The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-03 00:00:00

HERT FORD BOROUGH.

Mr. BERNAL moved, that the issuing of the writ
for a new election for this borough be further provision-
ally postponed until Monday next, which was agreed to.

ASSESSED TAXES.

An HON. AIENIBER, whose name we could not learn,
expressed his hope that in the Bill to be brought in on
this subject, publican's windows might be considered and
rated as shop windows.

Mr. S. RICE said it must be a very peculiar case in•
deed, which would induce his Majesty's Ministers to con.
sent to such a proposition. For example, could they look
upon the Star and Garter at Richmond in such a light?
Mr. R. POTTER said he had been requested by a
number of schoolmasters to bring their case under the
notice of the Treasury, in the hope that, by allowing their
windows to be rated as shop windows, they might partake
of the benefits of the intended concession.

S. RICE replied, the matter was then under the
consideration of the Government.

The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
;he House adjourned at half-past two o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS, 111 Ar 2.

On the LORD CHANCELLOR taking his seat on the
woolsack at five o'clock,

Lord TEYNEIANI moved for returns relating to malt
and hops.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH Dksented two petitions for
the abolition of slavery.

Lord REDESDALE presented a petition from Mailing,
Kent, for the abolition of the malt tax.

The Earl of iIIALNIESBURY said that be thought the
documents moved for by a Noble Eurl on the subject of
the ern laws were calculated to produce erroneous im-
pressions upon their Lordships' minds. He should there-
fore move for a return of the quantity of colonial wheat
imported into this country, and the duty paid upon it,
f,r the last five years up to the 15th of April, 1833.
He bad made this motion, because the importation of co-
lonial wheat had greatly increased within these few years.
After a few words from Earl FITZWILLIAM, the account
was ordered.

Lord SUFFIELD presented petitions for the total and
immediate emancipation of the slaves from 50 places.
Eat' FITZWILLIAM presented petitions to the same
effect from numerous places in the county of York.
The Duke of WELLINGTON presented a petition
from the bankers, merchants, and other inhabitants of Bel-
fast, for the gradual abolition of slavery. The petition
prayed that a fair compensation be given to the West
L.dia planters, for the loss of property they must
sustain from the change. Also a like petition from Edin-
burgh. His Grace, after the last petition had been
read by the clerk at the table, reminded the House of the
resolutions referred to by the petitioners. Those resoht-
tions, which were passed a few years ago, proposed the
gradual emancipation of the slaves, and they had never
heard till lately of the immediate abolition of the slave.
That House, and the other branch Of the Legislature,
ought to persevere in the abolition of slavery, founded upon
the true spirit of these resolution,. The immediate aboli-
tion of slavery would total'y ruin property in the West
Indies, only for the purpose of carrying into effect the
emancipation of the slaves a few years sooner than had
by these resolutions. The revenue de-
been propose!
rived from those colonies, which was very considerable,
would be reduced to nothing, and the 350,000 tons of
shipping at present employed in the trade of the colonies,
would be totally.annibliated. The cultivation of sugar
would be transferred from our colonies, where slavery was
not only in existence, but where the slave trade flourished
in great extent. We should thus promote the trade of
other countries, and annihilate our own at an expense to
this country of seven millions of revenue now derived.
The Noble Duke stated a case, where lately an estate had
been sold for 4,00 W. which had paid come years before
2,0001. a year to this country.
Lord SUFFIELD was not prepared now to go into any
argument upon the resolutions set forth, as no notice had

been given of these petitions being to be presented. No-
thing but his high respect for the Noble Duke could have
induced him to preserve gravity when he found that the
petitioners amounted only to 400, whilst he had presented
a petition from that city signed by 20,000 persons. He
knew well, and he believed it was well known too in every
town, and in every village of England, that the " gradual
emancipation" of the slave meant only the perpetuity of
slavery. The petition spoke of the " happy condition" of
the slaves in the West Indies, whilst it was well known
that the slave's condition was, instead of being better, far
worse than they were 40 years ago ; indeed, of late he
knew that they had been treated with greater cruelty.
He had no doubt that his Majesty's 111inisters saw like
him, and like nine-tenths of the people of England, that
the only safe way now was immediate emancipation ; in
short, no Government could now resist the feelings of the
British nation upon the subject. It was quite absurd to
suppose that any remuneration would he given to the
West India planters fur giving up the bodies and souls of
the slaves. The colonists had declared that they would
resist to the death all intention on the part of this country
for tl.e emancipation of the slaves. But, on a former
occasion, Sir George Murray had brought them to
agree to a point of his by only withdrawing the troops.
He must state also, that the f Lets upon which the Noble
Duke had founded his arguments were totally untrue.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said that the Noble
Lord had complained of his having made some remarks on
presenting this petition ; but he would remind the House
that the Noble Lord himself (lid not always abstain from
remarks on such occasions.—(Hear.) All that he (the
Duke of Wellington) had said was merely said in justice
to the petitioners.
Lord SUFFIELD said that be had never indulged in
observations, further than to state what the purport of the
petitions was.
Earl FITZWILLIAM was well satisfied that the Noble
Duke had made the speech, because, when he considered
the great talents of the Nale Duke, and the attention
which he had paid to the affairs of the colonies, he was
sure that he had brought forward all the arguments which
could be brought forward in favour of a continuance of
slavery. He (Earl F.) complained that the petition came
upon their table under false colours. It purported to be
for the gradual abolition of slavery, and every argument in
it, as well as every argument brought in support of the
petition, and, indeed, on that side of the question generally,
were in favour of a perpetuity of slavery..—(Hear.) Per-
sons said that the slaves were better off in the West Indies
than the labourers of this country. Was that not an ar-
gument for perpetual slavery? Then, the Noble Duke
had said that the abolition of slavery would be the destruc-
tion of the colonies. If that were true, could there be a
stronger argument in favour of the continuance of the
system ?—(Hear.)
The Duke of WELLINGTON—My arguments went
in favour of a gradual abolition, and against a compulsory
manumission.

Earl FITZWILLIAM—Tho whole tenor of the argu-
ment was in favour of perpetual slavery. Notwithstanding
that the Noble Duke bad said that it would he nothing but
insanity to emancipate the slaves at present, be (Earl F.)
would give his opinion in favour of immediate emancipa-
tion.—(Hear.)
Lord STANLEY presented , petitions from places in
Lancashire, praying fur the immediate abolition of slavery.
The Earl of ROSSLYN presented a petition from the
Procurators practising in the Sheriffs' Courts in the
county of Fife, against the Small Debt Bill.
The House adjourned at a qu titer to syven o'clock.