The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-06-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIA.WMiT.

HOUSE OF LOR DS—Tu IISD• V, Jura 24.

Counsel were finally heard, and et crinselerable length, rela-
tive In the Scot.; Appeal Cause, Graham v. the Countess
Dowager of Glencairn, rm. the Solicitor General, as second
Ormacol for the Nub's Respondent ; and Mr. Alexander, a,
leading Counsel for the Appellant, in reply.
Their Lord.ihi!,l adjourned the farther consideration of the
Case, with reference to Judgment, until Mon3as sennight
The Rollo upon the Table were forwanle.l in their respectise
stages. Among these, the Additional Assessed Taste. Rip:
pasted through a Committee of the whole Droop, and was
reported sentient amendment; and the Tmtola Free Pert
Bill was read a third time and passed; and a mevsage ordered
to acquaint the Commons therewith.
MeAlexander %Nought up,hom the Commons, the Custom
14.05 e Fees Bill, clad the Receiver (extol'. Of tine ExciveOffice
Bell.
The Lord Advocate of Scutlattd presented the Dunbar Har.
boor Bail.
Swan( I4ieasa Bahl were tweeght up by difierent Gentle-
men. Mess, idle ware seemed!, read a first trine.
eaRtIVMSCII PENSIDNERS.
Lord GRENVILLE presented a Message from
His Majesty. to a similar flied with that delivered
yesterday to the Commons, on the above subjdt.
The Message imported " That His Majesty, having
taken into consideration the circumstances of the
aged, wounded, and disabled seamen, was desi-
tuus of making more effoiltial provision for the sup.
port and maintenance of the same, and desired the
concurrence of the House of Lords, in suclimea-
suies as may take place, towards enabling His
Majesty to carry such intentions into rife& That
His Majesty, in furtherarce of that purpose, was
pleased to order, that port of the proceeds of such
vessels as should be condemned in prize:, should be
applied in such a way as the wisdom of Parliament
should see most expedient and beneficial to that end;
and in additi'n to the funds of the Royal Hospital
and present chest at Greenwich."
The Message being read in the wind way,
Lord GRENVILLE rose, arid inuneliately
moved an Address to His Islaje-ty, on th- occad• n
of his gracious Message. As he was confident no
possible doubts 'amid exist in the minis of their
Lordships, as to the expediency of concurrieg to
enable His Majesty to ca.ry the wise and gra-
cious intentions expressed in his Message into effo,
he should, therefore. he said, take the liberty to
move, without farther delay, an Address to His
Majesty, thanking him for his gracious communi-
cation, and a:suring His Maiesty (11 the readiness of
their Lordships to canto: in all measures which
shall become expedient for enabling His Majesty to
carry the intentions expressed in His Message in-
to effea.
An Addren to that effeet being wowed by his
Lordship, it was agreed to by the 1-4.otse, mat. th,r.
mod ordered to be presented to His Majesty by the
Lords with while Slave;

The Earl of WA RWICK addressed a few obser-
vations to tit,: House, hut in such a low tone of voice
as to be nearly inaudible below the Bar. By what
we could collet, however, it appeared to the follow-
ing purport : That his Lordship feft himself rather
in a painful situation with respect to what he was
about to communicate to the House. It related to
a subjeft of the greatest national importance, and in
which he conceived great improvements may be
made. What he alluded to, he had some time since

communicated to that illustrious Statesman, now no
more, who guided the afteirs of the country ' • it re.
spelled a plan, the adoption of which, he h9d no
doubt, would be most beneficial to the country; he
had long considered the topic in his own mind ; he
afterwards applied to His Majesty's present Ministers
on the occasion ; and if they should 'not bring for-
ward the s.tbjen, he should deem it incumbent on
him to come torward hirrfseif on the occasion. The
prajea referred to an improved system of taxation,
which would apply equally to all, and operate ac•
cording to the respetlive means of individuals.

SLAVE TR %DE.
Previous to the Drier of the Day, respetting this
subjelt, being regularly entered upon, a short con-
versation took place between the Earl of WE:iT-
MORLAND and Lnrd GRENVILLE, on the
propriety of heating Counsel and evidence in sup-
port of the Petitions upon the Table, praying their
Lordships not to agree to the Resolution commu-
nicated by the Commons. The first mentioned
Peer seeming to urge the propriety of such a pro:.
ceeding, Llrd Grenville observed. that nothing
they could adduce could convince his mind that
way upon the subje(f.
The Earl of WESTMORLAND observed,
that on a nwasnre involving so many interests, and
bee of such great importance, he must think a re-
tina; to hear Counsel highly improper. He wished
explicitly to know the Noble Lord's determination
on that point.
Lord GRENVILLE replied, that with respell
to the present subjeet, a rather novel practice ob-
taine.e. He alluded to proposals for heating Coun-
sel and evidence on the very day fixed for entering
upon the discussion.—(Heer / bear On the day
the Petitions were presented, such a proposition
might hare been mule forfieing a particular day for
that purpose ; but none such was then proposed.
If the Petitioners felt the propriety of such a pro-
ceeding wanly, he thought it would. then have
been expressed. However, as things now stood,
hemost beg leave to protest against any thing that
may lead to a desultory debate on that part of the
subjeti.
'lira Earl of WESTMORLAND, in explana-
tion, again put the question generally to the No-
ble Lord, whether he chose to proceed to the di:-
cus.lon without hearing Counsel
Lord GRENVILLE moved, *. that the Order of
the Day be read ;" which was tetordingly done :
it wits for suesnioning their Lordships. ter the con-
sideration of the vote communicated by the Com-
mons, et a conference, resolving, in 'lea. that the
Africart Slave Trade. being crinuary to the princi-
ples of humanity, justice, and sound policy, they
would* early is ilia ant Session of &shammy, pee-

teed to the consideration of the Abolition of the
rime, in such way, and at what period, as they
shall think most expedient. &c.
The Resolution 5, ing read by the Clerk,
Lord GRENVILL.k; rose, and in a speech of
considerable length, in which he dis,,layed his nsual
talent, and extensive knowledge of the subject [but
of which, cur restriSted limits allow us to state but
a very Feneral 'Airline], observed, that the Resoluis
tion their Lordships had just heard read, was the
determinate result of upwards of twenty years dis-
cussion and inqa•ry upon rue subjeS.P. kJe rejoiced
at the topic having been sifted to the botrcm. • Nu
pretence, or shadow of argument, could now be
urged, that luld not again sod again been pub-
licly- discussed, and every particle of objection
repeatedly' refuted. The time was come. When
no need ,px:reheel of farther inquiry ; and that
period, whin the voice of justice. and the voice
of hu:naaity, .equally MAW upon that- House
to concur in the Resolution voted by the other
House of Parliament. The Rftaution import..
ed, that the African Slave Trade was contrary
to the principles of humanity, of justice, and of
sound policy. As to the first point, could any man
in that House, or in the country, he would ask,
raise- his voice, and. in his mind and conscience,
say, that the Slave Trade was not contrary to hu-
manity ? What was the chief of the Stave Tradc ?
"To tear men from the bosom of their families, their
country, their trends, 'wives, brothers, children,
from all that was dear to them in society, and in
their .country. (Hoar! bear!) Could any man
assert such a praftice was not contrary to huma-
nity ? Personal freedom was a blessing granted by
God, and could not with justice be yihlated by man t
%% ere their Lordships to consider, only for a mo-
rri...ni, the manner in which the unhappy ob-
jefts of the traffic were presented, and which,
among other records, appeared in the evidence,
which a Right Reverend Prelate, much to his
honour, had so great a share in eliciting,
that alone would convince their Lordships
how the traffic outraged every principle of bu-
mani.y. A celebrated writer on the stiiiifff, who
was at. advocate 'for the trade, admits, that the far
larger portion of the slaves taken from the coasts
of Africa, was procured by the crimes of those
who brought them ; this acknowledgment, nothing
bnt the innate force of truth and justice, could bring
such a writer to mak... All the natives who now ac-
knowledged the divine precepts of Christianity, or
even those who were civilised at all, had relinquish-
ed the traffic, as hostile to the first principles of hu-
manity—(d-Isar ! Hear!) The traffic, in the first
was now confined to the natives of Africa,

whose measure wee me vonseqtteliee of the Ina-
rice of those in this country, who still persist-
ed in it. His Inrdship then glanced at the
eonsideratien of the middle painge, the miseries
and horrors of which were acknowledged by all,
save the whose hearts were steeled against every
emotion of humanity ! With respell to this, long
experience had proved, that no really effeCleal re-
medy could apply, but total abolition. Nn circum-
stance or situation, on the face of the habitable L lobe,
could exhibit so great a portion of human miseyy,
condensed into such a narrow compass, as did this
middle passage : (Bear ! hear !). This he had
often occasion to expatiate upon ; but he trusted
their Lordships' vote of that night would render the
ctesentthe last occasion heshouid have. hey would
east have tueonsider the objee of this middle passage:
which was to tie and shackle the unhappy wretches
who survived it. to hopeless bondage and never enclin7
labour, in the burning climate of the West Indies!
Rising up and laying down, day after day, under the
lash of an imperious and unfeeling task master ! To
those 's Hope never comes, which cornea to all I"
The exercise of uncontrouleJ, arLitrary power, was
the never-failing corrupter of the human heart !
(hear! hear ! Notwithatandieg ell that had bees
advanced on that part of. t:,e sllll.i..:Cf, the West In-
dia planters had not dAtie all in their power to alk-
visite the sufferings of the slaves; and even if they
had, the end could not effedually be obtained.
Having concioded this division of his subject, the
Noble Lord proceeded to the consideration of the
case, with respell to the principles of Justice. With
reaped to this, he contended that it militated against
every principle of distributive Justice. It could
be no recommendation of that, or of any other
coasideration of (wear, or robbery, to say, that it
was luerat:ire ; and, on that ground, a great part of
the argement, in Savour of the traffic, was rested.
What right had any planter in the West Indies,
or any merchant in England—what native and ori-
ginal right could he have to the labour of the in-
habitants of Africa ? In what code of •the law of
nations, or.ia what system of religion, could such
a right be founded ? It is due to all our fellow crea-
tures, at least, if nut an alive hew/ciente. yet sure-
ly to abstain from ads of malevolence. The third
question, which the resolution he should move their
Lordships to concur in, involved, was, whether the
trade was consistent with sound policy ? On this
heed, he set out with contendiag for the broad
principle, that it never can be wise or politic in na-
tions to persevere in a course of inhumanity and
injustice. Another consideration essentially con-
neded, was the practical principle, that the la-
bour of slaves was nut equally valuable with the
laboui of freemen. Oa this head, his Lordship
referred to the authority of a great man ( Mr. Pitt)
now no more, whose loss this country had every
reason to deplore. who had given a great share of
his attention to this very rut ing and im-
portant subjeCt. and whose heart and mind
was set upon the great measure of abolition,
as all who knew him in private csadd attest. On no
occasion whatever were the great and splendid ta-
knts, or the irresistible eloquence of that gteat mint
exer.ed is a more conspicuous degee. than on this
great and interesting sobjed ; and, is the course of
ilif discussions of it, his calculations. with reaped to
the comparative value of the labour of freemen and
slaves, were laraihous andicouviocing. One of the

incontrovertible results of there, was. that the ex.
pence. of procuring the unhappy of in ques-
tion, the expences of transporting them, and their
maintenance afteiwards. comparing all those waft
the value of the labour adually performed. evinced
that this labour was not so countable. oy much,
as that of freemen branght .to the w k in
the first instanon. In addition to this great and
incontrovertible anthority, was that of a cele-
brated Writernosit the ',gill& who argued, that the
only thing which Mel." preserve the plonters from
the ruin impending over them, was the abolition of
the Skim Trade. The fresh it/Irma:loos were,
upon the whole, regarded as disalv intage as, and
chiefly on account of the mortalities. His Lordship
then adverted to the important sonsideration co what
Isapprned is Et. titsissingic Which,- if uo ether
fad or argument Could be adduced of i!se impolicy
of contineing the trale, the contideration of the
direful calamities, to which he alluded, would sof-
fice. In enging their Lord:hips to concur in the
resolution of the Conirronh he pointed their atten-
tion to the nature and effed of that resolution. To
the result ut it, they could not, deeming tire traffic
to be against humanity, justice, and p hey. consist-
ently refuse their assent, vii. that they would pro-
ceed to the coo:id:ration of steps tending to abolish
such a traffic, in a way, and at such A pvriod, as
should be deemed most expedient ; and to this
principle he could ahalleage the acquiercence of
every Noble Lord who was not prepared to say
the Slave Trade ought never to b 3 abolishedi—
Neither did it imp:O7ite them to the vote ot at-
tempting the immediate aboiittoa or to any Kr-
ticu! mode of accomplishir4 it, but merely
to the principle of total aboodon. This con-
sideration, however, shotrld net deer him, strongly
as he felt upon the poiot, from supporting mid
urging their Lordships' compliance with. C., vote
of the Commons ; as, though be could not attain
all the good he wished, he should endeavour
to perform all that circaihstarces offered is prac-
ticable. Upon this ptiaci. la, And on the grounds he
had noted, he should move ":hat heir Lords'-ips
do concur iu the resolution corani.ohcated Ey SIMI
Commons."
Lord HAWK'. SBURY, in an able au::' ingiri-
ous speech, opposed the motion of the Noble loorl.
In the course ot this, he observed, two great its
were to be considered: first, whether r.sol,ciuu
of the Commons was founded in truth? sr. seem dl
whether it were eel) client or Jes:iable o come
to such a Resolution at the Er runt moment ? '11;*
question coming in the shape it di ' sec' n irrowed
the eaten: of what he should h ye .r .ff.r to their
dahanyddips..ps.
st'A 'bri
between idea thaal it n
eit
ti.e g onnil" to
o ncake
ofj ti Ice •
and humanity and that or poacy ; because oe
deemed, that whatever the c .o.ideratioas of j::1-
lice and humanity impeed As a duty, all con-
siderations of policy, in such a case, should be
oar of the question. lie begged, therefore, to be
Understood, that he should d moss the points in
question, on the grounds of j stLe and humanity
only-. Ile was more convinced than ever, even by
the tenor and curer of the .' oble Baron's speech,
eepecially by the close of it, of the co:reetness of
the opinions he had formed on the topic of imme-
diate and unqualified 41-,o!itiou. Even those the
Most tot ward in urginl it .tt measore, firrd.it them.
Delves imp issible to defead it, when they come
pratiicaliy to consider its roaring on all the dif-
'Gwent breaches cf the goes:icor. In all these con-
siderations, they find they most regard the cense-
`quences pradically, when au: opine to consi icr
the point of total or immedia-,i abolition.—Tie
circumstances of the country et the time, also
lamed a serious consideration ;as in sot fur
&stance, the present, it might operate e in.
jorioutly than in otters; and a coovidico of this
Iliad seemed to be eniei mined by the Noble Baron
him& towards the close of his speech, as he
Nialtad to admit he was not prepared to urge the
measure of iraroadiate abolition. The Node Lord
then went into a disquisition, as to the antiquity of
the Slave Trade, which misted long before any of the
European Powers had Colonies in the West Inhies.
—With respect to t'7e important question, whether
the abolition was likely to produce those beneficial
effeds upon -the Continent of Africa itself, which
some seemed to suppose ? all the accomits he bad
met with respeding that Continent, even thew. fur-
nished by the Most recent traveller ( Mr. Parke), led
him to Le opinion, as that traveller stated, that a
sudden or immediate Abolitian of the-Slave Trade,
'would not produce those rood /fees in Africa,
which many persons, judgmg from the beet mo-
tives, may be inclined to think. On th-se general
..noun Is, the greater part of the No!)le Lord's
speech proceeded ; and he particularly dwelt upon
the consideration, that the adoption et the motion,
considering its effeds pradically, instead of
being beneficial, must, on the contrary, prove in-
jurious.
The Bishop of LONDON, in the outs-t of his
speech, alluded to the evidence already before the
ILuse upon this subjed, any contend II that this
pranice was contrary to all the principles of hu-
manity and religion ; although he adniitted that
slavery was permitted by the Mosaic law:; but those
blaster, atter a certain term, were emancipated. It
was said, that this Trade was ot great service to the
unhappy negroes themselves, by taking ti em from
a bad state of slavery, and placing them in a beneso
But he asked, what r.ght had we to make men hap-
pier than they wished' to be ? He coact:llea with
expressing his concurrence in the measure, from
motives cf justice and homanity.
'the LORD CHANCELLOII declared that he
never Ilitherio had taken any share in the discussion
of th:s suoj. Et, while a Member cat the other rloase,
when his opinion was rather adverse to the measure;
bu Oaving read the evidence, he foil
.great
to a:ter that opinion. He had been on the Wost
In borne years ago, and had teen all ti e great
pla tat one in Jam tic., and he declared the c .nds-
i tiOa et the slaves WSW aloud uniformly anserionste