The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-02 00:00:00

long delayed assurances, to make slave testimony admissible on
oath in a court of justice—it hen a slave (mark ye) was con-
cerned with slaves, but not where his evidence would affect the
lives or properties of freemen. This Bill, yoo will suppose, was
passed unanimously : no such thing.• It was rejected by a ma.
jority of thirty-four to one; and that one the original Mover
of the question. (Loud cries of hear, hear, hear.) The ques-
tion is tow, therefore, I conceive, whether we are to go on and
sillw ourselves to be deceived by promises never intended to Am
pc:formed? Whether we will continue to subject ourselves to the
ridiculuof the %West Indian planters, and the contempt or those f.tr
whom we profess to be labouring, by once more holding off that
effective interference without which we may go on for a century ?
Whether we will continue, I say, to expose ettnielies to ridicule
and obloquy, or at once redeem those pledges we lied solemnly
given to the world--conditional upon the breach of the planters'
agreement, and avoding their example of delays and manouvring
be at once resolute and determined. I have stated thus much, in
order to preface that which I consider it my imperative duty to pro-
pose, namely, that this Society should at once give notice, onAlie
ground of former failures, and tell the West India proprietors—u'lf
you continue to pursue your present course, and allow one anvil
portion of the Session tepees by without adopting those measurat
which have been pressed upon you, and which you have pledged
yourselves to carry into execution, the very first week of the ensu-
ing Session of Parliament shall see a Ball brought in to do that
for you which you refuse to do yourselves, and set this question at
rest f..r ever, not only for the benefit of the negro slave, but for the
ultimate advantage of the short-sighted master." I beg to say here.
dint whether I am called upon to present that Bill to the notice of
the House, or whether I am m, preserve the more appropriate situa-
tion of seconding the more po%rrful and effective labours of others,
I shall be actuated then as I en now, and always by no feeling of
exasperation or malevolence towards the West India planter or
proprietor. I consider that the same interests would probably be
defended in the same manner by any body of men who had become,
unhappily for themselves, so powerful. But I consider that no
body of men, either in a government or under a government, should
be entrusted with an absolute uncontrolled dominion over their
fellowmreatures ; and •that in ever/ it:wane', whether a power is
wielded by a King, a Council, a Committee, a President, a Gim-
mender, c: a Manager, the name of man and master is incom.
patible with liberty. (bond applause.) All I mean to say is, that
with all respect towards sane of those trhoare entrusted with this
absolute .authority, sad admitting theit. repugnance to any thing
cruel in their despotic use of it, I do net consider human nature
should bu trusted to the temptation of itch a condition. ( Hear,
hear.) I beg, in conformity with these opinions, •to move this
Resolution.
(The Honourable and Learned Gentleman then read a Resolu.
lion, expressing the deep regret and disappointment of the meeting,
that so little progress had been made by ihe Colonial Legislation
for the extinction of Slavery, and their opinion, that the threats of
resistance to the measures pt;iposed by Parliament, appeared to
destroy all h
opecarrying into ect thelaenevolent intentions of the
Abolitionists, without Parliamentary interference.)
Mr. DENMAN seconded the motion with pride and satisfaction,
congratulating the meeting upon the support which their proposi-
tion would receive from its eloquent Mover, in that place where
alone the oppressed could look fog-relief. Other avocations had
prevented hint from considering as minutely as he ought to have
done, the question of West India Slavery ; but he was convinced,
that through Parliament alone mid they hope to obtain the great
moral good they contemplated. They ought not to despair, nor
cease their endeavours, because little had been done. No individual
on earth had contended against greater difficulties than Mr. Wil-
berforce—no one had endured more obloquy—but who was it who
would not now take more than all that obloquy, to share the glory
of his triumph ? The Honourable and Learned Gentleman strongly
Impressed upon the meeting the necessity of speaking out to Par-
liament, for without that, no Administration would be found to
carry their wishes into full effect. Ile concluded by observing, that
he had two claims that day to the gratitude of the Meeting—the
I first was, for the attendance of the honourable and Learned Gen-
tleman (Mr. Brougham); the second was, for that which he would
now tell them—that man who fills the first place at the Bar of Ire-
land—who exercises such a powerful influence over the Irish peo-
ple--he need scarcely name him—Mr. O'Connell—is now in the
room ; and as I am sure he could only have attended for the pur.
pose of promoting the objects of the Society by his exertions, I am
sure I shall deserve the gratitude of the Illefting, by requesting
that he may be permitted to address them. (Loud applause.)
Mr. O'CoXNELL, who had been seated in one of the ride
benches, then made his way to the platform. He was received by
his Royal Highness with great courtesy and attention, greeted with
a friendly shake of the hand, and placed in the chair immediately
on his left.

Mr. BBOUGUANI'II motion was then put and carried unani.
mously.
Mr. W. WIIITMORIE rose and said, he was fully persuaded they
would find that slavery wholly depended upon the restrictions
which were placed upon the importation of any sugars but those
which were the growth of our West India Islands. The removal
of these restrictions would be the most effectual method of putting
an end to that horrid system. One or two statements were so
obvious In support of that assertion, that he could POt help noticing
them. The use of slaves prevented the introduction of machinery.
and all those means by which free labour assisted its efforts. It had
been held, indeed, by 3lontesquieu, and other writers of eminence,
that in no one instance had slavery and the use of machinery ex.
isted together. He would appeal to the fact, that is all cases
where free labour had been allowed to come into competition with
shivery, ft had been found Impossible to preserve the latter fora
moment * • free labour had in every case triumphed. It; then, the
mass of free labour in the East was allowed to come into competi-
tion with the West, there could be no doubt of the result. The
Hon. Gentleman then alluded to the Meetiiig of last year in that
room, to raise a trophy to the memo? of Watt, and drew some
forcible arguments from the contemplation of his powers, and those
of Arkwrighe, in favour of the free development of the human
mind, opposed to the crouching indolence engendered by slavery.
Ile implored the meeting to join heart and hand in an effort to re.
move those restrictions upon the sugar trade, which were the main
supports of slavery, and concluded by moving a Resolution, de.
elating that the 3lecting regretted" higher duty was imposed upon
fret sugar than on that produced by slave labour, and expressing
the opinion that such a restriction tended to encourage slavery,
while it was at the same time injurious to our national interests,
and at variance with sound commercial policy.
%Filen the Honourable Gentleman sat down, several voices were
heard calling upon Mr. O'Connell, but
Mr. SYKES, 31. P. presented himself to second the Resolution,
declaring hit intention to make the only recompense in his power
for depriving the Meeting at that moment of the pleasure of hear-
ing Mr. O'Connell, by being as brief as possible in the few obser-
vations he would take the liberty of addressing to them.- He fully
concurred in all that had been said by the Honourable Gentleman
who preceded him upon the subject of theSugarDuti a. and the er-
couragement they afforded to Slavery. The best way to attack that'
system was undoubtedly through those duties ; for if they would
but call to their recollection the amount of those dutie 1.200,0001.
or, as the Illustrious Chairman had observed to him. 1,300,0001.,
they must be sensible, that if these duties were taken off, the whole
machinery of slavery must drop to pieces. The Ilonourable Gen-
tleman concluded, after eulogising in the strongest terms the con-
duct of that esteemed philanthropist, Mr. James Flower, by pre-
dicting the most beneficial effects from any repeal of the present
restrictions upon the Sugar Trade.
Blr. Joint RUTT thought the Resolution did not go half far
enough. He would recommend, instead of the slow good to be
received from an encouragement of the East India sugar trade,
that all the friends of the abolnion of Slavery should unite in a
non.eonsumption agreement, and by not using any sugar at all,
sign at once the death-warrant of Ai est India slavery.
Sir Jon a/ Sznaion T here objected to the course the gentleman
was pursuing. It interrupted the regular proceedings of the Meet.
ing.
Mr. RUTT defended himself warmly against the charge of the
Honourable Baronet, and maintained the right of any individual
in a public meeting to speak to the question, or move an amend.
ment, if lie conducted himself in a respectful manner.
Sir J. SESItIOIII explainer!, that he did not know the gentle.
man was about to propose an amendment.
Mr. Rove continued. It was his intention to propose a non.
consumption Resolution, as an amendment to the original one.
By the adoption of such a system all might assist in the great work
of redeeming their fellow-creatures from slavery ; for while the
palace contributed largely to support it, even the cottage might
throw in its mite. (Applause.) He concluded by moving an
amendment to that tfi'eet.

➢lr. Stiousu (the Master in Chancery) urged his Worthy
Friend not to press his amendment at the present moment—not
because he did not most cordially agree in the propriety of the sug-
gestion, for he and his family had abstaitred from the use of sugar
raised by slaves for years—but because he thought they should re-
serve that last and overpowering remedy for the evil when all other
means had failed. The time too when his Honourable Friend (Mr.
Brougham) had threatened the planters with the interference of
Parliament. was not the most expedient for the adoption of such a
determination. Would it hut be inconsistent to have recourse to
such a measure at the very moment when they had offered the
planters terms of conciliation ? Whenever they did take such a
resolution—and he did not say the time might not coma when it
would be necessary—its effect muut be great ; but at present, from
various reasons, political as well as moral, he implored his Friend
to withdraw the Amendment.

Mr. Rtzts, declaring himself silenced, though not satisfied, con- '
sorted to Mr. Stephen's proposal.
The original Resolution was then carried unanimously.
Dr. Lvsutxo•rox thought it a great advantam, that the quick-
sightedneas of Mr. Denman had procured them th' support of an
advocate, whose influence was as great in the sister kingdom as the
use he was acknowledged OH all hands to make of that influence
was beneficial to his country ; they had, therefore, acquired arrest
support in that Learned (lentleman. because he hoped to see his
powers exerted in Ireland, on behalf of the suffering objects of
their cornpawion, for without the union of Britain and Ireland—
without the universal try of tha Clole empire, urging Parliament
to some decisive act, even the superhuman powers of Mr.
Brougham would fail to procure freedom to the \Vest India slave.
They were not perhaps aware, that there were no less than 66
Members of the House of Commons, deeply and personally in-
terested in the continuance of that slavery ; not all certainly
speaking in its favour, but all acting and voting in a
compact body to preserve that foul blot upon the English
name—while their great and only advocate in the Minis:FT.
the Right lion. Sacretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Canning) wee
beset right and left with the dearest personal Erie nds interested
the preservation of West India slavery. Ile would repeat, theretPre,
that without the coke of the people from one end of the three king.
dims to the other, they neerr must hope to succeed. 'that Meet-
ing little knew cf the horror and detestation whiis was excited In