The Sun. — London, England, 1807-02-24 00:00:00

_ inland Duties s; which was agreed to, and a Bill or- 1 attention to certain fads contained in the Accounts tiered accordingly. . upon the table. ,In 1772. this Country employed o n e The Report on the Irish Stamp Duty Bill was or- hundred and seventy-five Ships in the-African Trade, tiered to betaken into further consideration this day of which one hundred were from Liverpool a the se'nnight. number of vesaels in this trade was reduced in 1770 The Irish Sugar Drawback Bill passed through a to twenty-eight, of which eleven were from Liver- Committee, and the Report was ordered to be re- pool. In the former year. the dock duties produced ce!ved to-morrow. . but 45521.; whereas in the latter they ; had produced . The German Yarn Bill was read a third time, and 40571,—a satisfaEtory proof, that the dock duties the third reading of the Thames,Police Bill put off did not depend upon the Slave Trade. It had been till to-morrOw. ' said that this trade afforded a good supply of seamen The Report of the Committee of Supply respe&- to Navy. Bet this he denied. -It appeared by ing the Irish Miscellaneous Services, .was ordered to the muster books from Liyerpool,which had been laid be received on Friday, to which day the Committees before the House in 1789, that th e mortality amengst of Ways and Means, and of Supply, were-put of.. the seamen in tleit trade was to the•mortality, in the SLAVE TRADE ABOLITION: West India trade as sto 1. A traffic, therefore, so Mi. MANNING observed,' .that in the event.of destruEtive ofthe seamen einployecfin it, could not be . the Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade . passing :1\ considered beneficial to theavy. The readiness into a law, he should feel it his dutyto move for the with Which the men entered the King' s s hip s on their errival, in the West Indies, spewed what their appointment of a Committee to consider of the pro- c , opinion of the trade was. The practice was f or men priety of granting compensation to certain classe s o f to desert to the Merchant service in e ver y o th er persons whose - interests would, be affeEtedh . by it. branch of trade, but from thi s they vo l un t ar il y - en - He wished to ask his Majesty's Ministers, th e ref ore , tered the King's ships. What was to lie thought o f whether they were authorised to accede t o su c h a proceeding ? The compensation he had in view, wa s , the policy of procuring such an unpr ov id en t su ppl y , much more limited than might be suppO s ed,..a n d h e if even it were to be admitt e d that th e t ra d e didafford a :supply to •the Navy ? These . and some ot h ers &ight .that the proper stage for him to lay in ,his were the grounds upon , which he supported the Claim on behalf of a few classes of persons, whom h e e thought justly intitied to the consideration of the. Abolition, but there were sonic g en e ra l points to which he wish e d to advert:---It h a d b een sa id t h at Legislature. -, The first class were, those w h o had. . the principle o f t h e Ab o li t i on o f t h e trade would purcliased laud under commissio ns gran t e d, by hi s • Majesty for the sale oltherri. The next class, were . lead to emancipation. Th e negroes were not i n a - : to be emancipated immediately, but h e h a d no those who had purchased lands on the faith o f Par- ; ,stat e doubt that the effete worth be t o abolish s l aver y at liament, previous to the first agitationof this ,ques last, which would cease w ith ou t any.,positive tion. Another- class, consisted of th o se who bad lation, as it lied , ceased in ancient Greece end regu suffered in their prepertieg by i nsurr ecti ons o f t h e ' 1 Rome,. - and, in modern Europe.—As.to_the p o i nt th at • Negroes,' by War-s . or inviSions on the e part oldie others,wOuld take the trade up, Frence and H o ll an d enemy. He did not proposethat tiny compensation- ' should be greeted, except in cases where the claims ' at present could not do'' so e Denmark 'had . abo shotild be approvedof by .Corninisioners, :appointed ' lished . it.; all the U n it e d St a t es , except C ar oli na, for the purpose. There were other classes of .p er - - had given it up ; and Portugal alone, of all the Euro pean countries, in addition "to ourselves', carried it' on sone whose cases, though' d eser vi ng at te nt i on, h e did to any extent. But the auth or iti es o f Clarend on a rid not think it then 'necessary to allude to, arid he men- Locke lied been cited i n f avou r o f the trade ; ._b ut those he had eniimerated, just "to shew that this question was not to be de c id e d by . auth or i ty, his views of compensatien -were more limited titan was generally' supposed: . . ~, though they had been less objectionable. This would Lord HO rVICYIi replied,, that lie was Certainly not i justify torture because it was encouraged"by:Sir Th. More. But there was auth or ity . t oo .foretheAboli authorised, in that . stage of the blisiness, to, give an y Pion—for Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox had forgot all rival (to such a proceeding ; at. tile sarae time he ad:nitted the candid . manner in which the Hon. ship hese, and joi n ed is favour of the measure, a n d . Gentleinan had stated his views of the limited these were perhatts the very . first authordiee on a point like this. Thei r opi n i ons on thi s su bj e te W as amount of compensation., He took th a t o p p e rtu a legacy they had l e ft to th e H ouse , and \Odell:fon-u -nity of repeeting - whet he had- said On a. form er ed a monument to th e i r memor i es t h e most l ast i ng night, that it was contrary to the praait.e of Parties ment to declare beforehand what May be the and spleadid. He Was happy. to o to observe, that ' ' ' amount of compensation to be granted for possible' i all parry views were laid aside in the House at the losses by proposed political regulati on a. ' Thi s was I introduCtion of this question— all lie could say then on tile! ' subjea Concidunt venti lugiunt qu e nu b es . ,as he was not Here he had the support of some o f the abl es t o f authorised to consent to the proposition of the-Hoii. Gentleman. those by whom he was unfortunately gene ra lly op ' ' posed. For these reasons he was inclined to promote The Order for resuming the D e b a t e on th e Ties- theAholition with all the' energies he 'could call Con for going into a Committee on the Slave Trade : into attion. •-- . - • . _ Abolition Bill being read, ' • Gen. C.,',' DYNE replied' . at considerable length Lord HO WICK never had felt More embarrass- ' e) - 'd)e :_sTeasie Lord; , He re-stated all th e arguments , , ment in addressing the House. The question had that have been so frequently-adduced in favour of been sot of ten ego sited that eery Ho/Y. i'' , l':. -. ::7.Erk'..otiid`l the Slave Trade s denied, that any such .mortality as rot but benieqnsMted with all its details. Yet the 1 that aesci'ted by the Noble Lord existed in the, ships measure was of much importance in itself, and he felt i eniployed in that traffic, and complained of the in so much more deeply interested in it than in any] justice with which the friend's' of the Abolition re other measure that had been brought forward since ; fiised to hear evidence at . the Bar of the House.— be had a share in- the administration of public af- ! The stake was tremendous. ;We were risking 'the fairs, that he coeld not reconcile it to himself to ; lo;s of - Abe - Colonies, and the loss of ,the Colonies bring the Merisere forward in than neW Parliameen, i would be the downfall of theßritieli Empire. without stating those faas, and that evidence, upon I Mr. ROSCOE could not give a.silent vole on this which alone • this question ought to rest. And in .! 'occasion - with any satisfaction to his own feelings, nor this lie felt the difficulty of sele&ion, lest he should : he trusted . with any adherence to his duty'towards tire the House by being too prolix . , . or Omit any i his Constituents; for, whatever height be thought'of material part. . There was at this moment no dis- i the people of Liverpool, he could assure the House position to question ,the principle of .this measure. i that aigreat and respealable body of .thein thought It was universallv'admitted by the merchants, the ! the Slave Trade a,cruel and barbarous traffic, and c planters, - and all descriptions of persons, that the Slave ' pe&ed and wished its abolition. 'He then entered into Trade, so far as regards Africa, was unju s t an d im- , a very able exposition of the horrors attendant on . dolitic, fo.n in robbery, kidnapping, and (nor- ,' the trade, and dwelt i n p ecu li ar ly s t ron g terms' o f er. and affording an incentive to the worst passions 1 'reprobation on the "conduct of. the traders' in fin.- end crimes. He was relieved, therefore, from prov e : fishing the Africans with fire-arms, brandy, ',and ing that part of the case. He was also relieved from . other means of destruEtion and debauchery; 'for the the necessity of demonstrating the evils of the Middle purpose of availing himself of the evils that - neces- Passage. No man, after th e discussions that had i sarily followed. From the length of time which was taken place, could be prepared to contend for the ' occupied in bringing- Slaves from the Interior to.the luxuries of the Mirklle Passage. He left the Hon. Coast of Africa, it bad been apprehended by some Gentleinan to the-enjoyment of his .feelings, who that a dreadful massacre might succeed the: mmediete bad considered the Slave Trade so great a blessing, stoppage of this tratfice but..after making every pos that, if it weee not in existence et present, he should sible inquiry he found there was no ground for this propose to , establish it.. This traffic was said to he . fear. He inclined to the opinion, that at somefuture supported by the sanction of Scripture, but to Oat 'Period compensation might be made to those who- 7 observation he should reply in one sentence, that •Icould prove that they were . unjustly sufferers by the • it was . contrary, to the fundamental principles of Abolition. To make up, then, for the partial and chrisqanity, irreconcileable with that summary of temporary injury to' our Coro:nerce, which the 'loss i: Christian duty, "to do unto'others as you would of the Slave Trade might Occasion, lie recommended they should do unto you." That principle was now i the extension of our Colonial System, and intimated given up, and the 'ground of justification narrowed f the policy of laying open the Trade to the East In to a. question of policy and justice. It was said not dies. . to be politic to abolish a trade that afforded such Mr.LusurteoroN warmly supported the Abolition. ample' resources for our commercial prosperity; and Mr. FAWKES, in a very eloquent speech, argued it was,represented as unjust to the _Merchants, Ship- in favOur of the Abolition. The subject had been so owners; and Planters, whose properties were to be frequently canvassed, that he would not havee - isens effeded by the measure. He admitted that they were had he riot been compelled by the solemn promise hoph4hOt to a& unjustly to our own Merchants and, which he gave his Constituents, openly to support- Ship-owners, but in doing justice to them they should ' the steady endeavours of ,his Hon. Frieed to ribelish take care that they did not commit injustice against y this disgraceful traffic ; a traffic which in private he the Inhabitants of Africa. No ultimate good was to had always condemned, and his vote on which, that be procured by means of immediate evil. But in place night, is ould be matter of , gratification to hire to Of doing injury to the Vest India property by this the latest =meets' of his existence. The con-: wenure of übolitien, which Was now about to be . , dition of savage life was 'in itself sufficiently de eccorniiiished, he should shew that the W es t I n di es p l ora bl e ; h ut if a teritinpari of the *eYideriee , wa's would be benefited and improved by it. The persons tru e ,' by oor intercourse witli - Afriea we had fright interested in this measure were either the Merchants fully' augmented the evils which it was our duty to engaged in the trade, the Ship-owners, or the Plant- I decrease. It had been argued, that the abolition of ors; and if he could shew that none of their. interests the trade would not prevent wars among the natives weuld . be iejureri by the measure, he was confident of Africa. Thaewars would entirely cease could be 'all epposition to it must cease. The Noble Lord s only the dream of the visionary; but was that a rea here entered into a comparative statement.of the son for fomenting wars ? - Surely ambition made ha amount of the tonnage engaged in the trade to Africa, voc enotigh among the liimian race, without calling and in the genetal export trade of this Country, not I in to its aid the , stimulus of avarice., The. Kings of including the export from Ireland, or the coasting Africa went to battle with the crafty slave' merchant trade, the result of which was, that in the year hovering in the aear of their army like the bird of 18a5 the African fonnage Was' not quite 1-eed prey, .eager to glut Ihimself with hrinien bloods:s ent of the whole export tonnage; and the sea- ! Seery :crime, real or isoagireary s subjected the trim employed not quite 1-23t1 part of the see-- .' et:foreseen; native of A.friea• to the' areadful por e then in the general trade.: He-wished Gentlemen to ' nisienent of Slavery; these unhappy- wretches consider therefore; evhether, in the flourishing stare ' were frequently intoxicates! On the coast with bran. of our commerce, employment would not be found ; tly,. for which their persons paid the price, anclathey for this shipping if not embarked in this traffic ?. t then experienced the ireatrueot which mielit be' r - x-, It had been often stated that the measur e would - i petted from men. at a dieance from law, (runs whase ruin Liverpool, and 'cause the loss of the whole of minds alt ehecks of religion ',Yore iernovect, and. wine its, revenue from dock duties,which revemie,however, ' were enabled, .by use, to stifle the remonstrances waS only stated at five thoueandpounds; . .`To shew the , orcoriscicncs.... The waste arid consumption of lite ..;one neforis ss.aireanit 'Whetl77ill3° toiaddress a British audience in behalf of the &nos Of justice and humanity, an apology was little short of offence. 'Whatever disproportion of sex existed now in the black population of the Coloniea, it would be increased by a gradual abolition, for the Slaves employed would be chiefly 'males, as had been the Case always, notwithstanding. so many former warn ings that the trade would be soon abolished.-- The Counsel who had .been - heard at the bar, bad also spoken of. justice and humanity, but had ApplietU them not to the wretched sufferers, but to those who, inflicted the sufferings. As to policy, he denied the soundness of any policy which *as contrary to jus tice and humanity ; and he was sure such policy was not true British policy. The two greatest men this country, or perhaps any other country, had ever pro duced at the same time, *though. r iva l s on almost,• every other political point, agreed. in 'the .wisdom of abolis'hing the',Slave Trade; as contrary equally tO Justice and hUnianity,, and to sound poliey. It was now the objeet of all present to look to what was • [nest -fer the'advantage of the country.. Without any • influence on the part of his Majesty's Ministers, for no power on earth could influence his opinions; al- Most Without' any acquaintance with those Ministers, he had some respe& for their anthoi•ity, considering the attention they must have given to this case, the.. means they possessed of acqUiring information re- Specting it, and of. forming a judgment of its bear ' ings,, and the interest they had in ti:Jrnaing'a correa • judgment. He did net meanspersoiral interest,-for that motive would Operate in . a contrary - way : there were a number. of Gentlemen who .had votes in this House, that .may _perhaps have been conciliated by forbearing from the Abolition, 'but there was 'not a single vote on the Coast of Aiii" to make it matter of personal interest. to Ministers to pursue the course they had choSen. The Counsel had argued, that as our ancestors had sanCtioned the Slave Trade for 150 years, it would be disrelpe6tful in us now to abolish it. With every re s p e d f or our an cestors, he thought it too much thatwe should , in every thing, continuo to de, always as they had done. • They were highly. enlightened, and highly experienced, no doubt, but we h ad th e advan tage of their ligandtaspatned 'to cast a new li ght upon our own, . an d we lived j u thin g s as any period in the history of the world.-- The danger that was dreaded from the- contagion of St. Domingo could by no other means be so..e.ffeca tually guarded against, as' by-attaching the Ne - 0 - Toes by benefits, and by stopping:importation. When • those who were interested in keeping,up. the „Slave Trade; tpid hina the Blaves - elv happy, it reminded him of ••a man whom he had otice seen in a warren sewing up the-mouth of a ferret: he remonstrated with tlieman upon the cruelty of the ad ; ,but the man•answered, " Lord, Sir, the - ferret likes it above all things." It was argued that the Liverpool IVlera chants had fitted a numbe r of ships for this trade, which ships it seem e d cou ld not be appl i e d to. any other trade; that these s hi ps were manned w i t h seamen who' were unfit for any - o th er nav i gat i on, than that of Slave Ships ; and th at t h ey h ad bil k docks andpiers,. which would hold non e but S!alwe' Ships. He would Suppose the case .o f a ilia-ha:oY ' mats, accustomed to stop:persons on ' the roa d , ar ia when called to account f or it, saving, ' „ yes, Ido • stop men on the road, and t a k e their moneyh`ot if I did not Will Bagshot and his gang would. —'When asked why he did. not get an honest livelihood, he would make the parallel more near if he should answer, " I ^rn used to this, and would be awkward at any other ; I have bought a liors - ei which, though a very good horse, - is fit for nothing but stopping Gentlemen on the highway ; I have built a stable, Which will hold do horse but a horse accustomed to highway robbery ; and a bltuf derbuss that'weifld never do • execution but on, such business:" Though this parallel would appear to apply pretty closely, he would not carry it as tiir asit would go; for 'though he had been .as uncouthly treated . byf highwaymen as apy Mau, he should bit sorry to deara'de their profession. by conspatiPg them with Slave Traders. land, to the islands was dreadful ! He would not dwell upon the affii&ing circumstances which at tended their being torn from their wives, their children, and their country. They would be suffi ciently. felt by the House without description ; for in addressing a British -Legislature, he knew he was addressing a humane audience. After a pas sage in which every finer feeling of the breast was tortured, and after a shameful exposure in an Open Market, those unfortunates were consigned to a master by whom at best they were considered with the same eye with which he regarded his inanimate possessions, and from whom' they too often expe rienced the most cruel and inhuman treatment.— Would the Legislature any longet tolerate a traffic which always commenced in injustice, and which frequently terminated in murder .? It was high time that the armk of the Slave Tradershouid be arrested, and that the Planter should "find; that if he meant to be rich, he must learn to be htimane. Far was he from accusing the whOle : body of West India Pro- - prietors of crueltyc; but that very great cruelty did exist, had been sufficiently established. It had been said. the other night; that 'the Condition of a Negro in the Plaotations , was as good as that of a labourer in this Country. What ! Were those that maintained this opinion prepared to say, thaChe had a right to a trial by Jury ? Th a t h e b a d t h e p ower o f changing a ferocious .raster for one off - a more mild disposition ? That he livedunder equal laws, which made no (Hs, tinCtion between the powerful and the weak ? That he was.inspired with the same patriotic feeling which swelled the bre* of every .Euglishman with honest triumph ? Yes! He would indulge that patriotic feel- ing:--but it wenhibe iria latierW'sliingreeolledion of his native Afrie. What would the negro himself, shackled and oppressed as.. he was, say, if he werc• told, that an Englishman :was less happy than himself? In answer to those who Contended that they were better satisfied with slavery and banishment than with freedpin and home, he would recommend to pripose to them, that if they were discontented they might re turn. If few accepted the alter, it would be decigive• of their feelings; but he was convinced that:theNvhole • of the vessels eogaged in the commerce of England Would be insufficient to convey the qiumbers.who • would pant for their native country. The .Scriptures themselves' had been qUoted and perverted to support the doetrine of slavery ; but could any serious re flthing mind think that that Being who cameinto. the world to save 'sinners, wOuld..sanCtiOn a praaice so repugnant to justice and humanity ? He should like to see the page in which sucli'deefrine is contained and yet the search should be attended with . caution ; for if it were really found, it would strip the' Gospel of its truth, and rob mankind of their hopes. Quitting, however, the religious consideration of the subjed, was it possible that in the 7th year of the nineteenth century, that a question • should rise, whether or not slavery ought td be tolerated by an' assembly of Englishmen ! If it . were defended on the score of usage, he - would quote the. emphatic Words of a celebrated writer ;L-- " Disguise thyself as thou wilt,. still slavery thou arta bitter draught.; and - thongh many have been made to drink of thee, thou art not' the less bitter on that account." another point of view, would it not be philosophic to suppose that the march of civilization 'was per feCtly slow, and that Providence had at length made this country, the instrument of breaking the fetters of th 4 enSlaved and miserable African ? —BcfOre he sat down he thought it his duty, be owed it to his feelings and to his gratitude, to say a word of his Hon. Friend, ,in whose philanthropy and exertions the meagtire. before 'the House:originated. His Hon. Friend. had been chara&erised by others more com petent to the undertakin g but "he had no be - easion for individual praise;' he t 'had himself erected a mo nument:. Quod non imber edax, Non mind() impotens• ' •' Possit U:roare, aut Ann&rum series, aut fuga tempurum. He had not :been so fortunate as to fight by his floti.Triend's side in, all his arduous struggles on this subje&, but be arrived in time to witness his vidtory; and he would assure his Hon. Friend, that no man could congratulate him more warmly and sincerely on his glorious triumph over cruelty and oppression. He concluded by observing that this Country was engaged in an awful contest, and • that , we should relieve ourselves from the weighiy sin of having beard the wrongs of Africa - without' pity, and dismissed them witliTit redress. Lord MAHON supported the Bill in a speech of site length, the stibStance of which we were unable. to colle& from the low tone in which he spoke. Lord MILTON, though he felt extreme diffi dence in offering hiMself to the House, could riot suffer a subjea of this interest and magnitude to pass without offering, his sentiments upon it. The ar guments offered on the other side, fix from weaken ing, had tended to - Sttengthen and confirm the opi nion he bad always entertained, that the Shave Trade was contrary not only to justice and humanity,, but also to sound policy. That the Slave Population did .not keep up its numbers in the course of nature was to him a sufficient proof of bad treatment; and When the Abolition of the Trade would create an interest to give better treatment, he was certain the species would multiply. As long as the Trade-was continued, Britain would be giying a preniium to rapine and murder, and preventing the progress of civilization on the Coast of Africa. Fiat justitia.ruat . The SOLICITOR-GENERAL. was sorry t he Hon. Gentleman who spoke last . but one had' played the principles that had fallen from him ; fvr in the present state of the 'sentiments of the HouSP , it.-was not those who claimed hurnanity and just ic : not for - the Negroes b u t th e i r oppressors, that the advocates of the Abolition had to fear, ,but those, who, while' they agreed in the propriety of the.. Ab olition, were for deferring the execution of it. The immediate abolition was the onlyreniedyfor the - evils. Mr: Park proved that the Negroes who were not sold, far from being massacred, were kept in a milder sort of slavery in Africa. There was no evidence of any such massacre having ever taken place. He argued'to the fad, that 'no such massacre - ever took place from the frequent variations of amount of the demand for Negroes, and consequently the supply to• answer that demand. When the demand was sudden ly increased, as it-was on the,Settlement of Trinidad, whole families' must have been dragged from theirl . bitations, without-m oney to, a n swer the demand. He cited several cases of horrid crtielty, in Which the law was inadeq u a te to do justice to the nna with resped. to which .the Whites aeknoWieJged nv community of law, nor of, justice, nor of spec ies. lie concluded.with an e l oquent represen tation of the gratitude the vote l of this n igh t. Would call iorth from . posterity, .and of the -happiness .which many of the younger Members,, who were present, would have in beholding - what they had, anticipated, with all the generous ardour of youth,' expressed by some, of them in a corresponding -glow of language, tne benign effeetS of this measure upon the N egroes ' • and. the whole p ro p erty o f t h e C o l on i es , and.the Pros perity of the E mp i re at large. Wne" he looked to • the Man now at the head of the French onar ' chy, 'surrounded as lie was :with all the ,pomp of power and all .- the pride of victory, distributing • kingdoms to hi s f am ily, and' princ.pd ities to his fol.. lowers, seemini,when he sot upon.his . throne to have reached the , . Summit- of lmn*iii ambition, a n d t h e pinnacl&of earthly happiness, and ' , Olen no followed that man inlo his closet or to his bed, and considered the pangs with which his Scilitutie musi.be tortured; and his repose haaished by the recollection of the blood he had spilled, and the oppressions had committed; and when .be compared, with those pangs of remorse, the, feeling ~which must accompany' his Hon. Friend' (>/li:Wilberforce) from that House- to his home, 'atter the. 'vote - of 'this night shbuld have-confirmed the objet of his humane and 'unceasing labours when he should retire into the btisom of , his hapri, and delighted family, whe n l ie s h ou ld l ay himself aduk..:--Though the merchants "'of Lic.erpOol may suffer some loss, 'let this foul stain be washed from the . charaeler of the Nation. He had often heard the sentiments that lamented Statesman, whom he vas proud to admire' (Mr. lox), on this subjea, and he 'was happy. in giving his aid tti the contirnia tion and security of the valuable hequest that, distin guished Man had 'left to his friends, and the country in this . great measure. k r . BRAGGE BATHO3ST doubted the prac ticability of maintaining the population , I,Nitliout the aid of 'some fnrther space of importation ; smuggling could not be, prevented. He recommended a gra-, dual . sv4em of .Abol4iou by heavy fines,' to be ahnu ally kricreased for six years ; the trade then to cea s e altogether. He wished also for a gradual Abolition in proper time, first substituting villitiag - e for slavery, andthence.pioceedingto complete freedom. If die purchase on the , Coast of Africa should .be abruptly. slopped, he dreaded that the massacre of the Slaves brought down to the Coast to he sold would be the result. Sir JOHN 4,OYLE offered some apology for ad ) dressiog the House.after the able speaker 6 tlat had _s. r