The Sun. — London, England, 1804-06-08 00:00:00

of the House to a sobjecl he was confident, would not fail to interest its liberality. It was to the case of a very old and faithful Servant of that House, their late Deputy Serjeant at Arms, Mr. CLiMENTsON, who, after having discharged the duties of that Office with the most scrupulous and indefatigable diligence ard fidelity for thirty.five years, had now, in the both year of his age, retired from the arduous avocations of that Office. Having witnessed his faithful services during so many suc cessive Parliaments,'and persuaded that his conduit, during so long a series of years, in that important Office, must have attracted the notice, and even the approbation of the House, he trusted that the Mo tion he was this day about to make, for some pro vision for that faitqui Officer, in his old age, as a mark of approbation to his long and irreproachable discharge of his duty, would readily meet the assent of the House. He concluded with in-wing, " That an .hu , nble Address _he presented to His MAJISTY, praying that he would be graciously pleased to order some provision for Mr. CLFMENTSON, and that this House would make good the same." . General Noßrom — bore testimony to the merito rious condua of Mr. CLFMENTSON. and seconded the Motion of the Hon. Baronet. Mr. AnblNGTort most cheerfully concurred in the Motion, and could not deny himself the satis faElion of rising to express his approbation to the faithful and exemplary conduEt of Mr. CLPMENT SON, during the twelve years in which he had an op. portunity of.experiencing his deserts, by the km. pulous and indefatigable discharge of his arduous duties'. He was confident it would be ack.now iedged, that instead of having ever given the slightest offence to any. Member of that House, during the long period of his services, he had,on the contrary, given universal satisfadion. He thought him, there fore, a deserving object of Royal munificence. The Motion was agreed to. NAVY PRIZE AGENCY BILL. The Order of the Day was now read for the se. coed reading of the Bill for the better regulation of Navy Prize Agency. Mr. DICKENSON thought the Bill a •measure . of such great importance, and 'as affeeting the interests of sr) great a body of men, as the whole of the Prize Agents (;f this Country, and the whole of the Officers and M,n of His Majesty's Navy, that some further time ought to be giien before the House was called•on to decide finally on the measure.— The Board of Admiralty, he said, had taken the 'irubjeCt into consideration, but had found it so com plieated, and involving so many contrary inte:ets, that they had not yet come to - any decision upon it. He hoped, however, there would be no objeetion to postponing the second reading till Tuesday 6'e'rmight. _ _ _ Mr: AbDING,TOiV rose to remind the House that this Bill had already been a considerable time pending; that it was founded upon the Report from the Commissioners of Inquiry into Naval Abuses, o f which► abases, those of Prize Agents formed a consider ihle pert, and made so long since as last July. That his Hon. Friend (Admii-al NIARKHAeI), h a d b roug ht forward the Bill so long since as Fe bruary last ; that although various causes had since red to delay the progress of - this Bill, yet it, rectify and ascertain the mode by which the Sailors of the British Navy, who fought the battles of their Country, were to receive fairly the produce of the prizes they had won, as the remuneration of their gallantry. The Session was already so far advanced, that any farther delay would risk the loss of this Bill in the present year. The House would recol led, that on appointing Commissioners to inquire into the abuses in the Naval Department, the sub. jed of Prize Agency was one to which, in a very particular manner, they had directed the vigilance of the Commissioners. The object of the present Bill, founded, as it was, upon the result of minute inquiry, was to establish the most rapid mode of de. cision possible, by which the British► Captors of law_ ful Prizes might be enabled to obtain their rights, and to appoint a .safe place of deposit for the pro. seeds of their captures, until such time as their rights should be ascertained, and where they might apply for information, or payMent, in the proper time, - instead of being left at the mercy of Prize Agents. Against the principle of the Bill he was confident there could not be, nor did he understand that any objection was likely to arise ; but he trust ed, that the circumstance of the present Admiralty Boatel not having had time, in the multiplicity of their concerns, to come to any decision upon the Bill, would not be allowed to operate 'with the House, as-a reaqm for further delaying, beyond this day, the second reading, which would acknow. ledge the principle at least, But if the Govern_ went would even pledge itself to support the Bill in the next Session, it would afford high satisfae ti m to.his mind, and render him the less anxious about pressing it forward at so late a period as the peCieor. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that his Hon. Fricnd (Vlr. DICK NsoN) in naming a particular day for the second reading of the Bill, which, for the reasons lit! assigned, he thought more eligible than the present, ought fairly to be under_ stood as giving a proof of his intention to go on that dj into the discussion; hut really, upon look ing into the Bill, it was found to contain many points so extremely knotty, and so likely to excite much difference of opinion in the detail,.that the Board of Admiralty, in the multiplicity of important concerns which had pressed upon them since their accession to ( ffice, had not time to give it the ne cessary deliberation, so as w make up their minds on the Bill. His Majesty's Government would therefore give no pledge upon the subjett one way or the other : they would not content themselves with saying the principle was a good one, and therefore pass the Bill without examination or com ment. They did not chose to amuse the House with empty words, or pledge themselves to the adoption of - measure without examination or alteration ; tior did he think the matter'so -very pressing, after i o l ong a delay as it had already experienced, to defer it only for a few days longer. This specie s of argument, he was sure, had little chance of being "atistanory to the Hun. Gentleman who spoke last, • and - - who, notwithstanding the delay the Bill had already experienced under his auspices, was ready to defer it till oext . Ses'siOn. But it was pretty ex, traorditiary that though the Bill was alledged to be founded upon a Report so remote as the month of July last, and the Bill brought forward so early as last February, the Hon. Gentleman who thought it now so urgently necessary, did not take- a much earlier opportunity, when he might have so done, to press it forward with more expedition. Mr. JOHNSTON professed to disagree with both the Right Hon. Gentlemen who spoke last-- as the former had procrastinated for so many months the progress of a measure which he seemed to think so pressing, and the latter and his Colleagues had had full time enough since their accession to power to investigate the subjeet ; and also, as it was un derstood from the Secretary of the Treasury on . the last day this Order was postponed, that the se cond reading should take place this day. Upon the principle and detail of the Bill before the House, the Hon. Member reserved the declaration of his sentiments till another opportunity, of which he should avail himself, to shew that much complaint connected with this subjea, lay against the Court of Appeals, whose conduct was a reproach on the Administration of Justice in this Country. Mr. STURGES BOURAE disclaimed having given any pledge of the nature described by the Hon. Gentleman, adding, that, he never had any authority to do so. Mr. R. WARD thought the Right Hon. Gentle. man (Mr. ADDINGTON), would find himself mis taken in supposing, that no Member c o uld object t o the principle of this till. For his own part, he thoughtit very objettionable. It proposed to in troduce quite a new code—quite different from that which has existed since the reign of Queen ANNE— to ered a new Office under the direCtion of the Board of Admiralty, with Salaries of 60001. a year. Every man in the Navy, below the rank of Captain, was also to be deprived of the right of nominating his own Agent; and that controul over the proceeds of Prize-money, while an appeal was pending, which Seamen now had in consequence of a late Mt, was to he done away. Cap - t. MARXHAM thought it irregular in the Hon. Gendernan to discuss the principle of the Bill on the present occasion. Do&or LAWRENCE thought otherwise, and the SPEAKER corr , hordtecl his opinion. Mr. WARD resumed, and after a few farther ob servations, the Amendment was agreed to, and the Bill was ordered for the second reading on Tuesday se'nnight. SLAVE TRADE. Mr. WILB ER FORC A moved the, second reading of the Bill 11. the Abolition of the Sfive Trade. Mr. FOSTER wished the Order for a Committee en the Petitions from Ireland . , respe&ing the Tax of 41 per Cent. on Irish Linen, to precede the discus sion of the Hon. Member's Motion, as the persons conneaed with the Linen Trade in Ireland, were particularly anxious to have the business decided o'ne way or the other. Mr. WlLlteaFoßcit thought the Motion he submitted, would produce no discussion in the pre sent sta g e, and of course would not interfere with the objeft of the Hon. Gentleman. Counsel were in attendance, and their hearing would probably ter.. minate the business for this evening. _ Tprifinr ti ..;,4 that as the Mail for the West Indies was to Ibis night, he would not consent to suffer the anxiety which the Planters must feel upon this subjefl, to be aggravated by hearing, that a Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade Has allowed to be read a second time, without any obser. vation against it. The CH ANC ELLO A! of the EXCHEQUER sub mitted to his Noble Friend, that if he had no other reason but the Mail for pressing the discussion of the Bill this evening, that that Mail would most pro bably take its departure before the Debate should terminate. The Right Hon. Gentleman . recom mended, for the sake of time and accommodation, the postponement of the Debate until the Motion for the SP EAKE R'.^ 4 leaving the Chair, remarking, at the same time, that nothing very novel was to be ex petted upon a subjett'so often discussed. Any fur ther debate upon it would, in fiet, be merely a trial of the opinion of the House, and no parry could derive any advantage from time proposed post. ponement of that trial. After a long and desultory conversation, Mr. PITT suggested, that. the usual mode of proceeding , was to agree to the Counsel being heard before the Debate was gone into. Mr. DICKENSON, in order to give time to . the Counsel to prepare themselves upon the several Pe titions, moved that the Order should be postponed till this day sennight. Mr. DENT approved of this Motion, as the Liver pool Merchants, whose Petitions he had presented only this day, must naturally require farther time. Sir LAWRENCE PARSONS thought time es sentially necessary, particularly in order that gen tlemen should have an opportunity of exmaining the Papers on the Table, tt hicie contained the Corres pondence between the SECRETARY of STAts and the Governors of the several West India ACorrespondence which look place in consequence of the Resolution of the House in 1796, and which confirmed the opinions of the seviral . Governors and others, upon the practicability of the probable con sequences of an attempt at the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Those valuable Papers, he ventured to say, not ten Members of the House had ever read, not even, perhaps, the Honourable Mover of the Bill himself. Under those circumstances, the Hon. Gentleman recommended the adoption of the Amend ment, in order that the House should not proceed without due deliberation in a measure which would go to do away a Trade in which Seventy Millions of Capital were invested ; which brought Eight Millions of Produce into this Country, and enabled us to send Four Millions of our Produce to other Countries. Mr. W/LBERFORCE stated, that he had read the Papers alluded to by the Honourable Baronet, and would have thouzlit himself culpable, not to look over documents which had now been above ttmonth on the Table, and which were so intimately; con neaed with a subjea in which he felt such a parti cular interest. Mr. ROSE said; that a Pamphlet had been just published, and very widely circulated, which he knew produced a strong impression upon the minds of :he Members of that 1-I::u.se, Ile Right Hon, Gentleman observed, that this impression was such, that he wished the House to decline coming to any immediate decision upon this important Bill. Mr. WILBERFORCE saw the Pamphlet allud ed to, but could not suppose that, or any Pamphlet, would be sufficient to lead captive the judgment of the Members of that House, and to preclude them from coming to a fair and deliberate discussion upon any subjed. Some further remarks were made by Lord CAS.. TLEREAGH, Mr..FOSTER, Sir W. YOUNG, Mr. FULLER, Mr. W. DICKENSON, Mr. D. BROW E, Mr. CALCRAFT, and Mr. PITT, in the course of which Mr. FOSTER postponed his Motion, respecting the Irish Linen, until to-morrow, Mr. PITT agree_ ing that it should be the first Order of the Day, and adding that he would, without doubt, bring forward his Motion for the second reading of the Military Defence Bill, which was this day printed and cir culated. The House divided upon the Amendment. For the Original Motion . 74. Against it 66 Majority-8 _ _ _ On the Gallery being re-opened, Sir W. YOUNG was found upon his legs, He spoke at considerable length against the principle of the Bill, and observed, that it had existed from the reign of King Charles the Se'cond to the present period, during which time it had been of essential benefit to the Revenue and Commerce of the Coun try ; he thought that it was a Bill of general fore closure coming to a hasty conclusion, and, therefore, found it a duty incumbent on him to oppose it. Sir RALPH MILI3A.NKE obserVed, that the work of the plantations might be very well carried on with the assistance of mules, asses, &c. and that, by adopting the plan of only exading a moderate portion of labour from the Negroes, their population would considerably increase. Mr. WM. SMITH expressed some degree of surprise at hearing the Worthy Baronet who spoke last but one declare, that he thought the House w” coming to a hasty conclusion, when the Question had been now sixteen years before the House, With respect to the argument, that the population' of the Sugar Islands could not possibly be kept up for want of a sufficient number of females; he mentioned, that it had accidentally fallen within his own knowledge, within these few days, that an experienced Managrr of a Plantation kad thought it necessary to buy fo new Negroes to increase his stock during the last year, and, upon inquiry, he found that he had chosen those all boys. The inference was obvious ; boys, or yo,ung men, were found best to answer the purpose, and therefore they did not chose to purchase that description of Negroes that was said to be wanting to increase the population ; they had rather purchase an addition, than go to the trouble of rearing an addition to their stock. • Mr. GIiENFEL spoke in favour of the Bill. Sir.. NEGVPUR T declared, that it was his wish to remove the stigma which such a Trade refireted on us, as soon as possible. It was a traffic which hiid its foundation in injustice and in blood, and against such an abominable article of commerce, he would ever raise his voice. • . Fiat justitia ruat Ccelum. T ---,TEMPLE obieded rn the discussion of the Question in so thin a House, and recommended that . even a week' s t i me s h ou ld b e g i ven f or M em b ers to consider of the vast quantity of British capital that was employed in the Wcst India Islands, and to adopt some plan for the relief -of the Proprietors, who might suffer by a too sudden Abolition of the Trade. At all events, it was likely that other Nations might take up the Trade if we left it off, and therefore he should oppose the Bill in every stage ; ..it would seal the death.waerant of every white inhabitant of those Islands. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ;)b-: served, that he had thought that the st,ljeti..had become so hacknied, that there coIll;i not he any thing new introduced upon it, The opinions which the INTAbIe Lord had jast delivered had, however, convinced him'of his error. He at first seemed to beg for a week's more time, as if that could be any objet in a business that had been so many years under di,eussion. He then said, that other Nations might undertake the Trade, though . there was " not any other Nation that could spire either the capital or the shipping that was ne ' cessary for that purpose. And last, and most ex traordinary of all, he had said that the Abolition of the African Trade would seal the death-warrant of all the Whites. It was by ameliorating the condition of the Negroes already in the Islands, that some degree of attachment and fidelity to their masters was to be produced, and not by the additional importation of barbarous. and unenlightened savage Recruits, who would be ferocious, vindictive, and untraaalde ; who had fresh in their minds the idea of being torn from their native. Country ; who could not possibly have any_ attachment for their new masters, and who were most unfit for even the most laborious state lof civilised society. The old Negroes, or those who were born in the Islands, were fami liarized to ,their situations, and i n m a ny instances a would have degree of friendship for a master whom. ,they had long served, which would make then -k shudder at the idea of any revolt against him. The House had long since seen the danger of French re volutionary principles coming in contaa with the situation of Negro Slavery; and yet the Noble Lord seemed to suppose that/they were to be: soothed by the kindness of introducing new via ims, who were useless in a domestic point o( view, and . who, from their barharoos: habits and utter ignorance of the kindness and humanity of their new masters; would not be so likely to do any thing to injure them, as the oldservanti, who had experienced. their genero sity, and their feelings towards them even.in their. degraded situation. Dr. L AWR ENC E paid a just tribute.of praise to the powers of the Right Hon. Gentleman iri. &eta, oration. He, however, 'differed from him t in opi nion as to the propriety of the Bill beforerthe HOW. The conditiop of Slavery he thought bad in - a6i C Ol lRtrY, br with re s P e d to any description of hum a n beings. However, he could not think that the mode now adopted for doing away that -state of Slavery, wa s as sufficient to the purpose as .the other. The ATTORNEY GENERAL lamented, that, with all the Honourable an,l Learned Gentleman's A nxiety for the Abolition of any state of Slotery2 he neither could bring his mind to agree to th e in to - e2 r : I sure now before the House, nor yet to br in g ije, • ward any new proposition for that purpose , . h s however, covered himself in genera l terms 's it so recommendation of the other mode, as if ,it wade. generally known, that the r e w a s no necessity to. fine it, although that mode had .never before been heard of, or at least, he had never had the OP P i, ' ness to he present. when it was described. a Lard C4STLEREAGH opposed. the Bill, In - speech of considerable length. He thought the °. jed intended, would be better obtained by in st s / ' tuting some Viise and comprehensive sew-11 31 , 4)9 h ; , with a view to encour a ge the population 0 1 t se Slaves. Encouragement might'be gi ven also to tbn importation of the same articles as those supplied by the West Indies from other quarters ; and thus "' diminishing the consumption of their produces re • der-their demand for Slaves less urgent. A . du s ,, tl might also be imposed on the Importation of S lav i which might be gradually increased, and-thus r eale he the export profitable, while the import would be , contrary. — He thought the difficulties of the rest t es India Planters already sufficiently numerous, Wt t . out exposing them to the hazard of new estPe r c i : ments. He resisted the measure in general, count of what appeared tohim to be its impradb c " # biliry. • Mr. FOX, in a very argument a tive Speech, 1 terspersed with repeated strokes of humours 'armsbl y e i supported e n t e l r i e a l m ca e n a r s totrfe the l o l r ep o c n o e m n p t s l a o i f o e t d h th e titian to introduce it s i m p ra cti ca bility, • " f ir. ;;° stating any sa:isfaclory grounds for their OP" "i f The same argument had formerly been os j el iynit• Noble Lord, n ow i n the o th er H ouse (LOO L ola VILLE), whose worthy successor the Nob le The who had just sat down, seemed destined to be. on Hon. Gentleman regretted that the arrangeMen t3 the other side of the H o u s e ' se emed to be so ll' at cc that the strength of those who had most idle% in the House should not be united for this me 3 s ur ' which was so warmly espoused by some of th' Gen ti tlemen opposite. So dexterously did they acq u it themselves, indeed, in their several parts, t hat thc,_, parts really seemed to be cast for therm ; The Rib talent of which he was possessed , the Hon. CHANCELLOR, With all was a second Marc potter of the measure; but there might be created by the first. played, and which was that was also necessary to be to the influence t t h a l calculated haft as an antidote eloquence arc' formerly been assigned to a Noble Lord, not O the Member of this House, and was now filled W I 0 Noble Lord opposite, who, with the part, had he Th w is as se a co z n e t a l i° p: s 7 succeet?ed to the arguments.of . e.sksi,e4ssor.. o f Hon. Gent., then went into a minute discussi cli the different arguments that had been advan ced 14 0 , hostility to the Bill, and particularly those of the 0, ble Lord ; and after a very brilliant Speech, cuo,, eluded by expressing the warmest hopes that the c ° OL .,, try would no lon g er- disgrace itself by such anhase justifiable and 'dishonourable traffic, but woul 4 r ole the magnanimity and justice to set a laudable e % , 8 1 - fi ac. to the other Nations of Europe. If this B" 6 i c at seeded in passing the Legislature, he was CI ti ger that in five years the Slave Trade would be o° , er ity known but as a subjea of history, and P s ' lead would be astonished that ever . it should hay existence. ctiee Mr. WINDHAM admitted most read il y t he ht of the principle on which the Abolition was btoog icsi forward and supported, .but 54 1 %# man y dtfEcuir tea' that might occur in carrying the Measum.igro " c a non. : He much doubted if .it might not be onsio, duaive of very serious consequences to the narl prosperity. He adverted to the influence Or o s ample was supposed to have, and did not se e p s s the fun cif - ea of what had taken place in S r ' t he Toi - ogo could be yet ascertained. He suppo rted measure. 8•11 , s Sir LAWRENCE PARSONS WE , against he - I n c a. la Mt. W INDISAM and Mr. Fox severally ex l ' l Mr. BAktimst spoke in favour of the mc asure. Mr. DEVEREUX opssosed the Bill. . f ly Mr. WHITBREAD supported it, partieu•s Nos plying his ob servat io ns to t h o s e used by , rl' e d the Gentleman (Mr. WINDHAM). He o f e rrc time, probability 'Of the Abolition of the Tradeii.n, . 1-10 by putting an end to Slavery in the Col°l-0654 contended, that if the Tr a d e was suffered to oo; it would 'he the means of our ultimately los—'- West India possessions. gsins t Mi. WI LB ER r oRCE spo k e at some log th , 3- "sih e the opponents o f t h e B i ll ; on Mr. Wi t4P l,:iind was particul a rly severe. He applied to b iro - • of Pope to Addison : • b Who would not laugh, if suc h a Man ther e e? Who ‘vould not weep, if ATT/cu/ were bei te nov f Heex •• di • deb (se 01' presse satistatlion, that the o s e rested on the principle of Justice, and that s was left wholly out of the qu esl ` °... inanity Mr. WINDHAM explained. On the division for the second read ing ' too The Ayes were 4.2 5 Noes,. Majority C °l" On i the Question for ca lli ng in t he Couns el ' — es versation of some length ensued. T he , cid itt,t l. ' was carried in the affirmative. But Mr. r tpar a on opening the business, pleaded a 'want °' lion.on his own part, and that of his Colle 3 g A tho 'Their furthohearingiWaS therefore postP ane A% next stage of the Bill.—The House adjour ne " . o'anck. MAILS. ARK /V°l7. pus. Hamburgli 2 - - - - - - • PRICE OF STOCKS, THIS DAY AT TWILVI O'CLOCK• 3ii Red. Ann. - 55 k Omnium - - THE SUN. 401.1 M QUIS DICERS FALSUM AUDEAT • LONDON, JUNE 13, t8o4• LIC T FM Bill for the Abolition o f the Slave Tra was read a second time l ast ni g ht in the House ° I C".1.41"34 after a very lung Debate, and a PiYi6i9fl; Pri