The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-08 00:00:00

SUGAR DUTIES.

Mr. W. GLADSTONE', presented a petition from the
Island of St. Vincent against the proposed plan for with-
drawing protection from the West Indian Colonies.
Mr. THORNELY presented a petitbn from the mer-
chants of Liverpool trading with the Br.tzile. The peti-
tioners had heard with great satisfaction the propostd of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reduce the duty on
foreign sugar.—( Ministerial cheers.)
Mr. A. CHAPMAN presented a 'nation from the
shipowners of London, who viewed wi.h peat alarm the
immune Err the introduction of foreign sugar, which, in
their opinion, would be prejudicial to the interests of nu-
manity.—(lronical cheers from the Ministerial benches,
followed by loud cheers from the opposite side of the
House.) They stated that every pound of sugar brought
in from foreign countries would displace the carrying of
one pound of subrrar from their own Colonies.
Mr. L ABOUC HERE presented a petition from the
American Chamber of Commerce at Liverpool, in which
they expressed their highest gratification at the proposition
of the Government, which, if carried into elfcet would
tend greatly to lighten the burdens and increase the trade
of thecountry, and they prayed that the whole system of our
commercial code might undergo a thorough revision.
They expre.3sed their opinion to be, that the reduction of
our imposts would be beneficial to the best interats and the
urgent necessities of the ciuntry.
Mr. LOCK HART presented a petition from the Cham-
ber of Comn.eree in Glasgow, against the proposal of the
Right lion. the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. J. W. WOOD presented a petition from the Ma-
gistrates, bankers, rnerckants, and manufacturers of
dal, stating that they Laded the proposed measure of the
Government with the utmost satisfactio:‘.

Mr. CRESS WELL presented a petition from the
West India me:chants of Liverpool, objecting to the in-
troduction of foreign sugar, on the ground of humanity.—
(Laughter.) They stated that the late high price of
sugar had been caused by the late measure of man-
c'pation, and that the difference of the price had
merely gone through the medium of the planters into the
pockets of the emancipated negrce?.---(A laugh.) They
stated that the cost of the production of a hundred weight
of sugar in the Brazils was 10s. 6d., while in our West
India Colonies that sum was paid to the negro for labour
alone. They further stated, that with the sugar which
would coree from the East Indies, arid the supply from our
West India Colonies, there would be importation enough
to afford an adequate supply fur the people of England.
The petitioners also expressed the opinion that if the pro-
posed measures were adopted the immense capital inte.ted
in the West India trade would be sacrificed, that cultiva-
tion would he abandoned, that the avidity of the slave.
dealers would be stimulated, and a tearful addition made
to the number of their vicirns. They, therefore, prayed for
a Committee of Inquiry on the subject.
Mr. C. LUSHISGTON presented a petition, which
the Hon. Member said he believed was signed by every
WIC of the firms engaged in the sugar trade in London,
and who were also connected with the interests of the re.
fined sugar trade throughout the country, etiting that the
petitioners approved most highly of the proposed tees-
sure of Government with respect to the sugar trade, and
praying the Goose to reduce the duty on foreign sugar.
Captain MATHEW preserited a petition from the Cu_
lor.ial Society signed by 1,000 persons who wire con-
nected with all the colonies of the British Empire, stating
that they had heard with dismay of the intention of the
Government to reduce the duty on foreign sugar, a
sure which the petitioners said they believed would directly
tend to increase the evils of slavery, and the petitioners
therefore prayed the House not to sanc.ion the pro-
posed reduction in the duty on foreign sugar.
Sir S. LUSHINGTON presented a peek ion from the
British and Foreign Anti- Slavery Society, which, he said,
was first signed by Thomas Clarkson—(Cheers)—stating
that they heard with deep regret the proposition of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer fur the reduction of the Sugar
DatieF.—(Cheers.) The r eiitioners thought,thae the ic-
evitable effect of the reduction would be to increase the
horrors ut the slave trade, to aggravate the miseries of
slavery. They prayed the House in mercy to those whose
interests here concerned, not to sanction the measure.

Lord STANLEY presented a petition against the pro-
posed alterati.m in the sugar dud from the merenants of
Glasgow trading with tbo West ladies:. The I,ctitioni
stated that the proposition of Ministers would confer no
adequate bentfit upOn any clas,, but woulu rnaterisLy
cheek the rapidly i❑cieasi,,g production of sugar in British
In-ar.) They deprecated the measure on
the whole, as encourc.ging slavery in its worst forms.
Mr. CRA W FORD presented a petition from mer-
chants of the City of London against the proposed al-
teration of the Sugar Duties.

Lord POWELiSCOURT presented a pettion from
Bath to th;.! same effect.

Mr. HU TT presentel a similar petition from Gateshead.
Mr. AGLIONBY presented petitions from Wigan and
other places in C.:unite:lead and Westmoreland, against
the present system of distinctive and restrictive duties.
Mr. BRO I'll ERTON presented a petition from the
inhabitants of Ashton-under-Lyne, complaining of the pre-
sent Commercial Tariff of this country as highly oppres-
s've end ruinous to the working classes, and praying for
revision and rednctiou of the Import Duties.
Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from 403 West
Indi.n planters. on Cie subject of the proposed alteration
of the Sugar Duties. He had thought be sh ould beat
consult the wishes of the House by extracting the sub-
stance of the petition. The petitioners slated tirst they
relied with entire confidence on the intentions of the Le-
gislature, that the great national work of Slave Emanci-
pation should have a full and fair trial,—that they •had la-
boured to promote the object in perfect good faith, and at
a sacrifice of much capital.—( Hear, hear, hear.), They
stated that their burdens had been increased Jpy the
estahlishment of police and the augmentation of the eccle-
siastical expenditure to the amount of 200,0001. al id up-
wards, and that the measure proposed involved a, great
loss of c lOW and obstructed tt.e progress of eivili zetion
arnorg the emancipated populution.—( Hear, :hear.)
The petitioners Etited, that in their cyinion
:
the measure was not justified by high price or Made.
(pate supplies ; for that the importation of surar from
the West Indian Colonies during the east few
yecra had btea regular. and fur the last twenty-
one years had *veined 181,000 tons e
The eitimatcd imports for the West Indies, lite,t Indies,
and the Mauritius was 240,000 tone, and efferts
were now making to extend that amount.— .( Hear.)
They stated that they di not think the proposed measure
could be justified either by the present cr by any p,,easpee-
tive pricey, the present price of sugar being zla, 71d.
per cat., being a fall of 12s. per cwt. in price
since the commencement of the prearent year.
That while the exports of British manufact urea ta r the
British West 1 edict amounted to upwards el 4,000, 0001.
in value aunualiy, and the exports of !fish man ufac-
to Mauritius and the East Indies amounted to 4,1480001.
annually, the exports of British manufacture to the Bra-
zil 3 and the foreign West Indies amounted invalu us ecly to
the annual value of 3,543,0001., and that the • mrnmerce
with the East and West Indies and the Mauritius
empleyment to the B.i i,ela shipowner an ad-
gave
vantage which he did not enjoy from t he com-
merce with the foreign West Indies, sod they therefore
prayel the Howe not to conceit to any mcasu re :Or C-
dueing the amount of duty payable on the impo nation of
sugar.—( Cheers )
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a pethion,s:gl fed ray the
Lord Mayor of the city of Dublin as Chairman of nma eti"g
of a rarectable body of West India prop ictors, mqprec.%ting
Any reduction in the duty on lot eign sugar he eease, direr,
it would interfere with the experiment now ear: in on
for the substitution of free labour for slave *tabour• in the
West Indies ; second, it would interfere with the expo ri-
ment now carrjieg on for the introduction of suer .r from
the East ladies; and thirdly, it would t.n4 to the a ecrnein-
in foreign countries,
tation of slavery