The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-11 00:00:00

1 ing the slave trade, and as such he should certainly say
"Not cnntent” to it.
Eerl GREY then rose and said that the Noble and Learned
Lord had complained that the speech of his Noble Frieed(Lord
Stanley) had not been answered. but when the results of that
evening's proceedinee would ge firth to the public, they would
be able to say whether or not that speech had been answered.
Pear, beer.) But if it had not been answered, he (Loid
Grey) world psesurre to make an attempt to answer the speech.
He weuld appeal to their Lordships whether the Noble and
Learned Lord who bed just sat down had, during the whole of
the time in which he had occupied their Lordship? attention,
Reduced one single argument against the measure. He had
certainly. after his usual enstom, entertained them with many
jokes. This measure he (Earl Grey) contended would benefit
the whole of the British popnlation, and ought their Lordships,
without serious argumeets hiing brought forward against, re-
jset the Bill, and thus deprive the people of this country of
that proper supply of cheap sugar to which they were entitled.
Had any Noble Lord yen tired to submit that we were bound
to exclude the else of slave-grown articles as much as we
should stolen goods ? Not one had done that. Indeed, one
of the Noble Lords opposite had admitted that such conduct
would be an act of nothing less than Quixotic benevolence.
They a:ready had slave-grown coffee, &e. A few years ago
the duty on the article of coffee (in the cultivation of which
slaves were employed) was materially reduced. Copper ore,
too, was introduced under a reduced duty at the very time that
the Noble and Li arned Lord himself was in the Cabinet.
But the Noble and Learned Lord ( Lord Brougham) was as
slippery as an eel ; there was no catching him ; he said that he
knew nothing about this introduction of copper, and vet he re-
gularly sat in that House every n ght, and must have been cog-
nisant of the whole of the proceedings.—( Hear, hear.) The
effect of their reduction on the slave-grown article of coffee was
an increase of 34,300,00011e5. per annum. That reduction
had been sanctioned by the Noble and Learned Lord, and yet
that reduction had, according to the Noble and Learned Lord's
argument. tended to the increase of the sieve trade, but of
all these reductions on slave-grown articles, he professed a happy
ignorance—be pretended to know nothing about them. —( Hew,
heir, and laughter.) He hail in his hand a return of the
refined sugar, and he found that in 1845 they had exported
273,000 cwt. of refined sugar, and that 50,000 cwt. of it was
sent to the British colonies Their Lordships should remem-
ber that 99 of that in every 100 was slave-grown sugar. It
was the rankest delusion that ever was attempted to be palmed
off upon the country ; in fact those who had been gulled by it
had become ashamed of it. He fully and entirely denied that
the measure would encourage the slave trade, and he
would endeavour to show them that by passing this
measure they would go far to put an end
to it. He conceived, that if they proclaimed by their conduct
that free labour was not able to compete with slave labour, they
would be doing a vast injury to the cause. Such was not the
language of Mr. Wilberforce—sech was not the language of
the anti-slavery party. He, for his part, still believed
that free labour, properly encouraged, would be able
to cempete with slave labour. It. was his opinion that
India would yet banish slavery from the market; and
even with regard to the West Indies. he did
not hold the gloomy and desponding views which
some gentlemen took upon the question. On the contrary,
his expectations were cheered by the knowledge of the facts
which he had stated. The West Indians would now know
what they were to encounter, and they were not so desponding
as the Noble Lord ; on the contrary, they were luckily them-
selves up for their tasks, nor did they fear it. These reports
would most admirably t epay their Lordships' perusal. It showed
that it was only by men, whose intelligence had been
developed, who had received the truths of Christianity.
that they could expect to receive the due amount of
labour.—( Hear, hear.) The Council of Jamaica had
adopted that principle, and were carrying it out in prac-
tice. The company who was about establishing a manufactory
for machinery in Jamaica was sneered at. It had been said
that it had existed long before this measure was introduced,
but there was nothing in the horizon which portended the
coming event. This measure would introduce a division of
labour; for it would give rise to a demand for several agents,
who were not now in existence, and who could not possibly
exist under a state of slavery.—( Hear, hear.) He believed
that there was a great number of planters ready to take up this
subject, and proceed upon it with vigour. The intention was
to put all parties on an equal fooling The reason they did
not sweep away at once these differential duties was, that they
apprehended that some financial difficulty would arise ; but the
Noble Lord at the head of her Mejesty's Government would
gladly avail himself of any plan by which this could be avoided.
Lord BROUGHAM said he had a right to explain. The
Noble Lord had stated that his opinion on tnat subject was one
that no man woman, or child, in the country, would care for.
But it would surprise the House to learn that the Anti-slavery
'society had selected him to present a petition to their Lord-
ships, and asked him to sign his name to one of their petitions.
The cl arge that had been made against him was unfounded,
for he had given his assistance to his Noble Friend the Earl of
Ripon on this question, and when the Noble Lord was pre-
vented, by an accident, attending in his place in the House,
the whole weight of the business fell upon him. He thought
that the Parliamentary reform being before the House in
1831 was sufficient to occupy the attention of their Lordships.
Lord ASHBURTON said he wished to know if this
measure applied to shipping.
Earl GREY said, that was a question embracing such com-
prehensive topics that with their Lordships' permission he
would decline answering the question. With respect to en-
gagements, the reason of the term being fixed at a year was
that it should be of that durati.tn which would not induce them
to break it. What they proposed was, to give the colonial
Governments an opportunity of coming to an arrangement
satisfactory to the parties employed. That, however, was a
matter to he settled by the colonial authorities, rather than
to be attempted to be regulated by her Majesty's Government
Lord ISHBURTON said, that taking away all protection
from the colonies was a subject eo important to the public at
large that they should be acquainted with the intention of
Government.
Earl GREY stated the Government would, of course,
propose to remove the differential duties.
Lord STANLEY said that under the British possessions an
uniform rate of duty was fixed for all the colonies, and he
thought it right, under all the circumstances of the case, the
provisions ni that Bill should be adhered to.
Earl GREY said that, so far as allowing the colonies un-
restricted competition was concerned, the Government had
made up their mind on the subject.
Lord STANLEY wished to know whether the colonies were
to have the power of levying duties, according to their awn
different and conflicting interests, or whether an uniform rate
of duty should be enforced upon the colonies ?
Earl GREY—No Bill was not yet prepared upon that
subject.
Lord STANLEY thought it too bad that a Bill on so im-
portant a subject should be brought forward after the 12th of
August.
Lord DENMAN wished to know whether the cruisers on
the coast of Africa were to be continued.
Earl GREY—Certainly,
After a few words from Lord STANLEY and Earl GREY on
the subject of differential duties,
The Bill was read a first time. •
It was then arranged that the amendment of Lord Stanley
should be put upon the motion for the second reading,
instead of upon the first reading, in accordance with the motion
of the House, and out of courtesy to the House of Commons.
The Ear' of CLARENDON then moved that the Bill be
read a second time on Thursday next.
Lord STANLEY moved, as an amendment, that the
Bill be read that day three months. He was anxious that his
objection should appear on the records of the House,
Several other Bills were Then forwarded a stage, and their
Lordships adjourned at Half past One o'olock.