The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-04 00:00:00

CURRENCY.

Mr. E. DAVENPORT said he had to present a
petition from his constituents, and signed by the
principal inhabitants of the town and vicinity of
Shaftesbury,—a petition no: evincing an ignorant
impatience of taxation, but a well-advised dislike of
surreptitious taxation. They complained of the
withdrawing from circulation that description of
money in which their debts and pecuniary obliga-
tions of every kind had been contracted during the
last thirty years; and as recent experience had
shown him that it was no easy matter to get an op-
portunity of addressing the House, he should avail
himself of the present occasion to make a few ob-
servations upon a subject which at the present mo-
ment outweighed all others in importance. Having
for many years, both in and out of the House, en-
deavoured to the best of his ability to warn the
country against the dreadful consequences cf a rigid
perseverance in the present Currency Laws, it was
not likely he should alter his opinions at a time
when those long-anticipated mischiefs were being
realized in various parts of the country. These evils
were now evident to all, and it was as idle to deny
the cause of them as to question the facts themselves.
He should be anxious to see how sophistry would

deal with the question now. Shall we be answered
by citations from the last work of an ingenious
author, whose drift seems to be to prove that the
less money a country has its circulation the higher
prices would be ? Or shall we be told the general
distress is produced by the Corn Laws, in the very
year when the largest quantity of foreign corn ever
known is imported, and yet the manufacturing dis-
tricts in the greatest suffering ? Shall we hear the
ministerial assertion of last year repeated, that the
5/. notes would increase when the 11. notes gave wav,
and supply the place of the latter? Whereas the

direct converse is the fact. Shall we hear the old
tale of over-production, when half the populace are

only half clothed, and the warehouses crowded with
goods wanting a market ? Shall we be told of the
other old story, of over-population, when millions of
_ _

capital are idle for want of a profitable investment,
and, he might almost say, millions of paupers want-
ing employment ? And will this doctrine be
urged by the very parties whose laws have broken
the chain which has hitherto connected that capital
with that labour together, and who have prevented
the comitry banker from any longer accommodating
the poor and industrious with the superfluities of the
wealthy, to their mutual advantage ? Or shall we
be told that speculation is the cause of the distress,
when no one dares to make a purchase, because he
knows he must sell at a loss ? For any thing that
has happened in Parliament in the last four months,
a foreigner—for instance, he illustrious Prince who
witnessed our solemn discussion about what was
called the topography of a speech,—would, to hear
the sort of subjects which occupy us (such as East
Retford, every other night), conclude that the
country must be in a most prosperous condition.
But how would he be amazed if he knew the truth ?
What is the real state of the country? He (Mr.
E. Davenport) called upon any Gentleman repre-
senting or concerned in commerce to state what
trade was now returning a profit. What large town
has not its thousands of half-employed paupers ?
Are not our streets and highways all swarming with
beggars ? Even the savings of industry are sacri-
ficed to this golden Moloch; and he heard (for of
the Stock-market, thank Heaven, he had no per-
sonal knowledge) that the stocks had been latterly
fed by sales frdm the Savings Banks. The last
quarterly returns announced also a decrease on every
branch of revenue, of which he was not very sorry,
as nothing mollified the heart of a Minister like a
failing Exchequer. In short, there was every ap-
pearance of a rapid approach to that state of anarchy
which had long been foretold as the natural conse-
quence of such a course. Manchester, the second
town in England, actually underwent a partial sack
a day or two previous to the memorable controversy
between the barand the table. Some 200 bakers' shops

were emptied into the stornaclee of the starving popu-
lace. Similar distress prevailed .10 miles south, through
Stockport, Macclesfield, Congleton, and so on to
Leek; with this district he had some acquaintance,
and he knew that at the distance of several miles
from any town, persons decently dressed, and who
had even recently seen better days, were begcing
for the humblest crust they could get, and that it
was horrible to witness the excess of their gratitude
inr the most ordinary provisios. In Burnley, 25
miles north of Manchester, Captain Rock has made
his appearance; placards have been issued forbidding
the farmers, at their peril, to ask more than Id. a
quart for their milk,—a fact upon which he left the
Secretary of State to ruminate. Now, though all
these things were sufficiently notorious, here was
Parliament about to break up without having made
the least inquiry as to the remedial measures which
Government intend to adopt,—an omission which;
if this House were reformed, (and he was sorry that
mere accident prevented his supporting the motion
for reform which came on unexpectedly early last
night,) could not possibly have occurred. We should,
however, return in a (lay or two to our constituents
just as wise as we met upon this momentous question,
We had heard, indeed, from a Member 'a limit he did
not see in lids place, that " the currency was furtu,
nate!), settled :" fortunately, no doubt, for those Ow
possessed a great deal of it, but not so fortunately'
for those who had to pay it. We had also heard
that it rested on a solid foundation : so does the man
who tumbles on a rock and breaks his head. And
we had also heard of a speech in another place, more
remarkable for hardihood of assertion than for depth
of information, and which, but for certain eincunt-
stances, to which it was unnecessary to allude more
particularly, he should consider as decisive of the
humanity and determination of the Government, as
the sword of Brennus was, when thrown nitzl the,
scale which professed to weigh the exact amount' ‘t
contributions or taxes exacted from the Roman people
—a transaction to which this speech and conduct.
bore some analogy. He Lad been told to wait and
see what -Ministers would do, and that it was too
much to expect they could make a second sacrifice
of consistency so soon after the first,—that they oughe
to have time to back out. Now he should, persounlkyo
have 119 objection to give them any time they chose 4
but there were other things which would not wait,—
namely, the stomachs of the starving people, Neither
was it necessary on other grounds ; for he WWI sure
the gentlemen opposite would not thank those friends
who expressed a belief that they would be deterred
by false pride or obstinacy from repealing laws which
I they knew to be obnoxious. The best thing a gen-
tleman can do when he finds himself in error, is to
acknowledge it, without loss of time, " Non eniro
parum cognosse, sed in parum cognito diu se stulte
perseverasse, turpe est."
EAST INDIES.

Mr. FYLER presented a petition how Coventr:,
nor the abolition of Suttees in India.

Mr. WYNN gave notice, that to-morrow he
would present a petition from the natives of
on the subject of the revision of the grand juries there.
Mr. MAXWELL presented a petition from the
merchants and frechoLler3 of Paisley, praying for

free trade to the El,t Indier.
SLAVERY IN THE MAURITIVS--CONDUCT 01

SIR R. FARQUHAIt.
Mr. F. BUXTON rose to move for copies of
certain papers connected with the state of the start,4
in the Mauritius, and for the report of the et;ninitte"
appointed to inquire into the condition of the
in that island.
Sr R. FARQUHAR was desirous to know
whether the Hon. Member intended to proceed with

the motion of which he had long since given notice,
respecting his (Sir A. Farquhar's) conduct while,
intrusted with the government of that island.
Mr. F. BUXTON was only prevented front
following it up by unavoidable circumstances. Tit 4::.
Hon. Baronet said that there were now two cours-,,
open to him—that he should either proceed with his
motion, or retract the charges which he had made
against him (Sir R. Farquhar.) It was utterly ito
possible that he (Mr. Buxton) could retract the
charges which he had made ;—it was utterly im,
possible that he could withdraw the charge, that
slavery to a considerable extent had been carried CV
under the government of the lion. Baronet. If 114::.
Majesty's Ministers were not prepared to assent to i 4
commission on the subject, as he believed they were,
he begged to assure !he Hon. Baronet that next
session his challenge would be accepted, and that he
would be then afforded a full opportunity cf refuting
if he could, the charges made against him while
Governor of the Mauritius. He had only to remarl,
now, that he could state that General Hall was ready
and able to prove, as an officer and a gentleman, dm!,
the slave trade had been carried on under the govern-
ment of the Hon. Baronet.

Dr. LUSHINGTON said that it was proved,
from the evidence which had been taken on the sub-
ject, that the slave trade had been carried on for It)
years during the administration of the Hon. Baronet .
It further appeared that during his administration ie
the Mauritius every person who had been taken ht
the act of carrying on the slave nude was allowed to
walk out of prison.
Mr. H. GURNEY thought it hard that this
charge should be lying over the head of the lion.
Baronet for the space of three years without hie
having been afforded an opportunity of refuting if,
Mr. BROUGHAM hoped the House, whenevee
it entered upon the discussion of the case of • the
Hon. Baronet, would do so uninfluenced by pre-
judice or personal feeling. lie trusted, whenever
the charges against the Hon. Baronet were brought
forward, that his conduct would come clear out of
the investigation. He was satisfied that the House
would concur with him (Mr. Brougham) in think-
ing that the delay which had occurred was not at-
tributable to his lion. Friend the Member for Wey-
mouth; and he had only to hope that when that
investigation should come on, the Hon. Baronet
would have a better expurgator to produce, and a
greater weight of authority to show, than the evi-
dence of the Hon. Gentleman behind him (the Mem-
ber for Newton.) That Hon. Gentleman had taken
upon him to pronounce as to the information col-
lected in reference to the slave trade, and circulated
in this country, without making any inquiry as to
the subject, and without knowing whether the state-
ments in the publications to which he alluded were
unfounded or otherwise. He did not wonder that
that Hon. Gent. could not bring his mind to admit
the possibility of the occurrence of the atrocious
facts recorded in these publications. He was
not surprised that the Honourable Member could
not bring himself to believe that any man or
woman, or any creature in the human shape,
could be found to take a helpless female under
her protection, and afterwards to treat her in the
most brutal manner, to rub her lacerated skin over
with cayenne pepper, and to repeat the horrible
operation until the unfortunate creature was thrown
into a fever, which prevented the person who com-
mitted such atrocities from being tried for her life
for producing the premature death of this unfortu-
nate victim—a crime of which she was morally,
though not legally, guilty. The Hon. Meml*r
might not be able to bring himself to believe that
such an atrocity could have been perpetrated, but it
was proved by the proceedings of a Court of Justice
on the subject. The fact was subsequently com-
municated by the Colonial Government to the Go-
vernment of this country, and in a despatch which
the Riet Hon. Gentleman the Member for Liver-
pool addressed to the Colonial Government on that
occasion, and which did him the highest honour, he
expressed that indignation which a British sti.tes-
man must always feet, and which no British states-
man would dare to conceal, at the occurrence of
such an atrocity. It would be seen that he alluded
to the case of Mrs. Moss. He trusted that the
Hon. Baronet would find a better advocate than the
Hon. Member for Newton, when his case came to
be investigated.
Mr. IRVING had been a member of the Com-
mittee before which the evidence had been produced
in support of the charges against the Hon. Baronet,
and considered that the charges had not been at all
proved. With regard to General Hall, he bad only

wo state that Captain Moresby (as we understood)
would be ready to disprove the evidence which he
wtould give on the subject. He (Mr. Irving) was
thell and intimately acquainted with every part of
coe case, and he was sure that the Hon. Baronet
peuld triumphantly clear his conduct from the as-
thrsions cast upon it. Ile did not think it fair ca
upe part of the Learned Gentleman opposite, to get
to and relate a tale of horror as he had done, and
no dove-tail it into a question with which he had
thing whatever to do. The occurrence of which
spoke took place in the West Indies, and had
thing to do with the Mauritius.
Mr: BROUGHAM wished to explain, that lie
ti referred to that occurrence, merely in reply to
obaetvation from the lion. Member for Newton,
that he never intended to make it matter of
arge against the Hon. Baronet.
Mr. IRVING was happy to hear that explara-
tion. The Hon. Member proceeded to advert to
the publications of the Anti-Slavery Satiety, and
more especially to the Anti-Slavery Reporter, and
he asserted that more false, scandalous, libellous, and
disigratelkil publications had never been issued from
ttiee iktitish Press.
Mr. FERGUSSON conceived that it was cer-
tainly rather hard that this charge should have been
left hanging over the head of the Hon. Baronet
during the space of three years ; and he thowilit it
unfair on the part of the lion. Member for Wey-
mouth, to anticipate that the charges would be made
out and proved on the future investigation of this
ease.

Mr. WODEHOUSE had been also a member
elf the Committee, and the impression which the
evidence had made upon his mind was not favour-
able to the Hen. Baronet.
Sir J. MACKINTOSH said, that the Hon.
Baronet's anxiety for inquiry was a presumption in
his favour; and he trusted that the Hon. Baronet
would be able to dear his conduct when that in-
”uiry came on. lie vindicated the Anti-Slucery
Reporter against the attack of the Hon. Member
for Bramber (Mr.lrving),and he contended that the
comparison which that Hon. Member had drawn
between the rase of the woman Hibner and Mr.
Moss did not hold. In the one case the criminal
was of the lowest grade in society, and she had
ttuffered the extreme punishment of the law, amidst
the execrations of the population of this metropo-
lis. Mr. and Mrs. Moss were in a more elevated
rank in society—they had received the benefits of
education—they had been only sentenced to three,
or at most to six months' imprisonment for that
which was morally speaking a murder, and all the
respectable persons in the islands say, the Governor
in his despatch, had petitioned for their release, and
gave their attestation that the conduct of these
minals—of these murderers—had been generally
humane and praiseworthy !
Sir G. MURRAY said, it was highly desirable
that this inquiry should take place as soon as pos.
Nible, that the conduct of the lion. Baronet, if in-
nocent, should be cleared op, and that his guilt, if
he really were guilty, should be fully established.
It should be recollected that the geographical posi-
tion of the Mauritius had rendered it extremely fa-
vourable for the carrying on of the slave trade, and
that the Hon. Baronet had, in consequence, en-
countered a proportionate degree of difficulty in put-
ting it down.
Mr. SYKES contended that the evidence already
produced went strongly to substantiate the charges
against the Hon. Baronet.
After a few words from Mr. C. PELHAM and Sir
R. FARQU lIAR, the motion was agreed to.
Mr. F. BUXTON moved for copies of certain
papers illustra,ive of the condition of the slaves in
the West Indies.—Agreed to.
The same Hon. Member presented five petitions
from Chipping Norton, Stoney Stratford, Stroud,
add two other places, praying for the abolition of
suttees in the East Indies.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
Mr. BROUGHAM presented a petition from an
individual in Herefordshire, who had been confined
for a long period for a small debt, and who prayed
the blouse to institute an inquiry into the law re-
garding imprisonment for debt, with a view to its
revision.
Mr. HUME wished to know from the Right
Hon. Secretary, whether the Law Commissioners
intended to apply themselves to a consideration of
the laws respecting arrest awl imprisonment for
debt ?

Mr. PEEL had not forgotten the conversation
that had taken place on this subject. He had since
communicated with the Commissioners on the sub-
ject, and he stated that if they had any doubt as to
the extent of their powers, he should introduce a
Bill to extend their commission, so as to enable
them to comprehend this subject within their deli-
berations. The Commissioners stated in reply that
they were at present occupied with a subject of
great importance, and that as soon as their investi-
gation on that point should be completed, they
would apply themselves to the consideration of this
stihiect.
Mr. BROUGHAM presented a petition from a
Mr. Turner, in Edinburgh, complaining of certain
alleged abuses in the practice of the Scotch Courts,
and praying that a Court of King's Bench and a
Court of Common Pleas should be introduced there
upon the English plan. The Hon. Member ex-
pressed his belief that the Courts of Law in Scot-
land and their practice were equally as good, if not
better than the Courts of Law or the practice in this
country. He (Mr. Brougham) began, he would
confess, to despair of seeing any good whatever
from the labours of the Law Commissioners. When
a most obvious and simple improvement was pro.
posed, every species of difficulty was thrown in its
way, so that it must be ultimately abandoned. He
night instance the Bill for fixing the terms, the rea-
sons for withdrawing which for the present Session
must be known to the Right Hon. Secretary oppo-
site. When he (Mr. Brougham) suggested that
obvious and simple improvement in his speech about
a year and a half age, the Right lion. Gentleman
said that a short Bill might at once be introduced
for the purpose of fixing the Easter Term. But
now, at the end of a second Session, they were as
far as ever from attaining that desirable object, fur
the Bill for that purpose had been most unaccount-
ably withdrawn; and unless a vigorous effort were
made at the commencement of the next Session,
that improvement could not be carried into effect
until 1831.
Mr. PEEL had eertainlylseen connected with the
introduction orthe Bill to which the Hon. Member
had referred; but that with the postponement of it
he had nothing to do, nor did he know any good rea-
son for that postponement.
Mr. BROUGHAM did not intend to throw the
blame at all upon the Right Hon. Secretary; it at-
tached to other quarters.—The petition was ordered
to be printed.
Mr. BROUGHAM presented a petition from an
individual named Stanfield, an attorney's clerk, in
Rochdale, complaining of abuses in the practice of
t to law.
Mr. BROUGHAM said, that in the present
thin state of the House he should not present the
petition from Birmingham respecting the distress of
the country ; but he now begged leave to give no-
tice that he would present it to-morrow (this day).'
Mr. BROUGHAM presented a petition from
Colonel Bradley, complaining of the treatment
which he had experienced in the transaction with
Colonel Arthur, and praying for redress.
Mr. Huste and Mr. J. WOOD strongly supported
the petition.
The petition was ordered to be printed.
On the motion of Dr. PHILLIMORE,it was ordered
that a list should be made out of the applications
made to the Commissioners under the Church-
building Act, for the building of any chapels, under
the 3d section of the Act of Bth Geo. IV. c. 72;
and also of the instances in which any such appli-
cations have been acceded to.
Mr. a CAVE rose to move a resolution that
the children born of slaves in the West India colonies
after 1830 should be deemed free.
mr.Bitommit, Sit; J MIXS MACIUATOSIA, 4114

F. BUXTON, recotnmeuded the Hon. Member to
withdraw the motion under existing circumstances.
Mr. 0. CAVE declared his determination to per-
severe.

Mr. R. GORDON (as we understood) moved
that the House should not proceed to die considera-
tion of the mo;ion.

The frallery was tLen cleared for a division ; but
►,one took place, as, on the suggestion of several
Hon. Members, Mr. 0. (.'AvE agreed to postpone
his motion till to-morrow, ►with the understanding
that it should then positively come on.

PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
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