The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-05-21 00:00:00

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\ \C4) k`Ni NI .t%

to the inquire. So far as tliesmotion went to ms
ter of fact. that veil.. to the actual decided-cases
the Judges, he coujdbave an objection to it; but
lie certainly thought that part of it which weld to
require the flotsam, the Juke* a. to what diet
" considered" to be in desuetude, might be dis-
pensed witli.—(ifear.) —The a (ploy, if rootioeil
to the first part of the motion, would afford, nu
the result, ample grounds far any legislative pro-
ceeding which the Hone might think tit to adopt.
It was no doubt linist desirable that the statute-
book of Scott:mil shatild be revised.—(
Mr. lintwebt. expressed his warm sdisfaction Mt
the present motioti. and 'should wisti the looms tii
be made in ass entire shape. If, iss was said, it
were so difficult for the Ju Iges to state how the
statute fown stood, how tenfold inure diffiridt most
it not be for the people to know to what bows they
owed obedience.—(lfear.! Hie 11m. Nletiilerr
went over the grounds stated by the Nlover to sup-
port of the motion, in all of which he fully cun-
t-titled—and lie was convinced that, whatever was
the fate of the present proposition, the result world
be most salutary, as it would direct the Hitt-lair:li
of persona to the subject in such a mariner us to
bisone en effective remedy.
Mr. %'YNN concurred in the necessity there
existed of knowing 'precisely what laws were really
in force in Scotland, and what had growth obsolete.
Lord CAWfLEREAGII said, there were many ways
open of obtai tttt ig this information : it could bee
hod either by a Committee of the House, or by a
Commission appointed by the Crow's. The wont
possible way was to call on the Judges, and require
from them opinions in their chamber, which they
afterwards, on hearing counsel and witnetwes, may
depart from in their judici3l capacity. The pro-
ceeding, either by a Committee or Coininissom.
would certainly be inoperative at this late fortiori of
the Session; he thought, therefore, the subject
ought to be postponed.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY could not pnvoibly are
what difficulty there was iii an aptilicatiosi to the
Scotch Judges on this occasion. The return could
not in any manner relate to a disputed or extra-
judicial opinion—it merely referred to decided
Case..

Lord CASTLEREAGH and Lord BINNING mu-
tually explained.
Sir J. NEWPORT declared his readiness to omit
the words " or consider," in the latter part of his
motion, but lie would take the sense of the House
on the rest.

Lord CASTLEREAGH then moved the 'devious
quest ion.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY repeated, that in the end
the Judges town be resorted to for information; and
why not in the first instance ? If a Commission
or a Committee were appointed, where could they
go (or information but to the Judge'?—(Hear.)
Sir J. NEWPORT said, the Judges in England
were frequently called upon by Parliament foe their
opinion on certain I.iws. Why not then impose
the same tax on the Judges of Scotland ?—(hear.)
After a few words from Mr. F. Douglas, Mr.
Finlay, Mr. Bathurst, and Lord A. Hamilton, in
explanation, the gallery was cleared fur a division,
which, however, did not take place.

On our return, we found •filr. J. P. GRANT e*-
pressing himself obliged to the Hon. Gentleman
who had brought forward the niotioN for if no
practical good at present followed it, it had at least
provoked discussion on a matter of great import-
once to Scotland.

Sir J. NEWPORT said, that the judicial ought to
be kept distinct from the legislative fupctioils, to
secure which hod been the only object iit his view.
Whenever nis Midebtv's Government would seriously
and properly bike up the straw, i great benefit
would be obtained.

Lord CASTLEREAGH was not ready to admit that
the question was one of particular in►portance. nor
dud he consider that he had said any thing from
which it could be inferred that his Majest3's Go-
vernn►ent were pledged to recommend any measure
Oil the subject.
Mr. ABERCROMBY said, that it appeared from
what had fallen from the Noble Lord, that the
time of the House had been loin. tie stood up only
to hope that Government would not avail them-
selves of any thing that had passed now to appoint
us Commission before the next meeting of Parlia-
ment.

Sir J. NEWPORT stated, that if nothing should
he dour in the course of the next Ses ou the
subject in another quarter, he II !multi feel it lin,
duty to direct the attention of the House to it
The previous question was then put and tarried
withoid r

A Mesvage from the Lords announced that their
Lordvhipa had agreed to the Liverpool Gas Light,
and some other Bills.

011 the motion of Mr. V. rITZGERALD, the
Grand Jury Prei.entinetit "fill was re-committed,
and passed through the Committee.
Oil the Howie resuming, the Report was brotteht
up. and ordered fur further consideratiOn ou Fri-
day nett.
SLA YES.

Sir S. Milt ILLY roar to make a motion, to which
he einderstoral there wan no objection—
That this Hume do present an humble Address to his
Royal Highnem the Orince Regent, praying flan his
Righaelsaeill be pleased to direct that these he laid before
the Home a copy of she opinion of the Attorocy•General
of Monistic% given in March, Inl7, nu the power of the
Government so millrace slavi•cosiiirnoical by sheer mime's
to work in chains; and slim a copy ut the cme an whirls
the opinion had bre.' required.
Mr. MARRYATT *aft% that it appeared from the
papers hint before the (louse on tile subject, that the
opinion of the Attorney-General on the case lid
not been law ; be saw nu necessity fur producing
the case.
After a few words from Mr. GoULBURN, which
were inaudible to us—

.....
Sir S. rod, that the lion. Gentleman
had 'yokel' rather rashly of the coot and the opi-
nion. Hi nnotake was, that the opinion hail been
gives. before the tranoactioiso took place un which
he supposed it rounded.
The motion woo tilt,' Agreed to.
_ .

Sir S. litinutttr then rose to mare far a Select
Committee oti tile treatment of Slaves in the Ll•utd
of Nevi*. Ile had heard that oppo•ttiuo to the
motion wa• intended, which struck him with t.tp,-
prcse. He had, on a former occe►inu, hrouv,ht the
case to which his mutton particularly ter,rtril,
fore the House, beiog then ptrsuatled, thst, n•hru

Gentlemen made full it quiries into its eh-cum.
4.1 (leers, Ille) could lost lie seesaw to au Itivestig,e4
t fitby a Co .... Slice of that limes,. Ile hat
thets sober tnd, ilia was of nap rimier, test looks
that the slave* sl Id be to lass just shot
Isuinasie, but that dope kV,* .110111 d lost reatiiiis
Brad letter, but he reccu,tal. Ile had confins.l
his view to two smell island., wherein it assistant's,
front the statements he had wade, that the adeiiiisis•
tration of crimmal justice wigs shamefully repie-
lietimble. It was taking a very partial view of dirt
ease to site, that cruelties hail been rifest:teed by
ousters over their slaves; this was, lit Wine
store, the fact between persons so related in
all countries—mid that had seemed to Lim a
very unimportent part of the case. • The ques-
tion fur the consideration of the House of Com-
mons was, whether, in cases of cruelly exercised
511(1 proved, justice had beers done to the sufferers,
and due punishment infl.eted ens the deliiiquents ?
To illustrate the actual practice it this respect,
lie had before stated the cases of some unfurl usiate
slaves its the Wend of Nevis; fully sulistaistiated
by the wipers before the Howse. Two y g
tiegroes had each bought a pair of stockings,
stolen goods, and for the offence of puichasiog
from a suspicious character, were :modellers' by
their master to receive eighty lashes". Two fe-
males Oro (one of them the sister of one of the
culprits. and half-sister of the other), had been
senteliet.ll to receive twenty-five. mad twenty
lashes, with u cart.olsip, respectively, because. they
shed tears tit the infliction of the former punish-
ment. The bills against their inhuman matter hail
been found by the Grand Jury; he was brought
to trial, the facts were distinctly proved, particu-
larly that lie had ordered the females to be flogged
for merely shedding scars—not a 'single witnesses was
called by the deferulaut ; yet a an boiler such en-
coassignees was ncqiiitfilit. 'lto all this, gentle-
men on the other side had said, that the women
were ptusisheil for hewing *hewn a disposition
to riot—that their tears were,
m tears of obsti-
nacy—and, with respect to the ete theit punish-
ment could not have beet' very great, when they
were found two 'sights sifter dancing at a masque-
rade. So light did gentlemen snake of the wrong*
of these poor helpless negroes ! But not a single
fact of what he had stated was denied to the papers
that he held in his hand, detailing the trmssactiou.
Among them were to be found the affidavits of
the poor negroes, with marks Slices, of statues.
But u parcel of papers, of another description. had
been transmitted to the Sectetary nr State'. offic., ;
for the purpotte of justifying 11r. Huggins. 'nese
consisted of various discritneut a. Mr. Huggiass's
speech in the House of Assembly ou the Bill iti-
trodtierd in consequence of the very transaction,
on the 20th of May, before he had been brought
to trial tin the charge against hint ; sod that speech
the House of Assembly lad thought proper to
tnitisinit here, after hearing the order of the House.
As the House of Assembly meant to eXellse Mr. Hug-
gine's conduct, it was matter of intim' tatice to know
how it had been then composed. Of to dye Members
present, the Speaker, who could sot be called im-
partial, us be was one of Mr. Iluggins's bail, was
one; Mr. E. Huggins (the accused) &ninth( r ; Ism
two SOUS formed the third and fourth ; hip C..um.t I
on the prosecution the fifth ; the Physician to tar
estate the sixth !! Among these papers also ap-
peared, a letter from the Goveroor—and not content
with toying that Mr. Hugging was a very limitatie
character, he went so far as to declare that he wisp
perfectly satisfied with the verdict oh the Jury—a
verdict notoriously wrong—entirely controry so eel-
deuce. The papers, moirover, comprised a Leg
extract front the speech of the Coissaiel to the Jury,
whefain he told them, that in no country where
slavery ever existed, was an interference between
insister and slave more dangerous thins there. He
was sorry that ell the &sesame's,* had not been pre-
rented to the House in the come state they had
been received—one very material paragraph hail
Been taken out of one of Ilse tette'''. He was ready
to prose sifiat he said before a Committee. An ii:gra-
vat mg circumstance in the case was, that is fat her had
been compelled to me the executioner to his owes son
and (laughter, two of the culprits. After such in-
stances, wrist must be the fate of these poor people,
howeeer good their law*? It wad to be recolleeted.
that Mr. Huggins hail obtained the character of a
MIDI of humanity. His reasons for lei 'signs); for ward
the motion was, that the case hail bee's r. furred to
him, nut aa one of extreme cruelty where it Isamu tied,
bat as a case that might efforst an example of toe
treatment of those wretched heings—denigh what
Conk/ he more cruel ? I a fitcisug leanishinent lor
Manifestation of the finer feelisigs ol human
feelings that (1141 I • to the most civil a tl, clist;-•
eared part of one species, mid a Melt ii se a• the elee. t
of a refilled eiluention to curate tool cle•risle Mr.
Hogging added derision to inhumanity. Alter butter-
intetailieg the floggisig, of she boys, his expression
was, " Now bring out the Isobel, !!!" While the
females were eufferiug under the lash, he hod them
" Now cry ! !" 'fire Hun. Ciesitleition concluded by
moving—
" That a Secret Committee he artpnitte.l to tske into en.,
sideration tlw papers haul 1441 w e the ft,ne.e relative to the
trcalutent 4,1 (raves u. the i 51,111.1 is, and report (hair
uhrervations 'hereunto the llutnie"

The quesii 0000 ou the motion having tn.e!, put—
. Mr. thrut.inittN raid, that he hall intended in
opinme refetritig the papers to a Cniumitiee of the
limer, on the !,Priirral laiuciplr, that tlw cam. Lad
been already tried betnre a conititte tit tribunal, mutt
that to bring it again before without any
of the advantages of free' t t vce rim nice,
exisintesilig and ertwa-examining I".",..ealied by the
former. The 1-10nouralde Geittleinan bad pia
the gliesti 111 l to-Light nil different
grosinda from what he bad before, and amid, that
the document* being garbled, waa as additional
reason for agreeing in the C ttttt inittee, and their
lint being produced V.lolllllt ally al
1 t was true that certain panto id the pipets bad lint
been presented—the eao.,e Ma., that they trttrel.-41
on the characters of individn la tin it Ctr?...11 IV. 'fill
the motion wet. limited, 1,0 as not to in..dve the
second trial of a i.Nee already decided b.re the
proper juiimiiction„ he iLt.at tcfuse his Evol id to the
motion.

Mr. Nrit.HFRFfRcC Riad, the lion. Geri' 1.-m*ll
(Nlr. Goiti lit,. •11011 A hove euss.ittri. 11, Ikeiore he
that 111-ii-e tint competeta to the Hrltuit.
Iwo juslicc 11 I.y Old apipiwit I COO.
lll4t t, %Iwo lee ein) Sg 14.111 ? 4ed hukt WO% the owlet.
1:,.1, 1. v,A.cilible Kith AluilitatiCtlllei tit the HOOlie by