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

IMPERIAL _P4RLIAiIIENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. THURSDAY, FEB. 5. - - The Dike.of.Somerset and the Marquis of tans acm.?ne took the Oaths and their Seats, The RIO Militia Service Bill was read a third time and passed,- -•' The Irish Office Abolition Bill, and the Grain Intercourse Bill, Were read a second time, and com mitted for to-morrow. ' SLAVE TRADE. "The Order of the Day was read For the second - reading of the Bill fer Abolishing thil Slave Trade, Lord GRENPILLE—In 'stating to your Lord ships, in detail, some of the arguments on which this important measure rests, I hope•l shall be ex cuSed by your. Lordships if • I should feel myself obliged, in some instances e to tread over the same ground,which,has become so familiar to you in the, course ola discussion which has lasted for twenty years, After the investigation this subje& has al ready undergone, it is scarcely possible to avoid re peating, in seine instances, the "same Arguments ao which we have s'o long been accustomed. I will, however, my Lords, proceed to the discussion with -. - out farther introduation ; and, in the first place, to • state that argument which is the principal founda tion 'of this measure, namely—justice. This nice . sure rests upon- justice, and calls imperatively upon ydur Lordships for your approbation and support. Had it been, my Lords, merely a question of hu- Inenity, Tarn ready to admit that it mighfthen have become a consideration with your Lordships as to low far you would extend s or circumscribe that hu- Inanity. Had it been simply a question involving the interest or welfere of the British Empire in the 'West Indies, it would then certainly have been ikuesti e n with your Lordships how far, and in what Yespeet, you should l eg islat e . B ut in this in- Stance I Contend, that justiceimperiously calls upon , your Lordships to abolish the Slave Trade. I have heard some opinions urged to the. effeat as if justice Could, contain opposite and contradielory tenets.— justice, my Lords, is one, uniform and immutable. Is it to be endUred, that the profits obtained by 'Tobbery ate to be urged as an .argument for the . continuance of robbery ? Justice is still the same, ,and'you are called upon by this measure not only ,to do justice 4o the oppressed and injured Natives , , of - Africa, but also 'to your own Planters—to, inter . .pose between the Planters of your own Islands, and their otherwise certain ruin and destru6tion. You are called upon to do justice to your own Planters in spite of their prejudices .and their fears, and. to prevent them by this measure from meeting that ciestruetion which is otherwise Certain and in . evitahle. Was it, therefere, a trade which was in itself' lovely and amiable, instead of being, as it Wicked, criminal, and detestable; that you were now ' .palled upon to abolish, this would be an . unenswerable ergument for its abolition—that 'its continuance must pro. eeethe ruin of your Planters. But, my Lords, .wheu i: is considered that this-trade is the most cri -;rninal that any country can he engaged in—when it is considered him/ tnueb getit.has been incurred .in carrying it on, in tearing the unhaep; Africres by thousands and tens of - thousands from their' fa •milies, their friends, their connexions, and their :social ties, and dooming them to a life of slavery and misery, and after incurring all this guilt, that - the continuance of this criminal traffic must end in 'the ruin of the Planters in your Islands, who vainly expea profit froMit—surely there can be no doubt that this detestable trade ought at once to be abo lished. We have heard, however, my Lords, state ments adduced fir the purpose of attempting to•prove that the present state of the population' of the 1-lands cannot be kept up without such importations. We are then to be told that the law of nature, - whieh has hitherto been considered as universal, meets with' an exception in the West Indies, and that there alone the increase and multiplication of the human species does not take place. Let us therefore examine how far this statement agrees with faets. Some years since I was engaged in cal s dilations reseeEting the. population of the, West iedia Islands, along with a person who' to many great and brillianequalities added a complete know- Jralge of political arithmetic--I mean the late Mr. Pitt. The result of those calculations was, with re ipeet to the" Island of Jamaica, that from the year • 1698 to 17e0, the excess of deaths above the' births *mounted to 3i per cent.ee en 1730 to 1755 to •2t. per cent. from 1755 to 1769 to l I per cent. froth 1.769 to 1780 to 3-sth per cent. and the average of the three years ending in 1798 or 1800, it is not material which, gives • an excess of deaths of only 1-24th per cent. In this calculation is included the 1c hole population of the Tsland, .and of course the ireshimportations ; and it is well known, that with respeCt to the latter, the negroes newly imported die in the harbours before they are landed, to the amount of five per cent. and that many more die soon after they are set to work. It is therefore clear that the population of the Island is perfeEtly competent to support itself. It is remarkable also, that' in Domi nica, although a newer Island, and although fresh lands are known to be inimical: to the increase of population, there "is an excess of births above the , deaths. The argument", therefore, that fresh im- portations are necessary to keep up the present pó pulation of the islands, completely fails. But then we are told that fresh importations are necessary in order to cultivate new' lands. My Lords, to en courage the continuance of the trade for this pur pose is, to ruin thc. Planters of your Islands : are they not now distressed by the accumulation of pro duce on their hands, for which they cannot find a market ; and wilt it not therefore be adding to" that distress, andleading the Planters on to their ruin, if you suffer the continuance of fresh importations ? .z.',ven, however, on the supposition that the cultiva tion of the waste lands in Jamaica, or of nearly the whole extent of the Island of Trinidad could produce profit to the Planters, is it to be endured that this detestable tratfic is to be continued, and such a mass of human misery produced, not to prevent loss, bat to create gain ? My Lords, according to a very moderate'calculation, to bring into cultivation the waste lands in the Island of Jamaica, the Slave Trade must be continued for two or three centuries longer, and to cultiirate nearly the whole Ishind of Trinidad, for a much longer period, whilst it would take- a million of those untOrtunate beings from Africa-to cultivate each Island ito cultivate Clad even a greater number. Were it -possible, my Lords, that these is millions of human beingkeoract he' collated together at am same time, and that they could be contemplated With therefledion that they were to be - torn from their families and friends, that every social tie was to be broken asunder, -- that they were to be delivered over to barbarity and oppres , sion, and were to endure the greatest misery that it was possible for human beings to suffer; would it be endured by any one of your Lordships, that a traffic productive of so much misery should be conti nued for an instant ? Would it not even soften the obdurate heart of the greatest barbarian that ever tyrannised in a slave ship ? We were (old, how ever, yesterday, by the Learned Couuse at the Bar, that fresh importations were necessary, in order that the slaves might be more easily governed ; We are told of the favoUrite maxim of divide et impera, and !that by, fresh importations the slaves were more rea dily divided into classes, 'and more easily kept in or'-' der than oae body of natives. My opinion is direr ly the contrary. Fresh importations are surely more likely to put those Negroes already on the Island in mind of the injustice they had previously suffered, and there is little difficulty in communicating a sense of injustice and oppression from man to man. Prohibit fresh importations,and let t he Negroes already on the Islands be well treated and propel ly proteded, and they will become sensible of the proiCaion and kindness extended to them, and gradually lose their feelings of the original injustice practised upon them. The horrors of St. Domingo have been, however, presented-to our view ; but to what are they ,to be attributed ?—to the violation of solemn promises, to' the breach of faith towards the Negroes,, and the gross injustice pradisA towards them. My Lords, so far from the Abolition of the Slave Trade having -a tendency to produce those horrors in our Islands, I contend that it is the only measure that can pre vent them. I have endeavoured to Prove, my Lords, that the continuance of this Trade is unne cessary with a view to the present state of the popu-r. lation of the Islands, as that can support itself ; that to suffer it to continue for the purpose of cultivating new lands, will be certain ruin to the Planters, and that the Abolition of the Trade is the. only way of zwoiding, in your own Islands, the lid/Torsi which have afflicted St. Domingo. Some years since it was thought that a gradual abolition was the best mode of `destroying this Trade the advocates, at that period, of gradual abolition, must now be ad-, vocates for a total abolition, for the period has arriv ed to which they looked forward, namely, whets the population of the islands would be able to sup port itself. Nothing but a total Abolition will now satisfy justice. Let us not think that any re gulations in the Islands can be carried into of eat with a view to Abolition ; on the contrary Abolition must take place with a view to reguations. • In the year 1792, when the proposed Abolition of the Slave Trade was negatived, it was agreed to address his - Majesty, praying h i m to send instructions to the Governors - of the Colonies to procure the adoption of measures for the better protection, and the better treatment oft the Negroes. What was the conse quence ? My Lords, I wish not to inflame, and therefore I will simply refer your Lordships to the correspondence upon the table relative to that sub ject, and particularly tp that of my Lord Seaforth, the Governor ,of Barbadoes; three., moat horrible and dreadful murders of slaves were cpunitted' in that Island, attended with circumstances of barba rity; which I will not shock your LordsliiPg by de tailing. Lord Seaforth of course * instituted an in quiry, upon which it was found that *.the murder of a - slave was only punishable by a fine of eleven pounds. That Noble Lor,d, in conforthity to the instructions he had received, and with a.prOPer Bard for the British character, immediately proposed to tlse Legislature of the Island, to' enact a law, af fixing the punishment of death to the murder ola slave. How was this proposition received ? It was received, my Lords; with insult, and the Council and House of Assembly returned answers in lan guage fitting, as they Conceived, to the:insult which had been offered to them. What then is to be ex pected from regulations to be adopted by the Colo nial Assemblies ? It is but. right, however, that I should state th a t I h ave s i nce h ear d it report ed that the Legislature of Barbadoes have since adOpted that course which justice pointed out, and have affixed the proper punishment to the murder of a slave. SO, however; if the . evidenCe of a.slave is not to be received against a white, is there riot given to the master an, opportunity of ty rannizing over his slaves, and inflicting on them dreadful cruelties without th& Possibility* of bringing him to justice. Let-us, my Lords, abolish this eri minal traffic, and we may look fdrward to the pe riod when the slaves, become in a great degree natives of the Islands ; will feel the benefits of the protction extended to them,-and the good- treat ment they experience, and will'evince a correspond attachment to ,the country irons which they re ceive those benefits. Throughout all history we find that the prOgi-ess from slavery to liberty has been first by means of personal slaves becoming predial, or attached to the land; and fronS thence they have ascended to freedom. 'My Lords, I look forward to the period when the Negroes in the West India Islands, becoming labonrers rather than slaves, will feel an interegt in the welfare and prosperity of the country to which they are indebted • for protection, and of the Islands where. they ex ptzience real comforts, and when they may be called upon to share largely in the defence of those Islands with a sure confidence in their loyalty and attachment.. My Lords, the measure now proposed .for the , AbolitiOn of the Slav Trade is one to which I cannot think that any one who dispassionately con siders the sObject can give a negative: What right do we deriv .- eirom any hunian institution, or any divine ordinance, to tear the Nat iVesofAtrica, to deprive them . by force of the hieans otlqbouring for their own ad vantage, and to compel them to labour for our profit ? If then to do so is geoss injustice and oppression; as I contend it evidentl . 'andundoubtedly is, can there be a question that the charaOet of the country ought to be cleared from the -:4n'impressed by' the guilt of such a : traffic—of a tratii „by the ef...t of Which we keep Africa in a state rof barbarity• and desola tion ? In support of the trade, it has been said, that 1 if we did not take away th e i n di v id ua l s w h o are t h e . 1 _ _ objets of it, they would b e nut to death either as prisoners taken in xyar, or for witchcraft, or other crimes; but is it not evident, from the testilnooy we have had upon this subject, that this is not the tact'? On the contrary, we have not only every reason tO believe that the men made prisontiai m Vlr would be, according to the 'custom .of barbarouaitations, made domestic slaves to "their capters, but we' have every reason to conclude, that it is the tempta tions held out toihe Chiefs on the Coast of Africa, for the gratification of their passions i .that induce, them, to enter into those frequent wars, and that produces those frequent accusations of crimes, by means of which negroea ;are procured for the purpose of selling, them to our traders. Of the. desolating influence of, the Slave Trade, in Africa, and its effect in kesp- a? ing that country in a state of barbarity, we have suffi cient evidence in the travels of Mr. -Parke on that Continent ; although ~that work was edited Iv a persen known to be one of the most active oppo nents of the Abolition of, the Slave,Trade. Yet we find in that Work,.that it is towards the interior of the iountry that population and civilization in creases, and that on the Coast barbarity continues to prevail, which can only be .attributed to the ili a , fluence of the Trade which your Lordships are now' called npon- to abolish. My Lords, an argument was used against this measure last Session, which I cap not conceive entitled to the -least weight. It was said that we ought not to abolish this trade, unless other Powers would agree likewise to abolish it ; that" is to say, that we should not do an act of justice, unless other Powers would consent ; or rather that we should continue to commit injustice, and persist in guilt, in criminality, because if we did not, other Powers would. As well might it be said, that a man could'be justified in robbing another, because if he did not, he knew there was a banditti ready to commit the robbery ; or ,that an assas sin would be justified in committing nurder, be cause he knew that if he did not, others. Were ready to perpetrate it. This argument, however, my Lords, bad as it is, fails in its own grounds. The United States of America, who had fixed the period of -the Abolition to take place in 1808, have anticipated that_ period (I. wish we had had the glory of being the first in the race), and there is already, according to the last accounts, a Bill in its unresisted progress through the Legislature„ for the immediate Abolition of this Trade, in which it is declared, that death shall be the punishinent of those who deal in the blood of their fellow creatures. With respect to the European Powers, how are France and Spain to carry. on the Trade.? SWedefi never engaged in it. There remains only 'Portugal,. and how is that Power to- carry on the Trade ? it to our Islands where we prohibit it ; is it to the 'French Islands, -which we block up ; is it to the Spanish Islands, where we prevent it ; ,and where is Portugal to find capital to carry it on ? Another objection advanced by a Noble and Learned Lord (Eldon) is that this measure does not come up _to t.lte, Resolution passed last Session, and that instead of. the Abolition of the 'African Slave Trade, we , are only abolishing the British traffic in that tradei but is it to be contended, my Lords, that becauSe _we cannot embrace all the good that may be done, - that therefore we are not to effect a partial- good ? 'lfthat. were the case we could never effect any good what ever. My r Lords, In calling your attention to this great measure, let me intreat you to consider that the whole' country looks to the Parliament to wipe away the stigma attached to its character in continu ing,this detestible traffic ; that it looks not merely to Parliament, but to your Lordships' House.,-- Twice has this measure failed in this House, and it this iniquitouS traffic - isnot new abolished, the guilt will resit uLb your .Lordships. We have to lament the loss in the other House of Parliament of some of the ablest and most distinguished advocates for the Abo lition ; we have also to lament in this House the loss of some of its able and strenuous supporters. — Still, hoWever, if your Lordships should agree to the Abolition of this inhuman trade in Wised, as I trust you will feel it due to your own character and to the character of the country to do, it will meet in the other House of Parliament with the strenuous support-of a person to whom the country is deeply indebted for having originally proposed the inea a _ sure, and for having followed up that proposition by every. exertion from which a chance could be de rived of success. I cannot conceive any conscious ness more truly gratifying than must be enjoyed by, that person on finding a measure to which he has' devoted the labour of his life carried into effect--a measure so truly benevolent, so admirably condu cive to the virtuous prosperity of his country, and the, welfare Of mankind—a measure which will diffuse happiness amongst millions now in existence, and for which his memory will be blessed by millions yet unborn: My Lords, I have to apologise for having troubled your Lordships so long—but upon a measure of such importance—a measure, for the completion of which I have been labouring for the last twenty years—the ardent' zeal which x felt for the attainment of such an object, will, I trust, plead my excuse. 'His Lordship concluded a most elo quent-and admirable speech of near three hours, by moving that the Bill be now read a second time. [During the course of Lord Grenville's Speech, a slight interruption took place, in consequence of the Earl of Morton's stating to the House that a person , was taking notes below the Bar. Lord Eldon Spoke of the duty 'of the Woolsack Upon Such occasions, and Lord Holland,observed that the Woolsack was not to be appealed to, but the - House itself. Lord Eldon'explained, and the conversation dropped.] • 770 . DUKE , OF CLARENCE answered the various points in the Speech of the Noble Lord who had just sat down, and assured their Lordships that he bad had ocular proof of the manner in which the Planters behaved to the Negroes ; he had been in almost every Island in the West. Indies, he had con versed with the people themselves, and the result of all his observations and all his inquiries was a tubif clear and positive convietion ou'his mind, that there was nct the least foundation in fad for the charge which had been - brought against the Planters of treatment to, their Slaves. The Noble Lord, among other things; 'had said that we should look to tlie . fate of St. Domingo ; every man who wished welrter the commercial itiierests, of this Country must agree with his Lordship,., and .also hope that their Lord- ships would weigh deliberately in their minds the fate of St. Domingo, before they came to a decision upon this important spestion. It was not at present competent to Englatid to prefer any claim to, so vereignty over that Island ; and whenever the time citPcesbould arrive, the French most probably would turn their attention towards the recovery of an Island which' had been lost to them by insurrection at]d. revolt. No other Nation on earth can reasonably -interpose their Authority or their a t influence between two pestles le ssirettinss a t ed, and it was f a r f rom -b e i ng i mpro b a bl e t hat t Island will be one day in the hands of Fraocs He most • s eri ous ly th en ca ll e d upOn t h e i r La ,„, ships to consider w h a t m i g h t pro b a bl y be the 7 consequence of such a r e - assumpt i on o f povi e ; by the natural Enemy of this Country ? . if at tr. saute time we were to have abelishedour only 111 0 1 -of supplying our Islands w ith l a b ourers . Woua they not, with an I s l an d Of so ' great ex t e nt at their command, would they not continue to ifM, port ?.and if they could not f rus t ra t e our v iews 0 ' abolition by smuggling, would they not at least 0 3 the first appearance of misunderstanding betwee 6 i them and Great Britain, f oment 'di stur b anc es t! our Islands, and endeavour to accomplish that roost prevailing wish of their present Ruler, by the' d e° strudion-of British commerce? The House L hads o l often beard - his sentiment s u p on thi s subje&, .that! would be needless for hi m t o g i ve a r e capitu l at i o n 0‘ his formef arguments ; he . should at present content himself with declaring, that it was his opinion, that if their Lordships were to give their sanction to tb ® measure then before them,:they w ou ld th ere by se ar the death warrant of British commerce; for, if th e ' Slave Trade were to be abolished, there would ne' Cessarily be a falling o-ff in the cultivation of ou r ' Islands, the commerce with them of course must de" cline, and with it the wealth, prosperity, and iude penderice of the British Empire. • The Duke of GLOUCESTER impressed upon O. minds of their Lordships the importance of the sob" jed, and from the universal acknoWledgment of its, magnitude drew the conclusion, that their Lordship s must therefore see the propriety of consulting feel" ings of honour, justice, and humanity, and preferrifil them before any paltry consideration of the gain tWr might result from our eating from feeling's of a selfish nature. As au instance of the inhurnanity Wit h which the negroes were treated,• and of the light value that was set upon' their lives when, theY were not then adually useful to the owner, Highness mentioned the ease of a pobr - black sO" man that had been sold to a Captain of a Ship the Captain did not discover,until after he had bough; her that she had a young child, who then suckled at her breast; upon this be remonstrated with the man with whom he had made the bargain, upon the unfairness of his dealing, as hembserved that a ss' o " man with a sucking child could not do so mush work, and consequently was not worth so mash Money, as if she had not the child to suckle. Tif unfeeling, barbarou s Sl ave M erc h ant then sa i l tf Oh, will soon s e ttl e that point,".tore the from its mother's arms, and throwing it into the sea' received the money for -which he had bargained' Their Lordships must h ere see t h at the strictness, .the, agreement, however, was nothing to the crags scene which then presented itself; and to the serable conseepsences which followed —the m o ther , • as. might be expeded, in course of natur al feeling, pined for the loss of her child, until ,the found. a convenient oppolaupity of p u ttiai herself past all dread of future torture to her mind' This was no more than what Must inevitably b e 61 0 consequence, where the pesson was in an uncivilise d state - and had no sense of Chri s ti an d ut ie s; b ut 10/11 3t an idea must they have of this religion 'wheP professors of it disgrace its name and 'character bf such brutal conduct as he had related ? The poe t unhappy mother never felt a moment' s ease Iron the anguish of mind which this barbarous action casioned,, until she followed the fate of he r c OP and jumped also into the sea, thus preferring death to slavery and cruel treatment. Lord DoubLas, of Lechleyen, said a few weso , hut in so low. a tone of voice, that it could barely b° collected that he spoke against the Bill.* The 'Earl .of IVESTMORL4ND spoke at coo' siderable length against the measure, which ; be 00 " served, had been so often unsuccessfully brought beibre Parliament. • In ancient Greece and Rome there was not any. such humane provisions for tbl protedion of the Slaves as 'there had been adopte? in the West India Islands under the sanction of the British Legislature. In the time of the senior CatOS particularly, he recolleded, that it a master bar pened to be killed by any person, the whole fang( of Slaves must suffer death. Now in the Briri ss. West India Islands the life of the Slave was teeted by the law as welt as that of any other bit,ant. The House had been told that they shoul d prevent the continuance of oppression and cruelty; but the question was not.as to how tsr we ought M exert ourselves to put an end so pradices of dial Da' ture, but how tiff any thing that was in owspower 0 44 capable of effeding that purpose. Portugal, for in' stance, had no other means of working her mines than by the employment o f s l aves; could we suppose t h she would give it up ? i n d ee d nothing had been sa id about her. Of F rance t h ere had been somethinglikl A whisper that she wou ld relinquish the trade, 3"" it was then inferred that Spain would follow' her s example. America -had promised, but ba d not given up the traffic, and who could answe r for ,Carolina that it would agree to the resells' tions of the other 'States on that head ? If w° abandoned this trade, it was certain that some o ther , : would take it u p, w h o m i g h t not a& with so touc humanity as the B r i t i s h tra d ers ; sink with it '''„,w would abandon the employment of one milliorf car' tal, about (3 or 700 Ships, and from 16 to 20,000,Va" men. this, he maintained, would 'occasion the of nearly one-third of the .amount of British impoil l and exports. He had a stronger objettiooyet to 'Dahl against the adopti on of thi s Measure, namely, t h at such a system were aged upon, no property could b e reckoned safe which could fall within the power_ of the Legislature ; u p on suc h a pr i nc i ple as t hi s tb! Tithes of . the Clergy, and ihe very freehold estate , : Of the landholders might b e sacrificed to the preaching and 'popular declamation.---His however, should never receive the smallest degree of influenCe from such p ow e rs as t h ose, ap d thougO p` should see the Presbyterian and the Prelate, the i sle' thodist and the Field 'Preacher, the Jacobin and the Murderer, unite in support of it, in that House h e would raise his voice against it. The Earl of SELKIRK, in a manly appeal to th e feelings and to the understanding of a British House of Lords, asked, wa s it a'matter of slight conside rs ' _ tion that a number o f men s h ou ld b e ta k en fr°_"l some of the highest situ a ti ons o f lif e , dragg.; from their dearest conn ex i o n s , and be' doomed slavery in a foreign land ? Enelishmen were pa titularly capable of disc ern i ng , die worth of ah li berty, from their pro s p e Q of th e consequences oftA want of genuine liberty in th e na ti ons t h a t sursotl"