The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-18 00:00:00

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BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-
SLAVERY SOCIETY.

98
100 The following are full reports of the speeches made by Mr.
117 O'Connell and Mr. Bright, which we were obliged to omit
388 yesterday for want of room :
15 Mr. D. O'Cosseu, M.P., who looked remarkably well,
36
502%
was received upon advancing with the most vociferous cheer-
-40 ing, which lasted for some time, spoke as follows :—The reso-
-25 lution which is intrusted to me to move is in these words :
162 " That this meeting, in common with a great mass of their
130 countrymen, have read with feelings of indignation and
11 horror the sentence of death pronounced by Judge O'Neale,
410 of South Carolina, on John L. Brown, for aiding and abetting
230 a slave woman to escape from the intolerable yoke of bond-
-380
age, by which sentence, and the terms in which it was pro-
-210 nounced, not only were the sacred principles of justice '6)-
20 lated, and the forms of law prostituted to the most atrocious
41opurposes, but the Divine system of Christianity itself grossly
178 outraged and dishonoured."
122 Nobody who has heard of that trial and sentence but must
9 concur in every word of this resolution, and that being so, I
10 really have very little to say to it. At one time I anticipated
that I should have to address you at considerable length, and
upon a most unpleasant topic—a topic which has created
something like division amongst ourselves. Fortunately,
Igv however, that division is healed; the appeal is made to the
31'' proper tribunal, and all I have to say is this, that I beg I
may not have my opinions upon this subject judged of by
the fervid eloquence of my friend George 'fhompson.-
14 (Loud cheers.) I rejoice in being allowed to raise my voice
in an assembly of the old and tried friends of human liberty
01% amongst the enemies of slavery in every country and in every
clime, amongst the advocates of morality and.
Christianity,
which can never be perfect or valuable in any country till
21 there is neither master nor slave.—(Cheers.) I rejoice to
3 stand amongst you, and, whatever may be my own lot, I
12 shall have the gratification to recollect that I have joined in
a one more effort to strike the fetter from the slave.—(Cheers.)
Kim I don't know whether you understand what our cause of
quarrel was a while ago. It seemed to me once or twice that
8% it was something in the situation of my worthy countryman,
Sir Lucius O'Trigger, who, having sent a challenge to a
72% man, and, being asked the cause of it, said, " It's a mighty
pretty quarrel as it is : explanation 'll spoil it."—(Cheers
10% and laughter.) For my part, lam bound to say that lam a
16Z• free trader, perfectly attached to the principles and the
practice of free trade.—(Cheers.) I am convinced that it is
14 injustice to prevent men from buying their food in the
636 cheapest market, and that it is a crime to make the rich
6% richer at the expense of increasing the poverty of the poor.
5% lam a free trader in corn especially, though I stand here the
0 representative of 750,000 of an agricultural population—of a
population that have no means of paying their rents or sup-
ra,. porting their families but by the produce of the land—who
sanction me, and join with me, in asserting, for the labour-
-2 ing classes of England, the privilege of having their food as
I cheap as they can possibly get it.—(Hear, hear.) If I, on an
534 anti-slavery. question, differ with those who agree with me
)14 on the principles of free trade, they, I think will do me the
5!,1 justice to say that I may be mistaken, but that lam not
; designedly wrong. The question between us, to be disposed
' of by the Committee, when I shall not have an opportunity
i of appearing, is this—"whether slave-grown sugar ought to be
; more taxed on coming into this country than free-grown sugar
l —whether the produce of free labour ought not to have the
i. preference in our market over the produce of slave labour ?"
—that is all. I confess lam for giving a preference to the
oproduce of free labour.—(Hear, hear.) I do not think there
5 is anything opposed to free trade in that. If less is to be
2 paid for slave-grown sugar, recollect the mode in which it
has been produced. Remember that no wages have been
2% given for its production, no gratuity to the men who fainted
'3 even under the labour. It was not half-a-crown or a shilling
a day, but the lashes of the whip if they did not work
3 heartily.—(Cheers.) 1 cannot bring that to my notions of
,IX free trade. We had at one time a slave trade in England,
!)''i openly carried on by the sanction of the law. There is not
here one human being who would be for a free trade in slaves ;
7 and I see no distinction between being for free trade in
slaves and for free trade in an article which would augment
'% slavery.—(Cheers.) As to your fifty per cent. cheaper, why
I think honesty is still the best policy. There was a man
1;9
7 transported a year ago, named Money Moses, who was in the
s% habit of receiving all the stolen plate he could get, paying the
f,) thieves a very small sum for it. That man would give you
50/. worth of plate for twenty-five sovereigns, and the conse-
;% (pence would be, that you'd have a free trade in plate.—
!X (Cheers.) Free trade's a good thing, but honesty's better ;
and the country which gave that sublime example, without
a one murmur, from one end of the land to the other, from
3 Land's End to the north of Scotland, from Cape Clear to the
4 Giant's Causeway, freely contributed 20,000,0001. to the cause
3 of humanity, cheaply purchasing the liberty of 800,000
6 human beings.—(Cheers.) I have heard of the difference
2 between Royalty and Republicanism ; but Royalty has
7% beaten Republicanism in the race altogether, and has at
O least the advantage of having totally abolished the horrible
3 crime of slavery. Wherever the English flag waves, or our
O Queen's power extends, slavery is at an eud, and man is
7 on an equality with his fellow-creatures.--(Cheers.) No;
8 I cannot bring myself at all to do anything that shall have
0 the least appearance of augmenting slavery. It is, indeed,
O said, that if you don't buy slave-grown sugar, others will ;
'2 that they will have it in the markets of other parts of
1 Europe. It is said, too, "If you adopt this principle, why
Anot apply it to cotton and tobacco?" I think I have a very
3 good answer to that—" Because it is not in our power to do
it."—(Cheers.) If I could possibly prevent a single pound's
weight of slave-grown cotton, or a single ounce of slave-
%
7 grown tobacco from entering
.this country, I would sacrifice
1734 my existence, and gladly perish on the scaffold, to prevent
6 such a foul crime being enacted—(Cheers)—but if I cannot
1° do that, is it any reason why I should not prevent what I
A can ? We cannot cure one evil by committing another.
's Crime should be diminished as much as possible ; unlike
6 wealth, it does not become more valuable liy accumulation.
I therefore stand up amongst my brother free traders to state
• that I cannot consent to increase the number of slaves by en-
couraging slave-grown produce.—(Cheers.) I came here, as
you may perceive, tolerably well prepared to defend my
opinions ; and if I should be able to attend the Committee
I should defend myself there. lam sure I have not said a
word disrespectful to my able friend ; but Ido hope this
Society will never be a pro-slavery society, either in England
or anywhere else, and though other markets should be open
34 to slave grown sugar, that England never will.—(Cheers.)
I will ask any man, is not England the best market in the
• world for any commodity ?—(Cheers.) It has the two
great ingredients—plenty of money and certitude of pay-
ment.—(Cheers.) In some other countries the payment is
14 not quite so certain.—(Cheers and great laughter.) Pardon
ime for having detained you so long. I was brought up in
abhorrence of every adjunct to slavery—of everything that
could assist—of everything that could increase slavery. I
have spent a long life in struggling against tyranny and op-
pression of every kind, and I shall not be a participator in
14 anything that can augment the misery to the alleviation of
which I have devoted all the energies of my life.—(Loud
cheers.) But I come to the resolution before me, and I must
say that I heard with great pleasure the American gentleman
who spoke with so much moderation and good sense while
condemning slavery in his own country. Was there ever a
thing equal to this trial of John L. Brown? He was charged
with attempting to aid a woman in escaping from bondage;
he was tried, and was convicted. I wonder what kind of a
4 jury he had.—(Cheers and great laughter.) Judgment was
A pronounced against him—alas ! by an Irish judge—not an
!% American, but an Irish judge. Are there no strange ones
inearer home?—(Cheers.) Humanity and morality were so
trampled on, Christianity made such a mockery of by this
1% prosecution, that I wish I had language to pour forth the
1 torrent of my contempt upon a country and its institutions
where such a horrible crime as that can be perpetrated under
Iv form of law.-(Cheers.) Tried for his life! For what? For
!g au act of humanity ; for that for which he should have been
1 rewarded—for a virtue—for - a noble, a manly virtue ; for a
1 feeling of compassion for a wretched female.— (Cheers.)
li Then he read the manner in which the judge pronounced the
sentence. He defied his God ; he; used the holy scriptures to
•36 aggravate the bitterness of the sentence of death. He intro-
-1% duced the name of the ever-adorable Redeemer, the only me-
diator between God and man, as if he would make a sin of a
i compassionate and humane act. Oh I pardon me, Sir, I can-
-134 not continue—
A " Just Heaven! What must be thy look,
When such a wretch before thee stands,

s Unblushing I—with thy sacred book,'
Turning its leaves with blood-stained hands,
A And wresting from its text sublime
i% His law of hate, and blood, and crime."
I —(Greaticheering.) Something should be done to mark the
disgust with which England views such conduct. For my
own part, I would no more speak to a New Orleans man than
I would to a pickpocket or a felon thief. They don't deserve
to be placed upon the same footing with civilised men. Eng-
land should say to them, " Stay at home : come net among
us : don't pollute us with your presence ' • for we will hold no
commune with you."—(Cheers.) We have no other mode of
M controlling a nation but by the expression of public opinion—
' Republicans are naturally proud ; let us meet their pride,
and show them that they shall have in return nothing—but
.% our scorn, our contempt, our hate, and our reprobation.—
% (Cheers.) Pour out your indignation on them. Let them
know that they are out of the pale of society—that they
shall be excommunicated from intercourse with Christian
men, whilst they have their statute-book stained by so bloody
a law as this. The blood in their statute-book skill blush in
'm their countenances, and they shall be marked as men of blood
throughout the civilised globe—(Cheers))--the wretch that
pronounced the sentence—that Judge O'Neale, oh ! I abhor
him for his name. Let his 0 be blotted out any rate—
(Cheers and laughter)—and then nail the rap to the counter
as soon as you please.—(Cheers.) Our public press is too
calm : we have had, to be sure, some important remarks on
the subject, some good sentences of reprobation; but they
haven't repeated them often enough ; they haven't marked
with sufficient strength their sense of the iniquity, of the
abo-
mination, of the scoundrelism of it.—(Cheers.) Representing
large masses of my countrymen, I denounce the miscreant who
derives his pedigree at least, if not his birth, from my country
in the presence of this great meeting assembled in the cause of
humanity. Sacred Heaven ! where else could such a meeting
as this be got together, not for any personal or private object,
but at the impulse of generous hearts, with the single desire
of making the cause of humanity triumphant throughout
the world?—(Cheers.) Oh! it is a glorious meeting, and
delightful it is to take a part in it. But I cannot yet pass
from O'Nealo and his sentence. It has been said that Brown
has not been executed, and it has been boasted in the Ame-
rican papers that he has been pardoned. That is not so. The
sentence has been commuted—to what? To a flogging by
the common hangman at the gallows' foot.—(Cheers, and
cries of " Shame !") Why, that is worse than death. He
might have perished, as many men have perished, innocently,
but that is treatment you would not subject your dog to—no,
nor your enemy's dog; it was a canine punishment, and
worse than the wolves that prowl the forests were the-men-
stars that inflicted it.—(Cheers.) It is not to be passed over
such conduct as this, and I thank God that e'er long my words
will be wafted on the wings of the press along the Missouri
and the Ohio, till the-vhole United states and the miscreant

O'Neale, with thewretches who joined with him, shall be made
acquainted with '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 un 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
in 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 actaally 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 *all on you to become apostles
of this persuasion, which calls. for the enforcement of
rules of humanity and of morality as the first duty
of 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 book 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
so 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 seat amidst loud
cheering.)
The Rev. Mr. Awls 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 be 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 Goveniment to obtain the repeal of such laws, as at
variance with friendly relations and the stipulations of
treaties."
The Rev. T. SMITH, 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 he 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 lion. and
Learned Gentleman in every word of reprobation he 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 he 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.—(Hear, hear.) It was not 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 millions of men who had
descended from English ancestors, and who were carrying on
the great and glorious work of civilising 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-
try.—(Cheers.) As lie was speaking, perhaps he might be
allowed to say a word 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, he believed,
had risked much popularity and had encountered agood deal
of odium from the course they had taken, and he 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. He was of opinion that it was not essen-
tial.—(Hear, hear.) To lean on the Government (either the
past, 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 these which they had been dis-
cussing; and lie would ask the Anti-Slavery Committee
whether, even if they should 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 of " No; no.") He knew that in some towns
many of the most zealous of their body had declined to co-
operate in the measures recommended by the Committee.
He was most anxious to prevent disunion. If the principle
was absolutely necessary for 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 345. on free-labour sugar, and 635. on
slave-grown ; and the effect of this lie 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. SMILE here rose to order ; but
Mr. BRIGHT proceeded to urge the necessity for the aboli-
tion of restrictive duties, and concluded by expressing
that, with the abolition of slavery, there would also be an
abolition of all monopolies. a hope
rprelide, Calaini‘ifur:liAß.Nrigstd,hbaedfodreilatheed puputhe so
on
utattroeraluntoitolntewohnaes.
ho
taiued in it, he might be allowed to say af. w_
words.
dhuisti(etahepCrolipaoirsmed were
conviction that,
and if
te sugars theofh differential
fine
not adopted, an
Brazil, Cuba, and other slaveof this country, labourcoucntrnietry, s w eirte,ld avodiunitted
on equal terms to the liemarket
he of consumin the news
produced by the lash, and the lash alone.—(Cheers.) lle
awnads ves certain
li of the unhappy it would be tslavesmeans of those coloniesg , andsi those
lives would only be replaced by a traffic in slaves from the
coast of Africa.—(Hear, hear.) That admitted of no dispute;
and he was astonished at the assertions and inconsistent de-
clamation of his two friends, Messrs. Thompson and Bright.
Mr. THOMPSON rose to order. Ile had withdrawn his
amendment on the understanding that his proposition was
not to be canvassed.—(Cries of " Order, chair.") He 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.
his
wde
dee
atamygl called
id; a
nu pd o
shall the
nCohtaihie-menanketoptavid,liitehrehtiomth; eaisttdrihctelaihn s hadth
e
nTemoveTerms
amendmenti‘ir. o,co:shNeElLiLaddpetrleievdiotuhsalyt withdrawn.—(Confusion.)
oannfuysiponle2ge
violatedC
Mr. THOMPSON—You have misroeepuolrfdeshlen
for lie was not aware that
anyhad been given.
reply to yvou, even if there are only twenty persons left in the
room.—(Renewed uproar.)
Mr. O'CoNNlim—repeated that he 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. THomosoN again rose amidst great confusion and
uproar, and insisted that his amendment should be put to the
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
was put an end to by
ut M r Thomp-
The CHAIRMAN declaring his intention to p .
son's amendment to the meeting. A show of hands was
then
taken, and upon it the Chairman declared the amendment to
be carried. This announcement was received withloud cheers.
MT. JOSIAH CONDER thenmoved the resolution which had
been lost, and in addition to it the following—
" That this meeting, whilst objecting to the vgious colo-

nial and Government. schemes already propounded for supply-
ing the British colonies with labourers, admit the wisdom
and necessity, so long as the present plan is permitted to
exist, of confining emigration from Africa to the West India
colonies strictly to the British settlements under the control
of Govenunent. That this meeting, however, offer their
cided protest against the regulation which authorises the
shipment of male labourers alone to these colonies, as mani-
festly injurious to the moral elevation and religious culture
both of the emigrants themselves and the emancipated
classes among whom, for a time, they will he settled. That •
Whilst this meeting loudly protests against this permiesion
reference to Africans imported into the West India colonies,
they would especially reprobate it in its application to the
export of coolies to the Mauritius, and the contemplated
emigration of Chinese labourers to the British colonies gene-
rally, as fraught with the most melancholy consequences,
and would earnestly call on the Imperial Legislature to Inter-
pose its authority to prevent the further occurrence of so
great a social evil."
The Rev. G. EVANS seconded the resolution, which was
also supported by Mr. ELIJAH WRIGHT, of Boston, who took
occasion to defend his countrymen from the attacks of Mr.
O'Connell.
Mr. O'Coxsem said he had been evidently misunderstood
by Mr. Wright. llis censure was upon the American slave-
holders and those who countenanced slave holding in Ame-
rica, and lie thought he had made a distinction between them
' and the abolitionist party in America. The abolitionist in
America was to be highly esteemed, because he took part
against the prejudices of his countrymen, and against their
supposed interest.—(Cheers.)
On the motion of Mr. G. CARLISLE, a Dissenting minister,
seconded by Mr. SCOBLE, a vote of thanks was passed to the
; Chairman for his kindness in presiding, which was briefly ac-
' knowledged, and the meeting separated.

COURSE OF EXCHA/
Amsterdam CF. 12 6
Ditto, at sight l2 4
Rotterdam 2U. 12 61
Antwerp
Hamburgh M.B. 13 144
Altona l3 15

l'aris, 3 days' sight 25 65
Ditto, 3 months 25 85
Marseilles
13ourdeaux 25 90
Frankfort on Maine

'etersburgh, 3 Us... 361

Berlin - 7

Vienna, effee. fl. 3 M 954
rieste, ditto
Madrid 361
Cadiz

%Ilia° 36
Barcelona 36
Seville —

GE.—(YESTERDAY.)
Gibraltar
Leghorn 3O 45
Genoa 25 90
Milan
Venice 47
Naples 39
Palermo, per oz ll7
Lisbon
Oporto 53
Rio Janeiro 23
Bahia 23
Buenos Ayres
NewYork,2ldys sight
Philadelphia
PRICFS OF BULLION, PM OZ.
Foreign Gold, bars. £3 17 9
Portugal Gold Coln 8 17 5
New Doubloons.-- 0 0 0
New Dollars 0 4 9
Sifter in Bars 0 4 114

COURT CIRCULAR.

Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Gloucester,
visited her Majesty yesterday afternoon at Buckingham
Palace.
The Queen and Prince Albert walked out yesterday
morning in the Royal Gardens of Buckingham Palace.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yesterday
at a meeting of the Commission for promoting and
encouraging the Fine Arts in the re•building the Palace
of Westminster.

The Commissioners assembled shortly before three
o'clock in the afternoon at Gwydyr House. The Prince
arrived, attended by Colonel Wylde, Equerry in Walling.
The Commissioners present were the Duke of Suther-
land, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Lincoln,
Lord John Russell, Lord Colborne, Sir Robert Harry
Inglis, Mr. 11. Gaily Knight, M.P., Mr. Benjamin
Hawes, M.P., Mr. Henry Hallam, Mr. George Vivian,
Mr. Thomas Wyse, M.P., Lord Mahon, and the Right.
honourable T. B. Macaulay, M.P.
The meeting broke up shortly before live o'clock,
when Prince Albert, attended by Colonel Wylde, re-
turned to Buckingham Palace.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wake, the
Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice were taken air-
ings yesterday in the Royal Gardens.
The Royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace yes-
terday evening, included the Earl of Liverpool, Mr.
Charles and the lion. Mrs. Bruce, and Mr. George Ed-
ward and the Hon. Mrs. Anson.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager visited her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday it Glou-
cester House.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Oambridge,
visited the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday. In the
evening the Duchess of Cambridge honoured the Duke
of Devonshire with her company at the ball given by MB
Grace, at Devonshire House.
A deputation from the Committee of Joint-stock
Banks consisting of Mr. Patrick, Mr. Stewart, M.P.
Mr. Joshua Walker, Mr. Samuel Perceval, Mr. Edward
Smith, Mr. James W. Gilbart, Mr. Daniel Robertson,
Mr. John Amery, Mr. George Webb, and Mr. Charles
Geach, had an interview with Sir Robert Peel yesterday
at his official residence in Downing-street.
The Health of Towns Commission had a meeting CM
Thursday at Gwydyr House, Whitehall. The Com-
missioners present were, the Duke of Buocleuch, the
Earl of Lincoln, Mr. Robert A. Slaney, Sir Henry
Thomas de la Beche, Dr. Lyon Playfair, Dr. D. Boswell
Reid, Mr. William T. Denison, Mr. J. 'Wald Martin,
and Mr. James Smith, of Deanston. . _

A deputation on the subject of vinegar, consisting of
Sir Thomas Wilde, M.P., Mr. C. Pott (Londen), Mr.
W. Pott (London), Mr. Edward Evens (Worcester), and
Mr. Joseph Underwood (Norwich), had an interview
with the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone yesterday, at the
office of the Board of Trade. _ _

The Commission of Metropolitan Improvements had a
meeting on Wednesday at the office in Whitehall-place.
Tile Commissioners present were the Earl of Lincoln,
Lord Lyttelton, Lord Colborne, the Right Hon. J. C.
Herries, Sir R. H. Inglis, Sir Charles Lemon, Mr. H. J.
Hope, Mr. H. Gaily Knight, Alderman Hunpbery, Mr.
A. Mine, Hon. Charles Gore, Sir Robert Smirke, and
Mr. Charles Barry.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a
meeting yesterday afternoon, at the office, in Whitehall-
place. There were present the Bishop of Rochester, tho
Bishop of Salisbury, the Earl of Besboroagh, and the
Right Hon. IL Hobhouse.
The Governor of the Bank of England. and the
Deputy-Governor, had an interview with Sir Robert
Peel yesterday.
Mr. Wickham, Chairman of the Stamps and Taxes,
and Mr. Higham, Secretary and Comptroller-General to
the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National
Debt, had interviews with the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, yesterday, at his official residence, in Downing-
street.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat
yesterday.
Mr. Burge; Queen's Counsel, was heard on Stephen's.
petition (New South Wales).
Mr. Fitzroy Kelly, Queen's Counsel, was heard on
" Panton v. Williams," from the Prerogative Court of
Canterbury. The motion was granted.
Dr. Addams was heard for a protest (on the part of
the respondent) against an appeal, Handley and Jones
v. Edwards," from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
The Queen's Advocate, and Mr. Erie, Queen's Counsel.
were heard for the appellant. Dr. Addams replied.
Lord Brougham gave judgment on the part of their
Lordships, for the first protest and against the appeal
(relating to the rejection of evidence in the Court below),
dismissing this appeal with costs.
As to the second protest. It was necessary for an
applicant to amend his appeal, and this being a matter
of favour, must be upon terms ; their Lordships, there-
fore, directed that payment should be made by the
appellant of the costs of the appeal up to the present time.
The Court then rose.

TODMORDEN.—At the sessions, on Thursday,
young man, named James Greenwood.: of Sowerby, was
charged with disgraceful conduct in a Wesleyan chapel,
at Cragdale, and with assaulting a parish constable.
It appeared from the evidence, that on Sunday last, the
defendant, in company with a man, named Farrow,entered
the above chapel intoxicated, and created a great dis-
turbance. On the Rev. Mr. Fairbourn, .the minister,
remonstrating with them, they pushed him about, and
used violent language. Their conduct was so di
ful, that he left the chapel, and went to thesg=
of the parish constable, who, it appeared, was unable tod
protect him. Several of the congregation requeste
them to withdraw, and Farrow, who was the most
violent, refused, declaring that the minister had invited
them in, and they should stop. A member stated
to the bench, that the constable was afraid of the par-
ties. After much difficulty, they were ejected, and
taken into custody, but made their escape. The bench
was surprised that the constable should allow the
prisoners to escape, and asked where his handcuffs
were and his baton of office. They would recommend
him to go into the county constabulary, under the
training of Mr. Fowler, for three months.—The con.
stable said, he had not done much businesa, and did not
like to over-run himself ;he was a man of peace,—The
bench asked if there was a pair of stocks in Cragdale ;
if so, they would certainly order the defendant to be
:a—rrThe
foorvetrhseeearpsptraeted_h_entshiaotntoh7Faw
put in them. A more disgraceful case never came
ne.
rrobut
The bench convicted the defendant in ss. and costs,no
and
granted
thae mw
refused to give it to the constable who bad acted in 60
cowardly a manner.

BEATING THE PARISH BOUNDARISS.—Thursday
being holy Thursday, or Ascension,day, the charity
children of the various parishes throughout the metro-
polis, headed by the churchwardens and other parochial
officers, made the usual annual pirambulation to beat the
bounds of each parish. The ceremony forms a day of
recreation both to the parish officers and the children.
THE WEST INDIA MAIL.—The following notice
was issued yesterday, at the General Post-office, St. Martin's.
le-Grand, and the branch offices :—" General Post-office,
May 17, 1844.—Letters transmitted by packet, between the
United Kingdom and the colony of Berbice, In British
Guiana, will in future be liable to an intemalcolonialPostage
of 2d. the half•ounce, &c., for the inland conveyance between
New Amsterdam, Berbice, and George Town, Demerara,
where the mails are lauded and embarked. ,The internal rate
will be combined with the packet rate of Is., inald!lCthe
an
total postage to be taken on a letter not exceeding half an
ounce, to or from Berbice, Is. 2d., and
84)
("11'gepneirmalls
By command.—W. L. MABERIX, Secretary..
1 Indies, Venezuela, Mexico, Honduras, the _
for Madeira, the British and ForeignCoboanvanies
ain,
BatbehamWesas,t
of the Ist' of June, to be forwarded pia Southampton.
of
Ate—sb
Chagres, and New Granada, will be made up en morning
Thurye Dareu.ehweess undBeurstthaend,r.
forming fancy quadrilles for this annual ball, now. fixed for
lanadillaEndCAMLarEDelOtiNonmesrls BefA
lation. The Ladies Patronessee have already disposedof the
the 28th instant, and two other sets are said to be in contem-
number allotted to them, and they meet on Tuesday next re-
, specting a second issue of vouchers, but the issue is likely to
be limited, as the original price will not be altered. In addi-
tion to the late Duke of Sussex's piper and the Duke of
Sutherland's piper, the celebrated Stewart pier is engaged to
come from Scotland for the performance of Scotch reels. The
Duchesses of Norfolk, Somerset, Buecleuch, Montrose,' Ron-
' burghe, and Sutherland, Marchionesses of Aberoom, Ailes-
bury, and Breadalbane, and twenty other ladies of title con-
! nected with Scotland, have undertaken the patronage, under
the immediate recognition of her Majesty. It is expected
that at least 1,000 tickets will be taken, So that the supine
• i fund is likely to be handsome,