The Sun. — London, England, 1807-02-06 00:00:00

hi them,- and from 'the happiness whiCif they, fellthe enjoYment of its blessings at home. .Eug-: lishmen then would surely note be backward in granting that .to others for which they themselves had often had most glorious struggles: • " Lord SIDMOUTH entered into a minute detail of the proceedings which had taken place in the, other House of Parliament, as well:as in this, .for the last twenty-two years, in order:to support'his • Consistency of charaaer, and to justify himself in a. difference of opinion with those whom he •respeaed , most as his "political and private friends. Reso lutions had passed the other House that duties should be charged on the importation of Slaves, and it was agreed that these duties should be after- Wards increased, so that it was - hoped that in Course of time the Planter would ameliorate the con dition of the Slave, the population would be increas- I, and the necessity 'of further importation would be superseded. This_ met with his entire concur rence; but this their Lordships had stopped in li n'ine. Parliament, however, had afterwards pre •setibed limits to this trade, and enacted that no new ships should be engaged in it, adding, that no new . Proprietor should take up any of the present ship- Ping. This had also his support. But, as lie most . e onscientiously . believed that a gradual emancipation would best tend to abolition, he felt himself bound thisppose- the irnmedia'te and sudden abolition o f trade. • Lord ROSSLY/V was- convinced that the imme diate abolition of this odious traffic would be attend ed With no' injuri o us eff e a s t o t h e colonies, to the '.Culture of which the negroes already imported were I k tlily competent, if properly treated. Such treat en, it Might be said, it was the obvious interest of the Planter to give tne negroes, and therefore it might be inferred that they experienced it already, and yet that importation became 'necessary to keep up the t U PPIY. This, however, he was prepared to contradiot. PA knew that planters and t heir agents were too much 1 p the habit of sacrificing their interest to their pas ',l•Ons, which they were not likely to controal, either PArum their own will or from the prescriptions 9f4he • ulonial- Legislatures, until by prohibiting - 'farther ;.._ll)nortation they . should be urged by the pressute, of B,ily 'to (to so. It was onlyfrom the, strongest rPulse of seif-interest—from the most cogent .per sion of necessity, that men .of such habits were 2, 4 1e e1y to adopt the pra6tice of humanity. WhWhenun rto procure any more Negroes, they would el the urgency of taking care of those they al e,cly had. 'With regard to the statement of the . "01710. Earl (Westmorland),as.to the various descrip !ion of persons who concurred i n a w i s h t o pro d uce ,he Abolition of this 'Trade, he thought that form -1 a forcible argument in favour of the measure be 'ore the House. For the concurrence of men of all l 'eliZiOns, of all poli t i ca l' part i es, an d even o f t h ose sh '. o professed no . religi on , in support o f this mea gre,re, served to sheW that to all who were susceptible °f a sentiment of humanity—who were capable of qi Seriminating between the beauty of virtue and - the deformity of %ice, this traffic was abhorrent. With Neh au uniinimity of sentiment—with such a corn bihation of powers, could that House, without .fix ing a stain upon its charaiter—without incurring uni 'ersal *odium, hesitate to accede to the Motion of his oble Friend ? Lord SIDMOUTH explainer!. Earl ST.' VINCENT depiecated the measure, 4 1 eh, if passed, would, he was satisfied, have the tii," of transferring British capital to other coun s which would not be 'disposed to aband on -e " a • produdive brabch of trade. As to the huinanity -- .s o much contended for, it would be well if hThle Lords refieded upon this question, wheth e r nlanity was consulted by the Abolition. If it ere, their arguments would be well founded. But, nin his own exper i enc e, he w a s ena bl e d t o s t a t e , tha t the West-India Islands formed Paradise itself, Co. the Negroes ; in comparison w ith thei r na tive Llui r y. K n o w i ng thi s, tv hi c h , upon clue i nqu i ry, l j Was in the power of any Noble Lord to ascertain, 'e was s ur p r i se d at th e propos i t i on b e f oret h e House; L considering the high chara&er and intelligence . the Noble Proposer, he declared that he could ;nattnt in no other way for his having brought,it :tward, but by supposing that sortie Obi,maii it ad 4 ',L a spell upon hi m . : af -- Qi'd KING argued forcibly in support of 'the; t . t .: inn, which, in his opi n i on ,. no thi ng b ut t h e .sa e„ii;ce of every generous and madly sentiment to 7 and low calculations of self-interest—nothing 6 d„ .. "' perversion of justice and humanitycould in :ri!'e any man to defend. And . with regard to the t ia nce which some persons professed to.place upon ,i i :,equity and f ee li ngs o f th e C o l on i a l L eg i s l atures , 11 Z °egged to know if a pe rv ersi o n o f j us ti ce an d hu ,,atlity were supported in that H ouse , w h a t was to bl: s leEted from less enlightened and liberal Assem- Lord NORtFIESIC detailed several instances of C an ton cruelty pra&ised upon the Negroes in the ia °lollies by their, m a sters, w h o were scarce ly oh e'et th e controul of any law vitith regard to their : 114 41. If humane_ treatment were praaised to; iTds th e Negroes; he was certain, from his know egel of the interior of the Colonies, that a sufficient ve r ,- 1 Y could be kept up for every purpose of culti he 1; 11 . ; and such treatment, the good effeds of which ' th e 6", witnessed in St. Christoper's and other of lik e i, °l ,nnies ; was not, he was very much afraid, ever foc"° become general, until the Planters were tide d from farther the; supplies. As to the assertion tei„, shat Noble E ar l (St. Vi ncen t), w ith resped to the po -sua l Comforts of the Slaves, he was rather dis 41.sed to t h ink that however long that Noble Lord t a i ght ha ve b een stationed in the West Indies, he_, low se en very littl e o f th e inte r i or of any of the Co= ` Zs, or he would not have 'made that assertion. L e O ,N ELDON spoke against the measure, which , 4 2nought went farther, and urged a procedure ice. precipitate, than even th e ad vo cat es for the Infic4ninn could, r equ i re , if t h e i r f ee li ngs were at a ll l ',enced by considerations of policy or justice to t: oar own Me rc h ants. Th e Ad pro hibi t i ng any „,. r e vessels from engaging or being built f or th e pur rur!e. of the Slave T ra d e , Would taturally tend to the Vnual abolition of that trade, which was as much as 4;sy. rational refleding advocate of the measure could 041. 11 c The consequence of a sudden abolition upon tu _ c . ol 9nies, upon the colonies of others, and upon : our uvtk.antile interest, ought to be seriously 'ufged:' t otlct t was contended 'that justice and humanity so . drawnl called for the Abolition, that no argument rtwo,froin any other source ()ught to he atterided to . u'd be well, however, before any deeision was . _ come to upon ti i's l inVittant meadire, alibentely to consider these questions ; first, whether the trade was contrarl tip i cite principles. of justice ancilthttnianity ? and, secondly, whether it world be conformable to those principles to 'abolish it, while it was continued by 'other nations ? rt was admitted on all sides that the treatment which the negroes experienced from Bri tish dealers was humanity: itself compared to, that which they met from those of other nations concerned in the traffic. Of-course, shouldwe withdraw from the trade, while other nations pursue it, humanity would be outraged, becduse the fate of the Negroes'would be aggravated. The Noble Lord concluded with an exhortation to the House, if the Abolition were de termined on, at least to take care that the property of those who have so long, upon the faith of Parlia ment, been engaged in this traffic, should not suffer. The Bishop of DURHAM considered the African Slave Trade contrary to huin s anity, to religion, and justice, and against the principles of all sound po licy. He, therefore, most strenuously supported the measure of abolition. The_ Earl of 11101 RA, in a very eloquent, but temperate speech, took a general view of the sub jeet he thought that the evidence upon the table. of the House must be sufficient to convince their Lordships of the necessity of abolishing this sangui nary Trade. If Noble Lords were not satisfied with this evidence, he referred to Holy Writ ; he referred them to that great work of our forefathers (the Old Testament), and that great Commentator upon that work,whose maxim was, « Do unto others as you wolild they should do unto you." Lord fbiIViiESBURY adthittecl that the Slave_ Trade' was a ,great political evil, and that it , was de sirable to put an. end to it ; but considering that slavery, had been permitted under the Jewish Dis pensation—that there was :no express prohibition. of it in the Christianthat it was a condition of .mari kind which many great and wise men in all ages had satiaicined, he was not prepared to say that to allow Slavery was a crime. Nevertheless, combining Slavery and a Slave Trade, he thought that it was matter of regret the latter had ever existed, and that it Was desirable- to abolish it. The question was, however, whether it could - be abolished by the pro, posed measure, and whether the consequences would 'be benefiCial to the Nations of Africa ? 'He con tended that the SlaVe Trade in Africa had subsisted before EUropeans had entered upon the Trade, . and he doubted whether their withdrawing ft:om it would put an end to the evil, or tend's() much as was ar gued to the internal peace and iMproveMent of Af r i-: 'ca. He denied, however, that our withdrawing from it would abolish the Trade ; and if it _ only shifted bands, the change would be to the disadvantae°e of the Negroes, and of the cause of HUmanity. The French would, in all probability, resort to it—the Spaniards would encourage it—and the Portuguese and other nations would carry . it on—and probably British capital would embark in it. He bad always thought that the most effeaual.rneans of abolishing the Trade would be by regulations and duties, amounting ultimately to a prohibition. Upon the whole, he contended that the present measure would only transfer the African Trade to others, to the -great disadvantage of this Nation, and the loss of the West India Planters. To compa& among the different Powers to abolish the traffic would be the most effedual remedy ; but if we began the thing in this manner, all argument to induce other Powers to enter into a compaet was removed. Lord HOLLAND, in a very able and ani mated speech, supported the Abolition. He said that the arguments of Lord Eldon respeaing the opinions of former Statesmen , and Legislators, Lord Somers, Mr. Locke, &c. would, in their application, pot a stop to all improvement. But could it be supposed that so great and 'wise a man as Mr. Locke, after reading the evidence which lay on the table respeaing the Slave Trade, would give it .his sanction ? The evil was now ex posed, and could not be defended.. As well might we be told- that the reformation was unnecessary, as it might be said, could a Reverend Prelate be more wise than Sir T. More, or more learned than Erasmus ? It was in vain, therefore, to say, that the. Slave Trade 'was justified by the au thority of those whose attention had never, been . called to its enormity. .The Christian religion. had tended to abolish'slavery in Europe, and its principle equally led us to abolish the detestable traffic in hu- Man beings on the Coast of Africa. He contended, an the authority of Mr. Park, that the demand for Slaves tended to ,perpetuate wars in the interior of Africa, and maintained that if the market were taken away the. horrors Which led to its supply would 'cease. He insisted that if the trade were abolished the stock of 'Negroes in the West Indies would be kept up by Vie ordinary Means of increase, which . could not be the case. while the trade tontinued, and interest of the .Planters found its account in a different system.. He maintained that it was possible to believe that the state of a negro in the 'West Indies was such as -to lead him tia prefer it even to slavery in Africa, and it was absurd to think so,' considering the new kind of labour to which he was condemn;d, when he had never been acenS tomed to such habits, and when he must be torn from his country and connexions. lie was convinced too, that, far from weakening, the mea sure would tend to the security of our Islands, and he spewed, from the instance of Barbadoes, and that in the cases where the importation of Negroes was the least, the proportion of Whites to Blacks was great- est. He concluded with a pathetic allusion to the sentiments of Mr. Fox on this Aubjea. Mr. Fox had often told him that the two objects nearest his heart Were, the Restoration of .Peace and the Aboh qiori of the Slave Trade, and when, by the shuffling of the French Government he anticipated disap pointment in the fermer, he consoled himself with the hop . e that the latter might .be obtained. . His Lordship.then mentioned with approbation the exer tion of other§ in this cause, and particularly of Mr.. Wilberforce, whom though he was hardly acquainted; with him, he should always consider, notwithstand ing any past or any future differences of opinion on other points, as an honour to his country and to lin, man nature, on account of the zealous, able, and persevering . efforts he had made fur .the abolition of this odious traffic. • , . . i • . — The House then divided, and there were; For the Second-Reading of the . nai 72—Proxies 28-100.----Against it' 2—Proxies 8-36.--' , . Majority . 64..--;-=Adjourned at rive o'Clock.. EFor,tl3 Proceedings in the Rouse ofCounitons i sce our last Page.] of • A fultrza—T nublin, .t Waterford.. Duz—.3 Gatenbiegli, ; Lisbon; ► Dublin, t Waterford.. - PRICE OF STOCKS . THIS DAY A i TWELVE O'CLOCK. , Consols - 61 a 6z I Reduced Ann. - 621 a THE SUN. SOLILNI QUIS FA;6I/M ALIDiAT ? L 0 iV D 0 N, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6,. 1807. WE still have to lament the want of Official In telligence from the Continent; reports, however, continue to reach this Country from different-quar ters, of the successes of the Russians over the French ; and though they do not come in such au thentic shapes as would justify us in giving implicit credit to them, yet as they all agree in stating the defeat of the French, we cannot but•believe that they have some foundation. We know, from indisputable authority, that the French have used every possible exertion to send every man they could spare from the conquered countries into Poland, and the very pressing manner in which-theSe orders were issued, convince us that the French, Army had been diminished very considerably, either Gy the sword or disease,-or pro 'bably both. SINCE writing the above, we learn that a Gen tleman who arrived in town. this morning from the Continent, states, that before he sailed it was confidently reported that the Russians had taken .Warsaw, and that the French had re treated to Posen. It was also rumoured that some Serious disturbances had .broken out is France, in consequence of the reluaance of the Conscripts to march. We give this report merely as it reached us, without pledging ourselves for its authenticity; as Government had received no such Intelligence When this Paper was put to Press. YESTERDAY a very long and animated Debate took place in the House of Lords upon the subje& of the Slave Trade ; and it is with the Most sincere plealture we state that the Motion of Lord GREN VILLE was carried by a most triumphant Majority, • the number being for it 100, against it 30. , Mr. PERCIVAL'S Motion on Wednesday night, for the produ&ion of the Order of Council of the 7th of ihnuary, was combated by the Most incentro 7 vertible reasoning. This proceeding, which must be • chara6terized as a party measure, appears to have been considered only as an instrument of opposition and vehicle of hostility to Government. Every ar gument, however, which ingenuity and subtlety could devise, received the most satisfaEtory and deci sive refutation. The' obje& of the Motion Was to provoke a Debate on subjeEts, for, the intro •duaion of which the , Order of Council would' have furnished a pretext, and which would ne, cessarily involve the consideration of topics, the disclosure or discussion of which at the Present mo ment is forbidden by policy and good faith. Such motions, ,and the discussions which they would natu rally occasion, would tend. to .supersede the func tions of the EXecutive Government, and to with held from Ministers that degree of Confidence which is requisite for the due adthinistration of the public affairs. It, would neither be wise nor prudent to enter into details, where the propriety and expedi endy.of a Measure arise out of a variety of 'conside rations , connected with our relations with other Countries, particularly while Treaties may be de , pending . with Foreign Powers, and the disclosure. of which might enable the Enemy to defeat the means' by which it is proposed to, frustrate his system of hostility. , With respect to the Order of Council itself, the ADVOCATE GENERAL ani madverted on the imprudence of wishing to agitate, publicly and . prematurely, a measure of war, intrusted to the discretion of Ministers, sub je&' indeed to the revision of Parliament, but in the present instance untried, and 'liable to be affeeted in its execution by developing the views with which it had been adopted. In arguing on the probable efficacy of this'measure, occasioned by the 'absurd Decree of the French Ruler; declaring the' Ilritish Isles in a state of Blockade, it should be premised that though-. our full right of retaliation' 'could not be denied if Neutrals should submit to . . the projeEt contrived by the Enemy for the put., pose of distressing us,, yet it would -become a great and magnanimous Nation to • display for-' .bearance in the trwlfcation of its , power, and to prefer mild and moderate'measures at first, if they .presented any . prospe& of Success, rather than to press and crush unoffending Merchants by the aaaal execution of severities to the utmost extent of 'the Enemy's menace. A total prohibition of all com merce in the produce, of the Enemy would be at tended with the most distressing consequence to the , Powers, which remain notrall and, with some mis chief to this Country. If the trade of Neutrals with' the Continent was stopped; this Country must be totally debarred from all access to the Continental Market. If Neutrals are deprived of the Continental Market . for their Colonial Pioduae, they will not hove the 'means of purchasing 'foth 'this Country. Commerce of Neutrals .*ith our Enemies is 'also •necesSary to us in order to furnish a supply of 'dime. -rials - for :our manufaetures, among which the silk of Italy-and: the wool of Spain may be particularly in= sfanced. .Neutrals, hoWever, should be wholli influenced completely intimidated by the Ene my, the Government may ' then - resort to The utmost severity of restrielion. .The ProhibitioU oC the Trade. between the different Ports subjea to the Enemy, is a measure of retaliation whi c h wilt beiseverely felt by the Enemy, with the. least poS sible annoyance to Neutrals, who' are not concerti ed in thin Trade in time of Peace. The Commerce . • from Pert to Port in a line of Coast extending from ,theEibe to_ Venice, with the exception of Por tugal,' -cannot: be carried on by small - craft, creep:- hag ' along shore under the proteftion of Bat teries, The application of our Maritime supc riOrity. to the' prevention of this Trade, which is. of. vital importance 'to France, ,must produce the greatest effea on so vast an extent of Coast, at a time when our Cruiiers are so 'numerous on every station that no Vessel can quit a, Port of tlie Enemy to ith out a risk of capture.- A-measure so well calculated for the annoyance of, the Enemy, without subjed ing Neutral Nations to distress, will confirm tha character for moderation and- forbearance by; which this Country has long been distinguished. Ministers haVe fully established their claim to this public confidence; in their discretion and judgment and the highest applause is due,-to their firmness in resisting the further agitation of a q ue 4fic;n, Which, froin considerations of prudence , and policy, and from peculiar circumstances in relation to Foreign Powers; Would not admit an unreserved diEcussion. Yesterday, at noon, his Royiil Hithness thi PRINCE of WALES Set ,Off for Windsor, wlit're had a long private interview with the LING 3 after vihich he dined with Their MAJESTIES fUld PRIN CESSES, and passed the evening and -night in the Castle. - ' Hi MAJESTY, with that liberal spirit which hai uniforinly inarked,ins revered chara6ter, haS ordercd a magnificent' service of china, which is intended as a present to the PRI/TCESS. of WALES. Mr.,SAWIIRIDGE, is chosen Member for Canter bury, without opposition. Yesterday the dispatches for the several Presi dencies in India, China, and St. Helena, were finally closed at the East India House, .and deliVerecl to the Pursers of the undermentioned Ships, viz: • - , Admiral Gardner, Capt. W. J.. EASTFIELD ; CaS tleEden; . CaPt. R. COLNETTMadras.and Bengal. Scaleby Castle, -Captain J. Locrt ; Nottingham, Capt. W. CAMPBELL; True Briton; Capt. W. S. CLARKE ; Britannia, Capt: J. BIRCH-Bombay and China: Duke of Monirose, Capt. J. PATERioN—Se. He lena and Bengal. Alfred, Capt. G. WELSTEAD-St: Helena, Ben coolen, and China. MIDDLESEX MEETING.,-*-:•A considerable number of persons' in :he interest of Sir FaA:..zbis BURDETT, stating themselves to be Freeholders of Middlesex;' yesterday dined at the Crown'tmd Anchor Tavern. Sir FRAN&Ii? BURDETT was in the Chair. Several toasts were given of such an Offensive kind'aS might' be expeded at such a Meeting. The Baronet, whose party•.spirit, to give it the mildest name, appearS to be incurable, and which indeed is of such a violent nature as nothing but ruin could subdue or soften, made a furious attack upon the, new financial sys , tem, which has fflorded• 'so much satisfa6tion to the people in general, for a reason not very pleasing to factious zealots, namely; because it will mortify and confoUnd BotcAPAa'rE, in sheaving how absurd and hopeless is his attempt to exhaust us ma ki ng wa r against our national resources. Mr. Parim., whose private enmity seems to be quite up; on a level with the Baronet's party spirit, burst out' into the most vehement abuse .. of Marquis WELL . E.:; LEY, as inconsistent with • decency as with Tiber - alit] and justice, in the present- state of the Case, and the place in which - the subject was introduced. After such festivity as would be supposed to attend'a meet ing on stielt . principlCs, and with such feelings, the company separated before i t o'clock. PLYMOUTH, FEB. 4.—Arrived the Zcasta Fript6 from 'a Cruize to - the Westward, and the Narcisthi from Portsmouth. ' Sailed the Plzcenix Frigate from a Cruiz# to the Westwaid. - Arrived the Mary Cutter, laden with spirits, from Guernsey, detained by the Awethysi Frigate. PORTSMOUTH, F EB. . s.—Arrii7ed the ./titicore Sloop of:War, Capt. BURN; from Guernsey, and tha Daring Guti-vessel, HA'YES., from a Cinize ; also the AL7ive, BEAzE&, froth Guernsey. DEAL, FEB. b.—Sailed His Majesty's Ships Arrow and Piercer for Sheerness. Came doiArn frbm Sheerness His -Majesty's Ship &lathy, Capt BaorltEy i and remains in the DOWlii with the rest of His Majesty's ShipS as per last. HAawaitt, FEZ. 5.--The Auckland Packet, Capt. HAmmoNn, and the Beaufoy, Capt. Norms, sailed this morning, the former for Heligoland,: with the Hnsurn Mail, and the latter with the Mail for Got tenburg There tire no arrival; whatever from the Continent. CORN ENCHANGE, FEB. 6. —There are scarce any frelh arrivals of Wheat to-day, and not much at band ; very few Sales are made, and those nearly at our last quotation ; the quantities of Barley hero are• large, \i,ith several more• arrivals—this article scarcely keeps its - price ; Malt, likewise Beans of each kind are very heavy sale; Oats are in very large supply, and this article.is, rather lower, excepting prime samples; Mot- is dull of sale, the tine:t Atnericm 4h2s. per Barrel.