The Sun.
London, England, 1835-03-18 00:00:00

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.

The Earl of INIUL GR AVE wished to put a question to the
Noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Aberdeen). He wished to
know whether the Noble Earl had received official information
respecting the manner in which the emancipation of the negroes
in the West Indies had proceeded, corresponding with the in-
formation received from private sources. Those who were
most sanguine of the success of that measure stated that
they would take the first crop as a criterion whether
or not that portion of labour under the apprenticeship system
and the additional hours given to the labourer, secured a suf-
ficiency of labour for the cultivation of sugar. He was happy to
state that from the sources of intelligence which he possessed,
in fact from all quarters, he understood that in almost every
place, without exception, sufficient labour was afforded
to enable them to carry on the cultivation of sugar. If
the Noble Earl were able to give the intelligence he re-
quested, it would afford general satisfaction to the country.
which took a great interest in this measure. There was
another point upon which he would say a word. There
was great difficulty still, from a circumstance to which
he would call attention. There was a number of proprietors in
the Island of Jamaica who were not connected with the
soil, but who possessed gangs of slaves whom they
used to let out for jobbing land. In consequence
of the great increase of labour in the neighbourhood of Kings-
ton, and other places, many of those persons found that
this sort of jobbing did not answer their purpose,
nor was it profitable to maintain those gangs of slaves.
This description of negroes had always been least in esteem as
to disposition, least as to comfort, and being least of all con-
nected with the soil, were in the habit of leaving their masters.
While he was in Jamaica he had been very anxious to esta-
blish a system of vagrant laws. He wished to know if this in-
formation was corroborated by the official information of the
Noble Earl?

The Earl of ABERDEEN said that it gave him great
pleasure to be able to confirm the statements of the Noble
Earl with respect to the working of the Negroes, with a
view to the carrying off the present crops, which from
the accounts he had received from all quarters, and from the
statements of the Governors themselves, were likely to be
as great as the last season.—( Hear, hear.) He would
take that opportunity of saying that not only in Jamaica, but
in British Guiana the same result was likely to take
place. With respect to the other point to which the
Noble Earl had adverted, he had received no information
on the subject ; he could not believe that it existed to any
great extent; that insulated cases might take place of la-
bourers running away he fully admitted, but the case referred
to must be, he thought, an insulated one. He was not
aware that any new Vagrant Law had been enacted, but
he thought that in December last a provision had been
introduced into an Act, by which wandering apprentices might
be arrested and punished. He quite agreed with the Noble
Lord that some Vagrant Act should be established.
Earl MUL GRAVE felt great pleasure in the statements
he had just heard from the Noble Earl.
The Duke of BUCKINGHAM said there were no less
than 30,000 individuals in Barbadoes who had run away‘l
from their masters.

After some observations from the Karl of MULGRAVE
the subject dropped.
EAST INDIA COMPANY'S INDEMNITY BILL.
Upon the motion of Lord ELLENBOROUGH this Bil
was read a third time and passed.