The Sun.
London, England, 1824-06-18 00:00:00

[BRITISH PRESS.]

Two series of papers, on the subject of the
slave trade, have, within a few days, been laid
on the tables of both Houses of Parliament. The
first series of these important papers comprises
the correspondence of Mr. Secretary Canning,
during the last year and the present, with Sir
William A'Court, the British Ambassador at
Madrid ; with Mr. Ward and Sir Edward Thorn-
ton, at Lisbon ; with Sir Charles Stuart, our Am-
bassador at Paris; with the Earl of Clancary, at
the Court of the Netherlands ; besides that with
Mr. Chamberlain, the Consul-General at Rio
Janeiro, and of Mr. Stratford Canning, the British
Ambassador at Washington, whicht includes the
interesting correspondence between the latter and
Mr. Quincy Adams, the American Secretary of
State, on the proposition of the mutual right of
search by both nations, and the resolution subse-
quently adopted to make the traffic in slaves
piracy. The second series of these papers com-
prises the communications of Mr. Canning with
Messrs. Gregory and Fitzgerald, the British
Commissioners at Sierra Leone, respecting the
continuance of this nefarious barter by the sub-
jects of Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands,
with the Right Honourable Secretary's corre-
.spondence with the British Commissioners at the
Havannah, Rio de Janeiro, and Surinam. This vo-
luminous correspondence with our Ambassadors at
almost every Court in Europe,and with the Commi-
ssioners and Consuls of Great Britain throughout
one half the globe, shows the unwearied efforts
made by Mr. Canning to extinguish, by all the
power and influence of Great Britain, the rem-
nant of this infernal traffic still preserved by the
different powers 'of Europe. The attention of
the Right Honourable Secretary to this im-
portant subject has been ceaseless. Amid the
multiplied concerns of his high station, the sa-
cred rights of humanity have never one mo-
ment been forgotten ; ' they have always been

uppermost in his mind. Loud and repeated !
complaints have long been made, of the way in
which France, Spain, and Portugal. disregarding
the solemn treaties they had respectively signed
for the extinction of the trade in human victims,
still suffered this Iniquitous traffic to be sactioned
by their flags, and Africa to be desolated by the
inhuman barter. We find accordingly Sir Charles
Stuart, in May 189.3, remonstrating strongly
with M. Chateaubriand on this outrageous
violation of the rights of humanity, and laying
before him unanswerable documents from the
British Governor of Sierra Leone, with the de-
position of an European inhabitant of that settle-
ment, shewing—" That the trade was then car-
ried on to a greater extent than at any former
period—that no less than fourteen French vessels
had completed cargoes of slaves at the Galinas
within the short space of four months—that every
port along the coast, not actually in the possession
of Great Britain, was frequented by vessels under
French colours, employed in this trade; and that
their undertakings Were encouraged by the na-
tives, under the persuasion that the trade was
lawful, because the respect due to the flag of
France caused the British cruizers to allow it
to be carried on with impunity." A subsequent
dispatch from Mr. Secretary Canning to Sir
Charles Stuart, dated in June 1823, enclose the
copy of a letter from Mr. Parkinson, the British
Consul at Pernambuco, giving a fresh instance
of the continuance of the abominable traffic, by
the subjects of France, and the unwarrantable
conduct of M. Lane, the French Vice Consul
at that port, respecting a native of the lonian
Isles, charged with assaulting the mate of a
French slaver.

COMMON COUNCIL.

A Common Council was yesterday held at
Guildhall 7 for the disposal of various city business.

LORD MATOR. OF DUBLIN.

The LoRD-MAYoR stated, that when the Lord Mayor of
Dublin and the deputation from the Corporation of that city
were in town, he paid them, as he was sure every other person
in his situation would have done, all the attention in his power.
—He had since then received a letter communicating a vote of
thanks to him upon the subject. As the compliment was to
himself personally, he should not have presumed to bring it
before the Court, had he not been informed by Sir Edward
Stanley that it was the wish of the Corporation of Dublin that
he should do so; he, therefore, felt he should be guilty of dis-
respect towards that body if he did not order it to be laid before
the Court.

It was then read by the Clerk, and ordered, upon the motion
of Alderman Lucas, to be entered on the Journals.

BIBLE SOCIETY.

Alderman KEY presented a petition from the City of Lon-
don Auxiliary Bible Society, praying for pecuniary a►d ; and
moved that it be referred to the Committee for General Pur-
poses.
Deputy RouTir opposed the motion. This Society made a
similar application to the Court three years ago, and received
1001. ; if they were successful in the present attempt, the Court'
would be receiving fresh applications from them every year in
future. He therefore, as an amendment, moved the previous
question.
Mr. S. Drxorr seconded the amendment. If they granted
this application, they would have a hundred more from other
institutions, and their funds would thus be soon exhausted.
Mr. PAT TEN was averse to the too wide circulation of the
Bible, since it subjected those into whose hands it fell, should
they be tempted to question any part of it, to be dragged into
a Court of Justice, and to undergo a severe penalty.
Mr. JONES opposed the motion : the applications of this
kind would become so numerous, and the Committee were so
generous, that the Corporation would soon be impoverished.
Mr. Jury thought when. the Court were voting 2001. and
3001. to other societies, 100/. was not enough for this ; neither,
if they meant to close their funds against applications of this
nature, ought they to commence their refusal with the present.
Alderman MICAS thought the Court might very reasonably
refuse this application, as coming so close upon the heels of the
former.

Alderman BROWNE slid, the question at present was, not
whether the Court would give any thing, but whether they
would refer the consideration of it to the Committee.

Mr. OLDHAM would never refuse to refer a petition of this
kind to a committee, so long as these institutions were the glory
of the metropolis.
Mr. JAMES was surprised to hear the necessity of preserving
the Corporation funds urged in reply to an application of this
nature, whilst they were freely expended in summer excursions,
and other similar amusements.

The question was then put.
The LORD MAYOR declared the shew of hands to be in
favour of the previous question; but upon a division, the num-
bers were,—for the previous question, 45; for the motion, 47;
which was therefore carried by a majority of 2.