The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-04 00:00:00

duction. He could not now coast •nt to sanction a measure
which would lead to a reduction tar Wl,OOO/. a -Near in the
sugar duties, for the purpose even of gaining the benefit.
whici he admitted to be a considerable -le, of a /eduction of
three farthings per pound in the price of th, it article. On that.
ground, therefore. he could not accede to , the proposal of the
Bight Hon. Gentleman. But he should ai so say that they
could not properly consider the question wit.} out also taking
into consideration the effects of the conteml dated changes.
upon the West Indian interest.—(Hear, hear.) He
doubted whether the West India colonies, in vi.b.ich slavery
had been been abolished, could at rresent competeso-ith coun-
tries is which slavery existed. '1 hat was also the 01-onion of
Mr. Deacon Hume, a man who carried the principles of free
trade as far as an man could carry them. But Mr. Hun, •e waa
of opinion that, 'in considering the competition betweeti the
colonies in which slavery was abolished and those in vei'ich
slavery still prevailed, they could not apply the principles of
free trade. Mr. D. Hume stated his opinion upon the subject
as follows: --'• I cannot concei7e, having thirty years ago
abolished the slave trade, and having now abolished slavery,.
that any question of free trade could arise between Jamaica and'
Cuba ; Cuba, with abundance of fresh and rich soil, not. only
having the advantage of employing slaves, whatever that may
ise, but notoriously importing the enormous amount of
40,t.00 or 50,000 every year; having, in fact, the slave trade
and slavery, and as the law of this country had deprived
the planters of Jamaica of that advantage. I consider that is
question that is taken entirely out of the category of free,
trade." That was the opinion Of Mr. Hume, placed by him
deliberately on record. Now was there any pressure at the
present moment upon the consumer, in respect to the priest of
that article, which compelled them to proceed immediately to
reduce the duty ? He found that in 1840 the average price o f
sugar was 495. Id. ; in 1841 the average price was 39, Id. :
while the price during the last month was only 375. 114 d.
Now, let it be remembered that there had been an increase of
consumption during the last year, as well as a reduction of the
pries There had been a greater consumption of sugar during
the last year, absolutely and without reference to the population,
than there had ever been before. Tile consumption had amotintvC
during the year to 4,0(X),000 cert. The main ground, however„
upon which he opposed the motion of the Hight Hon. Gentleman
was that on which he had grounded his opposition to a similar
motion last year—namely, that 1:e did not believe that it would
be for the honour or the character of the country. He thought
that they should not open the markets of this country So the pro-
duce of slave.holding colonies, without insisting on receiving from
them some concession in favour of the slaves, or an equivalent.
What was our position with respect to that great country,. with
which we stood in such important relations—he meant France?
They had recently beheld France refusing to -.atify a treaty whltla
had been signed by her, on the subject of the slave trade. Impu,..
Wiens had been cast upon the character, the honour, an&
the disinterestedness of this country in respect to its pro-
ceedings relative to the stave trade ; and he said it was of great'.
importance that they should not lightly take any step
which would abate the confidence of the world in the disinterested-
ness of their inotives.-11ea,, hear.) This country hail held out a
great example ; and there was a growing conviction among stave.
bolding countries that slavery was accompanied with great dangets.
In Cuba, in the United States, and in the Brazils, there was a fer-
ment in the public mind in respect to ~slavery —not merely with
respect to the slave trade, but in respect to slavery Itself 1 some:
from humane and benevolent motive,, some'from interested tars,
were anxiously looking to the great example which this country
had set. It was impossible to see the difference of feeling that ex-
isted between the Northern and Southern States of America, with.
out perceiving that slavery stood on a very precarious foisting
and the same feeling had extended to Cutia.and Brazil. He read
an extract from a letter from a naval ;Meer in Cuba, showing that
there was an indisposition to engage in the importation of slaves,
from an impression that the system would' cease at no distant day,
and consequently to increase the importation of slaves was only
adding to the risk and embarrasarrent.of that' time when it came.
If this feeling had penetrates! to Cuba, was it not likely that it
would prevail still more powerfully among the enlightened people
of the United States ? In all negotiations on ti:itsque,tion, eonees_
sions should be mutual; this was the principle aeted on with regard
to Texas and Franca; and concessions from slave-bolting countries
on the subject of slavery ought to he sintultaneco.'s with any
concessions of duty on our part. Tliete were cirscuinstances
connected with the cultivation of sugar that did not apply
to other articles, such as tobacco and cotton, the cult3vatreo of
the sugar plant being eminently destructive of human lite. He
believed that, to admit the sugar of Brazil without any stip elation
for the welfare of the negroes, would detract from the charac *.er of
the country, and its power and infitience in foreign nations. A
coeflict was going on in those countries; and while they ma;n-
tained their present position—while they could repel, by their acts;,
the imputation, that in voting the twenty millions for extinguish-
ing slavery in their own colonies, they had been actuated by other
than pure and disinterested motives, they should be able to speak
to those countries with authority. But if, while no great tires-
sure existed, they relaxed the duty in favour of the sugar growers
of Cuba an 1 Brazil, their present influence would be materially
abated, and they would be unable to make those exertions in,
favour of the continued progress of this great cause, on the °anti-
nuance of which exertions the ultimate extinction of slavery must
materially depend.—(Cheers )
Lord JOHN RUSSELL could not suffer the debate to close
without alluding to one observation which had fallen from the
Right Hon. Gentleman. The Right Hon. Gentleman had stated
that during the ten years that the late Government had been in.
dttice, they had never proposed to remove the prohibition on the
importation of cattle. Now, with respect to those ten years, he
had no reason to take blame to the Government of which he was a
Member for any neglect, for he doubted if in the course of any tea
consecutive years, so many important measures had been proposed
and carried.—(lmmense cheering and counter cheering.) With,
respect to questions of free trade, he begged to observe, that he
thought it was at all times in thepower ofan.Opposition, although not
by a•iy- means strong in the House, by aiding protected interests,
to prevent the carrying out of such measures—at least, he had
found such to be the case from experience. It was not difficult to
frame some motion by which, without giving expression to prin-
ciples opposed to those free trade principles which were professed
by the Right Hon. Baronet and the Right Hon. Gentleman the
Vice. President of the lioard of Trade, free trade measures might
be effectualiy prevented from interfering\ with protected rights.—
(Cheers.) Lord Althorp had found that to be the case in IE3I,
when he proposed a diminution of the differential duties on tins.
her.—(Loud cheers.) The principle of that motion had not been
impugned, but yet a motion had been proposed and carried
which effectually prevented Lord AltliorV from carrying
the principle into effect.—(Cries of " Heat', hear.") Sotne
years afterwards a motion had been brouilit forward oi. the subject
of this very question of sugar, proposing ii diminution tJ the pro.
inbitory duty. A mode was found of opposing the proposi:kth of a
re olution founded on this very question of slavery. Such boing
the result of their experiment in two Instances, he thought Off
were justified in having recourse to other measures of great inapt* •
lance, in which the Opposition could not form a coalition with pro.
tested interests.—(Cheers.) When the Right Hon, Gentleman re-
ferred to the risks which he had run, he (Lord John Russell) would
aisk him if be had been met With a similar opposition.—
(Heir, hear, and cheers.) With respect to this very question of
cattle, one Honourable Gentleman had proptsed that the payment
of the duty should take place by weight instead of by had.
For his (laird J. Russell's) part, lie had no prafereace of one mode
of payment over the other. To the one proposition In itself he-
could accede as readily as to the other. But the proposition of tie
Government was brought forward for the purpose of doing away
with prohibition, and admitting cattle at a moderate duty, and be-
cause the other proposition to take the duty by weight had beers
brought forward with the intention of raising the duty, without
any obligation to support the one measure in preference to theother,
but because he thought the Right lion. Gentleman was proceeding
upon a right principle, he (Lord. J. Russell) and those with whom
lie generally acted, had given him their support—(Cheers.) If
they had pursued another line of conduct, anti voted against the
Government, the majority of the Right Hon. GentleriMt would
not have been a large one; and if all who sat on that side of the
House had taken the same line, the Right Hon. Gentleman would
have been in a minority.—(Cheers.) But instead of that they had
given their support to the Government, because they considered
they were carrying out free trade principles. On that point it wile
a subject of congratulation that the Right Hon. Gentleman was its
power, for he thought that if the late Government had brought
fotward a similar proposition for the adritission of oattle, they
would have been defeated.—(Cheers.) Whereas, acting as au Op.
position, they had had 'lna pleasure of enabling the Right Hon.
Gentleman to carry it.—(Loud cheering.)
Colonel SIBTHORP, amid loud cries of " Divide, divide,"
which rendered him frequently inaudible, denied that the late Go.
veroment had ever brought forward any one good measure.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the Committee
divided—
For the Amendment
Against it

Majority against the Amendment . ......
PARISH CONSTABLE'S BILL.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that as many alterations were pro.
posed to be made in this Bill, he proposod to refer it to a Corn.
mittee tip stairs.
The Tithe Commutation Bill went through Committee, pro
,forma.

PUBLIC HOUSES BILL
After a short discussion this Bill was reported.
COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION BILL
This Bill was ordered to be committed on'Wednesday next.
BUSINESS FOR MONDAY.

In answer to a question from Mr. HUME.
sir R. PEEL said, that, according to the arrangement entered
into in the early part of the evening, the Noble Lord opposite
(Lord J. Russell) would take precedence with his Bill for the bet-
ter discovery and punishment of bribery and treating at elections
for Members to serve in that House; and then he (Sir IL Peel)
would proceed as quickly as possible with the tariff
The other Orders of the Day were then disposes' of, and the
House adjourned eta Quarter to Two o'ClOak till Monday neat.

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.
ST. JAMES'S-PALACE, JLINF. 1, 1842.
The Queen was this day pleased to, confer the honour of
Knighthood upon George Hayter, Esq., Member of the Aca-
demies of Rome, Florence, Bologna, Parma, and Venice,
Painter of History and Portraits, and Principal Painter in
Ordinary to her Majesty.
The ueen was also this day pinata to confer the honour of
Knighthood upon William Charles Rags, Esq., A.R. A., :Minia-
ture Painter to her Majesty.
The Queen was also this day pleased to confer the honour
of Knighthood upon William Allan, Esq., President of the
Royal Academy of Scotland, and her Majesty's Limner for
Scotland.
The Queen was also this day pleated to confer the honour
of Knighthood upon Henry Rot ley Bishop, of Albion-street,
fly de-park, Esq.
WAR-OFFICE, JUNE 3, 1842.
Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Cornet G. R. Hamilton
to be Lieutenant by purchase, vice• Cowley, who yetires Sir
W. H. Don, Bart., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Hamilton,
June 3.
tith Regiment of Dragoon—Lieut. R. M. Peel, from the
Ride. Brigade, to be Lieut. by purchase, vice Cathrey, who
retires, June 3.
llth Regt. of Light Dragoons—Lieut. F. Sutton to be Cap-
tain, by purchase, vice Vivian, who retires ; Cornet M. C. ii.
Cave to be Lieutenant, by pnrchase, rice Sutton ; W. S.
. &slides, Gent. to be Corner, by purchase, vice Cave, June 3.
16th Regt. of Light Dragoons—Cornet J. R. O'Conor to be
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice ('odrington: who, retires ; J. A.
Mayne, Gent. to be Cornet, by purcl to e,
breicscoeeoCondtLioire,uJtuennaen3t,.
dth Foot—W. K. Grettem Gent.,
by purchase, vice Sutton, promoted in ith Foot, June :3.
7th Foot —Capt. L. W. Yea to be Major, by purchase, vice
Sir W. P. Gallwey, who retires ; Lieut. Lord J. Butler to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Yea
b;3 Spuecr%nadt.(,,L,
vieicuet.LoFr.dS.rt.itntcti,rti:
Iferor,rn F3'oo. t, to be Lieutenant,
June
17th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon A. Smith, from the 34th
Foot, to be Assistant-Surgeon, Fraser,
who exchanges,
June 3.
23d Foot—G. Philipps, Gent., to he Second Lieutenant,
without purchase, vice Raitt, whose appointment has been can-
celled, June 3.
27th Foot—Captain R. Ellis, front half-pay, 18th Light
Dragoons, to be Captain, vice Brevet, Major W. Amsinek, who
exchanges ; Lieut. 11. D. Cholincle.y to be Captain, by pur-
chase, vice Ellis, who retires ; Ensign 11. R. M. Prim: to he
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Cholineley ; 11. Noble, Gent. to
he Ensign, by purchase, rice P4or, June :1.
34th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon R. W. Fraser, M.D., from
the l7th Foot., to he Assistant-Surgeon, vice Smith, who ex-
changes, June 3.
42d Fool—Captain H. Wainwright, from half-pay Unat-
tached, to be Captain, vice Brevet Major G. Montagu, who
exchanges, receiving the difference ; Lieut. H. M. Drummond
to be Captain, by purchase, rice Wainwright, who retires;
Ensign A. Ramsay to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Drum-
mond ; Gentleman Cadet S. 1). Abercromby, from the Reyal
Military Collega, to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Ramsay,
Juno 3.