The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

cheapness as in every other quality. His complaint was that
free labour bad tut had a fair trial. (Hear, hear.) He
considered that all the distress of the West Indies
had resulted front our policy since 1834, well.
intentioned, no doubt, but wholly erroneous. He
denied that the engagement of 1834 had been fulfilled. The
full price had not been paid ; for the captured sheen under
the treaty of search had been valued by arbitration at a
much higher sum; and had the West Indian slaves been
valued at that rate, they would have amounted to
101,910,0001. sides paying below the value, the apprentice
ship had been curtailed—another instance in which the en-
fregement with the colonists bad not been etrried out. Instead
of offering a round sum of 20 millions, the colonists ought to
have been heard as to the measures which were neeemary for
giving due effect to the enutocipatien. The colonists wire
unable to act ; On y were deprived of labour, onethird of
that exaced from the 'laves being taken away. Proper re-
gulati ~,, s wire also needed, which were never made. &early
as 1834 Lord Glc nelg had written a despatch, urging the im-
portance of neekiute provisions against squatting and idlenese.
before the eporcuticeship expired ; Onis shooing that it was
then thought most importaut to keep up the supply of labour.
The want of that single article had reduce d all the mischief
to the colonists; they h ,c 1 even been forbidden, by orders in
council, to bring labourers from Africa, Am' rice, or any-
where else. (Hear.) They were not even allowed to get
labourers from Europe, could they have done so. The re-
strictions had been one by one relaxed, but without restoring
the supply of labour which had been eat off by these orders
in council, secretly issued from the Colonial-ofilee without
the authority ot parliament. (Hear, bear.) Had they pm-
seseeddue !entitle s for obtaining labour. no doubt they might
have competed with other pieces. The blame was wholly
attributable to the Colonial office, which had Veen a nuisance
from first to last. (Laughter.) Had the Colonial-efflce been
lucked up; nd tree colonies allowed to mane ge their own !affairs,
without the petty meddling and interference of ignorant
men (for how could Lord Grey or Mr. Hawes, th fugh they
might be as clear-headed and sherp•ighted at anybody,
know intuitively what was requisite for the colonies), they
would now have been in a very different state. (Hear,
hoar.) Why, every two years almost there had been a fresh
colonial minister, so that the colonists never knew what they
had to expect fur two months together. (Hear, hear.) In
one case rules had been drawn up, and sent out for the re gut
lotion of the coolie', of which Lord Harris Ow Tired that
they were not wholly faultless. Thereupon Hail Grey sent
out an order immediately to cancel the rules; and the cone
sequt nee was that the coolies wi re seen dying on the high-
ways from hut.g r. (Hear, hear.) The intentions of the
legisivure in pas,ing the Emancipation Aet were clear, front
the statements of Lurd Stanley, the Duke of Wellington,
and others, all of whom contemplated the posing of proper
vagrancy acts and other measures to secure a due supply
of labour. Notwithstanding all this, almost as loon as
the act was posed, difficulties had been thrown in the way,
which had since been increased, till things had now come to
the worst. It had been said the high wages in the colonies
we re not the result of the want of labour, hut of the compe-
-1 titian between the colonies; but it wee clear the high wages
could only aria. from a want of labour. As it wee, the
negroes were the marten, and the masters had become the
servants ; it was said the centrum went to their work in cat.
and with silk umbrellas. (Great laughter.) He regretted
that in the case of Guiana, Lord Grey had stopped the
supply of 1 tbourers, because the taxes were not voted—a
very paltry prttext, in his opinion. Let the colonies be
Placed in toe situation in which it was meant to place them
in 1846. The act of that year had nut produced, though it
had much aggravated, their difficultiee. Why not allow the
colonists now to go to Attica, and obtain their own labour
without the intervention of government? Now that the
colonies were almost ruined, was it not high time that some-
thing was done for them? The plan of government would
have no effect ; it would be much better to let the colonists
die out at once. Let them have protection for a period
sufficiently long to restore their confidence, and to
enable them in the meantime to prepare them-
selves to compete with other sugar-growing ooua
trier, and thus give a fair chancel to free labour.
lie believed that no shorter period than ten years of pr dee-
time would suffice to place the colonies in a fair position.
But the right boo. baronet asked how be woo to snake up
the loss in the revenue by adopting the proposal of the noble
lord. He would tell him how. Let the squadron be with-
drawn lions the omit ot Africa, ante the afeeunt lost by the
sugar duty would be saved in the naval estimates. If some-
thing were out done soon the colonies would relapse into a
savage state. and this would be, a sad result fir the sacrifices
Kngland bad made. He was uti..fied the government pro-
posal would never answer, and he therefore counselled the
noble lout, if he was not prepared to do more, to take the
course pointed out, and to leave the colonies to their fate.
For these reasons he was opeosed to the resolutions at the
noble lord, taking it for granted that the hon. baronet would
follow up hie amendment it carried by a definite proposition.
Mr. feloFPA'r e moved that the debate be adjourned.
(Go on.)
Mr. ROBINSON seconded the motion.
Mr. CARDWELL, before tee snot on was put front the
chair, begged to petit out that the number of stages of
the Fill, being a money bill, required that no time should
be lost in carrying it (inward before the 5.h of July, other-
wise the measure could not become law in time to supersede
the sugar duties, which would come into operation on
that day.
The CIIANCELLOIL of the EXCHEQUER agreed that
'there woo a difficulty in point of time ; out the course pur-
' sued by the hon. baron t opposite was in some respects
unprecedented, and calculated to impede the lair progress of
public business.
leir J. PAK INGTON protested against such an impute-
dee being cue upon him as that just made by the right hon.
baronet.
Ale BARELY also vindicated the proceeding of the hon.
member for Droitwich.
The debate was then adjourned to Thursday neat.
PUBLIC HEALTH BILL.
Viscount MORPETH moved that this bill be read a third
Ease, which was agreed to.
Mr. HENLEY moved the following clause to be added as
a rider to the bill:
And he it enacted, that if it shall appear to a majority of not less
Sea three-fifths of the rated inhabitants of any parish or place eon-
ereebtg less than two thousand inhabitants on the then last census,
In which this at shall not be In farce, remetabled at a public meeting
to be called so is hereinafter provided, that it would contribute to the
health and convenience of the inhabitants generally the. a public
drainer sewer should be made, or a wed dug, or a pumg provided, for
the public we of the inhabitants, it shall be lawful for the church-
warden, on I overseers to have an b40:021C of the cost of making
sash drain, or stiggwg such well, or providing such pump rook, and
to ley the mime before Another public meeting to he called as In here-
inafter provided ; and if the Fame shall be approved and sanctioned by
a majority of nit lee. than three-fifths of the meeting, it stunk
he lawful for the chutchisardens and overseers to have the same, or
nay part thereof, sanctioned ea aformid, executed, and to pay the
toot thereof out of the poor rates of the varlet. or place, provkled
tawny% that notice of any such meeting aball be given by the church.
warden. and overseer., as is by this act provided ti be given of meet.
legs to be holden by the superintending bripectois ; alai the notice
shell ales contain a statement of the motif propiniel sir intended to be
submitted for the consideration and approval of the meeting.
Viscount MOUPET 11 thought the clause would impede
the action of the bill, but should not for that reason object to
its insertion.
Col. SIBTHORP moved that the house do now adjourn.
Viscount MORPETH. hoped the hon. and gallant member
would not ramjet in his motion.
Mr. UItQUIIAItT hoped that the hon. and gallant
member would persist in his motion.
Mr. HUDSON hoped his hon. and gallant friend would
not persist in his motion, but that be would permit the
measure to proceed, as it had been fully and fairly discussed.
The clause was agreed to and added to the bill, and the
bill was passed.
The house adjourned at 20 minutes to one o'clock.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.—YKSTF.RDAT.
DCBLlN.—Stvcral cotes were objected to, but in
no case with success. Couasel for petitioners then inti-
mated to the committee that he would nut make any !lather
objections on the ground of non-payment of the borough-
rate, and prayed an adjournment until this day to deliberate
as to future cmposition.—Committee adjourned to this day.
SLIGO.—The poll-books were put in and the elec-
tion of Mr. Townley proved. The remainder 01 the sitting
was occupied in the diacurion of a preliminary objection as
to whether due proclamation had been made of the election.
The committ, e overruled the objection without calling on
I counsel for the sitting member to reply.

Sin Jolts IiORHOUSE.—Sir,—This being the an-
niversary of the battle of Waterloo, brings back many mili-
tary as well as political recollections to all true patriots. 1
am, thertfore, induced to send you a copy of certain resolu-
tions proposed by a member of the present cabinet at a Mid-
whichty meeting on the loth of December, 11130,
it then adopted as to basis of the Reform Bill would
have done more good to the people of thin country than that
celebrated hattle.—Sir John Hobhouss proposed : " That no
House of Commons would be deserving of the confidence
of the people stil the right of suffrage be extended
to all hous.ho dens until each member of that
house be chosen by a proportionate body of electors ;
until the duration of parliaments be materially shortened;
nor until each elector, without hope or fear of private lost
'or gain be allowed to vote by ballot." As I was one of the
committee who, in conjunction with this cabinet minister,
prepared these resolutions, and having been, as a military
man, enlisted by that right hon. baronet into the cause of
the reformers of that day, I have not forgotten those prin-
ciples, nor ceased to adhere to them. I hope he will be
enabled to say the same on the approaching motion
of Mr. Hume, who was then one of our county
members, and as you are one of the few zealous advoest-s of
those measures, you will no doubt be pleased at being
afforded the means of bringing them to the notice of your
readers on the Present occasion, and of reminding them
of what they will also find recorded in the daily papers
of Dec. 16, 1830, with regard to some of the sentiments
by which this cabinet minister supported those resolutions.
in order that himself and his colleagues may profit by them :
" With these measures the ministers may do every thing for
the good of the people ; without them, nothing ; and if you
find ministers not disposed to do their duty, come forward
boldly and tell them so; and, let me add, in the present state
of the country this is a hint they must take, for without the
people no administration can do anything." II Sir J. Hob-
house has any regard for his political character he will, of
course, repeat these sentiments in support of the re
SEsolutions
which he should consider as his own..--A MIDDLEX MA-
GISTRATE.
A CHARTIST LEADER.—Mr. John Briggs, a mem-
ber of the town council of Sheffield, and lately a delegate
from that town to the Chartist Convention, held in the Lew
turwhall, John-street, exhibited last Sunday afternoon
such unmistakeable symptoms of insanity that it woe found
mammary to convey him to toe insane ward at the Sheffield
Wokhouse, where he now fe, awaiting the order of the jus-
tioesr for his removal to the West Riding Lunatic Asylum, at
Wakefield.