The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-22 00:00:00

SLAVERY IN BRITISH INDIA.

Professor ADAM brought up and read the resolutions of the
Committee appointed to consider the subject of East India sla-
very. (Owing to the great length of the discussions, we cannot
find room for the report at present, but will publish it on some
future occasion.) The Learned Professor then said, that be-
fore they adopted the resolution, he wished to say a few words
on the subject of slivery in British India. The first point to
which he was desirous of directing their attention was a state-
ment male that morning in cannexion with the question then
under discussion. Some doubts were entertained with respect
to the cotton brought from India; but the 'acts of the case
were made apparent by the report of the Committee. He
should add, however, that as far as his information went, there
was but one district in the south of India, that of Finnavaly, in
which slavery existed. He thought it important that this cir-
cumstance should be borne in mind, in reference to a previous
discussion on that morning. Another remark he was
desirous of making was with reference to allusions
which had been made to the Society denominated the British
India Society. He was himself a member of that Society,
and he was proud of his connexion with it, but he did not
appear before them in that capacity, and the proceedings of
those around him stood wholly unconnected with those of any
other body. lie was not there as a member of the British
India Soeiety, or of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery
Society; but as a member of their Convention, and as such
only he wished to address them. He would tell them to raise
their voices as a Convention for the abolition of slavery in India,
and to call on the British people and the British Government
no longer to - tolerate a system in the East which they had
dslared illegal in the West Indies. It appeared that under the
Government of the East India Comeany, there exists almost
altogether unknown to the people of England two distinct
kinds of slavery legalised and enforced by the Company. But.
was that the only stigma on their national character ? No;
the English people were flattering themselves that all their
colonial possessions were free from a similar stain, but in that
they were mistaken. Ceylon was a Crown colony not adminis-
tered by the East India Company, and which ought to have
been included in the Emancipation Act wrung from the Govern-
ment of this country, and yet that colony included among its
population 30,000 slaves at the present moment.—( Hear,
hew-.) That. was a subject which should not escape the atten-
tion of the Convention. Neither slavery in the East Indies,
nor slavery in Ceylon should be allowed to continue. Let the
people of England speak on those subjects wi•h the authority
which became them as a frse people, and they would soon
compel their goverment to do its duty, and to carry into effect
its past engagements.—(Cheess. )
The 11ev. JAMES ACKWOUTH moved that the resolutions of
the Committee should be adopted by the Convention. He
thought that the British Government should be called on to
fulfil its pledges ; and, while they were addressing themselves
to the Frcnch, the American, and other powers, for the sup
pression of slavery, they should not forget that it existed under
their own rule.-_( Hear, hear. )
The Rev. JAMES PECOS seconded the motion. The sub-
ject then under their consideration was one to which his
attention had been directed for several years, and on which a
very great want of accurate information prevailed. When it
was proposed that slavery should be aboli•hed in India on or
bi-fore the 12th of April, 1837, and when a clause to that
effect had passed the House of Commons, and had been
brought up for the adoption of the House of Lords, the Duke
of Wellington obsei ved, that " there was no necessity for
framing any law or regulation with regard to slavery in the
East Inches. He hail," he maid, " served in that country. and
lived among its inhabitants, and he had never known an in-
stant e of cruelty practised towards slaves there, if slaves they
could be called." The consequence of that declaration of the
Noble Duke was, that the original resolution was rescinded. But
the statement merely proved that great men were not always
exempt from great mistakes.—( Hear, hear.) The fact was
that slavery prevailed in our Eastern possessions to a great
extent. From all the data he could collect on that subject, is
appeared that there were in the Southern Caucan 2,000 slaves,
in Surat 2,000, in Ceylon 27,397, in Assam, 11,000, and 3,000
in Penang. The total number amounted, according to the
most accurate statement, to 800,297. The condition of a por-
tion, at least, of these slaves was most lamentable. Accord-
ing to a high authority, that of Grreme Campbell, Esq.,
" Nothing could be more deplorable than the condition of the
slaves crMalabar, whose huts were little better than mere
baskets, and whose- diminutive' stature and squalid appearance
evidently showed the want of adequate nourishment. They
were distinguished from the rest of the human race by their
dropsical pot-bellies; they were half-starved, hardly clothed,
and scarcely superior to toe cattle which they followed at the
plough.—({dear, hear.) Th.. Reverend Gentleman said he
would not then proceed any further with that subject, as lie
was pseparing a paper with regard to it,-which he should be
most happy to lay before the Convention. He hoped that the
faits he he had just adduced would be sufficient to awaken
their atta,ntion to the matter and he should be ready
to supply any additional information he might possess to any
gentleman who should wish to receive it.—( Hear.) He most
cordially seconded the resolution.
The Rev. Mr. CALVER said that. England should interfere
in the case. It would go forth to the world that after all that
Great Bistain had done she hail not yet cleansed herself of the
stain of slavery ; and while she addressed her lessons to other
people she would be answered with the words " Physician cure
thyself.'—( Hear, bear. )- They should purify themselves from
the con'tamination of slavery while they were endeavouring to
purify other nations --(Cheers.)
Mr. R. R. MOOSE said that the matter should be fairly
stated. It was not the British Government which held any par-:
ties in slavery, but the East India Company—a body which it
was exceedingly difficult to reach.
Mr.PRICE said the subject should be taken up by the whole
British public, and he doubted not but by that means the evil
would be removed in a very short time. He lias persuaded