The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-24 00:00:00

hensions on the part of the white population of a rising
of the black. That such apprehensions were not alto-
gether unfounded was evident from the insurrection
which took place at Tortola in the month of July last
year, in consequence of which the white residents were
compelled to seek aid from the neighbouring Danish
Island of St. Croix. The withdrawal of troops was false
economy, as the maintenance of such possessions de-
pended on the security of capital. He wished to ask the
noble duke whether all the troops were going to be with-
drawn, and, if so, what was the intention of the Govern-
ment with regard to the maintenance of these smaller
islands in future. He was enabled to state on private
authority that if the troops were withdrawn for the sake
of economy, a contribution would be raised towards
maintaining them there, 15,0001. annually being, he be-
lieved, the entire cost; for one of her Majesty's ships
occasionally to touch at these islands was not sufficient
to maintain order among so ignorant and excitable a
population.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said it was quite true
that the troops had been withdrawn from the islands of
St. Vincent, Tobago, Dominica, and St. Christopher,
but expense was not the sole ground of the withdrawal.
The first reason for it was that the discipline of the
troops has deteriorated by small detachments being scat-
tered about different islands. A second reason was,
that the detachments were so small—in one case, that
of Tobago, numbering only 84 men—that for the pur-
pose of external defence they were entirely useless. In
time of war it would be an invitation to a privateer to
attack the island for►the express purpose of inflicting
a military disgrace on the country. Besides, in all these
islands the system of police was lamentably neglected,
and the withdrawal of the troops, which though compe-
tent for the suppression of internal disturbances, were
not suited for their prevention, would probably force on
the colonists the imperative duty of providing a better
police. The third reason was the expense, for the main-
tenance of these, troops in small detachments was a con-
siderable addditional expense to the mother country.
He did not think the slightest apprehension need be en-
tertained in consequence of the withdrawal of these
troops. The noble earl supposed that her Majesty's
Government proposed to meet this difficulty by occa-
sionally sending ships of war to visit these islands,
with a view of producing a moral effict on the black popu-
lation. Her Majesty's Government entertained no such
foolish idea. The arrangement which the Government
proposed to make—and he thought it would be more
effectual for the suppression of disturbances—was to
place a steamer at the disposal of the commander at
Barbadoes for the conveyance of troops wherever they
might be required. He believed that this arrangement
would obviate the evils he had pointed out, would give
a more effective military establishment, and prevent that
demoralisation of the troops in those islands which, above
all things, it was desirable to prevent. The contribu-
tion of the 15,0001., which the'noble earl spoke of, only
met the smallest of the objections—that, namely, of the
expense. He thought they should maintain their colo-
nies from foreign aggression at all hazards, but that it
was unadvisable to keep their troops in the small colo-
nies or portions of colonies. He did not think that any
evil would result from the system which the Government
introduced.

- Earl GREY was understood to say that he entertained
no doubt of the validity of the reasons assigned by the
noble duke for the step which the Government had
taken, provided it were carried out with due caution
and in the proper manner. This country had made
great sacrifices for the abolition of slavery in these
islands, and the substitution of a free and industrious
community. The success .of that experiment depend.
ed on the small white population being encouraged
for some time longer, because if the white planters
were to leave these colonies at too early a period he
bad no doubt they would relapse into a state little diffe-
rent from their original barbarism. He trusted, there-
fore, that due care would be taken to prevent any alarm
which might have the effect of inducing the white popu-
lation to leave, which would have a disastrous effect on
the future civilisation of these islands. (Hear, hear.)
Lord ELGIN said, that having been for many years
connected with the administration of public affairs in
some of the most important dependencies of the Crown,
and therefore having had greater opportunities of ascer-
taining the feelings and sentiments of the colonists than
most of their lordships, lie begged to make a few remarks
on the general relations which ought to subsist b:Avven
the colonists and the mother country. It was his opi-
nion—and the good sense of the colonists would bear
him out in that opinion—that it was perfectly just and
reasonable that the colonists should be required, except
in certain and peculiar cases—to provide at their own
cost such forces, whether civil or military, as might be
requisite for the maintenance of internal tranquillity.
But on the other hand he thought that the colonists had
very strong claims on the protection of the mother coun-
try against such casualties as might be brought upon
them by the policy of the mother country, over which
they bad no control. Such he thought was a fair repre-
sentation of the equity of the case as between the colonies
and the mother country; but at the same time it did not
exhaust the whole difficulty of the case. It was quite na-
tural that the people of this country, looking. to the vast
extent of their colonial empire, and the progress it was
making in some quarters, should inquire whether the time
was not coming in which these young communities should
contribute some aid and ca-operation to the mother
country as a kind of indemnity for the care and expense
which the mother country lavi,hed upon them during
the period of their infancy and childhood. (Hear.) He
believed that when the legislature of this country de-
liberately abandoned the system of protection, the con-
nection between the mother country and the colonies
became one of conAitutional sympathy and feeling, and
protection. He felt confident that the general content-
ment now prevailing in Canada, not amongst one class
or race, but amongst all classes and races, was not less
due to the growth of that conviction than to the power
which they had received of seif government with regard
to their own local affairs. He was imngainf enou,li to
believe, or rather to hope, for the period of actual belief
had not arrived, that, if no untoward accident should
occur to mar the good feeling that now hapni:y pre-
vailed, when the proper time for manifesting such senti-
ments came, the colonists would be found ready to join
with them in the righteous came of the defence of the
weak against the strong, of the oppressed against the
oppressor, of the victim against the persecutor, and
show that they were desirous of sharing the glory
of England and not unwilling to partake of her sacrifices
and burdens. (Cheers.)
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.
In reply to the Earl of DERBY,

Lord ABERDEEN was understood to say that he
had no objection to lay on the table the further corres-
pondence between the Government and the University
of Oxford.

Their lordships adjourned at six o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS--(TESTERPAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair a few minutes before 4
o'clock.

PETITIONS.

An Ifox. MEMBER presented a petition from the
Australian Agricultural Company, praying a semi-
monthly communication with that colony.

Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petitiori from a person
named Cooper residing in Manchester, stating that he
was in the receipt of 30s. a-week from his industry, as
a mechanic, and that his wife had absconded from him,
and was living in open adultery. The cost of obtaining
adivorce, however,was beyond bis reach, and he therefore
praying the house so to amend the law as to make it
available to parties in his situation of life.

Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition from Mr.
Bramley Moor, one of the candidates at the last election
for Kingston-upon-Hull, complaining of the report of
the Hull commission, which stated that he had acknow-
ledged several acts of bribery. The petitioner denied
that he had ever done anything of the sort, and prayed
for redress, or an opportunity to refute the charge.
Mr. MACAULA.Y presented petitions front certain
educational institutions in Scotland in favour of national
education.

Several honourable members presented petitions from
the proprietors of various local newspapers praying for
the repeal of the paper duty, including one from the
Brighton. Herald, and another from Woolmer's Exeter
Gazette.

Sir J. SHELLEY presented three petitions from the
Strand Union, St. George's, and St. James's, West-
minster, praying for the abolition of the duty on stage
carriages.

Lord. J. RUSSELL presented a petition from the
corporation of Barnstaple, praying the house not to re-
issue any writ for that borough until the charges of cor-
ruption preferred against it have been further inquired
into.