The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-09 00:00:00

TREATY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF

SLAVERY.
Lord PALMERSTON wished to ask a question of
the Right Hon. Baronet opposite on a subject which
had been referred to in the Speech from the
Throne—namely, the treaty between the Five Powers for
the suppression of slavery. In order that the House
might comprehend the bearing of the question which he
was about to ask, he would first state to the House the
House the course of proceedings which had- led to that.
treaty. The treaty as the House kneW by the papers li
which had been laid before it, was the result of a con-
ference held in December, 1838, at the Foreign-office,
in order that the Plenipotentiaries of France and Eng-
land might propose to the Plenipotentiaries of Austria,
Russia, and Prussia, the continuation of the negotiations
which commenced at the Congress of Vienna, for the
suppression of slavery. And there was this remarkable
circumstance in that Conference, that whereas at the
Treaty of Vienna England stood almost alone in urging
the Powers of Europe to enter into that contrad, on this
occasion, December, 1838, Fiance occupied the same
honourable position which England had before occupied
alone, and the proposal to make this treaty proceeded as
much from France as England, and the two countries
were equally entitled to the honour of the proposition.
At that time a draft of the treaty was proposed by
the Plenipotentiaries of France and England to the
Plenipotentiaries of the other powers. The other Pleni-
potentiaries said they would refer to their Courts for
instructions, and the Plenipotentaries of France and
England, stated that they hoped the detailed provisions
of that draft, would be found reconcilable with the
rights and interests of the subjects of the other powers.
Many communications passed. upon the subject, and to-
wards the end of last summer, the matter stood
in this situation. The Treaty had been agreed to by
the three Powtrs, and nothing but matters of form were.
necessary to make -it effectnal. What he wished to ask
the Right Hon. Baronet was, whether any material cite-
rations had been made in the Treaty as it stood in the
draft, at the period when the late Govern-
ment were in office ;
.and he also. wished to
know whether the ratifications of any of .the 'contraCt-
ing parties had been received, and whether they had
been exchanged for the. ratifications of the British
Crown ? He might be allowed to say that never . per-
haps did any of the Five Powers . sign a treaty
more honourable to themselves, or one which
was founded on purer motives or more ' complcte
disinterestedness than that to which he referred. if the
Right Hon. Baronet thought it inconvenient to answer
the question, he would be satisfied with such an intimation.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said he did not foresee any in-
convenience in giving a reply to the questions which
had been put to him by the Noble Lord.
He could confirm, if any confirmation were neces-
sary, the accuracy of the statement which the Noble
Lord had made with respect to the circumstances under
which this treaty was considered and signed. The invi-
tation wa; addressed jointly by France, as well as by
England, to the three other powers, parties to the
treaty, requesting them to join in an united effort for the
purpose of suppressing that traffic which had been de-
clared to be odious and impious by the voice of this
country. The treaty was signed by the Five Powers
subsequent to the appointment pf the present Ministers.
He could not say that any important alterations
were made in' the Treaty as it was signed, from
the Treats as it was originally agreed upon
at an earlia period. There were some modifications, but
they were not of a nature which would at all justify him
in characterising them as important ; they were mo-
difications intended to further the general objects
of the Treaty.—(Hear, hear, hear.) The Noble Lord's
second question was, whether the ratifications of
any of the contracting parties had been received, and
whether they had been exchanged with those of this
country. No such exchange of ratifications had taken
'place. The period allowed for the exchange of ratifica-
tions would not expire till the 20th of this month. He
had reason to believe that the ratification of some of the
parties had been received in London; but as the period
allowed for the exchange was not earlier than the 20th
of February, no surprise could be felt that the exchange
had not taken place.