Star.
London, England, 1815-04-05 00:00:00

-PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SLAVE TRADE.

The Papers relative to the Slave Trade were pre-
sf.ote.. to the House. The following document contains
tioclarAtion ut the Powers who signed the Treaty
; 1'.11!0:

DECL A RATION.
Tile Plenipotentiaries of the Powers who signed
tl,e neAt y of Paris, the 50th of May, 1814, assembled
_ .

11 tvit:g taken into consideration that the traffic
un :kr the name of the African Stave Trade,
has b,i, regarded by just and enlightened men of all
agez, repugnant to the principles of humanity and
ot universal morality ; that the particular circum-
cances to which this traffic owes its origin, and the
,clidictilty of abruptly interrupting its progress, have
to a cci taut de ;rue lessen -!d the odium of continuing it:
but that at lai.t the public voice in allcivilised countries
has dc.naoded th it it should be suppressed as soon as
; cast since the character and the details of this
traffic have been better known, and the evils of every
b. rt w..ich accompanied it completely unveiled, several '
E,,r,,l;can Governments have resolved to suppress it ;
and that successively all Powers possessing Colonies
diErent parts of the world have acknowledged,
either by legislative acts or by treaties and other for-
mal engagernents, the a:ligation and necessity of abo.
lisning ii; that by a separate article of the last Treaty
ct Pat is, Grt•at Britain i:nd France engaged to unite
their dim is at the Congress at Vienna to engage all
CAI Powers of Christendom to pronounce the univer-
sal and definitive abolition of the Slave Trade t that
th.• Plenipotentiaries assembled at this Congress can-
it,a better honour their mission, filial their duty, and
niailitcst the principles which guide their august So-
ver•Ogns. than by labouring to realise this engage-
me•lt, arid by proclaiming in the name of their So-
vet eligns the desire to put an end to a scourge, which
so long desolated Africa, degraded Europe, and,
of humanity. The said Plenipotentiaries have
agreed to open their deliberations as to the means of
accomplishing so salutary an object, by a solemn de-
claration of the principles which have guided them
in this work.

Fully authorised to such an act, by the unanimous
adherence of their respective Courts to the principles
announced in the said sepitate article of the Treaty
of Paris, they in consequence declare, in the face of
Eurotie, _that, looking upon the universal abolition
oftha Slave Trade, as a measure particularly Worthy
of their attention, conformable to the spirit of the
'age, and to ,the general principles of their august
Sovereigns, they are animated with a sincere desire to
can eu , by every means in their power, in the most
prompt and effectual execution of this measure ; and
to act in the employment of those means with all the
zeal and 'all the perseverance which so great and good
a cause merits.

Too well informed of the sentiments of their So-
vereigns- not to foresee, that, however honourable
ma) be their object, they would not pursue it with.
tit a just regard to the interests, the habits, and
even the prejudices of their subjects ; the said Pleni-
potentiaries at the same time acknowledge, that chi.
general declaration should not prejudge the period
which each particular Power 'IRAQI:a upon as tlit
expedient for the definitive abolition of the traffic iu
- Consequently the determination of the period when
chis.traflic ought universally to cease, will be an ob-
ject of negociation between the different Power.; it
being, however, well understood, that no means pr-
p,...r 0, ensure and accelerate its progress should he
utglectedi add that the reciprocal engagement con.
tracted by the present declaration between the Sove.
reigns wno have taken part in it, should not be con-
sidetesf as -fulfilled until the moment when complete
success shall have crowned their united efforts.
In making this declaration known to Eutope, and
to ail the civilized nations of the earth, the said Ple-
nipoto.tiaries flatter themselves they shall engage all'
iktiwr governments, and particularly those who, in
abulislimg the traffic in slaves, have already mani.
foto Ore same sentiments, to support them With their
iugl4,,e is a cause, of which the final triumph
one of the greatest monuments of the 'age a4ai
li44nok it, and whislpAttataigskaigussart
•

_ _ !.I!S!ikr.t