The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDN_kISDAY, APRIL 10, 1839.

render Parliamentary interference absolutely necessary,
He doubted whether such was the case. He would
grant that nothing could be more indecorous than ;
the language used by the Assembly, but they I
had been compelled by peculiar circumstances to
pass a law to which they had a -,disinclination—eircum-
stances the most vexatious and irritating—and be-
cause they had given vent to that vexation and irrita-
tion, that was no reason for making such an assumption.
The language of the Governor had been already
stated ; and what reply did the House of Assembly
make ? Why, they said that having now ful-
filled the designs of the British Government, they
asked to be left to the enjoyment of that repose
which was so necessary ; for the Governor con-
gratulated them on having accorded this boon, and they
had every reason to believe that, having complied with
the desires of the British Government, Parliament, and
People, they should have been left quietly to regulate
their international affairs, but scarcely had they retired
to their homes, when another Act, more vexatious and
irritating than any preceding one, is promulgated
without any conciliatory explanation.
Mr. LABOUCHERE—There was a conciliatory
and explanatory despatch.
Lord STANLEY was aware of that, but the Legis-
lature of Jamaica were not in posseSsion of that
despatch. The Hon. Gentleman said it was unusual
in the Governor's speech to mention any measures of
the British Parliament, but it was also most unusual for
the British Parliament to interfere with the privileges
of the Colonial Legislature, and he thought that the
fact of the Governor not having made any allusion of
this sort on a former occasion, was no reason for his
neglecting to do so in the present instance. He ought to
have stated that there was no desireon the part of Parlia-
ment to interfere more than was necessary to secure that
object for which the British people had paid so dearly,
the effectual abolition of slavery. Considering the
whole tenor of the despatch and the conduct pursued
with regard to Jamaica for the last four years, he was
of opinion that a soothing line of conduct had not been
adopted,t.
which
was the most likely to allay any
irritation
existing ; but that instead the Government

had taken a partizan view of every st;bject, and had en-
tirely neglected to pay attention to the just views of the
most liberal and best disposed planters. The selections
made from the Reports of the stipendiary Magis-
trates prove this, for it was there shown that'
every possible blame was thrown- upon the planter,
while everything likely to tell in his favour was sup-
pressed. It was natural when such a system was pur-
sued by the Government that irritation should be the
consequence. On the Ist of January the Governor, in
answer to an address of the Baptist Ministers,
laid great stress on the good conduct of the
Apprentice population, and assured them that in no case
had it bern wanting when it was secured by good treat.

ment. This was the public declaration of the Governor
in the presence of a portion of the population at that
time suffering under great irritation; but chat was the
language held by that same Governor within a week of
this time, when writing to the Secretary of State?
Yet on the Bth of the same month, Sir Lionel Smith
stated that both parties were unreasonable ; for there
was no law to regulate wages, nor rent, which were

•
both exorbitantly high. This was one among many
instances in which Sir Lionel Smith had taken a par-
tizan view of the subject. The Assembly of Ja-
maica had not refused to provide for the public
service, they had refused to legislate until the British
Government had furnished some explanation for

the interference of Parliament in the internal arrage-
ments of the Colony. It was not then too late for the
Secretary of State to have explained to them the real
intentions of her Majesty's Ministers with regard to the
colony. But a system of vacillation and irresolution
had been manifested at the Colonial-Office which ren-
dered it impossible for the Assembly to know what the
intentions of the Government were. He (Lord Stan-
ley) must say, that be was by no means satisfied that
the Government had been free from blame in this mat-
ter, or that there was any overwhelming necessity for
the Bill now sought to be introduced.
Lord J. RUSSELL said it had been unfairly repre-
sented that the Government had encouraged the agita-
tion for the termination of the apprenticeship system.
But the fact was that the view taken by the Govern.

ment was, that although it might be desirable that, if
possible, the apprenticeship should terminate sooner than
was originally contemplated, it would not be just to
the Legislature of Jamaica, or to persons holding
property there, that the apprenticeship should be put an
end to by the Act of the British Parliament, and the

Government had acquired great unpopularity by
holding those views.—(Hear, hear.) Most certainly,
therefore, they were not to blame, if irritation and pre-
judice had been excited against the planters. But the
Act on which the Legislature of Jamaica based their
protest was not that Apprenticeship Act, but the Act
which was thought necessary to amend it in consequence
of its having been grossly evaded by the planters ;
and the House of Assembly had spoken of the un-
warrantable interference of the Imperial Legisla-
ture With the, duties of the Provincial Legisla-
ture, and of the falsehoods which bad been
advanced in Parliament. Now, though he (Lord J.
Russell) bad concurred in opposing the abolition of the
apprenticeship by an Act of the Imperial Parliament,
he had cordially agreed in the resolution which had
passed the House last session, pledging the House to

look to the future condition of the black population of
the West Indian Colonies ; and he could not allow it
to be supposed that because slavery had been nominally

abolished, that therefore the Legislature of Jamaica were
to be at liberty to pass any laws, or revive any obsolete
laws, for the oppression of the negroes.—( Hear, hear.)
Yet the House of Assembly contended that the Im-

perial Parliament had no right to pass any laws affect-
ing the Colony, except for the regulation of its commerce
with this country.—(Hear, bear.) Surely it never was
the design of Parliament merely to spread the boast
throughout the globe that slavery was abolished in the
British Colonies, but that the negro population should
enjoy all the blessings, and the pride, and independence
of freedom.—(Cheers.) If he could be persuaded
that the Jamaica Legislature had the intention to treat
the negro population as equal to themselves in point
of freedom, and not to attempt, by indirect moans, to
retain that sway which had been abolished by the
Imperial Parliament with so ample a compensation.
God forbid there should be any endeavour to supersede
the rights of the t 1 ssembly.—( Hear, hear, bear.) But
if, as he at present was pursuaded, it was their inten-

tion to prevent, as far as possible the measures of the
Imperial Legislature from being carried into effect, it
would be the duty of Parliament to interfere and en-
deavour to obviate the (Lingers and difficulties which
must necessarily occur.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. LABOUC HERE briefly replied.: He observed

. .
that some Right Hon. Gentlemen opposite seemed desirous
of putting the quarrel between the House of Assembly
and the Government on a different footing from that
which really existed, and that the real controversy was,
whether the Imperial Parliament were to exercise the
power of interfeiing in the internal arrangements of
Jamaica in such a manner as might be requisite for the
welfare of the Colony.
Sir R. PEEL said he had been requested by some
Gentleman connected with Jamaica to defend them in
that House, but lie had positively declined giving any
pledge on the snbject.—(Hear, hear.) They had as-
sured him, however, positively that by the term " public
creditors," the House of Assembly meant all the de-
mands for the public service, and certainly he (Sir R.
I'col) beliefed all public officers would represent them-
selves as " public creditors."—(Laughter.)
The Bill was then ordered to be brought in.
SHIPWRECKS OF TINIBER-VESSELS.
Mr. G. PALMER moved for a Committee to in-
vestigate the causes of shipwrecks of timber-vessels.
He made the motion with the concurrence of the
President of the Board of Trade. It was the
duty of the Legislature to provide to the utmost
of their power for the comfort and protection of
the commercial sailor—in fact the State ought to look
to them as a parent to a child. There was very little
real danger in a voyage between this country and Ame-
rica, yet the number of distressing wrecks which oc-
curred yearly was amazing. In 1834 there were four

wrecks upon the coasts, I fships were totally lost at sea
—in 1835 there were 15 ships on shore and 34 wrecks

at sea—in 1836 there were twenty-twoonstiorecnc-1
four lost at sea—in 1837, seven on shore, and twenty-
three at sea; and in 1838, sixteen ships were on
shore, and forty-five loss at sea. He would only give
one instance, and that was one that occurred in De-
cember last. It was a timber-ship which was totally
wrecked, four seamen were found dead, and one was
cut up and hung as meat in a butcher's shop. 110
was anxious for inquiry in order that some regulations
might be adopted to put an end to such misery.
Mr. Alderman THOMPSON did not mean to offer
any opposition to the motion, but it was a disputed
question whether the deck loading of timber ships was
dangerous or otherwise.

Nir. WARBURTON suggested that the inquiry
should be general, and not be confined to timber-ships.
It was well-known that only old, worn•out ships were
employed in that trade, and consequently they must
expect there would be more wrecks.
Mr. DARBY supported the motion, and thought it
was properly confined to timber-ships, as they were old
and left America at times when they were by no means
safe.

Mr. WHITE could assure the House that those
ships engaged in the Amerioan trade from the port of
Sunderland were not old, worn-out ones, but sound
ships, and deck loading was considered to make them
more sea-worthy.
After a few words from Mr. BARNARD and Mr.
PALMER, the motion was agreed to.
RAILWAYS.
_

Mr. FINCH moved for an account of the several
amounts borrowed by the Railway Companies now
before Parliament, in anticipation of calls, with the date
at which the last call was made, and the amount paid
up on each share.—Ordered.
Mr. HARVEY moved that an humble address be
presented to her Majesty, that her Majesty will be gra-
ciously pleased to direct an alphabetical list of the names
of all persons through whose property the proposed line