The Sun.
London, England, 1814-06-28 00:00:00

THE DUKE •OF WELLINGTON.

Lord CASTLIEREACHI said, he now rose, to give'
notice of a motion .for the Thanks of the House
to the Duke of Wellington, for his eminent-Ser-
vices to this Country, and to ,Lurope. As Par-
liament were accustomed, on Certain occasions,
to dispense with the formality of an interyal be-
tweeu the notice and the motion, he should, di it
met the approbation of the House, proeced to the
subject at once. On calling the attention of the
House to then glorious war which his Grace has
so triumphantly ended, he sh:oald not go into any'
detail of events, or weaken the universal impres'-'
sion of those great services by any deScription of
his own. ,la truth; when we looked hack to the
unparalleled events that had taken place-, they
appeared even more like the incidents of a ro-
mance than a series of ,'facts. When we took
a retrospect of time commencement of the Noble
Lord's long and powerful services in the Peninsula,
we found him landingin the presence of a I)lMlC-
rically superior army, intoxicated with victory,
and commanded by one Of,the greatest Generals
of the age; we fouud him cooducting his forces to
re-iterated successes, ivitlmout any one circum-
stance that could throw a shade eiti.o:r on the Mi-
litary glory of the country, or on his own con-
summate-talents. It was a new point in the an-
nals of the country, that a General, however-great
his abilities, should have been able to conduct his
forces
,agaiost a superior army of the most distin-
-ituished Commander when» the French Revolu-
tion. had produced, and in no instance to combat
it without
,gaining a victory. It was not extra-
ordinary thatsuckabilities Shouk inspire general
confidence, and that such a Commander should have
risen to the most important military dignity which
could beconferred on him by the country he had sav-
ed: It was not extraordinary that the Government of
that ,country should have had such Confidence in
him as to make, him their Captain General, and
voluntarily place the whole of their troops under
• his command ; or on clOsing his exploits, that he
• should be received in the capital of? that country
with universal acclamations and joy ; for every'
human being in the Peninsula must, admire the
services he had performed for it. In short, we
now find, at the termination of his eminent career,
not one thing to lament—his career, on the con-
trary, is unclouded by any one circumstance, even
-in a moral point of view, which can give rise
• to the slightest regret ; but has been such as to
entitle him as fully to the gratitude of the enemy
as to the admiration of ourselves. The services of
the Duke of itlarlborough, eminent as they
were, need not be- brought into competition
with thoSe of the Duke of Wellington ; for the
latter had been far more arduous. It was ama in- '
teresting feature in the services of the Duke Of.
Wellingtim, that the nature of the war rendered
them of a very. different description frOmia those of '
the other It4Tilt Conqueror. Instead of returning
home annually to receive the thanks of his coun-
try, and to take relaxation from his fatigues, we
-find hiS arduous career in the Peninsula to have
been one continued struggle, perpctualty crowned
with success. For this his Country and Parlia-
grient were now-called upon to offer him their eon-
gratulations and Thanks. So eminent indeed had
been his services, that he was now about to re-
-ceivu the Thanks of the House for the twelfth
time !--(Loud cheering- from all parts of the
House.) His Lordship concluded with saving,
that-it now,only remained for hiM to move, ":That
the Thanks of.that House be given to 'Field-Mar-
shal the Duke of WiAlington, for-his late di;tin-
.guished services, and
.that a 'Cotinnittee be ap-
pointed to wait upon hint; and communicate the
same." . . 1

Mr. WYNNa could not but,deciare that it ;vas
a proud circumstance for this country to- have an
opportunity, after the long•period of.an,hundred
years, to recur to a. precedent on their journals,
and record therein a second"monument of trans-
cendunt BritiSli valour. The parallel, however,
between tile,two cast*, it4inust-lie,admittr:tl,•was

extremely small. The career of the Duke of Wel-
lingtouton, 'like that of the Duke of Marl-
:borough; had been one :of unremitted success ;
but the Dukeof Wellington had the singular me-
• rit commanding different armies, all o: %vhich
had served together with as !Mich vtlotir and
unanimity as' if they had been the subjects of
one-Sovereign. On voting thanks to the Duke
of Marlborough, the House had thought proper to
recognise not only his military services, but his
tateritS as a Negotiator. Ile-ilYartil Wish to
gest to the Noble Lord it soniething of this kind
might not be-introduced into the present.-Vote. It.
Was a proud fact .to .rellect on, that though, the
Duke of Wellington bad commanded an. army
composed of different nations,
,he hail never
fought a battle. which he had not gained,,nor ever
besieged a place which he did not Capture. He
therefore thought-the same panegyric ought. to be
paid to the Duke of Wellington as had been be-
stowed on his predecessor
The motion .was then put and carried unani-
mously.'
'Mr. 'WYNNE wished to ask theNoble,Lord op-
posite, whether, as the Militia were 'low being
disbanded; it were not his intention to propose On
the present occasion a vote of.ThankS for their
services and exemplary conduct.
Lbrd CASTLEREAGIi replied, that he should take
an early-opportunity to propose the. vote.
SLAW: TRADE tAtloLmoti.
Arr. WHITBREAD presented a l'evition,from the
Town of Bedford, on the Slave Trade AbOlitiOn.
On itsfbeing brought up, •
Mr. OSBORNE ce.nsured some parts of its con-
tents, Which gave it the,nature of a party Mea-
sure, by'finding' fault with the conduct of Go-
vernment ; many persons who were consequently
informed of thik.,Ciretnnstance, had declared they
would not have signed it; if they had been aware.
of the passage's in question.
Mr. WHITBREAD 'briefs replied, and the Peti-
tion was placed on the table.
Mr. WunnavortCp, presented an enormous Pe-
ti.tion from the Inliiibitants .of London and
iklesex, on the same 'subject. The Hon. Gentle
man stated, that it Contained
.30720 signatures,
*Well had been obtained within the last three' or
four dais; and added., that it it 'had remained a
little longer, there Was no doubt that the number .
woold-have been doubled. It was received' and
read,

Mr. WriertEttroncE said', he rose under feelings'
peculiarly oppressive, and with a veryh'eavy heart,!
to discharge the duty imposed upon him relative.
to the subject before the House..
,After the exer-,
tions he had made for the long period of twenty-
Six years, and when he had hoped that the Object'
he had steadily 'kepi in view would have been ac-
complished to itS.'fullest extent, it would be diffi-,
cult to explain the heaVy kind of sensation whielt
now oppressed him:, on spcing that object in a
great...degrce frustrated. After having, during
so. long a .course, succeeded in obtaining great.
success for the.. cause Which .be had so feebly!
advocated, he had perhaps, in sotne,degree,,-ae-:
custOitied himself to believe that the character, of
the Slave Tratte' had been fixed for ever ; and thati
it would never twain:have met :tvith advocate's who
would have presumed to show their faces in the
world. Unhappily he was•mistaken in his conjec-
ture, and -we had lived, to find that, a great, im-
portant, and civilized nation, at'the very moment
when the greatest of blessings had been conferred
upon her, refusing to acquiesce in our 'desires,
while we had given: up to her those very princi-
pleSfor which we bad so long contended. If, on
his first rising, lie had been led iwo an expression,
of his acute feelings, he had not so expressed
self with a- yew to call for any explanation as to
Whether the article in the Treaty.. witi:h now lies
befere the House could have been avoided ; as the
Papers by Which that transaction conic! be ex-
plained werenot yet current. All he knew was,
that not long ago, 'the .House had presented an
Address, imploring his Majesty to use his utmost
endeavours, during the Negociations, to induce,
the Allied Powers to consent to the total aboliti2n
of the Slave Trade; and that his Majesty, in re-
turn, had assured the House that no endeavours:
Should be Wanting on hiSpart to affect the desira-
'lile object. Ile had, therefore, reason to suppose
that'all possible exertions had been Made to attain
this object. He wished to state what was not the
nature Of his Motion, because be Wiis anxious to be
understOmi as not being inclined to condemn the-.
conduct 'of the Negociator, at the same time that he
did notipledge himself tacitly 'to approve of it.' He.
was only desirous to support even now, as far as pOs-
sible, that great cause of which he:had been so long
and so nnworthily the adviteate. He would wish to
strengthen the hands of his MRie,sty!s Ministers,
that they Might haVe an oppoilnitity of showing
what had, been done on so important an occasion :
for the 'more the country had an Opportnnity cif
testifying their feelings, 'the tnore it so rid ap-
pear that there was but one 'decided and inclubit-
able opinion on the subject. The present Mn-
meat was one of pride and exultation at seeing
amongst its, the great men to whom the country
was 'so trinch indebted : hence, When we were
hurried rs ty by the *impulse of out feelings' in
their behalf, . there Was 'not so mach time to at-
tend to tliat different feeling which so imiVer-
Sally prevailed on' the subject tinder his notice.;
otherwise he might say, that this feeling was one
of deep regret and disappointment. The Peti-
tions expressed the gene"iaT Wish, that if, bye airy
means the country could he saved -front this ar-
ticle of tite Treaty and its deplontble effeetiavert-
cd from us, that such means, whatever they may
be, should yet be adopted, and the sum andsrib-
stanee of this article be at (Mee .ohtained. We
were all induced to hope, that as the exe.:cons of
this country-had already been successful- to ii-cee-
rain extent., that it may yet
,be saved once unite
from all the evils and miseries of the Slave Trade,
and that therefore just me:!sures may be adopted
to rescue Africa from a continuance of the abo-
mination. Another part of his intended motion
would be, to implore of his Royal' Highness the
Prince Regent,' that in any other meeting on the
subject of the Treaty; that instructions be given
'to his Ministers to avoid consenting to a similar
artielenith any other Power. It gave in-
.deed,, great pleasure to learn. that Holland had ac-
quiesced in our deterinimition to iiholish the
Trade, He must therefore be allowed to ex-
press the gratification; he experieuced on this ae-

count. We had, howevee, recOgnif.vl Ole 'l.***areeil
of Guadeloupe, and still Sweden "°t'tftion,
to.aholisb the. Trade. In his view of tile que'ald
the cession of a'colony to any Power
not enter into our ideas was a real cl-lberea
Denmark had abolished the traffic, and
fore that country ought not to be 'Pi se-
io the censure, as we have an additiooo
tioit
curity in the Treaty just entered into %It'll)! - the
Power., When he had formerly. argue;wisit
question, it was .only necessary to he
facts, and when once these were made 01u
could not fail in his objecte But the "Se.
)0 of
now worse. By the nature of the Coo
this country, when a treaty had been rat siet
there %vas no course but to acquiesce in
the general feeling undoubtedly was, that tIO
inearta should he used to prevent the fail" °so'
country from being pledged to give tip Vol
siots, which while we had been at war, w'r,eia•kals
under the express condition that. the Slay.e,/erirli
should not be continued in them. • C""st-i,-
first the Preliminary Articles, and afterlva):', %,,•e
Definitive Treaty, he could'irot-bot re;Jet
had not had an opportnnity of farming )))/..), 11)4
n ;vent upo the former, which did mot cowe
usual regular shape. I4ad the case beet) tfte
apparent by, a regular :Prelitninary '6:01
voice of the country, would hive been be`k,)',,,a..Jls
one end tti-tbefether, iiiiPloring that. by
this article Might receive the satiction
went ; for 110 sacrifice oilii have ;we .l'ircaeft
too great to redeem us from alie odium ir);:ec;ltic
by that article. He was 'attai that the '
10304
would have stated, that they.could not, c ca?
tently with their conscience; agree to %vi
Cession ;'and the effect would have been, '
' t"t
should not •have to regret, that we hove'
inoment;ao--deplorable art article befire
Slave Trade -he regaPded 7z;s the grkait,eat pr''ot to
evil that.could exist. Its magrritißte 11,110ti'
be be estimated-by the five thousaud, or
sand, the fifty thotiaand, or the huodreds o'
sands of persons, or by the nullifier 0'
hcings, however great- it might • he, Which
sigoed.to 'bondage; Its horrors. were to ht ~2r
in this—in the vast .diliusion of iniaery a.as
caused throughoilt a vast -continent, caro)
thus kept 16.3 suite. of irreclaiiliable
in.which it must ;villain till this oci:oul; trort7la (ft
terminated. Ile• •lior- %vial) to speak lior.','o"re?
the motives by whielt France was actinitea
fusing heraconselif, to i,ta abOtit'Qoaaf
He could no`tbot. perauade himself that tat
pOsse.sed of the 'saute deeree .if info; al;lt'').`o,lll'
„the sobjeet ayhichhalliectt•flli oished to ,
• try, her people` would be against colitis:o'2'W
and her (iovernors ashamed-to
.sland
half: One great difficulty in the wayof e"11,),,
our demand for its immediate abolit'ion, arc"' 104
of our own conduct. The length of titne
-pc
taken to consider of it before it had be•--rt'
au end to, furnished France with a 13'r he
:'
icase for not immediately acceding to otir
This
.ipsl been urged in -various os
strongly-
publications and debates 'tin the tllfestl°aleP
..the Slave 'Trade.. They' forgot that bierat
caused it to be so long delayed, Was
,was. -thought other countries would carrY
we did not, and thus the cause of humaiiit!, c %vg
ef
gain little by our giving it up otirselves,'„oaroo've
could persuade. the other Powers of '9 1,00-1(1:
enter into our view, Alas ! what a 11.1e' 1
Or this argument was furnisl'e, cy
use now made of it againsooursel yes. 1 jives Pr
told its, " Yoit had time to prepare yOors,'„ achlity
its abolition, and '%ve must have the s3'l),-,,,ast
tage." Yet in justice to ourselves, it goll‘..'
admitted, we had put an end to it with t`
ral voice Of the nation in favour of the
at, a time whet) greater interests in this. ',c-ill"1"
were likely to he-affected' lay it, than 3,„;artr•c,'
could by possibility suffei. from it in- *,,d WO'
NVith large Iry rhte stab!' I annet' .ett"r
. e is unents c ret 4
it, and with colonies.yieldiug annually a el toi),-a.
ofnine or ten millions, %vhich they were
be greatly injured by the discontinuanced,
Slave .r.frade, it had been at one aboii'l)c).s,fishy
wished it to be stated .to Foreign l'o',',„atoi":;
suoli were the sacrifices we had made for liteaell
and having Made them, bad never,
entertaining the most sordid mercanti'e,aoo,q
t
Lion, had-reason to view them for 01'elit,,dfl'f)13
with regret. 'No inconvenience hid rest e
aM the
the change, and there was reason to li°P.c,
litical stina of the West India Col°!'ilour.011;
be improved and strengthened 'by it, ";11,cre
sessions in that quarter of the wori'' `, the
to derive the most solid advantages frcn„:),,,rett t'l'l-
ti_o(l Of that measure. When bec°s'-the
the French Islands had less -"oti (`)I. ""`
OCCaI cau it
of Slaves than the r.,,i)giish Colonies,
brit cherish a hope that even maw satile'it tll:101)1'7
Ve.gaiticd from France in favour of tb la this b.1.1r,
race of which he was the advocalc'oon
f tto
might be too sanguine ;as he rement •
the real object of French Govc.rn.eiett;ile
101(liog the Slave Trade, was le that
island of St. Domingo. To re-PeQP, I,•,Ance,
island, if such were really the Plat' thret?
would be necessary to transeert lAvc) 91: •
Africa• ;-
lions of persons from. the shore-5 %". hitcrpg'4, ,
aimY w.ay 1.443 Could be preventeo 'not said 31);
• :ion tee ought to, interre. el:1"115 which he lin::
thing on this subject in the Adt:ri
tended to propose, but as he le4l:a`
is;.t!acl,ll.ta°l,
t1c5.4,4-n of' France, he -wished ttl%,t't.- t-0 rer,.C;
.of atteniptine- to carry it lilt° iaiShe•ala
seated CO thC.',r)FITOCI) (.49‘Trilt)lent. onclocp44 tiltE
CaSt no refleetions Ott those wII° Ite-o"!;,t
late. N.egociations, hut at thug sone-
I,nd 0:20,
to say, the impression on his o‘s'n n „iv' op
nothing eoukt have. induced hint to 40,D
F;ench Giloities, but 03 COIVIirI°II that
ves Far 10)1, 1 Ai),
not be cid; ivNed bvnicansco ticroe,
ce"sure his Noble, Friend (Lord !Lev
thottflit
-,
(4)°b t .I tb d
e
botiaa tros acluoiviedge,
1'
itot always ;;..rear) on this t yet,
aeo ~, lla
time that Noble Lord had been in 0 _
l)s
exerted himself by evcrY ri~f •ble wea
effecc• haat)
the al,;ftialst Slave.
feara.alAhe„qiwations on this
considered sufiicieutly early during.,tEle
„lienta %:e
br,.
3.
ciations.* If, %vhen ammo able arroli,g;tl.ll,4
first discussed, the I.tit uage of Isla
" %re will restore to Prance the u(na'n
,ena to,
take on her consenting to p.a.
,r,..o,„hiy
a
;gave I'raile., the4l.llies
'pledged themselves to support the P"
g

!s- 14)r

firatiCe yielded tlie liad
liCh. point." Ite regretted that
:tad not earlv,ealled the attention .of Govern-
rent to this siibject, that ihe'Coriditions might be
have h
s"!sed On which alone her Colonies ,ought to
6en restoi•cd., he now 'wished; was,
that the voice of •Pagianient and of the Nation
of raid he raised4gainst '-t!.e further continuance
lavr Trade, in the hope that such an ap-
•sice4l. rnight lie
to the feelings of. the French
lade,
'they. ‘vodid not refuse to give up the
vrattl in Slaves, and he for one would be
content to such a concession by
part., lase
I‘viereiniz.siotatpopoilionate sacrifice. If tfi e trade
once terminated, be 'trusted the pe-•
ifcl of its continuance would, be shortened, and
not done be should expect at least,
Af--; thev'would,not carte it,on in those, parts of
kirr,a wilere We had succeeded in rooting out,
le to substituting for it a legitimate commerce.
bee,,,ii,a(litl.st heard of a body of,Slave Dealers haV-
te," P" down near Sierra Leone,
,so that an
tie'''. of coast of seven or eight hundred miles was
tid.Zd• He was eXulting'that these human vul-
e,°44l no longer seek their prey ;—that there
*i4, ants. would not longer be stimulated to
.npon each other, when the Treaty of
th l'ne Lord met his eye, and checked hisjoy.
ttit-°s' Parts, a considerable improvement .11. ad
(Te'‘`lein the situation of the natives.
haTheaPied Many, and froth 100 to 150 were in
Prolie of receiving daily instinction. Was a
•,,;(40th- so fair to!be now skied, and these un-
IVe ,;ate ).
beings abandoned to increased misery .
ght to obtain some security that the Slave
‘ w°i'lld not be renewed in these paris: But
etr;oParticulariv incumbent on England to take
e
when the perivld fur which by the
411 old the Treaty it was to be continued
41;1„' expire, that its abolition SboUld take place.
144 t aware that it might be said when that
%a c as
°lles, " France has -nOw great iuterets
tkpeeer;led iu the-trade, and.it is not reasonableto
thasect will give it up." lie was not one of
of th aria considered as nothing the' recognition
the s'ie Principle, which had been obtained, that.
t,,l'N'hatve Trade ought not to continue. This he
tN,j,` of great importance. Ile was not dis-
St,() say France -did not intend to fulfil the
the Treaty which pie ea her to abolish
.rtaCave Trade at the end of five years ; -hut
Ilitib 'ee awes subject to the weaknesses of human •
414, and a,,zainst the 'effects" of-these she ought
e' ieasures to secure herself as Much as pos-
ler, ,the ikholition'of the Slave Trade might to
41r1 ',"ePendent on the- article now agreee
to be at once deelai ed by all die great
:t'cite 1-4,.4)1. &mine, that, contimfe the Slave
Itolatiatter the five vears.have passed; will he .a
44. .Jl4 (If piihlie hw. This cle,creed now, if no
ctnalcoLld be made iir'the- Treaty, more ef-,.
(1 to Meet his.wisbes, would enable •the
prance to uy„eo the Colonial _and Ship-
‘,l.Youhave no right to :say you
in the traffic oil. an .understanding) that •
tj~di of its cr.ntinuance would be extruded
rk live years, as, from the expiration -of .-
V0'4,1.ic.1-.4q
~ it -becomes an offence against the
Enripe.- lle,hadthought of pro-
:4`6ll4;"at it should be denounced as piracy
z4i too tiro ; but on reflection he had felt •it '
toer)it to to -expect that-Fr ance would con-'
t,nu,t kit,7lt,,,that naive-to a -traffic which -she was-
'eat c'crty to enjoy for five years 'with the.
,g,,t'Eugland.• Jt was as well .not to use
t'ade 14'"s) as, at all events, the• Treaty might-he
to)(L'ired, when the five ,yearsshou.biri
still° *lra the, mean time, his hopes of ei tic tu,fr
e favour of .Afrien rested on the! act of
e; of Russia, the Rhig of Prussia; add
‘4l'tiol-tt:t°,,,r of Austria being ill favourable to its
' If they were adequately .acquninted
e extent of the evil, he doubted not. :they
'u
w,
tthat "'c'Perate Nvi.th Great 21.1ritain in securing
Rri,Pa' 4
ed.lld er existing eiteumstances, might be' •
‘vi,". of si 't was to him peculiarly a .subject of
laine and pain, to reflect, that at.a.tinie
t retrirtr of Peace, and
to dq e•-41- to off rtiolrin _-the
our thanks to Heaven, for put-
til° the tad to the war, that ,e •stoidd be direct-
-11,-1111/41ild we
°I misery and,dcsolation against the
lit:"rotre 11'14 inhabitants of, the coast of Africa,
• Ceti ig %()ti''tilities were to be carried ou with
trej'ttl ‘v!Passing a ,COllllllOll war in Zurope,
Worltj circumstances as much more dis-
kaet as 1", o those
-of a. war. in this part of the
e
I e a state of war is worse than
by
s feelingly contrastel with the noble.
rPit 'tNiWarfare which had been conducted
their inei,ll4)le and Illustrious Witrricir, V:)rose
it had been properly brought under
: 'tration. that day. Permitting 'France
\vas ' `Slave Trade, was not like tarrying
a6oujtb`'t it le:at God forbid, that he should say it
-`0 be Aire', repugnantto his feelings, that we
-:"Pplie''• her Colonies, knOwing they were
1144 titre lee with hail& thiS:aborninable traf-
the %.I(l.v4t‘v i:,v,,eepitulated the objects which he
,Cion uice of re: ()aging this subject forward. If
°Ppeo.'e're atte,-; 11, feeling, humanity, and reli-
.qf 46- `v4S .%(1 to by France, 'When a further
cii e behalf of the iinfOrtunate sous
°f tit nut. be ;,cot''~ doubt the' result. They
futsensible to
,what history would say
w, if j ure limes when all their heads were
s.st
Curip4 ourlably: to'
seize an oppoitunity the
%,(1 the
re c in the history of the world for se-
tlieui`,l he the ilk's," of Africa ; and how different
sth„tuctates „,,41,4 of the historian, if obedient to
111;i1 shivery "si'l utimanity arld ce, decreed
411°11 he vo,11:1thl‘ be known j
nousti morte,hey from that
itre t° record, that to perform, if they compelled
I,4t.ences, the firs haying having adjusted their own dif-
te4 ()f inter,l4 use or-Atie by the Europeans of a
ftud•a4e cotati Peace, was to make war where
this hg r6illions,"t be oti:ered, and doom unof-
o rY• hi-lather part of the globe, to
R,,e4gtreat :eluded, by moving an Address
,07satisti_s..ono th© Prince Regent, expressing
Is.c.c ~,,ede'lLll,
an? the successful efforts made to
mt to the' Ab and particularly Holland, to '
Ilnees4ng regretul'tion
‘,17 the,Slave Trade, but
t,4 and Su
.that France had not done the
iii 6dar, §9!.n.e itirs,iting the expediency of attemping
on;reas. The
concessions at the approach-
Val hint. Address embodied all the
tOti, q, and
of ,
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, .
: • deeply i'egi;etted that any teniporrity obstacles
should be thrown in the way of the AbolitiOn- of
the Slave Trade. Ile might, libWever, if 'disposed
to do so; have complained of the course taken by
his Hon. Friend '(Mr. Wilberforce) 'in -hringirig
this took under the consideration Of the flotise
separate from - the Treaty, and thus placing the
whale ariangeMent in au invidious point of view
This was that which be might have urged ; but if
on the question of the Slave Trade he could not
satisfy -them he had done his duty, not only to the
Hoose and to the Nation, but even to the great
quest itself, which they had so much at heart;
he should he little disposed to shelter himself by
..any other -arraOgeMent contained in that Treaty.
The Hon.Gentlemaii seemed to think this question
had been prejudiced .hy its discussion in si.'preli-
minary Treaty, not having been brought forward.
On this point he :wished to relieve' his mind by
observing, a, Preliminary Treaty was ,as .binding
on the Crown, and consequently on the Parlia-
ment, as a-Definitive Treaty, and therefore, the
question was not.more closed now than it would
have .been, in all probability, by a Preliminary
Treatystating the outline of such an arrangement.
The question wow for thelionse to conSjilet' was,
Whether the article in the Treaty:on the sub-
ject of the Slave Trade was a benefit, and if a
benefit, whether such a benefit as the House had
a right to expect ? What the expectations of
the House had been'he knew not, but he had never
understood that .the total Abolition of .the Slave
Trade must be secured in any Treaty of Peace con-
cluded with France. He had conceived it to be
the duty of an 'English Negotiator to make every
exertion coosistentlst with the other great interests
to which he had to attend; to gain some advance
towards the abolition of the Slave. Trade, but he
apprehended he was not bound, under-any circum-
stances,.to insist at once,on the cession of-all that
was desired on thii point. in the feelings of the
present, or of the former French Government,
there was nothing that ought to prevent a Mini-
ster of England pressing forward with ardour to
acoomplish the great object in view—the final
Abolition of -the Slave Trade; but at the same
time he could not refrain from stating, there was
nothing in either that could make him believe
success inevitable, or encourage him to insist up-
on this cession as a sine qua non. In adverting to
the argiiMenis used on the opposite side, he hoped
'it would not be thought that he stated merely
that which-had occurred to his own mitid. He
had never heard that this country was prepared to
declare the Abolition of the Slave Trade her sine
"qua non, and that she would he on terms of amity
with no power in Europe who did not adopt her
views on this 'subject. lie was perfectly prepared
to say, -such a rule had never been laid down by
Parliament,,nor could it .be in reason ; for he was
certain if we could nut persuade the Powers- of
Europe to unite with us in the cause, we could
never compel theta to:do it.—(Llear. bear !,)
JosLead of 4ervin the cause of humanity, by
endeavouring to enforce its precepts at the
point of the bayonet, he was certain the
progress of that moositre, which he wished to
see ,generally adopted, would -be much .slower
if such means were resorted to, than under a per-
suasive system. The precedent' established by
the conduct of a former Gevernment bad .never
been censured by the Hon.-Gentleman, but on the
contrary had met with approbation, as according
with his views. The opinion was then, that the
cause could only triumph by gradually overcom-
ing the difficulties which opposed it: When the
measure was brought forward in the negociatious
carried on by that Government which abolished
the Slave Trade, though-no one would have betn
more likely to -open 'his views on the subject,
with perfect candour, from the ardour which
he engaged in the cause, and from hiS general
Character, than Mr. Fox, he had never made the •
• final termination of the, Slave Trade a sine qua
non. Could it be supposed, that if such had been
his intention, be would have reserved the disclo-
sure of it to the last ? Would he not rather have
said at the outset of the Negotiation," lf.France
expects,to recover her Colonies with an under-
standing that the Slave Trade is to continue, it is
fit she should be disabused. They will "not be re-
stored till the Slays-e Trade is abosished." Nothing
Of this kind was advanced ; and whin the subject
was touched upon; what. was the language held
by the then French Government ? The • answer
-given by M. Talleyrand was, " The Emperor is
-of-opinion that point-can be discussed when the
greater questions are settled." This answer was
given on the -10th of July, and the more delibe-
rate sense of the French Government may be col-
lected from a dispatch of the 2-Ith of the sante
month :—" As to the Slave Trade, Gen. Clarke
has assured me the Emperor will be willing to
-discuss this question when the peace has been
made. It cannot form an article in the Treaty,
as the subject has not yet beets sufficiently cons
sidered."He (Lord Castlereagh), never heard
that the Government of that -day wanted zeal in
the caase, and he had never heard the ground they
took on that occasion objected to. With other
Powers the total abolition had never . been in-
sisted upon; concessions and approaches towards
'that which they desitetl to accomplish _WAS all that
bad been demanded. Tillnow it had never beenemi-
-tended that it was the duty -of the English Govern-
meat to takeup a moral question ;and enforce it by'
interfering with the internal policy of other coun-
tries. He had always understood, all the legiti-
mate influence they could exercise to prevail on
other Powers to unite with England to put an east
to the Slave Trade, but not to 'refuse peace if it
could be obtained with honour, because this point
was not conceded. He unreservedly would say,
he conceived the stipulation which had been made
was of great importance. He was glad his Hou.
Friend (Mr. 'Wilberforce) was not among -those
who undervalued the concession thus obtained
from one of the greatest Powers of the Continent.
He lamented the long period during which the
trade Might continue ; but he could state this
it had not been agreed to till a shorter time had
been proposed, but in vain. If there were any
value in the stipulation obtained, it had not been
gained-by the threat of withholding the colonies
of France. Had it been pressed in connection
with any colonial cession,- he was convinced it
would never haiie been agreed to--Hear !) By
denying France that rank in the scale of Nations to
which she bad a right, our own object would

b I,ve be ii defeated. Hach
unworthy to possess colonies till she came into
our views, she would tiot havB given that aeltithw-
ledgatent Which she had yielded When the subject
Was separated frtini the qUeltiou Of cession, and
urged Its a common stipulation. It was not till
the • point could be conceited hi perfect freedom;
without appearing to be yielded to pnrchaSe Peaee,,
that that article of the Treaty was agreed to. He
was driven into that situation in which he could
not but seem to defend what he was fated to de-
plore. He lamented that the Slave Trade had not
been finally abolished on the part of France, Loft-
in candour they otight to admit it was alittle hard
on the French people to censure them for nof being
prepared to adopt the,propositions recommended
by the lion.. Gentleman, -whose voice was echoed
hy.the NatiOn. We ought to have the candour to
remember that the must hiraluable truths were not
insensibly adopted and at once. In this country,
country as Much enlightened as any in Europe, the
question was long discussed, and the. propriety
of pitting an end to the Slave Tradeadmitted,
and yet it.was not abolished:. No question was
entertained as to :the practicability of 'dOing it .
away, but thegreatinterests•Concerned after Par-
liatnent'had resolved that at a period fixed upon
it should cease,•caused it to be continued for a
longer.period. It was thonght ioexpedient to op-
-poe the current of publie opinion, and Parlia-
ment itself, to a' certain degree, a fleeting body,
on that account extended .the period of its con-
tinuance. We should not then censure others if
they refuse to decide at once on taking that line
of conduct.whichave had at last adopted ; still less
should we urge the cause we have at heart, not
merely as a truth which ought to be acknowledg-
ed, but as our dictum, to •be enforced with the
point of the bayonet. 'On the minds of the great
body of the French people there was an impres-
sion that the. English were not sincere in their
professions on the subject of the Slave Trade.
They considered the people of this country as a
mercantile body, trying to impose upon their
neighbours. If, then, it had been desirable to
make them fundamentally adverse to any stipu-
lations on this head, there Was no way. of so ef-
fectually opposing the views of the Hon. Gentle-
man, as. making it a question of power. Had this
been done,
.it would have been at once believed'
that England was bent upon. keeping the French
colonies, and therefore only offered to.give them ty
accompanied, with a stipulation which they would
have said made them worth nothing. This would
have seemed a,confirmation of what had been ig-
norantly, and at one time maliciously said, that
the Object of England, in keeping on the war,
was to conquer the Colonies of France-. With
respect-to the great Powers, our Allies, he ob-
served, that feeling strongly as they did on this
question, and willing to go with us all prudent
lengths, would not have been prepared to force the
Abolition of the Slave Trade on,France as a sine qua
non, by continuing the war.(a war of unprecedented
exertion) for this object. It would hame been wrong
to bring the question to such a test. -The great
cause which they-had so much 'heart would have
suffered irreparable injury had this been proposed
to the Allies, and that union had possibly been
dissolved which hassaved the world. That France
under her former bead would hear nothiog on this
subject, he had had..occasion to say on a fOrmer.
evening. For himself he could .wish the papers
on this subject produced, though he felt his duty
to withhold them .t least till the Sittings of the
Congress about to aneet were over. Both at Cha-
tillon and at Paris the Abolition of the Slave Trade
had heen pushed as far as it had been with Swe-
den and Holland ; that which was gained had
been undervalued, and that which could not be
:obtained over-rated. It was discouraging not only
to those concerned in the Negotiation, but to
all our Allies,. to see there was a greater disposi-
tion in this country to ,vent reproaches on what
was -considered bad, than to bestow pane-
gyric on what was admitted to be good. 'With-
in the last two years more had }nett done towards
putting an end to the Slave Trade, than had
. been effectedhefore, since the passing of the Alm-
lition Act. Sweden and -Denmark had done
much ; but France, it. was notorious, had been
kept in such darkness by the tyranny established
there, and knew so little of what had been done
in this country, that he doubted if it was gene-
rally known even now that England had ceased
to carry on the Slave Trade. Had they received
back their Colonies, on condition that they would
not work them with slaves, the French people
would not. have viewed them as restored, but as
sold. But the Hon. Gentleman ,Said, will the
French Slave Trade, at the end of five years, be
finally abolished ? He (Lord Castlereagh) be-
lieved it would, but if it was contended this sti-
pulation would not be observed, and was 'of no•
service, he would ask, would a stipulation of the
nature desired by the lion. Gentleman have been
more likely to he fulfilled than the one contained
in the present Treaty ? When .in the negocia-
tion; he (Lord Castlereagh), had found he could
not succeed in procuring the immediate abolition
of the Slave Trade, be had endeavoured to get the
.period of its continuance limited to three, instead
of five years. Failing in this, be had then directed
his care to preventing the renewal of the traffic in
those parts of Africa mentioned by the Hon. Gen-
tleman where we had succeeded in rooting it out.
On the part of France, nothing had been given up
,on this point till her Government became masters
of the question. This they had contended for,
as in this situation they could do no more towards
complying with the I#vishes of England, without do-
ing viole4ce to the feelings of the people, than they I
could do, if
.what they conceded seemed to be ex-
torted from a Foreign Power. Had such a course
been injudiciously persued, it could only have hAd
the effect of disgusting tke people, and weakening
the hands of the Government. They had, there-
-fore, done nothing on this head at all con-
nected .with -Colonial cessions, but certainly
they had, given distinct and official assurancesthat
they would endeavour to' accelerate the operation
of -that principle which they were determined
fully to adopt at :the end of five years. -The
example of France was of great importance to the
cause, and the difficulties in the way of her put-
ting an end to it-were nothing to those we had
to encounter with Spain 'and Portugal. It was
io small advantage that the negotiations tenni-
uated amicably with .E.r.ance, iastigal of olcuing is

hfi Angii fbiii-zz(Efear, fled Isle"
been. mean enough to reeefte het', tolotlie,
terms which she thOtigh4.: discrokittlife, theriil;ad
been l'ea6on to fear she live been.
ous to 'fulfil her engage-aaents, than it tea, le be
4peeted she would now be; and the Peace thigh
have been less durabfe than they had now a right
to hope it would prove. Much tetnained to he
chine before the Slave Trade could be ii holly
abblishecl. They aught to look full At the dit-
fictiltieS, raid persevere in their endeavours to re-,
move their'. Let it not be thought the cup, of
"joy Was dashed by the refusal .of ,France alOnt
put an end to the Slave Trade. Though he V7oiild
not despair of ultimate success, yet be felt the
ilifficulties to be encountered in treating with
Spain -and Portugal on this, were more form idab!e,
than any that presented themselves on the part of
France. principle they wished to .establish
.could ,not triumph b,y the force of arms:; they
itinst discard,theidea that arms were tc-) he taken
up. to .get .a moral
.principle acknowledged, in-:
stew of being resorted.to only when th-e
donee of. nations .was in danger. 'He thought the
most discreet part had been taken,:in.imicahly dos.:
Atm thenegociation with doing violence to thefeel-:
ings oftbeFrena people, ineugaging their Govean -
meta to embark withus as friends to the cause, and
leaving itto the-humanity of the King to do what
he eau to diminish the evil before' the period ar-
rives at which he has engaged it shallbe done away
altogether. He concurred with the Hon.' Gen;
tlentan in the regret he had ,expressed that it was
still 'Lb continue for a time, and would not object
to the Address, as the great question to which it
.referred ought never to be abandoned, and the
House would, therefore, do well on every occa-
sion to mark the strong .feeling they had• on this
subject, when their hopes or expectations were
disappointed. :He hoped .the House would-give
credit to Government for what they had done, and
for what they were anxious to do. .They would
continue to labour for the accomplisment of the
object in view, with undiminislical zeal; but he
could never. think they ought to make it an ob-
stacle to the peace of. Europe and the world. 4,1
was not for continuing the war in such a cause.
Morality was never yet well knight by the sword.
Feeling this, anxious as he was for the final Abo-,
lition of the Slave Trade, he could not take up the
modern doctrine which went to teach that we
keep at war; till those who were opposed to us
acknowledged -the excellence of our morality,
and adopted precisely that line of-conduct, which
we had thought it our-duty to pursue.
.111r.,PoxsOnY could not allow to pass unno-
ticed that part, of the Noble Lord's speech which,
referred to the Treaty of
,Mr. Fox with the
then, French _Government in 1806.
,It could not
Dave been expected, t hat Mr. Fox should have then
proposed the Abolition of the. Trade, as this
country bad not at that time -abolished it. The
Noble Lord had stated, that litissia,.Austria, and
Prussia, were friendly to the Abolition, and vet
at the same time it was alleged by that Noble
Lord, that they would not have co-operated with
us in enforcing such a proposition, and that such
a proposition would have broken up the alliance.
If the Allies were so inclined, theytertainly had 'it
in their power. Was not the French capital in
possession of the Allies ? ,and was it to be sup-
posed that, in such circumstances, the French Go-
vernment would have refused. The Nobleierd
said, the great idifficulties were with Spain and
Portugal; and could he say time Allies were se-
rious, if they -did not come forward to second and
assist us with respect to those countries also-? He
wished to know, however, if France would,, at the
end of five years, abolish the trade ? What would
they do during these five years ? They would
rather contribute, during that time, to the esta-
blishment, than the abolition of the trade. The
Noble Lord said, no better terms could -be made.;
but they had only his assertion for this. It was
not probable that we, holding all these islands,
and having for some years abolished the Slave
Trade in them, France would, have refused their
being returned to her, on condition that they
should remain as they were with respect to the
Slave Trade. It was not possible to believe that
she would not have consented. The Noble Lord
:had said that it was not, even known in France.
to the great body of the people that we had
abolished the Slave Trade, and they would have,
therefore, considered such a proposition as an of-
fence ; but there could not be a merchant in France.
that did not know the circumstance. The Noble
Lord had said that Sweden co-operated with us on •
the subject of the Trade ; but all the benefit of this
co -operation was lost by giving up Guadaloupe to
France, where the. Slave Trade would be of course
renewed. In giving up the islands on such terms,'
we were made parties in the continuation of the
trade. Whatmischief and misery might not be
occasioned during these five years—what mischief
to our own COlonies and to Africa ! Africa woulkl
not recover the -effects of these five years, shut
as we might think -them, even in a hundred, with
this scourge let loose on her. His lion. Friend •
.had said, that by negociation we were obliged to
Adhere to these tel Ins ; but could a nation, or an
individual, Or could Eliglalld contract, that for
five years France .should 'be allowed to rob and
mnrder ? Had we a right to deliver up Africa tfa
be scourged for five years ? He maintained that.
his Hon. Friend's Address would not be prodac-
tive of the advantage intended. The Address
would make them parties to the most disgraceful
stipulations.
Lord EBRINGTON spoke in favour of the Ad-
dress ; but wished to know what security they
would have that the trade should terminate at the.
. -end of five years. From the character and; history
. of the French people, could they rely that this as-
. surance would be complied with.
,Mr. JENNINGS contended, that ?t ought to have
been considered that France at the time had no
capital in the trade, and therefore could not have
suffered any iucouveniency from not renewing the
trade. By the stipulation, we made ourselves ac-
cessary to the guilt. it-was inviting them to en-
ter into the trade, in order to give it afterwards up.
He-hoped the, Address Nv onld be successful, and
.that the trade would wholly cease in Europe at
the end of the five years. ,
'lir. BARHAM thought the prospect still more
gloomy than it has. appeared to his Hon. Friend
(Mr. Wilberforce).. After a variety of reasoning,
declared the articole fatal. First, because

a
1-11!-"nartaliers of 't4le . beetirrst tt
ii4t: :Shoe. I'rade.ititaikftliate ; a,nl 64i,y, he=
valise it rendered it more active, and afforded less
chance 4')f its•aholition. After haying thus, ex-
plained 'his views( of this iniporcant stinject, lie
would propose, as an amendment, or rather as au
addition the motion, that after words
that this .lIOnSe e.Arriestly •iMplores
Dighness t 4; use his endeavours 'to, Obtain from
France" beaitxed the words " an immediate Le-
rritneiatio,n uf -ti►e.:lave 'frade, in return for ally
• concessiou Which 'rntiv'he agreed on by his
.11,1-
: .1,-siv and , his Allies and,.consistent with t:,iir
- •
. hM oinr.; and if such a retitnicia`tion be found un-
attainlible such diminution,"
Wa's afraid :it \VS-.. 1114)0S-
to repair the evil which had-been done, but
yet, he felt disposed to attempt it in the shape of
the .proposed .amendment. Of the Treat
contained the ohnoxions.Article, tie should. only
lay iii the words'.-of our great dramatic pod':

• " It is a Treaty
liaising the character of your renown,
• " Undoing all,.as all bad never been."
Lord L..vcEt.CEs was astonished to hear from
time other side of the House, that because four
large armies were in France, we had a right to
dictate, to that Nation,, when he fecolletted fur
how mahy years 'they 'had' maintained the does
trine that we bad no right to interfere with the
domestic concerns of that country.
Mr. NITILIAAM SMITH thought that had sVe-kept
the French islands until the Abolition ofibe-Slave
Trade should be conceded, and had France 'gone
to war with us on that groin-id, the blame of the
war would have rested entirely tippit her. He-con-
ceived she would haVe immediately yielded, had
the Allied Powers merely expressed a wish on -the
subject. If we had not been made a party'in the
Treaty, the• whole blame', not -to say shame, would
have fallen on Fiance ; he was sorry that we
should have incurred the smallest portion of it.
As to Portugal and Spain, he thought-there would
be little difficulty with the former after the Obli-
gations it owed us ;. anti as to Spain, he would
only say, that if the other Continental Powers
stood by us, site should not remain the only.one
to carry on murder. He thought _the House had
now fairly to demand back what it had inspru-
. dently conceded. At least its duty was to exert
itself to strengthen the hands of the British Ne-
gociators in the approaching Congress at Vienna.
Mr. MARRYATT entered into an examination of
the danger of contraband Slave Trade being car-
.tied' omi from French -with the Dutch West
India lslaen He described the nature of the
latter, amid the great 'Mortality, which occasioned
tt more frehhent want of slaves. Be thought
thiat if France consented to except Cayenne •from
participating in the traffic, there was no likelihood
of its' being carried on to the extent that was
feared, either with Martinique or Guadaloupe,
which were already well supplied. As to Sc. Do-
ndngo, the- French would be iscr than tc carry
Negroes to such a place; and supposing they should
hat tempt- to reduce and exterminate those who now
possess the island, the fiveyears allowed foithe irh-
portations of slaves must be elapsed before'the con-
quest should he effected, and the country prepared
to receive them. IVar in Europe was passed' Over'
• as of little importance, compared with the divi-
sions and contests of Alrichn tribes e but When he
considered the many hundred-thousand of 'bones
that withered on the fields of Europe,ite thought
time miseries of Africa sunk greatly in the settle.
liven were Ftance to'huitate our example, Spain
and Portugal would Continue, and it was knoWn
_that the impoitatiort of Slaves by those countries
had in some late years exceeded 80,000 annually.
Our attempt -to abolish the Slave Trade was, he
feared., like that- of Buonaparte to exclude our
merehantlize from the Continent. Shut out of one
port, they-tooth! another, and it was the same
‘m ith the Slave Trade. He was sorry more had not
been done to repress it ; but he thought that all
that could hail been done ; and that by not behtg
. so pressing, the Noble negotiator' had -insured
greater probability of-success, had done his duty
to his couetry, and proved himself a-sincere friend
to humanity.
Mr. WHITBREAD could not allow some of the
Nobh: Lord's expressions to pass without some
-observat ions'. The words and the actions of the
Noble Lord were a-little at variance. The Noble
Lord tri!kt d of humanity on time large scale.-
-Mitre vas this kind-of 4titthatiity to he found in
the Article of the Treaty, which permitted the
coatihminee of the traffic 'of human flesh ? Did
• the I`.;oliie Lord sithpose • that -it -wils humane in
the eye OrerCASC)II, iii the eye'Of justice, or in the
eve of tbt-..Almighty, whom they were about to
• •
tltahk for•the restoratiOn of peace, to say that
'peace had- been restored at:the-expellee -of the
bhmd of Africa Was •• this 'humanity on the
; • large scale, 'to let loose the scourge on Africa ?
' that :Govet nttient to be called humaite
• which li;trl purchased peace at such a price .? Bat
the No! le Lord talked of the attitude of France at
. the time that the negociations were-going on ; and
had in;isted Very strongly on the Impropriety of
interference with the internal Government of
Frainte. There must have been some strange con-
, fasion in the niihd of the Noble -Lord to allow hint
h, to talkimlinterfereiteedn such a case, when all that
bad been done was 'recollected. He was sorry to
see the declension that had-taken place in the-opi-
nions tit 41fe-Housewith respect to the Slave'l'rade,
since the 3d of May, when the Address hail been
• voted. ways not One who would be for come
meneing a nere war on this ground, but he did
think t'. at no Treaty should have been' made with
the House of Bourbon in which it was' not ex-
* presiv'stipulated that the Slave'Trade should be
entirely abolished in all the colonies that were re-
' stored to France. The Noble- Lord, how eth-,
-held out great hopes that soinet!ling .cifectuA
• might be done at the Congress at Vienna; and.
assured the House, that there was the greatest
dispositon on the hart of the Allied Monarchs.-
- 'What was -now to he expected fro:A the Congress
at Vienna, when all the 'Colonies were already
gi op to • France *i if the _Allied Sovereigns
. had been 'sincere, why Shen had -they not done
• that before which it was said was to be expected
front them now? The Noble Lord too had-used
very strange lanlenage with respect to the change
'that inight be' expected to take place 'in ^llse-
minds of the people of France. The ignorance,
too, in which that people bad been kept by