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

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)
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 mi.
minal, and also because he wished to know from his
noble friend at the head of the Foreign-office whether he
could communicate any information 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 honcur 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 the slave trade the former
country received 400,000/., but he was sorry to say that
ever since the ratification of that treaty its provisions had
been systematically violated. The Captains-Generals had
connived at the trade with the exception of two, General
Concha and another. The two who formed an honourable
exception deserved to be mentioned with honour, but when
he alluded to the long list of Captains-General who were
guilty participators, it was still more painful to declare
that suspicion did not stop with them, but ascended still
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 less 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 following
ruse. When on an estate one of the old negroea 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
5,000 slaves, but since then 600 had been landed near
Matanzas, ,but amid all these disgraceful proceedings it
was most satisfactory to find how efficiently our gallant
naval service was discharging its duty in these seas.
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 had been taken in one
day, by Captain Hamilton, in her Majesty's war steamer
Vestal, and of this gallant affair he had the good fortune
to possess an account, which gave a most striking pic-
ture of British heroism on its own element, the sea. It
appeared that there lay in the harbour of Havannah, at
the same time as the Vestal, a slave schooner, called the
Venus, built at New York, a model of piratical beauty,
and the fastest sailer On these seas. The captain of this
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
this Captain Hamilton received information, but did
not declare his own intentions in consequence. One
night, during a thunderstorm and tornado, the Venus
slipped out, and got away unnoticed past the Moro.
But at daybreak Captain Hamilton sprang from his bed,
and in less than three minutes the Vestal was under a
crowd of canvas, and as she passed out of harbour the
foreign ships, among others the Americans, like good
kinsmen, gave her a loud cheer. As soon as she got out
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 r eakers. The -Vestal could not
approach Whatthem. was to be done ? Captain Ha-
milton went on board his prize, and holding his revolver
to the slave captain's head, made him steer straight to
the other schooners and captured both, and found that
they contained slave decks, manacles, and all the usual
fittings of vessels intended for the slave trade, besides
several letters implicating persons in the town and ves-
sels in the harbour. When the Vestal returned to Ha-
vannah towing in her three prizes, an old American said
" It makes my heart flow over to see ouchthe
thingscoutr
coming out so proud." (Cheers.) Now, if
were done in the harbour under the windows of the Cap-
tain General's palace, and the guns of the Moro, what
might not their lordships expect to take place in the
more unfrequented. parts of the island. "If these things
are done in the green tree, what may be done in the
dry." He
,did not mean to blame her Majesty's Go-
vernment ; he knew what had been the indefatigable ex-
ertions of Lord Palmerston, and he had no doubt that
his noble friend was wellseconded by the late administra-
tion. Neither did he fear that the cause was neglected
in the hands of his noble friend opposite, whose inti-
mate acquaintance with Spanish character and officers
would give him an advantage not enjoyed by either of
his predecessors. He was sure his noble friend would
not deny that there had been a gross dereliction of duty
on the part of the Spanish authorities, but he would
not be understood as conveying the opinion that this
country ought to go to war with Spain for the purpose
of putting down the slave trade. He knew the apathy
that existed in this country with respect to such exter-
nal topics, and that a large party who were most hos-
tile to the slave trade would be the first to oppose any
physical intermeddling. But he thought that Spain
ought to be taught that, if she did not mend her ways,
if she alone, of all the nations of the earth,- was to per-
sist in this infernal traffic, she need not expect, should
Cuba ever he in danger, that England would hold any
other than a neutral position in the conflict. (Hear.)
He was not sure that Spain was more to blame than
the United States, which had passed the abominable
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The noble lord concluded by presenting the petition.
The Earl of CLARENDON said that
specifichataltiiou inquiry
hurhiis
noble friend had declined making an
of the Government he (Lord Clarendon) felt that hoy
should be wanting to his noble friend and to his own
feelings did he not express his admiration of the elo-
quent speech which they had, just heard delivered, and
if he did not bear his testimony to the perfect correct-
ness of all the melancholy facts which his noble friend
had brought before the house. He only wished it was
in his power' to give to his noble friend any other an-
swer than that he had given a few nights previously to
a noble and learned friend, but lie could only express
the same regret, and admit that the provisions of the
treaty to which his noble friend alluded, were consis-
tently and feloniously violated. (Hear, hear.) What
his noble friend had said of the Captains-General of Cuba,
he also believed was the fact, but lie was glad, however,
he had made a distinction in favour of the two distin-
guished officer:3 who offered such a favourable contrast to
their predecessors and successors. He (Lord Clarendon)
had not much additional information to give his noble friend
but what he had was not altogether of an unsatisfactory
nature. He would first advert to the allusion made by
his noble friend to the practice of taking slavers for trial
into the ports of Havannah. The fact was that the
commanders of her Majesty's cruisers had no option in