The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-23 00:00:00

THE SON, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 23, 1842.

whilst there were two Gallant Admirals who, if necessary,

could oppose the proposals of the First Lord.
Sir R. PEEL said he must ask the House to pause before

it adopted the resolutions of the Hon. and Gallant Officer.
He thought it would be a bad precedent for the House of
Commons, at the instance of a professional man, however emi-
nent, to place any restrictions on the selection of persons for
the head of the naval administration. If the House should

this country in choosing an officer for the head of the
Admiralty.
Captain BERKELEY rose to explain. He had never said
that the navy in the Mediterranean was in such a state as to
be likely to be defeated. What he had stated was, that if they
had been pressed by eight sail of the line, they would have been
placed in great jeopardy. He begged also to state, there was
not a number of men wandering on shore.
Captain PECHELL rose to explain. The Gallant Officer
opposite had defended the appointment of Earl de Grey to the
Admiralty on different grounds to what he (Captain Pechell)
had. What he (Captain Pechell) had stated was, that he was
fully entitled to the situation from his high station and know-
ledge of ship-building. Ile had also alluded to the hospitality
of the Lord High Admiral. He could say nothing in that
respect of the First Lord of the Admiralty, never having
visited him in his life. —(Laughter.) But with respect to the
Lord High Admiral, he would ..ay that there were very few
officers but who were acquaintel with him, and he was there-
fore acquainted with the merits of the different officers.
Sir H. HARDINGE said, bsfure the motion went to a
. . _ .

division, he wi,hed briefly to offer a- few— observations.
Gallant Officer who had brought forward that motion, had
complained that undue favour had been shown to the army in
the late brevet, and stated, as his opinion, that th?re was no
reason why there shenld have been so many general officers.
He hardly felt inclined to go into that subject on that
occasion, because he had always felt that such a union
and harmony subsisted between the army and navy on
every occasion. But when the Gallant Oflicer spoke of
undue favour being shown to the army, it appeared
to him (Sir H. Hardinge) absolutely necessary to endeavour to
sh tw that no such motives influenced either the Right Hon.
Baronet, or the Cabinet in that promotion. It, therekre, ap-
peared to him necessary to assure the House, that no such
partiality took place. Now, what were the facts of the case.
It would be found that from a return made, that for the last forty
years there was a much larger number of officers in the
army, in proportion to the navy. Note, let them take the year
1814, there were 525 general officers in the army, and 550,000
men. In the same year the number of Admirals was 233, and
550 ships, being under one-half the number of the general
officers in the army. In 1830, the number of colonels,
made generals, was 64, and the number of captains,
made admirals, was 44. In 1836, the numbers

were 4'2 in the army, and 36 in the navy. In the year
1841 the number of colonels made major-generals was 61, and
the number of captains made admirals was 40 or 41: Now
taking this into consideration, the Gallant Officer would find
that there was no injustice done to the navy. lie took
another case, he believed there were 10 or 11 admirals now,

and 39 or 40 general officers employed. They would find that
the number of general officers had been diminished since
1814 to the amount of 185, and the admirals only about ten.

He had no wish to make comparisons of this kind, but if he
were to d r so he should look to the expense of each. In
18.35 the cost of the officers in the army was
11,0001., and that of the nary 23,0001., and at
the time of the last brevet the army was 13 or 14,0001.
and the navy was 26,1'001. Now there was no partiality shown
in this. Such was the feeling of the army towards the navy
—such was their admiration and respect, that if there was to
be retrexchment in the two professions they • would
give the preference to the navy. In this he believed
he was speaking the sentiments of the whole army.
Sir C. NAPIER said he begged to assure the Gallant Offis
cer, that he did not complain of undue promotion, he only com-
plained of the number of captains ma•ler admirals, in froport on
to the general officers in the army. He could assure the Gal-
lant General that he did not wish to institute any unfair com-
parison between the army and the stacy. He could assure the
lion. Gentleman behind him (Mr. C. Wood) that he did not
intend to throw the slightest reflection upon the Hon. Captain
Grey. He hoped the Hon. Gentleman, their relative, would
allow him to ray that he had no intention to speak a word
against them. The Right Hon. Baronet had said that her
:Majesty delegated her power, and he ( Sir Charles
Napier) was quite aware of that, but her Majesty could
as well &legate her power to a Lord of the Admiralty, as
the Board of Admiralty, and if she did so, she would
have a rtisi.onsibla man as the head of the navy.—( Hear.)
The Right Hon. Baronet ( Sir J. Graham) had not cor-
rectly stated what he (Sir Charles Napier) stated with refer-
ence to the danger in which the British navy was in the
Mediterranean. Ili hat he did say was, that if the French had
come out before they (the British) were in the Mediterranean,
no body could say what would be the result. It was not
right to tell the British navy, manned as it was at present,
that they were ebb to do so much as the Right Hon. Baronet
( Sir J. Graham) had stated, in such complimentary terms,
they were able to effect. Nothing was more dangerous than
to inspire a false confidence.—( Hear, hear, and cheers.)
lie (Sir Charles Napier) was onmdefeated himself in the West
Indies, and he knew what it was, and what the result of a
defeat would be again, if our ships were manned as they were
then ; it was impossible that the navy could be effective if it
was regulated PS it Ives at present. He defied the Angel
Gabriel—( Laughter)—if he was first Lord of the Admiralty, and
if he was deprived of the patronage, to regulate the navy witk
advantage. As it was cow regulated, every person who had
no interest must wait until the Queen was married—(A laugh)
—or until the Queen had a son—( Laughter)—before he was
promoted, no matter what his length of service might be.—
(Hear, hear.) He thought there was the most urgent neces-
sity for an improvement in the navy, and he would therefore
press his motion.
The first resolution having been negatived without adi"ision,
the second resolution was put.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when there appeared—
For Sir C. Nap er's resolution 4O
For Sir James Graham's amendment l3B
Majority against the resolution —9B
Captain PLUMRIDGE sad there was a great difference
between the second and third resolutions, and be would cer-
tainly press it to a division.—(Hear, hear.).
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when there appeared—
For the resolution
Against it
3lajority against the resolution —92
_ _ THE PHILLIPSTOWN TRAGEDY.

Mr. W. SMITH O'BRIEN rose, and moved far a copy
of the veroict and depositions taken by the coroner at an in-
quest held on the 19th day of December 1841, on the death of
James Flanagan, at Clonearl, in the King's County, for
copies of all communications which have taken place between
the Irish Government, or the Inspector-General of Constabu-
lary, and the Resident Stipendiary Magistrate, or the Local
Inspector or Sub-Inspector of Police, relative to the death of
the said James Flanagan, and for a copy of the correspondence
wkieh has taken place between Durham Dunlop, Esq., and the
Irish Government, relative to the death of the said J. Flanagan.
He briefly narrated the circumstances attending this case,
which have already appeared in The Sun. He then con-
tended that the coroners jury, having found a verdict of acci-
dental death, a statement appeared in the Dublin lifoniter,

imputing that the man Flanagen had not met with his death in
an accidental manner, but that he had been sacrificed to the
drunken folly of the persons assembled at Mr. Macan's house.
This statement produced a great sensation throughout the
country, and every one combined in calling on Government
to produce the coroner's notes of the inquest, which
was at length complied with. If he had any doubt
previous to this occurrence, it was certainly much in-
creased by an examination of those notes. For bis
own part, he confessed ;that the evidence was of such
a character that it was impossible to say whether the unfor-
tunate man's death was accidental er otherwise. The people
of Ireland, under these circumstances, were not content to
remain in doubt, and still called on Government to institute
an inquiry. On those grounds too, and that the persons
whose names had been mixed up in the matter, should be cleared
from any unjust imputation on their character, he now—some-
what unwillingly he confessed —moved for the returns, of
which he had given notice. He hoped the Government would
not refuse to produce those papers, and he trusted the result
would be to liberate the individuals whose conduct had been
itnreached.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD seconded the motion.
Lord ELIOT said he rose, not for the purpose of opposing
the motion, but of making a few remarks; by way of answer
to the statements cf the Hon. Gentleman, so far as they
affected the Government. Immediately the Government re-
ceived notice of the circumstances, they thought it their duty
to institute inquiry. Directions were accordingly issued to the
coroner to forward his notes of the inquest, and the stipendiary
magistrate was directed to report to the Government the
whole facts of the transaction, as far as he was cognisant of
them. The stipendiary magistrate had not waited for instruc-
tions from the Government, but before their arrival had pro-
ceeded to make his report. In that report he stated that on hear-
ing the report as to the death of the individual in question, who,
it appeared was not an idiot, but a wit or jester, he had thought
it his duty to proceed to the house. On his arrival he found the
coroner about to swear in the jury, which consisted of twenty-
one persons. He attended the whole of the proceedings of that
inquest, cross 'examined the witnesses himself, and scrutinized
the evidence so minutely, that the jury thought he was putting
leading questions. The unanimous verdict of the juty was
" Accidental death."—( Hear, hear.) The stipendiary ma-
gistrate had since undergone a cross-examination, conducted
by the Law Officers of the Crown, and they were unanimously
of opinion that the verdict was a proper one. The House
would see, therefore, that the Government had adopted every
means in their power of investigating the whole of the circum-
stances.—( Hear, hear.) He was perfectly willing that the
whole of the transaction should undergo further investigation,
and he did not object, therefore, t• the production of the
papers; but he trusted he had said enough to induce the House
to suspend their judgment until the whole of the circumstances
were before them,

Mr. POWELL, said he thought a coroners inquest, though '
a very competent tribunal, was not ono which precluded fur-
ther investigation ; and in the present case he thought there
were good grounds for proceeding with the inquiry. He was
convinced that when the facts were thoroughly tavestigated,
the Noble Lord himself would not come to the conclusion
which had been arrived at by the jury.
Mr. VILLIERS STUART said he could not help stating, I
that in his opinion the Government bad done their best to in- 1
vestigate all the circumstances of this transaction.—(Hear,
hear.) He must also remind the Hon. Gentleman that a co-
roner's inquest was by far the most constitutional authority in
a case of that nature ; and unless there were very strong rea-
sons for b:lieving that the jury had ,not performed their duty
he should deprecate reopening the inquiry.
Mr. WAKLEY said it was a mistake to suppose that the
verdict of the jury was final.
i
An indictment might be pre-
ferred before the grand jury, and fresh evidence adduced, for
were accessory to the
death of the deceased; if this were the fast, not one of those
parties could be called on as a witness. He mu t do the Irish
Government the justice
theAi r . purposepunl
op ot
that
at reversingallthe
aorftiesas),ingthat there was nothing in
accused
the face of the inquisition or thedepositions that called for
any further inquiry. He trusted, therefore, that if Mr. Dunlop
or the other parties were still dissatisfied, they would prefer a
bill of indictment before the grand jury, and show what fresh
evidence they had to offer. At the same time Mr. Dunlop's
allegation was exceedingly strong, that thirteen of the Jury-
men were interested in not returning an impartial verdict.
The motion was then agreed to.
RURAL POLICE—NORFOLK.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE rose to bring forward the motion of
which he had given notice, that" Copies
of all Letters and
Communications that have passed between the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, the Chief Constable, or any
Magistrate of the County of Norfolk or the City of Norwich,
from October last to the present time, relative to the conduct
of the Rural Police of that county in the apprehension of a
man of the name of Smith, on a charge of vagrancy." He
said that this motion related to the conduct, or he should rather
say the misconduct of the rural police for the county of Norfolk,
and lie should state as concisely as possible the circumstances
of the case, and of the complaint he had to make. He thought
when the House had heard what he had to state, that it would
agree with him that conduct more illegal, more cruel, or more
unconstitutional could not be conceived; and if it were per-
mitted
to prevail in those counties that had alopted the rural
police, the House would agree with him that the liberty of the
subject, of which they were in the habit of boasting, might
c-ntinue in name, but in reality would cease to exist. The
circumstances of the ease were these. In May last an unfor-
tunate and unhappy individual, without shoes or stockings, or
a shirt to his back, was found wandering about the
streets of Norwich with two pair of handcuffs on
his wrists.—( Hear, hear.) Ten police of the city
naturally enough took up this individual ; be was
carried before the police magistrates of the city, and was
called on to account for the appearance of the two pair of hand-
cuffs. The account he gave of himself was this—that on the
preceding day he had been taken up by one of the rural police,
between Yarmouth and Norwich, all be was goipg to a fa-

mer's house to sell some books and tracts in his possession. The
rural policeman had stopped him, askedhim what he was about,
and on receiving the above answer, asked him where his
hawker's license was ? He said he had none, and, in fact, it
was not likely that a man without shoes to his feet, or
I shirt to his back, should have a hawker's license
in his pocket. The policeman immediately apprehended
him, put a pair of handcuffs on his wrists, and took
him to the stable of a farmer's house, and with another
pair of handcuffs chained him to the manger. The
_policeman
it appeared, had another warrant to execute near Yarmouth,
and not having time to take the man to Norwich, secured him
in this manner, by fastening him to the manger, though he had
taken him up for a mere act of vagrancy. 'l'he constable also
went to the wife of another constable in the neighbourhood,
and desired her to go and feed the man at two o'clock, as he
should not be back till six or seven. In the course of the
afternoon, an individual came into the stable, supposed to be
the farmer, the proprietor of the stable, and this man
wrenches the ring from the manger, and set the prisoner at
liberty. It was afterwards doubted, whether this was the
farmer or not ; hut whoever he was, he thought he did perfectly
right ; and if there had been a crowd of men who found a
fellow-man in such a situation, they would have been justified
in pulling down the stable. Having been carried before one
of the city magistrates of Norwich, and having reported the case
to the chief constable:of the rural police, the policeman, who had
taken the man up, heard of it, and immediately claimed
his victim. He carried him before another magistrate,
who committed him for a month to the House of Cor-
rection and hard labour, on his own admission, that he
had sold religious tracts without a license. He did not
say that the magistrate could de otherwise, it being a clear
case of vagrancy. Well, the magistrate reported the case to
Colonel Oakes, the chief constable of Norfolk. There was
nothing in the conduct of Colonel Oakes that called for any re-
marks from him. He believed that a more kind or amiable in-
dividual did not exist.. If he had committed any error it was
one on the right side. He said that he would not investigate
any case in which one of his own men were concerned. Ile
re;erred the case to the. Rev. Mr. Vaughan, from Norfolk who
possessed the advantage of a great number of clerical justices.
This Rev. Gentleman had an objection to the man
who apprehended the vagrant Smith, but another
reverend magistrate, the rector of Blowfield, had
an equally strong predilection for him, and he almost insisted
that Colonel Oakes should appoint him superintendant. This
same Reverend Gentleman subsequently justified the conduct
of the man, stating that there was no ground for complaint
against him. A Mr. Palmer, another magistrate, afterwards
expressed his surprise that this rector of Blowfield should have
interfered, not being one of the police committee. He,
therefore, writes to a Rev. Mr. Wilson, another clerical ma-
gistrate, wishing him to look into the matter ; it was under-
stood that it was to be referred to the committee, but it went
over to July, when the summer assizes took place. At these
assizes the policeman Smith was examined in another
case, and it came out that he was in the habit of
taking the confessions of prisoners whom he apprehended.
Now, when it was considered that the policeman had the
power of hand-cuffing men, and locking them to a manger, he
thought that any confession which :might pass between them in
that position ought not to
_be token as evidence in a court of
justice. It appeared also that he was in the habit of hand-
cuffing prisoners; and, on some occasions, had left them in that
state six or seven hours. A communication had been wade of

the case to the Secretary of State, and an investigation was in-
s.ituted, bnt under whom? Why, the chairman of
the inquiry was this very rector of Blowfield.
He thought that on public grounds the Right Hon. Baronet
ought to lay bef re' the House' a copy of any communication
that had passed between him and the Norfolk magistrates.
Indeed he (Mr. D.) had no doubt the Right Hon. Baronet
said, the conduct of the rural police on this occasion was a
rural disgrace to Norfolk. But at all events there were strong
grounds for inquiry and information; and, therefore, he
(Mr. D.) trusted his motion would be agreed to.
The motion having been seconded,
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said, that certainly some commu-
nication had taken place between him and the magistrates of
Norfolk, respecting the conduct of the rural police on the oc-
casion referred to. lie asked for explanation and got it, and
he had no objection to produce the documents to the House;
indeed, the speech of the lion. Gentleman rendered that step
necessary. for he had incidentally reflected on a large portion
' of the magistrat,s of Norfolk, who would be found undeserv-
ing of such censure. As for Col. Oakes he required no en-
comium. for it was well known that there was not a more hu -
mane mart in the military profession. He (Sir J. Graham)
had the more disposition to produce the documents asked for,
as he was convinced they would justify the magistrates referred
to.—Motion agreed to.
THE GILBERT UNIONS.

Captain PECHELL mad,, his motion on this subject as fol-
lows—" Return of each Parish and Township in England and
Wales, in which the poor are manages! under the provisions of
the Act 22 Geo. 3, c. S 3, commonly coiled Gilbert's Act ;
distinguishing ,whether incorporated in any union, or governed
s,parately ; and stating the population of each parish or town-
ship, and of each union respectively, according to the last
census. Also, return of each parish and township subject to

the provisions of any local Act for the managemeet of its poor,
with the amout.t of population, according to the last census."
He ssould precede the motion by presenting a petitition from
twenty-two guardians of the poor of Chichester, begging that
their local Act, protecting the poor and rate-payers at the same
time, might not he repealed. This he feared, however, that
the Bight Hon. Baronet meant to do from his ominous silence
the other evening, when he (Captain Pechell) questioned him.
lie believed that the operation of the Gilbert Act had given
general satisfaction ; and that was manifest from the fact that
no petitions had been presented against the Gilbert Unions.
The Eon. Member then referred to a pamphlet, written by Mr.
13rooker, a gentleman who resided in Sussex, who stated that
Will :am Smith was reduced to such a state in one of the work-
houses, that he was not able to work, and that the persons
who reduced him to that state were gailty of moral murder.
But he (Captain Pechell) diaide dgoing into the details. He
hoped no opposition would be given to the papers be moved for.
It was a complete fares, to suppose that uniformity of
system was now acted upon, and therefore it could not be used
as an argument for the incorporation of Gilbert Unions. He
hoped Hon. Gentlemen opposite would redeem the pledges
they gave at the hustings, and vote against placing those
unions under the controul of the Commissioners.
Mr. T. DUNCONI BE seconded the motion.

The motion having been put,
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said he had no objection to the
returns for which the lion. Gentleman moved, hut to prevent
all mistake as to the number of the Gilbert unions and local
Acts, he should move that the returns for the year 1831 be
added.

Mr. DARBY, (amidst cries of " Oh, oh,") said that he had
read the pamphlet of Mr. Brooker to which the Hon. and
Gallant Member referred, and he could only say of it that a
greater libel wa s never published.
Captain PECHELL could only say that he had received the
pamphlet from a very respectable person.
After a few words from Mr. DARBY, in explanation,
The motion was put and agreed to.
WEST INDIES—NEGRO EMANCIPATION.
Lord STANLEY said that at that late hour of the night he
was unwilling unnecessarily to trespass on the indulgeece of
the House, but the House would perceive, that filling the situa-
tion which he had the honour to hold, and proposing for Com-
mittees on two separate subjects (on both of which he would
confine his observations to a single address) it would be impos-
sible to ask the House to consent to an inquiry on a subject
of so ranch importance without addressing a few words to the
House as briefly as possible ,upon the impressions which he
entertained on the subject, and upon the exis‘ing state of the
great interest shish he proposed to bring under the considera-
tion of the House. In doing so he would not allude to any
exciting topics of local character. It was a subject of immense
importarce to the country generally, and considering how
deeply he was involved in this question when he held nine
years ago the same situation which he had now the honour to
fi 1, it was but natural he should be anxious for the result of
the great experiment. He was happy to say that so far tte
regarded the result of that great experiment upon the whole
of the population throughout the West Indian Islands, it was
satisfactory beyond the most sanguine expectations of the most
ardent advocates of the measure. In every island not only
the physical prosperity of the labouring population had in-
creased to an unexpected extent, but it had been accompanied
by that which was far more gratifying—namely, the continu-
ance of habits of industry, improvement in the social system,
and improvement in the religious and moral habits. Hemight
venture to state to the House that he had not exaggerated
the present social condition in any of the West Indian colonies,
so far as related to the labouring population, when, in an official
statement, which it was his duty to draw up not long ago, in
answer to representations proceeding from one of the Foreign
Powers, upon the supposed failure of our great experiment of
emancipating the negroes. He ventured to state in that docu-
ment, that since the emancipation the negroes were thriving and
contended, their offences against the law had became less fre-
quent—their morals had become improved—marriage substi-
tuted for concubinage—their desire for education rapidly in-
creasing. Such were among the results of emancipation.
They were plain and indisputable, and he had great satisfaction
in laying them before the House, seeing that they consti-
tuted in the estimation of the Government and people of Eng-
land, the complete success of the emancipation of the slaves in
the British colonies. He would next call the attention of the
House to facts, the representation of which were made by per-
sons having high authority in the Wed Indies, and he would
do so in preference to making any statement of his own. Al-
though the symptoms differed in degree, according to the
various circumstance of the different islands, the new settle-
ments being thinly inhabited, and the old ones, on the
contrary, thickly peopled, yet the general state of facts
applied to every colony in the West Indies. He would
exclude Mauritius, and confine himself solely to the West In-
dian colonies on the present occasion. particularly to Jamaica
and Demerara. In the year 1840, Sir Charles Metcalfe, the
Governor of Jamaica, reported that the condition of the pea-
santry in that island was strikingly gratifying. They enjoyed
most of the comforts of life, attended divine service, were
dressed in good clothes, sent their children to school, sub-
scribed for the erection of churches and chapels, and the mem-
bers of the Baptist sect supported their ministers in respecta-
bility. The Governor also added, that they were very free
from crime, and most solicitous about the education of their
children, and willing to pay the expense of that educa-
tion. The last report from Sir C. Metcalfe was
he dated the Ist of November, 1841. That report he
( Lord Stanley) received with some regret, becaus it contained
the announcement of the resignation of Sir Charles Metcalfe,
who had discharged his duties with a zeal and ability worthy of
the highest praise. He regretted it, too, because the Governor
had been compelled to resign, in consequence of ill health.
The report to which he (Lord S.) now alluded, stated that the
labouring classes in Jamaica were now perfectly free, and more
independent than the same class in any other country. No
country had a labouring population better provided with the
comforts of life, or more secure from oppression. One word
more with regard to Jamaica, and he would have done with
that part of the subject. What he was about to read was an
extract from a stipendiary magistrate's reports dated Jane,
1841. That report stated it would appear wonderful even to
those who acknowledged the physical powers of the negroes,
how so much coult.l he accomplished in the making of fences,
and without entailing an entire cessation of labour in the culti-
vation of colonies. Certainly, no such cessation had been the
result. Because, since the negro was emancipated, new hopes,
new desires, new responsibilities, and new sources of ambition,
stimulated him in his exertions. He could now labour on his own
plantation, and spare time to labour on the plantations of others.
That document also showed the number of parishes in which
persons were registered as householders liable to pay taxes. In
one parish the number of freeholders were—
-38
7
Ita 1837 .....................
1838 ............ 393
1839
1840 .....
1841. . ................
lie (Lord S.) felt confident, that in making these statements
he was not wearying the patience of that House, through whose
liberality and generoua sacritice—a sacrifice never before para-
lelled in any country hose poor people were so much benefited.
He would now go to another colony—the colony of Demerara.
In the colony of Demerara, it appeared, from the statements
which he hed received from Governor Light, that an ahle-
bodied labourer, for working from six or seven hours a day,
could earn money and wages amounting to 231. a year in addi-
tion to which he hada provision ground worth 13/. a year, medi-
cal attendance of the value of 31., and other advantages, making
his yearly earnings equal to 511. sterlinl In addition to this
he had the advantage of scho Is for his °Waren, at the expense
of the Colony. The negroes devoted great attention to the
cultivation of their provision grounds, and had acquired habits
of regularity and industry, and had consequently accumulated
property to a cousiderable extent. In 109, Governor

Light had reported that six negroes had punt based
I an abandoned sugar estate in the eastern part of the celonj,
for which they had given 30,000 guilders, which was equal to
2,000/. sterling.—(Cheers.) Two-thirds of the purchase-
' money had been pa..d down in hard dollars, and for the remain-
der they had given a note of hand, payable in three weeks.
The purchase of that estate spoke volumes against those who
had aspersed the negro character. It showed that the pur-
chasers themselves had the utmost confidence in the inch's-
' trious habits of their brethren ; and it also proved that there
was a preference given to the cultivated portions of the co-
llony over the unreclaiased portion of it, where those persons
j might have purchased an estate of nearly double the size. In
1840, Governor Light reported that a company of 140 la-
' bourers had established themselves on the Orange and Nassau es- '
tate, which they had purchased for $50,000, equal to 11,000/.
sterling. They had offered for another estate a sum of ,cOO,OOO
equal to 4,000/. sterling, but there had been some difficulty
attending the sale of the estate, and therefore the purchase
had not been completed. The negroes had also been in treaty
for the purchase of an estate in Berbice, which, in consequence
of similar difficulties, had not been completed. Now, when
they considered that the greatest part of this money had been
earned by the negroes since their emancipation, they could not
but admit, that as far as its immediate objects were concerned,
the result of the experiment of emancipation had been most
gratifying. On the 30th of November Governor Light had
reported that another estate had been purchased by negroes
for a sum of 80,000 dollars, which was equal to 16,0001.,
of which 35,000 dollars had been paid down, 500 more were to
be paid in a week, and the remainder at short intervals. These
statements shOwed that the results of emancipation were not
only that the free labourer was enabled to earn exorbitant
wages, hut that he was ambitious of earning high wages, and
that having said that he did not squander his money away in
sensual gratification, but that he was thrifty, frugal, desirous of
acquiring ropertv, and of honestly and industriously cultivat,
ing the property which lie had acquired.—( Loud cheers.) He
could multifv these instances, but that he was afraid of wearying
the Hense.—( Cheers.) With regard to the moral condition of
the labourers, Governor Light had reported on the Ist A ug.1840,
that although he had not thought it necessary to make arrange-
ments to snake that anniversary a day of thanksgiving, yet many
chapels were open, and were crowded by the negro population ;
that he felt gratified with the orderly conduct of the working
classes, and that, although they felt gratified with their change
of condition, yet he felt convinced that the remembrance of
their former state was sunk in their present enjoyment.—
( Cheers. ) With regard to Essequibo, Governor Light had
visited that colony in the year 1838, and again in
1840. In 1838, there were hardly any houses in the
colony except those immediately connected with the estates.
In 1840 there were several houses erected, attached to which
were grounds of from half an acre to an acre. These grounds
were well cultivated—the dwellings which had been erected
were most convenient. The late Governor had founded a vil-
lsge in the colony, to which he had given the name of Wila
liamstown, in hanour of his late Majesty ; that village now con-
tained many respectable dwellings ; there were shops in she
village, and an Episcopal chapel, which was regularly attended
by upwards of 400 persons ; trade was flourishing there, and a
new settlement had been formed towards the river Essequibo.
The congregations attending public worship were numerous,
were moat attentive, and were all exceedingly well dressed. As
far as the colonies of Jamaica and Demerara were concerned,
the experiment of emancipation had fully succeeded, not only
in securing the physical enjoyment of the negro population,
but it had developed their amoral character in such a manner as
to prove that they were fully entitled to the high character
which had been always given of them by their friends and sup-
parters —( Loud cheers.) lie was enabled to show, from the
increased amount of exports to the West Indies, that although
the production of sugar in those colonies might have diminished,
yet that the general prosperity of those colonies, as far as the
consumption of exportable commodities was concerned, had
materially increased. The annual average amount of
the declared value of exports to the West Indies during
the six years preceding emancipation was 2,783,000/.,
during the period of the apprenticeship it was
3,575,0001. During the roar 1810 it had risen to 4,002,4651.
—( Cheers)—and although during the last year there had been
a slight. diminution, as compared with the preceding one, yet
in 1841, the declared value of the exports to the West Indies
had amounted to 3,492,734/. 'fhe colonies of Jamaica and
Demerara might be taken as fair specimens of the working of
the Emancipation Act in the other colonies, and, as far as the
negro pepula:ion were concerned, nothing could be more gra-
tifying or successful than the experiment of the emancipation.
But while the main and principal object of the great measure,
the passing of which r;flected so much honourupon this coentr•-•
a measure of which he could never think without feeling thank-
ful that he had been the humble instrument in proposing it—
while the main and principal object of that great measure had
been attained by the elevation of the negro race in the social
scale, and by the increased physical comforts, yet he could not
conceal from himself, he would not concealfrom the House, that

the planters in the West India colonies had suffered serion.flus.:,
serious injury, and were sufferinm serious disadvantages and dis-
tress. It would be his duty to ask the House to take into their con-
sideration what was the possible cause, and to ascertain what
measures should be resorted to for the modification of that
distress. Now it could not be denied that the prosperity of the
planters must mainly depend on the amount of produce. When
tie looked to the quan i, y of sugar exported from the West Indies
in the course of tfie years to which he had alluded, he found
that, during six years preceding the apprenticeship, the aver-
age produce was 3,905,000 cwt. Tne year before the appren-
ticeship it was 3,456,000 cwt. In the first year of freedom,
in 1839, it fell to 2,1e24,000 cwt.. In 1840, it fell still further,
from 3.905,000 cwt. clown to 2,210,000 cwt. Now, it was
fair ho should state the cause, and he would state it

fairly, and not attempt to produce false impressions either one
way or the other. It was quite true that this falling off was
attempted to be made up by increased prices. In the six years
preceding the apprenticeship, the value of the produce was
5,820,0001., and the four following years it was 6,219,000/.
In the first year of freedom, it was 5,530,0001. In the second
Jean, it was 5,424,000/. In this year no doubt the large reduc-
tion was owing to the prices in the home market ; but so far
as the amount produced, the planters had found in the latter
year a considerable diminution in their income. They

had
h sustained a ruinous diminution in their incomes on
account of the scarcity of labour, owing to the abstraction
of labour, in consequence of the labourers becoming possessors
of the land instead of cultivators of the soil. They had been
compelled to give exorbitant wages, and such was the expense
of the cultivation of the soil, that unless some remedy was ap-
plied, it would be impossible that a large portion of the estates
could be kept up. He would state that this would be for the
investigation of the Committee, and they would have an op-
portunity of cross-examining witnesses, which v. wild be more
satisfactory than a written statement. Ile had received
a report from the Island of Trinidad of a Committee af
planters upon this subjeot, but he would not. trouble the House
with it; but another Committee, which had sat at Demerara, had
reported,and from that Report it appeared that it was impossible
that the present expenses of cultivation could go on. This was a
Report from 62 sugar planters, and it appeared that from the
31st of January to the 30th of October, 1841, the total expenses
on these estates were 1,095,000 dollars, being an increase of
1+74,000 dollars. From November, 1840, to December, 1841,
the same Committee stated, that the total expenses were
1,295,W0 dollars, and since that time they had been 3,012,000
dollars, being an increase, and consequently a loss of 983.000
dollars. He did not pretend to vouch for the precise accuracy
of this Report, but it was the Report of a Committee that had
investigated the subject, and those gentlemen were successful
planters. But the Governor of Trinid.d, who was an advocate
of the slaves, and who could not be complained of as being
unduly prejudiced in favour of the planting interest, was satis-
fied with the investigation of that Committee. He wrote to
him (Lord Stanley), with a statement made by a gentleman
whose name he did not wish to mention. This statement com-
plained of the ruinous expenses of cultivation, and all the
estates on foe island were suffering from this expense. This
statement was not quite so bad as the statement received from
the colony of Demerara. According to the judgment of the
gentleman whose name he (Lord S.) did not know, but upon
whose opinion the Governor stated reliance could be placed,
that in three estates there was altogether an excess of expen-
diture over revenue of 5,891 dollars, being a difference be-
tween 54,000 and 49,000 dollars, and that the actual
loss on one of the estates was 1,100 dollars. In point of fact, on
many of three estates which were formerly in prosperity, the
produce did not exceed the expenses of cultivation. These
were statements deserving the attention of a Committee of the
House of Commons. It was a question of vast importance, and
he hoped the House would consider it calmly and dispassion-
ately. The planters were naturally extremely envious that re-
medy should be applied, and it was quite clear that there were
but two remedies, and only two by which cultivation
of these estates could be carried on, namely, one, the
reduetien of the expenses by a better mode of manage-
ment ; and the other, which. would be a special subject
of inquiry before the Committee, the possibility of increasing
the amount of the population by a large amount of im-
migration, and thereby diminishing the price of wages,
and thus reducing cultivation to a reasonable rate.—( Hear.)
He thought it very well worth the atfention of the Committee
to ascertain whether it would not be practicable to introduce
some system of employment amongst the poorer classes, more
approaching to the English system than it was at present in
those colonies—such a system of employment es would give the
lab Auer an interest in the soil, and in the extension of its
produce. He knew there might be practical difficulties—there
might be difficulties to introduce machinery, for instance ; but
those were practical difficulties which he should wish to see in-
vestigated by persons conversant with matters of that descrip-
tion.—( Hear.) Then as to emigration, it had been carried on
with great success. Whether persons emigrated from the
United States of America or from Africa, he (Lord Stanley)
was bound to say the effect had been most satisfactory : there
was very little disease or suffering; the persons
who had emigrated were very much improved and
satisfied, He wished he could say the same with regard
to European emigration, but he was bound to say that emigra-
tion from any part of Europe to Jamaica or Demerara had
been accompanied with most fatal effects, and so sensible were
the people of those colonies of the amount of distress and
suffering, and the extent of mortality amongst European
emigrants, that even much as labourers were desired, a re-
solution was passed by the House of Assembly in Jamafca to
the effect that no emigration from Europe or from British
colonies should take place in future, at least, at the expense
of that colony. Those European emigrants who had got over
the first violent attacks of fever were very industrious, and
had been occupied in keeping shops, but they were not able
to work. Mortality, it appeared, was from seven to ten per
cent. of the whole number of persons who had emigrated.
Having ascertained those facts lie thought it right
to lay the whole subject before the Portuguese Go-
vernment, and he might say, in passing, that in
Demerara, the accounts of the Hill Coolies, who, next to the
Europeans, had suffered most, and that the accounts of the ex-
tent of mortality there was much more favourable than they
had been. With respect to the emigration from Africa he felt
it would not be dealing fairly with the House or with the coun-
try if he did not candidly say that he saw great difficulty and
very great objection in the way of increasing emigration from
the continent of Africa. He thought it would be dangerous,
although he believed that a perfectly free emigration from
Africa to the West Indian colonies would put the labourers
upon a better footing than they were in their own country ; if a
regular stream of emigration could be kept up, he believed no-
thing would be more conducive to the interests and the exten-
sion of the civilization of the tribes themselves upon the coasts
of Africa, but it was a question which should be considered
with very great caution ; for those reasons he moved for the
appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the state of
those colonies, exclusive of the settlements of Sierra Leone and
Ganhia. The House were aware that there were many parts
of Africa, surrounding those settlements, over which this coun-
try exercised control, but where the laws were administered ra-
ther anomalously. The people in those places were now go-
verned by merchants, who administered what were called Bri-
tish laws, though they were not administered by judges or
juries. Yet it was of the greatest possible importance
to consider the precise legal relation between our colonies
and those surrounding tribes; it appeared the British laws were
administered against those people without any authority what-
ever delegated from this country. Under those laws, so admi-
nistered offenders were tried, sentences were passed, and debts
were recovered. All the ceremonies of the law were gone
through, but then it must be recollected that it was an evil,
though a necessary one, perhaps, to the tribes themselves--
that no limit was fixed for those who took upon themselves
the administration of those laws, except their own discretion.
Now, if these settlements, each occupying, perhaps, not more
than one square mile, were made, the ports from which emigra-
tion was to be conducted from Africa to the West Indies, one
of two things would happen. In the neighbouring tribes do-
mestic slavery existed to a great extent ; it was true there were
a few tribes where there were no slaves, and he should like to
snake it part of the enquiry is ascertain what tribes really were