The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-20 00:00:00

0-Nosle, with the'wretches who.joined with him, shall, be made
acquainted NI ith the shouts of indignation which his conduct
raised here.—(Loud cheers.) But the excellent and patriotic
gentleman who spoke to you a while ago seemed to entertain
stronger hopes than I do, that the annexation of Texas with
the American republic would not be agreed to. Recollect,
if Texas be united to the southern States, nine new slave
States will be created. Hitherto the progress of slavery in
America has been retarded by the northern States being free
from that taint ; but, if there be nine more slave-holding
States, there is an end of any check whatsoever. The nor-
thern and western States will be completely swamped by the
additional force on the other side ; nine States, where at pre-
sent there are scarcely any, to be peopled by slaves and the
hideous process which is called " raising slaves." Bringing
up human beings as they do cattle in stalls, in the same total
absence of morality and religion, and by such means that I
would not pollute the present meeting by describing them.
I hardly dare pollute my, own thoughts by thinking of them.
—(Cheers.) Yet nine States more are to be so peopled ; and
is humanity to stand heedless by ? and are generosity and
pity for the wretch who is not his own property, but cattle
• an the hands of his master—are they to be silent ? Is there
to be no British and Foreign Slave Society ?—(Great cheer-
ing.) Is there to be no indignant voice to be raised against
it ?—(Cheers.) I want the Government to take a more
active part in this matter.--(Cheers.) The President of the
United States has actually- signed the treaty for this annexa-
tion. It is already on the table; and the only question now
is whether it shall be ratified. Pardon me for dwelling so
long on these topics, strange to you, perhaps, but not indif-
ferent to us.—(Cheers.) They quite come within the scope
of the 'object for which we have met, and are all in the pro-
vince; of the British and Foreign Slave Society. lam only
an humble advocate ; but I eall on you "to become apostles
of this persuasion, which calls for the enforcement of
rules of humanity and of morality as the first duty
cif a Government, which its subjects should stimulate them to
exercise.—(Cheers.) I now beg you to remember that we
are engaged in this mighty strife : recollect that it is our
object to make man his own property, to bring him within
the scope of education—for it is a crime in the North Ame-
rican States to teach a slave to read or write—that it is our
duty to have the book of God opened before him, and to see
that the beok of science is not closed to him—that it is our
duty to prevent the.child being separated from its father, the
infant being torn from its mother's bosom—to prevent the
mother (instead of rejoicing when a man•-child is born) from
weeping with sorrow at her dusky-coloured babe, remember-
ing that she has produced a man not for the purpose of hu-
manity, but of slavery.—(Great cheering.) The division
which has arisen amongst ourselves will require a stronger
and more general appeal to the entire country. There never
was a period so fit for making that appeal. There never was
80 great a necessity for having your ranks increased : the Mi-
nistry and their supporters, every man engaged in the Go-
vernment of this country, should rally, to prevent, if possible,
the annexation of Texas, to prevent murders such as that
contemplated by O'Neale, to cheer one another on in the
cause, to open the door of Christianity to the ignorant and
uncivilized, and, above all and before all, to place the glorious
name of this Society in the first ranks of those who battled
nobly and manfully for the liberty of the human race.—(The
Hon. and Learned Gentleman resumed his scat amidst loud
cheering.)
The Rev. Mr. ALDIS seconded the resolution, which passed
unanimously.
The Rev. J. SHERMAN, of Surrey Chapel, without any
prefatory observation, moved the next resolution, as fol-
lows :
"That this meeting would earnestly call the attention of
the friends of the anti-slavery cause, throughout the United
Kingdom, to the fact that a large portion of the existing
slave population of Brazil, the Spanish colonies, and Dutch
Guiana, entitled under treaties with this country, as well as
by the municipal laws of the States, into whose 'territories or
colonies they have been illicitly introduced, to their liberty,
are nevertheless subjected to an atrocious system of bondage.
That to this large and unhappy class of persons must be
added many thousands of Africans, manumitted at various
times by the courts of mixed commission, established in
these countries, in a state of slavery of the most cruel cha-
racter. That in the Spanish, Dutch, and French colonies
there are many British subjects, estimated to amount to
several thousands, illegally held in bondage, who ought to
be free. And that, therefore, appeals should he made to her
Majesty's Government promptly and perseveringly to urge
upon the Brazilian, Spanish, and Dutch Governments the
duty of removing every obstacle to their immediate and
entire emancipation. That this meeting having further
learned the existence in countries, or the dependencies of
countries, at peace with Great Britain, of laws which affect
the rights and liberties of British subjects, being persons of
colour, who may have occasion to resort to them on their
lawful business, they would in this case also urgently call on
the Government to obtain the repeal of such laws, as at
variance with friendly relations and the stipulations of
treaties."
The Rev. T. Surrn, of Rotherhithe, in seconding the reso-
lution,.expressed his regret that any difference of opinion
should have arisen in the course of the discussion which had
taken place this day.
Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., having been loudly called for by the
meeting, next presented himself to its attention. The Hon.
Member said lie had not had any intention to take up the
time of the meeting : but he felt extremely glad that he was
permitted to make a few observations, particularly after the
speech of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman who sat next the
Chairman (Mr. O'Connell). He agreed with that Hon. and
Learned Gentleman in every word of reprobation lie had used
when speaking of the atrocious trial and sentence which had
taken place and been pronounced in the United States; but.
at the same time he thought there had been something too
wholesale in the manner of speaking of that country, for he
(Mr. Bright) was prepared to state from what lie had known
of its citizens, that there were hundreds and thousands of
men in the United States who would be worthy to stand on
any platform in this country when the interests of humanity
were to be vindicated. It should be borne in mind that the
American abolitionists were not in the same position as the
abolitionists in this country. Here they saw the horrors of
- slavery at a diStance, and those horrors had been, if it were
posSible, magnified.—(Cries of " No, no.") If not magnified,
the 'difficulty of abolition had been diminished by the dis-
tance. Why, if there had been slavery existing in Ireland
or in Scotland, would there have been that union of parties
engaged in seeking its abolition? No : on the contrary,
there would have been all that bitter party feeling which
arose in this country on the consideration of every great poli-
tical question, and year after year would have rolled on be-
fore that great triumph which Great Britain had effected in
its own colonies would have been achieved over slavery at
home.—(lfear, hear.) It was nut the love of slavery that
perpetuated it in America ; on the contrary, look at the
writings of Tappen, Levitt, and all the best men who have
come to this country from America—all of them express a
horror at the system with which their country was accursed.
While the crime of Judge O'Neale was execrated, let it not
be forgotten, that it required in America the greatest possible
courage and daring to defend abolition at all.—(Hear.) He
(Mr. Bright) equally deprecated the argument by which su-
periority was ascribed to the Crown of this country over the
institutions of America. It was not wise for this country to
ridicule the institutions of America ; nor would it be wise
for America to speak harshly of the institutions of Great
Britain. There were in America milions of men who had
descended from English ancestors, and who were carrying on
the great and glorious _work ofcivilising that great continent,
and he thought the object of this and all other meetings
should be to counsel America kindly, but firmly, to get rid
of all that was bad amongst its people, and to endeavour to
draw closer the ties which bind America to her mother coun-
trv.—(Cheers.)l •As lie was speaking, perhaps he might be
allowed to sa:',lt'fibrd or two upon the question which had
very nearly divided the meeting in opinion. He agreed in
the terms of the amendment which had been moved by his
friend Mr. Thompson, inasmuch as it ascribed every good
and honest motive to the Committee, who, lie believed,
had risked much popularity and had encountered agood deal
of odium from the course they had taken, and lie was quite
sure that in all they had done they believed they were act-
ing not only as their constitution empowered them, but that
the course they had taken was likely to serve the great ends
of total abolition. He believed the Committee to have been
purely honest, but mistaken, and it was for the meeting to
decide whether the principle they have adopted was or was
not essential to the working out the objects of the Anti-
Slavery Society. Ile was of opinion that it was not essen-
tial.—(Hear, hear.) To lean on the Government (either the
paet,, the present, or the next), was to lean upon a broken
reed. The moment it served the object of the party in power
they would sweep away all discriminating duties between
slave and free-grown produce, and the great arguments which
Sir Robert Peel had drawn from the memorials of the-Com-
mittee would only be regarded for what they had -effected,
and would be useless for the future. He (Mr. Bright) was
persuaded that public opinion Was going in the direction to
overthrow such duties as those which they had been dis-
cussing; and he would ask the Anti-Slavery Committee
whether, even if they shbuld succeed for a time, it would
not be but a very short time, in preventing the abolition of
these duties, and whether it was worth the sacrifice they
were making to adopt a principle which had weakened the
Anti-Slavery party in this country ?—(Great cheering,
and cries ot " No, no.") He knew that in some towns
many of the most zealous of their body had declined to co-
operate in the meg-sures recommended by the Committee.
He was most anxious to prevent disunion. If the principle
was absolutely necessary fur the prosecution of their efforts,
he should be disposed to agree with their recommendations;
but when he saw it was a doubtful principle, he contended it
would be wiser for the, Committee not to allow the apple of
discord to be thrown among the anti-slavery party, but leave
the matter an open question, and not to act in their official
capacity. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman opposite (Mr.
O'Connell)-had said, that the most powerful instrument to be
Used in the matter was public opinion. In that sentiment he
(Mr. Bright) agreed. There was a proposition now before Parlia-
ment fixing a duty of 3-Is, on free-labour sugar, and 635. on
slave-grown ; and the effect of this he contended would be to
stimulate slavery in Brazil. and evils would arise from the
mode adopted by the Government, and based on the scruples
which the Committee had felt.
Mr. SGOBLE here rose to order; but
Mr. BRIGHT proceeded to urge the necessity for the aboli-
tion,ofrestrictive duties, and concluded by expressing a hope
that, with the abolition of slaYery, there would also be an
abolition of all monopolies.
The CILA,I UM AN said, before he put the resolution he
hoped, as Mr. • Bright had dilated upon matters not con-'
tamed in it, he might be allowed to say a few words. It was
his (the Chairman's) firm conviction that, if the differential
duties proposed not adopted, and if the sugars of
Brazil, Cuba,' and othere siaise- labour countries were admitted
on equal terms to the, market of this country, it would be
produced by the lash, and the lash alone.—(Cheers.) He
was.certain it would be the means
ofea of consuming the sinews
and lives of the unhappy
those colonies, and those
lives would only be replaced by traffic in slaves from the
coast of Africa.—(Hear, hear.) ghat aislmitted of no dispute ;
and .he was astonished at the
inconsistent de-
clamation of his two friends, Measly. Thompson alndd.and Bright.
proposition
his
Mr. THOMPSON rose to order.
amendment on the understanding that hisa 'tie was
not to .be canvassed.—(Cries of " Order, cb.air.")siHe had
not been dealt fairly with ; for it had been discussed by Mr.
O'Connell, by Sir George Stephen, by Mr. Buxton, and now.
the-Chairman was entering upon it. He called upon the
Chairman to adhere to the strict line of his duty. Teims had
not been kept with him ; and he should now again move the
amendment he had previously withdrawn.—(Confusion.)
Mr. O'CoNNELL denied that he had violated any pledge;
forle was not aware that any had been given.
Mr. THOMPSON—You have misrepresented me ; and I shall
reply to_ cou, even if there are only twenty persons left in the
room. Renewed uproar.)
Mr. 0 Cosnesurepeated that lie had only spoken his
own individual sentiments, and they had been ably replied
to by Mr. Bright. Where was the necessity for further dis-
cussion?
Mr. TnoaresoN again rose amidst great confusion and
uproar, and insisted that his amendment should be put to the I
- meeting. He complained of the Chairman designating his
speech as " inconsistent declamation."
A long and angry conversation, carried on amidst the most
Indescribable uproar and confusion, followed, and at length it
leefkpat an end -to lay
_'The_sseu_ Ammax declaring his intention to put Mr. Thomp-
amendment to the meeting. A show of hands was then
. Z": 71.11,4 u itpis the Chairman declared the amendment to
s Ttmtt announcement was received with loud cheers.
.;147:101`t:
.441.1
inuo- addition
tnhenmoved the resolution which had
tie to it the following--
- ; • meeting, whilst objectingtOthe swim col°.