The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-22 00:00:00

KING CHARLES THE FIRST.

LINGARD, in his late History, gives a more
full and interesting description of the execution
or murder of the above unfortunate Monarch
than is to be found in amp other work. It is as
follows

" The King proceeded through the long gallery (of White-
hall), lined on each side with soldiers, who, far froth insulting
the fallen monarch, appeared by their sorrowful looks to sym-
pathise with his fate. At the end an aperture had been made
in the wall, through which he stepped at once upon the scaf-
fold. It was hung with black : at the further end were seen
the two executioners, the block, and the axe: below appeared
in arms several regiments of horse and foot; and beyond, as
far as the eye was permitted to reach, waved a dense and count-
less crowd of specators. The King stood collected and undis-
.
mayed amidst the apparattii of death. There was in his pun-
.tenance that cheerful intrepidity, in his demeanour that digni-
fied calmness, which had characteriseti in the hall of Fothering-
gay his royal grandmother, Alary Stuart. It was his wish to
address the people : but they were kept beyond the reach-of his
voice by the swords of the military; and therefore confining
his discourse to the few persons standing with him on the scaf-
fold, he took, he said, the opportunity of denying, in the pre-
sence of his God, the crimes of which he had been ac-
cused. It was not to him, but to the Houses of Perlis-
went, that the war and all its evils should be charged:
The Parliament had first invaded the. tights of the
Crown ;by.. claiming the. command of the army; it: had
provoked hostilities by issuing commissions for • the
levy of forces, before he had raised a single man.—
But he had forgiven all, even those, whoever they were (for he
did not desire to know their names), who.had trought him to
his death. He did more than forgive` them, he prayed that
they might repent. But for that purpose they must do' three
things , they must render to God his due, by settling • the
Church according to the Scripture; they must restore to the
Crown those rights which belonged to it by law; and they must
teach the people the distinction between-the Sovereign and the
subject ; those persons could not be governors who were to be
governed, they could not rule whose duty it was to obey.—
Then, in allusion to the 'offers formerly made to him bZ the
army, he concluded with these words :---‘ Sits, it was tbr the
liberties of the people that lam come here. If I would have
wssented to an arbitrary sway, to .have all things changed ac-
'• cording to the nosier of the sword, I needed not to have come-
hither s and therefore I tell you (and I pray Godit may not
be raid to your charge), that lam the martyr of the people.' .
" Having added, at the. suggestion of. Dr. Juxon, I die a
Christian according to the profession of the Church of Er land,
as I fiend it left me by my father,' he said, addressing ilimself
to the prelate—' I have on my side a good cause, and a gra-
cious God '

" lirsito?—` There is but one stage more : it is turbulent
and troublesome, but a short one. It will carry you from earth
to heaven, and there you will fine joy and comfort.'
" King Igo from a corruptible to an incorruptible emu n.l
" 131stroy—' You exchange an earthly for an eternal crown
—a good exchange.'
" Being ready, he bent his neck 'on the block,• and after a
short pause, stretched out his hands as a signal. At that instant
the axe descended • the head rolled from the body and a deep
groan burst from the multitude of the spectators. 13ut they had
no leisure to testify their feelings : two troops of horse dispersed
them in difikei,t directions."

In the corner Of a garden situated in the pretty
village of Dalbeattie, a worthy lady of our ac-
quaintance had this year aluxuriantorop of peas,
the history of which deserves to be recorded.
Sometime in spring a friend presented her with
a brace of pigeons, very large birds of the kind,
and moreover so plump that they could not be
said to have degenerated from their ancestors
whom Alahornet employed to pick peas from his
ears, when he wiblied his bearded followers to
believe that he had received a special mission‘
from heaven. On their crops being opened they
were found to be so well filled with peas, that
our friend coantermancled her order to the seed:
merchant, and- -determined to profit for once by
the windfal which chance had thrown in her way.
The peas were `accordingly washed and planted
with very little regard to system, and in process
of time gave promise of a crop that had only one
Nun—that of being too thick and luxuriant. The
summer was as warm as the spring had been mild,
and beautiful blooms were .soon followed by
goodly Pods) Orr which many a pilferer preyed,
from 'the urchin at school to the sparrow that
nestles under the leavesi; but the owner, be it
known, was far from imitating those gardeners
who hang a net against every wall, anti trudge a
cherry even to the blackbird that every•morning
cheers them with a song. Yet notwithstanding
of such losses, the crop was so good that 6,000
peas were gathered as the produce of the. hidden
treasure above-Mentioned. The quality, too, is
allowed to be superior, and as birds have very
discriminating palates, and grain of all sorts de-
generates fast in certain soils, we would -recom-
mend similar experiments to be tried as'one sure
means of resuming marrow fat and other peas to
something like their original excellence.--(Dum-
fries Courier.)

eRIuE `,73-EVENPF,NCI7,.

4

SPEECH OFTHE KING OF THE NETHERLANDS,

(Front the Nkgierlandsche Metals Courant of Tuesday last,
the Bth instant.)

• •
AGUE, OCT. 17.---This beiilg the day- ap—
pointed bylaw for.the opening of the States General; the Mem-
bers of the Second Chamber assembled about twelreVcloaci a
shOrt time afterwards, the Ministers and Members of the Firt
Chamber joined them, and at a little before one' the united as.,
Semblage of the States General was opened by his Excellency
the Minister of State, Count Tbiennes de • Lombize. The
Speaker- then. ordered the Recorder of the First Chamber 'to
read a Reyel Decree of the 14th of October, which aPpointed
Count de Lombiie President of the States General. The Pre-

sident then nominated eight members out of each Chamber,
with his EitcellenCy the Baron Roell at their head, to receive
the King of the Netheflands at.the Hotel of the'States General:
After a short time, his Majesty was joined by their Royal
Hi-hiesses the CroWn Prince and the Prince Frederick 'Of the
Netherlands, when -the Speaker, the Members'of the 'States
General, the Ministers and Members of the Council of State,
all stood up, and his Majesty, being seated, delivered the follow-
iux Speech : •
'High and Mighty Sirs—The marriage of my second Son
has taken place since your last Meeting. His excellent Spouse_
has been -most cordially received by -ny subjects, andr,this
hair* circumstance has greatly augmented the happiness of
my House.
• ilontinue to receive from all Foreign Powers the most in-
dubitable assurances of friendship. The hope of more firmly
strengthening those reciproc:,l" feelingS of amity presents itself
through the medium of Commercial Treaties, the necessary
negotiation of which will be' conducted with all the care with
which the desjre of promoting the good of my people can • in-
spire me. With the same view I hare issued orders for faci.
litating the commerce of my subjects in all parts of the world.
" The late exhibitiOn of works of Industry at Haarlem pro.
duced a display no less flattering to national pride than grati-
fying and honourable to theindustry of my people, and satire.
factory in regard to the general good of the nation. All the
productions which luxury as well as the common wants of life
can require were there collected, and there could the Nether.
lander convince himself that in that respect he need not-envy
any other people. •
" The general attention is directed to the opportunity which
the nature and positiOn of many countries afford to the deve/ope.
ment of our national industry, through which I hope she will
see the channels for the fruits of our industry and our lands
multiply, which the plans of the Trading Company has already
begun to open.
" The spirit of forming Associationa, so advantageous to
great undertakings, has spread itself more and more, and has
extended its influence to the most useful objects ; the devoting
of considerable capitals to ship-building, has given'a new life
to our docks, and has occasioned the laying down of innume-
rable keels.

" The salt herring fisheries., which have for many years teen
a losing concern, will, from all appearances, prove rnosi:pro,
fitable for this last year. - r•
"But with regard to the Greenland and Davis' Strait
_fishcries, my Netherlanders will, I tear, participate in the general
unfavourable result common to all who have this year under..
taken. then:.

"Schools for instruction are now almost universally establish. -
ed throughout the kingdoni, and have in many instances shewn
their utility, especially those of recent establishment.
• The Universities have lately been much improved and cn. g
.larged, and have in many branches of learning had additional
facilities afforded for the attainment of knowledge, ancUthey._ _
now furnish the most liberal means for the' study of the Various
sciences: One institution, devoted to the wants of my Roman -
Catholic subjects, will afford to the young people' appointed to
study for the Church the opportunity of obtaining. that know-
le4ge which the present state of civilization requires; and
hope I may promisemyself the best consequences to the hritiOur
of that Church in my kingdom. .•
" Through the beneficence and liberality of the nation,.
through the strenuous co,:operation of iour High Mightinessevey •
and-through the praiseworthy exertions of the Authorities Ana
Officers, I aim happy to say that the disasters which Weic
Feused by the late floods are already materiallyrepaired; and
the dykes will soon be placed-in a state of security against the.
weather.

" The Commissioners who were appointed by me to examine.
the best con ries for rivers have fuffilleil their .very importailt
task, and will ere long lay before me the result.
" The formation of new plans of improvement is carritd orr
with vigour.
" The elan adopted for the prisons developes itself more'and'
more, and Will soon fie established.

• " The regulations respeCting the meetings of Provincial•
states, and the GovernMent of Cities -and of country places,
have undergone an investigation. • The dispositions' in thOstf
,regulations, which concern the right of voting, and the quilifi—
m cation to ice part in the provincial and local Government,
were, by the end the tenth year aftcr the notice Of our fun—
damental law, tojie a part thereof; it was therefore of import-
ance to introduce those improvements which experience ha.c
shown to be desirable as early as possible. • • .v-
-" Our foreign possessions "are the subject of my pecuiintat—
tention ; and my endeavours have been •particularly directed'
to the furthering of their internal prosperity, in order to ren.
• der them of the utmost advantage tb the Netherlands.- and
its industry. •The expenditure in several of those possessions
has, in consequence of wars and expensive measures in their
government; been augmented to. too great tin amount, which
has produced unfavourable consequences in the condition o(ltir
finances. 1 have adopted measures to moderate them,. ?u
'have futther considered it prudent to Send a special CommiN-
siener thitker, in order that the orders already given for economy
in the expenditure" should be most strictly observed. 'Thera is
ground to hope that the injurious consequences already men-
tioned will soon be' remedied. It will, nevertheless; be neces-
sary that the Mother COuntry should, by means of its credit, .
come to their aid, and I hope that I may reckon on the co—
operation of your High Mightiness.
. "-The various branches of the-revenue have, taking them in•
generak been completely competent to our wants. •
" The late alterations in the indirect taxes hive answered to
all expectations in the increase of their prodtice, independent of
the reel relief which has thereby been secured to cOmMercetind
agriculture. All difficulties in the • collecting of the Persbnal.
Taxes and Excise have, as is seen from experience, nlfioq
completely vanished. They were, at the introduction •of th
new plan, unaioidable ; the doing away with them has never
theless been the subject of my moat anxious cares; it is. with'
that intention that, after having consulted the States of the
Provinces, and having made use of the power given me by law,'
have more generally introduced the farming of the •Excise on
the grinding of corn : the manner in which this arrangement has
been received, gives grOunds tbr supposing that it will, in all
respects, fully answer the objects 1 had in view.
.•

". It is most sadifactory to me that I am not obliged to lay
before your High Miglitinesses a more unfavourable statement;
of-the finances of the kingdom- notwithstanding the extraditli-.
nary expenditures which are the necessary consequence of the
disasters 'which betel us at the beginning of •the year. Tha
account* df the revenue which will, erc long, be laid before your
Assembly, - are such as will justify me in giving a further 'relief
to say beloved subjects by reducing the taxes.
":The operations Df the Sinking Fund will, without doubt,
in a s`;,,rt time further the possibility of completely liquidating
the Notional Debt.

•
" The Netherlands Mint supply is regular.
"The calling in, and the putting out of circulation, of the
French coins, are brought to a close by the last regulations,
without on any point having given real cause for complaint.
" The issuing of riew coins goes • on steadily ; and, foi the.
greater convenience of common use, and much wishing it, I ".
propose .to lay btfore you a plan for increasing our series of''
gold coins, by addiag one additional kind.
"The industrious application of the States' Commission, to
the (raining of the National Code of Law, will afford me an op-
portunity of again laying before yoUr ssembly 01 imp n sir
measure ofleislation.

Several other subjects will require the attention of your
Higti Alightinenses during your present sitting. I open it With'
the persuasion it will not in any degree tend less to the good.
of the 'country tiozn forrnet Sessions. I experience the most.
heartfelt satistac.:on at the manner in which 0117 cruntrymen
confide with true ,-)•.!e in us, and support the Throne of, the,
Netherlands; an,' thus supported, High and Mighty Sirs, our'
united efforts, under the support of (4ou, and the continued
blcs.mings of recce, cannot fail ,to promote the glory of our he—
lcvd•country."

• The King then left the Chamber, being led out by the Com—
missioners .appointeti for the oce,,sion •

The ileiLbly woe shortly alter dismissed by the President.

COUNTY of NORFOLK ANTI-SLAVERY MEETING.

In consequence of a Requisition addressed to
JOHN HARVEY, Esq., High Sheriff of Norfolk, a Meeting.
wf the Nobility, Gentry, &c. was convened upon last Thurs-
.-slay, at the Shire Hall, for the purpose of expressing their
sentiments upon the present state of Colonial Slavery, and pe-
titioning the Legislature to have effect given to the Resolutions
of last Session.
The names attached to the Requisition prove the degree of
interest which the question has excited in Norfolk. Among
them we find the following:— ‘lbernarle; I3entinck ; Stat.-
:ford ; Suffield ; Calthorpe; 11. Worwich ; J. Astley ; W. B.
liolkes ; T. W. Coke ; E. Wodehouse; 1). Gurney ; and T.

Buxton.
The HIGH StnertlFF read the Requisition. He thus far
performed the duty which those wlio signed the document re-
quired ' • and it would be for them to appoint their Chairman.
bordSUFFIELD was of opinion, that upon the present occa-
sion there could be no doubt upon the part of the Meeting. He
would therefore propose that the High Sheriff should act in that

capacity.
The proposition being unanimously assented to.
'fhe HIGH Sineureer felt no hesitation in accepting the fa-
vour conferred upon him, and from the rank, talent, and re-
apeetability of those whom he saw around him, he augured
most favourably for the success of the measure which they had
in view. He would enter into no details upon the subject. Ile
would state briefly that the intention of the Meeting was to
effect a mitigation in the system of Colonial Slavery at pre-
sent,
.and to pursue such measures as may lead to its final ex-
tinction. With respect to the Resolutions to be submitted, he
was sure there would be but one feeling and one sentiment
'urn the hearts and minds of those whom he had the honour
to address. It was, he thought, unnecessary to assert that
slavery ought to be abolished. The denial of this would be
an act of wickedness. It Was the intention of the Requisi-
tionists to support, by all possible means, the benevolent in-
tentions of Government. There was one gross anomaly to
which he could not refrain from adverting. We had all
witnessed the abolition of slavery. We were well aware
that it was declared to be felony. It was the peculiar pri.
vilege of our constitution, that when a slaie set his foot
upon British soil he became free. Under these circumstances
it niust appear almost an impossibility that nearly one
million of our fellow-men should continue slaves; that not
only the parents should be reduced is this condition, but that
children yet unborn should be subject to the severest punish-
intuit next to the loss oflife; that they should be held the goods
and chattels of their masters. It was, in his opinion, a gross
contradiction, that slavery should be abolished, and that no
measure should be as yet devised to prevent future generations
from becoming slaves. Such a state was agreeable neither to
the British Constitution nor to the maxims of our holy religion.
SlaVery could not exist wherever the principles of the one, or
the precepts of the other, had their proper influence. It was
said that difficulties were to be encountered, and dangers were
to he overcome. His answer to such an objection was, that such
obstacles were to be met by fortitude and perseverance, and that
means should be devised fer the purpose of surmounting them.
When dangers and difficulties were to be discussed, there was
no class of men which he could address with more propriety
than the officers of the Navy, many of whom he saw present.—
He appealed to them, and to none could an appeal be made with
more propriety than to those men who were in the habits of sur-
enounting difficulties and dangers, with honour to themselves
and benefit to the country. He hoped he would he pardoned
for thus giving his opinion upon the subject ; he knew it was not
his strict duty, but he could not upon this occasion be governed
by reere discretion. He would conclude by reading the Reso-
lutions adopted by the House of Commons in 1823, which were
the foundation of this meeting. (Here the High Sheriff read
the Resolutions of 1823 as carried in the House of Commons,
stating the expediency of ameliorating the state of the popula-
tion in our West India Colonies, and of improving the character
of our slaves, so as to make them fit for the participation of the
privileges enjoyed by others. In the Third Resolution, the
House expressed its anxiety to make a fair and equitable consi-
deration to the parties interested.)
The Requisition for calling the Meeting having been read,
Lord W. 111:14TINCK said, that if the duty which he was
about to perform required the least talent or ability upon the
part of the ativcsate, he would not obtrude upon the meeting ;
but he felt convinced that the principle.: of his resolution ;
would meet a hearty assent from the heads and hearts of all
those who heard him. The resolutions which were proposed
wrest to pledge the meeting to the support of the policy laid
down by the Government; and here he would for one affirm,
candidly, that lie did not approve of the Orders in Council ad-
vised by Mr. Canning, in the year 1823. He thought these
Orders would not attain the desired object, nor had lie been
mistaken in his supposition. In his opinion, friendly remon-
strances end gentle precepts were calculated to produce little
31Tect upon the body of the West India Planters. This he in-
ferred from the constant resistance made by that class to the
emancipation of the negrocs, in the time of the great and good
Mr. Wilberforce. During that period, little was done by the
planters far the amelioration of the slaves. In speaking of the
merest India Planters, lie wished to be understood as speaking
of them as a body ; there were, he knew, amongst them, many
great and splendid exceptions to the conduct to which he al-
luded. From the general conduct of this class he could have
wished the character of the Orders to be much more energetic
'than it was. He must also complain of a gross omission in
these Orders ; they took no notice whatever of the condition of
the negro chibiren. These were also consigned to slavery, a
circumstance inconsistent with the principles of our Constitu-
tion—of Christianity—of humanity. The imported negro may
be said to be unfit for liberty, but surely this unfitness did not
extend to his children;; if it did, it was decidedly our fault.
Why did we not redeem the child ? Why did we not educate
Lim in the spirit of Christianity, and make him as fit as our-
- selves for the blessings of freedom ? lie knew it might be said.
-that the child was property, and that a pecuniary compensa-
tion should be made to the master : to this he made no objec-
tion whatever; he would propose no measure upon this head.
It was not his intention to dictate to his Majesty's Ministers,
of whose sincerity and determination to carry their resolutions
into effect he had not the slightest doubts ; his zeal might have
carried him farther, but he would not surrender his opinion to
theirs. The question was one of great difficithy ; it was sur-
rounded by embarrassments of every kind; and Ministers
would, of course, devise the best means of getting over them.
Hi thanked the meeting for the honour done him, and would
road the resolutions which he intended to propose.
" 1. That the system of Slavery, as it is now maintained in
the West Indies and other Colonies of Great Britain, a system
which degrades many hundred thousands of our fellow men to
tile condition of chattels, to be bought and sold at pleasure, ap-
pears to this Meeting to be utterly inconsistent with the ina-
lienable natural right of men, with the benevolent precepts of
Christianity, and with those essential principles of that British
Constitution, which ought to secure to all his Majesty's sub-
jects, wherever situated, an equal participation in the benefit
of the laws.
2. That we consider it our bounden duty, as Christians
and Englishmen, to promote by all justifiable means, and with
a due consideration of the interests of all parties concerned, the
immediate mitigation of that system, and its total extinction at
the, earliest, safest, and practicable period ; and that we cor-
dially approve of the Resolution to this effect proposed by Mr.
Cginning to the House of Commons in May, 1823, and unani-
mously adopted by that Honourable House.
it is with the deepest regret we observe, that the
wise proposals made by his Majesty's Government for the pur-
poi of effecting these just and benevolent ends have either re-
ceived little or no attention from the several West Indian CO-
lenial Legislatures, or, after consideration, have been positively
rejected.
4. That, under these circumstances, we consider it our
duty to support the Government in tie prosecution of their
great object, and to petition the Parliament of Great Britain to
take such further measures as may appear to them to be most
desirable, in order to surmount the difficulties occasioned by so
Unreasonable an opposition, and effect the immediate mitiga-
tion, and, with as little delay as possible, the final and entire
abolition of British Colonial Slavery."

fdr. T. KETT expressed his hearty wishes for the success of
the meeting, and seconded them.
Colonel WODEIIOUSE, M.P. was anxious to rescue himself
from the imputations of hostility, or even of indifference to the
interesting cause which was now under their discussion ; and
though be had the misfortune to differ from many most respect-
able gentlemen whom he saw near him, he would yield to no
man "..1 zeal and ardour in behalf of the unfortunate African.
Me would be unworthy of the name of an Englishman who,
Aimself possessing the blessings of a free Constitution, did not
dispense them to every part of the globs. For this opinion he
claimed no merit • it required little ability to proclaim that
Slavery ought to be abolished; but he feared this call for the
speedy abolition would be most detrimental to that cause which
they all supported. It was with no little astonishment he heard
that gentlemen opposite affected to come forward and call this
meeting upon a friendly footing with his Majesty's Ministers,
and affected to approve of the resolutions of 1823. Such con-
duct would be most proper, nothing could be more so, if, in-
stead of approving of, and reposing confidence in, Ministers,
they held them in suspicion and distrust; if we were dissatisfied
Wcith Government, nothing could be better than to call a county
meeting. With these meetings he was well acquainted ; they
were no where held with more frequency than in Norfolk ; and,
under certain circumstances, nothing could be more proper or
.., snore constitutional than to call the county together and petition
Parliament, or lay our grievances before the Throne; but he
was perfectly at a loss to account for ttre calling of a meeting to

tell Ministers they approved of their conduct. Would net Mi-
nisters say this was a most extraordinary way of chewing ap-
probation ? This was a ease beset with difficulties, and those
who pursued a certain line of conduct endangered the lives and
properties of the West India planters and the
.safety of the Co.
lonies. It was gross inconsistency on the part of those who
called the meeting; if they were hostile to Ministers their con-
duct was no doubt right. He would put a case to the meeting.
If Ministers took off bisrthens and reduced the taxes, and a meet-
ing was called at which those assembled said they were satisfied
with Government for what they had hitherto done, but they
should do more, Ministers might say they were obliged for such
hostility. The case before them was of a much stronger nature.
It was stated as a ground of this meeting that the Colonial Le-
gislatures treated the Orders in Council with disregard. This
was, he thought, most unreasonable ; for, admitting that the
Colonial Legislatures disregard the votes of the two Houses of
Parliament, hacked as they are by the country, are we to expect
that they will mind what we say ; it is the greatest fallacy to
think that, under the circumstances, this meeting of Norfolk,
respectable as it is, will not he laughed at. Your conduct is
a mere waste of time, and will provoke a smile of contempt upon
the part of the colonists. But there is another body of people
who will pay the greatest posale attention to your proceed-
ings; these are the slaves. Your speeches, your resolutions,
and petitions, will be sent to the colonies; the slaves will be
told of your conduct by vicious and designing people, or, what
is worse, by those who have no judgment upon the subject;
they will be told that the people of Norfolk, and of England,
wish them to be free; and they should act in a manner worthy
of freedom. The slaves would quickly take the hint and mur-
der many of their masters. Would not the blood of the plan-
ters be on the heads of those who gave such suggestions? If
in consequence of such meetings blood was shed, would not
the blood be on the heads of those woo called such meetings._
(No, no, and loud tumults.)—lle knew there were many enthu-
siasts who thought the more blood spilled the better. There
were many •entlemen present, one in particular, who stood
in the place of the good Mr. Wilberfore ; but he lamented"
these individuals were not as judicious and cautious as lie.
This question divided itself into three heads, one was the abo-
lition of the trade; and here lie must note the caution of Mr.
Wilberforce, who, though he had the abolition constantly in
his mind, never mentioned it. He spoke merely of the trade.
In this cause lie had laboured for half a century, and he never
spoke of emancipation; this he knew would be the extinction
of the question, but the pamphlets which we now see every
where speak of nothing else. His (Col. W.'s) advice would
' be, mitigate slavery, improve the slaves, make them Chris-
' tians. To this state they should be advanced before they were
worthy of the qualifications of free men. This moderate course
was far from that pursued at present. It was far from that
comprehended in the phrase, Emancipation, now used in pam-
phlets, and which served as the watch-word upon the occasion.
This. would put back the cause half a century, perhaps for ever,
and endanger the safety of the Colonies. lie was not afraid of
speeches delivered here or elsewhere ; if injudiciouS, they were
answered ; but it was not so with pamphlets ; they were circu-
lated every where; the poison was read, but not the antidote.
If those who styled themselves the friends of this measure in-
sisted upon Ministers pressing and hastening their course, they
would be the means of putting off the cause perhaps for ever.
He regretted the difficulties that were in the way ; he also re-
gretted
those that were attached to the resolutions themselves.
With regard to the Ministers and the Parliament, they were
inconsistent ; and with regard to the Colonial Legislatures,
they were a mere fallacy. \net he had said would not pre-
vent any man from signing the petition : he himself would not
sign it—God forbid lie should. He was sure those who signed
would injure the cause; but he called upon them to be con-
sistent. He called upon them to withdraw their sentiments of
confidence, and say they signed the document because they
completely distrusted his Majesty's Government.
Mr. BUXTON was aware that there were many gentlemen
present who, in a meeting of the county of Norfolk, were en-
titled to a hearing before him upon every question, with the
single exception of this. But to this cause the greatest part of
his short political life had been devoted, and he could not hear
hitnself, and those with whom he had the honour to act, de-
scribed as eager for, and desirous of, the destruction of the
planters, and anxious to raise insurrection through the West
India Islands—he could not hear himself charged and mixed
up with the consequences of certain pamphlets, without rising
to repel such imputations.
[Here Col. WoDEnonsE explained. He did not allude to
any thing that was said by the Hon. Gentleman ; he merely
spoke of certain writings that had been disseminated.]
Mr. BusToN confined himself to pamphlets circulated, not
by individuals, but to those published by the Society ; and
from what had been advanced in these, he did not wish to shrink
in the slightest degree, and he held himself perfectly answerable
for their contents. He had been charged with a wish to shed
blood—with raking up old stories, by the Gallant Colonel, who
had in die commencement of his speech stated his concurrence
in their opinion, and his detestations of slavery, but had con-
cluded by affirming that these opinions were proofs of hostility
to Ministers, and would cause the shedding of blood in the West
Indies. With regard to compensation, he had asserted there and
elsewhere that he was a friend to it. He wished compensation
should be given to all who were injured in their property. He
wished it should be given to the planter. But was there not
one who had a stronger claim—was it not due to the negro who
was not despoiled of his property alone but of all the blessings of
life? A comparison had been made with regard to Sir. Wilber-
force. In his time all was moderation, all was different from
his (Mr. Buxton's) earnest and anxious desire. Within these
two days lie had received a letter front Mr. Wilberforce, who
was said to be startled at their rapidity. In this letter lie stated
in terms of the highest exultation, that his heart was cheered in
consequence of the county of Norfolk coming forward to testify
its adherence of this detestable traffic.—(Cheers.)—As to the
word " Emancipation," all the newspapers talked with the
greatest freedom and unconcern of this awful and mysteri-
ous word. Amidst scenes of confusion and of horror are
we answerable for the blood that may be shed?—(No, no.)
—We have been told of insurrections in the West Indies;
we have heard they would take place, and so they did. We ad-
mit the fact, but who caused them ? He would give a little his-
tory of these tnsurrections—the first took place in the parish of
St. Mary (this was known by a reference to the :Parliamentary
Papers), in Jamaica. A man of the name of Roberts, had, it
seems, been scolding his slave, and he naturally wishing to
turn the discourse to some other object, told his master they
were to hare an insurrection ; in consequence of this, upon the
17th of December, seven men were apprehended, tried on the
19th, and in five days after they were executed. This took place
upon the testimony of a boy, a woman, and a man. Ile may
be asked what were his objections to the testimony ? They
were these—the boy was not sworn at all ; he was ignorant of
the nature and obligation of an oath; this, though it appear-
ed to be a disqualification as to his being sworn, was none as
to his giving testimony. He objected to the strangeness of
the tale and to the flat contradictions of the parties; he object-
ed, because the son gave testimony against his father, and the
woman against the mart to whom she was married ; he object-
ed, because the son hanged the parent, and the wife hanged the
husband. The man who was the third witness was not sworn;
his tale was altogether incredible ; he said that he was walking
along the road for water, he saw a large body of people plotting
insurrection,—they, no doubt, sought the high road for the pur-
pose of secresy, and spoke of course, in the loudest tone of voice
that they might not be heard. The boy did not confirm the
testimony of the man ; the latter saw a great multitude of men
and women, the former saw but six men and no women. Their
discrepancy in this was not more singular than their agreement
in others ; in every thing the boy recollects only what the man
sees. The parties were arrested on the 17th, convicted on the
19th, and executed on the 25th s they had no evidence ; they
were not allowed Counsel to cross-examine; they were in fact
hurried to their trial, and thence to the gallows. The .Judge
before whom they were tried, wrote to the Governor that he in-
sisted upon the Magistrates trying them immediately, as it was
highly desirable they should be executed before Christmas,
and the men were executed upon Christmas Day with all
due decorum. He would now assert it was the Planters who
were, though unintentionally, the cause of murders. To his
statement it may be said, there were difficulties in the case, and
the first question to be asked was, if there was any corroboration
of the testimony against these men. He would confess there war;
there was the testimony of Gordons an overseer, who, whilst in
bed, heard a gun fired and a trumpet sounded; upon this he
walks in his garden, and tells what he hears and sees as indica-
tions of approaching rebellion ; two men in white frocks approach
and utter these treasonable words—" this will never do." With-
out knowing the meaning of these words, he writes an account
to Government, and the two men are sent to England, to silence
the incredulous upon the subject. Were arms discovered ?
They were not; all the Police of Jamaica were employed to
find out the arsenal, but without effect. One man named
Angel, the chief of the establishment, was more fortunate, as he
discovered—not arms, but a house with a door, against which
arms may be placed; he found no bayonets—but he found a
basket, out of which they may be taken. When questioned
about powder, shot, and the stores of war, he found only a few
grains of shot, and one ball, whether for the purpose of destroy-
ing our large army, or the game of the country, could not be
explained. Did the men confess ?—the Judge says that only
one of the wretches who was executed with such decorum, ex-
hibited sentiments of repentance or religion. Repentance,
with regard to that plot ! They had no more need of it than
those whom he saw before him ; and as to religion, they had
none. More shame to those who fattened upon their labours,
who worked them with the cart whip, and left them like brutes
in want of relio'ion.—This was the reproach of the planters,
who left them without instruction, who stole from them
their sabbath, and defrauded them of all means of acquir-
ing a knowledge of their Saviour and their God. The
Judge had affirmed that one of these men had made a con-

fession. As to tht, he (Mr. B.) was incredulous; the
persons who sent th night ramblers of Gordon to England,
would not have (united an important confession. The plot was
perfectly incredible. One of the negroes who gave testimony
was tempted and intmidated; there was no corroborating proof,
no arms. no confesson ; he was therefore justified in saying
there was no plot. :Ilion another occasion 13 men were con-
victed of treason ; tieir sentence was sent to the Governor,
who had the benefitof legal advice, and his answer to the Ma-
gistrates was, that tiere was no evidence of concert or combi-
nation for eriminaleurposes against them, and he reversed the
sentences of nine, tle tenth was imprisoned for a short time in
consequence of sonu idle expressions which he might have
uttered for aniusenent. As to the second position, that they
should repose confdence in Ministers. this should be done, he
presumed, in consequence of die smooth and rapid manner in
which every thing went on. The Gallant Colonel could eearce-
ly believe that there were still 800,000 of our fellow creatures
in slavery. lie did certainly repose confidence in Ministers,
particularly upon Mr. Canning, who, up ii this question, had
acted in a mosecreditable manner, but it should be recollected
that all the assistance hitheeto derived was confined to expres-
sions. The system still went on. He was aware of the manly
language of Mr. Canning, who had affirmed that if he met
with resistarre from the Colonies, amounting to contumacy, he
would come to Parliament for new powers, but he would pre-
fer mildness The day was at length come when the Minister
should stand to his promise, and be required to be upheld by
the people tf England. Such was the power of the planters,
that, es Parliament was at present constituted, Mr. Canning
could not fu:fil his pledge if the people of England did not
rise against the abomination. Copies of the Orders in Council
were sent to Trinidad, and thence to the other Colonies, as
a pattern. By some they were received with the greatest
contempt. Other Colonies behaved more manfully. They
were so convinced of the correctness of their own system
that they said they would not alter it. He would confine him-
self to time question of amelioration. If he wished to dis-
close certain facts, he could harrow up their feelings by
stating instaeces of a man's conduct when he was in full
possession of authority. Within this century there was a
law passed in I3arbadoes, said to be for the better security
of the subject; it stated that there was in the island a great
number of negrees, mulattos, and others, the killing of whom
would be, by the law of England, murder, and would subject
the party to the loss of life and property ; but this law should
be altered, as the persons alluded to were, from the brutishness
of their nature, valued only as goods and chattels; and it is
enacted, that when, for any crime, or supposed crime, they were
put to death, the individual should not he liable to any ar-
raignment, imprisonment, or trial whatever. This was not now
the law ; it certainly was ameliorated, and the -law, thus im-
proved, was sent over here to meet the wishes of the people.
There was, he admitted, a most important change in the law
of evidence ; but it had not abolished the flogging of women
nor the absolute power of the master--:it did not put down the
driving system, nor give the negro the power of redemption ;
neither did it give him the Sabbath. This was the Act of which
the egregious Legislators spoke in splendid terms, and said it
would endear their names to all posterity, and yet this celebrated
Act leaves the negro not a man, but a mere thing to be bought
and sold, to be paid as a debt or left as a legacy ; it left him a
man, saleable an floggable, without the name, though unfor-
tunately not without the feelings of a man ; it left him deprived
of all rights, shorn of all privileges. He had no marriage, no
child, no Sunday. This code, though ameliorated, was full of
flogging. This was the punishment even for trotting a horse—
this is the punishment for the slightest possible offence ; but if
the negro.raise his hand against his master—if he lift his finger
against the white man, in defence of his life, or the chastity of
his wife, it is death without the benefit of Clergy. In Deme-
rara, the planters say that their interest in 'a slave is a fee-
simple absolute. In Trinidad the whip is said to be essential.
Some West India papers which he had seen illustrate this in
a manner which, as it alludes to a Nobleman present, may be a
little laughable. They say the whip is as essentially neces-
sary in the West Indies, my Lord Calthorpe, as the liberty of
the press or trial by Jury to you. They further maintain that
the welfare and happiness of the working classes could not
exist without the whip. The time was now come when
the people of the country must instruct their Members as
to their feelings upon the subject. He did not wish to
harrass their feelings with a picture drawn from indubitable
authority—he did not wish to lead them to the daily life and
walk of the negro. Some one would, however, shortly come
forward with the horrid detail of these miseries, and exhibit
them to the eyes of the astonished country. The negro was
perpetually flogged, ids child was perpetually flogged, they
bore upon their backs the. old and new scars ! If he were
asked his authority for these assertions, he would say they ob-
tained it in the office of the Fiscal, who, upon complaints made
to him by the negroes, generally gives them a severe flogging
by way of redress. In the House of Commons, he moved for
papers from Demerara, and added to his motion the Island of
Berbice, by mere accident, if that strange contingency by
which Providence brines deeds of darkness to light, can be
called accident. In Deilserara no accounts were found, but
those from Berbice were such as to shock and horrify. It was
from these he learned to dislike that coldness which impels a
man to think he does well when he professes himself an enemy
to slavery in ti;,2 abstract, though he does not oppose it when
in the House of Commons—who advises us to put our trust in
Ministers,and tells us that,as the penalty of our assembling here
to.day, we shall be laughed at by time Colonists. It was from
these he learned that eight hundred thousand of our fellow-
subjects, treasures of the same God, guilty of no crime but a
difference of complexion, were in a state of vile and detestable
slavery. It was from these lie learned to repeat the word eman-
cipation—he learned to think day and night of their miseries,
and to apply all the faculties of his mind and of his heart to
the overthrow of the system. He would once more say, let not
the emancipation be immediate, but let it be such as will give
protection and liberty to time children, and let be coupled to as
great an extent as you please, with a liberal and fair indem-
nity to the masters. The lion. Gentleman sat down amidst
loud applause.
Mr. J. J. GunxEv bore ample testimony to the sentiments
of Colonel Wodehoune upon the question of emancipation,
and though he had a mistaken view of time nature of the
Meeting, he believed the feelings of the Gallant Colonel
were perfectly accordant with those of his friends upon the
subject.

Lord SUFFIELD was decidedly of opinion that the public
opinion should be expressed at the present moment, for the
purpose of promoting the avowed object of Ministers. This
object was worthy of a Christian, humane, and generous people.
How was it to be effected but by the force of public opinion,
which would break the chains that bound the negroes in degra-
dation and misery ? Are not the negroes like ourselves, pos-
sessing the same faculties, and governed by the same passions ?
Have they not the same share with us in God's kingdom ? Will
any man dare say this is not the case ? Will any man dare thus
to calumniate his Maker? Are the negroes free and happy as
persons thus constituted ought to be, or is not human nature
brutalized in their persons? It remained for the people of
Norfolk, and of England, this day, to see the picture that may
be exhibited : to hear of the wife torn from the bosom of the
husband—to hear of the daughter ripening into maturity,whose
look of innocence, and voice of kindness, were the comforts of
her parents, torn from their protection, and sacrificed a victim to
barity and lust ? They might hear of females far advanced in
pregnancy forced to slave-labour.
Here the HIGH SHERIFF appealed to his Lordship's good
taste, and asked if, in consequence of the presence of ladies in
the gallery, general instances would not suffice.
Lord SUFFIELD said there was not a man in England who
had a higher respect for the female sex, but he had a duty to
discharge to 800,000 fellow creatures, and he felt bound to
speak plainly. Pregnant women were sent to pick coffee, and
when they could not stand they were obliged to work upon
their knees. Children in consequence came to the world prema-
turely, and in some cases, from the violence practised upon the
parents, with the arm broken and the eye knocked out. These
facts were vouched upon the authority of the Fiscal, and would,
he trusted, arm the gigantic might of public opinion against
the system. The habit of branding men for offences in this
country was discontinued as too barbarous, but the negroes
were branded without offence at all. They were. allowed no
Sunday—they had no marriage tie—the blessings of the Gospel
were withheld from them—they were encouraged in habits of
licentiousness. In a population of 65,000 black and white, the
complexion of 40,009 slims at once their lineage and the state
of society. The law in some of the colonies is now amended.
Ifs black offer violence to a white he may be punished at the
discretion of two justices, short of life and limb. If a negro
aid or abet a slave in escaping from the islands, he may be
punished in a similar manner. If a white man commit this
offence lie is subject to a fine of 1001. Lord Bathurst objected
to this law that it was founded in injustice, and inflicted the
greater punishment upon the less aggravated crime. As the
white man was higher in rank and education, he was the
greater criminal, and his punishment should be more severe.
His. Lordship made a similar comment upon the law respecting
perjury. By the law of Barbadoes, the looseness with which
clauses were worded authorized a negro to be punished if
he had a single article of property. He would now re-
fer to the documents lately procured from the Fiscal's Office
in Berbice. It would, perhaps, be well to add that
the Fiscals were the authorised protectors of the slaves;
there were but three of them in the colonies, and but for these
officers no information at 'all would he procured. From these
it appeared that women carrying children upon their backs were
required to weed grass and coffee, and were flogged rd. s u
ck lngtheir children ; their clothes were stained with
bshe could not
three stakes
Com-
plaints were made, but the Fiscal does not favour us with the
result. In another instance a female was tied to
and flogged with cart-whips ; her fault was that .
be sold. A man named Felix had a black wife, wheal the ma-

eager of the estate took away, though he had a wife of his own;
upon complaint the acting Fiscal went to the estate with the
proprietor, and the result was, that Felix was flogged for idle-
ness, and the manager reprimanded. Upon another occasion
the manager of an estate wanted from his slave his daughter
Peggy ; the father refused and was flogged ; the demand was
repeated on a Friday, and upon the denial of the father he was
again flogged on the Saturday. 'He would not conclude the
story. The female Rosa, in a state of pregnancy, was ordered
to pick coffee; being unable to stoop she went upon her knees;
the manager ordered the whip to be given her until her blood
flowed ; upon the next Sunday she was delivered of a dead child.
(The HIGH SHERIFF again appealed to the good taste of
the Noble Lord.)
Lord SUFFIELD said, this was the last case of the descrip-
tion. He did not say any thing that could hurt the sensibility
of the most delicate. His object was to bring these acts to the
feelings and heart's core of every man, woman, and child—that
public o'nnion should roll like the flood that bursts its barriers,
and cause emancipation. There was another case which, in the
discharge of his paramount duty, he would not omit. The
man, Scipio, had been placed in the stocks for fourteen days—
and when in a state of debility and exhaustion, he was flogged
at the water's side, that the lash might not be heard. He
would not continue these details. He might be guilty of a
breach of taste, but he would not be guilty of a dereliction of.
duty. It was known to his friends what pain it cost him to ap-
pear in public; but when he came forward, neither England
nor Norfolk should see him shrink. It should be recollected
that the papers from which he read extracts were furnished but
by three Fiscabt ; consequently they did not contain a fortieth
part of the enormities that were practised. The Noble Lord
then referred to "the Jamaica Gazette" received in August,
which exhibited the degraded state of the negroes. They were
advertised with the cattle ; a black was described as having two
marks—a roan horse as having three. Notices are given of
stray negroes, and horses being found—and of their being sold,
unless the expenses shall he forthwith paid. Thus, to all in-
tents and purposes, continued the Noble Lord, the negroes are
treated as the brute part of the creation. In the same Gazette,a
pregnant female and cow in calf are advertised for sale, if not
claimed. In one week ninety.seven deserters were apprehended,
seven were to be sold for debt, seventeen out of workhouses ;
they were marked with frightful scars, many had lost their
teeth, come a finger and eye. %Vomen are described as scarred
upon the back and stomach. He did not know them, nor would
he own them as countrymen if they preserved a guilty silence
under this aggravation of horrors. He implored them to avail
themselves of that liberty which they possessed, and in which
they gloried, and rescue eight hundred thousand fellow‘crea-
tures from the rapacious lust exercised upon them with impu-
nity by the hand of lawless power.
Mr. Nosaasox disapproved of the words " scornfully re-
jected," as applied to the planters.
Lord Surrixtp said the fact was so, there was no use of
mincing it; the authority of this country was scornfully re-
jected by those whom he did not wish to call monsters.
Mr. NOSZASON said he was well acquainted with the plan-
ters ; they were men of property in the West Indies, and were
as much proprietors there as as the Noble Lord was in Norfolk.
He objected to the course pursued at the meeting; facts alone
should be attended to—the minds of the negroes should not be
inflamed, neither should Gentlemen address themselves to the
feelings of the galleries, that gave, he was ready to admit, eclat
to such meetings a► this.
Here the Gentleman received a decisive proof of that eclat
which the meeting was, according to him, so adequate to be-
stow. The disapprobation was so general that he was inaudible.
' Silence being restored upon the interference of the High
Sheriff,

Lord SUFFIELD said as it was the wish to make as many
friends as possible the obnoxious word should be expunged,
and the word " posisively" inserted in its place.
Mr. Nosseesose profeseed himself a friend to the emancipa-
tion of the negroes, but wished to have some precise plan laid
down upon the subject. He thought the people should be taxed
to remunerate the planters, and he had no objection ,to pay the
tax himself: He was inclined to make a motion, containing,
as a principle, the allowing of a fair, just, and equitable remu-
neration to alfparties.
Lord SUFFIELD said the motion was perfectly unnecessary,
as the Resolutions submitted to die meeting contained one ex-
pressly upon that point.
Lord CarerHoitrE felt himself relieved from the necessity
of justifying the conduct of those by whom this Meeting
was called ; their conduct was fully justified by the shock-
ing outrages by which the system of slavery was charac-
terized. Was it to be endured, that a British subject
sanctioned by British power and authority, should not
only stand in defiance of the Government, but should
represent as unwise and imprudent, a measure adopted
in the cautious spirit of humanity. It was peculiarly
disgusting to find that this measure should in proportion
as it accorded with the feeling and heart of the country, be re-
presented as the heated offspring of a wild, almost mad, disre-
gard of justice. Who could have supposed that the instruc-
tions which were more agreeable to the spirit of this country
than any other, should be received as they are stated to have
been to die Colonies. Such conduct could be scarcely paral-
leled in a helpless, weak, precarious Government that was in a
state of absolute dependence upon its Colonies. He did not
wish to dwell upon this part of the subject, but he could not
imagine a more humiliating spectacle, than that England should
be braved, dared, insulted by those who depend upon her con-
sumption for their political being and existence. With respect
to the question of remuneration, he thought strict justice should
be done, all that they could justly claim for any sacrifice should
be given to the planter, but he could not help thinking that
these claims should be so advanced as to appear upon all hands
consistent with human justice. He would take high ground,
would maintain that the interest of the country, her free Con-
stitution, the liberty in which she exults and glories, call upon
us to put an end to this frightful pestilence. The English cha-
racter will be redeemed by even the cessation of this monstrous
evil, and we shall all be cleared from the mass of self-reproach
arising from this opprobrium. To effect this object, it is only
necessary to call the attention of the English people at large,
to the events which have taken place, by. the confession of
those engaged in the administration of justice, and who
held legislative situations in the Colonies. There is no-
thing required but to bring the might of English humanity
to act upon this mass of evil, and induce every man
to give a portion of what he has to rescue his country
from this frightful, miserable, and he feared he might say, in-
creasing opprobrium. Why do we find in the West Indies,
and there alone, that the ordinary protections of the adminis-
tration of justice, upon which we set such a value, and which
the poorest man in the land who enters a Court is sure to have,
should be not alone suspended but perverted ; that there and
there alone they should not be the forms and charters of unequi-
vocal blessings, lade. shelter for gross and foul oppression.—
He lamented, he deplored the existence of the system, and he
was sure that no man could be the proprietor of a slave with-
out being tempted to abuse an authority with which no man
should be entrusted. _ _

E. Worn tiousE, Esq., M. P., addressed the meeting, and
testified his concurrence in their opinions respecting Emanci-
pation.
The Resolutions we unanimously carried.
The petition was read, approved of, and resolved that It
should be presented to the Lords. by Lord Suffield, and to the
House of Commons by the County Members.
Thanks were voted to the Sheriff; and the meeting adjourned.

The following is a copy of tha Petition adopted by the
Meeting :
" To the Hon. the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland
in Parliament assembled,
"The Petition of the undersigned Freeholders and Inha-
bitants of the County of Norfolk ; sheweth.

" That your Petitioners are deeply impressed with the con-
viction, that the system of slavery, us it is established in the
West Indian, and other Colonies of Great Britain (a system
which degrades 800,000 of our fellow-men to the condition of
chattels, to be bought and sold at pleasure, and which occa-
sionally exposes them to the most grievous sufferings)—is utter-
ly inconsistent with the unalienable natural right of man, with
the benevolent precepts of our holy religion, and with the glo-
rious principles of the British Constitution, which ought to se-
cure to all his Majesty's subjects, in whatever situation, a full
participation in the benefits of even handed justice and equal
laws.
" That your Petitioners consider that the continued main-
tenance of such a system involves this nation in the deepest
guilt ; and that it is our indispensable duty, as Christians and
Englishmen, by all justifiable means to promote it immediate
mitigation, and final extinction.
That while your Petitioners cordially approve of the Reso-
lutions unanimously passed to this effect by your Honourable
House, in May 1823, and while they are thankful for the efforts
so wisely made since that period by his Majesty's Government,
in order to promote the great end in view—they deeply regret
that the fervent desires of the British people, the declared sen-
timent of Parliament, and the strong recommendations of the
Government, have hitherto been rendered almost entirely abor-
tive-by a local opposition of the most determined and disgrace-
ful character.
" That under these circumstances, your Petitioners earnestly
beseech your Honourable House to take the subject into your
reconsideration, and to adopt such further measures as shall
appear to you the best calculated to overcome so unreasonable
an opposition, and to insure the immediate amelioration, and
as early as possible (consistently with the safety of all the parties
concerned) the final and entire abolition of the British Colonial
Slavery."