The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-08 00:00:00

been applied to emancipation and not to abolition, be-
tween which there was a material difference. To his
mind, therefore, the question came to this—should the
English nation, after all its sacrifices and labours to
abolish the slave-trade—should it now, for the sake of
having sugar one penny a pound cheaper, be content to
share in the profits and the shame of the Cuba planter?
Let the House remember that, great as were the horrors
of the slave-trade in former times, they were infinitely
greater now. The effect of our interference had been
to make the export of slaves from the African coast
dangerous enough to induce those who were engaged in
that detestable traffic to cram their victims in close ships
built for the purposes of speed alone, wherein thousands
died every year on the passage, and those who
survived when they arrived at Cuba—though
parchment laws for the protection of slaves existed
in Cuba—how did they fare there ? ,Why, great as were
the sufferings of the old slavery system, they were four
times exaggerated in the enormities which were in-
flicted on them in that unhappy land.—(Hear.) The
importation of one sex alone, and the determination to
work them out and not reproduce slaves—the infliction
of the lash—the hunting by bloodhounds—were amongst
the enormities attendant on that system which this
country were called upon by the Government to sup-
support _(clear, hear.) Of this he was convinced, that
when Englishmen came to know that the questio❑ was
not merely one of protection or free trade, but whether
they should save a penny a pound in the price of their
sugar at the expense of the sufferings and of the blsod
of the slaves in Cuba and the Brazils, they
would dash the cup so sweetened from their
lips. He believed Ministers, in calling upon
the people to uphold them in their policy in•
this respect, were incurring a fearful responsibility—
that they were calling upon the people of England to
particpate in the sins of others ; they were bringing
down upon them a share of the chastisement which
must inevitably follow. The people of England
could not possibly share in the profits of the Cuba sugar
without ir earring some share in the Cuba guilt by which
that sugar was produced; nor could they participate in
that guilt without incurring the chastisement which
awaited it.—(Hear, hear.) If they could not recal that
prosperity to the West Indian colonies which they
might have preserved, let them at least avoid further
;nvolli ig thews, liras by treaty in meshes from which they
might kereafter find it impossible to disentangle them-
selves, but which they might now burst with a single
stroke. If the principles of the Government measure
were successful the abolition struggle would become a
disgrace instead of an honour to the country —our
squadron engaged on the African coast would be merely
the means of adding to the cruelties and the horrors of
the slave trade, and our treaties with foreign powers
for the suppression of the slave trade would be nothing
more than an insulting and degrading hypocrisy.
Lord ASHBURTON, who was scarcely audible in the
gallery, was understood to contend that unless protection
was continued to the West India planters, as against the
slave-labour produce of Cuba and the Brazils during the
experiment of supplying them with free labour, they
would be consigned to utter and irreparable ruin. Even
supposing that experiment were successful to its fullest
extent, it would take some time before the number and
efficiency of the free labourers would enable our colonies
to compete upon anything like fair terms with those
countries where slavery prevailed. The Government
measures appeared to be based on the cry for cheapness,
and it appeared to be taken for granted that the people
were benefited by the low price of the article, without
reference to the power of consuming it. Nothing could
be more fallacious; for if they took away the means of
employment, and consequently the power of consump-
tion, it was of no advantage to cheapen the pike of
commodities. And once destroy the West India market
for our manufactures, there would be but little hope of
restoring it.
The several petitions were then ordered to lie on the
table, and their Lordships adjourned at a few minutes
past Ten.