The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-20 00:00:00

annum too great an expense for the support of an abor-
ive system —(Hear, hear.) He was glad to see some-
hing said of a I lan for maintaining the squadron and at
he same time el relieving the public of a considerable
xpeuse, because it was an acknowledgment of the ne-
,Nity f ,1, doing ; but he should prefer to have an ex-
planation of the means proposed to effect that object.
ie did cot, however, object to the present system solely
on the ground of expense ; he objected to it on the
;round of its futility—he objected to it on the ground
that it caused increased cruelty on the part of slave-
I aders—and he objected to it, above all, because he did
iot desire to see this great and noble nation engaged in
a pursuit so inadequate—a pursuit in which she could
of count on the sympathy of any other nation. He ob-
jected to it because it engendered ill-blood between Beg'
and and the people of Brazil—he objected to it because
t provoked quarrels with France and America, which
nay be renewed ;at no distant ,data—he objected to it
let au-e he considered it'a most sinister advantage
fa which to involve a country in the horrors and
vreich, dness of war.—(Hear.) He was told that some
nessures would be proposed at last to bring this unfor-
t mate business to a satisfactory conclusion; but for the
.48t twenty years he had hoard that song constantly sung
iy those who were anxious to keep up the present op-
era, and he had listened to it too long to heed it.—
(Hear.) When he entered the House of Commons,
,ighteen years ago, the opponents of the system were
old that it was to be settled by negotiation—then came
he right of search—then came the tquipment articles--
hen came the blockade of the coast of Africa—then
a'ne the Niger expedition—then all future hopes were
.-ested on the combieed fleets of France and England—
and then all was to be settled by the application of mu-
nicipal law. Some other modification was now proposed
in the old system, to the same imaginary purpose—
" Vain Hope!
When I consider life 'as all a cheat;
Yet fooled by hope, men favour the deceit,
Trust on, and think to-morrow will re' ay;
To-morrow's falser than the former day,
Lies more—"
fie I.ad now done. He had not sought to back up his
case by an apeal to the Members of this House as guar-
liens of the interests and property of the country, as pro-
tectors of their honour and fame, as humane and Chris-
tian men, to put an end to that cruel and destructive
system, whose final doom could not be at any distance,
oy supporting the mot on he had now the honour to
submit to the House.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. BAILLIE seconded the melon. If fur no other
reason than the state of our West India colonies, the
House was bound to adopt it, though he by no means
wished to take such a circuitous method of restoring that
protection of which they had been deprived. He pre-
ferred the course ofcalling upon her Majesty's Ministers
to adopt a straightforward policy, regardless of any
difficulties which such such a course might appear to in-
volve. When this subject was last Mire the House the
Noble Lord deprecated all discussion until the subject
was farther inquired into. He said then that there was
no need for farther inquiry. The returns to that House
for the last 20 years had shown the utter futility of our
efforts to suppress the slave trade. But at the same time
he must say that he did not regret the Lords' Committee
had investigated the question. They had collected an
immense mass of evidence scattered through a variety of
authorities, and had condensed it in an authoritative
shape. All doubt was now dispelled—not the shadow of
a reason now remained for maintaining this squadrons
A gnat change had taken place in the aspect of this
question since the introduction of' the Sugar Bill in
1846.—(Heer, hear.) Previous to that period, whatever
might be sakel of the policy of Great Britain, her earnest-
ness and philanthropy could net be doubted, because
she made large sacrifices.—(Hear, hear.) But that
was now altered. The Bill of 1846 in effect said
the British people thought they had paid enough
tor their philanthropy, and were in future re-
solved to buy their sugar at the cheapest market.
no matter whether it was the produce of free labour or
of stave labour. That was a renunciation of our former
policy, and from that moment great Britain derived the
greatest advantage of any nation from the slave trade,
and was therefore as guilty as the nations which engaged
in it. The receiver at stolen goods was generally cone
sidered even worse than the open thief. The thief en-
countered all the daogcrs of his calling, but the receiver
kept a shop as a cloak to his calling—he was a " respsete
able man," and came off with the greatest part of the
plunder.—(A laugh.) So it was with this country by
the Act of 1846. Up to that time all free-grown sugar
was imported under certain duties, while slave-grown
sugars were prohibited.—(Hear, hear.) When that pro-
hioition was withdrawn, and the sugars of Cuba and
Brarl were admitted into our markets, we, in effect, gave
a great stimulus and support to the slave trade. But our
support did not rest there; the slaves wero purchased by
goods manufactured in Manchester expressly:for the pur-
pose, and in man eother ways Ow capital of this country
was directly embarked in the trade.—(Hear, hear.) Tiler
Right Honourable Baronet (Sir Robert Peel), when that;
measure was proposed, saw that it was a reversal of his
own policy when in office, but he said that he supportid
it, because ,he did not see how another Government
could be then firmed. He did not blame the Eight;
Honourable Baronet fir the course he then took on this
question, though he must have been aware that it would
double the slave trade. Such had been the result of the
measures of the present Government. It was utterly im-
possible that the free labour of our own colonies could
compete with the slave labour of Cuba and Brazil; the
result of the attempt bud been that described by his Hon.
Friend, who had so ably brought forward this motion.
l'le grounds on which the motion had been supported
resolved themselves into three. First, that it was the,
opinion of all the naval officers who had been employed
on the et ait of Africa that it was impossible to suppress
the slave trade by m, a is of the present squadron, or bY
any practical auAmentation of its force. Second, that it
was the opini.in ut these officers that the interference of
our ships had largely increased the horrors of the
trade and the sefferings inflicted upon the slaver, and
through the ftilly end absurdity of the Legislature of
this country, iu maintaining a squadron on the coast
of AI tea ler the suppression of the slave trade,
while, at the same time, we encouraged that trade by
the admission of free-grown sugar. His Hon. Friend
had already adduced ample evidence on each of there
pain's, and it was, therefore, unnecessary fur him to
detain the House at any length, but, in addition,
he would call the attention of the House to the evil enee
of Captain Shad, of the Excellent, who, being unable
to attend the Committee, had stated the result of his ex-
perience in a let er. In that letter he decidedly stated
it to be his opinion that our interference had largely in-
creased the horrors of the slave trade, and that he did
not believe it Kas possible to pat it down by any re-
pressive means. The Hon. Gentleman, after adducing
evidence of a similar description in support of the gene-
ral arguments on these heads, said, that while such were
the lamentable results f the policy they had pursued, he
did not for one moment doubt the sincerity of those by
whom that policy had been originated. He was quite
reedy to admit this motion was a melancholy result of
their labours. To such men as Lords Brougham and
Denman and Sir S. Lushingtoe, it must be a source of
great regret to find that ties slave trade was carried on
as much as ever, aed that the effect of their labours bad
been to destroy their own colonies, without producing
the effect they desired; and that the Legislature, having
succeeded in establishing free trade, there should also be
a frey trade in alavery.—(flear.)
Mr. W. EVANS begged leave to withdraw the
amendment of which he bad given notice on the
subject of the Sleve.trade, and in doing so he would
make a few observations on and against the motion
hew° the House. He denied the statement made by
his Hon. Friend (Hr. Hutt) that the slave trade was now
carried on to a giester extent than before the time the
squadron had been placed on the African coast. By the
returns it appeared that in the ten years ending in 1848
the number of slavers teized was 687, bring equal to a
vessel and .a half a week. Then as to the number of
slaves imported into Cuba, it appeared that previous to
the squadron being placed on the coast it was 40 000
a year; yet, in 1845, the number had decreased to 1,335;
in 1836, to 1,500; and in 1847, to 1,7011 Then it ap-
peared that previous to 1838 the number of slaves im-
ported into the Brazils was 94,000 a year; but after that
year, when British officers had power to seize vessels, the
number was reduced to 39,000, and in 1846 to 14,244:—
(Hear.) He thought it would be most unwise to remove,
the squadron, and allow all sorts of plunder to take
place, and destroy the efforts made to christianize the
people on the African coast. The Hon. Gentleman
then referred to the manner in which the old slave-trade
was carried on, and to the great loss of life which took
place on board the slave ships which came to this coun-
try. Although the trade was thus carried on under
regulations, what then, he asked, would be the case if the
trade in slavers was now thrown open and became en-
trely free? If tee squadron raised toe price of the slave
there was a great chance that the slave would be taken%
greater care of than if the matter were otherwise. With,
respect to the expense of the squadron, he thought than
expense might be lessened by the size of the vessels
being reduced. He also thought that if the prize money
for the capture of vessels that did not contain slaves, but
which were known to be intended for that trade was
increased, they would do much to enhance the value of
the African squadron. He could not agree on any terms
to the motion before the House, and should therefore
vote against it.
Mr. LABOUCRERE said he rose to address the
House with feelings of great anxiety in respect to the
motion before it, tor he looked upon that motion,if suc-
cessful, as one seriously calculated to affect the honour
and character of the country.—(Hear.) His Honour-
able Friend who brought the motion forward, and the
Hon. Gentleman by whom it was seconded, did not dis-
guise from themselves or from the House the important
consequences likely to arise from the removal of the
squadron from the African coast, and yet they call Ron
the House to remove the squadron without proposing
any substitute to prevent the traffic in slaves.—(Hear.)
By this motion they announce to the world that hence-
forward this execrable traffic was to be carried on with-
out let or hindrance, as far as this country was con-
cerned—that hence&ward we were to take no interest
in the ht., of slaves captured on the coast of Africa, and
tr art all our previous exertions on this subject were to
be f ,rgotten and cast to the winds.—(Hear.) He be:
lieved that if they adopted such a course, they would
not represent tho feelings of the people of England on
this great question. lie believed that if, after grave
deliberation, that House adopted the retrograde
course recoma.ended by his Hon. Friend, the
people of this country would either now, or at some
other time, bring them to account for misrepresenting
their isrepresernd.
nieting
on this important subject. His Hon. Friend,
and
eelH
(g
Hoe. Seconder of the motion, did not disguise
from themselves the consequences likely to arise, if this
motion succeeded, and it was admitted that the neces-
sary result must be, that the slave trade would be
there
re-
viled in its hideousness. Ile rejoiced, then, that _
was no misunderstanding in respect to the question, and
he would now beg the House to weigh well the evidence
which he would submit to its consideration, and !eon
, whdther it was wise or right in them to adopt.n
the motion
of his ,Hon. Friend; and here he :must express his NW