The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-31 00:00:00

THE SLAVE TRADE.

The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition from
. _

the ladies of Kingston, Jamaica, praying that some
measures may be taken to insure the better fulfilment of

the treaty with Spain for the suppression of the slave
trade. (Hear.) He had given notice of his intention
to bring the subject before the house, because he thought
that any appearance of indifference would be almost cri-
minal, and also because he wished to know from his
noble friend at the head of the Foreign-office whether he
could communicate anyinformation on the point to which
the petition mainly referred, namely, with respect to the
observance of treaties by the Government of Spain on
the subject of slavery. That question has been partly
met by a conversation on the first evening after the re-
cess in reply to a question from his noble and learned
friend (Lord Brougham), in whose wake on this subject
he should be glad to follow. He had always felt it to be
an honour to have assisted in the return of his noble and
learned friend for the West Riding of York when he was
identified with the anti-slavery cause. (Hear, hear.) He
thought slavery was a question upon which women had
every motive, as they had every qualification, to bear
their part. The petitioners stated their conviction of
the enormities of slavery and the slave trade, and re-

ferred to its increase since the act of 1846. After the
results of the policy adopted at that time had been re-
peatedly under consideration, and they had found them-
selves unable to move in the matter, he did not suppose
there was any possibility of its being reversed. The peti-
tioners prayed their lordships to adopt such measures as
they might think necessary to put an end for ever to sla-
very. The ladies of Jamaica had good reason for making
their complaints. It would be superfluous to remind their
lordships of the engagements under which Spain was
bound to this country for the suppression of the slave
trade. He could not do better than refer to the dispatch
of the Prime Minister of this country dated Dec. 31,1843.
In consideration of the treaty executed between Spain and
this country for the suppression of th e slave trade the former
country received 400,006/.' but he was sorry to say that
ever since the ratification of that treaty its provisions had
been systematically violated. The Captains-Geiierals had
connived at the trade with the exception of two, General
Concha and another. The two who formed an honourable

gth that
aiexceptionalluded
participators,
lty dod deserved
suspicion
to
tidieidi to
longo
ihtt be
was
soatps
o wf mentionedstill
ict ah
pmtthaowei
roni
eist l h
painful
Gbou onnteor
ascendedur a
it,b
who
hudot
declare
still
haot eir
Inel
higher. (Hear, hear.) Of course he did not mean to
ask his noble friend any question as to the justice of
these suspicions, and he was reluctant, for the sake of
human nature, to infer the " deep damnation" of their
truth. But true it was that so sooner did a Captain-
General of Cuba show any disposition to lean to the
dictates of justice or honour, than on some excuse or
another he was removed, and his place supplied by some
one lees scrupulous. Under the present Captain-Gene-
ral the slave trade was carried on with unusual activity,
so as to make the unhappy island of Cuba, gifted by na-
ture with every requisite for a paradise, little better,
through the machinations of man, than a hell. He did
not mean to dwell on the case of the emancipadoes, a
class of men as much entitled to their freedom as any of
their lordships. Those of 1828 and 1835 were entitled
to their freedom, but the illusory nature of the boon
might be inferred from the fact that for field labour the
imported negroes required to be renewed every seven or
ten years. But leaving the case of the emancipadoes,
and turning to the case of the freshly imported negroes,
what was the state of the facts ? He was informed that
between November and February last no less than 5,000
negroes had been landed in Cuba, at least so much was
known, but no doubt a considerable number in addition
had been landed on the unfrequented parts of the island.
Eleven hundred had been kidnapped from the Portu-
guese settlements, of which he might state that, owing
to the zeal of our consul 300 had been released. But,
although thankful for small mercies in such a case, he
was not quite sure that in the case of these 300 the ma-
numission was entirely effectual. Having quoted an
American paper in corroboration of this view of the case,
his lordship proceeded to say that, by the treaty of
1805, entered into expressly for the purpose of putting
down the slave trade, Spain expressly stipulated that.
slaves could not be followed to plantations, nor could
any inquiry be made as to their origin or the place
whence they had come. Under this protection the
claim of the emancipator was defeated by the followina.
ruse. When on an estate one of the old negroes died,
the proprietors returned the name of an emancipado.
and the latter was immediately transferred to the place
of the dead man. Now, when they were told of such
things taking place, and knew that even the Govern-
ment itself was implicated, they might take it for granted
that all that could be done would be done to defeat the
object of the treaty. He would suggest to his noble
friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether Govern-
ment might not give directions, or obtain power from
the Spanish Government to give directions, to our com-
manders of cruisers to take their prizes into free ports
for trial, instead of to the mixed commission at the Ha-
vannah. It was true, condemnations sometimes took
place there, but they were seldom faithfully carried out.
Instead of this, they might be sent before the mixed com-
mission at Jamaica, where the conduct of the emanci-
pated negroes had exhibited every symptom of progress
and improvement. He had mentioned the landing of
asit
efficryno our
these
dgiallant
n seas.
5,000 slaves, but since then 600 had been landed near
wMaast amnozsats ,
satisfactorybut
ot hfleosde
howdisgra
naval service was discharging its decufituei efficientlyyoce
This year six slavers had been taken, but as yet he had
to learn whether the position of the emancipists had
been improved. Of these, three bad been taken in one
day, by Captain Hamilton,
in her Majesty's war steamer
Vestal, and
an
ndofaotcohisongta, whichllantaffagiarvhse
ahamd
most
te gstoriokdinfogrtune
to possess pie.
ture of British heroism on its own element, the sea. It
uri laetari:c aae aln lnlea dh
beauty,
of this
'thaet
v .taahpnespdnesutaahsrm,ee appeared a
sutt
iihltmate
stoat
ttasl
siaNeitrleheewre I av
.o.3ryneositrnthiace!
:heaae
seas.ihsnlaaoravb slave schooner,
harbour
fhhooepfoi
captain
vessel intended to take advantage of the circumstance
that the Vestal's crew were busy painting and refitting,
and suddenly to leave the harbour in the night. Of
not declare his own d
icseprapnagsftrotme
torm and tornado, the Venus
night, during a thun ers
t. d
this Captain Hamiltonintroencteiiovoesd
ininfooornmsascitiooenn,cob.ut
Ono
But
in less than three minutes the Vestal was under a
his bed,
and
foreigno
ships, among others the Americans, like good
slipped
ta t daybreakul out,
aud
Cg ptt aumw ay
Hamilton uu u u
kinsmen, gave her a loud cheer. As soon as she got out
crowd of canvas, and as she passed out of harbour the
of harbour, the Venus was recognised by the whiteness
of her new sails, and pursued, but night and another
thunderstorm came on, but on conjecture she was fol-
lowed and overtaken at the Bahama shoals. The Vestal
dared not approach her, there being only four fathoms,
less a quarter, water. Captain Hamilton, however, tried
the effect of a long shot, which pitched right into her,
and she yielded. Immediately after two other schooners
appeared among the breakers. The Vestal could not
approach them. What was to be done ? Captain Ha-
j milton went on board his prize, and holding his revolver