The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-31 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS

Though we have left ourselves no room•lo'cont-
ment upon the debate of last night, we cannot omit
to state the chief modifications which Mr: Stanree
has introduced into his original resolutions. we
always objected, it will be remembered, to that part
of his project which imposed upon the negro the
necessity of paying for his own emancipation by ap-
propriating the fruits of the one-fourth part of his
toils rescued from his master during his apprentice-
ship for that purpose. The planters were equally
averse to defray the interest and redeem the princi-
pal of a sum of money which was intended to in-
demnify them for being deprived of their former
control ever the entire labour of their slaves. The
Right Hon. Gentleman and the Government have
yielded to the arguments employed in behalf of the
planter and the negro, and now propose to relieve
both from the burden which the former conditions
of the loan would impose. Who, therefore, is to
bear the loss, or to pay the interest and liquida'e
the debt? The country ? No; or at least, not the
country from its present revenue, or from a revenue
unconnected with the colonies. The Government
propose, for meeting the interest of this loan, to
raise the duties on sugar from 245., the present rate,
to 275., which they were before 1830. The country,
indeed, will still bear the expense, though the re-
venue will be raised on colonial produce. The ques-
tion comes to be, whether the additional duty may
not, by decreasing the consumption of sugar, neutra-
-Ize the benefit of the loan to the planter. hided,
we do not see why a tax, which the public is
obliged to pay, should be laid particularly on colo-
nial produce, because it is devoted to a colonial ob-
ject, if that duty would otherwise be impolitic when
levied for the general purposes of the empire. But
in whatever manner the loan is to be paid, we never
had the least hope that it would be redeemed by
the planters, and we always felt a strong repugnance
that it should be redeemed by the negro. As a
consequence of this change of plan, an important
addition will be made to the relief to be adminis-
tered to the " apprenticed labourer," and we think
an important improvement will be made in time
project. 'lhe labourer will now be enabled to de-
vote his fourth of spare time to his own benefv,
and, if so minded, may employ the money accu-
mulated by his wages to shorten his term of ap-
prenticeship.—Times.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Y,aterday a Court was held for the despatch of business.

THE FIRE ♦T LONDON MEMOS.

Mr. COPE rose to give notice of a inoti..n which it was
his intention to submit, in COMP quence of the calamitous
fire that morning at London Bridge. To give an idea of
the rapidity with which the fire advanced, in the narrow
neighbourho..d which the new arraneements had made
more narrow than it bad been before, he should state that
the owner of one of the houses in Crooked-lane was
obliged to fly from his desk, and absolutely to leave hi+ cash
and papers to the flames. Mr. Cope then gave notice to
the effect—,hat the London Bridge Committee should be
instructed to ascertain whether the lane in question could
not be widened, &c.

Mr. thaw; was of opinion that it would be quite un-
necessary to proceed with the motion. The palpable n,--
cessity of doing something to remedy the evil now cont.
plained of was quite argument enough to excite them to
an active exertion on this occasion.—(Hear.)
_ _ _

Mr. COPE withdrew hi* mo'ion.
SUNDAY DINNERS.

The LORD MAYOR, in answer to an observation made
by Mr. Hick, stated that the Judges would dine next
Sunday at the Mansion House ; and that the fact that
they did not dine there with the Sheriffs on Sunday last
arose from mistake, and not from any disinclination up,,n
t he part of the Sheriffs to entertain on the SAhath.