The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-08 00:00:00

ITSUR V LAWS.

Earl GROSVENOR presented a petition from the mer-
chants and other inhabitants of Liverpool, praying for a repeal of
the Usury Laws. Ilia Lordship said he agreed in the views of the
petitioners; but he hoped that any measure which might be adopted
would have a prospective and not a retrospective effect.
Tile Earl of LI3IERICK thought it there ever was a moment
at which that delicate subject should not be agitated, it was the
present. His Lordship deprecated the idea of repealing the Usury
Laws. Ile considered it one of those novelties which tended to
disturb the agricultural and cotnmercial interests of the country.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.
Earl GROSVENOR presented petitions tram the parishes of
St. Margaret's and St. John's, in Weitminster, against cruelty to
animals.

PEACE PRESERVATION ACT.
.......

The Earl of KINGSTON presented a petition from the barony
of Contlons and Clongibbona, m tile county of Cork, against aloe
Peace Preservation Act.
__ _

IRELAND.

The Earl of KINGSTONMo;edio;; copy of all papers rela-
ting the charges against 3lurphy and Olieeffe, two men who
had been arrested fur the murder of Mr. Franks, in the county of
Cork.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL made no objection to the motion,
but it was always usual to state some reasons for such a motion,
otherwise the object of it could not be ascertained.
The Earl of KINGSTON said those men had been arrested for
the murder of Mr. Franks, by the Chief Magistrates, under the Peace
Preservation Act. They were confined five months, and then dis-
charged, and no sufficient reason was ever assigned fur such con-
duct towards them. Ills Lordship said he would defer his motion
until Thursday.
PRICE OF GOLD.

Mr. Hutchinson, from the Bank of England, presented an ac-
count of the market price of gold in Haruburgh, Lisbon, and Paris,
in January and February

COLONIAL SYSTEM.
Earl BATHURST moved that the Resolution passed by the
House of Commons in 1823, respecting the amelioration cf Slavery
in the West India Colonies be read. After it was read, his Lord.
ship said he did not mean to trouble their Lordships at any great
length. When he had the honour to lay the Orders in Council
respecting West India Slavery before their Lordships, he had
stated that those orders contained all that his Majesty's Ministers
had thought advisable to adopt upon that subject. Those orders
were founded upon the Resolutions of the House of Commons
passed in 1833, and he begged to remind their Lordships of the
unanimity with which they were passed. He could not state to
their Loulships that those orders hail had the desired effect, but to
a certain extent they had been acted upon. In the islands of St.
Vincent's and Barbadoes two laws had been passed. The
one made it necessary for any person claiming a slave to
prove his property ; and the second placed the black
on the same footing with the white in cases of trial.
Having stated the disappointments Government had experienced
from the neglect with which the Legislature of the Colonies had
ma the reoommendation forwarded to them, It was but justice to

add that there was owe of the proposed measures which they had
wisely enforced. He alluded to the establishment of Bishopncs in
Jamaica, Barbadoes, and other of the Colonies. In addition to
this they had increased the stipends paid to the Rectors. The
law, as it stood before, prevented the clergymen receiving these
stipends. They had also enabled the parishes to raise within them-
selves funds for the enlarging and building of churches. There
were many respectable persons who at their own expense en-
outraged and promoted. 111 every possible way, religious instruc-
tion. As a proof of the proper feeling existing, he would tell
their Lordships that the Bishop of Barbadoes, on arriving at the
Colonies, received from the Legislative Assemblies the most un-
equivocal testimonies of a desire to forward his views, and assist
him in his laudable efforts. At Barbadoes, out of 317 plantations,
130 were under a course of religious instruction, given by clergy-
men of the Church of England, and teachers acting under their
authority. Ile was not prepared to go the length of some of their
Lordships, who might imagine a state of slavery incompatible with
the Christian religion ; and he would put it to those disposed to
support such a doctrine whether this religion did nor, while it de-
sired moderation at the bands of the master, enlorce obedience
from the servant ? Having shown what had been done, and what,
he was sorry to say, had been neglected, by the Legislature of the
Colonies, lie would proceed to state what his Majesty's Govern-
ment meant should be done. Their object was first the gradual
Improvement of the slaves, and secondly-their manumission ; not
forgetting that the latter was not desired at the sacrifice of
any individual interest, it being intended that such compensa-
non should be made as in the progress of the measures proposed
might be deemed necessary. What his Majesty's Ministers de.
sired was that the points in the Order of Council should be carried
into eff et. These were—first, in reference to religious instruction,
and keeping the Sabbath from unholy violatioa ; secondly, the
abolition of the whip ; thirdly, the celebration of marriage between
the negroes ; fourthly, the propriety of their protection ; fifthly,
their manumission, whether by appraisement or consent ; and
sixthly, the establishment of Savings Banks. These and other
.objects were contemplated by the Order of Council, which it was
intended to send to the Colonies with the resolution of their Lord.
ships. The wish of Government was, that they should be taken
separately under the consideration of the Legislature, and that it
should express its opinion on them. They would either be agreed
to,-or some amendment or alteration would be suggested, and they
would peas with such modification, or they would be altogether re-
jected. This, however, lie could not believe would be the result,
as they would go recommended to their serious consideration. If
their Lordships concurred in these views, the Order of Cottrell, he
repeated, would be forwarded to the Government of the Colonies,
and would receive their formal decision ; and they would go pas.
sealing all that weight which they might be supposed to derive
from not having been hastily determined on ; they had been the
result of long and careful deliberation, and he hoped they would
receive ih:ir Lordships' unanimous consent. He should conclude
by moving that their Lordships adopt the resolution of course.
Lord cmatioße objected to the resolution as insufficient to
convey to the Colonies the strong feeling entertained upon this sub-
ject throughout the country at large. It was feeble and inadequate
in its mode of expressing the obligation he conceived the Colonies
were under to put an end to the system which was so objectionable.
It talked of the expediency of effecting this by gradual and prac-
tical means, as if that should be recommended as expedient which,
it was admitted, was a point of duty. In the other House there
had been a counter-resolution proposed, which he considered better
adapted to the present purposes, and he was sorry that it had not