The Sun.
London, England, 1818-05-21 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. KIRKPATRICK, from Ramsgate Harbour, presentet
Accounts of the Receipts and Diibursenieuts of that Har•
boor. —Laid on the table.

Mr. P. MOORE presented a Petition from Coventry, pray-
ing that Nlembers of Parliame).l should render an account of
their Steward,hip to their Constituents.—Laid on the Table.

FEVERS IN THE METROPOLIS.

Mr. BENNE I'. in presenting the Report of the Committee
on Fevers e the Metropolis. stated, that th ;liquifies of the
'Committee had been extended to the Hospitals and Fever In-
stituri.m, and hat in the cour-e of the year feverS•had alarm-
ingly increased to seven times their ordinary number. This
was in a great measure owing to the practice prevalent in
hospitals to mix contagious cases with colionon ones,. Not
only had patients died, but nurses, medical attendants, and
students themselves, had fallen victims to the fevers which
they had caught. The free circulation of air which was
wanted to prevent fevers, was injurious in chronic disorders,
and yet froni want of room it became necessary in most hos-
pitals to mingle all patients. The Committee were of opi-
nion, that if it were possible to remove the fever cases from
the rest, the spr.ea,'ing of the contagion would he considera-
bly checked. To this duvet, though on a very limited se:Jr,
the Committee reqnested that Government should give 20001.
to the Fever Institution, besides the 10001. granted last year,
in order to enable it to increase the number of beds from 69•
to 10n. He trusted that the attention of his Majesty's Mi-
visters would he turned to this recommendation, as the Fever
Institution was of all others that which required the most as-
sistance from the country. He then moved that, the Report
be primed.—Agreed to.
. The second reading of the Customs Consolidation Bill was
postponed to this day three months. •
The Report of the Committee on the Madder Duty Act
was lA-Might up and :weed to.
The Icentrts of the Committees on Silk Manufactures,
and on the London Coal Duty Act, were also brought up and
agreed to.

EDUCATION OF THE POOR.
In moving the third reading of the Bill for the Education
of the Poor,

Mr. BROUGHAM said, that the Bill only went as far as
an Inquiry, and that it was his intention afterwards to ground
further proceedings upon it. As soon as a foundation should
have been made by tke appearance of the first Report, he
should take an opportunity, without waiting for the others, of
introducing such immediate measures as the necessity of the
case might require. For it would do but little good to wait
till all the abuses had been pointed out, and then to send them
to Courts of Equity.
The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
The Salmon Fishery Bill was read a third time, and passed.
-Dublin College Paper Duty went through a Commit-
tee.—Report to-morrow.
DISCHARGE OF FERGUSON.

The Prder of the Day fur bringing up Thoinas Ferguson
having been read,
Lord A. HAMILTON said, that if it had not been the prac-
tice of the Chair to reprimand offenders in cases like the pre-
sent, he should have moved that Thomas Ferguson be repri-
manded, but as that naturally devolved to the Chair, he
should merely move that the• said Thomas Ferguson be called
•
in and di,charged.
The niotion•having been agreed to, Thomas Ferguson was
introduced at the Bar.

The SPEAKER. rose and said :—Thomas Ferguson, this
Huse has received the Report of its Committee of Privileges,
re pecting the letter which you have.written to a voter of the
county of Lanark, with a view to influence his vote at an
election. This House has resolved, that in writing such a

letter, rn have been guilty of a corrupt attempt against the
freedom of election, and of a high breach of its privileges,
and has committed you to his Majesty's -of • Newgate;
your Petition has been received, and in consequence of your
contrition, and of the full and complete.acknowledgment of
your offence, and in the hope that what you have already suf-
fered will operate as a warning to you, and as an example to
others, this "louse is willing to extend to you its lenity as
well as its justice, and I am to acquaint you that you are- dis-
'charged on payment of your fees.
Thomas Ferguson then VOired, and on Lord CASTLE-
REAGII's motion, the Speaker's Reprimand was ordered to
lie entered on the Journals of the Ilonse. .

_ .
Lord A. HAM ILION presented a retition from Inverness
in favour, it was understood, of a Reform in the Scotch
Burghs.

PANTHEON THE. VI RE:

Sir F.. BURDETT presented a Petition from Mr. Candy,
proprietor of the Pantheon Theatre, stating, t hat baring ob-
tained a licence for °petal ic performances, he had expended a
capital of 55,0001. in the concern, and carried on public re-
presentations for five years without having incurred any
blame. But that on the change of the Lord Chamberlain
his licence had been withdrawn, to.his great detriment, with-
out any reason whatever being assignedfor such a proceeding.
He therefore played that the House would appoint a Com-
mittee to inquire into the allegations of his Petition, with the
view of presenting an Address. to his Royal Highness the
Pi ince Regent on the subject.
The Petition was read, laid on the table, and ordered to be
printed.
General FERGUSON presented Petitions from the Town of
. . .

Copai in Fifeiliire, and that iif Brechin, in Scotland, in fa-
vour of Reform in the Scotch Boroughs.—Laid Oil the table.

0 tiso I,EI'E STATUTES,

Sir J. NEWPORT moved that the Lords of Sessio,s, the
Judges of the Courts of Justiciary, and the Barons of the Ex-
chequer in Scotland, be directed to cause, within-six weeks
after the openim; of the next Session, a statement to he made
of such pasts of the Statute Law of Scotland ?nd Ihe United
Kingdom as the Scotch Courts have considered to be in: de-
suetude, and no longer binding on the people of that count ty,
and also a statement of the authorities on which they gruntid.-
cd that opinion.

After fewolarrtations from Mr, Bathprst, Mr, Abtr-

. _
crumbie, Mr. Wm. Dvindas,Lord A. Hamilton, Lord Binning,
Mr. J. P. Grant, Mi. Boswerl, Mr. Wynne, Lord Castle.:
reagh, and Sir S. Romilly,
Sir J. NEWPORT replied. He denied that, the present

time was inconvenient fur the inquiry, and 'cotttended that
the question involved none of the difficulties attributed to it.
He would strike out the word " considered," and take the
sense of the House on his motion. •
Atter a few words in explanation from Lord Castlereagh,
and some remarks from Mr. Douglas, Lord Castlereagh moved
the previous question.
Sir S. ROMILLY objected to the suggestion of. Lord Castle-
reagh of appointing a Commission by the Clown...
Sir .1. Newport, Mr. Bathurst, Mr. Boswell, Lord A. Ha-
milton, and Mr. .1. P. Grant, re-urged must of the points that
had been previously argued; after which
Si► .1. NEWPORT said, if .nothing was done by 'Ministers
at the commencement of the next Session, he would himself
bring the subject before the House.
The previous question was then carried.
The Irish Grand .lury Presentments Bill was re-committed,
and ordered fur further consideration on Friday.
PARDON OF SLAVES..

Sir S. ROMILLY muted an Address to the Prince Regent

for a Copy of the Opinion of .the Attorney-General of Domi-
nica given to the Governor in :March, 1817, on the power of
the Governor to pardon Slices condemned by their Masters
to work in chains. on the public works, with a Copy of the
Letter on which such Opinion was founded.
After a few words front Mr. Marryatt and Mr. Goulburn,
the Motion was agreed to.
PUNISHMENT OF SLAVES. •

Sir S. RomILLY rose to move that a Select
Committee be appOinted to- take into considera-
tion certain Vipers laid before the House relative
to the treatment of Slaves in. the of Nevis,
and to report thereon to the House. He was

surprised to understand that there was to he "any
opposition to the motion, after the--statethent he
bad made (ma former evening, proving the cruelly

exercised towards two male and two female slaves.
Here the Hanourable and Learned Gentleman
repeated the statement which we gave in detail at
the time, relative to the severe flogging of two
negroes, for recriving two pair of stolen stock-
ings, and the subsequent flogging of two women,
their :datives, for shedding tears at their punish-
ment. It was important to inquire whether,
when such cruelties occurred, and the 'parties
were brought to trial for it, justice was impar-
tially administered. In this case of Mr. .Ilug-
gins, all the circumstances in mitigation of the
defendant's conduct were completely disproved at
the trial,. and yet the .Jury acquitted him. The
Assembly had thought proper to send home their
account of the transaction, and to add not only
the speech of the Counsel for the prisoner, but to
add their own comments, in notes. It was not the

character of Mr. Huggins that he impeached,
hut that of the Jury. It was proved on the trial,
that the men who were fi,,gged were so ill on the

next (lay that it was necessary to send them to
the Hospital; and yet it was said, that they went
the next night to a masquerade, though no such
ciecunist ince was adduced in c‘idence. But the

Agent for the Island had.also sent other palters
on the subject to the Secretary of S'tate's Office ;.
and tie Assembly had recorded in, their minutes
Huggins's speech in his own defence, a speech
made.pievious to the trial. • But the Houle would
not be surprised.at this when,th:2y heard of whom
the Assembly was composed: the Speaker was
one of H.,ggins's bail, another member was Ed-
ward litiggins, his father, the next was his son,
another was his brother, another Mr. Clarke, his
retained Counsel ; and, in shrirt, all the rest were
persons who were connected with bin), and took
a lively interest in his tate. The Governor had,
also written a letter, laying, that he was satisfied
with the verdict ;' and, on the whole, he ,would
put it to the House, whether tile whole subject
did not exhibit evidence of the grossest partiality,
on the part of the constituted authorities, and
that the verdict could not he consistent with the
oaths of the Jury. The Counsel had saidi•-that
there never was a country where any unnecessary
interference between master and.slave could•be
more improper and prejudicial than on this- island,
and that it was greatly to be lamented that such
subjects should be agitated. He argued that the
Jury
.were not justified in returning their verdict
on such an assumption, and that the Governor
and Council seemed to have sacrificed themselves
on behalf of Mr. Hnggins ; and if it were only
for the citcutnstance of two poor female slaves
having been flogged for conduct which, in the
eyes of the rest of the world, would be deemed
highly meritorious, he thought inquiry ought not
to be refused.

Mr. GOULBURNI argued, that it would not be
proper to judge persons by a Committee of that
House, where no evidence could he adduced of
their conduct. The Papers were, in his Opinion,
entitled to no consideration beyond the facts ad-
duced before the Jury on the,ttial, and it required
no further examination here. He repeated his
former observations on the subject, and con-
tended, that if there was any blame attached to
the contents of the Papers, it rested with those
who sent them. It was extremely inexpedient for
the House tc re-try a case without evidence, in
which evidence had been submitted bawl; the

proper anthoritieo in the country where it was
tried. He shonld have no objection to the mo-
tion, Provided the duty assigned to the Committee
be to exclude themn from the re-trial of the case,
which had already been tried before a competent
tribunal.

Mr. Wtessztivoete implored the House not tsi
adopt the Opinion that it had not the power to in--
quire into the administration of Justice abroad as
well as at home.—[Mr. 'GO-vetivers; denied that he
had given such ran opinion, and repeated what he
had said.]—lfe ‘vas to unaerStand ills Honourable
Friend had not laid down stic`h a doctrine; he
must have misunderstood him. lint if an inquiry
was not tfl be gone into, for what purpose had the
Papers been produced ? It was clearly proved that
justice was not impartially administered in the
%vest Indies ;
and it ever there was a case which
called for the mo,t serious investigation, it was
that made out by these Papers. The Hon. Gen-
tleman then arened, at some length, on the mis-
representations by which eve were deluded as to
the happiness and kind treatment of the Sieves,
and that there. was no place but the Home of
Commons where the. real-administration of juts-
!ice in the Colonies could he investigated. , Ile
thoufelit-if a little too murk t,, believe. what had
been stated, that Mr. Hnegins had bought an ese
t.tteof Mrs. {twilit), and paid 16,500!. to gratify
the Slaves, in their wish to become his property ;
and that she, out of humanity, in Wishing to
transfer them to so good amaster, had consented
to take 35001. less for it than ihe Could' have gut
front any foUty else; lie cOncludetf with declaring
Ire felt it to be•one of the most solemn duties the
House could exereiseeto attend to the welfare of
those poor creatures, and to see that the admi-
nistrationof justice was nut perverted with in-
.
pilot
Mr. Govt./IL/RN and Mr. NVILBERFORCE seve-
rally explained.
Mr. Matte,/ sTT did not think the case called
for the investigation of the House ; with respect
to the observations of the Hon Gentleman about
the sale of the estate to Mr. Illiggins, 'here was a
good reason for the Lady letting him have it for
165001. rather than part with it to another per-
sett for 20,0001, 'and the reason was rather differ-
ent ; front a principle of humanity towards the
slaves he insist the money-down for it.—(Lingle-
left—When he had sold slaves, he invariably
parted ivith them to masters of their own chtece,
and sold them on that account for a great deal less
than he could have obtained for theni it he had
not given way to their feelings. He therefore
would wish Gentlemen were not quite.so incre-
dulous as to the fact of philters' .making sa-
crifices on the score of humanity. The pro-
ceedings against Mr. Huggins had been or-
dered by that very Governor and House of
r‘seaibly that had been accused of a par-
tiality in his favour, but its this instance he
thought that partiality could not easily be de-
tected. From examinations taken betore the Ma-
gistrates previous to the trial, and from afhtl.svits
subsequently mule, he contended the ease of Mr.
Huggins had been much exaggerated, as, though
the number of lashes inflicted on the offending
negroes for the felony and burglary they had com-
mitted was certainly great, it appeared that many
had suffered as much who bad only received 30.
lashes. They were known to have been at a, mask.
and dance on the next night, and on the following
Monday both had gone to work without being de-
sired to tlo so. For the punishment inflicted on
the women, he must say to bins the story appear-
ed very improbable. • That they should have been
flogged merely because they commiserated the
sufferings of collets. was too outrageous for be-
lief. • But if the truth were this, that they had
been exciting others to acts of insubordination—
it it were their object to overawe the Manager its
the performance of what he considered to bellis
duty, then he thought some slight punishment
might be necessary. Eh was not one of those
who thought the mother country ought not to
look vigilantly to the treatment of the slaves its
the Colonies; but he considered public discussions
on such subjects very injurious, and this there-
fore was the last course that ought to be resorted
to, when an application ao that department of the
Government to which the superintendence of. the
Colonies was confided had failed.- The language
held On the emancipation of slaves by the African
Institution, and by persons generally in this
country, he was likewise of opinion might do much
evil, as it went to break the charm that.bound the
slaveeo his master; and to excite in his mind
an idea that• any effort he might make It eman-
cipate himself would be considered perfectly
justifiable ; and in consequence, at no distant
period, such scenes as had already been witnessed
in some parts of the West holies might ensue.
He proceeded at length to show the etfectselikely
to arise frOm treating this subject as it had been
treated. Under all-the circumstances of the case
liecould see no grounds for any interference on
the part of the House on the present occasion.
When a case of real abuse should be brought for-
ward, be would be ready to second a motion- for
taking such steps as the justice of the case mi t
demand. At present he was of. opinion too inytity
Has to the verdict which had been called in ques-
tion, seemed justified by the facts which had tran-
spired. - • •
• Mr. Gott:sole said be never beard a speech with
greater pain or regret than that of the Hon.
Member' who had just concluded. He defended
the African Institution front the charges directed
against it; and advocated the cause of the .Negro
population. The Hun. Member had spoken of
the reign of opinion, butt it ought to. be recol-
lected, that that reign could only be maintained
in favour of the ..whites by mildness, humanity,
and gentle treatment. As connected with the
West Indies) he protested against being mixed
tip with some- of the doctrines supported by.. the
1-lonourable Gentleman. This case•demanded in•
quiry, and be could scarcely believe his ears when
he heard the Honourable Gentleman deity that it
did,' and defend the cruelties that had been de-
tailed. ' •

• Mr. BARHAM was glad the motion was brought
forward, as much.. information would thus be
gained, and great 'good done by his Honourable
and Learned Friend. In the surall islands the
laws might be overpowered by individuals, and it
a remedy was, not.arplied by: the local authaities,
the British legislature was the only resort for

• tiett
VeStigation and .crrreetiOn. Lie OnlY ,ei
that the conclusion drawn from single itistBl'ea,
of reported abuse would not be utride More e%tetb
sive than the premises warranted, and that sAd
chas•ges onlp would be brought forward es c 00•
be met and answered. He wished to see the ,
verontents of the smaller islands consolidatehe
and made a 3 good and effective as those of (of
large' colonies, where the state and condition
the slaves was better titan that of thy peastajt
or labouring poor of this country. jA
Mr. W. COVIITENEY considered the Case a -ne, e.
whieli the house was called upon to inter":`,
To form a proper judgment on it, they 0"g11-01,
confine themselves to the Lilal. All theciiell
stances of palliation brought forward by en Ito
Gentleman were founded either on exaMitte;r•to
taken betore, or affidats made after it. l
evidence before the Jury vihad proved that fitlO-r(
had been guihy of those acts of cruelty Which 01,.e
now stated to be so preposterous as to outl,
belief, and,siuce they had, notwith4ten4i",,' tii
quitted him, it was fit that an inquiry .
iA
teal nature of the transaction should take VlcAe'i'
order to ascerain what was the state of the I-111
nistration of -Ititice in that Island. tbs
111 r. WAR RE expressed his astonishmentl •ott
frequently epeated assertion, that the coodiboet,
of a slave in the West Indies was frequentlYtir
ter titan that of a peasant in Europe ; es
tier any circumstances that was possible' de
was decidedly for an inquiry into the eirc"
stances of the present case.
ld,e;
illr. W. :.•.MITH surportell thelllooo2l, a
tended the propcie;y of such iavestlgatio'c'er
l'atliament. lie denkthey
d that had 411. fp
deney to protinte insutrections. Even the idet.
(pent effusions of Pitt and Fok were tenet.f.el,ir
by such constquences as sortie Getidelllgni
ills
peered to apprehend from the eloquence
prcsent Pathament. t

Air. A. BitowNE did riot mean to say - • bee
punishment of the women might not 1)4" jol°
diFpensed With. He should not now enter 014
a discussion on the treatment of slaves or
ludic islands, but hoped that auo'berbee°
portunity would arise. It any perismis
guilty of improper Curldilet let them be s► „iIV
with,the Censure of that flutist, and the
ment of the hits s. • lill
•

Sir SAMUEL RoMILLY briefly replied. -•,-ty
not mean to Col; de um he conduct, of nis Md";', 124'
Ministers. It was possilde that there loii`;iJi.f,
other papers on the slit+ ct, but he did 11,''',(00
that that. was the fact ; but the papers lai‘"„t
the House appeared to him to .be
establish the case which he had brought l'ir°lol°'
Mr. GOULBURN said a few words-it,
dible Pone of voice ; hut was understood t°oie
in conclusion, that he should not resist the
Lion.
To
The question was then put twain
Chair, and the motion was agreed to nehliljt
sentieule.

LABURERS' WAG'S' r
Mr. O
r. J. P. GIiANT, anve: ted Circon's. oe
:O.
of the Bill which he had introduced rel"6eo
the payment of Lihouters• IV,c;4es
throNn out in the [Huse of 1;o:chi, o"tis3l‘
consid-table misappiehension had pr,voileci
(
the object of this Bill, A difficult) had occ"rfe
him in tie Bill which he had difficulty
ft
being unable to n:event the theouvroiel'oe
mak tog Notes of tile Bank of I'l:viand sild
itßelr
try Bankers 1 gal tenders. This 01,jectioo 1,01
ho'vever, been removed by a, H„,. Yrel%le
his, out in this }louse, ho had talirn Ole )05'
to frame a clause which obviated the ch.alee-rio
by merely providing thutY•nts made Of
of England Notes, or those(l)l;"(ConsitrY, 13,A7
should be exempt front the penaltie* 011'1e '
- a
fie moved for lease to brim iA this Wl!' s
Mr. BAN:NG-rot,: wished that the opt tat'')lltley
the Bill were more extensive, and coctiprilcii

labonrers.of every kind.
Alderman Wool) concurred in this wish• f tbe
Mr. J. I'. GRANT said, the main ohject,o
Bill was to make the existing Acts etfectoni:dll4
concurred in thinking that it would tit'de-otri:
to extend the operations of the. Hid, hat„ 1/11
Bering the late period of the Session, it
better to postpone any extension of the '-'„l..
1.‘:001
another time, when it Could he more „ ,
considered by introducing a separdte Elll.
Leave was then given to . bring
which was accordingly btoight in, anCi
and second time.—Urdered to be ctininh'l
morrow. • of
ALIEN BILL. -
nor,
Mr. LUSH NGTON ropo3ed that the .tenor,
t(/'

_.....,,,,,m-ro:i py-
the
the Alien Regulation 1.1;11 should be recei
morrow. beet
,
Mr J. I'. Gr,ANT had expected 113 halve 4116
afFordecl the opportunity of moving die ci- r°:
withdrew last night ; if he could not 6: sOt
'‘
night, his professional duties would Pr-vgli ,
. or.
altogether. - • • ~„ OP do
Mr. LUSITINGTON consented that 0°- I ",
00'
should now be received, and it was 10 •
accordingly. .e► `lei
5.
• Mr. J. I'. GRANT then moved his eh° :it 14°
detain
it not to be his intention to diviaereco4
the. House, as he only wished (0. ve ;
his opinion. Tbe object of it was to Prce-,,cire,°'
record in tjie office Of the Secretary of '--Alieaf'
the reasons for transporting any partiCHlO.-bofor6
a copy of which record should hr laid -- i
Pailiament, and referred to a Committee. ,reo
a The ,clause having been brought up, i 2 Vi'd°l 01°
.first iil4le : the question was then put, .1'11" 1 ,'
rejected without a division. • patYi
On reading the .report on the Vinegars lib
Arts, Mr. 3. P. GRANT ,asked if any r,ero-re P:
been. taken regarding the new llanala"—l vva'
Vinegar from w ood,, to ascertain whether I 5
,
Or was nor.liable•,to duty? , - (re 501
• Mr. LUSUINGTON answered that, a r lit0"1
difficulty, it, had been decided that it 'sr° -
,44
to duty in•proportion to its strength. • j t 0-.
The Duke 3f Kwit% anunity B*l '1 ' sec °a- 1-
,
Committee to-morrow.
the 01,11 ptSt'
Mr; Bll.PGDEN'presented a .• • from
Proprietors of Drltry-I Floe T 1 P.llLt•mni ).*., Varna- el
di
Aid. it was referred to a tiOn7*tt.te-% )ra-1119, . and
ii Citu.hs: aotitur rQii or tilt'arts IQ' tlil:ettri-(l.l4:)ll''t:r•el•L's.‘;:i't:ghi''en-e* " h rcug
ll'
--
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