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London, England, 1824-05-14 00:00:00

take to say, but this extra sum of 3s. was fremtertlf paid under
circumstances of peculiar suspicion. Sugar, as the House well
knew, was exported in a refined sate . • and by the process of re-
fining 54i lbs. of refined sugar etas fonned 'tom 112lhe• of law
sugar, leaving behind 11Mba. of moiseses If, however. 'specks of
management well known to the skilful in the art of refining sugar
was adopted, by subjecting the molasses to a subsequent refine-
ment, instead of etilbs.' from Gallo. IS 651bs. were produced from
the quantity to which he had referred. And whoa these bounties
were abolished in Ireland and Scotland, he could eee no gond reason
far continuing them in the cowed Me West Indies. Ile well knew
the dicta* :hat prevailed in the Won Indies, and he was aware of
the danger of touching upon its causes. Ile ktiew the übloquy to
which one exposed himself who appeared to oppose a state of
general distress, tor did he pretend to any stoical indifference on
this subject, but in the perfect conviction that it became a Mern-
ber of Parliament to lay before the House, in all such cases, hiscalm view of the causes of distress. In the first place, then, the
inquiry should direct itself to this object--whether the distress was
of a temporary or permanent nature; and front all that he had
thought on the subject, he conceived that the distress was
permanent. Ile would now venture to state to the House
the grounds of that opinion. In 1792, it appeared from the History
of Bryan ?Awards, " that the mass of the people were men
of oppressed fortune." So also it appeared from Tobin, who wrote
in 1785 on the sane subject. It appeared from the Report of the
Comniissioners of Jamaica in 17'J'2, that in the course of two years
177 estates were sold fur the payment of debt : he could mention
various instances, all in corroboration of this opinion, but with
which he should not trouble the House. Of this, however, he felt
no doubt, that in the Wear Defies distress was the rule, and pros.
peril the exception. lie Should now state the collateral causes in
which this distress originated—the absence of the proprietors; the
consequences of the management of the estates being entrusted to
overseers. But the chief 'and overwhelming cause, in his opinion,
was the slave h.bour which prevailed there--laboar which was
more costly than free. This was an Waitatital not now made for the
find time; and its truth, he conceived, he should be able to de-1
n.onstrate. The principle with which he should commence wss,
-that labour was not natural to man, end as this was a general prin.
ciple, he would sulonit to the House Wine practical considerations of
this question, which would at wee shew to the House in the clear-
est way tl.e correctness of his opinion. For this purpose he would
look to labour in three diffloeut Warp.
_First, as it was performed
(agricultural labour) by the job; Wddoodly, by %heats, ; end lastly,
as it was performed compulsovitec under the eycof the overseer. How
did the men placed in these heliellasaituatioos perform their several
occupations ? The Hess man trotkmt•wlth energy.; the second
boured it was true, but, coMillired frith the first, his exertions were
moderate. The third mu 1.900 with reluctance, and his
work was slow and imperfeitly eet-Uted. In America this was
peculiarly the case. In thattounta there was the greatest possible
difference between the noetheirianef southern states. In the fanner
the labour was voluntarily perfboned, and is the, latter the work.
people were slaves: the face of the Callfiriall exhibited the difference.
In all his arguments it was perfect]) clear that advantages followed
from a mate of freedom as contraited with that od slavery. The
effects of freedom in this, as well as in anyothereamines, whe-
ther colonies or not, were, that the nation made • rapid pro-
pels to prosperity, and in a short time accumulated vast wealth.
Asa proof of the truth of his assertions, and the carrectuess of his
arguments, he would state to the House a decided instance in the
example of Sierra Leone. lie referred with particular satisfaction
ti this colony, as Its character and COollitUtiCal were directly simi.
Jar to those of the bulk of the slaves in our West India se-torments.
In Sierra Leone, the inhabitants were familiar with every comfort;
public works were constructed, toads were made, churches were
built ; they made advances to those moral virtues, which distine
guish man in his improved state. lie would state the result of this
as it affected the wealth and opulence of the colony, by a
reference to the duties paid as the imports. He would state
the results front the year 1812 to 1823. In the year 1812 the
duty 'amounted to I,o= ; to 11113 to 1,5212. He would
not detain the House by taking them through the entire, he would
come at once to the year IWO: it then amounted to 8.15 W. ; in 1821,
to 6,314/. • in 1822, to 4,71 W.; in three quarters, of 1823, to 6,73 W.
If the produce of the fourth quarter was in a similar proportion, the
increase would be still greater. Here then was a decided proof of
increasestn in the external trade of this colony. It was in conse-
quence of this state of things the colonists were enabled to build
chutehes, public works, &c. They also carried no an extensive in-
ternal trade: those who resided on the banks of the Niger, traf.
ticked with them in gold and Ivor , which were exported from
Sierra Leone in exchange for the uctions of this country and its
colonies. He was sorry for ten in so long upon the time and
patience of the House, but he touted be had said enough to she,
there was no inaptitude oo the part of the inhabitants of the cum
try. The result in the colony ilras similar to that taking place in
every country where freedom was enjoyed and property secured.
The next argument by which he would illustrate his statement
would be drawn from the DNA= of Hayti. The Secretary of
that kingdom Informed him of tl* prosperous state of the island,
and of the comforts enjoyed by the inhabitants ; and he could make
calculations tending to stew the rapid progress of that kingdom.
He would make a few statements on the subject; he would not
trouble the House with the soda. 7a the year 1&22, the number
of ships employed in the extervial trade of Hayti amounted to
1,135, the tonnage of their shipping vies 121,474, the quantity of
value employed in the cargoes was 13,1117,860 dollars ; the duty
paid to the state upon this property amounted to 1.477,170 dollars;
in the trade from that kingdom were employed 7toll ships. Here
the Hun. Member made a statement of the quantity of sugar,
coffee, Imwood, and mahogany exported from Hayti. The total
value of these exports was 9,239,700 dollars, and the amount of the
duty paid to the state was 1,3611.44.5d015. l'he present Secretary fur
outtrolonies would not be satisfied that the kingdom of Hayti was in
a state of prosperity. His reason for this conclusion was that sugar
sou not exported from it. The statement he made would prove the
reverse • it would be sufficient to prove the advancement of Hayti
in the iroductions of its labour, and ifs agriculture was such as to
be expected in every country where freedom was possessed and pro-
perty was secured. This kingdom, like every other similarly cir-
cumstanced, was advancing by rapid strides to property and riches.
He had many documents to prove his position, but he lamented, as
they were of a confidential nature, he could not read them ; besides
they were in a foreign language, which would add to the difficulty!
He was aware it would be objected that these arguments did not
extend to our West India colonist; they ought to be protected, and
especially in their present state of difffculty. Ile was adverse to
the system of protections ; it was said that it would not be penile-
neat ; this he doubted; the claims of the West India colonists would
be continued, and it would be necessary to keep up the system.
As to the sum of money which was applied to certain uses in the West
Indies, and which was said to be paid by the colonists, if the Coin-
mittee were allowed him, he would prove that that money, if paid
at all, was paid by the people of this country. With respect to the
mode of governing the slava in the West Indies, he felt a great
degree of anxiety in• endeavouring to procure a day in each
week for the slaves to work for their own advantage, and to enable
them to purchase with the produce their own emancipation. If
this plan were continued, it would, in his opinion, cause the mum-
cipation to a greater extent than would be effected by tine measures
at present pursued. This treasure would be productive of the
highest benefit to the black population, and would ultimately ex.
tinguiah that system, productive of such various distress. He was
aware there were other ways in which it was proposed to care, this'
question into effect ; but he was not satiated with a limited view
of the question ; he looked at it'in every point of view. It was essen-
daily necessary to understand the real interests of the question, to
make inquiries into the state of the bounties, not with a view to
discover if the sum raised was laid out as it was proposed, es this
should be a subject of a subsequent inquiry. Relying on the faith
and principles of Parliament, he would submit his motion to the
House. Of this he was persuaded—upon this subject he felt no
doubt, that the present system was directly at variance with the
principles which had been avowed and acted upon ; it was contrary
to those principles generally received throeghout the country, and
admitted to be those of sound sense and pility. He would move
for the appointment of a Select Committee, to inquire into thecae-eta
of bounties on exported sugar.
Upon Or motion being seconded,
Mr. ( 'SKISSON expressed his surprise that his Honourable
Friend should have devoted so much of his argument to the get*-
, ral question of slavery, and so little of it to the narrow question of
his own motion. lie considered that his-lion. Friend hail taken
this opportunity of expressing his sentiments upon the question
which had beru brought under the discussion of the House. It
would have been much better, and more gratifying, if be made
this address when the great question come Loehr the coneideraties
of Parliament. (Hear.) Ile could not ace what reverse the lion.
Meniber was prepared to adopt, ether at this, or rue's at the period
of the next Session, even if his ptesent motion were unwed
to. For himself, he did not think it wise or
.prudent, muter
the present circunistanws, to interfere with those portentous
questions, unless with some measate of a practicel mauve ;
more espeeially after the feedings echoed by the House at the
commencement of the Sertehm.- by which the Parliament male
It cleat they would not thbahoWeevonstlatoinfew Off Winery in'
the At'eet Indies to a Comtnituwa the Honer, but would entrust it
Ito the Executive Derernment of the ementry ; front this reeolution
it was not. in his opinimi, prudent to depart. Hie llonoursible
Friend had stated the question in a large 'Krim of clew; he
had stated his pLun almost as an abstract
.pronnaition, telerring
to thevariuus relations and moral coedition el the slaves. lie atisled
to the question to be discussed, by wishing for the settiag apart
a day for the negroes. It was impossible to agree with his Hon.'
Friend in die abstract ; lie could not lollow him; the object was
not agreeable to him ; neifier did this appear to be the time for such
a discussion ; even if it wise, he was of opinion the matter should
be leR as it was at the commencement a the Session. The House
WU not at prevent prepared for the review of these extensive sub-
jects. The Houeurehle Member should have given notice of it
in the motion he had prepared fin the consideration of the I louse.
For the purpose of entarcing his arguments, the lion. Member
stated, that labour in the Wait Indies wee untortunately per-
, tionuel ly human beings in the condition of slays. The come.
quence of the system was dietreeni—distresie and uttering were the
habit of the slave; prosperity was merely an excepuon to the
habit. 'Flee* were the statemente of hiryan Edwards concerning
the West Indies. It would be difficult to follow his Honourable
Friend through the detail of aretunstancee in the colonies
for the last forty year, including the period of their great
and etulden prosperity, in consequence of the events which took
plus in St. Domingo, to the late period when there happened so
meat and sudden a diminution of their riches and their wealth.
And here he would assert, that supposing, for argument sake, and
' admitting the premises of his Hon. Friend to be nye, distress
did exist in the West lodies ; wrecing with him far argument
sake, that this distress was caused by slavery, increased and aggro-
vated by a demand of production ever the supply; yet though he
admitted all this, lie would maintaie this was not a tone for such a
discussion. As to the improvement of the negroes, he was not as
sanguine as his lion. Friend, though, GM !mows. he was as anxi.
ous as he could be that all hopes should be realised ; but he be.
lieved the facility of converting the nee-rota would etpcnd upon
many otter circumstances omit:sloe of thee. cuete.:oeeei. etteel