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

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 20, 1848.

raise the capital required by an issue of reference shares at
a itiarant batistes& of 10 per gent. He would, if oordps-
tei t to hum, more that 6 per cent. be substituted for 10 per
cant.
The SPILIER said the bon. mailman could net make
such a motion without giving previous notice.
Mr. BERNAL said the remedy for the evil complained of
by the hon. member rest.ti with the railway oominiuioners
rather than with that house.
The bill wee then read a third time and passed.
NEW WEFTS.
Sir J. PAKINOTON wandrew his motion for the iuue
of new writs for the election of members for Derby, Chelten-
ham, and Horsham, in consequence of the importance of pro-
ceeding with the debar upon
DUTIES. the sugar duties.
S
Sir J. PAKINOTON said he had given notice of his
intention to propose an amendment to the motion that Mr.
Speaker do leave the chair fur going into committee on the
sugar duties. In consequence, however, of the universal
disapprobation with which the proposal of her Majesty's go-
vernment had ham received it was his wish to withdraw
that motion, in order to move a geneial resolution to the
effect —that the rernediivi proposed by hi r Majesty's govern.
ment would neither afford relief to the planter nor check the

slave trade.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the resolutioi. of which the hon.
beronet previously gave notice msg. aced an alternative—did
he now withdraw the alternative?
Sir J. TAKING fON said so much diustiefactiou was
evinced with the government measure, that his of was
to move t: distinct resolution condemnatory of the proppsi-

lion.
Mr. CARDWELL upon this suhject wished to ask a
question. Considering that the plan of the government in.
volved an alteration of the bill of ISO, contemplated changes
in the mode of levying the duties, and affected great and
important interests, he wished to suggest whether tho house
ought to he called on to 0. me to a precipitate decision with
respect to it ? The quistiou l.e proposed to ask was, if more
time would not be given for consideration ?
Mr. E. ELLICE, before the question was answered,
wished to express his strung opinion that nothing could add
so much to the misery of the West ladies as delay in settling
important matter. (Hear, bear )
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
question of a temporary bill had been considered by the go
vorument, but they agreed with his right hon. friend behind
him, that any delay would be very disastrous to the colonies.
He must cake thisopportunity of expressing hisregret that the
motion originally proposed by the hon. baronet opposite had
been withdrawn. That motion had for its object to carry out
the restilu.ion- the only resolution of the committee—
namely. that there should be a distinctive duty of 10,. on
colonial sugar. The real point at issue was, whether there
should he some protection given or nut, and that question
might be best dunned and mulled upon the resolution u
originally proposed in Oen:.
Sir. J. PAKINGTON then 'aid he had to present a Peti-
tion egret d to that morning by this acting committee of the
West India planters and merchants in London. He moved
that it be amid by the clerk at the table.
The Clerk commenced reading the petition, which set
forth that the petitioners had heard with alarm the speech
of the Prime Miniver of the Crown on Friday night.
The SPEAKER. said this was a reference to words spoken
in the house, sad was irregular. The petition could nut be
received.
Mr. GLADSTONE thought that was a proper opportu-
nity to notice the frequent occurrence of an irregularity in
their proceedings. Ministers came down there and made
proposals without laying any papers or resolutions upon the
table. It was consequently i.opeasible for the public to
know fully what they intended to do, and, as in the present
case, they were debuted from referring to the subject other-
wise than in an irregular form.
After some other observations,
Sir J. PAK INOTON withdrew the petition.
COLONIAL AFFAIRS.
Mr. ANSTEY said he wished to renew a question he had
put the other night respecting correspondence from Van
Diemen's Land. Ile had then made inquiries respecting
certain recent transactions of an extraordinary character in
that colony; and he was told that the government bad no
information upon the subject. Two mails bed since arrived,
and be wished to inquire what correspondence had been re-
ceived and what the government intended to do?
Mr. B. HAWES said it. war very unfair to go into this
question so repeatedly when the government had distinct;y
declared that the only accounts they had received from the
colony related to but one pert o' the subject. All he could
say was that be had remind no further ieformation.
-Mr. ANSTEY.—Then, sir, upon the lint occasion of
going into committee of supply I shall call the attention of
the house to the conduct or the Lieut.-Governor of Van
Diemen's Land.
Mr. HUME 'eked if any provisio t was made far the admi-
nistration of justice is Vin Diemen's Land, in consequence
of these disputes
Mr B. HAWES said lie had really no further informa-
tion. He was wholly unable to answer. What was the
state of the colony he did not at all know. (Loud laughter.)
Mr. HUME —All I eon say is that it is very caul that
priests letters should have been rueived by everybody,
giving all the par iculars of those transactions and that
the Colonial-office, nevertheless, should know nothing about
them. I do not say i: is, but it looks like, gross neglect.

(Maeh cheering.)
Mr. GLADSTONE asked if the Coloniel.offiee intended
to lay before the house any papers relative to the colony of
the Cape ? Th. y had heard nothing respecting. that colony
since the termination of the Kiffir war.
Mr. B. HAWES sold he bteieved there were some paper
almost ready, hut he would enquire, and reply to mirrow.
Mr. V. SMITH asked if the return' promised him rela-
tive to colonial expenditure were ready ; and it his hon.
friend (Sir W. Molesworth) would inform the house what
would be the precise words of his motion relative to colonial
affairs?
Sir W. MOLESWORTII would state the terms of his
nietioa to-morrow.
Mr. B. HA WES said he believed VA returns alluded to
were partially ready ; some of them perhaps were not so;
some his hon. fri,nd could obtain Letter from another de-
partment ; but he really could not exactly say when they
would be all pmelueed
THE UNPRODUCED DESPATCHES.
Mr. B. HAWES the n said that he wished to make a very
short statement respecting something that had fallen from
the noble lord, the member for King's Lynn, on Friday
night. The effect of the noble lord's observation was List
his (Mr. B. Hawes's) noble friend, Earl Grey, had withheld
a very important dispatch that ought to have been produced
to the West India committee. Now he (Mr. Hawes) was
examined before the West Inila committee on the 5th—
he was not sure, but he thought it was—the sth of May, and
he then said that a despatch was preparing. That despatch
was the despatch in question. The noble lord, however, de-
clared on Friday that this despatch had been withheld in-
tentionally. Ile had, th.refore, brought down to the house
the original despatch with the minutes upon it, which were
mid. at the time it was received. The despatch arrived on
the 27th of March. It reached his hands that day with the
foltowing minute upon it. "This is the dc spatch t,r which the
West India committee have asked. Would it not be better
to send theme copy of it? If so it might bedcsirable to sendit
to-day." On the OMB day (the 27th) he (Mr. B. Hawes)
added Io writing his assent—" I agree." Those words ap-
peared in his own hand. On the 30th the despatch came to
him again, with these words in the handwriting of Earl
Grey; "Thu may be laid before the committee as sug-
gested." He (Mr. B. Hawes) was not aware before the noble
lord stated it the other night that the d 'patch had not been
laid before the house as directed. Ile had made it his beeli-
ne,' to inquire why the directions so clearly given were nut
followed. He was told that on the 281 h March a despatch
was sent to the committee. This desprch, however, wee
st Mined two or three days to prepare an answer. When it
returned to the proper &pal tment they omitted to send it.
lu the way of excuse it might certainly he stated that the
unprecedented number of papers sent to the committee from
the Colonial-office was same ground for the omission. Bat
what he wa.,ted to do was, to show that it was the
clear, decided intention of his noble friend and of himself
to produce this despatch from the first moment they received
it. Delays in the production of other papers bad been men-
tioned. He believed, however, that he had laid those piper
upon the table at the earliest possible moment, and he
thought that he had conclusively shown that he had had no
intention of withholding e despatch particulatly ice
question.
[Lord G. Bentinck entered the house just as the right hon.
gee.th man had concluded his statement.]
MR. II USIE'S MOTION.
Mr. FREWEN asked whether, if the debate of to night
sheuld be adj•iiirn«l, the hon. member for Montrose would
not, in consideration of the importence of the question, give
the adjourned debate vecedenee to-morrow ?
Mr. 11U ME—lt is certainly my intention to proceed with
my motion which stands upon the paper for to-morrow, and
nothing whatever, so far as 1 am concerued, shell prevent
me. (Hear, hear.)
THE SUGAR DUNES.
The SPEAKER tbr ti pia: the quebteun that the order of
the day lie non r. ad, whereupon
Mr. E. ELLICE rose aed said that the deep and painful
interest the state of our colonies had excited, must excuse
his interfering by endesvosrieg to extract from her Majesty's
government some further information with respect to their
intentions as to our colonies.
Sir J. PAKINGTON here interposed, and said that as
he bed tie:Kuhn notice of motion upon the paper, he thought
he ought to be permitted to proceed with it. He appealed
to the right hon. gentleman.
Mr. E. ELLICE said his particular object was to prevent
the hon. baronet from re iving his amendment. (Loud
laughter.) Before he voted 011 J way or another, he wished
for further explanations. lie regarded the question as a far
wider one than they could debate upon the words of the
amendment before them. The state of our West Indian
colonies was unparalleled in the history of the world. The
remedy proposed was a very small one. They pro-
"lento lend 500,0001. to tho West Indies. By
d," he concluded they meant " give," for they
must be well aware that there was no chance of
repayment. if they did ler.d, all he could my was,
that money would never be lent fur a more melees
purpose or with less chance of ever getting it back again.
(Hear, hear.) But what he wished them to regard was, the
probable temper in which this project of the government
would be received in the West Indies. What feelings would
it not excite ? Establishments in Jamaica, in British Guiana,
and elsewhere, could of course nu longer be maintained after
this news arrived. They would be thrown up. The owners
would be engulphed in a common ruin. Under such einem-
strunces, let him ask. what did the eovernment propose to do
if such were the effect of these resolutions, what did hie
noble friend propose to do ? As things already etood,mrhat
was the Nekton of public affairs in Demerara ? The eouecil
that a:mealed to the co!..cia! gteernment for a redo
don of 26 per cent. in the salaries of the officials of the
colony, on the very reasonable plea that with reduced WADS
they could not maintain their former expenditure. earl

Orey released to listen to this appeal. What was the tons
queue / That the colony had refereed any farther supplies
lentil thole grievances were redeemed. (Hear, hear.) Ills
noble friend might rely tarpon it that a similar respect would
very email', be presented by all our other West India colo-
nies. (Hear, hear.) For the last two years the expenses of
Jamaica had come out of the pock. is of our merchants, but
this could not continue. (lieu, hear.) The total ex penre
of the government of Jamaica, it appeared. was 300,0001
per Menem, of which 36,0001. went in the eoLection of the
revenue done—(hear, hear)—while 65.0001. was spent in
civil salaries, 23,0001. in judicial, and 30,0001. in
siestioal. Did hie noble friend imagine that this enormous
ezpendfture would bo much longer borne by the impove-
rished colonists ?—(hsar, bear)—and if he did not suppose
this, how did be intend to keep up the establishments of the
colony, or did he Intend to keep the colony at all ? (Hear,
hear.) Ile wholly objected to the prepoeed grant of
500.0001; even supposing the colonist* would take the motley,
which he did not believe they would, ha regarded the prin.
ciple invele.d as altogether unsound. At thie moment,
numbers of the less favourably situated rotors in our West
India colonies were wholly abandoned, and the cultivation
of a great many more was en the point of being given up.
It was just postible that by the application without delay of
some ju. Henn remedy, by the better adjustment of the de-
mand and supply of lairur, the estates not absolutely
given up might yet he retained in cultivation, and the coloured
population he saved from involvement in that ruin which
had fallen upon the white, but do what they might, the pre•
sent proprietors were almott to a m n irretrievably ruined.
((Hess, hear.) His noble friend In the course of his epee eh on
Friday had, adopting the theory prevalent at the C. lonia].
office, where the impression seemed to be that the W. at
India planter, were a reckless improvident race, who knew
nothing of their business, which the Colonial•uffice Ruh was
alone competent to conduct—( hoer, hear)—his noble friend
bad echoed the cry that the West India planters bad hr. ught
ruin upon thee own beads by their extravagance. The in-
vestigations of the recent committee, however, had at once
shoe' n that the nostrums of the Colonial-utiles were
wholly inapplicable, and that the Writ Indians,
an far from being chargeable with reckless waste-
fulnees, had applied the utmost core, and eco-
nomy of management, to the attempted preservation
of OUT property. (lieu, hear.) Every new improvement
in cultivation, every new machine heard been earnestly
adopted, hut to no effect, and the evidence showed that
many of these unfortunate men, driven to &email. in our
own colonies, had transferred their energy, thee skill, and
their machines, to Cuba and other foreign colonies, which
held out to them some prospect of en existence. (Hear,
hear.) Already we were informed, the proportion of the
white to the coloured population in our West India colonies
had been reduced to 71 per cent., and this small nuinher
was becoming daily smaller, by the withdrawal, in utter de-
spair, of English families. Unless soma very decided steps
were taken in the way of relief, there would, ere long, be
no white population at all left in the colonies—
(hear, hear)—and the whole of the little trade
that would then remain there, falling into its natural
channel, would reeolve itself into an exchange of respective
products between the block population of the West Indies
and the northern states of America. (Hear.) What did his
noble friend mean to do about the heavy salaries that were
now paid to official personages in these colonies? Did be
think that they would long continue to pay their governors
7,0001. a year a piece? (Haar, hese.) Depend upon it the
wholes stem must be chdage d, or the whole thing given up.
(Hear, hear.) Much and deservedly as many, he might gay
all, of these governors were reepected,.valu .ble as were the
serviceso-to mention particular instance—of Lord Harris
and of Sir Charles (key, his noble friend might rely u; on it
that if their present salaries were to he continued, they must
be paid at the table of that house. (Ile ar, hear.) And
nut only as to salaries must the system undergo
a thormAh change. There must be a cessation
el that eternal interfereneet ou the part of the
home government in every pe ty detail of local ad
ministration which had so long oppressed and ant rood the
colonists. (Hear, hear.) The colonists mud. be permitted
to manage their own local affairs, by their own local repre-
sentatives fairly elected, under the direction of their own
governors, elected by th. melees, and remunerated by such
salaries as might be agreed upon between them, (Hear.)
He mewed with his noble friend that the day. of protection
—as protection—were gone by ; but he thought, at the same
time,thet—peculiarly in sucha periidof general crisis as this—
somewhat of a more conciliatory policy was required towards
our West India colonies. (Hear, hear.) lie entreated hi.
noble friend to give some explanation of his farther views
with regard to these colonies; for, as to himself, lie would say
that, while despised wherever possible to support hi. noble
friend, he conld not sc.clion these resolutions until be dad
heard a much more satiefactory arnount of his noble friend's
further police on the milieu.. I lieu, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said he did not consider it expedient
to make the statement required by his right hon. friend un-
til the honourable baronet opposite had brought forward
the amendment of wh ch he had given notice. Having
heard the arauments of the hon. berenet, he would
Rive the fullest esolanation he was prepared to tiler of the
views of the sputum nt in relation to the resolutions be.
Pre the house. Ile would not now reply to the various
points suggested in objection by his right lion. friend, who
did not seem to have made us his mind which course to
pursue, because this woolwoull be irregularly to antici-
pate distension. His right hon. friend, he would
just observe, seemed to conceive that the 600,0001
loan was to be an anniial grant ; whereas it was
only to he one loan of 500,000, and even if lost to the
state, would only he a loss at 4 per cent, of 20,0001. a year,
not more than equivalent to the reduction of duty proposed
on the other aide. As to the amendment of the hon. baronet
opposite, the hon. gentleman had, since Friday, made a
change in it which, were the amendment adopted, w-uld
place the West ladies as well as parliament in a very em-
barrassing position. The amendment as it stood on Friday,
was to the si.nple and intelligible effect, of inceraeing West
India protection from 6s. to His , by continuing the foreign
duty at 205., and reducing the colonial duty to 10s. Ile
would not say that this proposition was wise or politic, but
at least it was plain and straig:eferward, whereas, the pro-
position before the house, eve lently prepared by the hon.
hart. in despair of carrying either the one or the other, wan
neither plain nor practice!, and could have no other purpose
than that of embarrassing the government. One word
more; his right hon. friend had complained of his imputing
extravagance to the \Vest Delia planters, and had ch tract
him with acting upon an alleged theory of the Colonial-
office, that the Colonial .office could manage the estates of the
planters better than they could do it themselves. Now he
would beg to inform his right hon. friend that he had not
derived his idea on the subject from the source suggested,
but from the evidence before the West, India committee,
where he found one planter, Mr. Toll.mache, s sting that
having himself gone over to the West Indies to look into his
affairs, he had at once effected a raving of 1,0001. per
mnum in the expenditure upon one estate—(hear, her—
by a thorough revision of the system of " perquisite,"
which had before prevailed. lie stated that the merchants
here had no idea of the amount expended in this way, for
the whole of such expeniiture war pot under the head of
wages, the " wages," however, including in reality the cost
of a host of men, women, and animas, in no way requisite
for the legitimate purposes of the estate, and maintained
solely for the personal convenience of the officials employed
upon it, such at the attorney, the manager, the overseers,
and so on. As to his right hon. friend's notion about
giving the coleteies representatives elected by universal
suffrage, be conceived his right hon. friend to be alto-
gether in error on the point. He doubted whether, in
Trinidad for instance, the election of a body of repre-
sentatives by the wind° population, bring " males of lull
age," and including of c..urse every nt gro who hail been a
year on the island, would not introduce some rather diffi-
cult problems into the government of the colony.
Mr. ELLICE sal -I he had mode use of no eepression
which caul I at all justiiy the last observation of his noble
Issued. ill. nr, hear.)
Sir J. PAK INOTON then rose to move, pursuant to
notice,
That this house, considering the evidence taken during the present
session before LI select coiniitivesis of opinion that the remedies pro.
posed by her liijivity's government for the great distress of the aura,
growlag possessions of the crown, and which that entunittre has said
will require the immediate application of relief, will neither effect that
object nor check the stimulus to the slave trade which the diminution
tat the cultivation of sugar in those colonies has inevitably occasioned.
He denied that, in proposing this amend neat, he was ac-
mated by any party fe etieg whatever. All he desired won,
to save Out West Indian colonies from the destruction with
which they were thee as. net. lie had merely altered the
Gans of his motion I emus entertaining n decided objection
to the government measure himself, he had, upon considera-
tion, deemed it expedient to seek from the hou e a dist( ct
expresaien of its emini in on the etibe et. (lieu, hear.) This
was no question between protection ants free trade • it was a
question to .ding on considerations peculiar to If,itse and he
looked for ,uprort alike to the free-trader and to the protec-
tionist. (H. ar, !tear 1 here woe no one who more de-
cidedly approved of the meaner,' of 1831 than he did. What
lie sought to counteract, an far as possible, was the li gialation
which had sense glumly t.ken pine: with ref. rrnce to our
West India interests, as well under the pre: cut government
as under its prole cesium (Heir, bear.) Ile did net com-
plain ef emar.cipation, bet he complained that ell the pledg.s
to the West Indians which had accompanied emancipation
had been violated. (Hear, hear.) The whole series
of legislation for the West Indies, up to the coup de grace
inflicted in 1846, had been utterly monstrous. Toe noble
lord opposite, however, had repea'edly declared his firm
resolution to abide by the act of 1846. He made
that declaration emphatically when the noble member
for Lynn moved for his committee, and he repeated
it, as emphatically, so recently as the .19th of May,
distinctly stating that whereas the West India com-
mittee recommended that the differential duty should
be continued for a certain period beyond that fixed by
the act of 1846, the government did not intend to propose
any change in the act of 1846, with the view either of in-
creasing the amount of differential duties, or of continuing
thathetg fearfuloverntitiehTt,re,hetilfnoorwucaeihrni
them fur a longer period than that fixed by the act in ques-
tion. This was so recently as the 20th May last ; yet on
Friday last the noble lord crme down to the house
and proposed a plan which, whatever might be thought
by various partite of its merits, every ono must
admit to be a material deviation from the act of 1846. (Hear,
near.) While deeming it right to ask the noble lord why
this deviation had been made, he could not but congratulate
the friends of our West Indian colonies on the obvious fact
that government had found it absolutely necessary to make
the change. (Hear, hear.) He himself could attribute the
change to no other consideration than that the evidence Is:-
wt i
thohweetnthco7t:hedet
otreecrtuehel colonists,
oncoaisatlhtste.
fore the committee was of such a nature, se conclusive as to
was
cameemihot weighing
ent d impossibleh
questionmin
aetaPirot--8111sed b6,y.ther is wee led even mitigate the distresses which
afilioted Deem, He would not thee details the house ley en-
quiring why it was that government had thought fit to pro
*set the period of closing the duties to 1851
batted of to 1851. Nor would he atop to in-

quire what reason had induced them to think it
better that the duties should clue at 10 per cwt.,
rather than, as In the set of 1846, it Its per cwt.
Every one must feel that this cheer, weeper eve of its
hearing on the present distress, undoubtedly involved very
imeortant financial considerations, and therein reflected
upon the right hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer quite
as much blame as he had sought to twit upon the noble int m-
her for an immediate reduction of the
duties
however, possibly thought that he might not be in office in
oLnyn ourn for
eo proposingloal sugars. The violet hon. gentleman,
1881, and that be should only be bequeathing to a successor
the large defect in the sugar duties which must in-
evitably result front his plan. (Meer, and a laugh.)
He was driven to the conclusion that the proposd of the
government was wholly unequal to enable the West Indies
to struggle with their increasing distresses, or to compete
with the slave colonies; and he was enabled to prove the
latter half of his assertion by comparing the present condi-
tion of the British West Indies wall the Brazils and other
slave-lahour settlements. He would refer to the evidence
of Mr. Tollemache, than whom no gentlemen had spoken
more taint; before the West Indian committee : and what
was the statement ot that witnt es? He says that he enter-
tained hopes at some future day, by
co
in the coulee
the colonists were pursuine, that the cost of producine sugar
would he reduced to 15s. 6d. a cwt. But elr Tollemache
stated further, that even at that reduced cost of production
the freight and charges would prevent him term laying down
a cargo of sugar in London at less than 225. Old, par ewt.
Looking at that statement, and taking into conside-
ration the pries that had ruled of late in the sugar
market, the minimum of which was 225. per cwt.,
how was it possible for a planter who, under the
most favourable circumstances, could not bring his sugar
to market under 225. a cwt. to compete with a Brazilian
planter, who can offer his produce in the London warehnuee
at las. a cwt? In fact, says Mr. Tollemache, it is impossible
for the free labour planter under his pre'. nt circumatasices to
compete with slave labour sugar growers. There were also
other witnesses who spoke to the question of cost of produc-
tion before the committee, the remelt of whose testimony he
would shortly recapitulate. In Jamaica the average cost of
producing sugar, ascertained from an examination of 138
estates was 225. 7d. • cwt.; another witness, Mr. Green,
stated it to be 22s fhl.; Mr. Hiegisson newt it at 29a. 21. ;
and a fourth wiener, Mr. Miles, considered the coat of pro-
duction in that island, to average 23a. a cwt. The mean cost
of the production of sugar, taking the various statements
into consideration, was 1/. ss. 01. ; and Sir C. Grey, in the
important despatch which was alluded to the other night
(a laugh) stated it to be his opinion, that the permanent
cost of producing • cwt. of suoar in Jamaica
was 305., and that unless the planter could reckon upou that
the cultivation of sugar would cease in that colony. Such
wee the deliberate opinion of Sir C. Grey, himself • free
trader. (Hear, hear.) Lord Harris, writing from Trinidad,
states the cost of producing a cwt. of sugar at If. Os. fel.
Another witness', at 32.. 6x!., and a third, at 285., the ave-
rage cost being for Trinidad 275. 10d. In B h Guiana the
average cost was 255. Bd, And the general average of ail the
British Welt India colonies, including Jennies, St. Vin-
cent's, Trinidad, Barbadoes, Bt. Kitt's, and Guiana, gave
the amount of 224. Bd. as the mean cost of pro-hieing a
ewt. of sugar. Now, what on the other hand did they
find, from evidence brought before the West India commit
tee, was the coat of producing • cwt. of sugar in the
slave colonies ? In Cube the cost of production was
6s. 814.; in Porto Rico, 51. 2d.; and in Bahia, Bs. 9.1.
a owt., giving a mean for these three slave colonies of
Go lOW. per cart. This sum, as compared with 22a. Bd., the
cost of production in the British West Indies, :eft the
amount of 15s. 9(d. as the difference between the
cost of sugar in tie two countries respectively.
The calculations into which he had entered were a, essential
towards establishing the ease of the British planters, that he
must call the particular attention of the government to them.
His argument was, that so long as there exiteed a difference
of 1.5 e. 91d. between the cost of produeing sugar by free
labour end by clove labour, so long would it be impossible
for the British West Indies to compete, under s differential
duty of 7s. only, with Cobs, the Brazils, or other slave
sugas-growing colonic*. He bad theretore a right to assert
that it was impossible, by means of the government proposi-
teen, to afford an adequate protection to the British West
Indian colonies. Another thing the planters had a right
to complain of was the et anner in which the act of 1t(46
had been carried int 3 operation. The government had stated
that it was a great experiment, but if an, why not at the
male time take measuress to glee the experiment fair play ?
Why not have affoded tee planters the me .nt of procuring
abundance of labour k That was the indispensable condition
attached to the sue -erful cultivation of sugar in
the British colonies. The negro and the planter had
charged positions during the last ten years in those
velem ins. The negro was the easy man ; the planter the op-
press d and ruined man. Why had not tree government
taken precautions against vagrancy and squatting in the
Wee Indian islands Nothing bad been done by way of
assisting the British planters to compete with the Brazilian
and Cuban slave-holders. lle admitted that recently Earl
Grey had proposed some regulations, whereby free lab Auer,
were to b • sent to the We et Indies, emieistisig of the captured
Africans- a eye tern which was liable to groat al uses. But
this was rot the question which was before the house. He
would not at that moment enter into any detail of the losses
experienced by the sugar planters in the British colonic..
Al the witnesses examined before the committee concurred
in the opinion that it was impossible for them t t carry on
the cultivation of sugar at present prices. One wit-
ness stated a fact which was quite startling, as to the
deprecation of property in the West Indies. The
estate of Mulgr ive sold for 25,00 W. in the year
1843. The sum of 10,0001. was spent upon it, after
it was sold, and in April of the present year the same estate
was put up ag do to sale, and the price it realised was 2,8001.
Lie king, their fore, at the facts which had been stated before
the West India committee, he had a right to ass, rt that these
ewes were principally due to the act of 1846. Since that act
had passed, 18 of the principal merchants connected with the
West Indies bee become bankrupts; unit the present state
of things continued, other houses mast fall victims to the same
melancholy fate. Would the house permit him to cell their
attention is the state of affairs in the Maureen? S r George
Larpent, in his evidence before the committee, stated that,
acting in the full belief that the legislature sanctioned the
course they adopted, the merchants connected with !Mauritius
suddenly found themselves deprived of protection ; and thus,
at the moment when they were recovering from former
losses, they found themselves suleected to a fresh blow,
which they could not sue vive. The same witness sated that
the cost of producing sugar in the Mauritius was 20s, 10.1.
a cwt. ; how could the planters there compete with the slave
colonies of Brazil and Cuba ? The consequences of these
changes had been to
.bring ruin urea seven great mercantile
housen whose principals were men of the highest integrity
' and honour. Amongst those gentlemen were their late col.
leagu• s, Sir Jotn Roe Reid, Sir George Larpent, and Mr.
Barclay, all members of that house, and holding a high peel-
Con in it. He could not refrain from expressing the ptin
which ha felt in seeing men such as these involved in ruin by
the melancholy state of things caused by the changes intro-
duced into the sugar duties by the legislature. Let him
refer to the state of things in the East Indies. The produc.
Lion of sugar had been gradually going on in that country
from 183,5 to 1845, when the quantity gent from thence to
England amounted to 1,520,114 cats. The cost of producing
sugar was, in Bengal, 2Aa, and at Madras '23.. per ewe.; and
how, when the -oat of transport was added, could these
sugars compete at such prices with Brazilian and Cuban
sugars in the English market ? All the authorities, includ-
ing the governors of the West Indian colonies, agreed in
opinion that it was impouble at the present coat of
labour there for free labour sugar to compete with
the sugar sent from Brazil and Cuba. The hon.
member here quoted the opinions expressed in the
despatches of Lard Harris, Governor Reid, Sir C. Grey,
Governor Higginson, and 0 evorner Light, all of whom
coincided in representing the state of the planters in the
British West Indian colonies as most pitiable. In looking '
at thequestionet was also advisable to take into consideration
what toe relative proportion of exports to the British We et
Indent colonies was in the years preceding and subsequent to
the alteration ot the sugar duties in 1846. Berne, the editor
ot the " Commercial Glance," says that the value of the ex-
ports of manufactured goods during the 19 montlisprevious to
the alteration of the sugar duties in 1816, was 5,958,5541.
Whereas 19 months after the sugar duties were altered the
value of exports was 4,856,2861., showing a decrease in the
ezp 'Ms to the same colonies within the period of 19 months
atter the act of 1846 was passed amounting to no leas than
1,123,2681. The same statistical return reports that the ex-
port of cotton manufactures to the slave colonies during the
19 months previous to 1846 were valued at 2,490,7771.,
whilst during 19 months subsequent to 1816 they had risen
to 2,916,1511, showing an increase in that branch of export
of 455,3511. But comparing the value of the ex-
perts to the slave colonies with those to the Bri-
tish colonies, there was a belance against the menu-
fecturer of no less than 676,8411., resulting from the
diminished consumption of British manutactures in the
West Indies in consequence of the present state of affairs.
The question then came to be considered whether the con-
sumer was t enetited by the chug: ; and he had no holm-
tem in asserting that when the cultivation of sugar in the
British colonies was exeineuished the Bruzilian a-.d other
slave colonies would obtain the monopoly, aid the price
would become very materially increased. He must now turn,
and he did so with great pain and humiliation, to the great
teature of the subject, which related to the slavery question.
(Hear.) He had stated on Friday night that it was with
feelings of astonishment almost amounting to indignation,
that he had heard the prime minister make his statement
without one word of allusion to the subject of slavery. But,
on reconsideration, his surprise ceased, for believing the noble
lord oppo'ite to be a sincere advocate for uegro free-
dom, he must have felt great difficulty in touching
upon the subject, more especially when he was aware
that the prophecies uttered in 1846 respecting the
increase of slavery, which was certain to follow on the
sugar duties bill of that year, had all been fulfilled. The
first witness he should call to prove his statement that
slavery had increased was the noble lord the Foreign Secre-
tary, who stated before the committee, that the number of '
slaves imported into the slave colonies, in the year 1846, was
55,000, and as many in 1847, making • tot I of 110,000 slaves
in those two years; whilst in the years 1844 and 1845, the
average number of slaves imported into Cuba and Brazi's
was only 32,000 a year. There were ether returns, which
gave the number of 75,000 slaves as having been im-
ported into the slave colonies since the year 1846.
From this evidence he thought he was justified in assuming
that the effect of the act of 1846 had been t o double the im-
portation of slaves in Cuba and Brazil. (Rear, hear.) But,
Many confirmation were wanted, it might be had is the re-
turns of the exports of machinery to those countries during
the last few years. In 1844 the value of the exports to Cuba
was 6,5721.. and to Brazil, 17,5051. From that time a gradual
'novenas had been going on, until in 1847 it amounted to-
Cuba, 17,6641. ; Brazil, 35,1531. (Hear, hear.) Ile usual
now refer to what he considered the most important evidence
that had been given before the committee. Captain Mat-
son, of the royal navy, cn being examined, a man of

great experience in these matters, had stated, that in hie
opinion the admission of slave grown sugar had increased
the importation of slaves LIR* Cuba sad Brasil very much,
Capt. Matson stated that he was at Havana when the remis-
sion was announced, and that the news created a feeling
of universal joy ; the mice of slaves and of land ii creased at
once, end a general jub lee seemed to prevail throughout
the island. In describing the mode in which the slaves were
transported from the coast of Africa, Capt. Matson stated
that they were packed close, doubled up, and generally in
irons. The general calculation wee that if a captain ex-
pected to land 300 slaves, he must ship 500, the diffeeence
being generally cleared off by to weeding" during the
' passage. The explanation of this nal, that the most
practised eye could not always distinguish the healthy from
the diseased previous to shipment, but the first 48 bourn at
sea decided the matter by carrying off the latter. (lieu.)
As a general rule those who stood oat the first 48 hours were
landed alive. (Hear, hear.) One great cause of this
drea iful mortality was the diminutive saga of the vessels
employed in the trade, a remarkable instance of which was
mmtioned by Capt. Metion,—that of a shipment of 427
laves is a vessel of only 49 tons burden. (lie ir ) lie (Bir
J. Pakington) might perhaps be told that these horrors went
no novelties. He was sorry to say th,t there was a femme
of novel y in these details, and that wu,that the wholeof the
circumstances detailed by Capt. Matson, were now going ne
under the unction of the government of this country. (Pro.
tectionist ckeers.) He did not impute the crime ot mtentioa
to the government ; but he implored tho noble lord at the
head or :hat government to pause and caneider whether any
other conclueion could be drawn from the statements he (Sir
J. Pakington) had made, than that the legislation of ligt
had given new lite to the abominable slave trade, with all
its attendant horrors. (Hear, hear.) Why, previous te
I that year the slave trade to Cuba had almost ceased. (Hear,
hear.) The greater length of the voyage and difficulty e(
transport rendered a more expensive class of vessels neces-
sary, and it was in consequence declining; but the legislation
of 1846 gave it a fillip, and it was at the present moment
going on with as great vigour as ever. Ihe treatment of
the slaves after their arrival at Cuba was also a
point which must not be overlooked in considering the
question. Capt Matson stated that they were yen .11y kept
at work fur 18 hours out of the 24, being goaded during the
latter hours with tee lash, and hunted by dogs to keep them
together in the fields. (Hear, hesr.) lie would next pro-
ceed to call the attention of the house to the reports which

had been sent home by British consuls in shire cohnies.
Mr. Morgan wrote from Rio Orlando thst the v. owls were
coming in there every day with slaves, under the sanction
of the authorities, who received a lvmus of horn 10 to 15
do:la's oa each one land d. From B.hia, Mr. Porter wrote

that the importation had nearly doubled during the lot
year • and the governor of Sierra Leone stated that, notwith-
standing the vigilance of our cruisers, the traffic between
that place and the Havana was etramous'y on the increase.
(Hear, h. ar.) Ile thought he had now said and quoted
euough to prove that the prophecies of 1846 had been ftd-
filled, and that the results of the measure of that year, however
little such results might have been desired by government,
had been to give a great impulse to slavery and the slave-
trade. He regretted to have to nb.erve trat the noblt lord
at the head of the government had not thought fit even to
allude to those subjects in his openine speech, but is conse-
quence of the indignation expresse by several hon. mem-
bers who followed him had subsequently found it necessary
to say something which was not at all satisfactory, being
merely the expres-ion of his hope and lithe( that the mea-
sures of governms nt would tend to place the planter in such
a position as would enable him to enter into a Mir competi.
Mon with slave Labour, and to prevent the continuaneeof the
detestable traffic in slaves. He (Sir J. Pakington) trusted
that the result of their deliberations wouid to consistent
with the principles which this country hod adopted with re-
ference to the slave trade, and such a', while they preserved
our colonies, would redound to the honour of the sovereign
and people of this country. (Cheers.)
• --

Sir E. N. BUXTON, in rising to second the amendment
of the hon. baronet, must at the same time take leave to
deny that the abolition of the apprenticeship system gave
the colonists any additional claim on the mother country.
In his opinion the policy which was most consistent with jus.
tics and humanity was that contained in the act of 1844,
which wholly excluded anus the produce of slave labour.
Against that policy it bad been urged that we were only
driving the slave grown sugar to the continental markets. He I
acknowledged that there was some force in that argement,
but be believed that it we had persisted in the exclusion
recent events on the continent would have given us great
opportunities of making it influential there as well as in this
country. tinder present circumstances he believed that the
only course would be to adopt the amendment of his hon.
friend. His boo. friend had so completely exhausted the
subject that it would be unnecessary for him to trouble the
house at any length, but there was one despatch of Lord
Harris to which he could not help alluding. Lord Harris
said it was painful to see men waiting she ruin which was
sure to overtake them, and labouring without hops, because
their labour was sure to go unrequited. The remedy proposed
for this state of thing. by got. rninent was emigration; but had
emigration now been heard of for the first time? Why,
since the project bad first been conceived, upwards of 80,000
free labourers bad been imported into out culmics; and the
result proved how inadequate was the remedy. Lord Hems
was opposed to immigration as hitherto carried on, but re-
commended its continuance at the expense of the individual
parties requiring the slaves, instead of making it a charge on
the colonial revenues. Having read some turther quotations
to the same effect, the hon. baronet proceeded to say that it
i seemed to him, looking simply at the condition ot the West
Indies, that the policy of this country had been too change-
able, and that the principles of tree trade should have beta
applied to them with greater caution. Tie great guts-
Uun was, whether, after all the efforts and all the sacrifices
of the last forty years to abolish slavery and
the slave trade, we were for the futare to depend for our
supply ot sugar on coloni' s where both were carried on is
the most brutal manner the world had ever witnessed.
During the last year we had imported 44,000 tons of KIM
from Cuba ; and, looking at the orders which had recently
gone out to our own coloeies to stop cultivation, it was not
too much to expect that the importation would reach
100,000 tons next year, and soon until that island and Brazil
would moneplise our whole supply. That would be a serious
calamity, and one for which, in his opinion, no xcuse could
be found in the necessities of this country. (Hear, bear)
The produce of our colonies had always been equal to the
demand, and during last year was 40,000 tons more than
had been during any previous year.
Lard J. RUSSELL—That was under the act of 1846.
(Hear, hear.)
Sir E. N. BUXTON—Yes, but the free trade measures
could hardly have acted so soon. He had taken his present
course with some regret. He admitted the necessity of sup-
plying the labouricg classes in this country with all their
necessaries at the lowest possible puke, but he believed that
if the people hid the question fairly put to them—if they
were told that their cheap sugar was purchased with the
life blood of their fellow-creature!, tney would reject the
boon with disdain. (Having quoted Mr. Calhoun and the
Isle Dr. Channiiig's opinions on the subject of slavery and
the slave trade) the hon. baronet said, in canclusion, that the
House of Commons had in 1846 pissed an act under the im-
preasion that it would not aggravate the eorrors of the slave
trade. They had been disappointed in their expectations; it
was acknowledged on all hinds that under the operation of
that act the trade was un the increase, and therefore hip
trusted that on the present occasion they would not hesitate
to retrace their step, end, as far as in them lay, prevent the
evil consequences of their error. (Cheers.)
The amendment having been put,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER complained
that neither the mover nor seconder of the amendment had
explained what means of relief they proposed fur th:: West
India limiter, or what amount of protection they would sub-
White for that which the resolutions of the government
would establish. The hon. baronet (Sir J. Pekington)
having given notice of the terms of his aruendine.nt, had twice
changed his mind, and had now put it in a shape in which he
thought it might succeed iu catching a few stray votes.
(Hear, hear.) Ilia hoe. friend (Sir E. N. Buxton) said
fairly enough that he would totally exclude slave grown
sugar. (Hear, hear.) His hon. friend contended that when
emancipation passed in 1834, the house and the country en-
tered into a compact with the West Lelia colonists
that they should have twenty millions paid to them
as compensation, together with the perpetual monopoly of
the British market. He admitted that if the imperial le-
gislature chose to deprive the West le,dia proprietors of
their slaves, it was hound to give them lull compensation;
but he remembered that Lard Stanley argued at the time
that the compensation which was given was full and ample.
Parliament had since decided against Rhine to the West
Indies a perpetual monopoly of the British n.arke, and
against the permanent maintenance cf a high protective
duty. If there had bean a contract entered into iu 1834 to
gra..t such a monopoly of the market it was broken, as his
hon. friend behind him bed stated, by tne act of 1804, which,
according to the present Lord Harrowby, who moved the
celebrated resolution of 1841, did, by °reedit.: our market to
the sugars of Java and other foreign sugar-gr Awing countries,
encourage the import of slave-labour sugar in the market of
Hamburg; anti only last year no less than 3,000 tons of
sugar were adaiieted from slave-growing COUtltriell into Eng-
land, which we were compedect to admit by our treaties
under the act of 1844. He did not mean to say that the act
of 1846 had not given a further encouragement to slave-
labour sugar. (Hear, hear.) But if they were to stand on
the contract, be must contend that the first infraction of the
principle of discouraging slave-grown sugar was to be found
in the act of 1844, and those who su; ported that act were
not now in a position to turn round on the proposition of
ministers, because it might in its rcralta encourage the
import of slave-labour sugar. The grounds on which
the act of 1841 was brought forward, as stated
by the then Chancellor ot the het:eerie( r (Mr. Goulburn),
himself a West India proprietor, were tie insufficient supply
of colonial sugar, and the consequent high price . now, how-
ever, it was contended by the hon. baronet (Sir J. Faking-
ton) that it hail always produced a supply sufficient for the
deu.ands of this country. It any one would compare the
present oonsumpUon with that a few years bock, he would
see that a more monstrous proposition had never been put
forward. (Hear, hear.) In 1840 the consumption was
179,000 tons ; in 1842 it was 193,000 tons: end loot year it
was 289,000 tons; an increase of more thin 110,010 tons in
seven years, and 96,000 in the last five sews. (Hear.)
Comparing this increase with that of the population, it was
evident that the supply was not adequate to the consumption
in 1840 and 1812. When the bill of 1846 was
proposed, there was scarcely any person in the house
except those who voted with the noble lord (O.
Bentinck) who did not distinctly avow that the prin-
ciple of permanent protection as against slave labour
sugar must be given up. The right hues. hem the member
for Tamworth made that avowal distinctly ; and the hon.
member for Leominster Beady) declared that he was
ler free trade in supra.' as lie mid been Isar • ac trade in corn,
it being understood that protection should be continued for a
time in order to enable the colonists to m.,ke wants to
compete with other sugar-growing couatries.ansre was en-
titled to mime, therefore, from what and occurred in n

Terence to the ins,4
jority of the hour
1313414111 t proration.
bad aomewhat Owl
stpOrt slaves al
110 beieved it woe
exported from the
ceeded the numb(
export during the la<
labour production.
failed ; and was n,
now taking—the fin,
the ohject—that the
under the operation
With regard to the i
committee on the co
lutBo,
014 p
zuut
baronet's lads and a
to show that the'
the cost of slave I
and that nothing .
to that amount
the West India
countries. If teet
could understand
hl
y
by the recommends
:fib:jou lei
el ,o:t ye
I duty
member. But till
with his (the Chat
the ultimate pro.t
sessions must depe
peting with the Iv
=anent protection-
enabled to romper
being restored to I
opinion nt pozlisme
Indies must corm
the question wai
brought about in
deuce taken before
reductions in the
without any loss in
the Met of manikin
1843, to 1,61.101.
1843, to 1,3001. ice :
lanes, Mr. Greene
tection were only c
=tots were made
—a few thousands
might be consider
the laboure.s wh
rate of wages wh
to Shied persons is
country were stran
what ho recommer
gard to the emigre
he had ahuded to'
should be given tr
years. 11.- believ
Gladstone) had p
Mr. LADST(
the West Indies.
The CHANCE
enter into the deur
nial thr
should be utterer
since he bad bee
any act of the col
was not quite ci
Mr. Tollemaehe,
tried in Antigui
aniweted. Toe
the lab ,urcr t.
rate ot wages.
objection, provi
Out Ilia a CC
With regard to a
which it could oe
of laws on :he MI
and ho must say,
duced by the pro
to a distance Ira:
admitted on all h
proposal they m
the interest of a
would enable the
introdactiun of I
would avail, unh
further time that
so extendiog the
there was any de;
It was stated so
present chraifica,
amount of protec
have, tecause the
o• competition It,
very clearly is ti
ground of comp
clawification of I
which was now i
classes, to be call
go:airmen said t
line sugar would
pended on the p
after consulted.'
Trade said Cult
not pledge them
sugar which w
should be the at
below that shoo
the present la
planters would
which the gore
tion of 7s. for
6s. for the third
posed to reduce
to which he wa
the recommen
And this was
interest, for
in the nuantit;
In 1846 the