Star.
London, England, 1819-06-12 00:00:00

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1V

FOREIGN MAST/41NT BILL. ••
Lord CASTLEREAGH moved the Ordei of the
Day for carrying up the Report of this Bill.
Mr. BROGDEN bilought up the Report. On the
question that it be read, Sir ROBERT WILSON rose, but
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that he did not wish
to prevent discusoiOn in the present stage of the Bill,
and only interrupted the Gallant Officer to say, that
as some Amendments had been made in the Com-
mittee, he meant to move, that the Bill, as amended,
be printed, to give opportunity for consideration
before a full discussion.
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH said, that it would
be certainly very convenient to have time to consider
the amenditients. At the same time there was nothing
to prevent-any Honourable Member, on this occasion,
from discussing the general subject of the BilL
Lord CASTLEREAGH agreed that there was
nothing to prevent such a discussion at present.
Sir ROBERT WILSON said, his observations
would apply merely to the details of the Bill. •
Mr. DENMAN said, he thought that it would be
found necessary to recommit the Bill.
Mr. MARRYAT said a few words in confirmation
of some facts he had advanced on the former night.
The Noble Lord had denied the Thanksgiving in.
Spain for the removal of Heretics, but he (Mr. Mar-
ryat) insisted that the fact was so ; and he would re-
ply to the Noble Lord, in the words of Hamlet—
" There are more things in Heaven and Ratth, Horatio,
" Than are dreamt of in your philosophy !"—(Hear, Hear.)
The Honourable Member then shortly adverted to
the reprehensible conduct of some of the Autho-
rities in Trinidad, and to the massacre committed by
General Morillo t that massacre had undoubtedly
taken place under circumstances of the utmost cru-
elty ; but he could not give up his authorities lest the
most dreadful consequences should follow upon the
individuals. The fact was confirmed on British,
French, and Spanish evidence ; and in that part of
the world the barbarous fact was as well known as
the Battle of Waterloo was here. He produced the
original Petition to the Governor, which had been
refused. He now, therefore, called upon the Noble
Lord to declare whether the instructions of Govern-
ment to Sir R. Woodford were such as to prevent
him from admitting well conducted persons in dis-
tress? In refusing an asylum to the fugitives, he
had signed their death-warrant, and had incurred a
dreadful responsibility, if he were not authorised
from Ministers. The Honourable Member objected
very strongly to the continuance of the Spanish laws
in the British Colony of Trinidad. In 1797 it had
been censured by Mr. Pitt, and in 1304 Lord Hol-
land had reco:nmended to General Picton to intro-
duce as much of the British system into the country
as possible. The government of the Spanish Autho-
rities had excited the execration of all mankind ; yet
not only by this Bill was it to be continued to afflict
the South Americans, but by the consent of Ministers
it was continued in our own Colonies.

Lord CASTLEREAGH said, that the ingenuity
of the Honourable Gentleman seemed as if he had
taken the opportunity, which his opposition to his
Bill afforded, of expressing his opinions upon a case
is which he had been long engaged—nainely, whe-
ther Tiiiii‘lid should have a Constitution or not?
and also with a crimicisi..4.: .46...-s-....cainst Governor
Woodford. He had on a former occasion mentioned,
that Governor Woodford had not only favoure I the
Royalists, but absolutely shut the port against a
number of persons who had sought there an asylum
from persecution ; and that the consequence was,
they were all murdered, and that the shores for some
miles were whitened with their bones. Now, he
(Lord Castlereagh) had before replied to this what
he begged again to repeat, that not only had the port
not been shut, but that the persons alluded to had all
been well received to the number of 3000 and up-
wards, their Chief most hospitably entertained, and
some Royalist vessels which were then in the har-
bour were prevented from following sonic others
which had put to sea ; and this was done to prevent
any breach of that strict neutrality which it was de-
termined to keep up. This he (Lord Castlereagh)
had before stated to he the fact, but the Honourable
Gentleman had, nevertheless, brought up his charge
again. As to the circumstance of Governor Wood-
ford's not allowing a particular individual to remain
on the Island, he could not exactly state what his in-
structions were on this subject ; but the case was
quite a different one from that of not affording an
asylum to persons who had fled thither for their lives.
The Honourable Gentleman had said, that not only
was there not neutrality observed, but that the con-
duct towards the Insurgents was barbarous. This he
Irttsst beg to deny ; no such conduct as that which
lad been alluded to had taken place. With respect
t.) the circumstance of thanks having been ordered in
Spain, on the departure of the British troops, for its
having been purged from heretics, he should, after the
tory which he had before heard, and which he had
known not to be the fict. give it but little credit ;
but if there were any such thallogiving, it was, he
rather thought, for having got rid of the French, not
the English.
• Sir M.W. RIDLEY observed, that the conduct of
Governor Woodford would be found, upon the most
strict inquiry, to have been such as no objection
wonli be made to. He (Governor Woodford) had on
every occasion conducted himself in the most impar-
tral and honourable manner.
_ _ _

Mr. GOULBURN said, that the Honourable Ba-
ronet had only anticipated him by a moment in ex-
pressing the same sentiments of GovernorWoodford's
conduct, which had throughout been dictated by
most honourable and impartial principles.
The Report was then read, and • some of the
Amendments were agreed to.
Upon the reading of another clause, and an Amend-
ment to it being moved by the SOLICITOR GENERAL,
Alderman WAITHM AN said, the Bill appeared
to him by these clauses to be quite a new and a diffe-
lent Bill fiom that first brought in, and what was
worse, it was even still more objectionable.
Lord MILTON agreed in this opinion.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, he wished the Bill
printed, when its intentions and objects would
, to be completely understood.
GRANT thought the Bill was nothing else
new translation of a Spanish manuscript
not well understood.
„. W. RIDLEY said, if the Bill was printed it
be primed ia4Spanisb, as its fit commentator.

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