The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-17 00:00:00

a wo rieelainsed, with holy zeal, most passionately against the
Wupositions ; his voice was drowned by murmurs, when
he talked of the Negroes forcibly emancipating themselves.
We are astonished that both these ceaseleos advocates of
ruin throughout the Colonies, can still, in defiance of
all they have reen and heard, persist in their wild
cusade. Bat Mr. Wilberforce is insane on this subject ;
be has brooded over the ideal wrongs of the African race,
until his whole nature has b come intermixed with the
repro horrors. The propositions of last night are the first
decided step taken to ameliorate the condition of the Negrees
in the West Indies ; and where is the man of any judg-
ment or reflection who will not say, that it the adoption
of any such measure the greatest calmness and circumspec-
fon were necessary ? Let the late agitated state of the
West Indies, and the insurrections breaking out in,
ahnost every island, form an answer to those who',
would unfetter the African race at once. But neither
Mr. 'Wilberforce nor Mr. Buxton possess a single sugar-
cane in these Islands ; they can therefore afford to be very
philanthropic at the expense of others. It is needless to
say, that the propositions of Minister's on this interesting
'-object met the decided support of a large majority of both
Houses. They will, we are sure, be equally approved by
ail that is reflecting and unprejudiced throughout the
cotretri. Once passed, we.hopeito seelhem honestly acted
upset and adopted by the different Colonial Legislatures.
Sat-le slavery, we are persuaded, cannot be perpetual in
the West Indies ; and every reasonable measure fur itn-
}roving the condition of the Negroes, and preparing them
fur ultimate emancipation, will have our support. But
the wild seal of Mr. Wilberforce and his followers, if suc-
cessful, would bring down ruin on our Western Colonies,
involve the lives and properties of thousands throughout
these Islands, and be a course pregnant with misery and
dertruction to the majority of the wretched Negroes than-
se. VI:S.

Tile KING.—We regret to state that his Majesty is
slightly indisposed with an attack of gum. It was partially felt on
Saturday, and on Sunday it presented his 3lajesty Luna coming
down stairs. His Majesty uintd up stairs.
Yesterday afternoon, about four o'clock, the Duke of
York arrived at his Office, in the Home Guards, and in a short
time afterwards, his Royal Highness proceeded to hold his weekly
Levee, which was attended by Lieut.-General Sir W. Anson,
Lieut.-General Stevenson, Major-General Sir James Lyon, Lord
htirchill, the Duke of Athol, Sir George ‘Varrender, and about
thirty others.
Yesterday morning, between liana 12 o'clock, the Duke
of CI voice mile to town from Bushy.
Tlie Duchess of Gloucester and the Princess Sophia
eisits4 the Duke of York yesterday, at two o'clock, and partook of
a .'r sr.
Yesterday, at half-past two o'clock, a Cabinet Council
was held at the Foreign Office, Downing-street, which was attended
by the EAT' of Liverpool, the Earl of Ilarrowby, the Earl of West-
morland, 31r. Peel, Earl Bathurst, the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, the fluke of Wellington, Mr. Huskisson, Mr. Wynn, &c.
ite Cabinet continued sitting till near four o'clock.
Mr. Secretary Canning was closely engaged in business,
at his private residence, during the whole of yesterday ; so much so,
that he was not able to attend the Cabinet Council which was
summoned to meet at Me Office.

At an early hour yesterday morning, Mr. Williams, the
Kirg's Messenger, arrived in Downing-street, in a post-chaise,
with despatches from Ancona. Rome, and other places. The
Messengir was much impded by the severity of the weather
ahead, particularly from the hoary fall of snow in awe parts ; it
was ,o deep, and the frost so severe, that his carriage was obliged to
be dug out of thc snow sad ice, before he could proceed.
By *deices from Mexico, in the Havannah papers, to
the middle of January, we learn that the British l'omnitasioners
had returned from Mesiso to Vera Cruz, with the intelligence that
they had settled the businers which was the rriecial objxt of their

- -
N petition, we understand, has yet been presented at
Han Department respecting Ilr. Conolly.
Nor Posv-Or:teL.—The work of excavation is gcing
on rely rapidly. tor the new Puet-Office in St. Martin's-lc-grand,
ea that in the course of a few days the bricklayers are expected to
ley the that course of Wicks. The first stone will be hill with grist
ceremony on the 'AI of April (St. Georges Day), in honour of the
celsbration of his Nlajeszy • birth-day.
ROYAL NE Orrice as.—The Lords of the Mmi-
ratty have obtainer'. the King's permission to grant to the corps of
Bard Marines a similar indulgence to that which was last year
Sara ed to the artillery, vin to allow a certain number of field offi-
ten and captains so sell their commissions at the regulation price.
'rite number is said to be limited to five Licut.-Colonels, four Ma-
and eiFht t'aptairs ; the officers not to be of less than
twenty years standing in the service. (This restriction, indeed, is
quite unnecessary, as even the sailor Lieutenants meet* twenty.
for years' staudit.g.) The applications are to be made before the 4th
of April text. Promotions will take place in the corps, to fill up
the vacancies occasioned by these sales. The purchasers must be
ofteere of the army, s',o will be placed on the Unattached List.
Gitnetal Iturbitle, Ex-Einveror of the kingdom of
:11lexicu, has taken up his reside ice in Bath.