The Sun.
London, England, 1832-03-24 00:00:00

SUGAR DUTY ACT.

Lord ALTHORP said, before the Speaker left the chair
he would make a few observations, in relation to the West
India Colonies. Note ithstanding what had been suggested
to him and urged upon him by Gentlemen connected
with the colonies, he still felt it his duty not to state pub-
licly what were to be his measures with respect to tue
Colonial Duties. He had, on a former occasion, stated to
the House that it was the intention of Government to afford
relief to the sufferers in the West India islands. But that
relief was to be conditional on the colonists, according to the
wishes of Government with respect to their slaves. As
the sugar duties were to be continued only six months, at
the expiration of that time there would be another oppor-
tunity of discussing that subject. The House was aware
that since he had made his promise of relief, the ca-
lamities of a hurricane and an insurrection had be-
fallen the islan,ls, and therefore he thought that the
mother country would afford relief without exacting the
conditions at first demanded. The House had already
agreed to grant a sum of money for the relief of those who
had suffered by the hurricane in the Leeward elands.—
That relief was aff,mded only to the lower classes,
but it certainly was the intention of Government now
to afford assistance to those who could give security for the
payment of this money. Government would, of course,
take care that the security was good, that they should have
a priority of claim, and that they should not advance more
money than the properly could repay.—(Hear, hear.)
He hoped that these measures would induce the colonists
to have kindly feelings towards the mother country,
and adopt those measures which they knew the mother
country had so much at heart.

Mr. BURGE understood that the relief to be granted
was conditional, upon the colonists adopting certain pl ins
for their internal government. This was to suppose that
they would surrender all their rights, and Government
were only offering relief upon terms which they knew
must be rejected by every man who was conscious that
he had been born under the British Constitution. The
plan of his Majgsty's Ministers had produced throughout
the colonies the highest degree of disaffection and discon-
tent. He could not mention a stronger proof of the feel-
ing on the part of his Majesty's Government, that they
were making a tremendous experiment on the tranquillity
of our colonial possession', than the fact that immediately
after the proposition of the Government, and the speech of
the Uuder Secretary of the Colonial Department arrive d
there, there also arrived a proclamation of the King, which
had for its objet to destroy that delusion which had pre-
vailed in the colonies, and which also had for its
object to produce discontent in the the colonies; and to show
the jeopardy to which Government knew they exposed the
colonies, even in the Crown colony of the Mauritius,
from which they could not hear so soon of the effects of
the measure, they withheld the proclamation f and he be-
lieved that up to this time it had not been sent out. A cir.
cular issued from the Colonial-office to the Crown colonies,
and to the Colonial Legislatures, which breathed a spit it of
direct hostility towards our Colonial Establishments, and
which was of itself unaccotnpanisd by anything else suffi-
cient to show that the time had arrived when the
colonies must cease to look to his Majesty's Government
es the fountain of protection. It sheaved that an attempt
was making to exhibit society in the Colonies as illiterate
and possessing no information, and was, in fact, one in-
discriminate censure on society in those places. The Hon.
and Learned Gentleman reverted to events recorded in colo-
nial history, in support of the views he had adopted on this
point. With respect to the measure of conditional relief.
he maintained that there newr was an instance of such a
proposition being brought forward by the Government of
any country. Here were Ministers, knowing that distress
existed—knowing that they bad the means of relieving
this distress, and yet they add, that this distress will be
withheld, unless the colonists obeyed the legislation of
Downing-street—unless they followed verbatim et litera-
tim the orders in Council. They were for proposing a
penalty for disobedience on persons, two-thirds of whom
were neither competent to obey nor to disobey the orders in
Council. What, he asked, would be the feeling among a
great mass of the colonial population, when they found
that, although ships of war were sent out, and an addi-
tional military force, to repress insurrection, ministers still
persevered in that plan which had made such a powerful
impression and created so much excitement when it was
first announced ? For forty miles the country was a per-
fect waste, and the whole slave population was thrown
out of employ. The loan which the Government
was going to advance to the planters of Jamaica,
would be of little use, unless there was, at the same
time, a policy adopted towards them, which would
restore that confidence among them which was necessary
to induce them to set about replanting their lands. The
same effects had not yet beets produced in the other islands
which the world had unfortunately witnessed in Jamaica.
Similar discontent and disaffection were, however, known
to exist there, for the negro population in those isiands
partook of the same delusion by which the negro popula-
tion of Jamaica had been misled. In some of the islands
he was informed that in consequence of this oircular of
the British Government the slaves had refused to obey
the orders of their masters. Instead of irritating these
colonies, a wise Government would endeavour to win their
affections by a course of wise concession and• conciliation.
These colonies wished to continue united with Great
Britain,—their natural affections as well as their interests
led them to desire British connexion. But were Govern-
ment aware of the language in which the rulers of other
countries were addressing these colonies? Had they seen,
for instance, the language in which the Government of the
United States spoke to them through the NorthAmtrican
Review? To conciliate them was therefore no less
a matter of duty than of policy. They had contri-
buted largely to the aid of England in her hour of
danger, and their importance was seen in the eagerness of
Government to raise these sugar duties upon their produce.
It the Noble Lord had stated any mode of relief fur the
West Indian planter,—if he had abstained from these pro-
ceeding at present,—if he had granted a committee of in-
quiry, in which all the relations of the colonies, and all
the state of society in them, could have been explained to
the country,—it he bad attended to the suggestions which
had been made to him a the West Indian interests, sug-
gestions which were founded on a just consideration, not
only of what was due to the slave, but also of what was
due to the master,—if such a mouse had been followed,
either by the Noble Lord or by the Government, he (Mi.
Burge) should not have persisted in his opposition to thi•
motion, as such a course would have restored that security
to property, and that confidence to the planters, which did
not exist at present, without which the West India islands
could not be prosperous.
Lord HOWICK said this question was of great import-
ance, and c,aild only be brought to a satisfactory condo-
sion by mutual concessions—(Hear, hear)—and being
convinced of that, he regretted the language which tt..
Hon. and Learned Gentleman had applied to the Govern-
ment. When the present Administration came into offict

the Iloos••, by the reaolutiona of 18t2, was pledged to en-
deavour to promote the ultimate • xtinetion and immediate
ouelioration of slavery by all the ne.iims in its power. All
he Governments subsequent to 1823 had instituted or
',forced regulations in the colonies under the Crown,
vhich had mitigated slavery and promised to lead to its
extinction. He would not discuss :those regula-
,ions, but he would say that as far as they went
ih. y were for the benefit of the slave, and had not
injured the master. In the Legisl itive Colonies tl:e
.xample had not been followed. He would not con-
trast the Acts of the Legislatures of the Colonies with the
orders of Council of 1824. It was enough for him to
say that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman would not as.
sent that by any Legislature had these reolations been
carried into effect. What then was Government to do ?
Vas it to leave slavery as at present? Were, the Ministers
riot to follow the examples of their predecessors, who hail
strongly and repeatedly recommended the Legislation of
Jamaica to adopt the order of Council which had been
carried into effect at Trinidad. If the Government Lad
wished to follow such a course, the common feelings of
humanity, as well as the feelings of the publie, would
have rendered it impossible. The Government could not
remain where it was. It was obliged, by the conduct of
the colonial Legislatures, to take other steps. }lemon-
atrances had already been tried. A correspondence had
been carried on since 1823, to impress on the Legislature
of Jamaica in p irticula r the necessity of adopting the
views of Parliament. At length the language of remon-
strance ceased to be proper. After the speech of the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman it was necessary that the House
should be made aware of what had been done by previous
Administratmone. In 1823 a circular was sent out by
Lord Bathurst ; a second circular was sent out on time 9th
of July of the same year, addressing to them the strongest
exhortations. The Noble Lord quoted the language of
the dispatch calling the Legislature of Jamaica to execute
the wishes of the Government with all possible celerity.
A resolution was then passed by the Legislature of Jam mica,
expressing surprise and regrete that the Ministers had
sanctioned the principles of the enemies of the colonies.
The Assembly even refused to entertain the notion of the
ultimate extinction of slavery.
_ _ _

Mr. BURGE wished the Noble Lord to read the Re=
port, because several measures favourable to the slaves were
passed that Session.

Lord HOWICK had not the whole Report with him.
What he had read showed that there was a spirit in the
Assembly of Jamaica which would render remonstrance,
after nine years' of remonstrance, worse than childish.
On July 30, 1825, Lord Bathurst sent soother despatch,
expressing his regret that the measure for admitting shire
evidence was rejected. On the 18th March, 1826, ano-
ther despatch expressed similar sentiments. On the 22c1
September, 1927, Mr. Huskinson, taking the earner view
as Lord Bathurst, wrote a letter, representing, in strong
terms how unsatisfactory was the conduct of the Legisla-
ture. He disallowed the Act of 1826, relative to slave
evidence, on account of its clause against toleration.
An Act passed, he was aware, in 1831, without these
clauses; but it was important to recollect that Mr. Huss
kisson pronounced the Act of 1826, even without these
clauses, to be totally unsetisfactory. Further correspon-
dence ensued, insisting on the Legislatures of the colonies
carrying into execution the resolutions of Parliament.
In all these despatches the necessity was pointed out
of the Government having recourse to other measures.
The late Secretary to the colonies, Sir George Mur-
ray, wrote two circulars soon after his accession to
office, in strong and decided language, calling on the
Legislatures to adopt measures of a decisive character,
they being equally necessary to ensure the protection of
their own property and satisfy the people of England. He
subsequently adopted, to the letter, the language of Mr.
Huekisson. After so many proofs that further discussion
would lead to no satisfactory result, would it not have
been derogatory to the honour of the Crown again to ten-
der advice so often and contemptuously rejected. Either
the Government must take measures to carry the resolu-
tions of 1823 into effect, or it must have asked the Par.
liament to withdraw them. His great regret at the con-
duct of the colonists, was caused by the circumstance that
it tended to injure the colonies themselves. The Go-
vernment was bound, therefore, to state what course it
meant to adopt. Perhaps, indeed, it would have been
wiser lead the course it now proposed to follow been
earlier adopted. It was with a view of showing the
colonists it was their interest to yield, that the Noble
Lord (when the Member for Weymouth gave notice of a
motion on the subject) read these resolutions to the House,
which were intended to impose a different duty on the
colonies which accepted the orders in Council compared
with those which refused them. At the same time no-
tice was given that the orders in Council which Sir Geo.
Murray had prepared, but left imperfect, would be forth-
with sent out to the colonies, with those conditions
attendant on their acceptance which he le id already
described. It was for these regulation', respecting
the different scale of duties, that the Government were
now especially ridiculed and attacked, and it was openly
declared that these discretionary duties would have the
very opposite effect to that which was intended. The
Hon. and Learned Member for Eye (Mr. Burge) had
exclaimed, " Did any one ever hear of such a monstrous
proposition ? No such project ever entered the maid of
Mr. Canning—no such project was to be gathered from
the tenor of those celebrated resolutions of that Statesman
on which the House had pledged itself to act." He (Lord
Howick) bad undouatedly never denied that the most de-
sirable course, as well as the safest and speediest, for effect-
ing the emancipation of the slave, and securing his ulti-
mate comfort and happiness, would be through the means
of colonial legislation.—( Hear, hear.) That he had never
denied, and he would be most anxious to see it accom-
plished.—(Hear, from the Opposition.) But if any one
contended that Mr. Canning did not contemplate fiscal
regulations as au ultimate resource against the planters, he
would say they did not interpret rightly- the sentiments of
that Statesman. In the celebrated speech pronounced at
the period:when he moved his resolutions on the erotione
of the Member for Weymouth, Mr. C.tnnireg used the
following observations :—" We hare a right to expect
from the Colonial Legislatures a full and fair co-operation;
and being as touch averse by habit, as I am at this mos
ment precluded by duty, frost mooting ionginary points,
and looking to the solution of extreme though not impose
Bible questions, I must add, that any resistance which
might be manifested to the express and declared wishes
of Parliament—any resistance, I mean, which should par-
take not of reason but of contumacy, would create a
case (a case, however, which I sincerely trust will never
occur) upon which his Majesty's Government would not
hesitate to come down to Parliament for counsel."—
(Hear, bear, from the Opposition.) He (Lord Howick)
thought this showed pretty plainly that Mr. Canning cow,
tetnplated having recourse to coercive measures, if they
were found necessary. And this was the more apparent
from the language which the same Right Hen. Gentlemar.
held on the 16th of March, 1821 :—" There are three
possible modes," he observes, "in which Parliament
might deal with the people of Jamaica ; first, it might
crush them by the application of direct force ; secondly,
it might harass them by fiscal regulations, and enactments
restraining their navigation ; and, thirdly, it may pursue
the slow and silent course of temperative but authoritative
admonition. Now, Mr. Speaker, if I tun asked which
course I would advise, I am for first trying that which
have last mentioned : I trust we shall never be driven to
the second; and, with respect to the first, I will only now
say that no feeling of wounded pride—no motive of queee
tionable expediency—nothing short of real and dernonstrebf,e,
necessity, shall induce me to moot the swirl queet'eee o.
the transcendent power of Parliament over every depend=
envy of the British Crows."—(Hear.) And on >r subsequent
occasion Mr. Canning also said, that although it Might
be necessary to have recourse to a mute direct method of
effecting the object of the Legislature, yet he was so anxious
to see that object effected through the agency of the colo-
nists, that he would give them an opening for a further
trial, and in 1826, be again declared that there was yet
another stage is which the colonists might conform to the
wishes of the Government, and spare the seeetaity of di-
rect interference. Was it necessary for hint to say more
on the subject of the opinions of Mr. Canning? He now
came to the Orders in Council which had been so much
criticised. The draft of these orders had been printed.
It had been sent to the Hon. and Learned Gentlemen op-
posite (Mr. Burge), and to several other gentlemen con-
nected with the West India Islands. It had been exa-
mined and commented on by the Learned Gentleman and
his friolds. Their suggestions h td received Our consider-
ation. The Orders, in consequence, were most materially
altered, and they were then sent to the Crown colonies,
and afterwards to those which po,ses-ed Legislative As-
semblies, under a hope that they would ire received
in the spirit in which they were as et. It was,
lie conceived, of the utmost importance that tree
conditions on which they were to preceed should be clear-
ly Known, and he contended it would have been quite
rit -
possible for the Government to draw distinct:ono between
the islands which had and which had not adopted 111,4116
to carry the objects of the Government into effect. It was
certainly true that the people of -tamale' astute d the cre-
dit of having passed laws for effecting a great portion of
the improvements and amendment:4 introduced in tile Or-
ders in Council; but it was it:so true that the Anti-slivery
Society asserted those laws to be perfectly natatory. He
(Lord Howick) did not say which w to the right, but
lie contended it was necessary to give the whole of the co-
des a law which clearly defined the coarse by which their

object was to be effected. The Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man (Mr. Burge) had.thrown out a personal charge against
him (Lord Howick) in the course of the debate, which he
felt it necessary to answer more at lengtb. That Hon.
Member had stated plainly it was the universal opinion of
_the solonistathatilise(Lord HA) speech of last year ;vase
the direct exciting cause of all the calamities which bade
trice visited the_West India Islands in thesbape of discon-1
tent, atid open hasorrectionee-(.llear).--and the Han. Member
had, gone on Ao.declige t.liat the, moment that speech
reached. Jamaica; itltecapee necessary for the Governor to
issue Preelernaguti,in undeceive the Negro with respect
to the extent....of freedom tse.he conferred on him, and to ea..'
tisfy him ;that theesyetem tof slavery
,was not at an end.'
Z.oisr, he (Lord Heyeacl;) did net deny that his speech
might have,fieen tar iatemperate.e-(Hear.) He had no
hostility threWeet•lndians, hut an experience, not of
Itillikgrgwth,ind gathered too on the benches oloppo-
sitiren., hod ,prObably given him the language of a disputant,
and )i,4 him to the use of expressions too violent for the
otteallOu.. Afe,denied, however, that the speech produced
~the efie,et Attributed to it by the Hon. and Learned Mem-
:her ,feri.Eye,. or that the Proclamation. had been issued in
consequence of it, and for this reason, that the Proclama-
tion was actually issued at the instance of the Learned
Gent. himself and the agent for St. Vincent's, in cense-
queepe of some transactions in the island of Antigua.
T4e Noble Lord here read portioas of the dispatches of the
F.erl of Belroore, with a view of proving that the procla-
mation was not issued in consequence of the violent and
_inflammatory character of his speech, but that on the
contrary the commotions and the insurrection must be at-
tributed to the inflammatory resolutions of the planters
themselves, which Lord Belmore observed was, in his ap-
prehension, more calculated to disturb the minds of the
slaves than anything which had_ been done at home.
One great object of the Government . was to effect a
gradual and easy transition from the state, of slavery to that
of the complete enjoyment of liberty, and he hoped that
the lesson received from the losses of one island, and the
n irrow escape of three others, would not be lost on the
planters. He hoped that they would- from those mis-
fortunes, see the necessity of meeting, in a better spirit,
iris desires of the Government. He admitted that. the
discussions on this subject were .full of clanger.—( Hear.)
That they were standing on the brink of a frightful preci-
pice could not be denied.—(Hear, from the Opposition.)
He was one of the last who would _adopt any violent
-measures, but he thoUght ia.shoeld,mat beehisteight. of
by the,colonists, that among those who were not disposed
.to adopt the violent Measures of, the .Member for Wey-
"Mouth (Buxton), and he (Lord Howick) repeated he was
not one of them; the portion of the moderate eman-
cipators merely tolerated the temporary continuance of
slavery, because they wished to.get rid of a great evil
with the silent:et possible amount of suffering. The
dangers they had to contend against were, however, of a
different character from _whit Alley hid been. A new
race of people had grown tip within the last 23 years—
a race Partly eduCated and instructed in the principles of
the Christian religion, and strongly impreesed with a sense
of their de.a.adation. To add to this, the slave was fre-
quently foueid living in the immediate neigbbourhood of a
brother who had.larobably_ become free, while the Press
of Jamaica was dilly sending forth. the most violent arti-
cles in favinir of immediate unqualified emancipation.
Matters were in a different state now from what they had
been. At one time the Press of Jamaica was all on one
side; hut now there Were two parties contending, unre-
strained, with equal violence, and adding most materially
to the dangers of the situation of the colonies, and to the
necessity of a speedy settlement of the question at issue.
The only Way to avoid this danger was, as he believed,
by a steady and temperate, but at the same time, .resolute
enfiiicement of the resolutione of 1823.

. .
Mr. ROBERT GORDON was happy to say . that
the Noble Lord who introduced _this. question to the
Muse (Lord Althorp) had not uttered a single word to
.
which the most sensitive on this most. sensitive subject
could object ; and he earnestly IsOped that the language of
the -Noble Lord was more the evidence of the Noble Lord's
acknowledged kindness of heart than of the general feelings
of his Majesty'S Government. (Hear.) His Noble
Friend (Lord Howick) had expr,ssed his sorrow for ha-
ving given offence to the colonists on
.a former occasion ;
but it seemed to be one Of the misfortunes connected with
this most unfortunate question; that no one could enter on
it without using expressions' in some degree calculated to
prOduce excitement ; and the Noble Lord had not, on the
present occasion, steered clear of that influence, or been
quite so guarded in his langtiagi as his friends could have
wished.—(Hear, bear.) `-He trusted', however, tbet..the
Noble Lord (Althorp) intended the announcement of that
evening as a favour to the colonists, and he hoped the co-
lonists would receive it in that way,. and take it as a
pledge of a desire to consider their state of suffering under
a More favourable light:-..--(Hear.) • Under that impres-
sion he hoped also that the Noble Lord would see the pro-
pri.-ty of reconsider in the Fi?cal regulations.,
Mr. HUME obierved, that the principle of attempting
to govern the colonies in Downing-street had been pro-
ductive 'of an ever-varying System, pregnant with the
greatest evils. The clinstant change of Administration?,
and the consequent change of policy of the Colonial De-
partment, had led to a succession of changes in the mode
of governing our colonies. How could the colonies be
satisfied or prosperous under such circumstances ? The
consequence of such a system was, that whether at the
Cape of Good Hope, 1L Canada, or in the West 'ln lips,
there was nothing hut' disenntent. He did not impute to
any of the successive Administrations of this country a
disposition to do any thing injurious to the colonies; but
sae result of the system to which he had alluded was, that
orders hail gone out to .the Colonial Governments, which
orders hid beep subsequently revoked, and then again en-
forced. In that view it was" that he regretted that the
Government of this country had not many years ago taken
the whole colonial system into Consideration, in order to
Silitertain whether the colonies were not fit to manage
their own affairs, instead of being kePt •- in leading-
string, and subjected to the fluctuating management
of Downing-street. He repeated that he did not attribute
the 'evils which existed in the colonies to any inten-
tion on the part of the Government of this country, but
to the mistaken system which had been pursued: He re-
gretteal, therefore, that hii Majesty's present Ministers,
on coming into office, had not made an attempt to frame
some ganeral system of a more satisfactory nature. . He
also regretted that every Administration in this country
few a lung period of time had shewn a great distrust of all
our colonies. He would proceed to.make a few remarks
seri what had fallen from the Noble Lard. The Noble
Lord hd, with great propriety, commenced his observa-
tions by g reference to the resolutions of the 15th of May,
1643, and had stated that be and hiS colleagues were
anxious to carry those resolutions into 'effect. No man
who possessed the common feelings of htiminity could re-
fuse his assent to those resolutions. But what were they ?
The Noble Lord bad made a great mistak.. T-T __e supposed
thew resolutions to contain` what they did not contain ;
and; in" consequence of similar errors, the whole of the
disputes and calatnities in the' colonies bad resulted.
,In
aft;y, as in all other agreements, there were two parties.
in this, in fact, there were three. One party was the
goose of Commons, wbo were bound to discharge the du
rielprescribed to theM by humanity ; another party was
the proprietori of slaves in the colonies, who were justi-
fied in asserting their just rights, to which rights the
greatest attention eugbt to be paid; and the third party was
the slaves, to whoM we were bound to afford every protec-
tion compatible with the undeniable rights of the planters.
This country seemed' to have been led away by feelings
of humanity (which no man was less. disposed to blame
tbao himself), and,•by-a- wish to remove the blot of our
present colonial system, to forget that that h'ot was not
the creation of the. present period, and that it was not
created by-the-present piciprietOis in the 'West ludies.• To
do justice we should not visit on indiViduals acts which
were not theirs, but the acts of their fathers, to whom
they hadsticceeded. • That seemed to he forgotten by many
parsons. The Hon. Member for Weymouth was one of
~;lose' mistaken persons Whti seemed to have entirely for-
gotten that those acts were not the acts of the present pro-
prietors, but the acts of* their predecessors. What cv.as
the first of the Resolutions agreed to by the House of Com-
mons on the 15th -of May, 182:3?::—'! That it is expe-
dient to adopt effectual and decisive tneasures for amelio-
rating the condition of the slave population in his Majes-
ty's colonies." Had the proprietors in the West Indies
ever denied this eipediencYT He had never met with a
single man who did so. On the contrary, they all con-
curred in assenting to it. What was the second Resolu-
tion ?—" Thst through a determined and persevering, hut,
at the same time; judicious' and temperate enforcement
of suet measure:, this House lOoks forward to a pro-
gressire improvement in the character of the slave popu-
lation, such as may prepare them for a participation
ill those civil rights and Privileges which are enjoyed
by other classes of his Majeity's subjects."' Did any
one differ from the opinion expressed in this Resolution ? No
one that he was aware of. The only differenee of opinion
respected the rate of -proceeding. The Hon: Member for
Weymouth would have immediate imancipation. He (Mr.
flume) would not. Fot what Must be the cousequence
of immediate emancipation, unprepared as the'slives were
for the sudden enjoyment of the blessings of freedem. Let
the slave be first put in such a condition to enjoy the bles-
sings-of freedom before freedom wds conferred upon him.
-TheNoble Lord might think as he (Mr. Flume) did, that
more mlght:td be done; but it was not fair in the Npble
Lord to state, or at leuatio leave it to be understOnd, that

no progress whatever had been made by the planters to '
effect that which the House of Commons in this Resolu-
tion intended to eff-ct. Now what was the third Reso-
lution ?—., That this House is anxious for the accomplish-
ment of this purpose, at the earliest period that shall be
compatible with the avell,being et .the alatres,tbemselves,.
with Ehe safety of the colonies, and with a- fair and equita-
ble consideration of the interests of private property." He
asked the Nitble. Lord whether the last condition mentioned
in this Resolution had ever been attended to? Had any
Administration, in proposing emancipation, proposed it in
such a manner as would have respected the interests of
private property ? If not, was it surprising that the colo-
nies - sliould have opposed propositions which did not
include that attention to the tnterests of pti-
vete property which the Resolution of the House of
Commons had declared ought to be inseparable from
such propositions.,---(Hear, hear.) It would he only
manly were the House now at once to come forward and
state in what precise relation the master and the slave were
to consider themselves. At present, the colonies, believing
that it was intended by. the Government of this country
in the proposition which they had made, to refuse all that
fair and equitable consideration of their right of property
in their, slaves which the resolution of the House of Com-
mons prescribed, rejected the principles laid down in that
proposition. If his Majesty's Ministers were desirous of
carrying into effectohat -complete emancipation which was
undoubtedly so desirable, they must hold out the fulfilment
of this resolution; and while, on the one hand, they pro-
posed emancipation —on the, other hand, they must show
how, in effecting that emancipation, the rights of property
possessed by the planter would he respected. He would
venture to say, that the moment Government held out
to the West India proprietors any hope, or showed them
the means by which their property would be protected, so
as to give them a fair consideration and compensation for
the loss of the labour of their slaves, they would findahem
ready to meet their wishes. The Noble Lord said we
were on a frightful precipice. He (Mr. Hume) ad-
mitted it. Were Government prepared with measures to
avert the impending calamity ? Were they prepared with
measures consistent with the conditions prescribed in the
third resolution passed by the House of Commons in 1823 ?
Protests against the Order in Council of October last had
been made by Trinidad, St. Lucia,,Demerara, and almost
every other West India. colony. It was not surprising
th it that order, interpreted as the colonies naturally inter-
preted it, should lead to the rancour which had been mani-
fested. He hoped, therefore, that Government would
distinctly state to what extent they intended to afford pro.
tection to property in the colonies; and be was quite sure
that the people of this country were not so unjust as to
wish.ta destroy that property which the colonists bad de-
rived from their, fathers, without granting them that con-
sideration and compensation_to which_they were entitled.
Mr. F. BUXTON observed, what had been the acts of
the planters ? What wasr-the last point discussed in the
. _
House of Assembly at Jamaica before the late events in
that' island ? Whether women should be flogged in public.
,no.) He repeated that that was the ..point dis--
cussed in. the Colonial Assembly, that obedient Assembly,
which, according to the /1012. Member for Middlesex, was
so ready to canform to the wishes of Parliament. Twice,
once by a majority ,of, thirty-five to two, had the House
of Assembly rejected the point most insisted on by Mr.
Canning in 1831—namely, the fiogaing of women in
public. What single step had the Assembly taken to irn,
prove the condition of the slaves, and thereby to lead to
the extinction of, slavery ? If he had seen any disposi'ion
on the part of the colonies to prepare the negroes for free-
dom by religious instruction, it would have been some
satisfactien a. but, the whole aim of the Colonial Assem-
blies, throughout the colonies, bad been to suppress reli-
gious, education.. That was the distinct charge which he
made. Let the- House recollect Missionary Smith, at
Demerara. As a- corollary to that transaction, a Resa
lotion. bad been passed at Demerara to, banish the Mis-
sionaries, and a law had been passed to prevent their en-
trance into the colony in future. In Trinidad, at a
meeting superintended by a public ~functionary, a reso-
lution had been agreed to, that any attempt to in-
still religious instruction into the minds of the slaves
was incompatible with the continuance of slavery. Here
the fact was plainly broached, that the two blessings of
Christianity and, slavery were incompatible. In no colony
had the spirit of persecution been more unequivocally rrat •
nifested than in Jamaica. He referred to the Act of the
Legislature of that island in 1826. That Act had been re-
jected by Mr. Huskisson, and the Government to which
be-belonged—by; the Right Hon. Baronet opposite, and_the
,Government to which, he belonged, and by the Noble Lord,
and the Government, to vhi.ch he belonged. .By Mr. Bus-
kisson it had been rejected, " because it was .a violation of
that toleration which was due to all his Majesty's sub-
j,cts." This Act, which in Jamaica had been considered
as one of superfluous liberality, bad been rejected in this
country as one of unbearable bigotry. To do that by legis-
lative means which bad been done by viol, lice at Barba-
does, and by murder at Demerara, the House of Assembly
at Jamaica put down the echoule, shut up the meeting-
houses, and abolished religious instruction altogether. He
would state one or two cases which had occurred at
Jamaica of religious persecution in its worst form, The
first was of a respectable negro, of the name of
Henry Williams, who had only one fault—he went to
chapel several years; but it was with the concurrence
of his -master._ His mister dying, a new manager was
appointed, of the name of Betty, who threatened , if
ever Williams went to chapel to send him, to Rodney
Hall Works. This man, Betty, caused a young woman,
who had sighed at s. eing her brother punished, to be stretched
on the ground and flogged before all the slaves. Williams,
for not bringing up his gang, was sent to Rodney Hall
Works, flogged repeatedly, loaded with chains, and sent to
the hospital, where he was obliged to lie continually on
his stomach, his back being one mass of corruption. This
might be only one act of brutal tyranny, and he did not
charge such conduct on the colonists generally. But the
most appalling fact was, that such conduct was strictly
legal, as was proved by a reference of the case to the Law
Amin:nide', both in the island and at home. Suppose
that the riot which had lately occurred. at Jamaica—
(Henr, hear)—it might have been more—it might have
been, an insurrectionalthough, if so, he could show:who
were the insurgents, and that it was the planters by whom
it had been caused—suppose that riot had occurred on the
occasion which he had alluded to, who could have lamented
it ? If the miscreant who had committed the atrocity had
bennput to death, who could, have lamented it? Another
case was that of a negro named George Andrews, who hail
been detected in theact of prayer, and nothing more. Of
that crime he was convicted, and sentenced, to six months'
imprisonment--(0h, oh.) Mr.Nibbs--
_ . .

Mr. BURGE rose, but was called to order, having al-
ready spoken.
Mr. F. BUXTON proceeds—Mr. Nibbs, a Dissenting
clergyman, bad a congregation which met for prayer. The
only thing proved against the negro was the monstrous act
of praying.—(oh, oh.) He did not wonder at, the
astonishment of the Hon. Gentlemen.' If the Noble Lord
said he deviated ever so little from the truth, or the
Gentle Men opposite that he misrepresented the occurrence,
he would sit down, but not before. The negro was tried
fur praying, and convicted. It was alleged that there was
no Act against praying,,but on the other side it was con-
tended, that there was an Act against preaching, and that
praying and preaching were the, sine thing,- so he was
sentenced to hard labour, and to,be flogged. after men-
tioning another case of a similar, nature, the lion. Mem-
ber proceeded to contend that the disturbances which had
taken place arose from the conduct of the planters them-
selves. For a period of six. Months the planters had held
meetings, and adopted every mode of agitation. In proof
of this, he read several extracts from resolutions proposed
at parish meetings in Jamaica, and alluded to the threat
set forth of the colonists joining America, and doing all
the mighty things they professed. He observed that it
was utterly ludicrous,, since the white population. did
not, including all men from sixteen to sixty, amount to
more than 4,000.
Mr. GOULBURN thought the Noble Lord, when he
proposed a continuation of the sugar duties for six months,
should have declared the principle on which he intended to
found his Bill; because great embarrassment was created
by the uncertainty, as well to the consumer as to the im-
porter. He thanked the Noble Lord fur the relief which
hid been granted to the sufferers in Jamaica, and declared
it to be a wise act.

...„
Lord SANDON observed, that the question concerning
slaves generally, and the difficulties of managing them,
were very areal ; and he wished to know from the Nolee
Lord what was the course he intended to pursue respecting
the recent Order in Council ?

Lord ALTHORP replied, that the Government pro-
posed to act upon the principles set forth in that Order in
Council, but that upon practical details connected with the
management of slaves, this Government was willing to re-
ceive suggestion., and if they seemed good, to carry them
into effect.

After a few words in explanation, from Mr. Goutsuall
and Lord ALTRORP, the House resolved itself into a Com-
mittee of the whole House.

On the Motion that the Bill be read paragraph by para-
graPht
Mr. K. DOUGLAS proposed, as an Amendmen►, that
the duty on sugar should be taken by weight upon leaving
the warehouse, and not upon entering it, so as to save the
importer the coat of weight.
Lord ALTHORP stated, that no diminution in the
price of sugar bad taken place in consequence of the re-

newel of the duties for six months. Indeed the price had
increased.

An How. MEMBER observed, the price had increased
is consevence of the troubles in Jamaica.
Lord ALTHORP would oppose the Amendment, be-
cause it would occasion to the Government a lois of be)
tweet: 90 and 100,0001., while it would only grant a
Raving of 201 b. in the hogshead. He remarked, that the
irregular disenision alluded to had not arisen at his side of
the House.
Mr. P. THOMSON obseeved, that if the principle were
to be established with respect to sugars, there was no
reason why it should not be applied to other articles.
Mr. WARBURTON intimated, that be had an inten-
tion, at a future period, of proposing that the duty should
be fixed in proportion to the quality of the sugars.
The Amendment was then negatived without a division.
The CHAIRMAN reported, and the Report was or
to be taken into consideration on Monday next.

REFORM. BILL..
On the Motion of- Lord Aizromte, the House re-
sumed the-proceedings on the Third -Reading of the Re-;
form Bill. - _

Some verhal amendments were introduced on the mo-
tion of Lord ALTHORP, but in in the Gallery it was im-
possible to ascertain to what extent or in what particulars
they affected the measure.

- Colonel SIBTHORP rose to bring forward the amend-
ment of which lie had . given notice.- 'He said that be
. -
should persevere in pressing it on theattention of the Hanse,
:notwithstanding any apparent indisposition to listen to his
-arguments,—(Cheers and some confusion.) -.tie, however,
Contended- that the. Bill before the House would not
protect the prerogatives of the Crown, nor preserve the
rights-of the people, but ultimately destroy both, and-re-
peated his assertion- of last night, that the Right Hon.
Secretartfor'lreland was the Magnus Apollo of -the
Treasury:Binch, who was put forward on every occasion
to standtbecbrunt of the battle.z.',Tlints Magnus Apollo
-had declared !eat night that Ministers were ready to bear
the whole responsibility of the Measure; if he (Col. S.)
were not mistalten, the burden would be much too heavy
for their weak, shoulders.—(Cheers.) - --Tile-Budget bad
proved their,incapacity,,,- Iledidnotimpute to them want
of honesty, but want of but-imbeci-
aity.—(Much cheering, -and.laughter.) The :Hon.
-Secretary 'had last night" quoted the authorities of dinar
now.mi-mora="-indiVidtialsi- Sir- Richard Steeleand Sir
-
RObert Walpole,-but he (Co!.. S,) contended" that, Many
Other Stich- names could not "justify or even excthse: the
course Ministers had taken.-.4,Laatgb ter. ) He then -alluded
to ti}e expression of britUinfutriten which had been used dur-
ing aformer debate, and asked- whether .compunction of
conscience was thit_brutupt- fulmen ? .If it. :were. Mini-
stets would perhaps, ere long, find it penetrate verydeeply.
—(Cheers and-laughter.) - He contended that distress was
general, -and that it had been created by- the Reform Bill.
He prayed to God they might be out of office before that
day month. :•.t
Mr. KEARSLEY rise to second the motion, and ad-
verted to a variety of topics in a manner that excited Much
snerriment ; but such was-the noise which prevailed in
the:House, that the greater part of what fell from the
Hon. Member was • riot audible in thegallery. He de-
seribed.a Right -Holt. Gentleman at the opposite side of
the House as having --spoken of the law officers of the
Crown being now at a discount ; he was sure that if_ they
went on 'Change thir would not be esteemed " good
men"—( Alangh)—he complained, likewise,- that 'Hon.
Members at the same side of the House with himreceived
no attention at House would not-listen to*theM=
they " would not listen to the voice Of the Chariner,
charm he ever so wisely."—( Renewed laughter.) They
had now arrived at the last stage of that damnable Bill.—
(Loud laughter.) -
The SPEAKER called the Hon.' Gentleman's atten-
tion to the faet, that he rose for the purpose of seconding
a particular amendMent, end he submitted to him whether
he would persevere in talking so vaguely. .
Mr. KEARSLEY resumed, expressing his thatikful-
nesti to'the Chair for that indulgent notice, and he cer-
tainly should conform himself to the recommendation
which it conveyed; but-he could not refrain from saying,
before he sat down; that.hOwever varied the complexion of
the Bill, though black,
.hroWn, dark, dingy—he in vain
looked for fair—nothing fair could be found in that in-
fernal " Bill.-'-(Laughtei,, and Cries of 6' Order, order,
Question, question.") It was aniniquitous, unjust, and
-pickpocket and cheeriog.)
- The question was then put, upon the motion of the
Gallant Colonel, which was as follows :—" That all free-
holders, whose freehOlds in the county of . the city of Lin-
coln are situated on the northern side of the river Witham,
shall vote in future for the Representatives in Parliament
for the division of Lindsey, in the:county of. Lincoln; and
all freeholders whose freeholds are situated on the southern
side of the aforesaid river, in the same city, including the
four parishes annexed by charter to the said county of the
city, shall vote for Representatives in Parliament for the
divisions of Kesteven and Holland."

After a few words from Mr. Wits in support of the
motiod, and from Mr. Gonusuits in opposition to it,
Mr. HENEAGE said, that the inhabitants of Lincoln
and the parties really interested were content with the. Hill
as it stood.
The House then divided—
For Colonel Sibthorp's mptinn ..... ...... 27
Against it
Majority •
On our re-admiration we found the House engaged with
further amendments, several of which' were disposed of
without a rernask.

Mr. FRESHFIELD moved an amendment in clause 31,
in order more effectually to secure the right of persons
entitled as burgesses or freemen in respect of birth. His
object was, to save voters the necessity of doing more than
proving the right of the person from whom they imme-
diately derived.
Lord ALTHORP, after the best reflection, could not
agree to any alteration in that clause. The grounds upon
which it had been introduced into the Bill had been well
considered, and he confessed there did appear to him no
sufficient reason for any alteration.
•
Amendment negatived without a division.

After some verbal amendments were disposed of,

Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to move that " The Bill
do pass.".. His Lordshipshortly and and energetically ex-
pressed his thanks to the majority who had supported the
Ministers in. carrying this Bill to a conclusion. That
Majority, he would say, wee composed of more indepen-
dent men, he believed, than ever composed a Majority of
that House. By their support it had been carried through;
little chanced, and not at all impaired; and they were
about to send it to the other House. in its .full efficiency.
He thought it necessary to say thus much, because he was
sure that. that support was given to the -cause,`and not
the individual Ministers. Of the- Bill-he would only say
that it was based on -the Constitution, adapted to•the
cumstance_s of the day, and -calculated to gratify the
desire of the people. It became the House of Commons "to
pass it, and it was such a Bill as ought to become on Act
of Parliament. • He was satisfied that the improved repre•
sentation of the House would tend to the better government
of the country. His anticipations might be sanguine and
unjust, but they were anticipations which he alone did not
feel. They were shared by the whole country; and when
a country had a desire for a pure and good Government,
it allowed itself worthy of having that good Government
conferred on it. He trusted that he had said nothing cal •
culated to excite debate and provoke irritation. He be,
lieved that those who had opposed the measure had done
so from a conviction that the present system of Govern-
ment, whatever faults it might have in detail, was, on
the whole, worthy of being permanently retained. He
gave them full credit for the sincerity of their conviction ;
but.being impressed himself with a conviction of the ne-
cessity of. Reform, he busted the same credit for sincerity
would be given .to him. There was, he admitted, so
much in politics to be considered matter of expediency,
that he would. not venture to pronounce whether he or his
opponents were in error, He would only say, that the
present Government, in proposing this measure, thought,
as he said a year ago, that it was necessary, if they wished
to step in between abuse and convulsion. If they were to
leave them to settles the question between those who wished
for no Reform, and those who wanted universal•suffrage,
he certainly thought a serious collision would ensue, and
the Constitution would be destroyed in the conflict, The
Noble Lord concluded by moving " that the Bill do pass."
Mr. GOULBURN compliMented the steadiness of his
friends, and the ass city they had displayed in opposing
tile Bill. The Right Hon. Gentleman eulogized his party
at considerable length, for performing their duty in attend-
ing to the details of the Bill, -and fighting it again and
again after repeated discomfitures. The Right Honour-
able Gentleman disclaimed any wish to provoke hostility,
or excite irritation. In conclusion, the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman said that he disapproved of the Bill, and he looked
only for the salvation of the country to the hope he en-
tertaine;l, that it would not pass into a law.—(Loud calls
of '6 Queston.")
The Question was then put " that this Bill do pass."
—(Several voices called out loudly " Aye," and a few
it No.”)
Oa the SPEAKER putting the question that this be
the title of the Bill, loud cheers resounded from all the
Members on the Ministerial Benches. The Question was

agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be carried to the Hou -.9
of Lords by Lord Althorp and Lord John Russell.

SCOTCH REFORM BILL.

On the question that the Second Reading of the Scotch
Reform Bill be postponed,
Mr. HUM forihecciniinienci-oriffi'llouse, asked.

what business was

onday ?

Sir J. GRAHAM said it was his intention to give no-
tice that he would proceed with the remaining Navy Esti-
mates on Monday.
Mr. HUME hoped they would proceed as quickly as
possible with the Scotch Bill, for it was plain tbst no
public business could be satisfactorily dispoged ,o( till_ they
got rid of Reform.--(A laugh.) 0: MI:1Z
Lord ALTHORP said it was his Wish to get on with
Supply for the present, and afterwards to take the. Scotch
and Irish Reform Bills, He proposed, therefore, to post 4
pone the second reading of the Scotch Bill till Monday
se'nnight. _ _ _

The Bill was postponed accordingly ; and after dispos-
ing of the other orders, the House adjourned at Two
o'clock till this day.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 23.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack
at Five o'clock.
Mr. GREENE anti-others, from the Commons, brought
up the Clarence Itsilviay
The Earl of MALMESIIURY presenter' a petition
from the principal Innkeepers in the Isle of Wight, pray-
ing that they might be relieved from their present respon-
sibility for goods lost in their houses, hut not immediately
under their care.

Lord TENTERDEN presented a petition from Henry
Boucher Wray, praying that a clause may be inserted in
the Plurality of Ben,fices Bill, to except from the opera-
tion of that measure livings enjoyed under a will.
The Earl of RODEN presented several petitions fro m
places in England against the new system of education i
Ireland.

Lord KING presented a petition from Dewshury,York-
shire, in favour of the-new plan of education in Ireland,
and one from another place in Yorkshire, playing that the
Church Establishment might speedily be reformed. The
Noble Lord said many cases had come to his knowledge
where clergymen _in England were acting very oppres-
sively in exacting their tithes. He would warn- them to
take care in time,-for it-was only because the minds of the
people were filled with Reform that the people of England
had not made as great a cry on this question as Ireland had.
- The Earl of HARROWBY presented two petitions
against the new plan of edueati..n is Ireland.