The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-02 00:00:00

owing statement :

" I will not enter into much detail in pointing out the
generally mild character of what is termed slavery in this
country, or in marking how the agrestic servitude which
exists in several of its districts is connected chiefly with

distinctions of caste, and will be upheld, notwithstanding
any measures of the public authorities, by the force which
national habit and opinion hare imparted to those dis-
tinctions. The facts relating to the various descriptions
and modifications of bondage as prevailing in different
provinces, are set forth by the Commissioners with dis-
tinctness and precision. On the effect of caste in main-
taining agricultural servitude, even under circumstances
in many respects favourable to freedom, instructive par-
ticulars will be found in the evidence respecting the dis-
tricts ofCoorg and Malabar. In Coorg many of the slaves
emancipated by Government on its own estates have from
various causes, been led to destroy their certificates of
freedom, and to place themselves again in servitude under
their former masters; in Malabar all the influence of the
English proprietor of an estate cannot obtain for any of
his labourers a greater degree of respect or privilege
than the strict local usages of caste allow to them ; they
remain, whatever the liberty of action which he accords
to them, as degraded as before, for they cannot raise
themselves above the low class to which► they belong,

and must mix only, on the terms to which they have
been accustomed, with their caste brethren, the Churmur
slaves of the province."
There are several other passages in the same
Minute which prove that slavery is very mild in
India, and that both masters and slaves, on, the
principle that use is second nature, prefer it to
freedom, as the Minute says, for their mutual
interest. We, however, quote the passage, less
to illustrate the mild character of slavery in
India, which is, however, worthy of notice, than
the progress of society in Europe. It is equally
we think illustrative of the present condition in

India, and the past condition of Europe.
A very doubtful point in the history of Europe
is the abolition of the serfdom or slavery which

once very generally existed. Some writers refer
it to the municipal regulations of particular Sove-
reigns ; others to a Pope's bull; others again to
the introduction of Christianity; and others again
to the progress of civilization, which seems inde-
pendent of any system of religion, for it has
made progress under all systems, and did not make
any particular jump after the commencement of

the Christian era. - On the contrary, it is a re-
ceived opinion, concentrated and expressed in
the phrase " the dark ages," to distinguish the

few centuries which followed the complete de

struction of the Roman Empire, that civilization
retrograded or was almost lost, and had almost
died out as Christianity became the religion of
Europe. Now this Minute of Lord AUCKLAND

proves, we think, that the latter, or the progress
of civilization, and not Popes' bulls or a monarch's

laws, was the cause of the abolition of slavery
Neither a statutory regulation nor a Pope's bul

would have had any more influence in Europe

in the middle ages than the decrees of the Go-
vernor-General have in India at this day. They

cannot prevail over the customs of a people now,
and could not have prevailed then.
Something of the same kind may be noticed in
the United States, where it has been found im-
possible, even in those States in which slavery
does not exist, to secure the free blacks the advan-
tages which are enjoyed by persons of a different
colour. Their society is as much scorned, and
their feelings as much lacerated, as if they were
still slaves. In Mr. WARD'S account of Mexico,
too, it is stated that the Indians of the capital
seemed at the service of any White who chose
to command them, notwithstanding they had
been declared free citizens by the Constitution.
The custom of command on the one hand, and
obedience on the other, was more influential than
the words of the lawgiver, and though the In-
idians were declared to be free they continued to
be slaves.

Nor are we without similar illustrations in
ancient times. " We find," says MILLER, in. his
Historical View of the English Government,
" that by a statute in the reign of King ATREL-
STANE, a churl who had purchased an estate, con-
sisting of a few hides of land, with certain appen-
dages usually possessed by gentlemen of that

fortune, was declared to have a right to all the
privileges of a Thane." Such was, however,.
the original inferiority of the peasants, and so
strong were the habits connected with their pri-
mitive condition, that, although they had been
raised. to independent circumstances, it was with
some difficulty they were permitted to hold the
rank of gentlemen, and procure the treatment
suitable to men of that superior class. The law,
therefore, at that early period, when customs, it
might be supposed, would not be more unalter-
able than at present, just like the law for libe-
rating the slaves in India, was inoperative, and
failed to procure for the opulent churl all the
rights and privileges attached to the property he
possessed when in the hands of one nobly born.
The same circumstance may be observed in
Germany to this day, in some parts of which,
though the unennobled citizens may acquire the
estates of noblemen, they cannot purchase with
them the rights and privileges which the estate
carries with it when possessed by a person nobly
born. Whatever the law may intend, custom is
its master, and its actual effects are never deter-
mined by its own words, but by the manners of
the people.
A practical deduction of considerable impor-
tance may now be made from this doctrine.
Mr. SMITH, of the Exchequer Bill-office, has
defrauded the public, it is said, of 300,0001.
He has done this in spite of the most severe laws
which can be enacted against his offence, which
is unfortunately not a solitary case of such
criminality in comparatively high stations. In-
stances. continually occur of persons in easy and
opulent circumstances committing forgery, frau-
dulent bankruptcy, and other similar acts of
extensive plunder. For many years the law has
been shttrply directed against forgery and fraud
of every description, but in spite of the law they
continue to flourish.
The fact is, that a fraudulent appropriation of
property is, we are sorry to say, a general cus-
tom amongst us. The Monarch, or the Minis-
ters in. his name, claim and appropriate for his
or her use a far greater income than is required,
and which is wasted on the aristocracy. The
landlords, composing the House of Peers and
the House of Commons, continually pass and
maintain laws, such as the Corn-laws, to take
away the property of some and give it to others.
The clergy, who should set a better example,
are notorious for making and maintaining a con-
tinual inroad on the produce of other men's
labour. The middle classes exact what they
can from those below and above them, and many
of the poorest classes take what they can from all
above them. To plunder one another, legally
or illegally, by means of the law, or in op-
position to its enactments, we regret to be
obliged to repeat, is a prevalent custom of
our country, and laws to prevent it will be as
inefficacious as laws to set at liberty the slaves of
Malabar. All the decrees which Corn-law
making landlords may direct against forgery and
fraud, all the sermons which the clergy may
preach against the same crimes, will abate them
no more than rowing a little boat against a mighty
river stops the flow of its stream. It would not be
diffictilt, in fact, to prove, that the more the
landlords fulminate severe laws against such
crimes—the more urgently and vehemently the
clergy denounce them, while they continue to
encourage them by their own practices, the faster
and the more will such crimes increase. We
look on Mr. SMITH'S offence, and all similar
offences, as
landholdersconse-
quence of th
and
the natural and necessary e
exampleestablisehcdonetlienrugayl,lyofseetxtboyrtitnhge
the wealth of the people on false pretences.
Th

ere is very little news of interest in the
French papers received this morning.
The insurrection in the north of Spain ap-
pears to be completely suppressed, and with-