Star.
London, England, 1821-02-07 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE.

Mr. W. SMITH said, that as he anticipated nb
opposition to his motion, he should forbear troubling
the House at any length. It would be in their recol-
lection, that it was now fourteen years since this
country had, by an Act of the Legislature, got rid of
the shame and crime that attached to the Slave Trade.
This step was followed by an attempt to procure the
acquiescence of the other Powers of Europe, and it
was obtained through the interference of the Noble
Lord opposite, at the peace of 1815. The Emperor
of Russia had taken a conspicuous part in the promo-
tion of this benevolent design, and the friends of the
abolition of the Slave Trade had every reason to be
grateful to a Noble Duke, whose splendid services in
the profession which he so much adorned would ever
be alive in the hearts of the People of England, for
his zeal and activity towards the same humane end.
However, it was a problem yet to be solved, how,
every Power in Europe having declared that " the
Slave Trade was contrary to all the principles of ha.
manity and universal morality, and that the triumph
over it was one of the greatest monuments of the pre-
sent age"—how, after this, it should come to pass,
that the friend* of the abolition of that Trade in Eng-
land should have to complain of the want of co-ope-
ration of these very Powers. It was once looked upon
as oneof the chief objections to the abolition of this
Trade, that it would be useless for England to at-
tempt it without the concurrence of the other Euro-
pean Powers, and that that concurrence it would be
impossible to obtain. But England did get them to
join in professions indeed, but not in any effective co-
operation. Denmark had indeed co-operated; Ame-
rica had joined heart and hand with us, even re-
cently that country had prohibited any inhabitant of
the Missouri territory from remaining in the Union,
as long as the Slave Trade was permitted to be car-
ried on in that country. But, unhappily, it did ap-
pear that the Trade of France, Spain, and Portugal
was carried on on the coast of Africa, called the Gold
Coast and the Ivory Coast, to a degree that would
make the heart shudder—in fact, to an extent equal
to, if not beyond, what it was before, and in a man-
ner more disgraceful to those respective countries
than the share which England once had in it was dis-
graceful to her. He thought it justice to say, that in
France there were many enlightened persons who
were hostile to the continuance of the abominable
traffic • and he believed the co-operation of the pre-
sent Representative of that kingdom in this country,
for the purpose of abolishing it effectually, might be
fully relied on. It was right to state, ttiat there were
many difficulties opposing the complete execution of
all the benevolent wishes by which the English Go-
vernment was guided in this branch of its policy, and
among these was the difficulty of procuring the as-
sent of France to a Treaty conferring a right of
mutual search. The Papers which he would now
move for, he had no doubt, would develope a scene
that would shew the necessity of the utmost activity,
and would stimulate the other Powers of Europe to
carry into effect their promises of co-operation. He
then moved for a variety of Papers, containing the
Correspondence between the Officers of the British
Government employed to carry into effect the Laws
for the suppression of the Slave Trade, and those of
the Governments of France, Spain, and Portugal,
on the subject of the Treaties for the abolition of the
Slave Trade, by this Government, with those Powers
respectively, and on the manner in which those Trea-
ties had been carried into effect.
Mr. WILBERFORCE rose to second the motion.
As it was his intention to address the House on an-
other subject that evening—(Hear, hear)--he would
now content himself with observing that he fully con-
curred in every sentiment expressed by his Honour-
able Friend as to the necessity of using the utmost ac-
tivity to carry into effect the benevolent schemes we
had set on foot, without which all our labours and
expense would be but thrown away.
Lord CASTLEREAGH assured the House, that
nothing was left undone by Government towards the
accomplishment of an object which had been so long
the subject' of the most anxious attention of Parlia-
ment. It was satisfactory to state, that every means
were employed by them for that purpose. At the
same time, he would wish to impress upon them that
all the weight and encouragement that Government
could give, would still be comparatively inefficient
without the constant vigilance of Parliament—
(Hear, hear). It had been truly observed, that there
were many difficulties in the way of carrying into ef-
fect their great design; but it would be the care of
Government to put the House in possession of these
difficulties from time to time, as well as to lend their
best assistance to find out and apply a remedy. It
was not his intention to follow the Honourable Mere-
her in the course of his observations, as a better op-
portunity would be open to them, when the House
was in possession of the documents just moved for.
The Papers were ordered.
EXTENTS IN AID.

On the motion of Mr. W. SMITH, an Account was ordered
of all Extents in Aid issued daring the year ending Dec. 1820;
and copies of the Affidavits upon which the same were issued.

COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY.

On the motion of theCH A N CELLORof theEXCHEQUER,
the Order of the Day for receiving the Report of the Committee
of Supply, was read.
Mr. CREEVEY said, he did not rise to oppose the bringing
up of the Report, but to state that his opinion remained rural-
tared as to the impropriety of calling on the House to vote for
so large a sum as had been just voted away without the Esti-
mates. As he had given a notice upon the subject, he would
not take up the time of the House any longer.
Mr. HUME asked if the House was to expect, agreeably to
what was held out in the sixth Report of the Committee on the
Navy Estimates, an Account of the diminution (if any) which
had taken place from year to year in the Navy expenses?
Sir B. MARTIN said, that the Estimates would be before
the House, and that whatever alteration was nude, might be
ascertained by a comparison.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the
Estimates of the present year would chew some reduction in the
expenditure of that department.

Mr. HUME asked if it was true that any orders kad been
issued for the reduction of the wages of the working classes in
the Duck-yauls, and if the pay of the inferior Mere had also
been reduced?

- ,
Sir Ii MARTIN said, that It was true orders had been issued
for reducing the time of working, but no more. The men were
now to work by task ; so that, limiting the time of employment
was, In effect, productive of a saving to the Public.
Mr. II UNlli could not concur with the Honourable Gentle-
man, that this arrangement was by any means so economical as
be seemed to suppose. . . _

The Report was then brought up, and the Resolutions were
. .
agreed to.
Mr. HUME, adverting to a sum iu one of the Resolutions,
asked from what source it was expected to •bsi derived? It

centempbted the ezhter ee of arrears of Tares. Now. it was
desirable to know, specifically, what Tales were is wear. and
what was the amount of that attar. in order that the Howe
might see how far the Accounts of the year were balanced.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed,
that the information sought for by the Honourable Gentlemen
would be found fully detailed in the body of the Estimates,
but that, if he wished for a separate account, he would have
no difficulty in making it out.