The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-03 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE, BY FRANCE.

Exposition by the Minister of Marine, of the principles
upon which the new law, for the more effectual suppres-
&ion of the Slave Trade, is founded.
" Noble Peers ! The King has commissioned us to present to
you a project of law, the object of which is to enact new penal-
ties against those who violate the regulations prohibiting the
Slave Trade.
" According to the law of 15th of April, 1818,
which now
governs this matter, the actual penalty consists only in the confis-
cation of the ship employed in the traffic, and the interdiction of
the Captain.
"At the time when this law was passed, but a short period
had elapsed since France had engaged to concur in the suppression
of the traffic. No contravention in this matter had yet called
for the interference of the Tribunals. It was, therefore, per •
mitted to believe, that the effect of the law would be rather
to prevent than repress, and that the authentic manifestation of
the intentions of the King, and of the Decrees of the two Cham-
bers, would suffice to hinder any French Ship-owner or Cap-
tain from engaging in operations condemned by the authority
of the law.
" This hope has been but imperfectly fulfilled.
" French ships, equipped either in our own or in foreign ports,
have taken an active part in the negro slave trade.
" In vain have the Tribunals pronounced numerous sentences
of condemnation ; in vain has the Department of the Marine taken
the measures best calculated to prevent the equipment of ships
for illegal undertakings.
" The ship-owner had incurred a condemnation, sold his ship

in a foreign country, and thus rendered the law illusory. If it
happened that he could not save his ship from condemnation, his
loss was covered by special insurances. On the other hand, the
Captain, who had been declared incapable of any command, never-
theless directed new operations, while licensed to embark only as
a supercargo, or as a common sailor.
" Lastly, the proof of the crime could hardly be obtained, on
account of the system of denial to which the crews of ships against.
which proceedings were instituted, were wont to adhere by the,
temptation of pecuniary recompence,. and who were thus accus-
tomed to perjure-themselves before the Tribunals.
" It could not, therefore, fail to be evident, that the law of
the loth April, ISIB, was insufficient to repress enterprises
which are continually revived by the thirst of gain, which tor-
ments some men to such a degree, that they brave everything
to gratify it. The proposed law, therefore, has a character of
greater security. It punishes the principals in the operations
(among whom it has been thought just to place the underwriter)
—not only by a tine equal to the value of the ship . and cargo,
but also with banishment. It declares the Captains and Officers
incapable of serving in the French navy. It renders the other
individuals of the crew liable to a long imprisonment ; but it af-
fords the latter a means to save themselves from this punish-_
ment, by making in due time, a correct declaration of the facts
before the magistrates.
" These penalties are in proportion to the greatness of the
crime which it is proposed to punish. I have said the crime
Noble Peers, and, in fact, it is by this name that we must desig-
nate a traffic which has really become infamous, from the acts of
barbarity and cruelty of which it appears to have beet; the occa-
sion and the cause.
"When the traffic was authorised, and carried on legally, un-
der the protection of the laws, it was subject to regulations, and to
& superintendence, which, to a certain degree, prevented the
abuses of it. The number of negroes who might be embarked in
a slave ship, their treatmentr,their food, were all subject to the
inspection of the authorities, anci'khe Captain who should have
neglected the precautions which humanity required, would have
been severely punished. At present there are no more regula-
tions or superintendence ; cupidity is the sole rule .of the ship-
owner. In a traffic condemned by the laws, and which exposes
him to their whole severity, if he should be taken, he calculates
his profits according to the risks which he incurs; it matters little
to him whether of these men, crowded in a narrow and dark hold,
a certain number dies, provided that be finds in the remainder a
sufficient indemnity for an expedition which exposes him to some
danger.
" This circumstaace alone would explain how the traffic con-
demned by the law, is carried on in a more barbarous manner
than in former times, when the law had subjected it to rules, and
would make humanity lament the melancholy success which it
has obtained. It would also explain the acts of barbarity which
several philanthrophic Journals have pointed out to public animad-
version; facts, which lam willing to believe exaggerated, but
which, if proved to be true, would be but imperfectly punished
by the provisions which we have the honour to lay before you.
"But you will perceive with us. that there is no need of spe-
cial enactments to reach them. Considered as grievous bodily in-
juries, or even as homicide and assassination, they are, of course,
included in the provisions of the general legislation.
" Accordingly,a special article of the project of law applied di-
rectly, in cases of aggravation of this kind, the penalties pronoun.
ced by the penal code.
" The King's government is authorised to reckon on the effica-
ciominess of the law which it has the honour to propose to you.
However, it will sot cease to subject to investigations the vessels
which shall still manifest a character evidently criminal, in
order, if possible, to prevent enterprises which should be hence-
forth equally opposed by the power of opinion and the severity of
the law. Several decrees of,the first Court of the kingdom have
defined the crimes, and the commencement of execution, in the
slave trade, iu a manner so characteristic and precise, as te per-
mit the Magistrates, &c. to impose it on them as a duty to refuse
their coacurrsace to the completion of an expedition justly incom-
militated, because this coneurreace sleight, by legal inductions, be
considered as a sort of complicity.
" Noble Peers !—The project of law which we are going to
read to you, is couceived in that spirit of frankness sad sincerity
which ought to characterise all laws. If it obtains the legisla-
lathe sanction, it will be executed is the same spirit as it has
been drawn up. It becomes the honour sad dignity of France,
that the operations shall be carried •s under the protection of its
flag or such as are avowed by the laws, and that the purity of
which it is the emblem he not impaired by culpable speculations
and criminal cupidity." .