The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-25 00:00:00

These opinions were echoed by the Anti-Slavery Society, and' i
by every benevolent man who took part in attempting to put
down slavery. Such was the opinion also of the Marquis of
Lansdowne. Such, also, was the opinion of the Marquis of
Nermanby, who had proved himself, as Secretary for the Colo-
nies, one of the-e most able and beneficent Ministers to
whom the celonies lied ever been entrusted. The Hon. Gen-
tleman then read an extract from a dispatch from the Neile
Marquis, expressing regret at the total failure of the measures
taken to put down the slave trade. (The reading of the ex-
tract was mush cheered.) The next witness he would refer to
was the Right Hon. Baronet opposite (Sir R. Peel) who, in a
epeeclf-at Exeter Hall (from which the Hon. Gentleman quoted
largely), declared that at the time when he was addressing the
meeting, the horrors of the slave trade were greater than at any
former period.--( Hear.) His next witness was Lord Aber-
deen, from whose dispatches he read similar extracts, in which
the- Noble Lord complained bitterly of the bad faith of the
Spanish and Portuguese governments, in conniving at the ter-
rible aggravation of the slave trade.—(Hear, hear.) He then
read extracts from a pamphlet published by Mr. Clarkson,
in' which that venerable author stated that the attempt to
suppress the slave trade by force had completely failed,
and had led to a tremendous sacrifice of life. He would
not detain the House longer than was absolutely necessary to
put it in possession of the facts upon which his motion rested.
The fact vase that so greatly had the evil been increased, that
whereas at the end of the last century, the amount of Africans
oartied off to America as slaves was but 90,009, the number in
1843 was 200,000. From the Bight of Benim alone 150,000
were carried away. [The Hon. Gentleman then went into ex-
tended numerical statements, but so rapidly read, that they
could not be made intelligihle, as we caught them, without the
aid of the documents.] 192,000 slaves were now annually im.
pored into Cuba and Brazil. Could it be doubted then
that taking the whole of America into account, the
toenber imported from Africa was at least 20d,0.0.
But it might be said that since these returns were received
the citizens of the United States had taken less part in
driving the trade for the supply of other countries, that
greater precautions had been taken, and that fresh treaties had
been entered into. But he would call the attention of the
Houae to the report of the Commissioners of Sierra Leone,
who stated that there had been a great increase in the trade
and a great aggravation of its horrors. He wished to bring
these facts before the common sense of the House. If they
were to be decided by, argumentative disputation he well knew
his incapacity to meet the Hon. Gentleman opposite. He
thotight that he had stated to the House sufficient facts to cause
an agreement to that part of the resolution which he referred
to. He had another charge to make against the means which
mere adopted to suppress the slave-trade : the system pursued
in-order to put it down caused a great many evils. He be-
lieved that the intelligent people cf Cuba and Brazil looked at
the large disproportion that now existed between the
numbers of blacks and whites with the utmost alarm. That was
the prevailing feeling amongst the intelligent people of those
countries. The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to read part
of, a dispatch sent to Lord Aberdeen, stating the consternation
that existed. It contained the most vehement denunciations
of the means adopted to suppress the slave trade. He was not
astonished at the hostility which was exhibited to that system
when it was enough to enlist vast prejudices against it. It was
not surprising that we excited a disposition to oppose us. He
shout! like to know what would be the feeling of the population
of cenntry if they were in the habit of hearing that any
vessel from any port in this island was chased by a foreign ship
of war, either Dutch or American, and had been destroyed be-
eanseit was engaged in smuggling, because the American or
Dateh Government wished to put smuggling down. He be-
lieved that every person acquainted with the subject was con-
vinced that the means resorted to to put down the slave trade
were totally inoperative. Though they heard of the number of
African.; taken away by the slave ships, though their consuls
anclagents were able to furnish them with those accounts, yet
they had no account of the number that were massacred in the
course of the proceedings, aed no account of those who perished
in the barracoons while waiting for exportation. There
ware no accounts of those who petesned in the slave ships, of
those who died when they had a storm at sea, or of
those who were thrown overboard when a British cruiser was
nearing one of their vessels. They had no one to tell them of
the:stiff:ming and mutery of those who escaped death and the
horrors of the voyage. They knew nothing more than that it
was going on for many years, and that it was, above all the
horrors and scenes of crimes, misery, blood, and death, with
:Whiitth the records of the world made them acquainted, the
most awfully horrible. While tile slave trade was unprohibited
they heard little or nothing of this. When the slave trader had
an: interest in the slaves he took care of them. He would say,
that when the African chiefs brought down their slaves to
aieenvenient point on the coast, when they leisurely embarked,
they were provided for with some concern for their physical
being, and new, since that first interest had been taken away,
:therreonsequence had been such a complication of horrors as
he had stated. The greater part of those evils arose from their
systens of suppression, and every man in the Legislature was a
participator in the crime of the Minister who refused to change
it... He was not going to bring before the House any of those
dreadful scenes which he was compelled to go through ; if he
did,. be would awaken a strong feeling of compassion. The
African shiefs bring their slaves to the barracoons in thousands,
alereat part of whom die by starvation or by pestilence, wit le
waiting for exportation. At length the slaver came ; the
etictims were chosen ; those who were rejected were delibe-
eately murdered, and the parties elected were put on board the
elute ship. There were many Hon. Gentlemen who, perhaps,
had never seen a slave ship. He ha I the opportunity of seeing
so eat Natchi-z. What was called the hold of the vessel was the
reeeptac:e for human beings. In that dark and miserable hole
beings were crammed in hundreds. The papers laid before
the House stated that these vessels were 22 inches between
deeke. In that hole, under a tropical sun, they were conveyed
tin hundreds acrass the Atlantic Ocean. Of course they suffered,
and many perished, and those who did not die were taken out
of the hold with their limbs dislocated and distorted, and mul-
tierles of them never recovered their former position. What
elitist be their miseries at sea, when storms at sea added to this
combination of horrors. Mr. Hill's statements of these horrors
were borne out by the papers on the table of the House of
.Commons. Were these cruelties to continue for ever? They
had cots red into a treaty with France to continue it for ten years.
.No object could be a good object which was to he propitiated by
.human suffering. He showed the House that the system which
. they were pursuing had added to those horrors which many!,
'years ago had excited public attention. They were aggravated
by., he immediate effaces of their Government. The expense
of this attempt to suppress the slave trade was unquestionably
esaf large. Sir F. Buxton had calculated that the expense
from the year 181.1 to the year 1839 amounted to 15,000,0002.,
and since 1.819 they had added 2,000,0001., which made it
17;000,000/. They had also expended 1,300,000/. to bribe Spain
and Portugal. The annual expense had been generally taken a!
}wet a million; the other expenses varied according to the nut-n-
-iter of ships voted. He thought that he had shown the cruelties,
exeien--es inconveniences, and iaoperation of this system, and
hd wished tonlay thoseefles before the House. He may he
otk al nintlitr he was prepared with any other system. He
se-wetly thought that it was his part to suggest any system.
Ref thoughtit sufficieut to prove to the House that the pre.
scot tsar one which they could not continue consistently with
the onlinary dictates cf humanity. Ile had another point to
bay before then , namely, that they should, as much as possible,
teeter open their ports and harbours of the West Indies to the
eretteee of free labour. He believed that such a coutse could
etit heproductive of anything but beneficial result. It would put
dewn the slave-trade by underselling its productions.
It could render the African. in his own country, in a position
tee eyed himself of the wealth and advantages of a civilised
country, and then they would be able to point to the West
latiliee as an example of the success of their generous policy. He
le hayed that if they gave fair play to the corn-hers they would
find the people of Cuba and Brazil more anxious than them-
selves to suppress the slave-trade. Texas and the United
States must see in that country some evidence of their own
deenees. What must be the consequence of their persevering
1:1 that trade? The reeublicans of America must see a most
powerful confederacy with the slaves of America. The Hon.
Orntleraen her, moved thereselutiiin.
Sir G. COCKBURN thought that the withdrawal of our
t.rci's from the coast cf Africa was not the most effectual elan
tn. put down the sl tee trade. Since the increase of our forms
there the commedere on that station made a report to the Ad-
mit elty, enclosing a list of forty-five slave shits which had
been captured during a period of some months, only one of
aJiich was sub qui:truly released. And he stated at the same
titre that he hoped their Lordships would receive that as a
proof of the effieieney of those under his c immand. The slave
tes.slee he added, had received a great check, and would yet re-
ceive a mere decisive bow if it was not wholly put an end to.
even Hugh a result was not beyond :his hopes. This was the
Ignesuage of one who was entitled to some credit, and it afforded
a, strong proof that the slave trade was not now in the flourish-
ing condition it was some time since. With regard to the loss
di* life of our own people, he thought the Hon. Member
had eery much overstated it, for with the exception of the
Niger expedition three, or at most . four, per cent. was the
greatest amount of death from all causes. He thought
therefore that any interference now would be extremely
Int un-
While France was sending out 23 or 30 ships to assist
e large force we ourselves had there, he thought he might
venture to say that it was scarcely possible that a single slaver
ehtild escape. Those who were engaged in that infamous
traffic were beginning to think that the risk they ran in car-
rying out slaves was scarcely compensated by the gain which
tepid accrue to them. He hoped, therefore, that what he
said Would induce the Hon. Gentleman to allow the present
operetions to go on without interference, for he had no besita.
lion in saying that, with the additional force from France, an
end would be put to the trade altogether. Any change in the
nrgient p:oceedings would have another bad effect. It would
desttey all treaties with the native chiefs, who, when they no
ottger saw any difficulties in the way would, if our ships were
withdrawn, send down loads of slaves immediately. Under
allefeeee circumstances, and believing that the most serious mis-
chief would be produced if our forces were withdrawn, he
should certainly oppose any attempt at interference with our
present proceedings.
,Lord HOWICK could not allow this debate to be closed
without expressing his concurrence in most of the opinions of
t4O :11on . urable Member for Gateshead. He confessed that he
fueene did not think that the mischiefs foreboded by the Hon.
and Gallant Member who had just sat down, were at all likely
tojoilow our interference with the course of proceedings which
the, Government at present pursued with regard to the slave
teade.,, He did not know but it would be a more wise and more
ete
effsil policy to withdraw our cruisers altogether. lie came
titthat conclusion, because during a period of twenty years
every new plan that was proposed, every fresh instruc-
tion that was sent out, every new expedient that was devised,
Neas unsuccessful in puttirg an end to this trade. He was con-
• vlnced. therefore, that so long as the profits attending it were
so:nigrmeus all the projects adopted to put it down by force
w t continue to be unsuccessful. The Commissary Judge
at_h
, avannah, in writing to Lord Aberdeen, said that whatever
-might be the effect of the steps taken'
by her Majesty's
Gevernment, the self-interest of those engaged in the traffic
wohhl 'continue to baffle all their efforts unless other Govern-
ments, gave their assistance for its suppression. Other officers
ill the same thing that the slave trade was still increasing.
sill
in Cujia, in consequence of the increase of newly
iitati?pentetl appointment,n e g roe s w4oewreevieneaof constant state of apprehension.
allpyea that alarm, but one of two things
cruisers along that island
would, either go on increasing, and tu must happen—the trade
fincrease those alarms,
oreet must be put an end to 'altoeethesr
if all
adread o
protection
ttiho
ne
enesequenees that would be likely to follonwmi
was withdrawn. What really kept up the tradeTeta Cuba was
ilia connivance of the Government offieers great gdains
evhieh attended the trade enabled those who were e
it; to purchase their opposition, but if the motives to bribe them
wee removed, and the apprehensions which he referred to
were to continue, he did not hesitate to say that any
course having such an effect would be more likely
tQ
..uppress the trade than the proceedings which the
uoyernment were at present adopting. He also agreed
wit)) the Hen. Gentleman, the Member for Gateshead, that
OUT interfeeceenee in this subject hall excited in foreign govern-
meets a feeling that we were interfering where we had no
haziness. He would like to know how we ourselves should feel
ii...Peesons in the employ and acting as agents under foreign
ppwers, were continually reporting our cruelties, and holding
up,oux o ,
fllee-s to the odium of their Governments. He con-
fessed he was not surprised to see the reluctance of foreign
Governments to co-operate with them. The Gallant Officer
- • had said that this was a bad time to bring forward such a mo-
Aptigut, He owned he did not see that. lie entirely approved of
-, •thb--"tclirtkeiprwd by the Hon. Gentleman. lie thought
7- c' -o.tliat-thersyketrr 61,an English and French squadron co-operating
- - ' ' ": aldini; the mast ofAfrica, would not be productive of much
- gYrTd. Ile was erettally afraid of the respective officers agreeing, or
4 ..:-..Le- (Wetting too tench. He thought that the emulation which
isee ::': 4, etehd be excitea the breasts of the officers of both nations
'''.l-.-1
'WA to 4 - __lnquestionable proceedings. Again, if the
;had(.....,,_
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