The Sun. — London, England, 1830-07-14 00:00:00

• been associated with our ideas of property, with our • , chattels, even with the beasts that perish, and which 7 .: we had altveys been accustomed to regard with re '= spect.—(Hear, hear.)-11e, for one, denied it, and ':'. he took leave to; question thole did*. He said there was a lnW higher than their own, and elder in t:, o • , point of antiquity—a law of nature. But at all events there was a law of Christianity which forbad : one man to treat another as his thattel. Then hi .. • might be told of sanctioned rights—of Parliamen s, tary rights—of rights of treaties and cessions, and: 1.;1'. ' that these had acknowledged the creation of these !'; rights, and 'would secure them. If he carried back . his recollection to a kindred controversy—painful in the contest, but glorious in the issue—he must re t' member that all these things had been for twenty ti'. years used (as tin Englishman he was ashamed to 1,., say it) in defence of the African slave trade which •,, ‘eas umw piracy by the law of the land. He might then be told to look at the state of the West Indies, 1. which, notwithstanding his theory, contradicted him. %,- in practice, that after all, the negroes were not in so wretched a state as were imaginedosthet they had never known what liberty was .that they were tic. 1 . -, cuatomed to s lavery— t h a t t h ey h a d b een b orn i n i t , t! . , that they had waxed in it, and that many of them 1. had waned in it—that he should be but disturbing . t; that rural simplicity in which these cultivators (as fc- they were now called) passed their davyand that Pl' they were at least as well off as the English pen. wants. He must deny. all this—he must assert that ' '„F there was an eternal law of our nature, by which ~ comfort mid happiness were absolutely denied to • i;,' . the unhappy wretch who depended on the nod of „‘ another. He would have recourse .to two tests ; +1,.. and if they did not speak with a voice, not to be e : misunderstood, he should address himself to poll. k• Heal economists and to statesmen, in vain., If he e rook two tests or criteria of public happiness —two ri, that it would be impossible should . deceive—it r; would be the progress of the population and the t ., state of morals of a n a ti on . All s p ecu l at iv e t h en - P rists, all practital statesmen agreed that these were " the best tests that could be resorted . to. They all agreed that the principle of population was so t - strongly implanted by nature for the wisest of al*„ . i purposes, that it was of so powerfuls-mf so resist- F t 's less a force—that whenever the numbers of a peopli a. were seen to decline, it might be. tat as a matter ~ :! 44 certainty that they were uncomfortable and MI. happy. Now let. them look at that matter both 1 , t, ways, as regarded the freemen and the slaves. If; 4,. they excepted Barbadoes from the number of the 4s old colonies, they would find that oat at a popula. tlon of 370,000 negroes, the decrease between the F ; years 1818 and 1821 was no less than 31,000—s ~, decrease which, so far from keeping up their num bers, must lead to the extinction of that hapless race. In Jamaica, out of a population of 330,000, "*, there had been it decrease of between 9,01)0 and ~ 10,000; but not so of the free men living in the. is *nine climate, belonging to the same race, and with ',' the same blood in their veins—for the Maroons, un der circumstances less favourable than the negroes fu (for they were a savage horde, were harassed by .the .ji police, And not looked on with friendly eyes by theit :.•,,, own race), had, from 1750 to 1782, doubled theit numbers. At the •end of the rebellion in which part of them were removed—namely, from 1810 to 7 1816—the, increase had been 18 per cent., and .if from 1810 to 1821 it had been 1'& per cents; and ss: in America, where the population were better fed .:.'' and better clothed, they had 'within thirty years new increased 130 per cents In Trinidad, between, •.s. 182.1 and 1829, the negro population had fallen t'rorn 23,117 to 22,436; or there had been a decrease ' of one thirty-fourth within those four years. But / passing from th e b on d to the fret, what was the ~,, , t case—,what had happened in the same island, and 4, with the, same rare of men ? The natural course of " things had not been . contradicted—human passions 4,, and human vigour had run their natural courses The ~e,, f greet law of nature had been obeyed, mid the ins t'' ',Tease of the population, bad 'exhibited even more ‘';l than, the usual degree of prolific :success. I n t h t ,3 'Mita four years, the-free black population had in• .. creased from 13,903 to. 16,412, or about onessixtb. s., [lad he no other statement to make, this would be t ;, quite quite sufficient for hi s . p ur p ose ; no pi cture cou ld b e .teawn, no prospect of human natur e m ore a pp a lli ng , .. than that of a popul a tio n d ecreas i ng un d er suc h cii s „, eumstances ; it opened the mind of the reflecting 'l4 mete who th‘l not regard. population, merely in the 1 ebstraet s and who looked beyomitables of figures to 1 a condition of the utmost w ret ched ness , an d pr iV ie :i 2 414 and to the view: of a scene presenting man) e paths of misery, all leading to one termination —the g' 7 1 4 o r t a tr v i e l . le T es o' il s fi li n o i w ni stiatt) gpopulation x t w e t a i s t ev he e n I s ) a ti t i l ti s o t t a u t a c ry d , was to prove that such a condition of society existed ea.precluded the remotest possibility of comfort and 4 ', Itrippinem I,The other test to which he. should ap oit itshee s al,-egin i.on. proof wasofntrlii,e,isnaimditedrehseulfro,unda p tl o m pu morals iatioti 43 1 , 16,400 slaves ; and within the last two years the ' si incredible number of 11,131 punishments had b een r, inflicted upon that -population. What were those !,.? crimes P 7,064 slaves were punished for refusing. to 0 work, absconding from plantations, insolence to their r ici masters, and offences of a similar nature. Of the - .:.'s other punishments 713 were for theft, and of these P3OO were in the course of a single year. Corn. paring this state of population and crime with (4 . , England, it would amount to 280,000 c o nv i c tion s fo r , 4 larcenies. In lierbice the population was 21,000, :,.,1 and there there had been 0,000 pu n ish men t s w i t hi n if i a year. In Demerara the black population was _ it tl 51,000, and the punishments 20,000. The pr o te c t or of slaves had added the following sentence to his re. f 4:. port :—" I cannot refrain from remarking upon th e d- !.. contented appearance of the negroes; and from tht' .., opportunity of judging that I , have had, I think that ~: elf generally they have reason to be so." He (Mr. Broglinm) would not have the protector for half ~ t an hour placed in.- the situation of the happiestu and it 4 most contented of these slaves, even for the sake t''. of convincing him of his error; but it was hut jai,- PHoe to say, that such errors were current before the .1 commencement of that gentleman's protectorate. . , .0;:g In the report of 1788 Lord Rodney stated that he 1,11 . knew of no instances of cruelty—he had seen no '' thing but humane treatment of the slaves—they. I. were lodged better th a n the poo r in England, they Y. danced and sung, and .he wished that the poor of plEaglend were as well off ,. Admiral Barrington went even.further ; be said that the slaves were so ': si happy that he almost wished to be one himself; and . -s these gallant of fi cers threw the panoply of th e i r evi ..P dance round the slate trade itself. They were not merely liberal but lavish of-their panegyrics even t 5• upon the Guintamen—the very persona employed in kidnappingand conveyinghnedreda of victims in one small vessel across the Atlantic : according to ithese authorities, the slavei Were very comfortabl e .. on board the slave-ships-.they were amused with 1 instruments of music, and when tired of Milk and $. dancing they went to genies of chance. No doubt many of those who •frequented the club-houses of ::. St. James's, who paid heavily for their music, would envy the condition of the slaves who obtained:it for nothing, and afterwards indulged in the lion's) , 'of - gaming. It was also said that the slaves were " ie. 11 : (bilged in their little humours," but it Waft not added whether one of those little humours was to be tied up in order to have their flesh lacerated with a eat. n' nitre tails. It was further - asserted, that the t slaves when sick were well attended—that they were ( reconciled to Attie condition-.that they were as 1 happy as the crew employed in conveying them ' and . that no regulati o n was wanted'to enforce kind treatment as it was the interest of the Captain and . ' sr Officers to take care of the captives. Aultniral'Etl - wards went so far as to mention, th a t dancingand , singing on the Otero were the signals of the arrival of a Guinearnan ;tube West Indies with a cargo of It i slaves. Hence it was (deer, that the protection of w i staves did not stand alone in his opinion, and in order to rebut it he might safely rest on' Renate! i notoriety, but from a large volume of c a s es he woulti I select two or three supporting the positio n on w hi c h 1)e had rested, as established by the state of popula don and the state of crime in the West Indies, The , Rev. Mr. Thomas Wilson Bridges had been] :lance of the same kind had since happened; the .nly fault he could find with that body was, that it vas too reluctant tt oppose established authorities —too prone to support the doctrines of passive obe newt soul non-resistance; but nevertheless, it had been compelled at last to speak out, and to issue a qatement containing facts, of which, under other Arcumstances, be (Mr. Brougham) should have teen incredulous. It was a pamphlet by the Rev. kir. Orton, which related some events connected with an attack upon a Methodist Chapel at St. Ann's (ill what island Mr. Brougham did not men tion)t. by t body of militia, wh o h a d fi re d f ourteee Into that part of the building occupied by the Rev. Mr. Grimsdale, who was afterwards thrown 'lnn prison, released, again confined in a loathsome lungeon, and finelly died of the shock his constitu ion had received on the 25th of December, 1827. fhe Rev. Mr. Orton further asserted that the Rev. Vir, Whitehouse had been treated with nearly equal rhough not as fatal severity, while he (Mr. Orton) had also been committed for interfering on behalf of felloWvastor in the cause of Christianity, to rf 4301. in which forty slaves were jammed together, who had been seized under an execution for debt, ind were imprisoned until they could be sold. In he end, the Chief Justice of the island, after they had been incarcerated for seventeen days, ordered Whitehoure and Mr. Orton to be discharged. The Hon. Member 'tweeted those whir heard him o consider what severity of punishment it would be to impriion two innocent men for seventeen lays,. even under the most favourable circumstances: how intolerable must it then be to be confined within a narrow dungeon, in a , tropical climate where the sun wheels his diurnal course without the veil even of a vapour, where putrefaetiOn is almost in stantaneous, and where the very element of water was charged with mortal maladies. These facts tieing undoubted, he would venture to ask whose prediction had been verified—that of Ministers, that ;uch a case as that of Missionary Smith would never occur again ; or that of the 'opponents of ;Lavery, that similar events were not merely possible, but probable. The next case to which he would Overt was of a nature to harrow up the feelings beyond any. transactions of which he had read or heard in ancient and heathen times, or in more nodern days of Christian mercy and beneficence. The principal parties were an English gentleman And gentlewoman, Mr. and Mrs. Moss; and instead ,)f being pursued with universal contempt and indig.. nant execration, such was the perverted state of so ciety iu the West Indies that they became the cherished objects of favour, patronage, endearment, Ina respect. An abridgment of the disgusting,cir eumstances was to be found in a despatch of States manlike sagacity and firmness of purpose, drawn up oy the Right lion. Member for Liverpool, when at the head of the Colonial Department. The subject of suffering was a domestic slave, who, having been guilty of disobedience, was ordered to be confined in the stocks. There, in the open market-place, day anti mght, she was kept, from the 22d of July to the Bth of August, and during that period she was six times whipped, and in order to prevent her from sleeping, red pepper was rubbed upon her eyes. At the end of her confinement she . , was taken to the field, at seven in the morning, and before noon she died. A fever was mentioned; but that was merely en afterthought. Nobody talked of fever when the' wretched victim was to be removed from the stocks to be flogged, to have red pepper rubbed upon her eyes, or to be taken to the field to renew her work : it was only thought of after she had died, and when an attempt was made to produce an impression that she had died by the visitation of God, in order that the bar barous fiends who had tortured her till she had ex pired, might escape an indictment for murder. It had been well said by Mr. Fox, that it was some comfort in a Christian community to find, when a great crime had been perpetrated, that the universal feeling was roused against it, and sympathised in the punishment justice inflicted upon the offender. In the West Indies of that comfort the mind was bereft ; ; there all sympathy was reserved for the guilty, and none bestowed upon the unhappy suf ferer. Upon the ease to which he had just 'referred he held in his hand a paper which, he vowed to Heaven, nothing but official proofs could make him believe proceeded from a British officer. That offieer he would name at once, that 'no other in the service might stand a charge of being mistaken for him—General Grant. rlie appealed to Ministers tot their merciful interpetition on behalf of Mi. and Mrs. Most; who had been sentenced to three months' imprieonment, and a fine of 3001, for the murder of innocent human being—ta punishment which in , this country would have been inflicted for a slight !assault or a venial libel. In this country, in France, in Italy, and in any Christian community, such a brutal crime would have been followed by merited in dignation ; and it remained 'for General Grant to palliate the offence by stating that -the conduct of Mr. and Mrs. Moss was not more cruel than that of the rest of the white population towards their r s lases. That officer stated that Moss arrd his wife "whose hospitality he had often shared" (for that point was distinctly and emphatically marked) were pitied for the " untoward event" that bad befallen them—for he used the same expression as if he had been only !speaking of a naval victory over the Turks. General Grant added, that the prisoners were visited in their confinement by the most respectable persons, which would not have been the case if it had been thought that the treatment of slaves by them had been unduly severe. libellous* titimlti, perhaps, be curious to learn what had become of Ithis Governor of the Bahamas, and it woultt be sue• [ prised to bear that he had been removed to the im portant colony of Trinidad, that colony which Mr. Canning haul *laid ought to he made, as it were, the farm of expetifoeut for tile improvement of Colonial Govertnnents.—( Hear, bear.)---With these facts be-, foie it, he appealed to the House whether it was knew better how to keep —no nation that knew better how to enjoy —none better able to defend freedom than were the French; but be hoped they would, though waging war tigainsi arbitary power in one quintet. 'Of the world—he hoped for the sake of their Bourbon King—they would remember that they had duties elsewhere to discharge; that they would not permit the continuance of that bad policy through the agency of which they would be laid open to the force of the coming danger, and, per haps eventually swept away before the gathering stored. Great as was his admiration of that gallant and illustrious people, there still remained a blot upon their fair fame so long as they persevered n giving the sanction of 'their name and their prac tice to a system which stamped them as only the half friends of freedom. Yes, they could never be otherwise regarded than as the half friends of free. dom so long as they suffered the slave trade to re- Alain. He would tell that Prince—and, above nil; he would inform the ghostly Counsellors of that Mo. narch, that in the authority they most professed to respect, there were words like these—" Behold obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fist of lambs. Yea, God loveth mercy inore than sacrifice,:' and he would add, that God would not be appeased so long as they lent them selves to the continuance of a traffic which outraged the first and most obvious and most indisputable of his precepts—which flew in the face of that law which was made long before the discovery of those regions which were made the scene of offences against its injunctions. As long as men viewed with detestation the incalculable miseries and de- 1 izradation that fell upon the heads of the devoted' .laves—as long as the principlesof human sympathy and compassion remained unchanged, and the affec tions of human nature remained unaltered—so long MI men loathed rapine and abhorred fraud, so long would they look upon the condition of the slaves of the. West Indies with commisseration, and upon their oppressors with abhorrence. So long as human nature remained unchanged, men would never cease to regard with unspeakable indignation the vain and guilty phantasm which was set up for the purpose of proving that man could become the property of his fellow creature; that slavery was supported' by treaties and by compacts ; without remembering that there were compacts more sacred, by which such treaties were reprobated, and according to the plainest principles of which they were to be held in abhorrence... T .(llw, hear.)—He called upon the House to reflect upon the history of those treaties; to remember that when this country ex changed the glories of Blenheim for an increased share in the profits of that detestable traffic by which it was so long disgraced, those treaties were freely and habitually cited in defence of that traffic; yet the . slave trade had setu its end. Not that ne claim of property were set up; not that no rightS were asserted, but that the country awoke, from itS long slumber, and in a voice of thunder announced that its:feelings were no longer to be trifled with— the country awoke and smote the traffickers in hu. man beings, and scattered their guilty gains to the wind. Let the House, let the Government beware, for the same country had again awoke, anti the same indignation again animated the breasts of the same people, and would, ere long, if not prevented, full with the same crash upon the upholders of slavery in its present form. But be it remembered, that when they should suffer, they suffered against his warning; and he prayed that when the crash did come, the destruction might not fall upon the nation large, but that upon the beads of the real offen flers might descend the far more terrible and more ,deserving judgments of God. He concluded by moving a resolution to the effect that the House would, at the earliest practicable period, take into consideration the most effectual means of mitigating die condition of the slave population, and finally, of abolishing slavery altogether; and iet they would further take into consideration the state of the West India colonies, with a view to amend the admini.' stratiou ofjnstice in, the said colonies. Mr. PROTHEROE said that he had been ad., vised to stay awky upon the dismission of this rno.d lion; but, if this were to be the last time he should address the House, be could not help raising hill voice in favour of the rights of humanity. He ha) firmness and unflinching steadiness in advocating those rights, and was sure he should have no reason to regret it. Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS said that the Hon. ] and Leained Gentleman had depicted a state of things which, he must say, did not at this moment' exist. With respect to the subject of religious inH 4tructien, it was under consideration in most of Ow ' colonies, as was also the subject of marriage and baptism, there being only some very few exceptions Regulations as to punishment, and for the disuse of the whip, were now adopted in every colony, with the exception of Bermuda, and one or tw o ot h ers . Regulations preventi n g die separation of families were in force in all the islands, excepting Barbadoe* and St. Vincent. In almost all the colonies, facili. ties for obtaining freedom were afforded under spe dal regulations. The melioration of the condition of the slaves was now in rapid progress throughout the colonies; and it appealed to hint that any direct interference on the part of the House upon the sub. ,leer would be attended with more harm than good. The Hon. Member then referred to a great 'umbel of documents in support of the fact, and , contended that the Colonial Legiolatures gave no sanction whatever to the enormities compldieed of by his Hon. and Learned Friend (Mr. Brougham). /1/111.- numission was greatly on the increase in the West Indies; and the number of persons of colour who had received their freedom had risen in a short time from 10,000 to 40,000. If the Colonial Legion'. tures made good laws without having the power to carry them into effect, no advantage could result from their labours; but, if the laws they passed were not carried into effect, the fault was tint with the colonists, but with the Governmental' the mother country. Ile was decidedly of opinion that the whole question of the judicature of the colonies ought to be taken into consideration at an early period of the next Session. Mr. W. SMITH denied that the Colonial lAgii,- latnres had paid any attention to the recomrn'enthn. lions of this country now, after a term of seven years had elapsed. A slave master in Jimmie,' 'could, at this moment, inflict 39 stripes' soil ) The' cart-whip, upon any man, woman, oechild, without the slightest apprehension as to the consequenee., The very idea of such a punishment luting inflicted, i s , E ng land would .rouse the public indignation to' ts, Mr. W. HORTON said, that although there was O o so very thin an attendance of Hon. Members, still he was glad, for some reasons, that he had an ops portunity of addressing the House on this subject. His Hon. Friend (the Member for Evesham, Mr. Protheroe) had told them how much he had sacri .. ticed by voting in favour of anti-slavery opinions. If it were any, conselatioo to his Hon. Friend, hr would tell him that the Anti-Slavery Society them selves had also made sacrifices. The Anti-Slavery Society had denounced many, among whom he was', one, although he. had never uttered one word, OF done one action, in opposition to the resolution of Parliament in 1823. After the speech of 'the lion. Member who had just sat down, he could under stand the reason of this conduct on the part of the Anti-Slavery Society. It would be in the recollect , ion of the Heine that, in 1823, Mr. Buxton moved a resolution to the effect that slavery was re pugnant to the Constitution of the country, and to the doctrines of the Christian religion, and that it ought to he abolished. Mr. Buxton's resolution, he need hardly say, took no notice of the interests of the planters. Mr. Canning, on that occasion, moved counter resolutions, which were agreed to by the House, and which, after saying that the slaves should be prepared for a participation in those civil rights which were enjoyed by other classei of his Majesty's subjects, continued thus—" That this House is anxious for the accomplishment of this pur pose, at the earliest period that shall be compatible with the well-being of the slaves themselves, with the safety of the colonies, and with a fair and equits consideration of the interests of private pro. perty." Such was the vote to which the House ; had nnanimously agreed in 1823. But what had been the doctrines of the Anti-Slavery Society since ? • What were the opinions 'of the Hon. and . Learned Gentleman, and of the HOD. Member for Norwich, as expressed that night ? Why, that there could. be no such equitable consideration of the interests of private property, because slavery was inconsi s t ent with th e d octr i nes o f the Christian (Hear, hear.)—They gave the word " equitable" to the wind, although they had been parties to the House pledging itself to this resolution.' This, he contended, was not fair and straightforseard,deallog; if they wished to place the 'slavery question on 00 basis that to make man the property of another was repugnant to the docirinee of Christianity, and that !herefore the Legislature ought to proceed to the immediate abolition of slavery, without any re gard to the interests of private property,— If such were their intention, let them take the opinion of the House and of the coun try upon it in that shape. He had no doubt what the result of such an appeal would be ; but in the meantime, he protested against persons being denounced its friends to this continuance , of slavery, because they had ac t e d consc i ent i ous ly irreccordance with the vote of the Legislature. Be - would ask, .• however, if the whole system of compulsory mane mission, which. the Anti-Slavery Society had in—; forced on Mr. Canning, did not rest upon the prin-; ciple that man might be the property of man ? (Hear.) That system had at first been open to many • objectiont, but by 'mous orders in Council it had , been so modified as to be deprived of all the dangers.. that formerly attended it'; and he entirely agreed With those who thought that the Colonial Legislit tures ought, in justice, in humanity, and in prudence, to admit it into their !MN. Ilse digered, hoWever, altogether front those who thought that we should legislate on this stinject at home. He was of opi. Mon that nothing Could be more unwise than to irritate the West Indians by attempting to force 4 laws upon them e s--because he was sure that that " attempt would not only be unjustifiable, but that it would fail entirely. He bad heard a great deal, on various occasions, from the other side of the House, about the impropriety and injustice of our interfering with the Legislative Assemblies:of Canada; and would it not, he begged to know, be e qually im• proper and unjust for us to interfere on this or any other subject with the - Legislative Assemblies of the West Indies ? He repeated, that he thought '. the Colonial Legislature ought to admit into their law those regulations which had been made by Orders in Council for the improiement of the condi tion of the slaies; but he was quite sure it Would be unwise to attempt to force these upon ' the West Indians. If the West Indians refused to admit them, there were other ways of punishing their contumacy: they might,-for instance, put higher duties on their products, but they ought not to interfere with the Colonial - Legislature. He should take this' op portunity of moving certain resolutions-' ,, not with , the expectation that they Would be agreed to by the House, .but with the ' view simply or putting theta upon record: The Right Hon. Pentleman then moved the following resolutions : • od I. That the resolutions of this House of the 15th of May, 1822, distinctly contemplated, on . the one hand, the 4 ultimate participation by the slaves in his ! Majesty!s'eo monies, in those civil rights and privileges enjoyed by other classes of his. Majesty's subjects, and, an the other, t h e accomplishment of that purpose, subject to the ' fair and equitable consideration . of the interests pf -private property. . 4 2. That the changes of 14 which have been dee m , I !11 1 Parliament the most equitable antleXpedient for du % b accomplishment of thes e two distinct pledges, are tn found in 'the various orders in Council which have he'en i. it t he a ppe table an o t f o t:tei sMoose House. t h 4 issued in the ceded colonies , and Which h a y s b een sueces lively Reid on t the only part of that new system of law which has met with serious re..2' inoristrance And protest, 'la consequence of its tendency ,f being ; presumed to prejudice the : equitable interests of 4 7 Iprivate property, has , bespt, thou enactments Whiell iii; I!the first instance, introduced the, .principle of what has h e en called, c comptds or y m:mum i ss i on. ' 4. That it is the opinion of this lions, that,'sa long ,as the money-price received by the master for a manumit. I tett slave shall enable hint to purchase a slave of equivalen 1 ,value, n o i n j ury can accrue from the abstraction of such, slave, beyond that character of injury which is at all times, inseparable from a forced commutation of property, though attended with the fairest principle of compensation. ... " 8. That it is the opi n i on o f t h e House that th;.. clauses introduced into the Order in Council of, the 2d,of February,' 1880, do pecure An e4uitable princi pl e of, ina omission, as far as it is possible to carry Mich a principle into effect by legislative enactments. " 6. That this House is at the same time of opinion, that the clauses in that Order in Council, which prohibit absolutely all contribution from private individuals of cor porate bodies, tewerde the manumission of a slave, re-, quire ,.essential modification:;. • ,! a ~.';7. That this Hottse fully appi . eciates the degree of Caution with which it is necessary to legislate, in all mat ters affecting the equitable interests of property to the con servation of which this House is pledged ; and that it will direct its unceasing , attention to the cause and effect of this change of legislation in the ceded colonies, for the purpose of satisfyilk ika the (talleat sense; the dist!nct and difreolt Plealgia of F'arhairient, above cited from the resolutions of 1828, which resolutions equally contemplated the interests of the toaster, and the well-being of the slave. " S. That the change of law• in the ceded colonies being now fully and satisfactorily accomplished, with the exception above-mentioned, this House is entirely prepared to expect, that the legislative colonies will voluntarily and completely incorporate into their respective codes of law, at the earliest possible period, those ameliorations in the laws affecting the slave population, which are now in com plete operation in the ceded colonies, and which may not hitherto have been adopted by the colonial legislatures." Sir G. MURRAY said, that be wis not prepa re d t o agree to the resolutions of hie Right Hon..Priend (Mr. W. Horton) • and, inde e d, he thought that it could hardly be expected ' ilia he should_ agree to them, having heard them now for the first time, and the resolutions regarding a sub ject of so much importance, and going so much into detail. Still less did he feel it possible for him to concur in the re solution which had been brought forward by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Brougham) opposite; and be should be very glad, for many reasons, if the Hon. and, Learned Gentleman could be pfevailed upon nit to press list resolution to a division. The first of these reasons was, the deserted condition of the benches. He should be sorry that a House io 'thinly attended should divide upon such a resolution, because, when the division went forth to the country and colonies, where due weight might not be given to the circumstances of the peritld, it might be inferred that so important a question had excited very little bite rest. When opinions on such a subject went forth to the colonies, he thought that they ought to be supported by the voices of a very I urge number of the Members of Par liament. Again, •he could not approve of so few Mem bers as were assembled on the present occasion coming to a vote that was to pledge a new Parliament. He thought it would be much better to let the matter stand over, and take the sense of the new Parliament upon the resolution, if the Hon. and Learned Gentleman should think fit. He hoped it was hardly necessary for him to say, that he bad' no desire to retain such a condition as that of slavery. He thought it injurious alike to the master and to the slave, and he did not see how the retention of it could be justified either in humanity or in policy. He would even go so far as to say, that he did not pee how it could he justified by the precepts of our religion. The slaves in the West India colonies bad an equal right with other climes to the protection of the Government and the Legi slature; but by precipitate measures, instead of improve ment, we might introduce desolation and ruin to masters end slaves. His object had been to be guided in the con sideration of this subject ley sound moderation, and by 4, calm reflection on the degree of danger which might arise from too great rapidity in measures which he, es much as any man, was of opinion should be brotight about. With respect to the administration of justice in the . West Indies, he thanked the Hon. and Learned Gentle man for the candour with which he had adverted to the pledge he (Sir G. Murray) had given as to the intentions of government to bring forward a measure for this purpose. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman was aware thet there was no unwillingness on the part of Government, which I,ad had the subject some time under consideration ; and the pledge would have been redeemed, if it had not been for measures of greater importance which had occupied the attention of the House, or if its time had not been eon sumed by discussions which, however interesting , to those who brought them forward, had occupied largely that time without any important resalt.—(Hear, hear.) It was in the contemplation of Government to bring forward a measure, which was not likely to meet with any objection in that House, or any where except in the West Indies ; and from what had fallen front his Right Hon. Friend, who was interested in West India concern., he was sorry to apprehend that some opposition would be offered in the colonies. He (Sir George Murray) was not inclined to dilatant from the doctrine laid down by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, as to the right of the mother country to legislate for its West India anionic*. With respect to another pledge lie had been reminded of, as to the admis sion of slave evidence, he was certainly of opinion that the ends of justice would be promoted -by the admission of slave evulence, under circumstances which would leave it to the Court and the jury to give it the weight which it deserved. The Consolidation Slave Act contained many wise and humane . regOlations, 'and in many respects well worthy of adoption ; hut certain clauses had been introduced • into it, which rendered it quite inadmissible: in Inch a case, the disapprobation of the Governnient ought to be ex pressed. With respect to another part be would say that although a steady friend to the Church of England, he was of opinion that the missionaries now in the West Indies might be more useful in propagating the Gospel than the regular ministers of the Church. At the same time he admitted that there might be a fear of their having too strong a tincture of seal and enthusiasm. With respect to to the case of Moss, to which the Hon. and Learned'' Member had referred, he was aware that that person had " been guilty of great barbarities; but he wished to observe that this person's name was Henry Moss. There was a 'Mr. John Moss in the same island, a very respectable indi vidual, and he was induced to mention this, as he had I been confounded with Henry Moss. He strongly recotn mended the Hon. and Learned Gentleman not to press hie resolutions. He could assure him that the resolutions of the 15th of May, 1823, were in his (Sir G. Murray's) opinion sufficient warrant for him to proceed in urging , the amelioration in ire', as rapidly i ; sit could b e at the same time he Ives sensible of the necessity of proceeding with extreme caution, And with regard to the interests of all clews. :Whatever might be the nature of the property, it was the duty of Government to use the utmost caution, lest by a precipitate step that property .might be dete riorated or removed altogether. Mr. OTWAY CAVE hoped that the constituents of the new. Parliament would require a pledge from their repre sentative', that they would support some motion for the abolition of slavery. It was the universal feeling of the country that a measure of this nature should be adopted. Mr, WILMOT HORTON explained.. . Mr. MARRYATT apatite in a tone which rendered him inaudible in the .gallery.. We understoad him to argue that the condition of the negroes was not so bad as it was represented to be. He adverted to the difficulties with which the West Indians had to contend, and to the re.luc.. tion of their trade and resources, which was an important consideration for the manufactures of England. He read extracts front despatches from Earl Bathurst and Sir George Murray, praising certain iolonies for the measures of amelioration they half adopted, anal contended that the work of amelioration, if ,left to the colonies themeelvea, would advance mote speedily, than be urged nu by such, resolutions' tie now proposed. Sir P. BUEDtTT,-. with reference to - the last remark of the Hon. Member, that it would be better to leave the measures of amelioration to the Colonial Legislatare, said that be saw no reason why they should be more ready to, carry those measures into effect, or what. hum cou'd be donoby a spur.being given them,in a declaration af dot House as - its the propriety of proceeding in the task of amelioration, which he believed should be treated with great moderation and forbearance. It was impossible not to feel a strong desire to put an end to slavery ; but if i, was said that it, watt a natural incident in the pepulatiot, of the West Indies, he was not prepared to deny it (as we understood the Hon. Baronet). He should be sorry to cast any imputation on the West Indian proprietors ; EMS' Of them be knew to he as humane men as any upon earth, and were prepared to adopt a remedy itany practicable one was pointed out. When appeals were made to the feelings of men, some mode should be suggested for redressing . tjta evil. It was untrue to say that the Colonial Leifi'lat4r had done nothing for the amelioration: of the slaves; but it was absurd to say that because something, perhaps much, had teen stone,, there was not Mitch •to do. The Ireaolution did not pledge a new Parliament; it merely ex- Ipressed a strong opinktn, which would hive much tett 'ence upOn the public, arid must have some effect upon the feelings, and judgment,, and: views of a future House of Commons. B the population in the Colonies could be untie 413 well behaved as that of England, co W es t I n di a pro . ~ prietor would object, to their being plated on such a foot - - ing. i .The object of the Legislature ought to be to aftuo. thettlaves some motive to labour instead of compulsion ; l at present; they bad no motive, and therefore would labout as little:* possihlea' . Several plans for this object ha, ibeen suggested to him even by Wiest India pr e p r i et orc-- lit had been suggested that slaves might -be- al lowed in purchase their antimission. been proposed to ascertain the fair amount labour of a slave, and to bold nut to him the tine of a task of work, which being completed , of the day should he given for his own purples , ptoja . wasthat of inducing persons by indent out a - Writ of allyerY A itmisiioii of tlott. (ince of such estates as patronized free isbour proposed; fur instance, if a third or a fourth ductious was raised by free labour, a certain , of the duty on that part should he remittal to prietor. Such gradual amelioration as this means impracticable. All interests, however, ,consulted, the West ,Indians and the inc 'shove ali, unquestionably, the condition of the , illation. The public had also a great interest in kiwi, for the West Indies formed a most ins; ;sion to this country, far more important., he Itban even the East Indies. lle trusted that Hon. Gentleman would not oppose the was firritly &opinion that the rest Maris,- emancipation, would benefit themselves as groes. The lion. Dsronet then went on to . did not think the West India colonists were to the present system. The emancipation of ;he rresent would be very hard upon the therefore was a question which should be tm. -.Treat delicacy, and ought never to be, except' teptt• Measures should be adopted to prepa re Ansi state, and if they were resorted to with I cerity the time necessary to prepare them em , shorter than was calculated. The diffir 'ound to diminish as they advanced, and the 'at hist tp the.restilt whicb they all so much i►us that such steps shoitl4 ! f ie t t eo, he was to remove the care ottbe l 6 from the hands; ment. lie gave credit to the Government ftr. and he was sure that the matter could not it%ntl.s than those of the Right Hon. and Gall ,Sir Grow Murray.) In conclusion, the 'xpresseli a hope that the motion might. not .nd that a future Parliament might thus take the subject into its early consideration. was upon his legs, he wished to say a word which appeared a short time hack, in ,which that a sailor, on hoard one of his Majesty ,Handed by Captain Mingay, had died is -es-ete flogging which he received by ordi If the case was as he had seen it descrit subject would be. inquired into by the . had understood that it wiz a regulation of a Captain of a ship bad not authority to a dozen lashes; but the unfortunate man, r'ha oceived four dozen, and his death was the If the subject were not inquired into, he duty to bring it be'ore the House. Sir GEORGE COCKBURN said, that ita• which the Hen. Baronet alluded, a Coroners 'at upon the body, and they made a perek4 which they nut only acquitted Captain Ming 3 4ficers front , all blame, but gave them credit great humanity. The fact was, the man was for an offence which called for such an ioSietion, vas more than probable his death was hastened 5 * 'ion] the great severity of the punishment, Africk of erysipelas, which he got at the time* hese circumstances, the Admiralty did not fend' to interfere with respect to the Captain. W . CO the number of lashes which might be inflicts authority of the Captain of a King's ship,.the. ~a. " net was mistaken in supposing it was limited general practice of the service was, that it ,st , " ,reed 48 lashes in any one punishment. _ . Sir R. PEEL said he bad heard with great :he very moderate tone in which the subject touched upon by the Hos. Baronet, and he ass-,,, that the speech which he had delivered could' be known to every one of the colonists. It Was 'rue that no effective measure could be exj luctant legislataire, and that whatever measures ltioptcli should be adopted gradually. The mal course would be to endeavour to laying abOttl feeling between the black and white population. ionies, by induCing the latter to acts of conciliatk former. He did not object to the natation on f its not pledging the next Parlistneot tO a line of conduct, for he was aware that such been made at the conclusion of one Parliame" pledge given had been redeemed by the e nsuing anent ; and there were objections to the al"t"' Tt:forth, igh r ted with him . First, newts unwilling h t hat , division, that it was discussed in so very e tl m key oti h o a n d ,s n e o eOrOtil. the il i e e ' Fie knew that the small attendance of Members • wo t f o hi.ethh the subject, but from °the i r to srema irture apathy t rys pledging liametat to a partienlar course which it teig" able to redeem. If the Parliament, sheold :! * to take this cours e i n t h e next Ses s ion, "t. just as Well abl e t o d o so 'Without adopting air The motion was, that they should so We l condition of the slaves" as to lead to, the fi nal ebe davery. Now he was not prepared to give pledge until lie saw the Means by which the ton could be brought &Mot. ,Another objection the Hon. and Learned Metiaber l e motion wail wholly. as to the question of compensation : but he w oele would it not be most unfair to the unfortunate' daises, to talk of emancipation without at the including a compensation to the slave owner. U. that if he were to argue with the slave, r and in what title be held him, it would be difficult to g i' factory answer ; but talking there in the House anonsit was different, and looking at the mode the present owners of slaves had arcinifeil a hem, we should consider that a chins to vas as attach founded in justice as the claim for kind of prOperty. It would b e a monstrous oblige the present holders of slaves to wipe O ut ' f justice of the original purchose by the sacrifice whole property, to which purchaie, or captures its more parties than other Subjects of the empire' llouse should also, before it pledged itself to any leading to emancipation, consider what would be lition of the slaves themselves when ernocil whether it would be a benefit to them if dote The Hon. and Learn e d G ent l etnan t a lked O' chance of resistance on the part Of the cOloniee.te with which this 'country could support, its, whether they could bring the same power American colonies showed in the revolutionaeY ! ti ; Mr. IHIOUGHAM said he had' only refe_„P e " difference of circumstances. In the revolutioel% question tuna as to. taxation without represe o },, leitia our present colonies, on the subject of th e " k etch question could arise. Sir ROBERTPEEL admitted our power t n . parliament ar y ' measure 'f or the regulation of Or unto effect, but still the idee of going into Cu'' iellew-subjects could not be Contemplated witlinu' When he said this, he admittel he could not what had occurred with respect to same indivi atrocity towardi slave. without - deep regiet. heard of : those eases, Inches that of the Mojas h non, he looked upon , them as the acts 01 which were r e p ugnant to t h e genera l f ee ling °` ti but lie owned lie saw with deep regret the sioll whole colony excited by the lunialiment of tin" /ideal ; and this fact ought to lead thelionietn i to encourage by every means a kindly feeling black and the white population. With retire' atiision of slave evidence, he did not see whY should not be capacitated to give evidence. • It tried in Grenada and Tobago, and no bad of from it. If once It was adaiitted - th a. t j Mould be no bar to giving evidence, the IV - i t t. slave would be raised in the estimation of the ma° belted heard the opinion of a gentleman well eA with the colonies, who had the strongest obje ct ' lowing the slave to give evidence against his nl‘ this from consideration for the slave hiaise i f; f ur evidence of the slave were not effectual, it mighl, master to acts of ill t rea t ment i n a va riety Of L'"' In conclusi on h e wou ld aga i n express a hope'!... tism should not be pressed. He would haie.it. though he was not a friend to the: taxation of t he by this country, he admitted in the MINA exttnt to legislate for them in respect to this questin°'. same time he would rather let the measures nr-. •be kindlifeeling of the Monists themselvneas!, jts thou g ht t h at much pract i ca l goo d co uld oected from reluctant legislation ; and by tha Id aient of kindly feeling in the colonists he w" o ward off th e danger which the non-insetnvel o , condition of th e s l aves , by th e colonists shoo t tend to bring 0 I, • n ` ngb' Mr:'BROUGHAM' in reply said, mired the_ candour and fairness with whlA t , ii had been met by the Right Hon. and Galltot_2; the Secretary for the Colonies, and by : the 'it a ig7 Secretary who spoke last, yet he owned he tv . *limed by their arguments. M to. the , House, if that were to be a . secret whirl ti : l~r rya to keep from the colonies, he feared it 044141 , 41 soon, whether the House divided went of the Hon. Bank Director OW. 1 11 Inniw 7 inconvenience of such a measure thelitst Parliament, were, be conceived , of not *cirr i " that thew 0811111"110 • MVIUMISSiOn. tt le fair amount of Id nut to him the toelt being completed, that lig own purposes, Mit -sons by indentures tot. lesion of dutyon Off zed flee ;sbour lets rd or a fourth of yid 1. hour, a certsin prop' i 4 d he remitted to the wation as this 044 WI crests, however, shooki and the mortgage ondition of the bids 0 great interest in thin I a most importantrt important, he conte2 Ie trusted that the Fif Tose the motion; sott "est Indies; hr pry" ji emselves as well as*/ 11 Went on to ssy, tlaitM olonists were t 0 bigoe! acipationpf the setor„ in the proprietors, bould be touched apt to be, except by gri opted to prepare tlies, tried to with real OW pare them might be 01 The diffi c ulties tuigillt teed, and they ulightej all to much desiiel, &ken, he was not die i the; handa,of the 60 10 , verntuent f.ir its iniesittfl ter could not hs in.b4 lon. and Gallant Sorttl :fusion, the llurwl l ' n might n ot be r 4 14 1,7, night thus he :onsideration. • ettg say wor d noon , - it, in which it OM his Majesty's slips d died in consenueol",4 1 by orders of 6641 t described, he herd 0 by the Admire*. Li ulation hority to inflict 01 • nate man who died, sill was the into, he should fe ,l,t, r said, that in the eorl eat a Coroner's Jur/ f idea particular OA Captain Mingo 411 ,j. ;ate them credit for Li I, the man was panio itch an ioSietinn, tOl,l 11 was hastened by 111 punishment, but hot: t ot at the time. ; ty did not ferl Captain. With light be inflicted bl iu l ship,.the 11A. ttl it was 1110, 4 1 Ir °l er is, that it 'bold net ment. Ird with greet ss tisfetel • 4 the subject ho t IA act, and he should 01! lelivered could be 0! "bits. It was p &Of t tld be e xpected ha l ' tever measures were O i l ; dually. The t,°l/ ; cail r to In ing about 3 I.ite population in the acts of conciliation to.. lie motion on the adiament to a re that such 111041 1 / 7i' one Parliament , I by tit., ensuing P4 0 : 11 ' Is to the motion 01111 unwilling that it al° petition, were prey 11 1 P ah l '1 a so very Oa A 11° ,.1 1. ‘ e of Members did OW" nit from other eirel matron'. lie • Pledging the pest •11:: which i t i wigilt in , rl t,4 ent, should be 49 i t Session, it woull i nit a d o pting this 1i• lould spo meliorate , I to, the final abel1I1:4 ared to give anY • ' y which the foal other objection oak, motion was whollY 1 ion : but be woul.l s unfortunate 14 014 "1' ithout at the tairol; lave owner. fl, trholi'd slave, And be etlice; te difficult to give Al4' e in the House of C;111:i g at the mode ift acquired a pray s ub! claim 'to Celle ki the claim for s oy (P i , a monstrous iojtittietir lti yes to wipe out 111e ,,4 by the sacri fi ce of u^ tost lei or capture, 64 or is of the empire, cdf itself to sof '1°,00.4 what vvou ld be the t j when ernaucip a r4dl,,,,„. them if done atur-blii' o ,roan talked of h O; 4 the colonic/ tn lll Ippon its mes a lame power 0114 revolutionary Or 004 had only refera"l be revolutionn t i! l lout represeottlll°% f subject of the 611'. I our power to " r ar gulation of the ~'lO.O ing into war tr 1.40 mplited witlioutp,/ lie co uld not con o,fr I some inclividut,l%,l deep regret. of the Moises at e ke as the act. of ; • era) feeling of . egret the syrnflltbl"o4l aliment of such 'l t ° r e d the House to r"`1";IY ► ndly feeling hea'llitt 1 4 With respect Vl+lt id not see why the poi ;I evidence. It 1 111a , } 00 . d nadombiattedd effthegOtt Jo lot es i; epee, the regard dMn of the maste' ntleman well e 44 0 trongeat objec t f against his nit/ ave hiutse'f; fur ctual, it might 015 a a variety /Wt. e s* a hopellat I could hate 100 taxa t io n of the c4l;ie i tl ie fullest eaten t 11, m this question'; Ott ' P s measures twig w its themselves, L a tl 0 oed cool not and by d t he ea t , mists be wn illa ri ion-improvem se lvelo e tl nt mists t hein tl aid, that 6001 he t pith which tb° 4,'100 t it an d Gallant 6 0 01 dld by the Itigl3), own ed be wee 01 , e b •10 the- thinness o, it W,i tl of II it wOida i 1417° °4l • 4 4 A o r not. I:thint "I (Ur. Menai* at tha lest not very (VW • charged with :an offence of the deepest die. A female slave had neglected to dress a turkey for his dinner—he struck her, abused her with oaths and the grossest epithets, and after he had blackened both her eyes, he called two men who beat her with bamboos .until she was a mass of laceretien from Oche nape of her neck to the velvet of her legs. 'i i l'he severity of th e punislittent was admitted, and i i, the Rev. Thomas Wilson Bridges allowed that he had heard the cries of his slave, but the Court of , f , Protection had decided against his prosecution by i majority of 11 to 1. When the fate *ere sent home the Secretary for dee toldnies (Sir G. Mur ray) (lad given direttions that the R'everend tor• rarer shoksid be tried; but, according to the latest ) , itiforraation, no proceeding against him had freest hi 'tituted. He (Mr. Brougham) knee. , the Rev. T. W. Bridges by his works, because a respectable bookseller bad been found guilty of a gross libel, which he PeVer suspected had been inserted in One of them ; and the same Reverend entigi'r, besides, had not scrupled to insult, witti the foulest calm- Hies, one of the [nest Peniable and blameless mem bers of that tturch of which Mr. Bridges would • iliti bt thought a Christian Pastor. He bad de l'amed Mr. Wilberforce himself-‘ , -- - tbet ifkriarch of he cause of atei-slavery, wite , , through a lengthened life (which Mr. Brougham prayed Heaven yet to prolong fat 'the benefit of mankind) had devoted every exertion to the welfare of his felloW-creatures. When he saw such a man as the Rev. T. W. Bridges maintained in Ilte cruelty by a majority of t 1 to 4 of the Cdurt of Protection, how could he longer trust the reform of the system of Colonial Legislature, and decide that the owners of the lie 4roes were the fittest judges in their tw'n cause P-- (Hear, hear.)—lt was trAr slit years since he had c tiled the atteption of Parliament to the case of a murdered missionary of the name of Smith, who lad lost his-life for the dreadful crime (and none ,could be blacker in the eyes of the West itiditin ,ilanters) of preaching the Goepel. He had been told on that occasion that such a lamentable Case could never nosh Occur, but he nevertheless held in , his hand P statement promulgated by a most respect .ible religious body, 'which showed that another in- .. , _ _ prepared to continu e th e cours e it had hitherto pur , . sued, and by reposing confidence in slave owning !Legislatures to 'perpetuate the dreadful evils of the existing system of slavery ? Before he put this, question he wished, h o w ever , t o a sk another, whi c h! , ought to be pressed upon the Executive govern.' merit before Parliament separated ,for some months.' It related to the slave trade, the pest and s i t'orn of human nature, and the icktulai of the Christian world,. In *he state was that trade now ? He woutu venture to say that in Brazil, where there was m population of 100,000 slaves, one quarter, of the number had died within, two konths. In this . kingdom, with. r". 0 0 '4istion of 12 millions, we Justly trlfalered at 73 executions, 23 or 24 of which ,vere for murder; but what-would the Helm, think 'of the number of executimps among the slaves of Brazil ? He believed tltt the slave trade had been Gnatly supOisSed both by Portugal and Brazil in nuary last, and the treaty for the purpose was ca pable of being rendered effectual, inasmuch as it eve a mutual right of search; but there we.s Gne country; nearer home s and mutt pbwer£ol, where the slave' trade flootithen, though condemned as a crime, and the parties subjected to an infamous punishment. He alluded to France : and the slave trade would continue to flourieh tlYire until the same right of mutual search had been conceded by her. He ear nestly hoped that in the interval of the recess Minis- Jers would lose no opportunity of urging this point strongly upon the French Government, as the only effectual mode of putting an end to the MAC which France expressed !tette Aiiiious to suppress. Hei protested Wrote God that he taw no nation that rthe utmost pitch, but in Jamaica it was looked t' Upon as quite a matter or course. In Jamaica no !proceedings were instituted against the party guilty of such severity ; on the contrary, the notice taken of it by this Goverment, Nras represented there as 1" stiCh an insult on the Wand as rriiist remain a last-, iii.to thonUniek of the folly and incompetency of one Member u of the Colonial .oflice.'.' What was this' abut a direct insult on the Government of the mother ;country ? Would the proprietor of any newspaper 1 in the colonies Ventk3A to put forth such language if 'e d d not feel that in doing so he was sanctioned by the colonial authorities ? It could not ,be denied :that the quarter whence religlptis instruction lcould hest, proceed in 'Oramairit tlari now under ilt ' pesecution of the local authorities. No encouragement whatever was given to the mar riage of slaves. The number of marriages in the last five years was not two per cent. How then was it to be expected ) with truth a state or thirpg, 4 , thit, that an end 'Could be Ato negro slavery I' 'That a man should haie A claim to property in the .. person of hie fellowZman was revolting to all laws, 'bath divine and human. He considered it a shame rti hear Englishmen contrast the condition of 011 labourers with that of slaves in the. West Indies. lAs to the question whether or not this country could carry its regulations into effect without the assistance of the Colonial Legislatures, he should not enter, into it further than to say that, although he believed , it could not be so easily done, yet he was sure that it could be effected much better even in conrradiction to the wishes of the Legislative Authorities, than I,y giving them the liberty of framing those lawi, the execution of `which *as afteiWards to be en trusted tO them, With regard to any objection on the ground of interference, he would say that the mount of the interference extended no further than to induce the Colonial Legislatures to take active measures, and to dissuade them from spending seven years more in doing as little as they had dotte in the last seven year's. There was one more point to which he wished to allude. It was established by specific regulations that the protectors of slaves were to have no interest in slavery; but in practice the assistant - protectors might be owners of slave• whenever they pleased. He was - sorry to have oc loupied so much of the attention of the House, but 'it was a subject on which he felt himself called upon to make these observations. ' 4 4t