The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-23 00:00:00

Lord BROUG LI AM, in moving that the returns relative
to the amount of compensation paid to the slave proprietors,
which had last night been laid on their Lordships' table,
be printed, said that they were very satisfactory.—.
(Cheers.) Although the accounts which had been
received of the working of the apprenticeship system end the
treatment of the slaves had been much exaggerated, yet the
quality of the exports sent to the colonies from that country
showed that the condition of the negroes was rapidly
improving, as they were able to purchase now bet-
ter articles and in greater quantity than formerly.
He would take that opportunity of lamenting the very bad
spirit exhibited by the American Union, on the subject of
American slavery. No one deplored it more than he
did ; but he would remark, that such was the per-
verseness of human nature, that they were less likely
to forgive their victims the oppressions they had worked upon
them, than if they had been emancipated and placed on an
equality with themselves, and thus it was that the Americans
living among their slaves were induced to continue the odious
system he had referred to. He was glad to say that slavery
had been at length put an end to by the British Government,
and he trusted soon to see the Americans going band in hand
with those in the march of humanity, and contending only in
their rivalry of liberal and enlightened policy.
Lord GL E NEL G expressed satisfaction at what had fallen
from his Noble and Learned Friend, and he was glad also to find
that the documents laid upon the table of that House had
given satisfaction to his Noble and Learned Friend, and had
carried conviction to his mind as to the improved state of the
nrgro population. He trusted that the Noble and
Learned Lord would throw the weight of his influ-
ence into the scale against the exaggerations which
existed as to the wretched state of the negroes. He was
ready to admit that some abuses existed among the slave
proprietors, for which it was the duty of the Govern-
ment to provide a remedy, and so far as his (Lord G.'s)
influence went it would be directed to that object.
Lord BROUG HAM denied that he had ever compared the
American Union with the Colonial Legislature. The Ame-
ricans had never received twenty millions to induce them to
abolish slavery.
Lord REDE SD ALE hoped if any measures were intro-
duced upon the subject that they would be of a healing nature.
Lord BROUGHAM contended that the slave owners had
broken faith with the British Government. He would be
glad to know why the same system which bad been introduced
in Antigua and Bermuda, had not been tried in Jamaica?
The Noble and Learned Lord here referred to an extract
from despatches sent home by Lord Sligo when Governor of
that island, for the purpose of showing that the slaves were
still treated with great inhumanity.
The conversation then dropped.
Mr. BERNAL, and others from the Commons, brought up
the Municipal Officers' Dec!aration Bill, and the Juries at
Quarter Sessions Bill, with the Lords' amen-lm-nes agreed
to • the Presbyterian Oaths (Ireland) Bill, and other Bills
which were read a first time.
CIVIL LIST.

On the motion of Lord DUNCANNON the Civil List
Bill was read a third time and passed. It was then conveyed
(being a Royal Bill) by Justices Coleridge and Coltman to
the House of Commons.

The Prisoners (Ireland) Conveyance Bill was read a se-
cond time.
HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BILL.

Lord BROUGHAM complained of the slovenly manner in
which business was done in that House. The above Bill had
been read a third time in that House, and he Irtd never heard
a word of it. If he had, he would most decidedly have opposed
that clause which imposed a fine of 10/. upon valuation Juries,
if they did not givo in a verdict. It was totally new in legis-
lation, so far as he was aware, and in his opinion was absurd
and oppressive.
Lord DUNCANNON said, the clause complained of he
had found in the Strand Improvement Act, and others of a
like nature. He had only followed the precedent he found
in similar Bills.

The Slave Compensation Amendment Act went through
Committv without any amendment.

Lord MELBOURNE, in moving the Presbyterian oaths
(Ireland) Bill said, it was merely to put Presbyterians in Ire-
land upon the same footing with their bretheren in Scotland,
who took oaths in courts of justice by holding up the hand in
place of kissing the Testament.
The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Dgc. 22

The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour.

Mr. Wilbraham, from the Commissioners of Westminster
Bridge, appeared at the Bar, and presented the annual account.
Mr. Campbell, from the East India House, presented cer-
tain papers relative to compensations granted by the East India
Company.
LONDON AND CROYDON RAILWAY.

Mr. G. F. YOUNG presented a petition from the London
and Croydon Railway Company, praying for leave to bring
in a Bill.

ELECTION PETITIONS.

The SPEAKER informed the House that the sureties for
the petitions against the returns for Newry; Belfast, City of
Dublin, County Kerry, County Carlow, and Borough of
Carlow, had not entered into their recognizances, and the Or-
der of the Day for taking them into consideration was dis-
charged.