The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-19 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.

IT 1111LX111.11011 UV TIM LOUD CIIIMSIMALAIN.
_NEDNIESDAI AND PRIDAYS DURING LENT.
Mr. 111CLWALL'S ORATORICAL and CRITICAL Le.CTURES un
aIIAKAPEARE and the DRAMA. We.
This lvetelftrtlDAT. March IP,
e URI IV.
SUILIMPEARCS and GARRICK'S RICHARD THE THIRD con-
trasted with that id Modern Drawatiets and .\etun.
Deuce open at Seven. Begin at Hall-past Seven precieely.
Sewer 46, sialnerlytkod foe 'Ten Tickets. Z. de. PO Ss.. Subscrip-
tion tor Ten Tickets. IL 45.; (Salary de.
Plaerieand.Tlekete to be had of Mr. M..ashighara. at the eou•Odice.
tined Teu W Pour. Tease* saw to be had of Mr. Eters. Bed-street;
Vt. Wale, Mr Ridgway, Mkpdill ; Mr. Rolderyis, New-
pitsWeet Renee. Bowdery and herby. awl Mr. Reynold*. °llford-
street i Mr. retituiii, Strand; at Boyles Court Guide °Mee. 1.
LeICOSTef-11qUIVIVS and of the Lecturer. North Wilton Cuttase. where
Privets inerusuone cot us to be Orin. in cease of Impediment,
and in the blocutlon ..I the Pulpit. Vac. and Senate.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
We are compelled to postpone the Second Article on the Report of
the Artisans Committee till to-morrow.

The DRITISU Puss coomienead publishing yesterday morning
at Firs o'clock.

LONDON, FRIDAY, MAECH 19, 1821.

Lord Liverpool last night, in answer to a question from
Lord Grosvenor as to the Intentions of Shoat(-rs respecting
the total abolition of slavery, said that the only way to at-
tain that object was by ameliorating the condition of the
slaves, and affording them religious instru:tion. The de-
sire of Iliuisters, the Noble Lord added, was to can iorth
the powers of the negroes, and chew them that peaceful
industry was the only sure coarse to the acquirement of free-
dom, not only for themselves, but for their wives, their chil-
dren, and their near connections. Lord Liverpool concluded
by saying, that if the hopes of Ministers should nut be re-
alised as to this plan laying a safe foundation for abolition,
it would then become the duty of Parliament to interfere.
We shall ourselves indeed be deeply disappointed, if the
plan for gradual amelioration introduced by Ministers
shall ultimately prove abortive. If we look to our own
history, and that of civilized Europe, we will sec that all
improvement in society, and the situation of the people ge-
nerally, was slow and progressive. Slavery still exists
universally in Russia, where the great majority of the
peasants and mechanics are all serfs. In Bohemia and
many parts of Poland, the cultivators are still trans-
ferred with the soil. In this very country, whose
name is now proverbial for its freedom, general slavery
among cur baxon ancestors long prevailed, and its gradual
decline and disappearance were almost imperceptible
through successive centuries. In the beginning the Eng-
glieh peasantry were vendible, as the serfs in Russia and
Poland are at this day, and were then termed " villeins
in grim." Their poverty was so general that they seldom
even hid cottages; but were sheltered in large bodies, in
the castles of their despotic masters : at this stage of their
servitude they were not attached to the soil. In the next
improved period of their condition, marriage became more
general amonGst them ; and cottages being atfordid them,
for their residence, thoy became, " adscripti glebe.," at-
tached to the soil, and not removable from it though the
.property was transferred to other hands. They even then,
however, had no legal title to the cottages they inhabited,
OT the patch of ground they tilled for their own subsistence.
They worked at the latter, like the present negrues of the
• West Indies, only in hours of relaxation from the toil
prescribed by their owners. A lengthened interval elapsed

before any further improvement took place in their situa-
tion, or they arrived at the third stage of " villeinage,"
during which they tilled a proportion of the soil for their
own benefit, and paid the rent partly in produce and
Pertly by their labour. This was the situation of our
peasantry, long Lefore and subsequent to the Norman
Conquest. M the state of society gradually im-
proved, that of the " villeins," or a:rfs of the soil,
improved alto. One of the earliest concessions made
thou was that of rendering their crirknee admissible
in a court of justice, u now proposed in the case of the

negroes, under necessary restrictions. It was not until
the end of the 13th century, that the " villeins" of Eng-
land vr,:re allowed to sit in judgment on their fellows, and
decLuvil capable of being put on the Inquests of the Hun-
dred (;hurts, in case of a deficiency of freeholders. As int-
Provement and civilization increased in this country, the
" villeinage" of former days became only a name— the ex-
change of commodities throughout the country became
mare general—manufactures were brought over by emi-
grants from Flanders—villages everywhere multiplied with
industry—and the peasants were enabled, from finding a
mart fur their surplus produce, to commute their personal
service for a small money rent. In this gradual way, the
emancipation of the " villeins" of England was accom-
Plisbed b the increase of improvement and civilization,
sided by the joint interests of the master and his serf, and

not by any legislative enactments; for the laws relating to
villeinage remain on the Statute Book unrepealed to this (lay.
The great change produced consis ed, in fact, not in any for-
mal grant of rights, so much as in paying the peament for his
labour by wages, and not by mere maintenance. The pro-
grt ss to freedom of the lower orders through the Netherlands,
France, and Italy, has been almost the same. The negroes
through the Northern States of America have been emanci-
pated much in the same manner. These few historical facts

may be fairly applied to the present condition of the ne-
gra... through the West Indies. They may gradually be
brought to exchange their labour, not for a maintenance,
but for rent and wages, and rise to the rank of free
labourers, gaining imperceptibly a beneficial interest in the
soil. As the advantages of education and religious instruc-
tion are more generally diffused amongst them, their owners I
will find it the best and wisest courec to relinquish their pro-
perty in the negro 's person, and pay for his labour by wages,
and not by maintenance. Several of the planters, we I
know, look to such a consummation, as the probable result
of the improved condition of the negroes under the new ,
system. The dissemination of Christian principles and
instruction amongst them must be attended with human-
izing effects, and will fit the mind of the negro for the
duties of a husband and parent. Among the females of
that race even now, in the midst of ignorance and
the worst examples, many of them betray the strongest ,
solicitude to adhere to a single attachment. Religious
instruction will also he mu.t useful in extinguish-
ing the pernicious influence of the Obeah men and
women, who act with such superstitious terror on
the minils of the unhappy negroes. No system for
ameliorating the condition of the African population in
the West Indies can be safe or effective on any other
foundation than those of religious instruction and educa-
tion. The improvement of the moral and religious cha-
racter of the negroes is the first effectual step in fitting
them to receive the important benefits now prospectively
held out to them : without both twore can be no safety to the
proprietors, or lasting benefits to the negroes themselves.
Slavery, we are persuaded, cannot be made perpetual in
the West Indies, and the only question now is, whether the
eight hundred thousand negroes, resident through the Bri-
tish West Indies, and their descendants, shall gradually
be transformed into free and peaceful labourers, industrious
and contented with their lot ; or whether discontent and
insurrection shall sweep these islands like a hurricane, bring-
ing a train of horrors, and an incalculable loss of lives and
valuable property with them. We think the system now
proposed by Ministers calculated to arrest the latter dread-
ful results; and once put in general practice, its conse-
quences will be, we are sure, most beneficial.
Lord John Russell, at the close of a lengthened *Web.
in which we thought be did not treat the affairs of Spain
with that knowledge and discrimination that mark the
highly cultivated mind of this distinguished young Noble-
man on other occasions, brought forward last night his
motion for " Copies of all Communications made by this
Government to that of France respecting the evacuation of
I Spain by the French troops." Mr. Canning's speech, in
reply, was one of the happiest efforts of his eloquence.

His allusions to the chivalrous crusade of Sir Robert Wil-
son (whom the Right lion. Secretary, with the urbanity
that distinguishes him in debate, called all through his
lion. Friend), and to the warlike expedition of Lord
Nugent to the shores of Spain, and the formidable panoply

prepared by him for his Iberian battles, were in the best
style of playful " badinage," and called down irresistible
laughter. ll'e are afraid, that from the first moment
Lord Nugent's campaign had something Quixotic about
it. The blowing up the French vessels in the
bay of Cadiz savoured strongly of the La Mancha
Knight ; and we fancy the veteran Valdez, then in com-
mand at Cadiz, thought so too, and in consequence re-
strained the Noble Lord from risking his valuable person
with a single boat and a " catamaran," to " sink, burn,

and destroy" a whole fleet. Such a plan certainly was
strongly in the style of the valorous " Bobadil," who pro-
claims annihilation to an entire army of 20,000 men, in a
few successive encounters, by his single rapier. We do not
think, however, of impeaching, for a single moment, the
high spirit and character of Lord Nugent ; both are un-
questioned ; and his motives, when he engaged in the de-
fence of Spanish liberty, were, we are sure, most honour-
able and disinterested. Sir Robert Wilson's generous de-
votion of his services to Spain, in her hour of trial, were
of a different cast, though at Corunna, and in his unfortu-
nate treaty with the renegade Morillo, he committed, we
fear, some unhappy errors; but be possessed high mi-
litary character and experience. He had fought on
the soil of Spain before, and with equal gallantry
and success; and had the Spaniards rallied to the
combat for their independence as was expected, Sir
Robert IVilson's devotion to their cause must have been
most valuable. Air. Canning, in the course of his brilliant
address, stated, that at the period a neutrality was promised
by this country between France and Spain, three express
stipulations were made: the first, that no attempt should
he made on Portugal, the ancient ally of this country,
whom we were bound by treaty to defend; the second,
thkt South America should not be interfered with ; and the
third, that no permanent military occupation should be
taken by France of Spain. Portugal (the Right Honour-
able S.cretary added) had not been attacked; South Ame-
rica was not hit rft red with ; and the occupation of Spa'n
was d. fined by treaty. and would not be permanent. The
French troops (he stated) were now the great protection of
the remaining friends of liberty in that unhappy country.
said the most powerful enemies the fanatics possessed.
Lord John Russell's speech last night was desultory and
ineffective, and did not appear to carry any impression with
the House. There is no man of any principle or inde-
pendence who must not regard the attack made by France
on Spain as most atrocious ; it was uncalled for in every
way, anti brought a host of horrors in its train ; but it
would have been madness for this country to have rushed
into a war for the mere preservation of a Constitution full
of deft'ets and visionary errors, and to which a large party
of the Spaniards themselves were hostilely opposed. Every
thing now chews that Ministers acted wisely, and that in
preserving peace they took that line of policy beat suited
to the character anti interests of the country. The debate
which sprung up on the discussion was a most animated
one ; at the close, Mr. Lyttleton's amendment, which will
be found in our columns, was carried with the coincident
of a vast majority.

WINDSOR, Till'itZAV, NIARcn itl.—The King rode
out this morning in his phaeton, for some time, in the
rides in Windsor Cr( at Park. _

His Niaje‘ty, we anderwantl, will arrive at Calton Pa-
lace, from IVilidsor, this day, to receive the Recorder's

Report.
The Duke of York, the Princess Atemsta, Lord St.
Helena, and Lord Palmenton, are expected to dine with
the King this afternoon at the Castle.
Prince Leopold honoured Sir George Talbot with his
company, on Wednesday night.
Yesterday aftenioon, at three o'clock, a Cabinet Council
I was held at the Foreign Office, Downing-strevt. agree-
able to summons, which was attended by the Earl of Bar-
rowby, the Earl of Liverpool, the Earl of Westmorland,
Mr. I'ecl, Mr. Canning, Farl Bathurst, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Bexley,
Mr. Bushmen, and Mr. Wynn. The Council sat in de-
kberation till half-past four.
Viscount Melville continues indisposed.
‘Vednesilay the Cabinet Ministers dined with the Earl
of Liverpool.
Messrs. Bailey, Goldsmid, and Oxenford, have issued
prospestuses ter a new Brazil Lean.
OrENHAGEN, Matti' 6.—Mr. Browne, Secretary to
the English Legation her:, hut arrived from London.
We have seen an extract of a private letter written by
an officer on hoard the Windsor Castle, when that vessel was mak-
ing the land of China, on the Slat October, which states the
writer's belief that the misunderstanding with the Chines: had
been adjasta.!. This letter was gin= to a ship met at sea.