The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-17 00:00:00

[MORNING POST.]

-The proceedings in Parliament last night were
important. Earl Bathurst in the Lords and Mr.
Secretary Canning in the Commons presented the
Papers which they had promised relative to the
measures recommended by his Majesty's Govern-
ment to the Legislative Assemblies of the Colo-
nies, pursuant to the Resolution passed by Parlia-
ment last year. These Papers, for which we have
no room this morning, on account of the length of
the Debate, consist of the two letters addressed by
Earl Bathurst to the Governors of our West India
Islands, and dated tke2Sth of May and the flth of
July : of an Order in Council, approved by his
Majesty on Wednesday last, and embodying
all
the recommendations for improving the condition
of the Slaves, which had been previously sug-
gested by the Colonies : and of a Proclamation
issued directly from the King to remove from the
minds of the Slaves the dangerous impression
that his Majesty had given orders for their eman-
cipation, which had been disobeyed by their
masters. Both Ministers explained in a clear
and satisfactory manner the regulations proposed
to be established in favour of the Negro popula-
tion. We have no room to enter into their de-
tails in our Paper of this day, but they will all
be found wise and beneficial. They are upon
the safe and rational principle that man must be
released from a state of slavery by slow and
silent gradations—by relaxing power, and by
consenting legislature ; and that the mind must
be prepared by degrees for a state of freedom, and
brought to that state of discipline in which the
light of reason would render unnecessary the
coercion of authority. In addition to the mea-
sures thus recommended to the good sense and
humanity of the Colonies, Mr. Secretary Canning
introduced a practical one, by bringing in a Bill
to make the African Slave Trade Piracy, and
announced that a Treaty had been signed be-
tween this Country and the United States of
America, to allow the mutual right of search for
slaves, and to enable each Power to capture the
slave traders of the other, the trader so captured
to be delivered to a port belonging to their own
country for adjudication.

[BRITISH PRESS.]
Though the retreat of Santa Cruz, in Peru,
appears, as far as concerned his division, to have
been disastrous, and attended with great loss, we
are convinced it cannot save the Royalists from
ultimate defeat, or avert the liberation of Peru.
The movement of Santa Cruz was imprudent
and unsupported ; the force he possessed of na-
tive Peruvians, was physically weak, and every
way inferior to that opposed to him. But though
the Royalist army in this distant province may
have been successful in a single instance, it is
wholly unequal to maintaining an asc•enda►►cy
by force of arms throughout Peru. Spain
can afford no aid; and La Serna and Camerae
will soon be pressed by superior forces, di-

rected by all the energies of Bolivar. The
great strength of the latter lay between Lima-
and Pisco, consisting of 6,000 Colombians,
2,000 Buenos Ayreans, and 1,000 Chilinos ;
2,500 of the latter were further expected, who.'
were to leave Valparaiso on the 15th. Three
thousand Colombians, from Panama, -were also on.
their passage. Riva Aguerro, the Peruvian'
Chief, who had yielded to the mediation of.
Bolivar had also 3,000 armed Peruvians attached.
to him in Truxillo. Bolivar had also i3OQCI mea
in Moquelma, under the orders of Santa Crux,
and was further supported by General Lana wrii.ll
1,500 men. Tile heroic Liberator would thus
have an effective force of rnore than '20,000-
men, directed against La Serna and Canterac,
by his vigour -and experience ; and the-. Spa-.
nish Viceroy and his followers must be over-
whelmed should an armistice not immediately take
place. Bolivar was prepared to push the war re-
solutely, and free Peru with- his whole force.
This is the last expiring effort of Spain for domi-
nion in the New World—a desperate and a:
hopeless exertion, by a power who cannot send,
a siugle soldier across the .Atlantic. Southern
America, with the magnanimous Bolivar at its
head, has wisely leagued its forces on this occa-
sion, and sent a contingent to Peru, from al-,
most .every province. The cause of one is in
fact the cause of all. If Spain succeeded in
Peru, she would soou extend her tyranny to
Chili and Colombia, and mako the La Plata feel
its heavy effects. The policy of our Govern-
ment towards South America has latterly been
'narked by great firmness and wisdom ; by en-
tering our powerful protest against an armed
confederation, or attack on these proVinces try
the Continental Powers, and opening our ports
to their flag, we have at once ensured their safety,
and virtually acknowleged -their national inde-
pendence. The great and last concession eveu
from enfeebled and jealous Spain must now soon
follow ; it will be beyond her power to refuse it
much longer : it is but a name, and she must
make the grant, of absolute necessity ; her des-
pairing struggle in Peru will very soon close, and.
not an armed follower of her supremacy wilt
then remain through the wide extent of South
America. These great countries must, in the
possession of freedom, rapidly increase i❑ wealth,
M population, and in power, and present an im-
measurable field for commercial intercourse w ;Hi
this country, to whom they will be equally bound
by ties of gratitude and mutual interest.