The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-16 00:00:00

p
rocureur- General, notwithstanding he had been removed from
that office by Lord Goderich. If the harm rested there he
(Mr. Roebuek) should not feel inclined to follow up the charge
as he did ; but it did not. What was the consequence to
the. Island? He appealed to the Hon. Member for the
Tower Hamlets and the Hon- Member for Weymouth whether
the statements he was about to make were not strictly
correct. By .a regulation and ordonnance of the Governor
the whole intentions of the House of Commons in regard to
slavery were, as affected the Mauritius, rendered utterly nu-
gatory. The slave trade was re=established. Slavery was
again enforced; and not alone that, but all the free labourers
Were once again brought into a state of bondage. All this
`vas founded on a decision of the Chief Justice that no free
labourer had a right to the title of a free man. That law, or
ordonnancer; also gi've the Governor a complete power over
the education of the people, so that nothing could be taught
contrary to his prescription ; and it did not stop there for it
entirely destroyed the press, by fining the only press which ad-
vocated negro emancipation 501. for an alleged libel on the
Government, and banishing the owner of it, and suppressing
his paper. All those facts he (Mr. Roebuck) pledged himself
to prove before a Committee by official documents, if the Go-
vernment should accede to what he considered a most neces-
sarysar investigation. But be would come to the strongest part of
case- Mr. Jeremie had been lately appointed a Judge in
Ceylon by the Government. On his appointment, and pre-
vious to it, it was stated that the case would be brought be-
fore Parliament, and that if a Committee were to be granted
his evidence would be essentially required. Yet, in despite of
:this statement, the Government gave him the appointment,
and not alone that, but insisted upon his making the necessary
preparations for his voyage without a moment's delay. Mr.
Jeremie did so, and a large expense was incurred in obedience
to the injunctions of the Government. When the complainants
remonstrated against the spiriting away of a witness the Govern-
ment turned round on them and said, " We have no objection
to Mr. Jeremie's staying if he likes, Alt we cannot incur further
eXpense." Mr. Jeremie was willing to stay, but before he would
be permitted to do so a sum of 1,0001. was demanded by the
• head of the Colonial-office, and paid by the complainants—a
thing'contrary to the principle and practice of the British Con-
stitution, and to all the rules of English law—to,pay for a wit-
ness before, his evidence was called on to be tendered. He ( Mr.
Roebuck) wits satisfied that he bad made out a case for a Corn-
rnittee.--( Hear.) He wished well to the honour of his coun-
trY, but he was convinced that there could he little of it pre-
served if such practices were allowed to pass with impunity.
Redress should not be refused to the injured because they hap-
pened to live at a distance from the shores of England ; and
faie,and impartial justice was as much the right and equally, due
to colonists as to Englishmen. On that ground alone he de-
manded an investigation into the charge.
Sir G. GREY denied that there existed any apathy on
tle part of the Colonial Office or the people of England on
....e sujec of he overnment f o foreign possessions.
whenbevert theret existed grounds o ur
for a Committee on these
occasions it had alwaYs been granted, and redress had uni-
formly been given where it was demanded and deserved. The
Ron. Member had certainly taken the wisest course in calling
fPr a Committee, but the question to be considered in con-
nection with that call was how far it was expedient to grant
the Committee. The facts of the case were briefly as fol-
lows :—in 1810 the Mauritius, then a French colony, was
Conquered, by the British forces, and annexed to the ern-
Dire of Great Britain. At that period the slave trade
Was in full operation, not alone there, but in the colonies
which had been long in the possession of Britain in other
9aarters. Indeed there was no law against it in ex-
istence either in France or in England at the time.
ale reprobaf&l, as much as man could do, the traffic in slaves
'which disgraced that colony, and the improper and unjusti-
flable attempts of the inhabitants to perpetuate slavery in their
island; but he was, most anxious to let the past rest, and to
avoid recurring to those times, especially when the parties
received the severest censure from the Government at that
Period. Dating from the issuing of the report of the Com-
missioners sent out to view the state of slavery in the Mauri-
tius, the Government could not be fairly charged with any
thing like remissness in endeavouring to suppress the slave
trade in that island. It had been stated in the report of a
sPeech made by the Hon. and Learned Member for Dublin, at
a late meeting in Birmingham on the subject of slavery, that
la 1829 the attenilon of Sir G. Murray, then Colonial Secre-
tarY, being drawn v. the fact of illegal importation of slaves
into the Mauritius, thm: Right Hon. Baronet had sent out an
order for the release of these slaves, and had placed the
°"s of proof on the ma;ters. The Hon. and Learned
Member had also alleged that this order was subsequently
rescinded by Sir George Murray's successor, and that by
the regulation then issued, the slaves thus imported were
refused all benefit and redress. Of co3rse he was bound
,to believe that the Hon. and Learned Member for Dub-
lin had made that statement on what he considered good
authority ; but, unfortunately for his information, the real
facts of the case were totally different. The first despatch on
the subject of this illegal importation bore date the 14th of
edanuary, 1831, and no instruction whatever had been issued
froth the Colonial-office on the subject, previously to that
period. It might, undoubtedly, have been the intention of
G. Murray to proceed as the Hon. and Learned Member
for Dublin had stated; and the Hon. and Learned Member
rnig'ht have been unconsciously stating his impression of a fact
rather than the fact itself. But it was the strict truth that no
Order or interference had been issued from the Colonial-office
of the description stated, while he was at the head of that
n "epartment." When Lord Ripen came into office and was I
informed of the facts of the case, he wrote at once to the
idea that slavery would be permitted, and asserting the
freedom of those slaves to be as undeniable as that of any
free inhabitants. The Hon. Member had charged the present
Government and all late Governments with neglect. He had
alluded to the memorial from the Mauritius to the Colonial
Office, and steted that he appeared in that House as the de-
finder of the charge. He had not, however, shown that
granting what he esked—a Committee—would tend to im-
prove the present conJition of the colony ; and he had for-
gotten to point out, if the. analogy existed, how the memorial
had reference to any existi:e: state of circumstances in it.
The Hon. Member had describe.
the constitution of the Co-
lonial Courts for the purpose of condemning them, and he had
attempted to prove the preponderance of French influence in
their decisions ; but the Hon. Member had omitted to men-
tion that there were two Englishmen unconnected with the
island, strangers to the parties by which it was divided, now
at the head of the Supreme Court of the island ; one 'of them
!is. member of the Bar of Scotland—a Gentleman of high pro-
fetsional... attainments and irreproachable integrity—!tar.ilson : the other, a Gentleman, who was known to many
Hoe. Members of that House as the protector of ti;e
slaves in one of the British Colonies. Both were free from I
tr`en the suspicion of any bias, and by placing them at the
ba" the judicial department of the colony the Government
tad _given n..
.strongest proof of its intention to secure justice
to all classes these. 'rile Hon. Member had stated that the
Judges were the minions ur - faction, and that French influ-
fence preponderated. To suppose tr.- judges were exempt
.rorn all human prejudices was to suppose the._more or less
than human beings • but to style them minions of a 1,....1„u_0n
tfh,e imperfect grounds adduced by the Hon. Member was nee
air, just, or generous on his part, or merited on theirs. And
71 to the preponderance of the French influence, that was as
provided against as possible by the appointment of two
The Hon. Member hid repeated over and over again a charge
tuich had been abandoned by those who originally brought
ii-s( Hear, hear,)----and he must confess that he thought the
on•
eo Member stood in a pitiable position before the House,
t
- Y to be left wrel ithout the support on which it appeared
d for evidence for the facts of his motion, but for having
f ti; en into the hands of people who did not even tell him of
themeextraordi predicament in which he had been left by
at.,- The facts relating to the colony and the misunder-
inite; at home were these. It appeared to the Govern.
went at the time Lord Ripon held the Seals for the Colo-
n ie that the old laws of the Mauritius were very intricate,
def, merry parts so clashing and inconsistent that it was
1,-,4led advisable that they should be revised.—(Hear,
Reamed
With this view orders were tent to the island
tar c°Pies of the eaisting code, and in consequence several
s 'nes of the old French regulations were forwarded to the
secretary of State, copied for the purpose by Mr. Blaelthurne,
rtraan It the greatest talent and the highest integrity aud
It happened shortly; after that the state of things. in the
Mauritius became exceedingly uesettled ; the ordinary re-
t" became
for carrying the law into effect were of no avail ; and
b "eca'rie necessary to vindicate the fs:iug'si authority at all
rz 'ids In looking for the powers which the old French
i'iOnstitution bad abundantly provided for such occasions, his
h
aiestY's Government were considerably embarrassctl at not
nding in the tome which Mr. Blackburn° had collected and
sent 11" re applicable to treason any laws suitable to the
emergency
which had arisen, and to which they were na-
eirall
re._ Y most anxious to apply a remedy. This led to a cor-
rt2iht dence, in which Lord Ripon wrote what lie then
bn-„,:o
some justly severe articles against Messrs. Black-
aece and D'Epinay, who, it appeared at the time, were
s, accountable for the omissions. On further inquiry it was
he:rte.:fled that these penal laws had, in the transcription,
o Placed in the tomes of law relative to the press, to which
hisyhrPerly belonged—( Hear.) " The lion. Member shakes
(said ad, as if lie doubted the correctness of this explanation
Sir G. Grey), but I can satisfy him that tire facts are
He stated, in continuation, that Lord Ripen, having
s_ee_°,me aware of these facts after he had resigned the Privy
rtflor,ehigadn written to the Noble Lord then at the head
Affairs, fully excusine• Mr, Blackburne and Mr.
eir IhnaY, and regrettieg that hebcould not under his altered
~,eilmstances give them the benefit of a more formal and
rs,aal exoneration. This letter was dated the 12th of August,
f.s_ll„.Y.sprevious to that of the,notice fixed by the Hon. Member
:re keard. Lord Ripon had also given hint (Sir G. Grey)
aut;PoYcof his letter of the 12th of March, addressed to the
:Ales at Mauritius, and as he felt that its produetion
ei_uaorl:lnnow set the question at rest, he thought it due to the
ter of-the Noble Lord to put tire house in possession
Chet. He then read his Lordship's letter. As to the ease of
.. ri 4
that .F•ocureur-Geeral, Mr. Jeremie,
2nst him, he had been assured and the charge iwoeght
jwni_th_t the case now before the Hotusaet.ri.4lliaed tharn,obeianrg to do
. )
Mr.
ure.s proposed to be brought forward ne a witness
~..a_s,enport of the same accusations which the Hon. khirober
i;114,°
a; but if he werc obliged to appear before the House
u_nat capacn'y it %it:mid be with a eery bad grace, for he
could participant in the transactions of 1 t 54,2 and- 1833, and
not be expected to become a very effective t‘itrless
.case in which he was himself implicated, and on which
'had already given his grievances 44 the public in very
u'ereeg and very indecorous language. He ae,4 Mr. Reddie
14(.„', it appeared, the only witnesaes on whami Ale Hon.
0„..1_11;r relied, yet it se happened that thev had both de-
themselves satisfied that justice had keen dime them,
se Id not now wish to be dragged before the Hodge. But
'Whet; charges were publicly brought against the Govern,

ment it was incumbent on them to select them in the best
way they could, and he (Sir G. Grey) now felt it neces-
sary to state that there were grounds for believing that
Mr. Jeremie had, in the exercise of his functions, been egre-
giouily deficient in the coolness, temper, and discretion ne-
cessary to their judicious and effective discharge. In 1831,
he was sent from this country to the Mauritius, where he
arrived in January, 1832, with instructions to reform the state
of that colony ; but from the distracted state of the Colonial
Government, and the want of all co-operation, he was obliged
to return to England. In this mission he must do Mr.
Jeremie the justice to declare he had shown great discretion
in the use of the powers entrusted to him, as well as great
ardour, firmness, and integrity in the obedience he manifested
to his Government. He remained there only a month, and
certainly acquired during that time no claim on the Govern-
ment. He was sent back in November, 1832, along with Sir
William Nicholas, who went to assume the Government
of the island, together with a greater display of military force
than was at all necessary, and arrived there on the 31st of
January, 1833. It appeared from the correspondence of the
new Governor to the Secretary of State that things were
greatly changed for the better, and that, in fact, the evil had
been greatly exaggerated ; that no more forces were wanted ;
that two or three men-of-war which lay at anchor in the har-
bour had not been wanted ; that not a shot had been fired ;
and that all idea of rebellion bad been completely put down.
This was mainly to be attributed to the straightforward, firm,
and vigorous measures of the new Governor. Mr. Jeremie
was on his second arrival sworn in without delay, and thus
placed at once in a judicial situation foreign to his habits ;
and, forgetting perhaps that there was no rebellion existing,
displayed a remarkable want of moderation, temper, and for-
bearance, essential to a person in his position. It happened
that half a dozen individuals, who had been out on a shoot-
ing excursion, committed au assault on a sentinel, for which
they were sent to prison, and while awaiting their trial,
they were, by order of Mr. Jeremie, refused to be allowed
to see Counsel to prepare for their defence. On the
trial of these individuals an advocate had urged as a chief
point in their favour, that Mr. Jeremie had exceeded his
powers as Procureur-Generale by so interfering. This
gave rise to a correspondence between the Governor and
Mr. Jeremie, in the course of which the latter (feeling
perhaps that he had been sent a second time to the Mau-
ritius to indicate his power as Procureur-Generale) re-
turned an answer that he should not have sent, and for
which he made a subsequent apology. The Governor had
already put down the rebellion, and no pretext was afforded by
the idea of any disturbance in the colony for Mr. Jeremie's
interference. Mr. Reddie also became mixed up with this
correspondence on another account, and it would be sufficient
to say that both used very objectionable language to the Go-
vernor, for which they both afterwards apologised. The
Hon. Baronet then proceeded to read several despatches from
Lord Stanley, who was at the time referred by the Colonial Sec-
retary, to the Governor of the settlement, confirmatory of the
statements he had made, and in continuation observed that
when Mr. Jeremie returned a second time to the colony every
thing there was in a perfectly tranquil state, and he had only
himself to blame for what subsequently took place. There
was no ground whatever for saying that Mr. Blackburne was
not perfectly qualified to sit as Judge, and Mr. Jeremie must
have known this to be the case. He thought it would be
highly improper to have any revision now of those proceedings
by a Committee of the House. He saw no good that could
arise from sending out a Commission. It might have the
effect of reviving those animosities in the colony which were
now in a great measure forgotten. The Government was
fully prepared to do equal and strict justice to all classes in the
colonies.

Dr. LUSHINGTON said that having been called on by
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman to bear testimony to the
truth of some of the facts he had put forward in his speech, he
felt himself bound in justice to say that some of the statements
to which the Hon. and Learned Member had referred were
borne out by the facts. Nor did he see that those facts had
been contradicted by his Hon. Friend who had just sat down.
The first and the great question for the House to consider was,
whether the administration of justice in the Mauritius was
likely to be benefited by the appointment, of the Committee
now moved for; and be really must say, without wishing to
trouble the House by entering into a detail of the circum-
stances of the case, that proof of the most positive kind had
been afforded, that since 1810 there had been a series of conti-
nual violations of the law of the most flagrant description, all
or the greater part of which had been allowed to go unpu-
nished, and almost unnoticed. It was sufficient, perhaps, to
recal to the recollection of the House that they had been told
by a Chief Justice of the island himself, that he believed not a
Jury could be found to give an impartial decision on certain
cases brought before them. Had not his Hon. Friend told
the House that treason had for a long time been triumphant in
the Mauritius, that the standard of rebellion had been raised
there against the judicial authority, that disgraceful mani-
festoes had been published, in which the wretches who penned
them declared that the time was then come for assassination,
whether by poison, the sword, or by fire? What punishment had
gone forth against these offenders—against those men who had
joined in a conspiracy against the Crown of England? What
efforts were made to secure the tranquillity of the colony ?
When Mr. Jercmie was sent out armed with a legal autho-
rity he was suffered to land; but his life was not safe for one
hour. What did the then Governor do? Why, he bowed to
the traitors, and sent Mr. Jeremie home ; but when the Go- '
vernment returned Mr. Jeremie with a renewed authority the
game offences were repeated, and there was again the same
open defiance of justice. He (Dr. Lushington) felt bound to
make a few observations in defence of Mr. Jeremie. That
Gentleman had had a task of the utmost difficulty to perform,
in which he was not duly seconded by the Government of the
Colony, and the House was bound to see that injustice was not
done him: One charge against Mr. Jeremie arose out of a
circumstance which occurred in May, 1832. Some men were
taken up and convicted for assaulting the guard, and they
were sentenced to secret confinement ; but during the first
hour of their confinement Mr. Jeremie applied to the Go-
vernor to know what punishment should ultimately be in.
ilicted on them, at the same time recommending that they
should not suffer secret confinement. The Governor, how-
ever, decided differently, and what was the consequence?
Why, Mr. Jerernie was threatened with a prosecution as a
capital offender for having, in the performance of his duty,
brought these offenders to trial. For three months was this
threat held over the head of Mr. Jeremie, because, during that
period, the Governor did not come to a decision. Another
charge against Mr. Jeremie was, that be had delayed till
January the prosecution of certain prisoners who had been ta-
ken up Ott the 24th of August preceding i but the fact was,
that in the common course of proceeding the trials would not
have come on till that time, But then there wad another
charge against Mr. Jeremie, that ho had instituted a legal pro-
ceeding against Mr, .Justice Blackburne as being unfit to sit
as a judge upon the trial of certain prisoners, he baying been
charged in h. despatch of Lord Ilipon's with a wilful perversion
of a law which he was appointed to execute, It was said that
Mr. Jeremie Lad in this instance exceeded his functions, but
he (Dr. Lushington) put it to the House whether Lord Ripon
would have made such a charge as that (accompanied as it was
by an intimation that the reform of the judicial affairs of the
--,dons/ was in contemplation) had he not intended to follow it
"P. 411*---testiser in the meantime a Judge lying under such an
imputatien !tome -sseve been allowed to exercise his ju-
dicial functions? The secoea —Lame , against Mr. Jeremie
was that lie had ehesged Mr. Aimee— Diesasburne with
being interested in slavery, He (Dr. Lushington) dif-
fered from his Honourable Friend the Member for
here also. He thought that it was certainly a
,anitrjaat,_
opea to the discussion of the Legislature, and that the • fact -
of its having been decided on by a legal tribunal was not de-
cisive against those who wished to have that decision re-
viswed. He (Dr. Lushington) maintained that treason in
abundance bad been committed. An attempt was made to
intercept the march of the 82d Regiment, to defeat which it
required extraordinary ability and firmness on the part of the
Commander, Colonel Goldney, who saved the division from
destruction, It was believed that the offender was a person in
the employ of the Government. But were there not other
circumstances which called for investigation? Did it net
happen that on one occasion 6 prisoners were kept in gaol
without any one knowing why or wherefore, and on another
were not 25 persons fLund incarcerated without the vestige of
a charge against them ? Surely, these were matters that
ought not to be passed over without inquiry. It had been re-
presented by several of the most respectable merchants in the
city of London that they were ' afraid. to carry on trade with
the Mauritius, owing to the total absence of anything like
justice in that colony. About two months ago he had re-
ceived a letter frOm Mr. Gilchrist, in which it was stated that
a prosecution had been instituted against him, and for what
did the House think? Why, because he haciiefused to give
certain parties certificates to entitle them to a participation
in the Slave Compensation Fund. The moment he got that
letter lie forwarded it to his Noble Friend (Lord Glenelg) at
the Colonial Office, and surely it was at least the duty of the
authorities in that department to take some pains to ascer-
tain whether the statements contained in it were true or false.
(Hear.) It could not be denied that it was highly important
that the Government of home should know what was passing
in the Mauritius with respect to the slave-trade ; and as that
was the only document he had seen 'on the subject, be had felt
it to be his duty to transmit it to the Colonial Office,* When
there were 16,000 of 14,00 slaves entitled to their freedom,
surely the Government at iicitiP ought to know something of
what the Courts were doing in regard tq slave registration.
Was it proper to allow certificates to be extorted from peislip
functionaries by such means? From all the information he
possessed in reference to thia colony, he was satisfied that an
alteration in the mode of administering justice in'the Mauritius
was absolutely necessary. He considered the judicial system
highly defective, and certainly he could not think that M,
Le.Epinay was a fit and proper person to fill the important of-
fice of Attorney-General, if he was the saw rcrgan who had
signed the Trianifcsto before alluded to in the course of the dg.
bate. As to the detenttea ef. Mr. Jeremie, be had taken the
liberty of suggesting that course, beeeasse Mr. Jeremic, hav-
ing twisted the registrations, was the only person 4,14/3 Pqlll4
afford proper inforisiap,i9p upon the subject. It should be borne
in mind that the whole islaVel se;.. pj.;e Government at defiance,
;1;4 opti, t-w; assistance whatever was to be qistiintssal from this
country, toly ft. 4,1)0 slaves had been declared entitled tq
their freedom, while .i),9(14# (,EA,QO9 were, contrary ip law,
actually continued in a state of Uon'd'a'ge.,,( hear.) fps Hon.
plod (Sir G. Grey) believed that Sir. Wilson anti fdr.
sinu4lo4, wpi44 set all these matters right ; but he (Dr:
is 9 i-„,as
_tat he was unable to partici-
pate li b des '
in any such hope. . . sself 'ai that the truth
all 7.
slioyld be ascertained, and justice done'to - parties-(.teas,
hear.) '
eni,oq.tieN? said, that although the Sir G. GREY, in
Co-
lonial Office had not acted-
Lotateainbto
eraitsiiiipana
;;Frit tp that de-
. pertinent by the Hon. and , because a w
dOrii;eel irons - private source, they had nevertheless it as
; a means for die purpose of iqtl,l3,irY•
't was
r , , ~,.
• 'Mr, c , PILL!, T4'greSod i,4 yin. Dare et hadl he thou4,,ht
r

THE SUN, LONDON. TVESbAY,'WARY 16, 183 i)

cr.tered at too great a length' into the detail of past circum-
stances, but still he had adduced no argument which went jq
show that inquiry was not loudly called for. SAM: of the
first mercantile houses in this country represented the state of
insectirity of life and property in the Mauritius to be such tts
to render it impossible for them to continue their trade with
that colony, and yet they were told that they ought to be sa-
tisfied with the promises of the Hon. Buronet that such a
state of things should not continue. No case of abuse had
ever occurred Without similar promises being made by the Go-
vernment ; but, for his part, lie could not place any great re-
liance upon pledges of the kind proceeding from such a quar-
ter. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman animadverted on the
manner in which justice was administered in the colony, and
contended that the inquiry demanded ought to be at once con-
ceded.—( Cries of " Question, question," and " Divide.")
Mr. BO RTH WICK said, it was perfectly unfounded to say
that that House *as disinclined to give attention to the affairs
of the colonies. The case had not been brought forward on
its broad merits, and therefore it was, and because of no other
reason, that an inquiry such as the Hon. and Learned Mem-
ber for Bath proposed could not be granted without lowering
the character of the British Parliament. He certainly thought
that, after the large sum of money they had been called on to
pay for the emancipation of the slaves, the people of England
had a right to know that slaves were legally possessed. On
the other hand, he did not think that a national quesqon should
be mixed up with paltry details of individual concernment.
He had heard nothing to alter his original intention to vote
against the motion.—( Hear. )

Mr. F. BUXTON felt much gratification in supporting, the
present motion. His Hon. Friend had been charged with
having spirited away Mr. Jeremie, but those who made that
charge did not understand the motion. With respect So some
of these transactions, he felt bound to say that nothing could
be more fair, more kind; or more honourable than the coa-
duct of his Majesty's Government.— ( Cries of " Hear,
hear.") Agreeing with his Honourable Friend on some points,
he differed with him on others. If the animosities at pre-
sent existing were to be allayed by any proceedings on their
part, those animosities could only be allayed, and tranquillity
could only be established, by the enforcement of justice. This
would most effectually be done by an investigation on the part
of the House into all these transactions. He had no disposi-
tion to enter then into any discussion on the subject of the
slave trade. He had on former occasions stated that the slave
trade continued to be carried on in the colonies for a number
of years. On this subject there could be no better authority
than General Hall, who had stated that it was impossible for a
man to live any time in those colonies without seeing this traffic
carried on before his eyes. Yet, notwithstanding the frequency
and"notoriety of these occurrences, not one of the miscreants
concerned in them had ever been brought to justice. Not a
single conviction had ever taken place. No court would con-
vict, no legal authority would recommend a conviction, and no
public functionary would sanction the man who had the teme-
rity to interfere with their favourite traffic. On one occasion
an individual was seized under circumstances that afforded the
most undoubted evidence of his guilt. That individual
was placed in prison, but in a few days this individual was
seen walking at large in the public market-place. No one
not resident there had paid more attention to the state of
the Mauritius, or had better information of its condition,
than he had • and he declared that he hardly ever knew an
official man diere who had not countenanced the slave trade ;
and though the Government had been well informed of all
this yet those persons had never been censured from home.
He could not avoid alluding to the case of Genera Hall.
There was no more admirable officer, nor no man of higher
character than that General ; yet by attempting to put down
the slave trade he excited the hatred of the party there, and
he was recalled almost in disgrace. There was the case of an
officer named Bryan, who seized a well-known dealer in
slaves, and placed him in prison. The result was, that that
officer was ruined. There was the case of Mr. Millius, and
other similar cases. The next subject to which he would al-
lude was the Special Commission. They were told that per-
fect justice would be established—they were told that the
Special Commission was composed entirely of impartial per-
sons. Who were those impartial persons ? M. Prosper
D'Epinay, who was himself a slave owner, and five or six
planters. He was confident that no hope of' justice would be
entertained under such circumstances.

Mr. ROEBUCK called for this inquiry on the part of a
large body, who demanded that inquiry should take place,
because they felt assured that the Government did not know
the extent of the evils of which they complained, and they,
therefore, claimed a right to lay the whole extent of their
grievances before the Government, in order that their claims
for redress might be fully understood, and that redress fully
afforded them. On that broad ground he called upon the
House to agree to his metion.
The House then divided, when the numbers were—
Against the motion
For the motion
Majority --158
PORT OF LONDON.

Measure would be introduced in the course of the Session to
authorize the effecting of it.—( Hear, hear.)
Colonel PEEL complained that by late alterations which
pressed heavily upon pony races the amusements of the humble
classes were greatly interfered with.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER should be
sorry to interfere with the amusements of the humbler classes ;
but as pony racing was one of the luxuries of the wealthy, he
Llould not. consent to forego the revenues derived from it.

Mr. P. THOMSON moved for the appointment of a Select
Committee for the regulation of the port of London.
Motion granted.
- IRISH EDUCATION.

Mr. WYSE moved for the re-appointment of a Select
Committee to examine into the state, funds, and management
of the diocesan, royal, and other schools of public founda-
tion in Ireland; as also into the system of education pursued
therein, with a view to increasing their utility, and to inquire
how far it might be practicable and expedient, and in what
manner and from what resources, to improve, extend, and
permanently maintain academical education in that country,
and to report their proceedings to the House. The Hon. Mem-
ber stated that in the course of the last session the Committee
had made considerable progress in the first part of the inquiry,
and he trusted that no objection would be made, to allowing
them to resume their labours.

Motion agreed to.
POOR LAW FOR IRELAND.

Mr. P. SC ROPE rose to move for leave to introduce a
Bill for the relief and employment of the poor of Ireland. He
did not intend to go into the general question. He would
very briefly state the heads of the motion he wished to intro-
duce. He did not wish that the measure which he was anxious
to propose should interfere with any plan that the Government
might intend to bring forward. He merely wished to offer
this measure as a suggestion on the subject, and in aid of the
intentions of the Government, and in hope that some of its
provisions might be thought worthy to be embodied in their
plan. His object was to introduce into Ireland a provision
similar to that of the 43d of Elizabeth. He was also desirous
of introducing the principle of centralization, and he wished
that the local machinery should be superintended by a central
Board. He proposed the establishment of a central Board to
meet in Dublin, with power to regulate the union of parishes,
to establish the union of particular districts, the poor to be
relieved by a rate on property in each particular union. He
would propose that settlement and removal should be regulated
similarly to the amended Poor Law of 1833. He would pro-
pose that guardians of the poor should be appointed, that some
means should be provided either for assisting emigration or
giving employment to the able-bodied poor, to be administered
under tlo control of the Central Board of Commissioners, in
the sane manner as was provided by the amended Poor Law
Act of 1833. He merely asked the permission of the House
co introduce the same Bill as he had brought forward in the
last Session of Parliament. He begged to ask the Noble
Lord whether the Government expected to be in possession
of the final Report of the Commissioners in sufficient time to
enable them to introduce a Bill in the course of the present
-gession.
Lord MORPETH had no objeetion to the motion of his
Hon. Friend, and he thought as there was so many Bills on
this subject it would be well that the House should have the
opportunity of considering them. In reply to the question of
his Hon. Friend he was happy to assure him that the Govern-
ment were in daily expectation of receiving the final report of
the Poor Law Commissioners, and they hoped to bo able to
offer to the House a practical measure on this subject in the
course of the present session.

Mr. O'CONNELL was exceedingly glad to hear that ex.
pression of the Noble Lord. With respect to the measure
proposed by the Hon. Member, he considered it would be
utterly impossible to provide employment for the people at the
public expense, ilf individual capital could not be employed
with sufficient interest for that purpose it was impossible to
think :that the public should pay the wages of the 10,houioe. Tiro
difficulty with regard to the 43d of Elizabeth was that it pro-
vided for the support of the able-bodied, He would respect-
fully suggest to the Hon, Member to separate the two branches
of the proposed measure, That for the relief of the poor and
destitute, which was the important part of the measure, from
that which provided for the employment of the able.bodied,•
and which he considered to be perfectly visionary,
Mr. SHAW considered that there could be no objection to
the motion. The Hon. Gentleman was entitled to the same
courtesy as the Hon. Member for Waterford, who had been
permitted to introduce his Dill, and he therefore was sure
that the. House would have no objection to consider the plan
prorsed by the lion, Gentleman,—( Hear, hear.) ,
Motigh 4grePd te,
Mr. J. 13 14 A Q Eli U Rlsl E postponed his motion for a Select
Committee, to inquire into the circumstances attending the
late elections of the Municipal Council of the borough of
Poole, as we understood, to Thursday next, .
ASSESSED TAXES,
Mr. HUME felt anxious to draw the attention of the House
to the State of the laws respected the Assessed Taxes. The
number of surcharges was suite incredible at the present mo-
ment, After some observations on the necessity of having the
law on this subject.elearly determined and ascertained, and the
necessity that existed for its amendment, the Hon. Member
concluded by moving for a Return of surcharges made for as-
sessed taxes of each class, the number affirmed and the num-
ber discharged, and also for the dates and number of Acts of
Parliament in force for the levying of assessed taxes.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. had no ob-
jection to granting these returns. He could not, however,
oromise to consolidate during the present session the various
Acts qt' Parliament in force far levying the assessed taxes, as
he had already undertaken a work of considerable difficulty
and labour—the consolidation of the Stamp Acts. He hoped
;-hit !It. Some future period he should be able to consolidate the
different Acts to which his !ion. Friend the Member for
MiddleSex'hail alludct i but lig was afraid that he could not
C294.ete the conielidation Of the stamp Acts, and that of the
Assessed Tafeis '4,0-fs in one andthe wee Session. fie can-
didly confessed that he wft, noi satisfied with the existing state
Of the law as tolu'reliardes. ' The: intorest'which the collect-
chiceme4 to' Nip , ... , .
ing .pfhad iri the mount pf the surellurgs, was an w-
ont due inciniry. tO tnake 04chatggs cleat oar and with-
:---( Hear, bear-) 'flat .interest ought not to
exist. The' colleetin'g-officer ought ed. b'e paid by salary, and
riot Ly. i't p:,-,T :;-:_.?
t ' .112-_.*" C on the surcharges whieh he succeeded
in 'eipliiishl
flat', h'ear:lt Tti4 4tterailOn; beWever, in
'the mode of is r inunration, could hot be effected without
th'e aid of the Legislature, and he noir gave 'notice that a