The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-04 00:00:00

'.. .............
„,,W.410
become almost a necessary of life, essential to the corn- f give effect to the provisions of any treaty '' tle
fort of a large number of the people ; upon this the ' force, which binds her Majesty to admit sue% .e 9
House had always expressed a decided opinion. produce of a foreign country, at the same- duties
The maintenance of an essential article was a subject on are imposed on sugar the produce of the most favor
which he was sure there would be no difference of opinion, nation. t'l°
although there might be a difference as to the manner Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved, as an amend°eri s
use
in which it would be most expedient to maintain the proposition of the Chancellor of the Exchecle el
that supply. That object had heretofore been secured reduction to thirty-four shillings of the dutYes sit'
by the legislation which they had at different times' sugar from foreign countries. He (Lord J. Russ
thole
adopted. Previous to the emancipation of the negroes the Right Hon. Gentleman in penposing these ties
the produce of our West Indian colonies was more than tions had referred to former contests. He said that
..,,ise
sufficient for the consumption in these countries, and was an old battle-field, and he expressed his suait'ese
allowed of the export of at least • one-third that he (Lord J. Russell) should be anxious to lartre,
of the whole. At that time the supply again on a field where he had been already &leo.
of this country was secured, and there was a good assu- Now, he thought the Right Hon. Gentleman hau_roce
ranee that the price would be kept down to a proportion self sounded a retreat to the forces which he comma half
With the prices in other countries, by the effect-of that —(Hear, hear.) He appeared prepared to give use be
large and constant surplus, disposed of in the other the ground for which he had been contending ; a eater
markets of Europe.- But when the emancipation (Lord John Russell) came forward with gr be
of the negroes took place there was a pro- confidence than on former occasions, becaleas
bability that there would be a diminished supply, to found that the Right Honourable Gent tee
meet which diminution Parliament determined, by had abandoned those weapons which he eel
eel
equalising the duties upon East and West Indian sugars, merly wielded with very great effect; that .`;ecteee
to bring into the market the produce of a part of the deserted those who had looked to him for prole
British dominions; having a rich soil, cultivated by free and they might now expect this question to be
100
and cheap labour, and possessing very great on the real ground of the facts and argureentsenees
' facilities of communication and transit to this country. applied to the case.—(Cheers.) He had neverraheetss
He did not apprehend that the immediate consequence the Right Hon. Gentleman appear to lack argn our
of adhering to the present system would be to create much as on that occasion. He had stated at the4ssot
any great dearth of sugar, or cause any serious incon-- mencement of his speech, that there was not at P.% his
ventence in this respect. But when he considered the a sufficient supply, and that the price of sugar 'battle
improved condition of the population within the last reason for introducing this change. Why, in °lew-00
year, from the extension of employment and increase of which was formerly waged, arguments quite as
„.
ssfelli
wages that had taken place, and the consequent demand were stated in favour of a change, and were awl,' that
that would arise for an article that was now little short repelled. The Right Honourable Gentleman °owl
of a necessary of life, he had thought it his duty te sub- the price of sugar was so very high.--(Lauillecei
mit a measure that should provide, not merely From the last Gazette it appeared that the P,oesiti
for the supply of .it that might be imme- sugar the hundred weight, in the British possess' are
diately required for the consumption of the America, was 395. 9id. ; the average price of the "iv
country, but also to create something of a surplus. There descriptions of sugar in the last year was 375. a''e etie
was, in consequence of their altered relations with China, average price of sugar in 1841 was 38s. eld. 1 ''',..eLepe
a facility of procuring a supply from that country, and in 1840 was no less than 48s. The Ri
it was important, in order to extend their trade, that a man now came forward, and said that the price
seeds
freer admission should be given to other articles from being 2s. more than the price of last year, was n it, lie
ght lion- `-i;f 7e,
China than those which they had hitherto taken. Under sive argument in favour of the proposed alteratire
which
these circumstances he had thought it his duty to sub. recollected, with regard to the amount of VP', Soille
mit the proposition of which he had given notice, for was available at a former period, that th that
the admission of free-labour sugar upon the terms stated Lord, the Member for Liverpool, stated. et
in the resolution. The proposition was not now for here were about 240,000 tons available Ilea
the first time submitted to the House, and on looking consumption in this country, whilst the
„t gasback on the occasions on which it had been under Member for Beverley stated, that the aneeteaisg
consideration, he could not find that there had been any 260,000. What was the statement made at al7 1544
disposition on the part of any gentleman in that House to of West India proprietors ? That the supply °he Pt
object to the principle of such an arrangement. Hit had from the West Indies, was 128,000 tons, from "weeiog
been opposed on those occasions, it had been met by Indies, 70,000, and from the Mauritius, 32,000, the be;
arguments applicable to the circumstances of the time 230,000 tons, with a reserve of 40,000 at be be'
at which the proposition was made. He would ask the ginning of the year. If these facts which nod
Hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Labouchere), upon mentioned were sufficient to induce those Tie of the
whom it had devolved to resist this proposition, whether formed the Government to reject the pro.positu'eeselws
his objection to it did not arise principally from the late Government, was not the supply of 240,000aLetioo;
circumstances of the time? This country was then under cient to prevent the necessity for the proposed le-rej:e'
the obligations of commercial treaties with the United There were reasons to which he had before refer
.14 of
States, and particularly with Brazil, and it was impos. to the neceseity of securing a better general n 7004
sible to draw the distinction between slave and free. sugar, which he thought were sufficient to in et tlP.f
grown sugar ; while professing to admit the latter they Committee to reconsider their determination Dei,le
might give indiscriminate admission to the former. time, and to propose such an additional supply web
,",
In regulating the mode in which freolabour that was to be done, and if it was to be donee: teo
sugar was to be admitted to their markets, consent of the Government, again he said let th njj'eato
they must first guard against the invasion of the their measure a straightforward one—(Rear'
principles on which they proceeded, by allowing let them make it a measure that should be a° -ee et;
the introduction of free-labour sugar being made a cloak the_laws and principles that governed trade %toe,
for bringing in the sugar produced by slaves. With respect merce. If they thought fit to give a certain Ptriae eteiYel
to the mode of guarding against such an introduction, he to their colonial possessions in consequence °I. bouiel
thought there would be but little difficulty. It had been change they had made with regard to their lad 01'l
found that a certificate of origin, accompanied as it was that be done, and let them make that a gorn°ugtniereese., ?',liti
now intended it should be, by the certificate of the tinction between their colonies and other c
British authority . at the port of shipment, were let them not adopt a new principle in coraTeee he
sufficient to prevent any invasion of the law. which would • make a confusion 'from which tu'ell te
It was not necessary to repeat the arrangements which find it difficult to escape—one contradicting
coups'
would be adopted -to prevent the introduction of slave- known maxims on which the progress of thisitc'eaere,
labour sugar under the denomination of free-labour trade had hitherto been based. The Right .`-` eie le
sugar. Those arrangements had been found quite tleman said that this proposition was not a nil
.1,4
effectual in relation to other articles. There were some because it had before been proposed disci who supposed that the protective duty of 10s. per cwt. was Hon Gentleman behind him, and had been if
_.,,,
more than was necessary for the protection of our colonial in the House. Why, he might as well saleireir,
interests against the competition of free-labour sugar, bht was bringing in a Bill for establishing universals d'',. ill',
it should be recollected, that in Java alone a much that it was not new, because it had been alrt Pee
greater quantity of sugar was raised than was requisite posed and vindicated by the Hon. Member n's e teoo
for the supply,of the , country; and it was raised in dale.—(Hear, hear.) But in point of fact it sv3teeitf
great quantities in Manilla, where its cultivation was' principle • he contended that placing their C° fete
capable of being greatly extended; and that with re- grounds of morality, erecting a pulpit in their `'esitePe
spect to China, while-it was impossible to calculate the house, and converting the whole of their landiefiegetbee4
quantity of sugar which must be expected from that into preachers of antislavery doctrines, evas,:objecie
country, it was well known that it exported large a new principle in commerce.—(Cheers.) tesif set
quantities to countries in the neighbourhood. He in the first place, entirely to . the- principle
he aloe*
found, however, that the measure which he thought it could end in nothing but mischief; 111.. IVO
was about to submit to the House was likely it would be impossible to act consistently tiValdliees fleet
to meet with- opposition from various qviarters on respect to this very question they took comin° op, s°er
different grounds. The Hon. Member for Dumfries various countries in different states of civilise:v/ILO 0
ir
argued that no distinction of duty ought to be of which were governed by barbarous chiefs, whir soy
made between sugar, the produce of. the -British cised a despotic power of life and death over i
or peoPi,
possessions, and that which was the Produce of any jects. There were others, consisting of milliones;c,stiel,,,
other country. The Noble Lord (the Member for in the low condition of serfs, among whom the'
!let 1:0
London) was prepared to contend that no distinc- rible cruelties were practised—yet they dru,,oet ,i
tion in duty_ ought to be made between sugar the when the goods arrived at the Custom-housee eererevii
'produce of free labour and sugar the produce of slave the social condition of these people, or what Wei; TP,,,
labour, whilst his Hon. Friend behind him was prepared of the senates and rulers who governed thetheir*
to agree that the protection proposed for colonial sugar took them as a matter of trade, and sold thenl,hy Ole
against sugar the produce of free labour was insufficient, in return. There were other ways in which,' bet trile
and therefore he proposed a reduction of the duty on attend to the social happiness of the worldeout to,
colonial sugar. With respect to the proposition of the respect to commerce he believed the best Wig
Hon. Member for Dumfries, he need not occupy the time could do for the increase of Christian mono Ore
ofthe House by discussing it. It had been fully discussed to- allow commerce to take its own way,'a eiealefte
-in 1842, when the House had expressed an opinion not in, to the civilising influence which all efosl'it„
accordance with that entertained by the Hon. Member, must have, rather than interfere violently by fit
pile'
' and during the present year in a discussion on the ques- gulations with its accustomed course. In the firs
to 'el
tion of coffee,.the House had adhered to its former opinion, they would offend all those natives against id' f 1304
which was that the colonial possessions of the empire were declared, by these resolutions. The empire °effean,re
entitled to- protection. He came, in the next place, to and the kingdom of Spain would naturally betiee in /
consider the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman, the and they would no doubt be induced to indu ri,,a04.,,,
. , Member for Bristol, and he could assure him that those taliatine- tariffs, in order to meet these rees°,, teeice
interested in the West Indian possessions of the country (Hear, hear.) That in itself was a reason ictipeoettief
must not impute to the Government want of sym- attempting-the legislation which they n°.re eollaseee,
pathy with their interests and feelings. He felt How could they know the exact state of tnhel 40
deep sympathy with their interests, and he could make for which they now proposed to legislate ?,
uejers'iete
all allowances for the feelings under which they laboured. about to legislate for Java. Now, he hanee efe/css
But after most attentive consideration of the subject, he from accounts which he had read of the state trod
believed the measure which he was about to pro- in Java, that in that country the sugar enit,e,ere cot,/
pose was the one which would ultimately prove the a compulsory cultivation. The cultivatorca"e, anjer
. _hest calculated to promote their permanent prosperity. pelled to produce a certain quantity of relloiebs be
He would not deny but that the 'effect of the measure dispose of it at a certain price. The Riga d inig 000
would be to effect a certain reduction in the price of tleman might, perhaps, contradict him, 0.1 eave.se to
sugar, or rather to prevent its augmentation; but of this better informed on the state of leislation 1111ance ret'
he was confident, that of all the dangers which could affect he was. But was not the fact oft heir ign°fee theli, so
the West Indian interests, none could be greater than -th-e-Mte-rifesiffairs in Java reason sufficient were 1 els;
such an increase in the price of their staple commodity staining from legislation?.e-(Cheers.) They 1° if
as would inflict such an, injury upon the population of equal state of ignorance with kegard to , heet• 0
this country as to raise a .permanently hostile feeling nilla. .Then, with regard to Puerto Bic°ool pre
against them.. He was convinced that if the price of reason to believe that, • with the creep dialect',
sugar was to rise to 495.: per cwt., as itjwas in 1840, the small part of that island, slavery was i:truert°,loo
effectwhichit would produce upon the permanent interests veiling practice: Yet sugar, the produce_ 10 use doer'
of the colonial proprietors would be most disastrous. was to be refused, while sugar, the Pr°"ese tell
He thopght it was necessary where it was intended to make was to -be received. - Our Custom-h°oe sec'etoo
a change in the amount of duty at the earliest possible mo- said, "We are so satisfied with. the ststt islatieeer'',
merit, to intimate to the parties what was the amount of the Java, that we will admit the produce of there ie
roe
protection to be ensured on the introduction of sugar, we are so shocked at the.existence of slaveo ellipse:
the produce of free labour. The colonies stood in Rico, that we will refuse to -trade with. et those ed to
this particular situation :—they were looking to NOV what was the state of our trade with ind?,°- o°3
an early period of having the opportunity of
employing additional labour. ' In order, to do this grow
laboue countries ? Cuba and Brazil werasietil!To, et
*sugar by slave labour in greater go. 1' 001;
they 'would have to invest capital ; and he thought, was sufficient to provide for their own "'I& Orb !bede
' thereforleebefOre they calleld upon: them to embark in this they grew. this sugar ? , In order to prof°
sehic tee ,
expedition, it was but right that they should know dis- selves ' various articles of manufacture %pore:Ape;
tinctly that the protection they now had would be con- stood in need. From whence did they d eserlos; tpe
tinued. With respect to the notice that had been given manufactures ? Why, from Lancashire etieeeseett# fl)
by the Noble Lord, the Member for the City of London, therefore they were holding out an inu lecerYeire or'e
• he had only to say that he thought it would be found to People of Cuba and Brazil' to continneflocs9oool'd
be one very difficult to carry out. The Noble Lord was nishing them with. the manufactures ° these l'iet tile!
peepated to' extend to all sugar the same protection. Yorkshire.-e-(cheers.) They sent then ; ,it''s?
The .views of the Noble Lord , appeared to him not tures, and they were paid for them in sue-eetre os it
calculated to effect the object, he had in view. He was would not consume that sugar in this disposed eeT.;
• for unlithited- introduction, and-that would undoubtedly said it was a crime. How, then, did thei,:new 0041;9
tend-to the increase of the slave-trade. But hewould leave Why it so happened that they tooleeitelee in, 0)0d
it to-the Noble Lord to explain his own views on the sub- from. Russia, which could not be Pal" reparetteeilef of
ject. What inconsistency would it not be on theie part to manufactures, because -Russia was not P the Prtel4pe
make such exertions as they had been making for the them; therefore they:. sent this sugar' and ,itco, de
suppression of the slave trade, and which was still car- slave labour, to Russia, and took the bell prandeac,p
ried on in spite of all their energy; in spite of the vessels'
which they had on the coast of *Africa, if they mit,Russia in return for these slave-groi
.siest
_note,
- The Right Hon. Gentleman protest/ aredy celrtel,ee;
gave facilities. for the introduction of slave-grown importing sugar from Cuba, yet Beiss:e 'rated iiiistsre
sugar: It would give those who were engaged in the such commodity, and we as freely "le' eneeetlfeet
slave trade every inducement to continue it. When the tallow and hemp, and gave Russia thess_ed eleetee
estimates were before the House the Hone Member for in return which we would otherivise
._ev,"ee are el
iti;i
Montrose -said, with perfect truth, that they could Cuba. The Right lion. Gentleman tens saill tor} eopt
. only suppress the slave trade by diminishing consciences being free. Upon my Nv°rn",,'nor its) 4teed
the profits of those who were engaged in it, Lord) the. Right Hon. Gentleman, Ac,ne'rie', !ere aea
and not, by . force. how could they more effec- to reconcile these things to his conssuipee ',steep 01
tually reduce the profits of those embarked in the slave any objection at all to slave-grown
..eue'ch Toetivitee
trade than by shutting them out from the markets into Russia; nay, he was ready to assist:he itr SeV;CI
of Great Britain? He should therefore like to know how give Russia'
the Noble Lord would defend his proposition? He had directly of slave-grown sugar shocked o,' lee eeestnee
our manufactures, but
, tee This„ry PiA 0
'heard' it hinted that by admitting sugar, the produce of a very thin veil indeed.—(Hear, heare4eeet, icateet,
.:foreign countries not using slave labour, they would ere- doubted 'whether, if the, Right Hon. P!,jeeeien eein of
. ate a-vacuum in other countries which would be supplied being a stout Protestant, had been arceiestsia e•oett, ;la
from Brazil and other slave-grbwing' countries. that his confessor would think these Peo,eeNee,ser4hst
He - differed from that view entirely. He was of excuse. In 1840 we sent to. Cuba ees,oooee to
,340,
opinion the effect of it would be to enhance the ourproducein manufactures ,• in l'e3.!, n`".deitie"t fitly),,
' price of slave-grown sugar as contrasted with 1842, 938,000/. worth. And this in
w° sell.' is
,i, es
the -produce. of free countries. But it was no
matter to.. them how other countries acted, theirlB4l, 2,560,5""
was sent by other channels. To Bre, 'I
00101 i aliolie
2,635,0001, worth ; in dretorZ,, Cc if°
consciences would be free. He now begged -to advert only 1,650,000/. worth of our nia_nesight leleere,,lic.,bt
to' another .part of the-question, that which related retuxus proved that all the tinie the
a....;in5t Si the ieeetil
to the granting of favourable terms to those man was declaiming so earnest))• seeet teen...tele ii;
Countries with which they had commercial treaties• were encouraging the slave- traclen.oe",„ erg used iie
Brazil .was a country with which they bad a treaty of Hon. Gentleman retreated to °t
a forWerlY aliClll"'ePl
this kind. They had also treaties with the argument which had been .
_, to inireeiel:tr, of
United, States, Sweden, Mexico, Buenos Ayres, this House,'-and which he attempts eee•ar,,os, ee!
Columbia, Bolivia, and -Peru. In some of these although we did not ourselves coven.
__c;"e's suit
,000
11 viiii
countries there was no pretence for saline admitted 90,000 tons, the roduce
,lLt theteevoree ell'
that the stave trade existed. Mexico and Coruna?. these three favoured countries,u mtention ofe-'4everft;eig;
big had declared that they would consider the slave being substracted from the conthse e
trade eepiraey ; and there was no apprehension as to thate'd said 11,0101 re
to the amount of sugar which those countries could be replaced by other prod uce—i
that we were thereby, indir!alt Yes
eeteeinaniiet argeoritto,
produce, or of any encouragement - for. the' slave ing slavery. The Right 1,1 tx
the force of
(it' odaL-100i
00
, trade. The only territories that remained in the least had diminisbe produce %wet 0047,
very g°° 'ilr'Ke
were those of the United States and Sweden— He. said the sugar of Cuba was&. _
wee ve
~e deptt
Sweden possessing only one small island, the produce of that elaveslabOur in this
Manilla,
siaaie;eelftbol,l
which vva,s not sufficient for the supply of Sweden her- •We took from Java, Manillni, a ;
did g.v& ecar.),' Wei
self, . The United States certainly produced 50,000 tons ton ; and, so far, we ceer_teeal_._(erear, fie ti::iiii
re
per year; but they also imported- a very large quantity and protection to slhaeyttelran r
from other countries, But it had been suggested was the case, it evas
t to put
that the Americans would give a bounty of principles of trade—not
appeared.° °wiz:ll46oe 'or
Ilse Or 185.,, -to enable them to compete. But allegations, which certainly_.was
better 'utial (!tlei 4, est
that was not consistent with the general character of much of hypocrisy. It
of enfereia e. lee Arty,
American. statesmen, who had recently abolished the suga admitted s_
;aka. esfeeadrEtreetngtir . „bat I') to tie'
that es°e:e°e'iti-'tiie '
.System of bounties • upon exports. After a few further we
elt g°Jl ige- tic'l
qbservations the Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by
benefit would be proau.
stinetion : ' , no rile) 0
movin. : pose, for, the
cl
the' world by this dive sa" • ss' din i
faemeelabourn°stutgtobarrd.sevP:rtth°s::B°.riCil
—l.- Mir,- liewiThqe—iiiising the Supply granted to __den But when- ' °NO' ey its
e to .
„d* lie mm 41'
her Majesty, • the several duties now payable on; reason for making it. . line of P , see ere 0
sugar be - furth6r. confirmed for a time to be li-
oved to- be merely in e . „rot
wise. eree
mired, servo und except' that from - and after the' ' distinctionpr
so rTerineloo'
the Government of tliiileSyb
conseeuences follow from this
10th day Of -November- next; there :shall- be -charged
n persevere in
why- old a pu 0
.snefil, Alt
..cii,
on broWn Muscovado, or clued -sugar; certified to be. country_,_ h
. not see
lison. Gentleman tea
but
„tee:
the kroWth of:China, Java, or Manilla, or of any other Rightanu ether countries; but he n°
t 05 ee, et nottiet_ eneeeso
foreign. TeuntrY, the sugar or eyhich her elajesty in -
Ce tleman's statements in this caPr ee (foie/0e
Council shall have declared to be ' adinissible, as not
T n „America admitted the sun_ Theo II ,r 71 i t
e..of4i
b...vigg,,ng.p,pstvc ;9t: g4rft- igsitk3hs FEta..ll/. 145., to, rate.;_
Uind States. What guaraiite„emerTie d Cu on, Gteft
gather with an additional uty ont: per cenfam on the
did not send the sugar of isr4fe Right IYoto r"
iillts
aforementioned rate.
COntry instead of their ow _ „cal' on
t
g 0
2. That, from and after the 10th day of November
next, her Majesty be authorised, by Order in Council, to wan seemed