The Sun.
London, England, 1821-06-26 00:00:00

FOREIGN SLAVE TRADE.

The Marquess of LAN- SDOWN, on rising to make
his promised motion respecting the Foreign Slave
Trade, said, that though the attention of the
House had been called many times to that inte-
resting subject, it never had been called to it
under circumstances which .more strongly requir-
ed-their consideration. If the result of their en-
deavours had been more fortunate than they were,
it would still become their Lordships, after the
lapse of so long a period since the abolition of
that detestable traffic , by this country, and the
engagement's entered into by the other States of
Europe preparatory to the same desirable end, to
tike a review of.the subject for the satisfaction of
their minds as to the progress of those combined
measures. But, unfortunately;the circumstances
which now solicited their Lordships' attention
were such as to render it incumbent on them to
stimulate the Government to still further exer-
tions for the putting down of that abuSe .which
still continued to disgrace the world, under the
'negligence orconnivance of other Powers. What-
ever opinion he might. have entertained as to the
efforts which were made at the Congress of Vien-
na, for the purpose of enforcing what Parliament
had declared to be an object of such importance
with thiS -country; however he might have
complained of remissness in 'that instance, he
was ready to state, on the present occasion, that
great exertions had been exhibited, and particu--
larly by his Majesty's Ministers, in order to put
down that odious traffic abroad, which we
had banished from our own dependencies.
When this country resolved upon relinquishing
hei share in the guilty traffic, it was expected
that into the vacuum thus created, unprincipled
adventurers from all quarters of the world would
run. Accordingly, as had been foreseen, on
the restoration of peace,- the base, the unprin-
cipled, and wicked of all nations, speculated on
the opportunity. Against this there was no' re-
medy, but in the engagements with Foreign
States. Great Britain was entitled, in the name
of humanity and justice, to appeal to those other
Countries, upon whom she had prevailed in the
Congress. of Vienna, to join with her in the en-
cleitVOur to abolish it throughout the world.
No Power was found at that Congress so base,
so unprincipled, so ignorant of what was due to
mankind from Christian Governments and Chris-
tiart nations, as to identify itself with this traffic.
On the contrary, there was but one voice from
all, with the 'exception of Portugal, declaring
that. the trade should' be put an end to. In pur-
. suance of these engagements, Acts and Ordon-
nanCes were passed. Spain, Portugal, the Ne;
therlands, France, and the''Unitett States of
America, all pledged themselves to the abolition
Within stated periods. The Congress of Arne,
rica had proved its sincerity, and in furtherance
of: the 'great object in which it concurred with
this Country, had passed' an Act last Session,
declaring all her subjeCts who embarked in the
Slave Trade, whether
,in Ameritan or Foreign
vessels, guilty of piraty, and liable' to the pu-
nishment of death. He now came to the painful
task of calling their Lordships' attention to the
manner in which those treaties had been exe-
cuted by the other countries, and it was with
'reat concern-he stated, that with the single ex-
caption of the United States of America, they
_had
all failed to carry-their engagements into effect.
At that one instance their satisfaction must stop,
for the rest hid manifested such laxity' in punish-
ing, and even in some caseS.such a degree orfa-
your towards person's carrying on the trade, as
greatly to counteract the exertions made by this
country.. Turning in :the first place to Spain,
their Lordships would find, from the be-
lo
.„
re the House,. that 0-laugh 'Spain had engaged
to abolish the Slave Trade north of the Line,
from 1817,. and south of the Line from *lB2O,
our- own
.Consul at the lfavannah stated, that
shave ships continued . to enter that port, -and
slaves continued to be landed•at the Havannah
itself, ,so little was the attention paid to the abo-
lition.law. Up to. May 1820, vessels were still
fitting Out for the same purpose. With regard
to Portugal, their Lordships would find that no
material diminution had taken place in the Slave
Trade,
,Eighteen thousand slaves had- been car-
ried tnto her Colonies since the abolition. Of
two thousand conveyed to South America, one
fourth had been lost ; and in one vessel, out of
three hundred, one hundred and forty had died.
There was too much reason,to suspect that many
Persons in authority were Concerned in the traffic.
The POrtUguese Governor of the hie of Princes,
was one ot them; and it was notorious that
there was no diminution' in the Supply of.

Slaves From Africa to Surinam. He now came to
the steps taken by France, and sure it was to be
expected that a people' living under a Represen-
tative Government and enjoying privileges them-
selves, should feel—a desire to- make some .con-
sistent effort for carrying the laws against this
odious and detestable traffic into effect. Years
had elapsed, yet no
,effort had been made • and
they had the authority of Sir George Collier
to sanction the opinion that not less than 60,000
slaves were brought from Afi*a in the course of
a single year. The remissness of the French
Government might be collected from two instances
to which he should refer. The Jeune Estelle
and another ship Called the Roden!) were fitted
out for the traffic. Sir C. Stuart, whose exertions
in such 'cases were entitled to the highest praise,
communicated the fact to the French Govern-
ment ; but the only answer made to him was the
affidavit of a Captain, who swore that he knew
nothiug of the Slave Trade, and that the Spanish
and other -vessels concerned in it called them-
selves French, for the purpose of casting the
odium upon that country. The vessels sailed to
their destination ; it happened that in some time
after the Rodeur left the coast of Africa, a
dreadful ophthalmia prevailed among the Slaves,
which was communicated to the crew, so that
there was but a single man who could see to guide
the -vessel into port. There was but too much
reason to believe that many of the Slaves who
became totally blind, were thrown overboard as
unproductive articles of merchandize ; some were,
however, conveyed to the hospitals, and so singu-
lar and severe were the symptoms of the disease,
that it became the subject of scientific inquiry at
the Opthalmia Institution, at Paris.—So notori-
ously was the trade carried on ; yet it would
seem that the vigilance of the French Police
could not enable them to ascertain whether the
Rodeur carried out Slaves at all. Such was the
unpardonable remissness of the French Govern-
ment.—ln the other case of the 'Jenne Estelle,
which was overtaken by a British cruiser, there
was reason to fear that many of the slaves had
been thrown overboard in casks, and many, both
men and women, were found-stuffed into casks
on board, and almost expiring. They were, dis-
covered by a British sailor, who overheard their
feeble groans. These facts were sufficient to prove
that the nefarious traffic was likely to continue, and
even to extend with aggravated cruelty,if some fur-
ther attempt was not made by this country.—
After quoting the dispatch of Sir G. Collier, in
corroboration of the success of the Trade, he al-
luded to an advertisement in a French news-
paper, as an additional instance of its notoriety.
The advertisement described a vessel then fitting
up fur the coast of Africa, there to purchase
about 100. mules. Such was the flimsy pretext,
which was found sufficient, under the eye of an
enlightened Government, to carry on a trade
which desolated one quarter of the Globe. He
had much satisfaction, however, in stating, that
the Indian Government had concluded a treaty,
two years ago, with the Arabs, in which it stipu-
lated for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and
that the Arabs observed it strictly. He was
aware of the difficulty of making suggestions that
were likely to be beneficial ; but he thought this
country had clearly a right to call upon other
countries, who proposed to join us in putting
down the traffic; but resisted a right of'search to
state by what means they proposed to carry
their purpose into effect. Abandoning the prin-
ciple of mutual search, it might be worth while
to consider whether some modification could not
be found which would reconcile it to all parties.
For instance, might not the presence of an Officer
from each country, on board the searchinc, vessel,
to sanction the search of vessels from the same
country, reconcile all to the practice, without
compromising the right? Another principle was-
that of universal registry, and a grant of freedom
to all whose births were not registered after a
certain time. It was net on the ground of hu-
manity alone that this trade was to be resisted ;
it carried along with it passions and habits blight-
ing to the industry of nations. In the hope that
their Lordships would not remit their exertions
for the accomplishment of so desirable an object,
and in order to invigorate the disposition of Go-
vernment, his Lordship concluded with moving
an Address to the King, stating the several facts
to which he had alluded in the course of his
speech, and praying that a representation might
be sent to the Court of France, calling for fresh
penal enactments against the persons concerned in
the traffic.

Earl RATITURST agreed with the Noble Mar-
quis, that it was very desirable other Powers
should be well aware that there existed in' this
_country a general feeling that the great object of
the abolition of the Slave Trade should be ac-
complished. He also admitted the difficulty of
framing such regulations, unless the right of search
were allowed, as would effectually put down
that traffic. The registering of slaves would
have that effect to a considerable. extent ; but the
efficacy of the measure must depend on its strict
execution in all places.; and when the number of
Colonial Governments was considered, and that
they were not impelled in the discharge of their
duty on this point in other countries, as in this,
by.the general feeling of the. people, it would be-
come little-doubtful that if the mode of- register-
ing were 'adopted, it would in many cast be
evaded. He should only add that he trusted
their Lordships would see that in the whole
course of their proceedings on this subject, •his
Majesty's Government had not been inattentive
to what they knew to be the wish of the.country,
the wish of Parliament, and, if he were permitted
to say it, heir own.

Lord CALTIIORPE was glad to know that no
means had been left untried by his Majesty's Mi-
nisters to accomplish the abolition of a traffic so
disgraceful and inhuman as the Slave Trade. He
expressed his regret at the conduct pursued by
France on that occasion, and trusted that the
means which had been left her by the Qther
Powers of Europe, from a feeling wish not to
strip an ancient monarchy of its least appendage,
would no longer be employed in supporting the
Slave Trade. Persuaded that the exertions of
his Majesty's Government would continue to be
as unlimited as they had hitherto been, and be-
lieNiug that the present Address would tend to

aid the great object in view, it should have his
most hearty concurrence:.
The Address was then agieed to, nemine eon-
tradicenti, and the House adjourned: