The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-14 00:00:00

venire of chartered rights." What think you, Sir, is the invent
of right of which they complain-what the interftreence against
which they protest ? It is, Sit, with the practice of tloggieg fe.
male slavee. (Great applause.) And can you belies.' by wheal
name this precious document is signed ?-ebsit owe. ! by the
come of-Hampden ! (Applause.) Nut that Hampden of whoop
A kenslde writes-
" That sacred name to freemen dear,"
not that
" Village Hampden. who, with dainties, breast,
The little tyrant of his fields withstand ;"
hut of the nee field and theplantation : it is T. C. Hampden, of the
Island of Barbadoes. (Immense cheering.) Yes, Sir, this is
the parson who proteateagainstour interference with the branding.
iron the cartwhip, and the chain. (Hear, hear.) Sir, I leave these
assemblies to their insignificance-I commit all to their obscurity,
from the Assembly of the great Island of Jamaica down to that of
St. Kitt's. (A laugh.) We leave them to their patriarchal
claims over their slaves. Sir, when these persons come to ask for
meivoirew of relief, we should answer them thus-" We will give
you full advantages, provided you produce to us some legislative
enactment for the relief of your slaves-we wiil accede to your
wishes when we find you adopt measures to ameliorate the condition
of their wretched beings." A certain class of Person's, Sir, in thia
country city, and with a degree of confidence truly astoniahiog, that
the condition of the slaves is preferable to that of English
labourers. I feel, Sir, as much as any individual the degraded
state of the agricultural population-I feel for distresses brought on
them by the yet laws and other causes. But, Sir, slavery 1-(ap-
plause)-Utxl God ! how can they speak so. My Honourable
Friend hu said, and said truly, that description fail when
Mums:ions serve. We, Sir, never have seen slavery face to face,
thanks to those laws which placed the family of your Royal High-
ream on the throne, which are to us the surest pledge of the scattier
of one liberties and the preservation of our rights. (Great cheerioet)
We. Sir, have never seen slavery, and, like the great and awTul
visitations of nature, such as earthquakes or volcanoes, it can be Inot
ill described. Let us fur a moment suppose the cameo' the wretched
being returning to his miserable hut, after the toil of a hot and
scorching day ; let him hear thesouud of the lash, and see the cart-
whip about to fall on the naked shoulders of his wife sad daughter :
let us fancy him sect: the first weapon that presents itself, and
strike to the ground the inhuman monster, for the spirit of man
often lurks in a slave's breast, and wrings may awaken that ardour
which years of degradatiou and of wretchedness have not entirely
quenched : such conduct would he looked on as mutiny, and within
a short period he is to be seen banging at the door of his cabin, be-
fore the eyes otitis family, and of that wife whom he taught to prof ect.
This, Sir, is slavery. I have not the merit of inventing the illustration,
as the wretched instance of atrocious cruelty actually occurred nor
more than four rears ago. Iu some colonies the slaves are allowed
to marry, and die planters claim great credit for granting such a
mighty indulgence. But what is marriage to them ? to see their
wives, the tender partners of their affections--and what is marriage
without the susceptibility of affection, and he should say that it car
the posiesnion of those tine feelings which forms the line of Ile-
tnarcation between man and savage-(applause)--to see his wife
toil without remission, and drag on a wretched existence-to sea
his child banded down with the brand of slavery on its forehead-.
to see in him, not the child of' hope but of wretchedness, the inhe-
ritor of' his father's misery, perhaps the partner of his slavery'
(Applause.) Can it be credited that such persons, as well as their
masters, are the subjects of the British Crown ? In the r.ame if
God do I entreat :his :Fleeting to persevere in their exertions, not
to mitigate but to eradicate slavery. (Hear, bear.) To eradiate
slowly, but effectually, even the very name of a crime more atro-
cious than the ear of man has ever heard of, or his imagination can
well conceive. (Greg applause.) We confine not our efforts to
Africa-we seek to destroy slavery wherever it exists. We art pay-
ing dear fur its continuance, for, Sir, it is opposed to every principleof
independent commerce. The institutions of this country, extended
to the West Indies, where slavery prevailed, were a curse instead
of a blessing. Their Assemblies there were not wholesome Menu-
tions, for they had nut a free constituency; neither was trial by jury
a blessing to them who did not enjoy freedom, for justice and
mercy did not temper their decisions. (Applause.) The Noble
Lord concluded by moving the following Resolution :-
" Resolved-That this Meeting has heard with peculiar satisfac-
tion that so respectable a body of merchants and bankers of Paris
have presented a petition to both Chambers on the subject of the
Slave Trade, prating an inquiry into the truth of the charges
brought against their countrymen ; and remonstrating on the in-
sufficieticy of their legislative prohibitit ns : and this meeting trusts
they will not relax in their generous endeavours till they hard put
down these erintinal traffickers in blood by the force of public
opinion, and have also succeeded in removing its present scandal-
from the law and character of France."
Lord CALTHOWPI., in moving the next Resolution, which re-
lated to the conduct of France respecting the slave trade, regretted
that that country did not avail itself of the many advantages and
resources it possessed ; that though it possessed a power which at
one time overthrew the nations of the Continent, yet did not
seem to possess a power now to he able to keep its own subjects be
obedience to the observance of the law of nature and of nations.
(Hear, hear.) Instead of passing laws against a violation of' the
symbols of religion, it would be far wiser for France to pass a law
against the present atrocious traffic in slavery. The former was a
sauguinaty law, the latter was one of humanity and justice. (Ap-
plause.) And he could not forbear front saying, that he could not
think the approachirg coronation in France, which was in this
country a bond of union between the King and the people, would
not have that beneficial effect in France, and that it would not con-
tribute to the security of the perpetuation of the monarchy in that
country unless the oils used in that consecration were also used in
healing the wound of the unfortunate amid forlorn African. (Ap-
plause.) blind been said by the son of a celebrated monarch of
antiquity, that his father had left him no nation to conquer, but
England wished to extend its glory and power not by arms, but br
the extension of its liberties and free institutions to all the native('
of the globe. (Applause.) Ile could wish to see France partici-
pating in this sentiment. He was unwilling to use the language of
reproach, but he could nut forbear to express his concern at the
conduct of France. There were some who were desirous of wiping
off. this stain from France, and it was right to assure them that in.
this country there was a sympathy and corresponding sentiments in
the breasts of die o; le of England. We ought to assist them
endeavouring to efface this disgrace from a country which always
speaks of itself to tile most humane and the most civilized in the
world. At some future Meeting he hoped that France had foLlowd
the example of South America, which had already respecting this
trade adopted sentiments and principles corresponding to the dic-
tates of humanity and Christianity. (Cheers.) The Noble Lord,
then moved the following Resolution
Resolved-" That this Meeting contemplates with the met-
profnund sorrow and abhorrence the frightful extent and malignity
of the present Slave Trade ; by the heartlessness anaduplimty so
well by the profligate connivance of other European authori-
ties ; and that this Meeting due most earnestly beseech his Ma..
jestv's Government to presevere in their honourable exertions.
until all nations shall have, by common consent, not ooh de-
nounced the Slave Trade as piracy ; but shall have conceded a
mutual right to visit suspected vessels, and shall have admitted
evidence of any vesul being_ actually employed in carrying on this
Slave Trade to be proof sufficient to authorise condemnation."
Mr. D. SYKES, M. P. said he rose to propose a Resolution._
which belated toa name dear to every lover of pietyand of humanity,
he need, not surely add the tame of Mr. W'ilberforce. (Applause.)
He knew their sentiments would have anticipated him. He wad
not do justice to the merits of that distiinguighed man ; he wow
called upon unprepared to move that Resolution in consequence of
the absence of an Hon. and Learned Friend, whose eloquence would
have done justice to the merits of that individual. (Hear.) Though
he had, from certain circumstances been removed from the as-
quaiutance of that eminent person, yet be had in early life bees
intimately acquainted with him ; he might truly say of him,
" In infancy our hopes and fears
Were to each other known,
And friendship, in our riper years,
Entwined our hearts in one."
Ile was not qualified to pronounce his eulogy, which was demisted}
'Token of in that room by an lion. Friend of his (Mr. Buxton.)
There was one observation of his lion Friend, to which, however,
he could advert. Ile said that Mr. Wilberforce bad not an enemy
on the surface of the globe. But he (Mn. S.) was &SUSANd be
had an enemy in every friend of slavery and in every enemy of
religion. (Applause.) lie would not have spoken thus much of
hint' but for the gratitude he felt towards him, whose friendship he
had found to be his shelter and protection in public life in the pride
and honour of his days. His heart was big with the subjeets and lee
could not forbear from paying this slight and passing tributes's(
esteem to his name. Before he concluded, be wiftd to expeopellie
disapprobation of a measure which was site sheet le be •
namely, the importation of sugar from the Machias.aMbi.
sure materially affected the question for whisis they all felt a beep
interest, for it tended, more than other eseasel“ could, se phi.,
mote slave lnbour, and to discourage hes Ulmer, wbrek it wea •
one of the leading objects of the Institute= is the w«
aheut to proceed to another place. mime pm rabies' Pal
about to be ir.,roatteed, and where he wotddl, to*, uluesst olf bits
ability and means, co-operate in preventing • useasewe sedeulaught•
operate so injuriously towards the cause which were ameriferi
to promote. The Honourable Gentleman otaelwili by meads'
thefollowing,Revelution:-
" That this Meeting cannot see Mr. Wilberisme withdraw freer
public life, without expressing their deep raped at the stare of
health which has made this precaution necessary their boundless
gratitude for the immense services which he hes rendered to man-
kind, and their earnest prams, that from his retirement be may
long assist in the progress, and at last witness the comptete sacceiv
of a cause, the most splendid portion of whose history will be fownd
in the biography of his life, mad identified with the glory of has
Mr. S. Pxacir.as seconded the Resohnion. The only re-
(enemies he felt in speaking on this subject was, that it would re-
quire eloqueoat similar to that of urns who too irresistibly
Pleaded the came of the African slave, to do justice to his merits-
it was true that slavery had diminished, but much yet remaiatallo
rte early, but by
putting down slavery here, for that was not y,
WilbelltnefOrcaeMithiet wpurinncomtlesth.olfeastht
tdmilanee. j
putting down the defenders of slavery.
eparstreiftisthheicr
aolasiboittiundoton,pailwaseby
wake
Mr. R. Wri.searoacw, on the part of his father. return*/
thanks.
The Her. and Rev. C. Strong proposed a vote of thanks tie big
Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the Preeidut at tee
(toasty, for the manifold services which the 1121Kintlii011 rithieed,
from the patrougeof his Royal /Benue.
It was duly **tended. and unanimously anted.
The Duka of Osoverrrta rose, amid Teri genera
It was now (Lenten years since he bad ghat whim the ChattaPrt.
sostitutien, and although they were weireesdleil by mieydliktials,
although mash had been dew, yet as* reetaiseil she to be dpie‘