The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-20 00:00:00

DARTMOUTH ELECTION.

Mr. PAKINGTON brought up the report of the
Select Committee appointed to try the merits of the
election for the borough of Dartmouth. The Com-
mittee reported that Mr. Joseph Somes had been duly
returned, at the last election for the borough of Dart•
mouth, to serve in Parliament for that borough.
Several Members then presented private Bills.

SLAVERY AND THE PRESIDENT'S
AIESSAGE.

Mr. ALDAM begged to ask the Right honourable
Gentleman the First Minister of the Crown, a ques-
tion of which he had given him notice, and which re-
lated to a statement that appeared in the last Message
of the American President of State. The statement
related to the treatment of liberated slaves in the
British colonies, and insinuated that they were no
better than when in their former state of slavery.
The President declared that when they were taken to
the British colonies they had to serve an
apprenticeship, during which they were treated, if
possible, with more severity than when they were
slaves. Now, he wished to know whether the Presi-
dent of the United States of America was correctly
informed when he made the statement that the condi-
tion of the liberated African in the British colonies
was no better than slavery ?
Sir R. PEEL said he was glad the Hon. Member
had given him notice of this important question. It
was rather to be regretted that the President
of the United States of America should send
over a formal message upon the subject of
negroes who were intended to be removed from a

state of slavery to comparative freedom, at a great ex-
pense to this country, without first ascertaining what
was the real position of the British colonies. He
must also say, that if the President of the United
States should think it expedient to appoint a Commis-
sion for the purpose of going to the West Indian
colonies of her Majesty, to ascertain precisely the con-
dition in which those who had been slaves are now,
that every disposition would be shown on the part of
her Majesty's Government to facilitate the inquiry of
that Commission, and to enable the President and Go-
vernment of the United States of America to present
to their own country the fullest and most accurate
account of the condition of the negroes in the West
India colonies. The message to which the Hon.
Gentleman had referred announced that when a cap-
ture took place of negroes intended for slavery, they
were sent to the West Indian colonies, where they had
to serve an apprenticeship for a term of years, during
which they were treated with the same se-
verity as when they were in a state of slavery. Now it
was a well known fact that the state of apprenticeship had
long ago been altogether abolished in the West Indies.
The negro, whether going there voluntarily as a free
African, or sent there as a captured negro, was
placed in a state of apprenticeship. In whatever
capacity he went, he was perfectly free and enti-
tled to all the rights of freemen. Perhaps he
might be permitted to state what was the course
pursued by the British Government with respect to
negroes captured by the cruisers of this country. If
captured on the coast of Africa they were generally
sent to Sierra Leone, and when there they were at
perfect liberty to determine whether they would go
to our West Indian colonies, or whether they would
return to the place from which they had been taken;
there was in that respect no compulsion. The treaty
with Spain was to this effect :—ln the event of the
capture of a Spanish vessel by a British cruiser,
the slaves so captured were to be delivered
up to the country to which the capturing
cruiser belonged. This country had a vessel at the
Havannah which received the slaves generally
captured in the neighbourhood of Cuba. It
was certainly true that every individual slave
was not sent to Africa ; for it would be quite
impossible to provide the means of conveyance for
them. They were, in fact, sent to our West
Indian colonies ; ut they were under no com-
pulsion whatever as to the labour which
they undertook, nor were they placed in
a state of apprenticeship. There were persons
there who instructed them as to the con-
tracts into which they might enter ; but whether
they should enter into those contracts or not, was left
entirely to their own option. Now it was possible
that the mistake of the American President
had arisen from thig circumstance. Our treaty
with Spain was entered into in 1835 ; and at
that time the state of apprenticeship did exist,
and the provisions of the treaty were that the captured
negro, on being sent to a British colony, should be
placed on the same footing as an apprentice. But
since 1835 the state of apprenticeship had al-
together ceased—(Hear, hear)—and the cap-
tured negro, on arriving at our West Indian
colonies, was in the condition of a free man.—
(Hear, hear.) In addition to the treaty with Spain,
there was one with Brazil and another with Portu-
gal. By the treaty with Brazil it was provided that
the captured slaves should be delivered up in the
ports of the country near which they were cap-
tured. There was a difference between the treaty
with Brazil and that with Portugal. It was the
manifest intention of the treaty with Brazil that the
captured slave should become a free man. But
Brazil insisted on keeping the captured negro in a
state of slavery, and declined to fulfil the treaty en-
tered into with this country with respect to the
future disposal of slaves. Such being the case, the
Government of this country signified to the Govern-
ment of Brazil that the slaves which were cap-
tured should not, in future, be delivered
up unless Brazil consented to place them in a state of
freedom.—(Hear, hear.) And when slaves had been
captured near Rio Janeiro by the cruisers of this
country, instead of being sent to Brazil, they were
taken to the West Indies, it being found impractica-
ble to send them back to Africa. He must again ex-
press his regret that this subject should have been
noticed in the Message of the President of the United
States.—(Hear, hear.) With respect to the allega-
tion that both the subjects of the United States and
those of this country were concerned in carrying on
the slave trade, that was a subject for serious conside-
ration. He was not prepared to deny the fact.
He hoped that if the law did not reach this applica-
tion of British capital, the Legislature would be pre-
pared to apply a remedy.—(Hear, hear.)
In answer to a question by Sir D. NORREYS,
Sir J. GRAHAM said it was not the intention of Go-
vernment to propose any measure with regard to medi-
cal charities in Ireland, nor to propose any measure
with regard to the railway system in Ireland.
THE BOARD OF TRADE—RAILWAY DE
PARTMENT.

Mr. B. DENNISON said he wished to put a question
to the Right Hon. Gentleman the Vice-President of the
Board of Trade. He wislicd to know whether the rail-
way department of the Board of Trade, or some one of
its officers, had not, with a view to a favourable report,
negotiated between various companies projecting rail-
ways between London and York, for the purpose of in-
ducing them to make concessions to each other, but with-
out any invitation, or even any intimation being made to
the London and York Railway Company to take any
part in such negotiations ? Whether the Cambridge and
London and Direct Northern Company were not
invited and did not attend at the Board of
Trade in the week previous to the publication of the
Gazette of Tuesday, the 11th of March, with reference
to a condition of their being favourably reported upon?
Whether the Board of Trade had not negotiated with
the Newark and Sleaford Company, or suggested nego-
tiations, with a view to require its pledge, that in the
next year it will apply to Parliament for leave to make a
railroad from Newark to Sleaford, to join the Cambridge
and Lincoln line ? Whether such a course of proceed-
ing on the part of the Railway Department of the
Board of Trade was not, in the opinion of the Vice-
President, exceeding the powers recommended to be
delegated to that department by the Select Committee on
Railways, as set forth in their Fifth Report of 1844?
Sir G: CLERK said it was not surprising that the
House should express its surprise at the last question of
the Hon. Gentleman, but the answers which he wouldgive
to the other questions would embody the answer to the
fourth. He begged to state most distinctly, that no ne-
gotiations of any kind whatever had taken place be-
tween the Board of Trade and the promoters of the
Direct Northern and the Cambridge and Lincoln Rail-
way Company—that no facilities were given to them
to make any statements they wished to lay before
the Board of Trade that were not equally
given to his Hon. Friend and the promoters of the Lon-
don and York line. With regard to the second question,
all that had occurred was this :—On Saturday afternoon,
after the Gaze& was published, some person connected
with the London and York Railway had called at the
office of the Board of Trade, and stated that a coalition
had taken place between the promoters of the Direct
Northern and the Cambridge and Lincoln line, and he
stated that a communication to that effect would be sent
to the Board of Trade on Monday morning. That com-
munication was made, but at that tinie the Board of
Trade had no knowledge whatever of any intention of
coalition. With regard to the third question, he begged
to state that there was no negotiation going on respect-
ing the introduction of a Bill next year for a line be-
tween Newark and Sleaford, nor had any such been ever
contemplated by the Board of Trade. The Hon. Gen-
tleman would find that the Board of Trade had not ex-
ceeded the instructions laid down for their guidance ; and
at the proper time it would be found, on a reference to
this matter, that they had acted in full accordance with
those instructions.
Lord HOWICK said that an answer had not now
been given to the most important question which had
been put to the Right Hon. Baronet. He (Lord Howick)
would therefore wish to know whether a coalition had
not been suggested. He wished to know whethersuch
suggestion had not been thrown out by the Board of
Trade to the two railway companies?
Sir GEO. CLERK—He had intended in his answer to
the Hon. Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire to
intimate his assurance that the desire for such a coali-
tion bad not emanated from the Board of Trade.
Lord HOWICK said his question was still unan-
swered. He wished to know whether the suggestion of
that coalition had not been given to the companies, be-
cause such an intimation from such an authority was
sure to be attended to.

Sir G. CLERK said that to the best of his belief no
such intimation had been given to those Companies.,by
the Board of Trade.

In answer to anHoN. MEMBER,
Sir G. CLERK said that the House should have an
opportunity of seeing that the Board of Trade had acted
independently of any private interest.
Mr. HORSMAN wished to know;whether there would
be any objection that the letter written by Mr. Lefevre
to the Secretary of the Treasury, and his answers
thereto, should be laid upon the table.
Sir G. CLERK said that if the Hon. Member referred
to the Minute of the Board of Trade of the 6th of
August, which had been laid upon the table of the
House, lie would find there all the information relative
to the correspondent with the Treasury.
Mr. HORSMAN said, that all he had asked was,
whether there was any objection to lay the letters on the
table of the House.

Sir G. CLERK said he wonld make an inquiry on the
subject, and answer the question to-morrow.
NEW ZEALAND.

Mr. G. W. HOPE laid on the table of the'_ House cer-
tain papers with respect to New Zealand.
Mr. C. BULLER understood that the Govarnment
limited the papers from the Colonial-office to the period
of the present session.

Mr. G. W. HOPE said the whole correspondence was
before the House, and if any of the papers were required
he had no objection to produce them.

CAPTAIN WARNER.
Lord INGESTRE, in answer to a question
from Mr. Somes, with respect to the invention
of Captain Warner,- said, that he had re-
ceived a letter from that gentleman, in which he stated
that with respect to his discovery he had no desire that
any direct application should be made for a further com-
mission, as they led him to nothing but disappointment.
He was willing to abide by the c;-iallenge that had been
given him, and to demonstrate at his own expense
the efficacy of his invention to him (Lord Ingestro),

the Master of the Ordnance, the Prime Minister, and
wished,
the Commander-in Chief if it should be
efficacy
of
his powers might be made known too,
-own. And he would then leave it to them ttibtt
whether an invention that would blow up any tiene;io
attempted to invade such an island as Great try.
would not be of service to the Government of this coos to
That was the substance of the letter, part of '4Ah•
1.
had read, and, therefore, there was no' need of his "``eit,
g further on the subject. But whiae he Wll5
he would just take the liby of king the Bight 115
Baronet what had become ertof the two or three 'corap.
that had been addressed to him on this subject bY
tain Warner ? lie hoped there would be no objec
to lay
th PEEL he table.
S R.,said that he had received no letters fri°:
Captain Warner which he could have the least? tlble
to lay before the Douse ; and, therefore, if hs bsit
Friend hud given him notice of it he would at onceo
made the letters official, for he believed there n'tisbact
wish of.any department to suppress them ; _feu"lt-
-per 1
heard that one or two letters from Captain ar
been mislaid.—(Hear, hear.) alluded t°
Lord INGESTRE said that the letters be .wor
were those which were of importance to Copts"',
ner, and in some measure affected his character. tip
Sir R. PEEL said it was not his fault that gieo
letters had not been laid upon the table ; but i;ord.
were any to be found they should be brought for do
Sir C. NAPIER wished to know did Captain Mir°
"long range" define any distance?—(Laughter.),ffener
Lord INGESTRE understood that Captaill.7;
would undertake that he could destroy a ship
tance of five miles. ; ht Ontb
Sir C. NAPIER then would hope that the B.gi
Baronet would permit Captain Warner to try ticsods.
riment, at his own expense, behind the Goodwio,:otatit
Sir R. PEEL had no doubt but that if L'..700
Warner did intend to make the experiment at
_nil° tile
expense he would get permission to do SO fr"Thos
Board of Ordnance.—(Laughter.) I
-11 fact, WI
rOro
scarce a week passed that lie did not receive letterorts,
parties proposing destructive missiles of all rdaan
(Laughter)—and at various amounts, from 200,000
to 501.—(Laughter.) 'tate egiii;
The motion that the House do then go up®
mittee on the Customs' Duties Bill was then read,
which s_t the
Mr. MONCKTON MILNES understood that orti
present stage of the measure he could not bring flog
his motion on the subject of basket rods. Being 'f th°
Member, and not well acquainted with the rules of
House, he had thought that he might do so.
itself the
however, move the alteration in the Bill itself a
proper time.

PENANG SUGAR. fooe
Mr. HORSMAN, seeing the Noble Lord Meese r
(Lord Jocelyn) in his place, wished to ask hi° I,eag
any measures had bee: adopted for placing., of the
sugar on the same footing us sugar the grewlysitig
East Indies ? The sugar growers of solve
were subjected to very great hardshiPs•ityport'
years since an Act had passed authorising the tidies, the
tion of sugar, the produce of lithe East Indig-`sd bee.°
lowest rate of duty. The planters of Penang the eat'
induced to invest a large amount of capital ifibitt fber
vation of sugar in consequence, imagining t, that Pr!:
sugar would be admitted at the same rate, h'!" nsoday-
vilee had hitherto been confined to sugars the prod
of the territories of the East India Congo* troll °II
the subject, and the heads of that dep
sentations had been made to the Board of Ceoa, Pry
mised to send out instructions to the Governer; bet' e
of India on the subject. This was a Year nogtioloolllll‘
yet, the merchants of Penang had received the Merli
cation on the subject. A deputation from the 13°11to
chants and planters of Penans• had waited (3° feseeee_di
of Trade, and on the Board of Controul, in rec; ,ed, ""„
the subject. They had been • sly rec—' Cato
had graciously tbeir dto
had beet' dismissed with assurances that vvishe f
artmeet bonerrerej
should be taken into consideration. Nov' hesohantssace
ask the Noble Lord if the case of the ine:oo of -
Penang had been taken into the considers the ruble
Board of Control, and if any instructions on ref iodie
had been transmitted to the Governor-Genera' office„b,
Lord JOCELYN said that on coming isinryeeraoroi
had found the draft of a dispatch to the use' clairaissrta
neral in Council, strongly recommending tmeecoosic's`ica
the merchants and planters of Penang to the Los Is'Pt'es,
tion of the Government of Bengal. The e'isil 'tilas- t"
were set up were, as the Hon. Gentleman, those silt
permission to introduce sugar the produce eifitageOtbe
tlements into that country, on the same arislithis° la
other territories of British India en,ioY"' secei/e"i' is
last few days a communication had been, Gener%ds.
which it was stated that the GovernoL",orsia7the
Council had taken into consideration the
,reeSerre,tro-
don of the Home Government, and he huo"-t the ";,0-01-
matter to the Governor of Penang, to Pscrecyttether "
duction of sugar of foreign growth.
munication had been received.
CUSTOMS' ACT. beCa9tcla
t
The House then went into Committee on
Act. Mr. Greene in the chair. ale
On the article of grease being read, •0 to -SO
Mr. BRA MS TON said it was his inters the tile
oio
that the article of grease should be taken 00z0id rer.°,teti
of duties to be repealed, and that the duty be 00' s
as at present. He would move that greasedety.fito
from the tariff ; hccause, if it were let in at Pr"-
would injure the protection which the farmer
enjoyed for his butter.—(A. laugh.) tier', Geo'
Sir JOHN TYRRELL seconded the in° , goo. ,iole
Sir GEORGE CLERK felt sure the Bigifl-the or' 0,
tleman did not understand the nature 0
_o(lolt4be
" grease." It was a thing mixed with tar, beers fro boon
titer unfit for human food.—(lronical chee,Jei be a boa
Opposition ix nehes ) The importation wou'oeh yes
to the farmer, for such grease W order} to rr!verf
in the dressing of sheep, in _ober. l'heerS
them from the injurious influences of the is
_suse o
.10.
precaution would be taken by the Custom-Ist ceeteesi,
that no other grease should come in but ' the OPP ,ite
plated by the tariff.—(" Hear, hear,"..,.fr°%ers 'OO
tion.) He could not -tell what Hon. Dor° bt there
meant by their cheers, fur which be thong old
no good reason. is rooetserg of
Mr. WARD said that the Right Hun. thell3 epee t 00
to have altogether mistaken the nature of
_nci wen,iog
his Hon. Friends on that side of the Nouse,' Not:tbe
to argue quite unconscious of their tendeot.ls;iost o'd the
could be more delightful than the expla" ware bich,
Right Hon. Baronet. He (Sir G. Clerit)oihiees'd et
Houseosith the greatest earnestness, that ~0 the i"" sks
could by any possibility be converted We', hear) 0 ho
Eight
,f they ``.,d
the poor man would be admitted.—(ll,,e,tibegged „toe'
one connected with land, he (Mr. Waruilson.l3s' ers
spared such advocacy as that of the
When Hon. Members treated Eogland 459:tidersbt5;f5
talking' of a beleaguered tovvn,'he could wvc,e'eadd per to
them, and though he might condemn, bebey cel3eor)'"
these miserable dirty
admire their boldness, but when zt„..,os, hear)
—he felt thoroughly disgusted at such 1,1:d o,holcoble
opposition. The ancient feudal barons tin'etbing eoto'
monopoliessi-ssrroaate di,-
tricts under contribution. There was se°to now rii;t of
in that; but the conduct of those who w_
srabied !,, too'
sent the great agricultural interest, resu,.niola3l'
an " area sneak"—the most contemptible '•
11°'
dern eivilisation,—Hear, and cheers.) ~.00 of. oof
Mr. BORTIIWICK said the opPost:eLireiniasi°,oo,
Members on his side of the House t° t c.O late_ ist
duty on those articles would bring
tempt, peote.ie"eto ishu his
in the gallery above, would, like little.bl7, Sota,,l
and he hoped those sweet little c!,
~,, cssrf, ,0g
sentiments to the country.—(Great lauglatfhition7lo3
could be more unreasonable than each °IT who e
there was not a single farmer in the con ntu
of °I
support the Hon. Member in his motion.
le
effect
.0 the
Sir JOHN TYRRELL said the wh°.'l;osiotis,' of
proposed change in the tariff would be "Jth to uti oot
agricultural interest; but be did note wish woili.aer
their attention with frivolous discussion, 'lll.OO, gevr`i;l• ob
divide the House on this occasion. 'o„eoeb cry
for Evesham had, however, fired off the stsught 100
he intended to discharge the other night of ii, the f the
but this "explosion in his rear ish„.ci ri mover ° feet,
disturb him.—(Great laughter.) The ton' ft 00 • fair
nary ° Sigma
address had then congratulated the con
tow the
0t.,,..
that pig iron had risen to 16/. a ton, but
_f Pig oleo be
Hon. Baronet wished to lower the price of wss
very
(Laughter.) If pig iron had risen,
reduced, and he confessed he did
fair result. But there was now a much ...._(.l4ang there
P' think
stiiciosi:bottears
Lion for conservative articles generiTY;rstoe, ss
_,,,
He would not inflict a speech upon tit
__ll,'"his watt: loci
would be other opportunities of discusspro: Barony for
Mr. BRIGHT said, that while the Won. afetooso•
spoken in a tone of lamentation, the '''
to the G°ostea
Evesham (Mr. Borthwick) bud conie ,_:„h he tr go
ment's assistance, with an earnestness 7,3l"tighteriiitely
would be fully appreciated by
the
tibought 0 the
confessed there was nothing which "
to bring the agricultural interest into.tscluterrapoilt,_er;t
arguments that were advanced bY„,biich be insig„risi bad
(Hear, hear.) In another place, to e_ ,e odisioeoser,
perhaps be allowed to allude, one nobnle,!s Dsbo3.°_,,feo,
arrogated to himself the title of a corn cable
Getitlve;fi,
and in this House, among other Ilenou
e°_,rivt the
01.1,100,1
they had one who came forward to that the agsic,'` dr
interea µ.e
re
He thought that t ts le re
supporters greatly mistook their °wafter. °lergcel'
jetting to the importation of a little
, lq s the go°. ',/i°
other persons having cupboards vesl
were
_0 vorlyte_fere
ber for Essex, and unlike him there ho t,°, he la rossi
Why 0'" and rei , f
but little to put into them. sit Lion, a" Tve
with the cupboards of the poorer popt.ts _ossefisl,o the,
the few comforts they might otherwii; yased tran_ees or
might rely upon it that without an i .7coosenio.aiglit
mould soon have the miseries and then" , The J'heil
r hear.) taeot • els
an increased pauperism.--(Elva ', Govern Ale
Hon. Baronet at the head of the , of the too li',
always been looked upon as the friend
rood post oigliw
turists. They had placed him in the pro_ bob
,beo,
then occupied, and a little advice
ntrieuirs sit 4'50 to
sv.o
du e there e) then
therefore be ,expected to do
, I gr. 13r1 eto $
If he would but take himself, and in ne -gbt
take a step in the right direction, lie sis„:„ht cols the
thought that on all those questions theyrcilstahie at
the
i
satisfactory conclusion—to a result c c d
TT trilSte tl
vi'll!,
House and pleasing to the country. ..-=e,.. goes/
~,` Jo,
Hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. 14 prefisiv°
for
allow the question to go on al o
400 • 11)
amendment. not cos • of
they
M. MILNES sail that it was . , side thef
1 e•vatives , e r
Hon. Members on that (the Genss
side, VD ;eta .
House to reprove Members on the other . _
100,010,,,,,t0
brought forward questions referring rs;tl',u,d be reAerh b.
with
ing interests, He did not see that he 1.0,14. oo is',.feseii
because ho had brought forward a TatveLeh'i.eb ieteio OS
supposed he knew something, and f nersons eon°
with the labour of some thousands 0, e
object throe
ulaitY' "00 '
to be to gain some small degree of Fop
_otives growing districts. The Hon. Members by .0
ing obloquy on lion. Gentlemen, whose ni
ediiiii
pure as his own. dof °F tit
Mr. AGLIONBY thought that insten
__toctin ioog.
the resolutions in this Bill, they were prou,,ol allu'ari'
settlement of the question by their b
per
r-ted lost
He trusted that Hon. Members who suPen .90 01
cultural interest would concede the