The Sun.
London, England, 1828-06-13 00:00:00

BRAZILS AND COLOMBIA.

Lord, STRANGFORD, in presenting three pe-
titions respecting the piracies committed by vessels
belonging to the Government of Brazil and Colom-
bia, said, that the petitions deserved the most serious
attention of their Lordships. That the first was
from a numerous body of merchants and ship-
owners of London. Among the signatures subjoined
to it were these of the most respectable and wealthy
individuals of the. empire. The petitioners com-
plained of. the vast and multiplied losses which they
continued to sustain in consequence of the sys-
tem of piracy carried on under the flags of
the Governments of Buenos Ayres and Colombia.
They complained of the suspension, he might almost
say the annihilation, of fair commerce in these quar-
ters ; they complained yet less of the annoyances
which they themselves suffered, than of the revolting
atrocities perpetrated on their fellow subjects. In one
case that of the Morning SE,ar, which was pro,
ceeding from Ceylon to this country, atrocities of
such .a nature were committed that sentiments of re-
spect for their Lordships, as well as common decency,
prevented him from. describing the manner in which
English subjects were treated by the subjects of those
countries which England made it a boast to call
into being. Those persons who 'were disposed to
find nothing but virtue under republican institutions,
might, perhaps, think that these revolting atrocities
were in those young States .only juvenile indiscre-
tions, which we might pass over, expecting. better
things from.their riper judgment, and not condemn-

lag the many on account of the few', or condemn- '
ing the Governments onaccoutit of the act of indi-
viduals. But when he aw that no steps were taken
to punish *authors of hese enormities—when he
foundSthatS on their rettui into port, they were pro-
moted to the command f other ships, and received
new comMissionsS undeiwbich they might again go
out on their roving, buconeering cruizes, against the
commerce of friendly andneutral Powers, he thought
it right to look elsewhee for redress than to those
republics which were founded in rebellion, and
were propped up by piney, the vice of their origin
still clinging to them, aid stamping on all their pro-
ceedings its own charm eristics.—(Cheers.)—This
creation of ours was atything but creditable to us—
for if the time shoull ever come, when we were
engaged in war with the United States of North
America, we should find that we had been recruit-
ing the navies of tha Power, and then we should
repent separating the colonies from Spain, under the
responsibility of whist] State we shall then wish we
had quietly suffered them to remain. The second
petition was from tie merchants and ship-owners of
Jersey, who comilained that they had twenty ves-
sels employed in tie trade to South America, and
out-of these twenty vessels, not one half of them
were ever allowed to return unmolested by some
acts of aggression committed by vessels bearing
the flags of those States. This was not a case
of violated blockade; it did not depend on
any metaphysical principles of Maritime Law,
nor was it a case of vessels carrying contra-
band articles of war ;—it was the particular
case of a ship pillaged on the high seas, or
what was called the highways of nations, while
legally on her voyage. The petitioners complained
in particular, that the ship Gaspar, we understood,
vas plundered by an armed ship; and her crew turn-
ed loose in South America., The third petition was
a case of individual hardship; it came from the
Commander of a vessel, though the petition was not
sent by himself to their Lordships, but by a Mr.
Duke (in using this word, his Lordship turned round
to where the Duke of Wellington was sitting, which
created considerable merriment among their Lord-
ships). This Captain complained of having been
plundered by a vessel belonging -to Buenos Ayres,
and carried into Rio Negro. lie complained, also
of the vessel having there been condemned by Com-
missioners belonging to the Buenos Ayrean Go-
vernment. This took place in May, 1827. His
Majesty's ship Cadmus was sent round to Rio
Negro to reclaim this ship, and immediately after
she left the port they proceeded to carry the con-
demnation into execution. The Captain was com-
pelled to give up the vessel. There was, in this
case, no violation of any blockade; there was no
law for it, but the law of the strongest. The ship
and the cargo were wanted, and they determined to
take them. They were induced to do so, probably,
by the name of the ship, which was the Huskisson,
and they therefore thought she was a very fair sub-
ject for them to exercise their principles of free
trade on.—(Cheers.)—The ship was called the
Haskisson ; and if the coincidence was not extraor-
dinary, it was entertaining.—(Cheers.)—The Has-
kisson was chased on May 20th, 1827, and was ob-
liged, at the inauspicious hour of two o'clock in the
morning, to strike her flag,—(Cheers and laugh-
ter,)—and the Captain was turned out a desti-
tute wanderer.—(Laughter.)—Perhaps it might
be said, that peace would be speedily restor-
ed between the two belligerents, - and that
the state of things, which had grown out of the
war, would do away with it. Although that had
been reported, lie thought that the prospect of peace
was not so near as . some persons seemed to hope,
and he was not disposed to believe that one of the
parties would be anxious to promote it, when some
of the members of the Government derived a pecu-
niary revenue from the mode in which the \ var was
carried on. If peace were made, he should beg
leave to remind his Noble Friend that something more
was to be looked for than a mere cessation of these
piracies. His Noble Friend belonged to an Admi-
nistration that commanded the confidence of the
country. and obtained its concentrated support. in
this his, Noble Friend largely shared, and he would
see that protection for the future was not enough,
and that for the injuries we had suffered reparation
was due. His Noble Friend would find," on inquiry,
that the injuries were great; and that reparation,
rigorous reparation, was required for the outrages
committed against the liberties of Englishmen, for
the violence and injustice to which our people had
been exposed; and that reparation was due from the
Government, for that misery to which unoffending
British subjects had been exposed ; who, though
not of the highest classes, were all his Majesty's
subjects, and as fully entitled as their Lordships
themselves to the protection of the Sovereign.—
(Cheers.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN was sorry he was not
presentpu a former night when certain questions were
put to the Noble Duke, then present, by a Noble
Lord opposite (Grosvenor), and which were in-
tended to have been put to his (Lord Aberdeen's)
predecessor in - office. But his noble predecessor
had assured him that the Brazilian Government had
promised to make all the reparation in its power for
any outiage that had been committed by vessels tin-
der its flag. With regard to the probability of a
peace being concluded between Buenos Ayres and the
Brazils, he could only say that the last accounts re-
ceived by his noble predecessor held out that there
was every prospect of an arrangement being shortly
brought about between the two countries ; and
nothing had occurred since he (Lord Aberdeen) had
been in office, that would change the appearance on
that subject.
Lord GODERICH remarked,. that his Noble
Friend (Lord Dudley) who. had recently been at the
head of the foreign department, was not at present
in the House, but he• took- •it for granted that the
Noble Lord who had just presented a petition to
their Lordships, and whose comments applied to the
public conduct of his Noble Friend, had intimated
to his Noble Friend his intention of bringing forward
the question to-niglit.—(Hear.)—and in bringing it
forward not to confine him Self to the particular cases
to which the petition referred, but in a more general
manner, as applicable to our relations with the states
of America. With respect to those particular cases,
certainly he (Lord Goderich) could not pretend to.
have any knowledge ; but this he was quite prepa-
red to concede,- that if wrong had been done, it was
not only the right but the duty of Government to
exact reparation from those states. But he could
not admit that any part of the difficulties which
might arise in obtaining justice, was to be ascribed
to that act of his Majesty's former Government by
which the independence of those powers was ac-
knowledged. by us.—(Hear.) ..It was equally true
—and the fact could •be proved,—that cases of ex-
actly time same description as , those which the Noble
Lord had mentioned, of enormities hardly to be
spoken of, had been committed by those states and
the contending powers, before the British Govern-
ment had felt itself called upon by the, pressure of
circumstances which it could not control.--(Hear,
hear.)--to enter into any immediate connection with
them. It was as unfounded in fact as it was unfair
in argument, to charge any one of those acts as the
consequence of that recognition, made just by the
circumstances of the case, and which was consistent
with the -law of nations, and rendered inditpensably
necessary by events, which it was out of the power
of this country to control.—(Hear, hear.)

Earl GREY called the attention of the House to
au interlineation at the commencement of the petition.
Lord STRANGFORD said these words had
been interlined by him, and were merely intended as
a private note or memorandum of his own.
Earl GREY said, that it appeared, then, that the
words were interlined after the petition had been
signed for that reason; as well ats because it con-
tained no prayer, he suggested that the petition be
withdraWn.
Lord . STRANGVORD was willing to wi hdraw
the petition. However, upon referring to i•, their
Lordships would find that it did contain a pi yer.
Earl LGREY ,Observed, that tins ords interlined
were these : the petition of the undersigned met-

chants, &c., "complaining of the piracies and vit
leuce committed under the flag of Buenos-Ayres."

This was what was called a memorandum.

The petition was then withdrawn by leave of the
House.

The LORD CHANCELLOR inquired if the
other petitions were liable to the same objection?
Lord STRANGFORD said, that it was mine-
.cessary to move to withdraw the other petition% krl
he had not yet presented them.
The Marquis of CLEVELAND presented a pe'
tition from the merchants and ship-owners of South
Shields, deprecating the suppression of bank-notes.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE said, that as the
Mint regulations stood at present, there was an abso-
lute necessity for adopting some steps for the seen'
rity of one species of circulation or the other. One
of the most important, as it struck him, would be,
to allow a free mint in silver as well as in gold, and
then the small notes might be suppressed with safety,
He therefore wished to ask his Majesty's Ministers,
if it was the intention of Government to adopt any
regulations having for their object the establishment
of more perfect silver currency ?
The Duke of WELLINGTON said, there was
no intention on the part of his Majesty's Govern.
merit to adopt any regulation on that subject.

RELATIONS WITH PORTUGAL.
Lord DUNDAS said, that in consequence of
certain rumours circulated elsewhere, he wished to
ask a Noble Lord opposite (Lord Beresford) whe-
ther or not there was any foundation for these •ru-
mours. It \vas not necessary for him (Lord Dun-
das) to explain more particularly to what he alluded,
as the Noble Lord, he was satisfied, knew what he
meant.

Lord BERESFORD said, that after a long re-
sidence in Portugal, and an intimate acquaintance
with that country for now upwards of 20 years, it
was not extraordinary that he should hare been on
terms of friendly intereourse with many individuals
there, or that he should have occasionally :corre-
sponded with them. Accordingly, be had been io
the habit of corresponding with the late King, anti
with many of the Ministers. Some of these letters
were on matters of friendship, some on matters of
business. He had been occasionally :consulted, as
an individual, on subjects of policy, and had stated
his opinions in reply ; but whatever those opinions '
might have been, there was no great danger to be
apprehended from them, for in no one instance had
any counsel which he had ever'given been followed.
—(Hear.) He repeated, that he had had corre-
spondence, and should continue to have correspond- •
ence, with many people in Portugal.—(Hear.) It
was said, that he had had correspondence with the
Duke of Cadayal : he certainly had. From the
friendship that existed between that individual ant
himself in Portugal, when he (Lord Beresford)
was there, some intercourse had been continued-
between them after his return to this country :
they had each written three or four letters. ?Toy
the charge mooted in another place, and Which
had escaped his earlier observation in consequence
of the Catholic debate, he wished to meet fairlY.
The accusation against him was-first, " that he
Lad encouraged Don Miguel to pursue the course
which he had adopted ;" and secondly, ." that lie
had given him to understand that that course was
approved of by his Majesty's Ministers." Before
he went farther be begged to supply an omission
which he had made, by stating that the correspond'.
euee to which he had referred, had been well known
to Lord Liverpool, to Mr. Canning, mid to all the
Ministers of the Crown ; and be never had the
slightest doubt of the propriety of that correspoOk
ence suggested to him by any one of them. Thts
was the first time he ever heard of the existence of
such a doubt. The letters he received he made-ito
of. The answers he gave he never showed
certainly ; but there was only one part which alluded
to the opinions of his Majesty's Ministers, and,that
was in strong opposition to the accusation bro:it ht
against him in the other House of Parliament.
(Hear.) Ife had described the opinions Of hi°.
• Majesty's Ministers as decidedly opposed to the
aoucrosneput:y courser!iediz ito b
Portugal,eadopted.liadhestr(oitarlrs ivised
a tiHis
Lordship further stated, that one of the letters on
this subject he had not answered, and made some
few further observations which we could not collect.

The Duke of WELLINGTON, who also spoke
in a very low tone, said that his Noble Friend had
certainly shown him certain letters, which were
principally on topics as immaterial as any lie had
ever read. (Hear.) He (the Duke of Wellington)
had never authorized any one, on the part of his /q....!"
jesty's Government to enter into any correspontleocc
on this subject; nor had they received communica-
tions upon it from any one, on the part of the o°'
vernment of Portugal. He did not think that 01
party had a right to be called on to show his private
correspondence. (Hear.) At the same time he
would suggest to his Noble Friend, that he must We
his discretion not to continue to keep up a Cor-
respondence which might lead to inconvenience,
under the 'present circumstances of that country-
Lord BERESFORD observed, that ho bad dig"
couraged any attempt to disturb the Constitution
Portugal, or overturn the two Chambers. Ike had
not answered the Duke of Cadaval's last letter o',
the 26th of April.
Here the matter dropped. Some conversation
took place around the table, as to what measures
were to be brought on for discussion ; in the course
of which, we believe, the consideration of the Scotch
Peerage Bill, and the Irish Linen Manufactures Bill,
was postponed to aluture evening.
On the motion of the Earl of RomBERy, the re-
port on the Scotch Madhouses Bill was'lrought
agreed to with the amendments, and ordered to be
read a third time on Monday next.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY, on, the leporti
on the Hotel Licensing Bill being brought up; mulef!..
that it be read a third time this day three snontb::
which was agreed to without any discussion.--Ak
journed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Juxr 12.

Sir H. HARDINGE having taken the austomerY
oaths, took his seat for Durham.
Returns were presented from the office of Chid
Secretary in Ireland ; and from the Court of Dire"
tors of the East India Company, stating the resolo-
tions of the company respecting salaries.
Returns connected with the office of Deputy 1".""
gistrar in the Court of Canterbury were also pre
sented.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Sir H. PARNELL presented the first Report
the Finance Committee.—Laid on the table, ar'
ordered to be printed.
Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from Orel.
Duffield, in Yorkshire, praying for the Abolition (./
Negro Slavery.
Lord J. TOWN SHEND presented a similar
tition from Helstone. _

---- ---
Mr. F. LEWIS presented a petition from the
Wool Growers of Radnorshire, praying for the
Wool ; although he could not support the
i
imposition of a high duty upon the importation,
thenofe that some relief might be green
r
thought •
Petitioners for a high duty on ForetiA)7oVroa(rty: the Wool h
Wool Grower by affording greater encon'.
ragement to the exportation of Woollen Yasl4
which he felt satisfied would, under proper encou-
ragement, become an export of great value.
_r
the
Sir E. KNATCHBULL supported the prayer of
petition.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. DAWSON brought in a Bill for the reeliti
tion of the Excise.—Read a first time, and ordered
to be read a second time on Friday next.
Mr. DAWSON brought in a Bill for repealing
the Duties on Glass, and granting other duties io
lieu thereof. Read-a first time, and ordered to be
read a second time on Monday next.
Sir ‘L YORKE said, that in consequence of the pre-
sent system of taking the, duty on glas,, ship
window
glass was made so thin its not to be capable of with'
standing a common squall, and he trusted that this
Bill would enable the glass manufacturers to produto
a better article.
Mr.' DAWSON said, she chief object of this Bill