Star.
London, England, 1826-05-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

41611111111011111TH restated* a' Padden from the Catholics of
Las* is the of L einstec, praying a removal of the dim.
/bifida ins upon them.
Mr. H ME said the whole of :the panisetty in Ireland was
deteriorated under the present gates,. If that Gantry were
put on the same footing as Scotland, there, wool& be a relief to
the amount of two or three millions of taxes. This was not
merely a question of religion; sad be put it to the Olaneellar of
the &chapter whether it was not at this period, when the revenue
was known tole deficient. viards his while to adopt any available
lamas for its increase ? That this might be effected, by attending
to the' prayer of the Petitioners, he hid no hesitation in saying.
The Petition was ordered to be printed..
Mr. ^ CAN then moved, that the House adjourn
at its rising to ridoy
Mr. HUME ealilobu wished to bring before the House the sub-
ject of regulationsnaer mistiog respecting promotions in the Army,
and be feared by this adjournment proposed he should be deprived
01 au uPloult!sratr -
11r,Socretary CANNlNG.said.the Home would meet on Fri-
day, when the Hoe. Menthe would be *able to bring forwatd the
business propose a.
Mr. I.llll4Esaid he had been before disappointed on such °cu.-
atlas, by a certain knock at the door.- of the lloute--(A
He wished the Right lion: Gentleinan would guarantee him a
heating.
Mr. Secretary CANNING said be could guarantee the lion.
Member's House, but' he eateinly could not guarantee him a bear-
ing;--Ctitsch latWiter.)
IrUSKISSO.N laid he bad to present to the House two
Pedtkita. from two bodies of his constituents 'The
PellAisetaappioved of the course which had been adopted by his
ETA 's Ministers,' and were not anxious for the preservation of
tkesfitent of Slavbry ; bat they prayed the House not by unman:
nary discussion to keep the question in such agitation, and the dare
in such estate of excitement, as mightlave she effect of precluding
Menistere4rOm• earning the measures they ceatempkted into
calm They stated that their poverty in the Indies bad been
snagbdameriorated by matinued agitation of the queulum—Okdered
to be printed.
saslr±:abiretir4W srssokse4 Petitions . against _slavery from
keen the Congregation of alftlitint Chapels'
kina,..Evish %grad ; from Coppola from
Harwich, Roxburgh ; Ravenby, Booddy, and ether plages in
1-111CuloAbite; .aati. front Pullocksbant. In the Parish of Eastwood.
Ortkro‘ id be bleed.
--Ellasiu Petitions were presented by Mr. Scuts, from West
Auckland, Durham.; front Ghoul, and from Meldredt ; and by
Mr. Cuanza. (rain' Sussex..--4.aid on the table. _ _

Mr. HU M L thptesrly ia March he mend for a recurs at
the number of persons who are now confined, having been ceem
:nitwit: for contempt et the. Court Clianany. As it had not yet
been funthhed, he should mem that the return be made forthwith:
}le bad moved also for • return of the expenses incurred in the
repairs of Windsor Castle, and Buckingham Houses which had'
sire not been furni.hed ;, and he therefore made a similar motion in
relation to this.,--Ordered forthwith.
Mr. HUME said, he lan night presented a Petition from an in.
divided named David Latouche, complaining that the Marshal
had charged him 2071. for the Rules of dm Lees Bench Prison,
and subsequently confined him within the walk. The Petition
contained other allegations which he (llr. Hume) did not think it
necessary to notice. lie kid since made himself acquainted with
the cisemmatances of Mr. JOUlret conduct. Oa secretive to the
rules and regulations, he found that Mr. Jones was 'militarised in
retaking Ibis charge ; that he was entitled to Sl. tames/ after bun- •
dred. He (Mr. Hume) sow objected to the law, which enabled
the Marshal So make these medians. On Instituting an inquiry,
he fend that Mr. Jens amid Vie Mr. Leto/ache thinks again
if he gave fondly for hisdidstptind to beep the peace. H. should
men under theAreuntstanees, that the Petition be breeellt sp.
Mr. DA WSON said, the Mirsilid•nas renariebk foe his huma-
nity sad cicada. gamiest. He might have dinged SSW. if he
pleased for the rulaillebad gives. The Madiesitef the Petitioner
had been cue - oesragenusi_be bred plink at the panel, aad
guilty of --
he -•

141 r. _
foundati•n

rot Warranted UMW 1
Petition was then laid on the table.

HUME presented a Petition from =ln the county of
Fife, praying the liaise to take Into COna the use of *lr.
Oeurlay.--_,__Laid maths table. •
Mr. mat% presented a ,Petition from s Why*. in Glas-
gow, complaining that he did not get more than from five to six
shillings the week as wages. The reads:taw prayed the House to
Mt a otirthnow,ot wages. as Parliament had faxed afinississons of
the pries 4( corn.—OrJered tt, be printed..
ggr; HUME gave notice, in reference to Lordt.aoralorperrattt
slidublliresent a Petition front Col. linidley tin next.
gold JO Htl RUSSELL• postponed his motion relating to
Bribery'and COrruptioits at Elections to next Friday. ills Lard:
ship also presented a Petition front rider, in the county of

property,
...—ordered to be printed.
Sir A. CAMPBELL presented a Petition from the.Merchaants
and Traders of Glasgow, for the Abolition of Slavery.—Ordered to
be printed.
Dr. LUSHINGTON presented Petitions from Warrender,
Darlington, Southampton, Kitcherhurgh, and some other places,
praying for the Abolition of Slavery.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. DA LY presented a Petition from the Protestant Noblemen
and Gentlemen of the county of Galway, in favour of Catholic
Emancipation.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. m. A. TAYLOR said, that Wise bad the honour of a soot in
that House during the next Parliament, he intended, at the earliest
period, to bring forward a motion for the total removal of all bank-
ruptcy cases from the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery.
Lord F. SOMERSET wished to know whether it was the in-
tention of the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. H. Beaumont), who
had introduced the case respecting the Cape of Good Hope Admi-
nistration, or of the lion. the Secretary for the Colonies (Mr. W.
Horton) to lay before the House all the Papers relative to the tram-
actions in which the conduct of his noble relative (Lord C. Somer.
set) was implicated ? His noble relative had arrived in this coun-
try since the question had been last agitated in that House, and felt
the greatest anxiety that every facility for the immediate investiga-
don of all charges preferred against him, during his Administration
at the Cape of Good Hope, might be afforded: as be was convinced
that the more speedy the inquiry, the sooner would the integrity
and propriety of his proceedings be established.
Dlr. WILMOT-HORTON, in answer to the question which
the Noble Lord. had asked, stated that he was desirous that the
Hon. Gentleman (Mr. H. Beaumont) should bring forward what-
ever measures he proposed to institute on the subject, as, if that
Hon. Member declined, he (Mr. W. Horton) intended to propose
some coursethat might settle any difference of opinion on the ques-
tion. He had last night received a communication. from that lion.
Gentleman, from which he concluded that it was not his intention
to suggest any thing further on the matter at present.
Mr. BEAUMONT did not see any benefit which could be de-
rived from bringing forward the documents before the House at
this late period of the Session; when nothing could be done in re-
floonee to them. Should he, however, be in possession of a seat in
rest House during the ensuing Parliament, be pledged himself to
press forward the matter at the earliest time and opportunity.
. Mr. W. WHITMORE begged leave to refer to the notice of a
011Oslon which he had given Ns a former night, and which stood fir
Lnett, relative to the *ties ea East Mina and Foreign
a Sugar. As the resolutions which ke mint to propose
40011-not be brought formird on theisight ap towe-
l's/EN* of the Intimation given last night% --eed to wait
insdl the next Parliament.
The Orders of the Day were then tads .
_

On the order that the Report a 4 die Regional Addressee lie
received, _ .
Meal.. GURNEY rose and said that, he mai not allow the
Sessional Addressees to lass withestApiardig to a paper which
had been dreamed very suasively among the Members, respect-
iseg.the resseneritia for the services of the High Constable of
Wa nniegter. whose date, was devoted dicing their sittings webs]
performance of services highly useful, lent for which the individual
who meritoriously held the office of WA • Castable received no
requitaL An objection had been made to the introdection of an
item of this lad on a forage occasige by as Hee. Member, on a
snieundereaadag that the dice if Pala Croosiable had bag per-
chaed and was •frim•Wve. He mwpa shit a date to the Ant of
osenpensation would be heuvelnat&-
After a few words front Ms. cAp Tows, the &port was
b up. .
Therought Parochial Clergy Raidelliffiva disco*, a third time
sal passed, and the remainleig lies of the nal vim disposed of.

Tilt 0 Ilan.

Sir R H. IWGLIS, rose to proem a Pelitien-ikint the Parish
ef White Retaking, in Essex, on behalf of the Greeks. It was
numerously and he believed respectably signed. It was not, bow.
over, on account of the number, it the_ respectabtilta the parties,
whose names were subscribed to this Pedtiosi. that be was induced
wan the attention alas House to it 4-44 issegighleSy on account
of the fact, that with one solitary ezneption,. and that four years
ago, was the signs el of Oldie • Silk* cub behalf of the
Greeks which as yet had reached the,Homithfiarthe commence.
meat of the great stooge, in which they lief Ma @opted. The
Petitioners prayed, net for way or foe the -threat of war; neither
among nations sr individuals would be • wit aihrest *hick be did
not mean to tamest...they did not ask for any luterfersoce with
Turkey in respect to the Greeks, except by arm expostulation and
remonstrance nor would be wish for my other application, &Of
he could concise say shade of &Skeen, in the degree of
den of a treaty or anyother engsgooseat between States or between
individuals, it was when cue party was strong and the other was
week, when one was Cbrisdau and the ether was Infidel. It was In
these casks that nations and individuals . were snore immediately
heitid to show the purity sad integrity of their principles and the
generosity/sof their strength. He therefore would net wish to
threaten Torhoy, or to inmate* in any compulsory manner with
her in beAaN of the Greeks. He felt the delicacy and the difficulty
of the duty which the circumstances of the Greek Revolution im.
=Lapels his Majesty's Geverament but he trusted that they
used and would 000tIs .t.,,,Tbet-110l only with Turkey, but
with Airstria and *tort other wow. ouch mane es would obtain
pot merely protection and security to the Greeks, but he trusted he
affilliit sea say, their indoPOOdikom
MeI•SK SMITH kind that awli would be some indication
=tilt Howe, and from the Lynes slde,that the people of
were net b a elate of den or apathy towards the
condition ertkeir fellow.cbeistians. the Greeki.
t, ROBERT WILSON trusted. CPU toinstking would be done'
to met Christian people from that extermination which menaced
them. Though the violence is( their foes was of a Most inveterate
description, nothing could bitiesidate dont, or armpit theeeordon
of that brave spirit by which they were ,tonohly dielloguidied. It
woo se be feared however that their drank* wellld:stst he so son-
3cessfil as they deserved, under the eirrAtinsilacts in . which they
wets placed. They preferred to deltswitheisselvea and children,
tar in a late disastrous instance was manifest, rather than surrender.
lue.h heseic pause was highly meritorimis, and limpid excite
;commiseration. The Muck an Algiers, was made on the very prin.
;Girlie which should operate on the presses Diadem. Why should
a foreign power be allowed to domieeer is any country in Europe,
.under French auspices? French Officers were freelpoerndeted to
:devote their services to the opponents of Greece, while thew of
England who might be desirous so assist the latter were precluded
.from exerting themselves in a cause which was truly of a sacred
•tharaeter. He did pot moo to assert that the Crown should not
possess the power of preventing any of its subjects from enlisting In
foreign services. but he hoped that next Parliament the law on the
• asetter would be altered as to distinguish the forefgn services, from
sways( which the exclusion deist he excepted:
Mr. HOBHOUSE said that be would, long before the present
time, have taken up the subject, if he did not conceive that the Go-

. -
vernment bad some nseasure in contemplation, which might be em-
barrassed. by any anticipation, in questions proposed in that. House.
He confided in the intentions of the Government, whose conduct
he thought would justify that opinion of their liberality. In ref°.
retire to the great blow which had been Struck against the rising
liberties of Greta by the tall of Missolinghi, be did net look on it
in the same light of terror as his Hon. Friend. Every hope was
to be indulged, that the very siege of that place would tend to in-
, vigorate the snirit which had beep enkindled in Greece. He be-
lieved, and the opinion was confirmed by men of judgment and
ahilitlel, that if the Greeks evinced a degree of energy and valour
similar to that at Minolonghl, in the defence of the seat of Govern-
meat, that they would be able effectually to withstand any opposi-
tion which the Turks could bring against them. It he had brought
forward the subject, which dependence on the motives or hnen-
, duns of Government bad preveated, be could have proved that
France had acted with dli lcky and perfidy, while this country bad
adhered to a is of integrity and bononr. He bad spoken with
a Gentlest/it ratelyttrrived frum Alexandria, and by him it was
1 styled Bait' tbo'exertiens of the French were notorions in favour of
'the Turks. He bad gotten"; list of French ships in the service of
' the NINA of Nypt, and he bad also been assured that a French ship
Iliad been employed by him in the conveyance of specie. He had
alsolinderstood that it was the intention of some part of the French
Ministry to assist the Turks in the meet unequivocal manner. Wh.t
1 the night Hen. Gentleman opposite ( Mr. Secretary Canning) would
do when Such circumstances as were apprehended should be de-
' veloped, it was not for hiM to express his conjectures concerning.
The stand which was made at hilssolanghl, however, instead of
disheartening, would, he thought, inspire the Greek nation with
increased energy, and would aviiken and stimulate the sympathy
of the British public.
The Nation was than ordered to be printed.
Sir 11.1 f lii:ltT IE GUS 'maned for in Address,. for informs-
dun 'dative to the ems Of the Protestants in respect to tbvir %VOL-

Mr. DEN MAN thought that even if the Right lion. Gent. did
not object to the motion,it was one which the House of Commons
ought not to entertain. it was, obvious with what intention and
for what purpose this Information was sought, and would be used ;
but even if it could.be proved that the condition of the Protestants
In Roman Catholic countries were as bad as bigotry could make it,
it could be no argument for a nation enlightened as this was, which
had outgrown all the prejudices of other countries, to continue a
degrading oppression upon Roman Catholics, because Protestants
were elsewhere oppressed. It was the last resource of bigotry.—
The motion was one, of which notice ought to have been given. It
ought to have embraced an additional salary for the officers abroad,
who ware M furnish this new information.
Mr. Secretary CANNING hoped that the Honourable Baronet
would have no objection to withdraw his motion, and give no-
tice of it for this day week. He would then be prepared with his
amendment.

Sir ROBERT INGLIS stated that he had shewn the motion to
the Right Hon. Gentleman, and had understood from him that he
had no objection to it. The motion was a parallel one to that adopt-
ed by the House some 'fears since for the production of information
relative to the state of Roman Catholic subjects. He then gave
notice for Friday next.

conasscr—CAPE OP GOOD HOPE.

Mr. BARING presented a Petition from Colonel lErd, upon the
part of the Governors of the Cape of Good Hope, complaining of
the depreciation in tbe value of their riz dollars, is consequence of
certain acts of this country. The Hon. Geutleman entered into a
detail of the inconveniences experienced by the settlers in the Cape
of Good Hope. by the adoption of measures detrimental is the
currency of that Colony in this country, and thought the House
would not refuse to take the case into their serious consideration.

- The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he should
soon be in possession of valuable documents relating to the griev-
ances complained of. He could not now enter into a discussion on
the subject, but when the papers to which he alluded were in his
possession, he would not fail to enter fully into the question. It was
considered to be an act of condescension in Ministers to pay the la-
bium, in the Cape of Good Hope 7s. ed. for a rix dollar, origi-
nally issued for 4s. He earnestly hoped these unfortunate persons
would meet with justice.
Mr. HERRIES thought It would be most desirable to postpone
discussion on this subject till all the necessary documents would be
laid before the House. The deterioration of that paper was owing
to its not being payable on demand. The Dutch residents bad made
18.6 d. British equal to es. of their own currency, which provision
would go far to remedy the evil complained of in the Petition.
Mr. BARING admitted that an indiscriminate issue of silver,
or metallic currency, would be attended with great peril—The
Petitioners justly complained of the injury they have, and must ex-
perience in their contracts, from the deterioration of the rix dollar
currency; sad he thought the Ordinance of the Governor of the
Cape of Good Hope, which enabled Spanish dollars to circulate at
a value of es. 4d. would afford them but very partial relief.
After a few words (tom Mr. W. Satan and Mr. H. Gamer, the
Petitions were ordered to be printed.
MANUFACTURING DISTRESS.
Mc. BARING presented a Petition from the Merchants liana.
facturen, and Cotton Spinners of Paisley, representing that many
of their commodities were calcalated for the West Indies, and
complaining that the discussion and agitation of the subject of
Negto.slavery were Injurious to their interests.
Lord MILTON asked the Right Hon. Secretary for Foreign
Affairs whether it was the intention of Ministers to propose a grant
of a particular sum for the relief of the distress in the manufacturing
districts? He asked the question then, as an Hon. Friend (Mr. P.
Moore) who had a motion to that effect for this night, was not
then in the House.

Mr. Secretary CANNING bad no objection to answer the goes-
Lion of the Noble Lord. The House would bear in mind that a
case demanding the interference of the Government for the purpose
of affording pecuniary relief, must be one not only of extraordinary
emergency and undoubted magnitude of distress, but ako one to
the remelty of which all ordinary modes had been applied in vain.
Unless such was the case, a vote of that House, for the purpose of
relief; would be a violation of sound general principle. New. Oft
distress, great and lamentable as It was, of the manufacturing class,
was not one the relief of which was beyond the reach of out-of-
doors charity ; for be was sure that the current of private charity
was far front beingeabausted—in fact, that It only now bad began
to now. He was the more convinced of this, as he knew that
many benevolent persons had kept back their contributions till the
expectation of Government interference had ceased to exist. This
was a sufficient reason, he thought, for Parliament not voting a sum
for the relief of these distresses. It would stop the current of pri-
vate charity, and impede the benevolent stuns of opulent indivi-
duals. Besides, the present distress was, be was happy to say, of a
very temporary and transient nature. The worst had passed, and
it never amounted in magnitude ti the agricultural distress which
prevailed a few years since, to the relict of which Parliament was
compelled to apply itself. If the Howse now voted a sum for the
relief of the current distresses, a sound general principle would be
sinned against. To this conclusion Ministers had arrived after the
most anxious enquiry and deliberate consideration, in which feel-
ings of the purest and most deep-felt sympathy contended with the
policy of acting on sound salutary general principles; and he anx-
iously trusted the House and the country would arrive at the same
conclusion, or at least exonerate Ministers from every charge of
insensibility to the sufferings of a most iniportant class of the com-
munity—( Hear, bear.)
The Petition was then read and ordered to be printed.
Lord A RCHIBALD HAMILTON said he rose to present a
Petition which referred to the subject about to be submitted to
their MasMeistion *by his lionourable and Learned Friend. The
Petition was signed by 31.1,000 persons in the City of Glasgow,
and it teinkrately called on the House to carry into effect as soon
as possible the three resolutiOns which it bad already passed on the
* em of the abolition of slavery in the West Indies. The tem-
pest aid ledguige of the Petitioners would, he believed, be found
wittily to correspond with the humane objects they had in view.
The• Petition was read and ordered to be printed.
The Nomo Loan also presented a similar Petition from another
town in Siodand, when he was interruptedby
Mr. BLAIR, who said he felt it his duty in consequence of
what the Noble Lord bad said, as to the getting up of the Petition
from Glasgow. that the Petition was another instance of the tricks
whisk the Methodists and Dissenters bad recourse to for the pur-
pose of inflaming the public mind by misrepresentation. In order
to swell the number of •sighatures to that Petition, the subscribers
were, in ninety nine cases out of a hundred, school boys, colliers
and carters, or persons who had no property.
Lord HAMILTON said, he spoke on the. representation of
another, Mr. Thomas Addison; he himself being in London when
the Petition was signed.
Mr. BLAIR was perfectly certain be spoke from good authority,
Indeed he had been fully authorised to use the name of his inform-
ant. Charles S. Parker, a man of great respectability..
Mr. A: CAMPBELL corroborated the preceding speaker. In
many schools all the boys were obliged to sign, some of them sign.
bag six or seven times over.—(A laugh.) A respectable merchant's
sons were compelled by their schoolmaster to sign their punts two
and three times over, to eke out the signatures. _

Mr. BROD GHAII said nothing was more frequent than such
charges as these, where a considerable anxiety prevailed on any
important subject under parliamentary discussion. It was only a
, cue of conflicting evidence.
Mr. T. WILSON said, a good cans; was injured by the dia. ,
L Fireceful manner in which signatures like those to the Slave Petitions
were procured. The Petitions were ordered to be pruned.
Lord STANLEY presented a similar Petition from Manchester,
Wined by 41,000 persons.
Mr. PHILLIPS supported the Petition, and bore testimony to
the fairness and respectability of the signatures.
Mr. WA RR E said, as this Petition deprecated the protecting
duty on East India sugar, he thought it merited the attention of the
Colonial Secretary.
Mr. W I LMOT-HORTON said, the subject of free labour
was as yet but an experiment. Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. 13ROU GII A M said he rose to presan several similar Peti-
tions from different districts, and, in order to stew how far Me-
thodists and Dissenters had ken instrumental in "getting them
up," as has been said on the other side, be found attached to one
the Vicar of one Parish, and the Rector of another ; to a second
were the names of some Clergymen of the Church of England;
and to another was a name which be was glad to see, as it savoured
not of Methodism or+

Mr. I'. WILSON—I said nothing of all this.
Mr. BILOUGHAM—No, Sir; but the lion. Member for the
City of London will please to recollect, that the are one or two
Members in the House besides himself. (Bear: and a laugh.)—
The lion. Gentleman went on to observe, that to one of the Peti-
tions be found the name of Mr. Wordsworth, who certainly was
not a favourer et Dissenters or Methodists. To another he ("ad
the harms of the Ministers and }Ciders of the district. lie prayed

that the Petitions be brought up.--The norm:m.l,le and Learned
Gentleman then presented Petitions, prayinn for the gradual Abeli-
tion of Slavery, from the Students of the University of Glasgow;
from the Inhabitants of Dalisith, of Nlilnetitorpe, of Cowgate, ad
of Ambleside; which were all brought up and read.

CUR RLNCY.

Mr. TIRRNEY alluded to the Report of the Committee, et
which he had been a Member, to inquire into the propriety at
abolishing Small Notes in Scotland and Ireland, and gave notice teat
he should, on the day the House met after the adjournmgpt, at al'
Friday next, caU the attentiou of the House to an important subjectd

AIIELIORATION OF SLAVERY.
Mr. BRUHTG HA SI rose to bang forward his motion. HPSI'
desired that the following Resolutions of the House, agreed to sal
May 15th, 1823, should be read :
" That, it is expedient to adopt effectual and derisive Menet&
for ameliorating the condition of the Slave Population in his Wks
jesty's Colonies.
" That, through a determined and per4evering, attbenine rider
. .

judicious and temperate, enforcement of such Measures, this Hnsive•
looks forward to progreuive improvements in the character of di/
Slave Population, suck as may prepare them for a participation id
those rights and privileges which are enjoyed by other classes of Mt
Majesty's subjects.
" That this Home is anxious for the accomplishment of this pore
pose at the earliest period that shall be compatible with the well.
being of the Slaves themselves, with the safety of the Colonies, and
with a fair and equitabk consideration of the interests of private
property."
The Hon. and Learned Gentleman then proceeded.
The Resolutions, Sir, which have just been -read, were
adopted by the unanimous vote of this House, and all
men agreed, and declared it by their votes, that they
were the least measure of justice which could, or ought
to be meted out to the slaves of our colonies. In what
way did the Government proceed after the Resolutions
were passed, to carry them into effect, or reco amend
them to the Colonial Legislatures, to carry the pro,
posed object of the British Parliament into effect-?
With respect to those colonies which are immediately
under the Crown, the inquiry will be much shot tened
by the course which has been pursued. First, I shall
advert to Trinidad, for which the Government issued
an Order in Council for the better treatment of
slaves. It was the basis of all the proceedings
adopted on this subject, both in Trinidad and in the
other conquered Colonies; and I object to this Order
in Council, that it does not call on them to do enough.
With this abatement, it merits all the praise I can be-
stow on it. Its advantages are great, and it is founded
on a wise scheme of legislation. It however falls short
in one most important point, that relative to:the admis-
sion of slave evidence; that evidence was limited, not
only as regards persons, and as it applies to-crimes, but
the slaves themselves must obtain a certificate-that they
are religious and moral individuals, and sensible of the
lobligation of an oath. Pagans, Mahom dans, men of
no religion at all, are considered as qualified witnesses;
ne objection is made to them, provided they believe in
GOD, and in the existence of a future state of rewards
and punishments—and I see no reason why the slaves
should not be placed on the same footing. My next
objection to this Order in Council does not apply to the
slaves, but to that officer who is appointed their pro-.
tector. By the Order in Council this officer cannot hold'
plantations or slave property in Trinidad ; but he may
own both plantations and slaves in other colonies; and
what is worse, he may own domestic slaves in Trinidad it-
self. But the restriction, even as to plantations and slaver,
applies only to the Protector in Chief, and the subordinate
Protectors, those who tome more immediately, into con-
tact with the Slaves, are not subject to this restiiction,
,and they may hold plantations and Slaves in Trinidad. .
The next point to*hich I shall advert is, the.abolitiais
of the Sunday Markets. The Order only limits Sunday
Markets to the hour of ten o'clock on Sunday morning,•
and thus provides only very imperfectly for.the better
observance of the Sabbath. When the market is.in the
vicinity of the Plantation, the rest of the Sabbath may
be kept free from violation, but when the market is at
a distance of ten or twenty miles from the planta'ion,
the whole day must be occupied in going to and return-
ing from the market, and in attending it till ten o'clock.
Then, I find no provision made to compensate the slave
who shall not work at his own garden on Sunday; so
that there are no means taken either to provide for the
better observance of the Sabbath, or compel its better
observance. I object also to that part of the Order in
Council which relates to the separation of families in the
Case of sales. By the Order in Council, the separation
in case of voluntary sale, is allowed; but not in cases
of a sale by order of some court of law. My next ob-
jection applies to the penalty imposed on slaves who
shall make false accusations. This recommendatiun of
the Order in Council fell in with the views of the inha-
bitants of the Colonies, and they had adopted it.—
If the slave charge his master with having punished
him illegally, and the charge is proved, the master is
fined ten pounds, but if the slave's charge is declared
to be groundless by the Magistrate, he is delivered
, back to his master, who is authorised to inflict on
him any number of stripes, not exceeding twenty-five.
I see no reason why the justice should be summary—.
why the slave should not be tried and regularly pu-
nished by law for his offence; and I see very strong
reasons why the accused master—the individual most
irritated and offended—should not, precisely at the
time also when his feelings are most roused, be the
executioner of this summary justice—the judge in his
own case. With these defects in the Order in Council,
I am bound, Sir, to say, that if its general provisions be
rigorously carried into execution, they are such as so
satisfy my mind in many essential points, to t ectify some
of the worst abuses, and to abolish some of t e worst
practices in the Colonies. On every other part of the
Order in Council, Sir, I must bestow great praise. 'the
Order in Council had been sent slso to Demerara, but the
Court of Policy had thought proper, in its discretion, to
adopt it only imperfectly.-With respect to slave evidence,
they will not admit it in causes involving capital punish.
ment. They admit evidence in other cases, against slaves
for example, but not against whites. They did not allow
the slaves the privileges of what is called in that House
compulsory manumission; that is, when the slave has
found means of' purchasing his own freedom, the law
appoints persons to fix the price at which be shall obtain
it. This part of the Order Council. as well as seve-
ral other parts, has been wholly unnoticed in Demerara
—in the five ocher colonies under the Crown, noibtog
whatever has been done. I now come to the thirteen
Colonies which have Legislatures of' their own. When
the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite bad, in an early
period of the Seuion, stated what had been adapted in
those Colonies, what had been begun, or what at was in
contemplation to begin, I put a question to him relative
to the amount of the real substantial improvement el=
fected, and arranged the question under several heads;
the answer showed, that except in five or six of thow
thirteen Colonies, nothing whatever has been done.
la six of them there is not even the shadow of a
pretence of any thing having been done. As to
Antigua, Bermuda, Montserrat, St. Kitt's, Tortola,
and the other Vir,;in Islands, containing a pspulation
-of 80,0(0 slaves, I cannot find in the whole eorrespotta

4 bass sass tresrageslats; be dyed pistols at the petrel, aed was
thy of esihermtorSara. The Magistrate had reconsineuded that
should he.eandhant within the walls.
Mr. A. TATLEPTesiId a nate cortect or humane ofßeer than
wpm,
fr. Jones 'he did ' ' ifintie. Op stria sire there - could be no
Li:dation for the '' , . _PR tlOLiktli, tigi•
Mr. HMIE . , - ' of t 'c'ttitst tOttskied ist the
cations: being c syltitinAf .*ith , _maul
a money he
was' just
fen War-ldie 'Rib, Se (It
,#ought
Ir. Jones was just in matigg'gisallifgeut reety °Messed,
ter what he had &inn of illicharatterlt de Petithinerate was
nor/arcuated in saying any thing pardfularly id Ms favour.--The
—_, _ _ . .

.. .
: praying the House to inquire into the bribery and corruption prat- 1
sised at that place.-4.aid on the to - . • ‘.• 1
Mr. W. SAIIT II pie-rented a PtPion trim 1(4-slickfillutrlif' -
oiorgue the iostif3kverf.--4.ald g1if,........
r, •,..,
.Mr. F. XTONtir:sepoel. 41 Fetid% from Wigratn, Wes-,
fop), pea g diatom ecuigibon of Min *OW In Deland may not
e undergo alteration.— reds to be prints*" . ..1.10,‘
e Mr. C. It. ELLIS presented a Petition from &., Planters and
Owners of Estates in the British 'West India Colonies, against any
e alteraticin of their property, without allowing an adequate maven-

ship and their burial in Roman Catholic countries ; to the produc-
tion oGythiolkinfprmation he understood gm the Right.tion• Gyro.
the ~1t• /my of ate for Foreign Affairs; bad no objection, and to
vrldehimmeatitellat the liolse wogld hpe no objection.
Mi...Actutary CANN lOW had up objection to ihe nantionj:
knendepent were made tir it, 40 givg a return of the rig is
,elciged hg Roman Catholic sitbjecti in ?cotenant countries,a
similar circumstances.
- - - - - . .rt.t

dente between ttnce islands and the Government at
bowie, which has beenlaid on the table of die House, up
to lairnight; for these three or four years past. one
. page, one line, one sentence, one word, of any thing
which has been done in those islands in compliance with
the declared wishes of the Government, the Parliament,
and the country. I refer to the communication of Go-
vernor Maxwell, the Governor of St. Kitt's, to Earl
Bithurst, who says that only one law had been
pasied, which was one relative to slave property,
and that little or no progress had been made in ful
filling the measures recommended by Government,
At St. Nevis, the same measure had been submitted
to the House of Assembly, and with a still worse result.
I come now to speak of an island, in which, from its ini-
lportanee, its wealth; and its p violation, I should have
-expected these measures would be most readily em-
%raced, and most easily carried—an island containing
it's own bounds 340,000 inhabitants, a large
Iliody of them whites, and rendered conspicuous as being
'toe example of other Colonies. If I look at the eleventh
Tabular Return for the evidence of what has been done,
I find five of the columns are complete blaaks, the re-
turn being nil; I mean those referring to evidence,
mar riage, the separation of slaves from the land, the
s p +ration of members of the same family, and regula-
tions for promoting the observance of the Sabbath.—
None of thee have been attended to, and on all these
points nothing has been done. In three Colonies some-
thing has been done. In one, an Act has been passed
for the observance of the Sabbath, and to prevent
slaves from being levied for the debts of their
o xners on Saturday. This is a sort of Jewish Sab-
bath, and the law is not intended to promote the
observance of the Christian Sabbath. Though not
allowed to be levied op the Saturday, the slave is
not prevented from violating the Sunday, and he
may go to market before ten o'clock on that day.—
A :right of property has been recognised in the slaves,
and it has been directed that they may receive bequests
and legacies; but by the same law they are forbidden
to bring, either at Law or Equity, actions against those
who shall withhold these bequests from them. If the
executors, therefore, refuse to pay these legacies, the
slaves cannot recover them. Perhaps, however, this
was intended as a benefit to the-slaves, by keeping them
out of a court of equity—(a laugh). This was a ridi-
culous attempt to give the slaves property ; and the
Governor of Jamaica hears me out in this opinion ; for
he says—speaking of it in a letter addressed to Earl
Bathurst—" A 13111 has been passed, of trifling impor-
tance, enabling the slaves to receive bequests, on paying
the legacy duty." Another Act hex been passed for Build.
.ing a Church in Jamaica, which gives great satisfaction
to the Right Rev. Prelate at the head of the Church in that
Island, who speaks of it in the strongest terms of praise.
To Earl Bathurst he says, "I have the highest satisfac-
tion in being able to assure your Lordship, that the
same good feeling which I communicated to you on a
former occasion, with regard to Kingston, continues to
animate every part of the Island I have hitherto visited.
Mr. Archdeacon Pope and myself have just completed
a progress through all the parishes except two—The
•general result of our observations has been a hearty
desire on the part of the Proprietors genei ally, or their
Representatives, cheerfully to promote, as far as their
limited means will allow, any measures which I have
thought it my duty to suggest." What will the House
think ? For the benefit of the slaves? No, The Right.
Rev. Prelate says, for " the benefit of the Church."--
al Public meetings have been called in many parishes,
and private subscriptions are entered into, to promote
the same desirable object."—The Bishop was satisfied
with the state of the island, because he found the people
ready to build the Church ; and he expressed his opinion,,
that nothing could be done for the slaves till churches
were built—till they were filled with congregations—and
till the words of religion had operated on their minds.
He thought the Churches should be first built, and then
the schools ; but I think it would be better to begin
with the schools; or we might have both schools and
Churches begin at once. The Legislature of Jamaica
has twice rejected a measure for carrying into effect
some of the principles-of the Order in Council. A very
respectable man introduced a measure, in. 1824, for
admitting slave evidence, tinder certain restrictions, and
this Bill, which was-the same as the Bill of 1825, with
the same restrictions, so as to make it perfectly harm-
less, was unanimously rejected, or so unanimously, that
only the person who introduced it voted for it. Nothing
can exceed the violence, or perhaps I should say the
vehemence, and the vituperation, with which the Bill
was thrown ow. The Bill was afterwards, in 1825,
submitted to a Committee. They began their labours
in the early part of November, the Bill was brought in
in December, and thrown out by a majority of two to
one, many of those who voted for it declaring, that
they would have opposed it in a subsequent stage, bat
that they thought it ought to receive further considera-
tion, and not be too hastily withdrawn. The account
given by the Governor, the Duke of Manchester,
of these matters, is very important. The Bill con-
fined the evidence of the slaves to cases of trea-
son, murder, and manheim, and did not extend to
other felonies, or to misdemeanours; and be states,
that although it was so restricted and confined.
and might be deemed very harmless—yes, indeed, 1
admit it was very harmless-..(hear, and a taugh)--pet.
the clamours out of doors against it were such, that it
was found perfectly impossible to proceed with it.—
Hear, hear.)—The clamour out of doors was such, that,
many individuals of, the above description, who had]
voted for the Bill, found it necessary, as they thought,
to yield to the wishes of their constituents, and there-1
fore voted against it. " We are disposed," these persons
" to do all we can do with safety ; and, at the
same time, our local knowledge best enables us to judge
a hat can be done with safety." I beg leave to call the
attention of the House to a Resolution adopted at a
Meeting held in Jamaica, subsequent to the rejection of
the BM. That Resolution went the length of alleging,
that even new restrictions ought to be imposed on the
sieves—that Sectarianism should be abolished—and
that it would be dangerous to make any further con-
ceesion, unless a penitentiary feeling was evinced on the
part of the slaves. Some new restrictions ought to be
imposed ! Penitentiary ! The slaves were to repent
of the injuries they had suffered from their masters, and
of the efforts for relaxation which had been made is
their favour; and, a ithour evidence of such repentance,
it would be dangerous to allow any further concessi
in their favour f This was' the language of these
Colonists, a. d thus they appeared to regard any re-
laxations in favour of the slave population. B ay
Sir, with regard to this point of Sectarianism. Now
it is not my opinion only, but the opinion of many resvertabk
lieholw. who if., nut go the foil length which I do in favour of the
negroes, that if you really wish to diffuse Christianity among the
boltrrts, the best way to do this is by- encouraging .ffeetinian
Wacbws ; and the greatest bcaelirs Which the negroestaee reeved

in this way have been from the Melodist teachers. This be been
very generally admitted, and was so admitted by the 41se.ibmilie
'for.Tatnuon, even when opposing hint on sane ether pi OW'
anted with the condition of the negroes. I now ease So anti lli
what has been done in Barbadoes, which contains a popoistins of
SO,OOO slaves; with respect to which I we the tabular return has.
been made. and that as to improvements in cocain places, or parti-
culars, there are nine columns of rut Atehat I was by no means scar.
prized ; and I beg leave to solicit attention, while I proceed to shew
that all was ni/i and that nothing has been dune, or if there has beets
any thing done, it is worse than nothing. An Act was passed in
Barbadoes, in 19,25, for the benefit of the alive', and the House was.
pleased to attend to its enactment with respect to the manumission of
the slaves. The Act was entitled " An Act to repeal several Acts and
Clauses of Acts, respecting slaves, and for consolidating and bring-
ing into one Act the several laws relating thereto, and for the better
ordering and governing of Slaves, and for giving them further pro-
tection and security, and for altering the mode of trial of these
charged with capital and other offences; and for other purposes."
In the manumission clause of this Act, it is enacted, " that-if any
slave shall illicover, or give information, of any evil designs or plots
of any other slave or slaves, &c. or the possession or concealment,
by any slave of slaves, of gunpowder, or any warlike instrument.
for the purposes of insurrection and rebellion, whereby the accused
thereof shall be legally convicted, such slave shall be appraised at
his due value, and the amount paid to the owner; and the slave
shall be free, with h pension of 101. currency ; or If he chooses to
remain a slave to the owner, a pension of 251. currency." This was
the mode of manumitting the slave, in order to encourage him to
di:cover plots. Now in the year 1688, by one of the Acts repealed
by this last Act, the very same provisions had been made, with
this only difference, that the slave was set free with a premium of
40s. There was another clause in the same Act of 1825, which
enacted, " That every slave who in the time of invasion, or in case
Of rebellion, shall engage and courageously behave in battle, or who
by any means shall kill or destroy one or more of the enemy or
rebels, such slave shall be rewarded at the public expense, in such
manner as the Legislature may think fit; and if the Legislature
should think that he ought to be rewarded with freedom, that such
slave should be declared free, and his value paid to the owner."—
Now an Act had been passed in 1707, whereby it was provided
that in ease any slave should behave courageously in battle, in case
of invasion, or kill any of the invaders, he should be free ipso facto,
without having recourse to the Legislature. I will not go any
farther into the particulars under this bead; but I pledge myself to
'hew, that whatever advantages the slave had acquired under this
law, ;hey were only substituted for equal or better advantages under
the Acts of 1688, 1707, 1749, and other old Acts. Now, by the
Act of 1821, " any slaves guilty of quarrelling, threatening, or
lighting with each other, or guilty of any insolent language or
7
urea to or of any white, or of swearing, or of uttering soy
obscene speeches, or of drunkenness, or of making, selling.
throwing, or firing squibs, serpents. or other fire-works, or of
cock-fighting or gaming, or of riding upon a faster gait than a
walk, or of driving upon a faster gait than a gentle trot, on any
road of this island, or through any of the streets or lanes of any
town of this Island, or of cruelly whipping, beating, er ill-using of
any horse, mare, or gelding, mule, ass, or other cattle, whilst under
his charge, in the driving of any waggon, cart, carriage, or other
chaise, or of negligently or of improperly driving any such waggon,
cart, carriage, or other chaise, or of any disorderly conduct or ialw.
viest;, every such slave, on conviction thereof before any Justice.
shall be whipped at 'the discretion of such Justice, according to the
nature of the offence, not exceeding thirty-nine stripes; the punish-
ment of pregnant women to be commuted for imprisonment."—
By an Act of the 9th August, 1749, some provisions of this die.
etiption had been made about quarrelling and driving waggons; but
this Act, in taking up the subject, adds a heap of trilling and ridi-
culous particular. which were not to be found in the former Act.
Then again, the punishment by the old Act could net be awarded
except by two Justices. By this modern Act, it may be applied•
at the discretion of only one Justice to the emoted of thirty-nine
babes. By the old Act, the slave was punished if be Waved in-
solently to five or more white persons. By this Aci, be le punished
for insolent language or gestures to or of any white lemon. Then?
Were is another serious alteration made by them. The slave Is to
be punished, not only for negligently or improperly driving; bet
abe for "any other disorderly conduct or misbehaviour."—
There cannot be any thing more utterly vague and uncertain.
Who is to decide what is any disorderly conduct or misbehaviour?
There is a Clans' in the Act also relative to the murdering of a
shire, which well deserves the attention of the House. It is enacted,
that if any person kill a slave by accident, he shall pay the value to
.the owner : " but liany slave shall hereafter be 'killed while com-
mitting or attempting to commit any robbery or the** in the act of
breaking at night into any house, out-houseon-uhifihbovise, or in
the act of setting fire, either at night or in the.4ay.simo, to any
house, out-house, or negro-house, canes, stack' otrematraels, cane-
tops, corn stalks, pea-trees, or cotton-wood, or etellytof dry fuel, or
piles of timber, or while maliciously setting Archie's:pave:Cy gamy
:value, or in the attempt to maim or injure any white person, the
person or persons killing any such slave, shall not be minishei for
the same either criminally or otherwise." So that under this
.cierse, if a white man can set up any appearance of any of the
acts enumerated being committed by a slave, be may, kill him
under the pretence of any such acts, without toe slightest danger of
being criminally or otherwise prosecuted ! Then, if any white
person maimed, mutilated, or dismembered a slave, be was to be
punished for suck offence, by fine er imprisonment, or at discre-
tion ' • so that this is all that hat been done for the slaves, ender
sack circumstances, by as Act passed not much above half a year
ago. Now, let It be observed, that there is no minimum of fine or
imprisonment; so that the fine may be use shilling, aid the
imprisonment one day. Whereas, when a white man killed a
slave upon any pretence of robbery, or attempt at robbery; or the
commission, or attempt at committing, or supposed attempt at
centmitting a variety of offences, he is not to be prosecuted crimi-
nally or otherwise. Then there is a clause enacting, " That if any.
person shall hereafter commit any wanton act or acts towards any
alive, or if the same be committed by his direction or order, or with
Ms or her order, privity or consent; or shall wantonly. and„
malidoudy and cruelly whip, beat, or bruise any slim or
loss; or shall suffer, permit. cause, or . procure. the same to
Ise done, whether such slave or slaves 'may or may not belong
to him, such person shall be summoned before any . two or
math Justices of the Peace to answer for the offence ; and
such Justices of the Peace are hereby ordered and . empowered,
on conviction.tbereof, to impose a penalty on the person so offend.
ing, not exceeding odt. according to the nature of the offence ; and
then the Justices are and required to summon the parties
before them, and ermine into the case; and if the accusation should
appear to be well founded, they arc to proceed to fine the accused
in this 231." So that the slaves may be bruised, or in any way
cruelly used—they may be maimed, wounded, their birdies may be
cut in pieces—they may be so bruised as to make them miserable
for We; and yet, tiniest any thing is dons that may extend to t4life of the sufferer, the guilty person escapes with only these weembel
poultice. There is still another clause of this Act, to width I Whit
the attention of the House. I mean the demist which la lis
." that if any slave shall hear any ether slaves speebbemap
floodlit: to mutiny, insurrection, or rebellion, or know otbis, honor
their having in possession, or concealed, any gunpowder, wee.
like, or mischievous weapon, fur the purposes of lesnmesise
or rebellion, and shall not immediately disclose or disemer the
same to his or her owner, proprietor, or possessor, or to. seine
Justice or Representative, every such slave shall, upon emir&
don thereof, suffer death without benefit of clergy, trainman.
tion, or any other • punishment, as the Court beihre whom
such offender may be tried sbeU think &AG inflict." I bos
'leech the House to consider these words—" any slave heathy
another speaking words tending to mutiny." Why, what could
slave know of the meaning of teiniisigo sesilins ? It =ma be es.
tremely difficult for any one to say what may be the words which
might be considered as tending to mutiny. But what judg
could a slave be expected to form on such a questioo ? &opposing he
knew another slave to have warlike weapons in his possession,, how
could he judge whether such weapons were kept for purposes
rebellion er ineurrection 1 I beg.t bat my Noble and Lamed Friends
(Lord Nugent and Mr. &Arlen were talking together) will attend
to me (a laugh), for the matter is well worthy their attention. Let
them only think of the fact of its being one of the provisions of this
recent Act, that if a slave did not discover words. spoken by
others haring a tendency is itutiay, he might be undetected to
suffer death without benefit of Clergy, or be transported, or
suffer such other punishment as the Court chose to inflict.—
This, and many other provisions of the Act, are monstrously vague
and uncertain ; and, from the mode in which they are worded,
hardly afacd the slave any, protecdun whatsoever, and yet it is said
by one party that much has been done by the Colonial Legisla-
tures. We send out front this country certain iostructions one of
which is to:imp:eve the mural and religious habits of the people.
4low, we say that nothing will be done, at least that nothing has
been done and then a section or a Barbadoes Act is produced to us,.
which, 1 lead to beoseitinessardie, the Act efJ 796,without the alight
possible change in the enacting part, and only differing in the p
amble. I new come to the sth clause of the Act to suspend the
Art foe restriming the manumission-of slaves; and in referring as
this part of the subject I beg to call the attention of the House
a Return, signed " J. Nesbitt, Secretary to the Bahamas.' This.
Return was dated later in which they. will And that. Gimehilieler
state that no tax or fine was imposed for niantnoisalan ; socks BIRO
these Giodensca take credit to themselves for a clauee.to sera •

tax which, in fact. had no Matinee In ISte—(Hear).—And this is
the AM to _which I am referred es demonstrating the good which
he. been efirveted—(Hear, hear) —The* regulation respecting the
sfuentem of ponfthment is a repetition, in so many words. of the
Act passed at du liehavamio 1796, containing simply an alteration
for sobstituting psivate punishment for public chasti.ement in the
'Who( females. ID the papers Which bad been last presented ter
die House there were various passages referring to the beads of the
*dens Resolutions-contained in the Orders in Council, containing,
amongst other things, the prohibition of putting round the necks of
slaves au instrument of torture, and various other previsions of
that nature, every one of which was to be found in Acts of
an ancient date. Now it had been said, that in Tobago, Sunday
allerkets had been abolished ; it is quite true they are, but that
ID the only Island in which this improvement has taken place.
bl Jamaica the market is kept open till ten o'clock in the morning
;loin other islands the practice has been indifferently modified—but
Tobago is the only island in which the Sunday market has been
abolished. And here, be it remembered, that even in Tobago no
provision has.heen nude for giving the slaves another day, as a sob-
Istituto for Sunday, to work in the provision grounds, and yet they
were encouraged, if not prohibited from working on the Sunday.
Now this is very material ; for you do the slave a positive injury. un-
less you give him a day in lieu of the Sunday, to abstain from
working; on which day you encourage him. He had formerly
eighteen additional days, and the only substitute you propose is,
the addition of ten days. But formerly he had fifty-two days and
eighteen besides, and by your regulation of discouraging work on
Sunday, he will be a loser of 42 days; and when this is the case, it
Is ridiculous for you to think he will listen to your admonitions, or
hearken to any attempt to discourage him from working on Sunday
(hear, hear). Now with respect to the admission of slave eel.
deuce, it has been proved, that in case no free persons can be pro-
duced
in the cases of murder or miyheim,slave testimony is to lie ad-
mitted, that is to say, the evidence of two slaves will be admitted. if
their statement be consistent. Now, in order to put the House in
possession of the temper displayed by the Colonial Legislatures, I
beg to call the attention of the House to the language used by that
of Tobago, in which they state, " We have yielded rather from a
desire to comply with the instructions which have been sent out,
then from a conviction that those instructions will lead to any im-
provement in the condition of the slaves. But we most respectfully,
and at the same time, firmly declare, that when these points are
tarried, coneession will then have reached its uttermost." Here,
then, we set how far they are disposed to go. They have stated
their u/ttesetuns. No consideration, say they, would Induce them
to go further, or fritter away, or tamper with the rights of property,
which they considered to rest on as solid a foundation as property
in England. So that here we find the very utmost point to which
they will go is to reject any material provision contnioed in the
Orders in Council, and only adopt that which is wholly nugatory,
with the single exception of the slight provision I have men-
tioned for the admissibility of slave evidence. Now it has-
been said that Grenada, Dominica, and St. Vincent are the
islands in which the • most good has been effected; bat I
contend that nothing has been done in those islands. Now, St.
-Vincent is said to have been foremost in carrying into effect the
'Orders In Council. The Honourable Member opposite (Mr. W.
Horton) seems to doubt that the West Indian interests have ever
declared that they have produced much good; but he should be
happy to hear the contradiction from themselves. In folio 76 of
the last papers but one laid on the table, the House will find the
address of the Speaker of the House of Assembly of St. Vincent to
the Governor, in which be states. * I am happy to inform .your
Eleellency, that a Bill has been read a second time, the object of
which is to render slave evidence admissible in all criminal matters
on the basis of the Trinidad Orders, in order that we may go to the
full extent of those in England, who have the full interest of the
Colowiee at heart." Now, I contend there is nothing in those new
provisions at all to correspond with the Trinidad Orders; and yet'
this is the uttermost verge to which these Gentlemen will proceed
to conciliate the good will of this House, having, in fact, mutilated
and almost frustrated the Orders In Council. Now, with respect
to the driving system, it has been provided, that no driver shall
use such an instrument as a cart whip, by way of emblem of his
authority: This prohibition, be it remembered, was confined to
slaves, and to one instrument, called the cart whip. So that, accord-
ing to the regulation, they might carry any other instrument oe
weapon, unites it happened to be what la called &cart whip. This
observation applied to the Grenada and Dominica Legislatures.—
Now, there was no prohibition whatever against the cat, such as
was used in the army; that might be carried by the drivers, either.
as a stimulus to labour, or an emblem of authority—(Hear.) But I
shall state to the House what has been done with respect to slave
evidence.. It is competent to admit the testimony of a slave,
providetthe be deli baptized, and that two slaves be produced,
who are examined, one out of the hearing of the other, and who
saucer in the same story. He is then admissible as a witness,
except &pink the overseer, and this exception renders the whole
thing futile ; for It la to make them competent witnesses against
the overseer principally that the privilege was conferred. So that,
as far as regards the driving or the slave evidence, the spirit
of the Orders in Connell had sot been carried into execution.
AU thatthey have done is only deceptious in itself, and done, too,
with the view of deceiving the Parliament and the people of this
country. Sir, I shall not pursue any further the details of this
subject ; but, if I do 'not, I trust my abstaining will bet be imputed
`to my fear that I cannot substantiate all the e rps against the
' West Indian Legislatures. It is my firm op p ion, that the
t a
act of repeating to the Colonial Legislatures, hat we have air ady
told them in language sufficiently intelligible, or of sending ack
to them those Resolutions we have before adopted, unless ao.
compels): them with something more definite and prempto , will
net only be doing no good, but will actually be making had one.
Sir, I have the greater confidence in proposing to you the nt
Resolution, since I think that by adopting it you will be under.
taking nothing new; but will merely be adopting the observation
made by Lord Bathurst to the Colonial Legislatures, when he said
Wilma% " If you allow another year to pass away, another Session
.to expire, and content yourselves with merely making another pro-
mise—l cannot answer what may be the effect produced en the
meeting of Parliament next year." Slr, that is what the Noble
kWh*. hi effect said to these Colonists; and now that all the As-
flagibliss have met—that at all of them our Resolution has been
amiiklered, and this threat (so to call it, or this warning, if thatword
lii'More agreeable) has been laid before them, and still nothing has
he done—for what has been done, is, in truth. nothing, or worse
the. nothing—l say, Sir, after all these events have takes place,
shall we go on again In the sense course we have before pursued ?
I do, therefore, entertain a most sanguine hope that a considerable
majority, or, if possible, the unanimous vote of the Members of
dB, House will support their own consistency, and pass this Reso-
lution. If they do, and if this Resolution then goes out to the West
iwiles, palm's* a different course may be pulsed; or if not, I
shall say that Parliament will have next Session, on every account,
and especially on their own forbearance, their extreme forbearance,
to do that which, unless it is done by Parliament. I fear will
never be done. I shall, therefore, move a liasolndret to this
effect—" That this House has observed with the deepest regret
that nothing effectual has been done in the Legislative Assem-
bles of the Colonies in the West Indies, in compliance
with the declared wishes of Government, and of the Resolution
of this, House passed on the 15th of May, -1125, touching the
etindition of the Slaves; and this Douse, therefore, pledges
itself, early in the nest Session, to take into its most serious
consideration such measures as may he necessary to give effect to
the" said Resolution." I have moved the Resolution pledging the
Home to proceed on this matter next Session ; first, because it is
go late to undertake any definite measure now. And secondly,
became, although I have anything but a sanguine hope that the
Colonists will do anything effectual before Parliament meet again,
I tun yet willing to try the experiment once more, and after that
time I think it will because an absolute and Indispensable duct of
Parliament, should that experiment again fall, to adeitt some mea-
sures for enforcing their own Resolution—(Hear, hear, hear).
Lord NUGENT seconded the Resolution.

Mr.-WILMOT-HORTON trusted that, after the
very long details into which the Honourable and
Leained Gentleman opposite had gone, the House
Would'indtilge him in making those statements which
his duty imposed upon him, not perhaps in contradic-
tion to the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, but for the
purpose of placing the subject in a different point of
view. The Hon. Gentleman here read the proposed
Resolution ; and then observed, that if the House wsa
not already pledged to pursue a particular line of con-
duct, that Resolution might be necessary—if they had
not specifically marked out their plan, and if it was not
'mown that Government were now about to adopt cer-
tain definite measures to enforce the observance of
their orders, the House might accept the Resolution as
one which was called for by circumstances. but when
these things were known the case was different, and
they would, it they thought with him that the Resolu-
tion Was entirely superfluous and unnecessary, reject it
au such. That Resolution, in fact, appeared to him as
an isdirectwed covert MAIM upon Government; as a

!declaration that all which Government had 'hitherto

dale was at best but idle and useless, and. could lotde.
ierest the commendation of the country. • He Intel dm
it had long ago been said, the Colonies had • sheivn a
pith of contumacious obstinacy in their conduct." That
opinion he had always opposed, and he beggedv say
that he did not at all concur with it, even at the present
moment. He Would appeal to the House, and trot only
to them but to the country at large, to say, whether
other motives beyond those of obstin icy might:bin be
discovered for the conduct of the Colonial Leg sla-
tures ? He asked whether there was any man who did
not see tfiat they had been retarded in their legislation
by the belief that the measures which this House had

recommended would be destructive to their interests?

Whether that opinion was correct or not, was not now
the question ; but when it was meant to spew that the
Colonists were actuated by the absolute loveof slavery,
he thought he could 'hew that the statement was un-
founded, and that their hesitation arose from the belief

that the measures which in reality were recommended
by the humanity of the House, were such as would be at-
tended with the ruin of all the parties concerned. He
would not say actually chat the mistaken love of slavery
might not have some effect on their minds, but still he
was certain that it was not the only, or even the prin-
cipal motive of their conduct. In proportion as e.,e
Colonists were freed from that error, the liberal opinions
of this House would gain ground in the West Indies,
and in the same proportion would be the confidence
with which he should look for a relaxation of their
measures. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman had corn-.
plimented the Trinidad Order in Council, and certainly
it was calculated to elevate the slaves, in a moral p int
of view ; and he thought it must have had a beneficial
effect as well on the masters as the slaves. He begge.l
to say, that though the colonial legislatures had been
accused-of slowness, they had not in fact been more
slow in agreeing to the propriety of the principle of ad-
mitting slaves, than this House had been. The tenor of
the Trinidad Order was, to make • the protector of the
slaves responsible for the working of the system, he
having the power of enforcing the law. He thought it
would be little better than an insult to the owners of
slaves to lay it dewh as a principle, that they were in-
sensible to the benefits' that might be conferred on the
slaves whom they possessed. The Hon. Gentleman
then went into a detail of the changes which had been •
effected in the amelioration of the condition of the
slaves, and declared that the free use of the Seriday had
been so long withheld from them solely from the opinion
that until they had been instructed it would be inexpe-
dient to give them one whole day to themselves. The
Hon. and Learned Gentleman had complained that
the Negroes were not afforded the proper means for
urging complaints which they might have to make
against their masters. Now, upon that point it did seem
to him that it was a mistake to offer to the N,groes a
imams for complainings, where their complaints might
be light and frivolous. With respect to the alteration
of the law in Demerara, he begged to observe that
that Colony formerly belonged to the Dutch, and that
all which was dune there should be, in some measure,
accommodated to the forms of that foreign law which
had been se long in use in that Colony, and beyond this,
that whatever alterations were effected, should be, if
possible, effected by the Colonists themselves, v;hii
ought to be allowed ample odportunity for so doing..
Thealteration which had taken place in Jamaica, as to
the Saturday and Sunday mat kdts, had met with the
approbation of the Duke of Manchester, who, as be was
quoted on other occasions, as an authority, by the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman opposite, most, of course, he
considered of equal authority in the present case. The
principle of manumission, too, bad been carried' into
effect, by compelling the heir, when the last tenant had
manumitted any slaves, to receive an equivalent ;n
money for the loss which his estate might have sus-
tained in consequence of those manumissions. The
Honourable and Learned Gentleman had spok•n of
the unfavourable manner in which the sectarian chi-
cation had been viewed by the slave proprietors;
and had declared, that they supported the Church
Establishment, not so much out of veneration for
religion and religious education, as from a dislike to the sects-
dans. Now, he (Mr.
,Wilmot-Horton) must say, that when the
people of Jamaica saw the nature of the tuition desk out to the
slaves by sectarians, it was not to be wondered at that they shoald
prefer the tuition afforded by the Ministers of the Church of Eng-
land. He was of opinion that the conduct of the Bishop of is-
nuke was deserving of praise ; and that the Assembly of that colony
equally merited credit, for the support which they had afforded to
the Church Establishments formed there. It was impossible sot to
anticipate advantages from their Resolutions. The Hon. Gentle-
man here quoted some expressions from a writer on the Colonies,
who had asserted that their resistance tift the liberal measures of the
• Government would cease as soon as they could be convinced dui
the immediate consequence of those measures would not be the dal-
pression nor the destruction of their property. If any further prepf
than what he had already stated was wanting, it might be found in
the offer which they they had made to Government to evacuate the
Island of Jamaica, if the Parliament would purchase it from them,
with the view to try the experiment of free labour upon it. Ile
thought the House could not debate the present question, without
having regard to what were the opinions of the masters as to the
probable event of making their slaves free. He was convinced that
their resistance was only founded en their fear of the nature of that
event; and if that was the fact, their resistance would be at an cud

'fag soon as they were convinced that their interests and the interests
of humanity went together. The moment they were enlightened
ea
that subject, he should expect frum them a greater liberality of
conduct, and an absence of that obstinacy with which he feared be
must acknowledge their opposition had been too often characterized.
His object was to persuade the House that'the Resolution moved
by the Hen. and Learned. Gentleman was unnecessary, as it would
only pledge the House to do what it was alreadybound to do by a
previous pledge. The Hon. Gentleman then went in detail through
the legislation of the different Islands, for the purpnee of *hewing
that many measures had latterly been passed for the protection and
benefit of the slave. He did not deny the accuracy of the Hun.
and Learned Gentleman's statements; but he contended that there
had been matedal improvements on the preceding legislation of the
Colonial Assemblies, and these improvements were, he thought,
such as to justify the expectation that they would continue progrea.
sively approaching that model wilds Parliament desired to see,a•-
tained. Before he concluded, he file called upon to notice and repel
the personal attack which the Han. and Learned Gentleman bad
made upon him. He denied that he had conducted himself so as
to warrant the charge that be was an uncompromising supporter of
the West India interest in the invidious sense in which the Hon .
and Learned Gentleman had applied, that term to him. The opi.
nions he held he had always freely maintained. and he was w I. ng
that anything he 66d ever said or written should be produced against
him • or that the words he had used in any conversation, whether
confidential or otherwise, should be brought forward, in order to
prove that he had at any time differed from the principle of the
Resolutions of 11211, or the course his Majesty's Government in
their prudence and discretion had pursued. lie challenged any man
chew that he had ever expressed himself otherwise. There was
no mystery as to the views and feelings of Government. The pan- •
ciples by which they were governed bad been clearly and elegssoly
stated by his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Canning). Be opted
that the Hon and Learned "entleman would not for the hum be
so prune to make imputations on his conduct, which neeeseerny
operated very prejud:Cially against him, and implicated' the die.
charge of the duties belonging to the dined= be bold. N sharps
could be more inconvenient to him then that of partisanship, as is
was alleged by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman.
Mr. BROUGHAM disclaimed any intention of imputing par;
deanship to the Hon. Gentlenten. Mast he had said resulted bens
his basis& general y feand the lion. Gentleman the 1110111atiVOSOM
advoemedte Inuit Tads Weser the question among the Mena.
beseech, Adolnlitradan. On it late motion of his 800. Friend