The Sun.
London, England, 1806-05-02 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE BILL.

Sir R. PEELE presented a Petition from certain
Merchants in London against.the Slave Trade Im-
portation 'Prohibition Bill, now before the House;
which -was ordered to lie on the Table till the third
reading of the Bill.
• The AT'TOENEV-GEtiERAL then moved the third
reading of that Bill.
'Mr. ROSE cautioned, the House how they were
deceived by mistaken ideas. of humanity into the
passimg of this Bill. 'No measure which had been
brought forward of a long time could,he was con-
vinced, intli& so deep and lasting a.‘ wound on the
cornmerce.of this Country. He
,comMunicated his
sentiments .on the subject to Ministers. Whether
they had attended to them he. could not say. But
he now stated to the ,House that the passing'of this
Bill .would occasion a lose to British mannfaCtures of
not less than' from three to four millions annually,
besides East India produde,.. and the consideration
that the. Colonies of Denmark and Sweden would'
then be shut 'against us. He wished Government
had considered before they gave their sanction to
such a measure—that it had, for instance, been re-
ferred to the Board of Trade. The cause of huma
nity too>,
,he maintained, would be injured rather
than promoted. Other Governments would extend
their trade, who had not adopted the 'mild and hu-
mane regulations'established by' this Country.
• Mr. BAOIVELL. supported-the Bill, but hoped
.it was not meant to be substituted for the total abo-
lition; which, be was convinced; would accord bet-
ter With the feelingi of ,the present Ministers. He
was a friend to the present Bill, however, as,he was
•corivinced every friend to humanity must' be.--
The' Slave Trade was an' c:11' of Which any dirni-.
nution would give him pleasure. It was an evil which
had inereisCd, was increasing, and ought :to .IN3 at

Sir R. PEELE took shame to himself for not
. haN‘ring attended during the previous stages of this
Bill. He had not been 'aware that it mas a Bill' so
mischievous,in its nature as he now found it to be.
. Instead of benefiting the cause of humanity it would
injure it exceedingly. What was- given up here
'would be adopted elsewhere, without' any of the
hutriane regniations -established ;by this Country.—
•Government surely did not wish to bring all human
misery to a focus, and that that focus should be
Great Britain we were however, to philoso-
'ppise,-let us do so,while our looms were full. - Was
it .a reason because our artful Enemy had at present
succeeded in putting our Trade ,to a stanch by driv-
in2 our manufailures from the Continent of Europe,
that we should aid him in accomplishing- his end,
and should ourselves banish them from the,Colo-
Dies ?

Gen. GAscoIGNE moved that Counsel be heard
'against the Bill.

The SPEAKER inforMed the Honourable Member
that tliis•was not the time.. After. the Bill had been
read a third time, and before it passed, he might
make such a Motion..

- Gener.Bl GASCOIGNE then entered into -a gene-
ral argument against the Bill, and concluded by
Moving that. it be read a third time this' day. three
months.

Sir W. 31. YOU NGE. contended that, the state-
ment of the Gentlemen on the other side .Who op-
posed the Bill, as to the disadvantage which it would
;be to our mannfaures, was grossly 'exaggerated,
or, rather totally unfounded. ;So far from it, in-
stead of carrying Slaves from the Coast of Africa to
increase the Strengt4 of our Enemies' Colonies, pur
shipping would be employed in carrying our own.
produce in exohange for the Spanish bullion: That
this was the case he -shei,ve4% from comparing the
present state of Bristol with what it was seven years
ago. Then 'there were 22 Ships engaged in the
Slave Trade, now there were only two. So that
that town had found no difficulty in withdrawing
itself from the. Trade. From comparing too the
number of Slaves imported into the Island of, Ja-
maica with that exported to foreign Islands, he
shewed that the Trade was unnecessary to be con-
tinued on- our own account, and only went ro
strengthen our Enemies; the number exported being
,within one of the - number imported. • This, he
contended too,. had the additional disadvantage of
injuring the property of our West India Proprietors,
which; while all other property had increased in value
was not equal to more than two-thirds of what it was
seven years ago.
Mr. Roar; explained.
CHARLES PRICE felt it his duty to say,
that, if the Bill 'passed, it would injure the Trade of
the Country in general, and of London .in particular,
to an immense extent.. In the present circum-
stances of the Country, Trade ought to be en:
couraged; instead of being shut out from those places
that 'were still left open : he-was always willing to
favour: the' cause of Humanity ; but this was neither
the mode nor the -time at which such a Bill. as the
present ought to pass. _

-.. . .
Mr. FOX-. would trouble the .House kit very
shortly : he thanked the Right Hon. Gentleman op,
poSite (Mr. Ro,se) for the communication which
he had Made. to him .but, from the,light in which
he had always regarded the subject, that Hon. Ge;l-,
tlernan could not e*peel that "s,.arguments‘ would
1
carry co!lv Rutik4:o he woti(l ~go thriller, and say,
that, '.''p:4 in the Right Hon.\ Gentleman's own
view of the subjcd, :his reasoning;was not sound or
satisfhaorY.' Witl; regard to th Fl is, what the op.
Baronet behind him ,(Sir W. Young) had stated,
was very material. The number. of Slatics .ex-
ported from the West India-Islands, it apoeared, N'i. a i
very triflittg-. Now, as -to the pfesent state of the
f.r3otintry, he was very ready to -arloW that 11143 W..i 8
, . . • .„ . .

LONDON,
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1806.

WE received last night Paris and Dutch Papers,
the fprmer to the f23d and the latter to the .28th
ult. The intelligence which they contain is of a
• very interesting nature. The discussions between
France and AustrN are rapidly approaching to a crisis;
Austria must either submit unconditionally to the
diaates of BizeArARTE, or' prepare for a contest, on
.the issue of Which her existence, Will depend. The•
circumstances which attended the occupation of Ca-
taro by the Russians 'have evidently excited the
strongest suspicions in the mind of. BO'NAPARTE of a
Collusion between Russia and Austria, and he is there-
fore determined to remove all doubt upon the subje&,
by forcing' Austria into a War, either with France
,at. with Russia. If, in compliance with the peremp7
`tory demands of BONAPARTE, the Austrians attempt
to dispossess the Russians by force of Cataro, War:

between'these Powers, must be the result, and,,a re-
fusal will be attended With 'immediate hostilities on
the part of France. It is stated in the Moniieu)';
that the French could easily drive the Russians from
Cataro;
,but that will •not satisfy 'EUNAPiRTE ; it
must be delivered up to him by the Austrians, in
compliance with the Treaty of Presburgh: The ar-
ticle in the i}Toniteur to which we allude expreSsly
charges tho Marquis the Austrian Com-
missary' for delivering up Dalmatia to the-French,
and General littAby,' with having acted in 'collusion
With the• Russians, and surrendering Cataro to 'a very
inferior force,; and BONAPARTE loudly demands the
punishment of these Officers, The Cabinet of Vi-
enna must therefore either disavow the conduct of
those Officers, and commence hostilities with Russia,
or renew the War' with France; and, as we have al-
rendr stated, contend for her existence.

The Minister of Finance, qAUDIN, has presented
to BONAPARTE A very long Report upon the subjed

of the Finances 2 lint we have not room to make any
LKtraas from it to. s:lay he e4timates the 'Peace

E'sfilbiistiment of 'j ranee at ;J.:N. bundred- m' Wiwi of

livres, and the .F.Apence for the present year i 5 cal-
; culated-at hilndred and nincty -foux willions of

i 'irN4

rginalca

'apers

I2th March; from whiCh we have . made some
ex-
tratis : They dd not, hoWever, entirely clear up the
point upon which there' is so much doubt,. viz.
.Whether a second Frehch' Squadron' has arrived
ih the West Indies.

THE p roceed ngs. on the. Impeachment. were- re-
sumed, as usual,, this day. The chief acing Manager
was Mr. WHITBREAD. .The Court was, as before,
employed in the examination of Witnesses. The
two last Witnesses examined were Clerks Of MessrS.
DRUMMOND. The Trial is;expet.'.led to last much
longer than was.,atfirst expecled. There was a nu-
merous meeting of l‘itoinbers' and Speclators.

,
IN the course of the Debate last night, on the Mo-
tiOrt for the third reading of the SlaVe Importation
Bill, Mr. Poi declared , that he remained firm in
leis-objections in- the -SlziVe.Trade;' and though he
had no dire& anthOrity to deliver the sentiments of
his Colleagues Upon the- subject, yet he believed he
might venture to state, that most of th,em would
deem it one of the highest circumstances of glory
to their Administritiodif, during their continuance
in office, they could accomplish the total Abolition
of the Slave Trade.

Ten Transports arrived in the Downs on Wednos-
day from the River with Troops on board. Their
destination is a profound secret.,
~By a Vessel belonging to Oldenburgh,lSound from,
Bourdeaux Haniburgh, detained by the Hind
Revenue Cutter, and carried into Plymouth, accounts
have been received-, that about 17 days ago an em-
bargo was laid on all the Prussian Vessels in the Port
of Bourdeaux. This embargo probably extends to
all the other French ports•, but the motive for en-
torcingit is not known ;'possibly it hag no other ob-
jest in view but to prevent Prussian Vessels from
falling in with our Squadrons which riow blockade
the ports of that kingdom.

The Barbadoes Paper of the 15th ult. says—". Tp
the late captures made of the Enemy's Privateers, we
have the pleasure of adding another, making five Of
their best Cruizers, taken within the last four weeks,*
and proVing the diligence and aaivity of our Navy
on the station. His Majesty's Brig Wolverene, Capt.
COLLIER; brought in, on Thursday last, Le Trimues
French. Schooner, of 3 guns and 53 men, captured
on the 12th inst. after a chace of 15 hqurs : she was
13 days from Guadaloupe, but had not made any
capture.—Also the Belcour, of 14 guns ; Racoon, of
guns ; Hero, of eighteen 18-pounders ; and La
Danz€,Ernouf, of 15 guns ; and we do not hear of
more than, ,two or three-Privateers- being 4) wincl,
ward."

The Anniversary • Meeting .of the excellent So.!.
ciety, 'entitled. " The Sons of the Clergy," tools
place yesterday. Dr. PRICE, Prebendary of Dur
ham, gave an adMirable Discourse in the morning at
St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir WILLIAM PARSONS pr&.,
sided over , the instrumental and vocal music usual
on the occasion. A numerous congregation attend-
ed, among whom were the,Lord-Mayor, the She-
riffs, the Recorder, •His Highness the Duke of
GLOUCESTER, the Archbishops of CANTEREURYI
CASHEL, and TUAM, Earl of BRIDGEWATER, ail(
a considerable number of the Episcopal Body.
The Artillery Company attended in ' full uni-
form. The Society dined at Mere!iaat Taylors'
Hall, and as much festivity prevailed as was con-
sistent with the high and dignified pet-suns who
-were present.—We have the pleasure to add, that
the C011e4,-tions were liberal in support of this me,
ritorious Institution, and were as follow :
At the Rehearsal - 66 15 6
Sermon - - 220 18 o
Dinner - o

Total Zl-03 9 6-

The Fashion Able World Wilts full enjoyment, in
a squee;4e, on Wednesday night, at the Ball and Sup-
per given by Mr, M. P. ANDR,ENVS j for, according
to Mr. SHERMAN'S expression, there was so many
"•solicited.solicitations,7, which the liueral host could
not reject, that near 300 had no opportunity of dan-
cing, or of getting near the 'supper-table, ,

GRASSINI'S Benefit took place last night' at the
King's Theatre—on which occasion a new Serio. -
comic Opera was brought forward, entitled "
Ossia it Sotterraneo." The music was cOm,
posed by FIORAVANTI. As the Piece 'was a mix-
ture of the serious and comic, there was full oppor-
tunity for GRASSINI to clisplay her expressive power
of a6ting,without deviating froniher natural ptovince.
The Piece.was received with very great applause,
and a large poKtion 'of it of course was showered
upon the Heroine of the, night. The manner in
which Gu4ssmi testified her, gratitude to the AU-
dience for their patronage, 'on the close of the
Opera, was peculiarly graceful and interesting.—
There was a very twine' ous and. elegant auditory.