The Sun.
London, England, 1807-02-03 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE.

Lord- GRENPILLE having moved the reading of
t,he Order of the Day for the Second Reading of
the Slave Trade Abolition Bill, observed, that
those of their Lordships - who had witnessed his
extreme desire to carry forward this important
measure with the least possible interruption,
would readily conceive that he now felt great
r,:gret in finding himself under the necessity of
proposing a further delay. Unfortunately, however,,
two of his Noble Friends, whose sentiments respect-
ing this measure it was important the House should
`Win 'Possession of, and whose assistance he much
wished to have upon the discuSsion of the subject,
were too much indisposed to be enabled to attend the
House. He therefore. proposed that the second
reading of the Bill should be postponed till .Wednes-
day.—Ordered, and that the Lords be summoned
for that day.
The Earl of WESTMORLAND .presented a Petition
from the Ship Builders, Ship Owners, Manufa6turers,
and others, of the Port of London, against the Slave
Trade Abolition Bill; which was ordered to lie on
the table.

A short conversation took place respelling the pro-
priety of hearing Counsel in behalf of the Petitioners
who had presented Petitions against the Bill.
Lord GRENVILIE suggested the propriety of mak.;
jug some Order upon this subject, if it was the plea-
sure of their Lordships to hear Counsel, in. order
that they +night avoid the inconvenience which oc-
curred, of having a preliminary discussion of this
nature on the very day in which the measure pro-
posed was to be brought forward.

The Earl of INE,s-rmoaLANn moved, that such of
the Petitioners 'as thought fit should he heard• by
their Counsel on the 'second reading of the Bill.
Lord GRENVILLE thought it would be expedient
to ineke Some regulation with respect to the hearing
of Counsel, in order to prevent. unnecessary delay.
AS to the propriety of examining evidence, that of
course would be decided on atter their Lordships
had heard Counsel. He thought, however, that it
wonld be sufficient to hear one Counsel upon each
Petition, as the.greate.r part °Nile arguments which
the Counsel must necessarily touch upon, had al-
ready been often repeated, and as it was of so much
importance to avoid delay. -
Lord ELDON also expressed himself decidedly hos-
tile to unnecessary delay, but at the same time it was
of the utmost importance that a subjea of this mag-
nitude should'be deeply and closely examined, and
that the parties whose interests would be affeeted.by,
it ShOuld be fairly and fully heard. -
The Earl of WESTMORLAND likewise expressed
his hope that the parties whose interests would be
nife6ted would be 'fully heard.
Lord HAwKEsautty suggested that the • interests
of the Petitioners- might be equally benefited, and
the time of the House less taken -up, if the Petitioners
were classed according to the interests of those pe-
titioning, which would be found to be divided-into
three, namely; the old.,Planters in Jamaica and other
Islands, the new Planters in the Island of Trinidad,
and the Snipping and Commercial Interests of the
Ports of this Country, and Counsel heard for each
interest.

After some further conversation the Petitioners
were ordered to be heard by thir Counsel-on Wed-
nesday, and by a subsequent Order, Coimsel were
direCted to be called in at half past four.