The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1806-06-25 00:00:00

- . and they were generally treated with kindne:s, ch as he had known a great family in this country nT to their ancient domestics. He also had been an eye witness to the trade carried on on the mitt of Africa, and -although he could not say in what man ner they might have been collefted in the interim, 'yet their treatment on the coast, and during the mid dle passage, was inhuman to a degree, most shock ing' ! Parents v:ere tern from their children, infants snatched from the breasts of their mother:, while the usilkappy parents were pinioned down in chains to the bottom of the. bold of a Guinea ship, fre quently serrounded by famine and death. He then advt.; ted to the case of a policy of insurance tried in the Court of King's Bench, where the slaves, in hopes of liberty, having attacked the crew. were fired upon, and while some were mortally wieunded, ' others were thrown overboard, a prey to the sharks ; while those who remained, were mingled with the dead and dying; and in this care, con tinued the Learned Lord, a British Jury was called on to say how many were lost byldeath, how many by the perils of the sea, and thus to indemnify the robber against the loss of his plunder; he there fore asked, was this praaice consistent with hu manity and justice ? And as we know the evil to exist, it was our duty to God, and to our country, which was the morning star that enlightened Europe, and whose boast and glory was to grant liberty and life, and administer hunsanity and justice to all na tions, to remedy that evil ; and he had so high an opinion of the planters in those islands, he was con vinced they would go hand in hand with the Par li:ment upon this measure. The Earl of WESTMORLAND congratulated the Noble and Learned Lord upon the new ligie which had flashed upon him ; but having himself presented the Petition against this measure, he offered a fer observations. The question was not between the merchants of Liverpool, and the Abo litionists, bitt a great general question, inoclving the interests of the public at large. This measure called upon the House to pledge itself to libel their ancestors, and calumniate individuals. At this period of the year, he considered it impolitic and improper for Government to entertain abstral re solutions upon this subject, which might, although consistent with justice and humanity, be contrary to policy, and vice verse, and should not be brought forward without further evidence, exanlina tion, and proof. He quoted Holy Writ, to chew that slavery existed from the beginame of the world to the present day, and was not contrary to the law of nations ; and putting out of the question all that had been sung in ballads, or written in novels, there still was nothing inimical to this praElice. He thought the present, being so near the close of the sessions, was not a fit time to try the question, and therefore gave it his decided opposition. The Bishop of ST. A SAPH replied, that how ever the Mosaic and other laws might have allowed slavery, under certain restrictions, yet there was no authority whatever authorising tie Slave frade. The state of slavery was an evil degrading to man kind, and though fed with the choicest viands, and always reclining on a 6,d of rose:, the idea to him was abominable ; it was inconsistent with justice and humanity. and contrary to the principles of that re ligion which taught us to promote and diffuse hap piness among our fellow creatures. He, therefore, warmly supported the present motion, hoping it would*a the fore; inner of the general Abolition of that pratlice. The Earl of SUFFOLK made a few observations in favour of the measure. Lewd HOLLAND entered into an able reply to the Noble Eatl and Baron on the other side, which we regret our limits will nor permit us to detail at length. He considered the arguments, on the other • side, wholly misapplied to the quest:en before the House, which was a measure, since he was able to think upon the subjeCt, he always looked upon as inhuman, disgraceful, and degrading to this coun try ; and for these reasons heartily concurred in the motion of his Noble Friend (Lord Grenville). Lord SIDMOU 11-1 declared his sentiments in favour of the general principle of the measure, but opposed the present question on the ground, that he could not reconcile it to himself to have it put upon the Journals Gf that House, that any long established custom of this country was inhuman and unjust, ' until some certain mode was adopted for the aboli tion of such a custom. Earl STANHOI'E expressed much surprise at hearing what fell from the Noble Lord who last spoke ; Hs arguments were paradoxical, nor had he ever heard so whimsical a reason given, in so whimsical a way. The question, whether this • was just or unjust, could not be doubted, when it was recolleCted whole villages were stripped of their women eel children, to supply the rapacity of those b utes in the West Indies. Lord iiiIDNIOU fH shortly explained. Earl GROSVENOR made a few observa tions in favour of the measure. Earl FITZWILLIAM approved of the measure upon general principles, but opposed the present eptestinn, as rather too abrupt. Lord ELLEN BOROUGH and Earl SPENCER spoke decidedly in favour of the measure. Lord GRENVILLE then rose, he said, not for the purpose of replying, at that late hour, but merely to intimate to their Lordships, before they ahauld divide, and the House got thin of attendance, that in case this question was carried in the affir mative, he should then move, " that an address he gresented to His Majesty, praying him to consult with other riveters upon this subjes.g.” The question bog called for, the House di vided; when there appeared, for adopting the Reso lution of the House of Commons—Contents, 4l—Non Con-tents, Ro.—Majority 21. Lord GRENVILLE then made his promised moti.vn for an Address to His Majesty, which was similar to that moved in the Commons by Mr. F_ix, nrd was agreed to nem. din. The other Orders were chsposed of, and at one o'clock the [douse adjourned. NOUSE OF COMMONS. On the mntion of Sir A. Welk ley, it W2l °Mere °that there be taol balm , ate H..... a C0., - 1 of the Minute, of the Fri tvtiee taken on the. o.trie cha ge ag.ittut tna Martole e.. Wet from the Custom II Jute, presented an Account e h Ltie Footign I.uteet latitortel Gre.it .tan -7- . - .3 • for three year/, ending the Sth of January 111'.4.—Osicted to he on the Table. Mr. R. Thornton Isrmight io the East India Sugar ti•rn Ili), which was read a fro. arskoidured to bt read a secorol time te.monoir. Mr. Hobboute brought the.report of I'm Spirit Licence Regulattoo BO', which was treed to, turd the Bill ordered to he read a third time to-utserow • Mr. G:tt brought nit the ratiort of the SAM Committee appointed to inspect the Proceedings oil the TAI of Lord Vissusesit M rifle —finked lobe printed. T:io further consideration of the Report of the Committee 011 AllefaCti Taxes Allowances Bill 11104 deferred to day next. Mr. Hohhoute deferred Vie o,tli of the Day for ring into a Committee on the Oude Charge till tr.nioriovr. The House, in a Committee on the Scotch Distilleries. came to a resolution, that the ditties now payable on the dis tilicry of sp:ritt, and on small wine', in Sanland, should cease and determine, provisions to that effect having been made in the Qlli now in its progress through the floe., Mr. llobhnuse brought up the Itcpoit of the Bill for regn. lating the Office of Receiver General of Stamp Duties, which was agreed to, and the BM ordered to be read a tliiol time to. morrow. On the motion of Mr. Vansittait, it was ordered that the Howe choodd tomorrow resolve into a Committee, to e,,nsider of so much of We Post-Office Laws, as related to the carnage Letters. BANKRUPT LAWS. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL gave notice, that he should on Thursday next move fur leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws relating to bankrupts, and to prevent fraudulent bankruptcies. LINEN DRAWYACKS. Mr. FOSTER moved the bringing up of the re port of the Committee on the Linen Drawback 13W. Mr. STEWART, after making . a few observa tions on the limitation of time appointed in the Bill, and the evil praftice of importing goods from Prus sia, and several parts of Germany, for the purpose of receiving the drawbacks, which was highly in jurious to the trade of Iteland, moved " that the Bill be re-committed." Mr. DAWSON complained, that the evils ad mitted to exist,grew out of the errors coritalied in the Bill of last year, which, either by fraud or mistake, produced the iturcslittlion of Foreign Linen, to the great detriment of the Irish Trade, by deptivin; diem of the supply of the West India Islands, which they before possessed. If such an error had hap pened while Irelar.d had a resident and independent. Parliament, there coul.l be no.doubt, that on the opening of the :.est session, it would have been im mediately correCted. !lc was not disposed to ask any preference in favour ill Ireland; but after it had made a common cause with this country, it had a right to expea that it would have beers fairly dealt by. The people of Ireland, in general, had long approved of the principles of the present Admirer tration, and thought their appointment to office, a tavoutable circumstance for them; and it would certainly be no more than justice to Ir.:and to give her that which a Board of Commissioners in this country, last Session, declared that she ought to be allowed. What she requires! was, that she may be allowed in this Session,wnat was intend ed for her in the next ; and not to be placed in a worse situation than she was in before. He con cluded with expressing „is reliance on the justice of the House, and the principles of the present Ad , ministration, not to be above carreeting errors I which they knew to he unjust. such as that of put ting the onus prohanda upon Ireland, and placing her in the situation of a Plaintiff. Lord H Pl l .l . lt' said, that he agreed generally in the views which the lion. Gentleman had taken of the subjetl, bat he did not see that in this case the onus Asrebandi was thrown upon Ireland, or its rime. rests neglefted. It was allowed, that a mistake had occurred in the late Aft of Parliament, re speCting the description of the linen on which the drawback was to be allowed. This gave rise to two descriptions of sufferers; first, the linen manufaCturers of Ireland ; and, secondly, the merchants in this country, who woe misled by the mistake, and gave their orders accordingly. The extension of time here proposed, was to g.ee the merchants of this country an opportunity of either withdrawing their capitals from this trade, or of proving, to the satisfwaion of the House, that it was not injurious to the interests of Ireland. Be tween the two parties, it was certainly right to deal out a fair, just, and impartial measure. For him self, be must say, that the feelings he possessed, and the conneCtions he had with Ireland, could nor suf fer him to be indifferent to its interests ; and, he believed, the general feeling of the House was to deal with fairness, according to the relative situa tion of the two parties. • Sir J. NEWPOIt I.' said, the only difference in this case between him and his Noble Friend was. whether the Bill should extend only to the 23J of December, as he proposed, or to the 23th of March following, as seemed to be the wish of the Noble Lord ? If the last should be adopted, the effeft of it would be only to hold out delusive hopes to the numbers embarked in the trade, from the mistakes that crept into the late erroneous Aft. As to any other effeft of the longer period, though it would discourage the Irish manufaCtures, it would ant give the merchants any advantage in respea to their contra Els, as they could neither send nor re. wive cargoes to or from the Baltic, in the interme diate time. What he proposed, therefore, appeared to him the best for doing away both the operation and the spirit of the late Ad, before the next session of Parliament. Mr. FOSTER said, he considered England. Ire land. and Scotland, to be equally embarked in the linen trade, and that every measure respeCtin,,o it should have proportion:3 reference to all. There were three markets, those of July. September, and December, before the expiration of this Ad. By its continuance, the Irish manufaCturer may lose, and the English merchant be no gainer, as he could neither receive, nor send out cargoes, without the lapse of fifteen months. He observed, that it was many years since Ireland had made a compaCt with this country, by which she gave up the woollen trade, then her staple commodity, to obtain some advantage in the manutafture of her linen. The bargain was made between the Parliammus of the two countries; and though,by the Aft of Union, one of those contra Sing parties was taken away, and the whole vested in the resident Imperial Parlia ment here, it was no more than just that the Im perial Parliament should nevertheless consider itself as the guardian of the agreement. Mr. MAY made a fee observations, but we were unable to discover on whizh side of the question. Mr. ROSE wished to explain, that when the late Aft aas in agitation, he thought it more advisable that she old Law should continue as it as but ?be vidence given on the subjeft bed madras different impression - upon others, to whose opinioos he sub mitted. If, fsowever, mush .depend d upon the assortment of the etude, he thought it might be better to let the drawback rema i n as it was. After a few words from Mr A LEX ANDE ft, the House divided lin tEct amended motion for rero.r.- mating the Bill, when the numbers were—For it SO—Against it 40—Majority 10. The Report was then ordered to be taken into further consideration to-morrow. 015 MAJESrY'S MESSAGE. • HOSPITAL AND CHEST OF GREENWICH. Viscount HOWICK moved the Orderof the Day for the House resolving itself into a Committee on His Majesty's Message ; which being compli e d with, Mr. Alexander in the Chair, Isis Lordship istated, complianceth a t tlse w o i b t j h e fi he t he had rec o m t o ni p , r n o d p a o t s i o e att m p a r d e 7 sen b t y , His Majesty. was to take measures for providing a competent allowance for aged, infirm, and wound ed seamen, when they were no longer capable of . service. The papers already on the table would clearly shew the state of the revenues and expendi ture both of the Chest and Hospital. The Hos pital was first instituted as an asylum for worn out and wounded seamen; but the ohjeds of its muni ficent establishnient bad since been augmented, and the allo vance to out-pensioners was 71. n year each; which had not been increased wince the year,lltiB. nor those from the Chest, now temoved 'from Chatham to Greenwich, for halt a century. The revenues of the Hospital he stated at 8ii,7601. and its expenditure at 14,5 lth leaving a surplus •of 12,2601 By the new regulation, the general allow ance to out-pensioners would remain as at present, 11. a year ; hut a discretion would be left in certain Cases, or in proportion to the merit of services, to extend them to one shilling a day s or 181. 5s a year, which was calculated to make an increase of 17,0001. The provision to be made for this, must be cut of the fund of five percent. on all prizes and bounty, increased as they would be by the deals. of Admiralty. The prim-money now sea estimated to produce in the whole 1,250.00 tl. ; hut only calculating it on the smaller average of 1,000.0001. a year, a twentieth pair of that wcall.l be applied for the use of Greortwi,li t to.pital, amounting to 53,0001. annually It was true, that this aid only accrued in time of war, an 1. coni.equent ly, was subjc2l to a sl,:lalc.;tion in time of peace, which would leavean average defi:ieacy (431,W:43h; but though the revenues woulu be less, the ex pence also would be diminished in proportion, and a - great resource would be found in the beneficial manner is which the fistula. and sur plus revenues of the Hospital were employed Besides these, it was to be considered that there was lately an increase of 40041. a year in the es tates bel .nging to the Hospital, and an augmet::a. tiun to the same amount upon its farms, as well as 200,0001. of surplus prize money. With. all these there could remain no more than a deficiency so trifling, as to be no objeft to the country, and the Muse would, no doubt, feel satisfaftiton in learn. ing, that, at all events, the present resources were fully sufficient to cover toe present expenclii cure. The next subjell he had to refer to was that of the chest, which was established or instil tuted at Chatham, in the year 1596; and, on the re. commendation of the Board of Naval Commission ers, very properly, transferred to Greenwich in 1803. The allowances from this fund were ccnfined to wounded seamen only. What he had to submit was, to proportion and extend this allowance as might be thought most advisable,such asfor the loss of one eye, 61. for loss of sight, 81. for loss of limbs, 121. a year; which may be estimated at the sum of 1,200,0001. for the whole establishment. The present payment from the chest was 8.2631. its receipts, last year, 62,0001. ; and, including, therefore, the estimate at the rate of 55,0001. there would be a surplus, for this year, of 6,6001.; but, when all their funds and resources were taken into the calculation, the clear surplus would be 22,0001. even allowing for some deficiency in time of peace. The only provision he had farther to stiletto to, was a small pension, in certain cases, to Post-Captains, Masters and Com manders, and Lieutenants, ad of which, he was sure, would not be considered by the House, when applied to such objeils, an aft of generosity or liberality, bat an aft of duty, and of gratitude. He concluded with.moving a resolution." that these be dedutcd from all prize money the suns of 11. 13s. 4d. per cent. for the use of the Royal Hos pital, and cf 31. th Bd. per cent, for the use of the Chest at Greenwich," which was agreed to, and the report ordered to be received to-morrow. His Lordship then moved, " That the House shoull to-morrow resolve itself into a Committee, to consider of so much of the laws of caption, as relate to the bounty money granted for every man on board ships of the enemy taken or destroyed ;" which was agreed to. A Message from the Lords announced, that they • had agreed to the Tortola Free Port, and one pri vate Bill. Mr. W. Smith presented two Petitions, one from the Albion Insurance, and the other from the Life Insurance Company, agaiust the Globe Insurance Corporation Bill. EAST INDIA AFFAIRS. Mr. PAUL said, that seeing one of the Members of the India Board present, he wished to submit one question to him. A dispatch was received this day horn India, and he then held in his hand a copy of a definitive treaty of peace between Holkar, and Sir George Barlow, on the part of the East lhdia Company. what he wished therefore to know was, whether she Ministers had officially received this information ? and whether they meant to bring for ward any specific motion on it ? If they did not, he gave notice, that it was his intention, however incompetent he may be thought for such a task, to make this information the sulojeet of a motion, unless he should be anticipated by the Ministers in the course of next week. fie then moved. " that Lieutenant-General St. Ledger, lute of the 27th European regiment, do attend the Committee to morrow, on the Onde charge." The SPEAKER informed the Honourable Mem ber, that he was not at liberty to mix two subjeas in the manner he had done. IaIr.CREEVEY said, that a dispatch bad been re- ceived from India to the eri Mentioned by 1 1., LJon GentlemAn ; but sdivl noLii:ug of any intention of a motion on the part et Govi.ruaie,4 upon 0..“ suit& • Ihe motion for, the attendance of General St. Ledger was agreed to ; and Mr. PAUL tanewed his tioticeof itineration on the suhjeft of the peace with Hotkar. it Rothiag of .the same hind should be done next work on the part of Government. • ' • Mr. Alexander bretuaht, by theeepott, of e a Committee on the N twfoundlaiid Tiede, which . WAS agteed to, and a bill ordered to be brought is upon it. • • GLOBE INstlltablCE. IitICOEPOrs \nom SILL. Sir I'. isiIErCALFS Moved the casual i of the Dill for Incorporating this Gi.Ase Insurance Company . VI:coolie CASTLEREAGH sat I, that if Counsel should be called in and hear.' moan this Bill, as was agreed to, it ivouldpeolvable last fill a late hnur, i n whirls case, be wished to know, if it was intended to bring on other busioesa of impot tame (the Train ing Bill) which stood upon the order? as unless that was ascertained, it was probable that smetat Meat ben might go away. Lord HENRY PET IV said, that if the pre sent subjeet ih-uld continue to a late hone, he sup posed it would be egjaeihent to put off the other busbies,. Sir J. ANDERSON opanse..l the Bill, as it would be injurious to seer., al wher Companies, who had large capitals emoark.ed fur a grelt nom .er of yams, and against whom ma comp! that whatever had yet been made ; he iheiefore moved, " That the Ilia be read a second time this day three months." Sir tV. CURTIS was dccid-illy against the measure. He did not think it cculi he of se+ v:re to the public, and it would certeiiiiy he an net of injustice with respell to the other companies. Be sides, the late period of the Session in which it wait brought forward, was a strong argument against it. Speaking comparatively. it could not be said it was introduced at eleven o'clin.k, but at a quar ter before twelve ; and if the ailinisters would put it off, and let all the different ennspanies cow, at an early part of the ensuing Session, .he had no doubt they would make a noble biddinr. Mr ALEXANDER did MX o ink any t bjeegon should be made to the Bill. It create a competitiop, which Elllbt be of general serviv, be sides the immediate advantage which tire public, collettively, would derive from it. Lord H. tET IN said, he never rose to give l.is assent to any measure with so much pleasure lie did to the present, being Grow,- convinced e.ett it combined the interest of the individual with that of the public. For his pait,-be could not see why is shoula lie considered prejudicial to the public, ec to. the other companies. • How eneld laentiensen make up their minds on the suhjee, but by looking to the precedents before them ? By the 6th George I. two corporations of this nature lead been created. They .were chartered ter thirty.one years ; at the i.nd of which time, by the provisions of the Act, H. Majesty lied a power of resuming the grant, if it was against the interest of tile people ; and as, in the present case, a similar provision was made, he thought any objeftioa op this head was oMiareis. The Consideration for vehicle this charter was al lowed was c,n idr-able ; 100,tou1. was to be pail over for the semi e of the coo itry. and 1,000,0001. MS to be vested, and always- to remain, in she public funds; this, he conceived. was an advan tage, which, when offered to the public, ihoulO n it be refused. At Hamborgh. nine'een Conipainis were instituted; and Le hat no doubt, if tar saw: competition was established here, that this count.; would have much of the business at present noes ailed there. In the present instance, a monopoly WAS not required ; hut a competition was offered too the publie, which would inevitably keep down tl: price. From these considerations, the Noble Li: i hoped that the House would agree to the second reading of the Bill. Mr. GRENFELL thought, that though it migi.t be prudent to permit the two already incorporeal to remain so, yet, perhaps, it would not be ptoaar to add another. Lord H. PETTY explained. Mr. PERCIVAL said, he would give his assent to the second reading of the Bill, if it was usdei stood that Counsel were to be head against it. The Noble Lord had said, that is would be of the greatest benefit to the Public ; but he never could be braight to consider that it was a mitre principle, to tura duce a system of monopoly into the countty. And he had a right to consider this as a comi leer RI ,no. poly; for, though the number of companies were not limited, yet the number of persons in each ca , • The Hon.'Gentleman then concluded. by sayinz, that he did not think it right for Parliament to late the prerogative of the Crown into their bands, tsy granting chatters. and therefore hoped that Couts:i would be heard. . _ Lord H. PET rY, in explanation, said. it sec for the House to determine, whether Counsel 'Multi be heard or hot. Sir C. PRICE hoped tais measure would not be pressed, ask was a notorious fact, that every ma nopoly was Pei'ldiClAl to the general interest. Mr. PAUL was an enemy to monopoly t hot though this charter was granted, it would still he competent for individuals to engage io busiiass. In India alone, the insurance busitii is was carried on to the amount of 7,000,0001. The greater part of that business would be done in England, if the Companies were incorporated, as then they were looked on as safest ; and he, on this account, would vote in favour of the measure. Mr. PERCIVAL and Mr. PAUL explained. Mr. S. LE FEVRE opposed the Bill. as br did not think any argument had been used which went to prove that it was expedient. He hoped, how. ever, the Heim would take the measure into their most serious consideration, before they came to $ determination; and, therefore, though: it but tight that Counsel should be heard Sir W.YOUNG declared his sr neinrents in favotr of the• Bill. Mt. WILLIAM SMITH, in giving his vote for the second reading of the Bill, reserved to himself* powm.widsout seeming inconsistent,ot•Totaint against the Measure hereafter. But he thought, if it vie(' be roved, that 1000001. would be p to public, and 1,000,0001. vested in the Nadi, 10 0