The Sun.
London, England, 1827-10-26 00:00:00

THE SLAVE TRADE.

Yesterday a meeting was held at the Spread
agle Inn, Epsom, of
,the members of the Surre
Anti-Slavery Society, for the purpose of taking into
consideration a petition to both Houses of Parlia-
ment against slavery in the British Colonies. At
one o'clock the chair was taken by H. DRUMMOND,
Esq., in the absence of C. N. Pallmer, Esq., one of
the county members. The great room was com-
pletely filled, and a number of ladies were present.

The CHAIRMAN opened the business of the day by
stating that he felt unfeignedly happy in meeting so
numerous an assembly on the occasion. He recom-
mended the meeting to urge in the strongest lan-
guage, the claims of that great body of our fellow-
creatures, and not use any particular terms to please
the ear of those who might consent to words, without
at all meaning to act up to the principle, foe which
they contended. When they had first met, he took
the liberty of stating, as his opinion, that that, was
not to be their last meeting; and it would be evi-
dent to any person whO had watched the proceed-
ings of the Colonial Legislatures since the formation
of that Society, that not one step had been taken
by them to ameliorate the condition of the slaves. In
discussing the subject of slavery,' the difficulty was
not any want of materials to argue against its conti-
nuance; but the great difficulty was, to disentangle
it from that mistification with which it was sur-
rounded by the adVocates of slavery. Upon every
principle of humanity, morality, and religion, colonial
slavery must be considered as a frightful evil. As
men, all must deplore the unfortunate situation of
800,000 human beings now slaves in the West Irel
dies. Christians should not sanction it, and moralists
cannot but perceive the moral degeneration to which
sech a state of society reduces both masters and
slaves. He would state it broadly, that the whites
as well as the blacks were debased by that horrible
system, and he knew no power on earth that pos-
sessed the right of enslaving our fellow men.
If such a right were acknowledged, the
people of Epsom might be deprived of their
liberties on the same ground. The Society
when looking at the subject as men, must at once
think that man had certain rights which no parch-
ments can rightfully take away. The rights of'
fathers and mothers ; in fact, the ties of natives,
were stronger, and should have a preference over the
claims of the master to his slave, and, considering it
politically, the eepenses which slavery entailed upon
the country was an argument for its abolition. It
eras not for him to prescribe to the Meeting the way
in which they should proceed, but lie would take the
liberty of suggesting the advantage of taking up one
or two important points connected with slavery, and
not to waste their strength on too many arguments,
and also not to use expressions which might be
likely to give offence, or to alienate any of their
friends. Their business was to bring clear and
distinct ideas before the people of England, from
whom avery support might be expected, and that sup-
port was roost necessary, as, it would give confidence
to his Majesty's Government in enforcing the mea-
sures to which they were already pledged. Many per-
sons were not disrsed togo the length of that Society
in their wishes to ceoprove the conditions of the
slaves, but the reasons were, the people were not
generally well informed on the subject. Among the
-West India Proprietors there \ were us benevolent
men as could be found in any community. It would,
therefore, be unkind to attack thern„their great dif-
ficulty being, that they were in possession of a spe-
cies of property of which they did not know how
to be rid. The principal defenders of slavery were
the Colonial Assemblies, and the West Indian
Agents in this country, who always maintained that
the abolition of slavery was intended to be accom-
plished by force; but, with respect to the mode, he
was sure the Society were willing to discuss that
point, or to leave it entirely to the wisdom of Par-
liament—to those who were opposed to the princi-
ple of emancipation, and who talked of force, he
would say, that if force must be used, on their heads
be the blood—the hands of that Society were clean.
Mr. BRI3COE moved a series of resolutions, which
were read by Mr. Everest, the secretary, expressive
of the feelings of the Meeting on the subject for
which they were met, which were carried, and a pe-
tition founded thereon was agreed to.
Mr. BRISCOE said, that on a former occasion simi-
lar to the present, he had the pleasure to congratu-
ate that Society on the' bright prospects which
dawned over their labours in attempting to abolish
slavery, and the grounds of rejoicing were, the reso-
lutions of 1823, which, at the suggestion of the late
lamented Prime Minister, had passed unanimously
through both Houses of Parliament—that was the
period at which the enemies of slavery first saw that
a day was fixed when it must end. The friends of
freedom had only to remain firm, and to support
and remind the rulers of the country that they had
the voice of the people with them. He thought
that fears respecting the abolition of slavery were
visionary, except such as were created by the con-
duct of the colonists themselves ; he should there-
fore recommend to the Society to proceed steadily,
but calmly and dispassionately, and leave the result
to the Almighty Ruler of the Universe.
Mr. HENRY GASSE said, that from his earliest in-
fancy he wished for the abolition of slavery. The
whole West India system was rotten. It was for
the Society to denounce the evil, and for Parliament
to apply the remedy, but it was so far necessary to
assist Parliament, as to stimulate them until the
work of amelioration shall terminate in full eman-
cipation.
Mr. Powreete, concurring as he did in the views of
the Society, was glad of the opportunity to denounce
the cruelty and slavery which prevailed in the West
India Colonies, and which he always so heartily ab-
horred. When the friends of emancipation cried
out against the practice of using the cart-whip, it
was denied to be in use, and the charge was treated
as a libel, but now, when the Colonists were called
upon by Parliament to abolish the whip, it was then
declared to be necessary. In a Trinidad newspaper
it was openly stated that the use of the whip was as
essential to elavery as trial by jury, or the freedom
of the press, for the protection of the rights of Eng-
lishmen, and quite as defensible; and although it
had been always stated, that the overseers of slaves
were intelligent men, yet, when Parliament wiehed
for a registry of slaves, it was declared impracticable,
and among other reasons, it was adduced that time
drivers were too illiterate to attend to such a duty, and
even when it was attempted to exemptwomen from so
cruel a punishment,the colonists refused to accede;
but what was worse,the wife was punished whenever
her husband
.escaped from slavery. Clergymen of
the Established Church were refused the privilege
of performing the ceremony of marriage between
coloured people, without the consent of their Teas-
tees. The people of this country might talk about
upholding liberty in Europe, whilst, under their own
dominion, human beings were bought and sold like
beasts in the field, or cattle in a stalL Bolivar, in
South America, had shown a noble example ; he
pleaded for coloured people there as for his own
children; he would allow no distinction on account
of colour, and no slavery.
Mr. HILL, of Jamaica, a gentleman of colour, said,
that by the present system slaves were decreasing by
deaths, but he pledged himself. that if the views of
the Society were adopted the West India labourers
would be preserved. The laws against free people
,of colour were very severe. He might belong to
either of the learned professions, and yet he would
nut be allowed to practice in the Colonies; and pre-
viously to 1813, such persons were not to have their
own relatives as overseers, and at the present day the
whites are compelled to employ persons of their own
complexion to superintend their business. The free
people of colour had petitioned against those griev-
ences ; but the Colonial Legislature said they hind
neither rights nor claims. An appeal was made to
the British Parliament' but that appeal only excited
the animosity of the colonists, who do not admit the
right of the British Parliament to legislate for them.
8 were
It had been said that the slave very much im-
proved in their condition; that very fact was an ar-

gument against slavery, us it was dangerous to edu-
cate them without an intention to make them free.
Hitherto the negro was merely a creature of sensa-
tion ; now many of them were persons of reflection ;
and, for his part, he was glad of it, as he wished to
see improvement precede legislation. He regretted
that the Members for the county were not present,
particularly Mr. Pallrutt, whose presenee would be a
pledge of his sincerity 9n supporting the resolutions
of 1823; but when he 'saw that Mr. Pallmer (him-
self a West 'lndian, and the father of coloured chil-
dren), was absent, he could not help feeling regret.
Some other Gentlemen then addressed the Meet-
ing in a similar strain, after which a resolutiou
was carried, adverting to the melancholy loss sus-
tained by every friend of freedom in the death of
the late Prime Minister, Mr. Canning, and while it
lamented the sudden mournful visitation which had
deprived the slaves of their undaunted and eloquent
advocate, marked the deep sense the Meeting enter-
tained of his valuable services, not only in the abo-
lition of the slave trade, but in the total extermina-
tion of slavery.—The thanks of the Meeting were
voted to the Chairman, after which it separated.

ELECTION—MAYOR OF LIVERPOOL.
Courier-office, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 12 a.m.
We stop the press to announce, that the arduous
and protracted contest for the honour of filling the
civic chair has just terminated in favour of Mr. Por-
ter, after polling six tallies, leaving the numbers at
the close as follows :
For Mr. Porter
Mr. Robinson
Major in favour of Mr. Porter -15
Total number of freemen polled 3,543
The friends of the losing candidate paid this morn-
ing 25/. for a single vote. This I know to be a fact.
The money spent
.on both sides in this contest will
not fall short of from -15,0001. to 20,000/.

(From the Third Edition of the Liverpool Courier.)
PROCESSION OF MR. PORTER'S FRIENDS.
As soon as it was ascertained that a procession
was to take phice, the greatest activity was observ-
able amongst the friends of Mr. Porter, in order to
carry into effect this triumphant testimony of their
success.

It was expected by many persons that Mr. Porter
would, on this occasion, be chaired,- and preparations
were actually in progress to make' ready Gen. Gas-
coyne's chair, which was used at the last general
election, for that purpose. Mr. Porter's personal
friends, however, knowing how incompatible such a
proceeding would be with that gentleman's feelings,
positively set aside the projected design, and con-
fined the programme to an open barouche, drawn by
four horses, in which were Mr. Alderman Wright
and several other gentlemen, and a procession of the
freemen. At three o'clock the procession was ar-
ranged, and proceeded down Dale-street, up Shaw's-
brow, London-road, and along St. Anne's-street, to
Mr. Porter's house.

The captains of districts and the canvassers were
for the most part in open carriages. We observed,
too, that many of them had provided aplentifld supply
of bottled porter, large draughts of which they occa-
sionally quaffed to the healths oi the spectators, as
they passed along. Some time before the procession
moved off, signs of an approaching storm was evi-
dent, and before it had reached the bottom of Dale-
street, the rain fell in torrents almost instantly, and
drenched the multitude, together with flags, banners,
and the rich silk colours which were used on the
occasion. This unfortunate circumstance broke in
upon the enjoyment of those who had calculated
upon an afternoon's gala, and in a few minutes nearly
half the people which composed the procession,
moved off to escape the fury of the storm. The
main body, however, moved onwards, and reached
Mr. Porter's house before four o'clock : the rain still
continued to fall with all the weight of a thunder
shower. Crowds of drenched individuals had,
notwithstanding, thronged round the house, de-
termined to gaze on the procession. Upon its
arrival at Mr. Porter's house, Alderman J.
WRIGHT stepped forward upon the balcony, and
paid a warm compliment to the late Mayor, Mr.
Littledale, and proposed that the assembled multi-
tude should give nine hearty cheers for him, which
was done with the greatest enthusiasm, Mr. Porter,
the present Mayor, giving the signal. Mr. Wright
then concluded, by stating that he felt convinced
they would all return to their homes without a par-
ticle of ill-feeling in their breasts towards their
opponents.
The MAYOR (T. C. Porter, Esq.) then came
forward to the window, and was received with the
deafening shouts of the multitude. He said, that
his friend, Mr. Wright, had alluded to the excellent
conduct of the Mayor, and he need hardly say how
cordially he agreed in the eulogium which had
been passed on that gentleman for the patience,
the firmness, and the impartiality which he
had evinced during the last six days. "And
now, gentlemen," said his worship, " I em-
phatically say, from-my soul I thank you for the
honour which you have this day conferred on me.--
(Loud cheering.)—Before we separate, I would men-
tion a name, the sound of which will, I am sure, be
re-echoed by you wit tumultuous shouts of appro-
bation. I mean, Mr. Wright, for whom let us give
three hearty cheers."—(Loud and long-continned
cheering followed this address.)
The multitude then moved off.