ h..ve, then, can you be insentible to the sufferings of the unfortu. rate African? Yet the Greeks were not driven with tan-whips. sod in the Colonies there sere many petty tyrants whose yoke was more intolerable than that of Ferditand." Was there any occasion for 'tech a needless and uemovoked attack--an attack calculated to retsed the emancipation of the slave, and uuwortity of the pen front which it issued. (Hear, hear.) Again, he wished to repeat that' lie was a friend to the melioration of the condition of the slave; he approved of every step which had been adopted by 31inisters, and would always vote for any practicable measure: but he felt bound to deprecate such language. wherever it proceeded from, but more partieularly when it proceeded from such high autheiriiy. Mr. LUSHINGTON said he regretted having to address the House upon a discussion accidentally arising out of the presenting of a petition. but he could not bring himself to remain silent when the great question of West India Slavery was the subject of debate. 'l'„0 lion. Member had stated that there were exaggerations on both sides, and that persons at this side of the .ltiantic were in a laver, owing to the representations evlindi hail been made to them of vie exaggerated cruelties suffered by the slave population in the West Indies. He (Mr. Lushingtoi.) was anxious to know what thos• exaggerations were ? He wished to know to shunt those ex. aggerations were to he attributed ? Rut the fact was, and he was prepared to maintain it, thst there were no exaggerations on the part or those who pleaded in behalf of the sieve. (Hear, hear.) }.eery day's experience proved the tact, and the returns from the Cidenial authorities themselves proved that those representations 11.1 not even come up to the bare truth. He would ask the lion. Member for Rochester (Mr. lkrnal) to pernse those documents, and he would sian be convinced, tor it was shown upon the very Ise.: of those documents, that no exaggeration had taken place. (hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Wane) had Chosen to select from a pamphlet, containing IMO pages, a single sentence to mark with reprobation, forgetting all the provocation which the author had received ; forgetting all the libels in the Colo nies which held him op to the reprobation of all ado had an interest in opposing the abolition of the slaves. (Hear, hear.) He would have found. hail lie read the remainder of the pamphlet, the most penouive arguments to the adoption of moderate memuses that had ever hued from the press. (Hear, hear.) He was sorry to have troubled the House with his observations, hut he could not liatri to curb imputations without lifting his voice in rtfutation of them. (Cheers.) Mr. BERNAL contended that there were the most palpable exaggentioos. It had been warned Mat there were no anieliera. lion, in the condition of the slues, and in support of this u. section the continuance of the practice of branding was alleged. The fact was, however, that when slaves first were imported they were Wended, but since the population had become "Creole." that was to say, native* of the Island, the practice had been discon tinued. It was wholly abandoned, and yet the slave owners were stigmatised because the practice was still ascribed to them. (Hear, hear.) When such charges , as these were made he trusted that the lion and Learned fhntlenrian would admit that they were exagge rattans and tuilostried accusations. (Hear) He would pledge himself to meet the Hon. and Le:ailed Gentleman upon the subject if he would bring it berme the House, and to prove to him teat there were exaggerations in other shapes which u was difficult to defend, because a tale was easily got up, but not so easily refuted when the distance from which the refutation was to be procured was not less than 4.000 miles. A ►IE3IBER from under the gallery said that property in the West lolies was dep►eciated, in consequenco of they exaggerations, teen ettent which no person could conceive who Rad not been con nected with the Colonies. Mr. MANNINO made some observations which were Inaudible in th. gallery ; but we understood him to appeal to the Hon. the Urder Secretary for the Colonial Department, whether there bad not been the grossest exaggerations of the aullivings of the slave population cf the Colonic.. Mr. SYKES said that the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Kerns!) was himaclf an instance of how far a person may be carried in his seal, rst.en he said that it was no longer the practice to brand the Dreo:e shirrs. Ile happened to have in his pocket the Jamaica Given", from which it appeared that the practice was just as c oo p,' sn as it ever had been. (Hear, hear.) The Hon. (lende r.% I here r.n.l several advertisements fur Creole dives w h o h a d descried, aid all of whom had brand marks on various parts of titer bodies He thougst the lion. blember fur Taunton (Mr. arre) hart not cued fairly in selectiog a solitary pi:awe frau a pamphlet;wholr but ptill he felt glad that he had quoted it at all, as it 4-itght be the means of introducing that little wink to the at tenunn of the Goose. --- - Mr. CA NSING rase for the purpose of requesting his Flan. Friend behind him (Mr. W. Horton) not to answer the appeal tibia had been made to him. ( Ilea, hear.) The practice would be most ineonreniem if gentlemen in office were to be called upon to row and bear testimony to any tower 'loch might ante the course of a dismay°. (lieu, btu.) He thought be was doing a service to the House when he requested that his lion. Friend would not answer the appeal which had been made to tun. Mr. T. WILSON called the attention of the House to the peti tion against slavery in the West India Colonies, which had been got up in London, and which had been signed by nn leas titan 70,000 individuals. The means by which that petition had been got up were disgraceful to the cause which it professed to . The town was placarded with bills, at the head of which was the representation of a negro in chains, and similar bills were repotted at every house where the petition lay for aignature. This was a species of acting upon the feelings, which was moat unjustifiable. The Antis Slavery Society had taken the most unfair means to attain their object, but of all others none was so culpable as that of insinuating that His SliPesty'sGovernment required that support which they could only have from theexpression of the feeling of the whole country as to the necessity of abolishing slavery in the West Indies. Another species of argument was also resorted to, which was that the pro tecting duties on West India sugar should be abolished ; but that surety was a false principle, because it would be equalizing the en cnuragement which our own Colonies would receive with that of the Spanish Colonies, whereas the former were ameliorating the con dition of their slaves, while the latter kept up the slave trade in its fullest force. Such arguments were calculated to mislead. and were extremely discreditable to the Anti. Slavery Society. With respeet to what was contained in the body of those petitions, as to, the granting indemnity and not interfering with private property, he should say that investigation as to the value of property, and the extent of indemnity ought to take place before the measures prayed for were adopted. If left to a subsequent period, those matters might not be so easily ore. satisfactorily ascertained. They should also inquire what had been the consequence of slave emancipation in St. Domingo. Could the population there he induced to cultivate sugar ? No; and such also might be the result of inadvertent measures with regard to the other islands. Mr. EVANS was of opinion, that they ought not to place a heavier duty on sugar which was the result of free labour, than on that which was grown by the labour of the slave. r. W. 5311T11 rose amid loud cries of '* Question." He was anslous, he said, that the House should hear what he was then about to say, as it might save much of their time afterwards. The Honourable Gentleman near him (Mr. Bernal) had asserted that the people on this side of the water were ignorant of what was go ing on at the other side of the Atlantic; and that the branding of negroes was an old story, long since exploded. He held in his hand, however, the supplement to the Royal Gazette of the Ifitii February, 1826, in which was a list of apprehended deserters. The Honourable Gentleman then read a list of Creole deserters who had been taken, and all of whom were branded, although it wee no less than nineteen years since any of them had been imported. If he lived in Jamaica he would much rather risk the loss of his negro, than shosit the feelings of people in this country by such advertise ments as those he had just read. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BERNAL said, that his lion.'Friend (31r. Evans) had takes up a Gazette which had the names of several slaves who were branded. lie (Mr. Bernal) wished to repeat what he had formerly stated. There were some few instances of slaves being treated in tne manner alluded to, but those slaves who might be found branded were of the worst description, and by their bad conduct had become inmates of the workhouse ; in such places slaves might be found with those marks. lie highly condemned such marks being made on any slaves, and could assure the House the practice was getting into disuse. When the negro population of Jamaica (which consisted of 300,000 slaves) was considered, and the few instances of slaves being branded was taken into account, it would be clear that the practice was not carried to any extent, and wu not of' he quent occurrence. Sir. R. ELLIS said, there were instances of several slaves being branded. He would only instance the case of a master who was prosecuted for having inflicted such a punishment on a slave. After a few words from Mr. BUTTERWORTH the petition was ordered to be printed. ALIEN REGISTRATION ACT. Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that when the Alien Act was passed, in the year 11)24, a hope was expressed by the Secretary of State, in which he himself concurred, that the Act might be dispensed with, and that the power of cotnpelling foreigners to quit this country might be removed front the laws of England. The period would soon arrive at which the Alien Act which was now in force would expire. That Act would cease to be in force in November next, and he was now happy to say that it was in his power to fulfil the expectations which were then entertained. (Cheers.) In proposing the present measure, he would only require the registration of such foreigners as visited this country ; but he would not subject them to any other regulations for their removal from this country than natural-born subjects were liable to. (('heers,) No one felt greater satisfactionithan he did, in bringing forward a measure which would procure such security for foreigners who might come into this country. There were no instances of an abuse of the power which Was vested in the Government by the Alien Act ; but he did not consider the absence of abuse, under such circumstances, a reason far continuing the Act. When his predecessor held the situation I which he (Mr. Secretary Peel) then held, no abuse had been made of the power given by the Alien Act. As for himself, he knew but I of one instance of an individual being removed from this country under the authority of that Act; and that instance had no connexion I whatever with any political feeling. The person in question had threatened to offer injury to the Ambassador of his country, and his violent conduct gave reason to suppose that he would carry his thre.as into execution ; he had, in consequence, ordered ~is removal from this country, and his conduct had been approved of by the Privy Council. He had used every exertion that foreigners should not be incommoded by the operation of the Act. The Act which he would now propose would not be of a temporary nature. It was so framed as to compel foreigners to make a true and faithful decla. ration of their names and professions, and to state where they should reside, and also to give intimation of any change of residence they might make, so that the Secretary of State might know their place Indwelling, should any circumstance occur which might require his knowledge of ti tat circumstance. There were now residing in this country (said the Right lion. Gent.) 20,800 persons, who had been compelled by intestinal war, and other misfortunes, to seek an asylum in England. That asylum they had found ; and he be lieved there were none, whatever might be their party, who had not felt for these individuals the greatest interest and sympathy. (Hear. hear.) Were they to take any improper advantage of die confidence row placed in them, it would be a bad return for the shelter which had been altiaded them. He could not, however, think they writ Id abuse this new power with which they were intrusted ; but Wet any period they did, he should feel it his duty, without hesitation, to come down to Parliament tor the purpose of asking it to restore the system which had been in force for so many years. This was the way in which he should act, if experience showed that it was neer,- easy ; but he could not help trusting that no such necessity would ever exist. The Right Ilun. Gentleman concluded by moving, that leave be given to brio; in a Bill to provide for the registration of aliens. Lord ALT HORP seconded (as we understood) the motion ; but the Noble Lord spoke in so low a tone of voice that scarcely a word of what be uttered was audible in the gallery. fur. HOBHOUSE was sure the measure of the Right Hon. Gentleman would entail the lasting gratitude, not only of the indi viduals to be benefited, but of the whole of Knrope. He did not wish to say so in an offensive sense. but though he gave them every possible credit, it appeared to hint Government was hardly aware of tile good it was now effecting. He could assure the House the Alien Act was considered abroad as ore of those acts by which Great Britain had connected herself with the Holy Alliance. Ile would appeal to any one at ell acquainted with the feeling of foreigners on this question, and ask them if what he had stated was not the indisputable fart. He was highly gratified that they were to return to that policy which had made this rstion for so many years the chief protector of distress and the uphrlder of liberty all over the world. The necessity to return to the objectionable measures which hail been referred to he was sure would not occur: he was sure the Right Hon. Gentleman would not find that lie had made his ap. peal in vain. There was one observatien made by the Hight Hon. Gentleman, to which, perhaps, some slight objection at - ached : he had spoken of the privilege to be given to aliens as new ; but it must be recollected that the reverse of this was the ease; that, in fact, they were only new to those who were now to enjoy them. In reference to the measure proposed by the Right lion. Gentleman, he must say that he feared not in what terms he could record, or how he could adequately express his gratitude to his Alajesty's Government. Air R. WILSON said the confidence placed in aliens by this concession of privileges would doubtless he entertained as it de. served. He thought there was nut the slightest reason for appre hending that It would be abused. The Right Hon. Secretory had front his (Sir l(. Wilson's) . personal knowledge always shown him self most anxious to do Justice to aliens: he had always evinced the greatest respect fur the tights of individuals. There was one point he wished to notice. In times of political trouble individuals were often obliged to seek refuge in this country under false names. Ha apprehend therefore. that there would be so me difficulty is the arangetr.ent prupoad by the Right Hon. ficntlemma, and he et,uld not cot:cur with it tattle 'this diffinalty were in some way or other obviated. Mr. Secretory PEEL spoke in so low a toned voice that be was scarcely to be heard. We understood him to say that the names would he received conSdentially, but it wu consistent with every principle of policy that they should be required. There might be times when they might wish to know the number of Aliens in thb country, and the places of their sbode. Some reference had been made to his calling these privileges new ones t but when it was recollected that since the last war broke out in 1793, they had been suspended, lie thought he might be excused having described them as he had. in answer to s question from Mr. R. SMITH, Air. Secretary PEEL, as we understood him, replied that there would be no public exposure of the names. Mr. DENMAN said the aliens had never abused the power con fided to them; in support of this assertion them was the experience of at least a eertury. When people were treated like British sub. jeets they would deserve to betwite such (hear); hut until they were, it could not be reasonably expected that they would feel themselves bound by any or these obligations which would, under different circumstances, iiithienee them. One of the great sylvan rages that would result trout tha Bill about to be introduced was, that it would get rid of many absurdities now in existence, though they had latterly bacorie little more than nominal. One of these was, that an alien was tit be tried by • jury, consisting half of British subjects and Italia his own countrymen. Now, he would contend that there was limit all alien who would not prefer being tried by • Jury entirely composed of British subjects. There might have been some who insisted on being tried ili the manlier he re ferred to ; but he believed viich individuals were generally guilty men, who hoped to derive advantage from the difficulty experienced in procurii - q a jury an am,titutrd. lie highly epproved of the present measure, and consaleirti it brought about by the improved circumstances, the increased prosperity and intelligence of the people. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. THE BRITISH PRESS. COLONIAL SLAVERY. W. SMITH rose to move a Resolution regarding the slave population in the colonies of Demerara and Berbice. This was a subject most interesting, fertile, and important. Masters of negroes seemed to imagine they had the same sort of property in these human beings as they had in chattels ; but this he denied. It was in fart a monstrous proposition. As a proof of the feeling exist. log. he nerd only remind the House of a trial which took place in Berbice, during which the Attorney-General of the island observed he was shocked to hear language used on that occasion expressive of an opinion, that there was no more harm in killing a negro than a dog. This information was derived from despatches which had been forwarded by Governor Edwards. They heard a great deal about the sacrifices of property which would attend an alteration of the existing system, but those who embark property in such sorts of traffic had no right to a return. As a profit o( the refractory spirit existing in the Dutch Colonies, it was known that in May, 1823. certain orders were sent out by Earl Bathurst. which were de. laved being carried into effect, nearly three years, for they were only now beginning to reap any advantage from them. These kind of statements were sufficient evidences of the spirit which pee. railed in thosequarters. The insurrection, at Demerara, had been before discussed in that House, and in a manner that would not soon lie forgotten. The trial of an individual there (Mr. Smith), —perhaps it would be more faithfully designated it he called it murder—and all the circumstances connected with that disgraceful transaction. yet remained fresh in the memory of thousands in that country. Ile hoped these facts would long continue unforgottel. These insurrections hid been attributed to the influence of the Mae sionaries; but when they considered the disposition before referrd to. were they not more likely whim originated in another quarter) As a proof of what had been the sufferings; of the negroes, he ' would refer the House to a n in s urrection which took place in De in the year 1709. He would not take up their time by en tering into a detail of the facts: in tact it was unnecessary; for I it was well known that there were at that period cruelties and ex- ecutions, such as were enough to make the blood of the English man run told, and the Wood of the negro boil. He had denied that the missionaries in any way contributed to these insurrections; hr would now go further than this: What did they? When the insurrection took place at Demerara, to which he had just referred, I the negroes were guilty of excessive cruelties ; they murdered numbera of the whites, burnt houses, and committed every other description of outrage. Now at that period there were no Missionaries in Demerara. What occurred during the recent insurrection at the same place, during a period when these Missionaries. to whom wereattributed the disturbances which had taken place, were there ? Why, on this occasion there was one white man who lest his life. As a proof the manner in which justice was distributed, he would refer the House to the Report of Demerara and Berbice. They would there find that only one planter was brought to justice, and he was fined hot not giving a proper quantity of food to one of his slaves. The number of suffering negroes, however, was sufficiently numerous. He would ask what was the natural inference from this ? One of I the great sources of the dissensions ofthe Colonies was derived from the power the managers had over the women. There was a state ment in the same Report of a man named Felix, who complained that the manager was continually taking away his wife. '1 he wo man hail a child by him ; after which the tyranny of the manager became unbearable. The manager imposed some severe duty on Felix, which he refused to perform. A representation was now made to the Fiscal of the manager's conduct. The result of this was, that Felix was punished for the non-performance of his duty, while the manager (who was charged also with exercising his authority over other women) was only " severely reprimanded," with flee addition of a recommendation being forwarded to his employer, Dr. Brewer, recommending his discharge. He contended. front the experience which was derived of the man ner in which the islands were managed whoa left to their own dis cretion, that nothing but the superintending eye of England would provide an adequate improvement is the condition of the slaves He thought that application might be made to the case under con sideration of the enmmon rule of ph.lonophy, which said that where there was an adequate cause for an effect, it was futile to require any additional reasons. The insurrection which had taken place among the slaves in theta est Indies, was attributed to the proceed. ingot which were instituted in that House for their relief; but the proprietors in the islands had themselses given sufficient proem lion, and had no occasion to go beyond their own precincts fur suf ficient cause. lie believed that it was the intention of the Govern. ment that the chief guardian of the slaves should not be an owner ; and of that intention he approved. The only objection he enter tained on the subject was, that the provision of security did not extend far enough. He knew very well that in the colony of Deme rara an esprit du corps prevailed among the presiding authorities, which prevented the beneficial operation of laws intended for the advantage of the Colony. They were afraid of deciding on the cases which came before them with impartiality, lest they might them 'wive be subject to a similar process, and in turn suffer the inflic tion of penalties tor misconduct. But the Burgher-Captains, to whom complaints oldie improper treatment of slaves were retened, besides the cause which be had just stated as a prevention of re dress, were also affected by an ignorance of the laws, which induced them to be more cautious of committing themselves, were they so disposed, in favour of the poor slaves, and thereby encountering the hostility of their powerful masters. He did not, however, impute the ignorance of the laws to the Burgher-Captains as a grievous censure, for he was well aware that the Dutch code, on which those laws were founded, was composed of most subtle principles and nice distinctions. The Burgher-Captains, the.eore, might very fairly be excused for not understanding the laws by which they were compelled to decide on the complaints submitted to them. They were not deemed fit for administering justice among the whites, and, as that was the case, they se'- •oi to him to be still less adapted to adjudicate in the complaints t f bl ,, •lts, because the pre judices of the owners were to be regardet . therefore was fully convinced that all the subordinate officers who were appointed for the protection of slaves should, to secure impartiality, be placed under the same restrictions as were to operate on the Chief Guar. diens. The meaner the instruments. the greater was the danger of their acting incorrectly. He accordingly found that numerous complaints had been preferred without effect. lie would now ad vert to what he considered a singular fact, and which had been mentioned to him since he entered the House. The singularity to which he alluded was, that while the people of England were accus• ing the Roman Catholics of principles and practices which did not accord with enlarged and liberal ideas, yet it would be found that in all the Spanish Colonies the conduct pursued towards the slaves was much preferable to that which prevailed in the British West In dies. The acts which Mr. Smith had been so reprehended for st Demerara, v - ere those which had been prescribed as the duty of the priests in tne Spanish Colonies. They were particularly directed to go and inquire of the slaves what was the nature of the treatment which they experienced from their musters, in order that redress might be given in necessary cases. Since the days of Columbus, the conduct of the Spaniards had been considered in this country of an obnoxious character, yet it would nos be found that they fur nished an example which was extremely laudable, and ought to be followed. The last regulation which they had adopted in that re spect was dated so lately as the year 17119, when that duty of in specting the condition of the slaves was not merely recommended, but rendered imperative. At that very period those persons who endeavoured to recommend the abolition of slavery were looked at as fanatics ; but since that time opinions were beginning to change, and this country thought itself obliged to send over an Order in Council for the alleviation of the state of the alum That Order in Council. however, it may he said, was derived from the ex amples which the Spaniard* had given. An improvement was daily gaining ground in public opinion in this respect ; and he was confident that the time was not far distant whn great sorrow would he expressed that similar measures to these recommended by the advocates of the slaves, had not sooner been adopted. It an- a!ieged that the slaves were not in a condition for immediate emancipation. Ile agreed in ..he necessity fur proceed. ing gradually with the measure. but it should not be altogether abandoned, and every exertion should in the wan time be used to prepare the slaves for the proper enjoyment of the change. But if they were actually, as they were milled, the greatest brutes in ex istence, still they were not worse than what the conduct of their meatus made them. He was speaking of the colonial proprietors, of those who possessed the power of civilizing them. and ytt what, he would ask, ditl they do to humanize them ? They had done nothing to that purpose, but everything to reduce them to that de gree of lcwest degradation, which was uow objected as a reason for refusing them the rights of humanity. He liked to refer to the authority of Bryan Edwards. By him it was mentioned over and over again, that" in his time the examples set by the Colonists were sect', that St was no wonder that the slaves were what they were." But the principle of preparing the dues fur the enjoy ment of a better condition was not novel, however obsolete in practice. In the year Ililifi a law was passed in Jamaica for building churches aid promoting the education of the slaves ; but little regard was exhibited subsequently to the amelioration of their physical or moral condititti. The feeling evinced towards the slaves reminded hint of an anecdote related of Frederick King of Prussia, who was more famous as a warrior thou as a moralist. A aoldigr was brought before hint antler a charge of immorality ; the Ring asked the accuser if thy man was a brave soldier, and the re ply being in the affirmative, his Majesty said, what have I to do with his amours ? Such was the principle which dictated the prac tise of the Colonists. Provided the slaves worked well, they cared for nothing else. As long as the work was satisfactorily executed, no regard was paid to their morals. It was, however, unfair and unjust to hlwne the wretched slaves for conducting themselves in a manner which was the necessary result of the mode of treatment exercised towards them. If a different course had been adopted. the slave population of the West India Colonies would present at this time a thirteens aupearance front that ascribed to diem. They would, if properly treated, he cheerful, healthy, and moral. The heaviest charge which he could lay against those who opposed the contem. plated improvement Was, that they did not look to the signs of the times. They were preserving an old and obsolete view of the ques. don, and not allowing sufficiently for the progress of public opi nion. Forty years ago it was just as much a crime as at the pre sent period, to prat-dee what had been sluice proscribed by legisla tive enactments. Great and 1111111:1111C Cfrollt4 11{11.1 been made in the interval to extinguish the traffic in Shiers, but the principle which forbad that infamous trade was planted in the breast of man ante reelently to the existence of statutes in any land. Every man who looked into a book of morality must know that he had only a qua lified right to the labour of slaves. Tnat was a sentiment planted by nature in the mind of man, and nothing but the p e n a l t i es de pended on the statute of the ItOth of Geo. iii. There wale only one point more to which he would direct the attention of the House. Ile and those gentlemen who were affected by similar feelings on the subject, had *nil over and over again that the preparation of sugar was the severest labour to which slaves were subjected, and the assertion was easily proved by the effects which were caused by that species of labour. A napes had been laid on the table of that noose. which referred to the island of Anguilla. That Report stated that tne pound of that island was poor, that the management was bad, and that the slaves who resided there received but little clothing and victuals t and to sum op all, the•reporter added, that it was impossible to find a system more ruinous to muter and slave than that which prevailed there. Now if the font Colonies were tolbe considered, in which the greatest quantities of sugar was produced, it would be found that where the quantity was an average of eight hundred pounds weight to a MIN there wan a proportionate decrease in the popu lation. In others, where the average was only five hundred and (Our hundred, it Woutd be seen that there was a small increase. But in the poor little island of Anguilla, which was in contrast to the rich Colonies, the quantity of sugar for each man was small, and not more then 21101 b. but there, under all the disadvantages to Which he had alluded, the population was In a greater increase' than in any other of the Colonies. Ile did not mean to throw odium in what he had said on any persons, but he conceived it re quisite that the system acted on towards the slaves should be cor rected. He thanked the House for its patience, and proposed a re solution to the following effect r—That from official documents before the House, and other authentic information, viz. gazettes. it appeared that notwithstanding the protection given by the Fiscal and Chief Justice at Demerara and Barbiee to the alaves, yet that the slave did not derive the benefit intended ; and the House therefore, however it feels gratified at the imperative Orders in Council sent out to the Colonies, is of opinion that hower strict the laws may be on the subject, yet that they cannot be productive of good, unless the persons who are appointed as subordinate officers to carry them into execution, shall be precluded from the possession of slaves for public or domestic purposes. He was aware that his Majesty's Ministers would answer that the Chief Justice was circtintacribed in the manner be bad stated, but that was not sufficient for the purpose. The Resolution having been put, .51r. W. MORTON said that as the greater part of the Hon. Member's speech was so little in keeping with the tenor of the resolution which he had submitted to the House, he (Alr. W. Hor ton) felt at a loss whether to address himself to the speech or to the resolution. But when the Honourable Gentleman asserted that the evils remained in the Colonies, he admitted that it was im. ' possible to procure a speedy reformation, for at the present time in Demerara, the system for which the honourable Gentleman con tended was taking effect ; and in Berbice it was on the eve of being introduced. It was perfectly true that the superintending eye of this ! country, which he &aired, was inspecting the interests of the I slaves in those Colonies. A superintendent had been appointed for the purpose, and he should read a copy of the instructions sent out for his direction. The Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to read from the document, which was of considerable length. It imposed on him, as protector of the slaves, the necessity of wait ing on the slaves, and inquiring into any complaints winch they had to prelet ; and that lie should of course apply to the local government in cases which reTtired its interposition, and that he should not fail to report any detect of difficulty which might occur in his superintendence or survey ; but that in so doing he should use great discretion, so as to impress on the slaves t• "'Mapco sible necessity of being subservient to the correct omits ids of their masters, and that he was to explain to then) t it the t were not to expect that he should prosecute every frivolous barg which they might be inclined to prefer against the proprte...s. He ( Sir. W. Horton) said that he was justified in asserting, that the protection claimed by the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. W. Smith) was given to the slaves. The system which that Honourable Gentleman desired to have exercised cur the benefit of the slaves was then in actual operation at Den) and on the eve of being introduced into Berbice. He thought it would be much better that the system should be allowed to proceed until it had a fair trial. The continual introduction of the subject to the notice of I the House appeared to him to be imprudent. as it created a fer ment in those places where excitement should be allayed, and not promoted. He deprecated the mode which had been adopted in this respect, for if there was any cause of specific charge, it ought to be made the subject of a distinct proceeding, and not to be brought forward in such an incidental way as had been adopted on the present anti other occasions, where the topic was altogether foreign Ron) what could have been expected from the nature of the notice. The Honourable Gentleman had insisted on the ne cessity which existed for preventing all the subordinate officers in the Colonies from being in possession of slaves. He ( Mr. W. Horton) saw no objection to the application of the principle to the Chief Justice and theAttorney-General. Butwhen the system was re. duced to the subordinate departnients,he thought it would be produc tive of injury to make the possessor of slaves appear a mark of degra. dation. Ile was the last person that would interfere with the property of individuals, and would be sorry that the mortgagees should be in. jured by any proceedings adopted by the House. It was acknow. lodged, by the enactments of the year l82:1, that the planters pos nested a property in the labour of the slaves, and that it should not be trespassed on. But that was a point foreign from the present question, and he should therefore quit it. The Hon. Gentleman said that the Colonies of Demerara and Berbice had signalised themselves by resistance to the Orders in Council. He could assert, however, that the Orders in Council had been well received in those islands, and that they had taken example by what had beer, prac tised in Trinidad. But (said the Honourable Gentleman) delay was necessary in order to see the result of the experiment, and how far the operation of the Dutch law in Trinidad would apply beneficially to the French customs of the Island of St. Lucie. He felt great difficulty in adverting to what had been advanced about the origin of the insurrection at Demerara, which had been ascribed to the conduct of the Colonists, while he recollected, in the discus sions which ensued on the subject at the time, it was attributed to a different source. On that point he thought the authority of Sir Benjamin Dunbar might be quoted. The Hon. Gentleman then read a letter from Sir Benjamin, in which he ststs , l that the slaves rose for the purpose of obtaining their rights. wf ich 'ley supposed had been granted to them by the English Parl emen ; but at the period of writing the letter they had been u.s...used of their error and had returned to their - duty. That letter was a proof that the insurrection was not provoked by these local causes to which the Honourable Member imputed its existence. ! The House was rather unlucky in not having before it the explana. tiun of the Fiscal of Berbice, which he (Mr. W. Morton) hoped :o have an oppmtunity of laying on the table. The statements of the Fiscal, as they now appeared, were disgraceful to that officer, and most unaatisfactery to the House. He concurred with the lion. Member in the propriety of not entering into the details of that statement. There was one case on which the Hon. Gentleman seemed today peculiar stress, but in that particular instance it ap peared that the slave, Felix, had neglected his work, and fearing punishment tor this neglect, had gone the next day to the Fiscal. On this case it clearly appeared that there was not sufficient expla nation before the House to bring lion. Members to the decision of the question whether justice had been done to the parties. lion. Members were aware, however, that the Government was pledged that whatever misconduct had taken place it should not occur again. All parties, he believed, were agreed that nothing was more likely to produce good effects than that practical kind of legislation which had been resorted to, The Hon. Member had stated that there was a peculiar mortality amongst the slaves employed in the culti vation of sugar in the Island of Anguilla. This was no argument against the employment of slaves, Tor every one was aware, that in all countries there were some employnients more injurious than others to the health of man. In this country, for instance, there were the collieries, where those employed were subject to fire damp, and the mortality was infinitely greater than in other em ployments. This argument, he repeated, proved nothing against slavery. The Hon. :Member had called upon him (Mr. W. Hor ton) in a manner which required a few observations in reply. The Honourable Gentleman said, that petitions were laid upon the table, tilled with accounts of the uniform ill.treatment of the slaves, and the cruelty of their masters, and he called opal' him (31r. W. Horton). to say whether ,he information which he derived from his official 'situation confirmed or contradicted the 'statements made io those petitions. In reply to this call lie (Mr. Horton) would say, that he believed cruelty was perpetrated occasionally ; indeed there was r o country free from occasional acts of oppression ; and it could not be expected that the only exception should be found in coun tries where the relation of master and slave existed. (Hear.) lint win's: lie stared his opinion on this point, he had no hesitation in adding, that nutty of the an. .menus laid before the House on this subject were greatly exaggv.ated, mind in some instances, altoge ther unfounded. But I ,iis did not bear in any degree on the ques tion of slavery, which must be considered on its own merits. It was unfair, however, thus to press opinions which could not be maintained, for the purpose of working upon Government to go beyond the Resolutions of Parliants nt. By these tesolutionis (So. vernment was bound ; and if anyttnng was done contrary to their spirit, Gentleman had a right to come down to that House and complain of the cooduct of Government ; but if the Resolutions were carried into effect, there was no just ground for complaint. (Hear. hear.) He was unwilling to oppose the Honourable Member's motion, because he concurred in a part of the Re solution ; but he would submit to the Honourable Gentleman the propriety of nut pressing his motion. Many of the proposi tions now recommended had been brought into effect, or were ac tually about to be brought into effect. lie could not go the whole length of the lion. Gentleman's (Mr. Smith's) proposition, that persona in authority should lie debarred from possessing any pro perty in dues; he thought there ought to be sonic limitation to auch a proposition, and that subordinate persons should not be en tirely excluded from having any property in slaves. Not beir,g able to give his assent to ail the lion. Gentleman's propositions, for the reasons already stated, he should take the liberty of moving the previous question. Mr. C. If. ELLIS defended the conduct of the IVest India planters, who were aware, lie said, that they were subject to the control of •Parliament if they negl cted to treat their slaves with lenity and Ihumanity. The possession of pitmen) , in slaves, how. ever, was sanctioned with every sanction the law could afihed. Par liament therefore had no right to destroy that property without atihrtling the holders of it a fair and adequate compensation. Ile (31r. R. Ellis) concurred with the Right Hon. Secretary for Fo reign Affairs (Mr. Canning) that the slave owners had no right to demand compensation for any measures tnr the improvement of the condition of their slaves, but that when the measures of Patfiament injured their property, they had a eight to compensation. (Hear.) The Colonist may perhaps entertain unreasonable apprehensions on this point, but it was a matter (Whole surprise that they were anxious for the assurance that if their apprehensions were well founded they would Ito indemnified. There could be no harm in such an Assurance. If the apprehensions of the Colonists were ill founded, nothing would be lost, and if they were well founded, it would only be granting to the Colonists that which was unqueistionahly their right. His (Mr. Ellis) opinion was that the treatment of the slaves in the Colonies was generally humane and kind. He did not mean to say that there were not occasional instances of cruelty. which scented inevitable in such a state of society. These occasional Instances, however,• threw an odium over the whole body of the Colonists. He believed that body was much calumniated. Whilst be Rusted this opinion, he was as anxious as any Hon. Member that every offence should meet with its due punislimert, and that every caution should be taken to prevent the recurrence of atroci. I ties. But it was impossible to read the complaint made bef Fiscal of Berbice without disgust and horror. Before any fers wu drawn from the contents of the Fiscal's Report, it "was sary, however, to consider what proportion of the complant mecca, well founded, and how the o ff enders 'were punished. l ie w oe Ellis) had made an analysis of the Flours Report, d arl that out of forty-three cases occurring in about thirteen 1 1,. ofnd b t e h in e g o w th el er l fo ei ood gh od t 7m bo p t ls o i f tit; n we e r on e twenty-seven were judged altogether unfounded. ler fife months , pe wro ar n an g, ce a ing sixteen cases, in eight the parties were judg e d to be all Ctst had ibi the - d t y"„ as certained that 200 were unfounded; and of the rtntainin g 123, • ;,; instances both parties were were wrong, and the reniaini :Ifi were well founded. This number had been mad .. to five y in that it appeared About fourteen well-founded compl a i nt . m ade in a year. From thratatements made by Sir B. ditiurban w :G,te nor of Demerara,vit appeared that 18 complainta were mad met e months, of which numb er 16 were un f oun d e d , and :1 well founded - Yet Sir 11. d'Urban was known to b e we ll di spose d to afford sub... mini protection to the alive population under his Government. information would enable the House to come to somethi ng a just concl us i on . I n many i nstances the subject was try li ke roost unfairly. There was a pamphlet puhrehed composed of tracts front the Report of th e Fiscal of Beehive. and calculatednto. convey an idea that the statements in that Report contained a no. representation o f t h e state o f t h e s l ave population in the Colont;.' Nothing could be more un j ust t h an t h e inference drawn in that pamphlet that redress was never given to the slaves when is ey complained against their masters or managers, but if that limn. atinn was correct, the planter', ought not to be held responsible for the mal.adminlatration of justice. (Hear hear.) lie Mr. Ellis) did not himself' coincide with the justice of many duief oo , stated in the Fiscal's Report. lie thought Government shoakt take care to provide persons to administer justice in the abaa: who amid be depended upon. H e was glad therefore to heas th: the gentlemen who went to ac t as protectors wer e to perform that t duty without any other avocations. He was also pleased to that those persons were to have no connexion with the Coloni c , and he hop d they wou ld b e equally unconrected with t h e Anti. Slavery Society. He wished to see gentlemen of legal esperi ente and high character entrusted with the administration of justice la the Colonies, because the judgments of stint permits would be re. specter,, and wool) have the effect of silencing caviller.. H e theught there ought to be some reform in the Ctilonial Courts of Chancery, in which the Governor*, who were often military non, sat as Judges. Considering the importanc e of those Courts, he thought it desirable that professional men should preside in them or at leaat that they should be present to assist the Judges, H e would be glad of any alteration which made it unnecessary for the planters to perform duties where their motives and conduct were viewed with distrust. in conclusion, the Ilort. Gentleman ex. pressed his dissent to the resolutions, and voted for the amendment. Mr. R. MARTIN declared that no motive would induce him to oppose the motion of his Hon. Friend (Mr. W. Smith), if s e could possibly persuade himself that it was calculated to effect any Roo) ; but convin c ed a s h e was t h at the cause which hi s 31 a j esty ' s Government was now pursuing with respect to the Colonies was the only one capable of producing any permanent benefit to the slave population, he would recommend it to his Hon. Friend to withdraw his Resolution, and leave the matter in the hands of his Alajesty's Ministers. whose conduct had sufficiently evinced their sincerity in the effort, they were making to ameliorate the condo. two of the West India negro. If his Hon. Friend were even to succeed In carrying the Resolution through the House, he (Mr. t ; R. 31.) did not think it would accomplish the pod intended by it; on the contrary, he felt it would only be the protraction of those evils which it was the object of every man to see removed. The very agitation of the question, and the pressing the motion to a division—let the result of that division be what it might would, he in his conscience believed, tend more to encourage the refractory Assemblages in the Colonies than any other step that could be taken: he therefore again entreated his Hon. Friend not to parse. vere in his motion. Mr. DENMAN did not mean to occupy the House any length of time; but he could not retrain, aft er t h e o b servat i ons that had been m ade on the other (fillitleterial) side of the House, declaring his opinion that the motion of his Honourable Friend was one its every way deserving of the immediate attention of Parliament. ore did he think that the reason which had just been given by the Hon. Gentleman who had last spoken would induce his )fun. Friend to withdraw it. lie could not, conceiving that the carrying of this questiosi would induce the Colonial Legislatures to evince a firmer determination of resistance to the recommendations of. Government, or that they could be in a better condition to do so than they were at present. With regard to the terms of the motion he did cot think there could be the least objection. Not one observation had fallen from the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. It. Ellis) which could be considered as a reason why this motion should not be adopted. On the contrary, it was exactly in conformity with the resolutions already putted by Parliament expressive el ; the necessity of the amelioration of the condition of the slave, and of the necessity of more decisive measures to be taken m I the part of the Colonists than they had at present, and there'll ' question was, in what terms that could best be done, and in what language conveyed, so as to make the colonial legislatures feel that unless they proceeded to do something, tire Imperial Parliament would not be deterred teem carrying the necessary reformations into effect and that speedily, R ith respect to the pamphlet on which the Hon. Member (Mr. R. Ellis) had corn ' mended in no very favourable terms, he (Mr. Denman) would say that there never was a document laid before the public, more entitled to respect and confidence then that pamphlet. There was no fact mated but what wu horns out by authority, and for which that authority was vouched. However strong, therefore, the observations might be that I were made upon those facts, the source from whence they were taken was mentioned, to which the reader might re ler, and form Iris own opinion. It was impossible for any style of argument to be more fair and candid than was pursued in that pamphlet, where the authority was always placed by the side of the facts. It was therefore only justice to claim for it the fullest degree of confidence, accompanied as it was with documents and proofs, to substantiate all the statements it contained. With re gard to the animadversions which had been made as to the right of one pet of individuals over the lives and liberties of another, he would not now reply to. Whatever that right originally night he, it was not meant to be contended that the Colonists ought to he deprived of a property which had been sanctioned by the laws. The resolution of this House passed in 1823 recognised the right of the planters to compensation, in case their property in slaves should be destroyed. But though that right was adnotted, yet it was equally necessary that Parliament should ascertain eh.: in truth was the situation of die Colonies ; and when they found them in the most unsettled state, overwhelmed with diver. tent, what cause was it possible to assign for all this, but that right which was claimed and exercised there by one set of human I beings over the per.ons and lives of thousands of others. The ad. vocates of the abolition of slavery were constantly challenged to produce facts to justify their denunciations of the system owned towards the slaves ; but no sooner were facts produced than their opponents turned round. and declared that they were immaterial to the question, and that however such instances of cruelty might have formally occurred, nothing of the kind existed now. The pre. I sent tense scented to be entirely struck out of the verb in the gram ; mar of planters.; and now the lion. Gentleman (Mr. R. Ellis) ' wished to strike out the future as well as the present, and only to ler ve the so much forgotten past. The Honourable and beamed llerttleman then proceeded to recount the various instances of recent acts of arbitrary power exercised by the muter over the slaves, as set forth in the different reports laid before Parliament, and twrtt cularly dwelt upon the cruelty of branding with a red hot iron for desertion, and other offences less critnival, which he designami as acts of wanton cruelty, anti yet they were not made illegal. Mr. C. R. ELLIS—Yes, yes. It falls under the Act against cruelty. Mr. DENMAN—But that a wanton infliction of cruelty might take place through the medium of the branding mark could not be denied. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman, in conclusion, Sakai what possible objection could be made to the present motion ? persona ; only stated that there had been at all times some official death. appointed for the protection of saves, and yet they were !*alEr_ . I quate to that purpose. Was that a fact or not ? Did not the p a pers which had been laid beture the House disclose as mot h? ‘ l l . it possible, then, that anymrgument could be more legitimate th an that adduced by his Bottourable Friend (Mr. J. Smith) name ly, that all persons appointed to such situations should be rn ,m, capable of pt•ssessing any property in slavrs ? every m ew l capable of feeling or of thinking correctly, the instan were of cruelty recorded in the papers before the House very moderate to excite the most pintail emotions; and !le e moderate tone in which the lion. Gentleman (Mr. L s poke • of' those thit gs, was a striking instance of the e ffect which a tam. _ liaritv with scenes to app a lli ng p ro d uce d on minds otheew . lge r_ ceptible of the best iinpreentons. The motion did noth i ng than waist the House and country had been doing for sev eral )'c a ts " past ; that it nought was to prevent those persons who we re er _ i ap pointed to offices in the Colonies from being interested n.thon thera perty of slaves; and yet this was construed into an attack Government. Mr. W. HORTON wished to put the lion . and Lea rned uniGen tleman right as to what he (Mr. Horton) had amid. The "4 tied which he had urged went to his--that as all that was reromln e e n e, ote by the motion bad been done by the Government, it was t b unnecessary to enter into the discussion of the subject. I Mr. DENMAN had certainly not understeet t h a t so hare been r into the case. It' indeed it were 5.0, it was not necessary to ente r this discussion, and they had been occupied for two hours hear, and a laugh) to no purpose. But if Government h ad .be : fit to adopt this course, he thought there could be no i f !en 10 its being made a resolution of this House. Ile there ed Ministers would not oppose the motion ; to vote for it cou ld which any disgrace to them, as It o n ly we nt to support that t hey had already acted upon; where a s, if It were to be rejected, would expose Parliament to much misconstruction. Mn, C. R. ELLIS explained. The expression he harfuora when remarking upon the case s rep or ted in she papers before the Roast was, that he had not been able to read them without tee! ngs of horror and disgust. The expression that they were oot coes nt ;" 0 whic with his feeling, applied to the sentence of the officer, and ,:h he the nature of the complaint s . Th e c a se of Branding, to , had referred, was ohs whe re co nv i c ti o n and punishment . hod lowed, and not that to whi c h th e lion, and Learned Membe r ( ca r ' Denman) hail alluded. where Mr. DEN)! A N said the case of branding was also one followed con viction hind emoted. It was where that conviction had oot ir e accidental detection by means of a person looking t tins he window, and witnessing the cruelty of the master upon " male slave. Mr. W. II()RTON explained. Mr. A. BARIN(i said the simple q uestion for the !louse to consider was. whether the Executive 14overnment was the Von department fur manogiog the Colonies or not. uctioubte(lly,