The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-03-19 00:00:00

silents iu question, that they were hetd on m slen-
der N ground, that the parties had offered some of
them for sale at s discount of • few shillings in

not the property the *hives -ee,o
be restored. N they were necesserily disposed .of ft
11,11 stage of the proceeding from considers-
. tiorni.of leumunityl which flouted tha propriety of
not. holding them its demo pending tlre, litigation.
Now. ouder.this class of claimants 14. Ffoose would
Ate surprised to learn there was best• one of the
ales alluded to. by. the HouoistiNe. end Learned
'Gentleman. irhere were in all twenty-one cases
"in different stages in the Courts of Appeal—to.
!sixteen of. these tilis Act in no way applied,
mid it could only be possibly brought to bear on
the remaining fire. The Act eves passed since the
capture of.the 115. add had no retrospective opera-
lion. Of the remaining five. four were in pmgress
• 'ot' examination. and on the fifth only had judgment
been obtained ; and iu that case (the Aura). the
'question tof the etiolate 'stood on grounds distinct
he Treaty. Therese there was this : the ship
tad slut been ruptured at sea, she was driven by
"%fret% of weather tutu one of the small island* near
the Bahama% and the slaves on board were put
*whore on Eirglish ground. The seizure was the
• consequence. but it was thought at home too strong
en appliesii,lo of the. Act to enforce it against
vessel is' such situation. 'and the adjudication
• hy

re..isses,
which veste.l the power .
ing for the claims of their subject', and which re's-
Oenll such u motion as this wholly unnecessary : he
wnuld.•ther.(, re. give it his negstive.

Lard A. Moir t.Tolot said, that it was clear great
',justice had bets' dune to certain individuals some-
how or somewhere. He regretted, indeed, that the
taint, had referetice to u detestable trade, which
every fiietid to humanity wished to see tibulished ;
but the !mower of jitilacisl Courts must tint be
compriied by its adjudications being nullified, no
matter what ma) be the olfences of the individual
'The Noble Lord was rather uitheppy
in Ins allusion to the American Treaty, for that was
it ere( eilesit which was twver admired either for its
piiitcyle or its justice. If Ire did not inisteke,
Lord Sulmouth had, on a public occesion, express-
ed a very anoint uluuiuu alpinist the Treaty, on
which so much sties' haul West laid. The eleimatita
were to be now told they may go to Spain and seek
redress, but the correspondence they hail with the
Noble Lord left them little to expect in such a
quarter. Was it fair, lie would ask, after !lefties
lied, at a considerable expense, pursued the judirial
coarse laid down for them by the law, and obtain.
rd judgmeibti—was it fair then to turn rotund on
them and transfer them to another country fur
that felittN, which they were solemnly entitled to
receive here ? Suppose the Courts of Sp tin refuse
the parties satisfact• will not England be bound
.to alford it. notwitlistaisding this pecuustity grant to
the King of Spain?
Laid CASTLEREAGH explained, that the Treaty
gave to the King of Spam a bill reitiusteratiou for
the claims of lute subjects, stud gave the hitter a
whole and eutire retuedy in their own trutningir.
The distinction taken iu his corer& pondence was
between the claimants who bad entered their ep.
lyrists in time, end those who had not,
Lord A. I lAMILTON said, lie only referred to the
aorta those claimants who had made their eppeals
is. due time and form.
Mr. WYNN would not dispute the abstract pro.
pentane, that a Sovereign had a right to adjust
with @neither -Potentate the claims of tiny of his
subjects; this paler, lie admitted, was vested, and
necessarily to, in the head of any State, whether
republican or monarchical. He else admitted eith
the Noble Lord, that theme was here, whether
Cite pewee so vested hod been properly applied in
the particular case. The claims not duly appealed
were, of count', out of the cousideretion; but
when the Legislature, by a special Act, prescribed
the mode of pursuiter a legal inquiry to et.rrect a
wrong, and where the sutfrrers had followed the
course laid slow'', anti obtained an adjudication,
ei'ter inaltmg out their demands to the sittisfaction
of the Court—then both equity and justice requir.
ed that they shuuld be protected in the rights they
bad acqu red. The ease of America was not ex-
actly in point, It was known that its Americo, at
the per:oil elms the Treaty was made, from the
ferineetation ehieb prevailed after a protracted war,
the Courts of Justice were not then to British sub-
jects the seats os' equity, in many cases; therefore,
any iiitertienimal arrangements to cover individual
claims male at Such a time, could not be very well
nlestletkat the present time to govern the proceed-
ings to( a British Statesman. The Hun. and Learn.
cif Gesitlent.in expressed his warm indignation
nt the horrible Slave Trade ; but he thought that
the lOtrier•to of the claimants should, in the present
be protected by the Courts in which the
proceedings relating to them had been itistituteil,
mid not trausferred to another jurisdictiou, where

the parties must incur 'retch. expenai. 01141 111111.1
t. I s.e after their cases had already been
decidessins competent tribunals.
ifr. 2111110MIAII band, that when he heard the
Treaty merely contracted to give Spain 400,0001. '
fOr her mere promise of alsolisisisig the Slave Trade,
he Wei dissatisfied; hut now that it was explained
to himllast it conferred a right of search so as to
detect any sinister atts sisal at carrying on that de-
-1 testable traffic, he thought the money was ;given for
a good object. It was also explained that this sum
went also to liquidate the drains of Spanish subjects
for their appeals, &c. in Iliitish l'rize Courts, and
as this lispiirlaf woul.l take up nearly half the
Lain giveu to Spain, it or coarse anode the general
provisions Of the Treaty more palatable. Ile agreed
to the right 'vested in the Sovereign to bind his
subjects in any treaty ivith gaudier State, relative to
their dein* and if in tbeas et ticular Maoism hirer
Lice followed, it wits not chargeable 011 this Go-
. vernment, but on 'that or Spain, should the latter
leventually refuse to 'id . ter to her subjects
the compensation which their King received in
Iconsideration of their ildms. The cases of the
daimants were certainly hard, Tor several of them,
lie Wad 'heard, obtained from private merchants pe-
cuniary advances on the faith of the judgments
they bad obtained in this cumstry ; but they had
their redress from the Spit&sh Government, and if,
in the course of appeal, they Were stopped in this
country, it was only the interruption they were
liable to by the prerogative of the Sovereign. It
would, perhaps, have been as well to have given
the sufferers some relief out of the Druits of the
Admiralty ; but that was stow a different question.
He hoped that now, at length, the great measure
of the Abolition of Foreign Slave Trade was in a
Lir way '.l being determined. The right of search
was in this view most important, and he Inol 110 w
the strong Pt, most anxious' said sanguine hope of
I the entire abolition of this odious and detestable
truffic.—(Hear.)
Lord CATTl.Earscit explained, that in addition
to the pleasing Prospect winch this Treaty and that
a ith Portugal held oust for the speedy abolition of
the Slave Trade, he had the pleasure to notion) the
House, that the King of the Netherlands had ac-
ceded to the i • eiple laid 4114411 in die two pre-
ceding Treaties with Spain alai Portugal, and that
a Treaty was in considerable forwardness to give
affect to his Majesty's husaatie views.—(lielir.) -
Mr. O.III.IIEIIFOZtA' ;It contended against the dia.
tinetion laid dotealti the raraes of these complainants,
by the Hoes. and Learned Mover, and eulogised the
I Immune sisal liberal principles whit Is now guided
' forr'gn Soteseigais its their view of this detestable
traffic. America had also co-operated and redeem-
ed her promire on this subject, and skewed lierserf
as became the advocate far the rights and liberties
of mankind. The Spain •Ii Treaty was, he thought,
a desirable one. as it went greatly to facilitate the
Ilsial and effs:,assal accomplishment of their great
object. It was of the greatest cons. quince to keep
that part of the African coast free from the ravages
of this traffic, and to impress upon the natives the.
necessity of cultivating Ilse arts of peace. In the
rivers Senegal and Gambia great good laid been
effected ; but, unfortunately, the recurrence of
1 this traffic carried desolation and rapine along
the shores of the tnihappy r. eople, mid every
thing wan again ruin anal dismay, where the germ
of the arts of peace had been but lately sown.
Pains were now taken to wipe away this grievance,
and the natives were induced to live by lustiest in-
dustry, and to plant 10110(04 rice, indigo. and
other articles of trade and value. it was most ins-
i portant that all civilized stales should come to A'
reciprocal understanding on this subject. America
I should make the traffic p racy (fur that it unquiet-
throatily was), and punish ins a capital 1111 r the
1 inhuman parties reamed its it.—(//cur, hear.)—
i Ile concluded by stating that tlse whole conduct of
the Noble Lord (Castlereagh), uu this subject, was
highly honourable and ellective.—(/leer, hear.)
Alr. MONEY rose to ctooplioio of a misrepresen-
tation of his sentiments, which had taken place an
&fanner night, whets the SPEAKER Cal It.i him to
order, as deviating from the question before the
House.

Mr. BANICES cor.ceived it quite irregular to moot
question of order in this moonier. tinting
cussion quite irrelevant to the matter r 11141 ed of.
Mr. 11IONLY said, he would confine I Ili to
the quest' , .aid content himself with slating that
he hod never complained of the pecuniary pint of
the Treaty with Spain; nu the coniniry, he thought
it the best and noblest way no which.money could
he disposed of for the best purposes of humanity,
mid one which reflected the highest honour on the
Government, lle was convinced, that slot only
were the people of the country satisfied with this
Treaty, but that if called upon they would have
come forward by a subscription, in winch the pence
of the poor would vie with the pounds of the rich,
to raise any sum to promote so desirable on object
as the effectual abolition of so detestable a trade.—
/Hear.)--The regulations in the Portuguese
Treaty made it unlawful to trade in slaves li of
the Equator, and this would have a powerful effect
ill cutting up the boundaries in which the trade
bad been hitherto carried on.

••
moment, and the other did not refer to the prin-
ciple he now cuutewded for—four of the cases of
the claittunta he omit/erect himself entitled to pees:
on the attention of iii, House.
Mr. Wit.sautroacit remarked it as a singular
fact, that until it was foetid the Spanish flag conld
corer the illicit traffic, no vessels of that nation had
been busily engaged in the trade; it was, there-
fore, clear to him, that the real traders were not
Spanish subjects, or persons basis% any claim for
remuneration in the Courts of Spain. This ac-
counted for the anxiety of .ugh parties to urge
a settlement Hear, hear.)
The question being loudly called for. strangers
were ordered to withdraw' but tin division took
'duce, and the motion of Dr. Philltmore was re-
jected.

„ .
ference to their quality ; an average hail been
hitherto wisely therefisle adopted. Nothing could
he more prejudicial than to rate the duty on sugar
grown at 50s. as high as on that at 90s. The con-
sequence would he that the growth of that at 50s.
would be altogether discouraged. Nlcds danger
might result to our tradeteuerally, from forcing the
inerchista‘or shipper, to seek out other depots for
their curyles, as had already occurred with respect
townie vessels, which had lately been forced.to turn
about in the river, and seek some other &lid:it. If
the Right Honourable Gentleman would apply
hitnself to perfect the port's of this country, us
proper and convenient depots, the inevitable result
would be, that England would then become the
carriers or all the world.
Mr. Foantts supported the euggestinn of the
Honourable Member who preceded him. The trade
to our Rist India ertablishmesit was hourly increas-
ing iu importatice, and ought to have a proportionate
share of the attention of both his Majesty's
tend and the Legistaturr.
Mr. BUTTERWORTH admitted, that it was most
desiroble England should become the carriers of
the greater part of the world. There were some
staple articles in which other countries had decided
sulvautages over this country ; for instance, it was
not possible for this country to compete with
France its the silk manufacture. He was of opi-
nion, the must safe wxy to rffeet the purpose of tin!.
Right Hon. Gentleman would hr, by :Mowing in
all cases drawbacks on exportation equivalent to
the duties tend on import.
l'he Cita NCEI.I.OII a the EXCHEQUER explained ;
and the Report was read and agreed to, and a Bill
, ordered to be brought in pursuant to the amid
Resolniumt.
Mr. D. G. GI I.BERT brought up the Heron of
the Finance Committee, which was laid on the table,
j and ordered to be printed.
The House then adjourned.

lON DON,

THURSDAY, MAacu 19, 1818.

I The Earl of LAUDERDALE last night, in the
House of Lords, gave notice of his intention to
submit the state of the Currency of the Country
to the consideration of the House, in a motion, on
1 the 14th of April next. We communicate this
iotelligence with great satisfaction, feeling that the
review of the subject by this eminent political
economist, and the discussion Which it must un-
dergo, in consequence of his appeal to Parliament
and the country, must tend to correct what ap-
pear to us anomalies in the present state of our
circulating medium. The currency of this coun-
try has been so long the offspring of political
intrigue, and so dependant on the caprices of a few
iniewieier...4., s 4. ehe idea stalest • ...., mbl u 1 ally Le
eutertained of keeping it in any circumstances nit •
der the same control ; but that which, during a
paper currency, might be safely, and even profit-
ably achieved, would be attended with the utmost
Confusion in a metallic currency. It mattered
little to the Bank of England. during the utter
exclusion of gold, how far their notes might chance
to he depreciated ; it brought no disadvantage to
them— while, ss it proved the greet extent of their
issue., it necestoirily implied a proportionable profit.
Nor did this depreciation affect the state or value
of their tokens, because the intrinsic worth of this
part of the currency was so low, that. there could
be no danger of having them withdrawn from cir-
culation. The case, however, becomes widely dif-
ferent when the currency is metallic--or, what is
the saute thing, when paper is instantly convert-
ible into gold or silver. In such a case, should
any part of the currency be tampered with, the
effects will be instantly discernible in the others.
Wherever gold and silver are suffered to circulate,
the one must be the measure of the other; and if
one he depreciated by any means, there will be a
nominal increase in the value of the other, propor-
tioned to the depreciation. From the outline
given by the Earl of LAUDERDALE, last night, of
what he purposed to advance in his intended mo-
tion of the lath of April, we conclude that the
Noble Lord will allude to the depreciation in the
new silver coinage, as a probable cause why it
will be difficult for this country to enjoy a gold
currency. By the late regulations, gold has su-
perseded silver in being the common measure of
value in this country; but to our mind, while our
denominations of money and our modes of keeping
at.vosintarerninn unaltered, not even an Act or Parlia-
ment can effect this change. The inefficacy of the
attempt cannot be better illustrated than by the cir-
cumstance that gold is, at this moment, measured
by silver. and silver not by gold. We tell the
prices of bullion according to the denominations of
our silver coinage, and never by the denominations
of our gold coinage ; so that in fact silver still con-
tiuues the only measure of value, and fears may
well be entertained that the gold will rapidly de-
part from circulation, mid become merely en article
of trade, increasing nominally in price proportioned
to the actual depreciation of the standard that mea-
sures it. The question is one of the utmost in-
terest to the country it, general, and ought to be
understood before the removal of die Bank re-
striction; it is also one of extreme difficulty. and we
again express our satisfaction at finding it in the
hands of Lord LAUDERDALE.

LANDS bad fully recognised the principles of an
titter abolition of the Slave Trade in all the coun-
tries subject to his jurisdiction, and that a Tieaty
in furtherance cf these views was iu a forward state
of preparatien.
_ _

In the course of the discussion on the measure
for consolidating the Customs, we were happy to
hear the CHANCEi.I.OI of the EXCHEQUER state,
that since the late opening of the trade to the East
Indies, it had increased in productiveness to II
extent which had not been contemplated even by
the most sanguine of its promoters.

It has been for some time a prevalent feeling,
that the merits and importance of the Navy hate
faded away in the presence of the more favoured
Army. The public mind is not easily led astray.
and it is difficult to conceive that this feeling could
exist without cause. Mr. FORBES, on Tuesday
night, called the attention of the House of Corn-
-11101111 in this interesting subject. That worthy and
independent Member alluded particularly to the
inferior attention paid to wounded Officers of the
Navy, compared with those of equal rank iu the
Army; and also to several persons who, after
elci4ii years of service and upwards, are thrown
upon the world, witlartitincome or support of any
description. Mr. CROKEWS answer displayed his
usual pertness and flippancy, and with theft n
confusion of ideas, which it would appear 1111:
Honouri.ble Member felt, by his reference to the
day as one of privileged blunders. He con:plain-
ed that the principles and informatio► adduced
by Mr. FORBES were likely to prove mischiev-
ous in the country ; but he did not seen; r,
he aware, that, unless they were founded in fact,
no mischief could accrue—and in no part of his
speech did he attempt to disprove the allege it
preference given to the Army, and• thus dissipate
the existing jtalousy between the two services.—
On Mr. Fonnes's statement respecting Purser‘,'
Clerics, he flattered himself, indeed, he was very
clsvtr in discovering that they would be more pro-
perly designated Captains' Clerks ; but he cer-
tainly forgot himself, and his own recommendatim:,
when he affected to slight them as mere lien and
ink men. Mr. FoRBES is entitled to great praise
and credit for the distinct and pointed manner in
which he brought forward a subject which has ex-
cited so much interest in the public mind.

Ye•terdav a Court of Directors was held at the
East Indio douse, when the following Commander.
took leave of the Court, previous to departing for
their respective destinations, viz.—
Captain T. g. Want, Fairlie ; and Captain 1. P. Autice.
Henry Murder, fur Bengal and Bombay.

His Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT has
appointed ROBERT HENRY JF.NRINSON, Esq. to
the 'lnce or neeetter-oeherat or the stomp Duties,
in the room of JOSEPH SMITII, E•q, who retires.

By the death of the venerable GEORGE Drlttl.
nix, the honourable office of Secretary to the 0.-
der of the Thistle becomes vacant. There is a
salary attached to the am traent of 300/. a-year,
which he applied to the purposes of private betel 0-
lence.

The good people of Stockholm express an anxious
hope that their beloved Queen (ci-devant Msdaine
BERNADOTTE) may he enabled, by the restoration
of good health, to be present et the coronation of
her sponse. The power of absence, in increasing
love, has often been the theme of poetry ; hut evert
the children of fancy have never represented it as
creating love for a person never seen. Nothing. can
he more disgusting than the cant of love with which
Royalty is assailed ; and this example, now afforded
by the Swedes, will render us more sceptical for
the future, in crediting the sincerity of others, when
they speak of " beloved Queens."
The LORD ADVOCATE of Scotland has discovered
that a little reform, like a little learning, is a dan-
gerous thing, and accordingly lie has turned round
on the Burgh Reform which he had affected to
support. The Learned Lord now finds the old
system more convenient, having just vacated his
seat for Yarmouth, for the purpose of being unani-
mously elected for the Fife district of Boroughs, in
the room of the late Sir JOHN A svratrruett.

the • pound.—/Hear./—The Hon. and LeaTenet'
'Gentleman had stated two classes of claimants—
one class consisted ,r thou wiwa• !pp m. were as
liidgect.'thiwitter Witreft was pre-
-eluded front dos right of,aapapeal by being extru the
time the law allows. With respect to the Arm,
'their rho% was for the voile of the eaptarest, and
Rot fur the property itself. fur the shaves could not

vessel in-such a sittition. and the adjudication
iv:tract:wilingly given in the rummer stated by the
!ion. and Learned Gentleman. It was, however,
quite erroneous to suppose, that the rights of in-
-client toils vcrehl be allowed to interfere with inter-
tnslioiwl made, between two States
for. the benefit of the whole. But there was no.
siting in the Treaty lb prevent the parties going
"to Madrid with 'their recorded claims, mad obtain-
ing the liquidation of those claims which they
. hrJ in progress here, and fur which Spain had re-
reired.tin equivalent for her subjects. The Court of
Pdatirid was bound, and had taken on itself to give a
'Cull and e pletrequillkelie; and no Spanish subject
ciglil have 'hi:Jetta difficulty as to the mode of oh-
taon% redress provided for his case. Ileum.% those
tverties there were subjects of other States,Who, under
Spanish colours. pursued a tntffic from which they
were interlined Ny the tioverumetsis to which they
peed allegiance. twee tiitirt of Spaiu would have a
bolsi ntulp Of detecting each persons, and separat-
ing thew f!pto the real Spanish trader, than existed
Ist the. Courts of Great Britain ; and he thought it
no unnecessary ingredieist in this Treaty, that it
was open to Spans to decide. on the merits of her
liwit•aubjects, and separate their chino from those
t 4 parties Who were, in violation of law, conducting
au illicit traffic. The Noble Lord concluded by
ve-I.4eiting the piiisciples of imilm.tiaisid law,
which vested the power in Sovereigns of contract-