Star.
London, England, 1817-06-26 00:00:00

THR SLAVE TRAtit.

On bringing up the Report of the African Trade Bill,
Mr. J. SM rrH wished to make some observations
on this Report, and on a subject nearly connected
with it. namely, she Slave Trade ; which notwith-
standing all our efforts for its abolition, was carried
on to a greater extent than ever, by some of the Eu-
ropean Powers. The Honourable Member said, he
had received a letter lately from Sir J. Yeo, which
detailed certain facts relative to this trade, from
which it appeared, that this trade was carried on by
Spain and Portugal to a greater extent than at any
former period. The Honourable Member observe&
the Governments of Holland, Sweden, sad France,
had gained to themselves immortal honour by hating
put an end to this trade altogether, so far as related
to their States, whilst Spain and Portugal, those two
countries for which Great Britain had shed her best
blood and expended her treasures, persisted in carry-
ing on this diabolical and detestable traffic, and that
too in a manner which, for cruelty, exceediclany
thing we had formerly heard of; since it appeared
from Sir G. Yeo's,lettet, that in one ,vessel of only
80 tons burthen, no less than GOO miserable wretches
had been stowed, many of whom hai died from the
effect of suffocation. He trusted the House would
not separate without some motion being submitted to
them by an Honourable Friend of his, who had so
frequently distinguished himself on this subject.
Mr. %VILBERFORCE, atter a few observations,
said, be would on Tuesday next submit's motion to
the House on the subject. .
Mr. BARHAM thought, that if his Majesty's
Ministers would exert themselves on this subject, they
might put an end to a commerce so disgraceful to
human nature as this *as, since he was persuaded the
Slave Trade, under whatever colours it might be
cv•rir:i on, was carried oa with British capital. He
tvas c,f • pinion, had the big which he had bad the
bloom or submitting to Olt: Louse been adopted, the
rra;.S. warilri have been stn t.
Itgp. etitlirm4k4nnch in iminises wish Ids
Hothutt.44c ac to the effect which his Bill
would have had. 1!.. lioeuurable Friend's Bill was
to prevent this country trading with any Colony
which purchased Slaves. Had this Bill been adopt-
ed, it would have had the effect of throwing the
trade of those Colonies into the hands of others out
of our own, as had been the case 'with the General
Slave Trade of the world. He was as inimical to'
the Slave Trade as his Honourable Friend, or any
man could be, and he hoped that his Majesty's Mini-
sters would endeavour to bring forward some measure
which would effectually put an end to this, disgrace-
ful traffic, an object which his Honourable Friend's'
Bill would not have effected.
Lord CASTLEREAGH assured the Honourable
Gentleman, that this subject had engaged the atten-
tion of his Majesty's Ministers, and given them more
pain add labour than any other which hid come tin-
der their consideratioa. As his Honourable Friend
(Mr. Wilberforce) had, however, given notice of a
motion on tile, subject, he should retrain boon enter-
ing further into it at present.
The Report was received arid ordered to be printed.