The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-05-29 00:00:00

vices Would not materially affect the balance of imports
and-exports. The great success of the fisheries would
r'ealise (Or the colony a very large sum. It is said that
the fisheries would be conducted the next season on
a scale, and carried on with a spirit, which would render
them still more productive of benefit to the colonists -of
Van Dieman's Land. The reports from the interior; as
respects the crops, were highly gratifying, the late rains
which had been experienced having been most season-
able and beneficial. The country never appeared more
beautiful nor the crops more promising.

• CAPE OF GOoi§ HOPE.—Papers have been received
from the Cape of Good Hope to the 25th of March. An
attack had been made upon the Trek Boers, a party of
Dutch settlers, whO removed from Beaufort, on the east-
ern frontiers, to Port Natal, by some Caffres, under a
chief named Dingoan, and that.27s, including 59 men,
under the command of a Dutchman, named Reteif, were
killed by them. A party under another Dutchman, called
Martiz, had gone in pursuit of the treacherous natives,
but the communication, which is dated frodi Colesberg,
.near Natal, expresses a fear that it will be a complete
blow to that settlement.

DANISH CLAINP.-Mr. Cresswell brought forward his
promised motion on this subject on Thursday last, and
gained a victory over the ministry which must be hailed
With satisfaction by the shipping and mercantile inte-
rests generally. The purport of Mr. Cresswell's mo-
tion was, that an address be presented to the Queen
praying her Majesty to direct the commissioners em-
ployed to examine the claims of persons for losses on
account of "book debts" and "goods ashore" in 1807,
to examine also the claims of persons who suffered losses
by the seizure of ships and cargoes by the Danish go-
vernment in the same year, and to report on such claims
to the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury.
The majority obtained on this Motion amounts to a par-
liamentary recognition of the rights of the claimants.
The house decided in favour of the claims by a majority
of 113 to 81. This affords another proof that the pre-
sent ministry have any thing but a "good working ma-
jority" in the House of Commons, as has been ostenta-
tiously boasted of by the whig-radical press of the
country.

By this decision a tardy act of justice has been done
at length to a large body of British merchants, who have
suffered from the reprisals of the Danish government, in
retaliation for our attack upon the fleet and capital of
Denmark. In consequence of the decision to which the
house has thus arrived measures will probably be taken
for an early liquidation of those claims. The little
waspish being, who is dignified with the title of Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, took occasion to stale "that he
should take no further responsibility on the question"—
a remark which naturally excited a smile on the counte-
nances of the gentlemen on the opposition benches. If
he is prepared to " take no further responsibility" on
this. question, the public will demand why he is ent rusted
with any " responsibility" whatever connected with the
expenditure of the public money. As the Spectator for-
cibly remarks, " if he refuses to take responsibility on
such questions, it is high time that he were discharged
for neglect of duty.'!

NRGRO APPRENTICES.—Never was a ministry placed
in a more contemptible position than are the present
cabinet in reference to the question of the termination of
negro apprenticeship; never I,sas their absolute depen-
dance for official existence on the conservative opposition
made more manifest than during the past week. On
Tuesday last, Sir Eardley Wilmot introduced his motion
for the immediate termination of negro apprenticeship in
British colonies. Several speeches were made in sup-
port of the motion as well as in opposition to it; but
ministers preserved a sullen silence on the occasion.
They were afraid of acting manfully on their own con-
victions. They were forced to look imploringly to the
opposition benches for support ; and when it was found
that the majority had gone against them, they were
forced to a deelaration of the course 'which they intended
to pursue, and Lord John Russell accordingly announced
that it was the intention of government strenuously to
oppose any attempt to make the resolution of the house
effective. As Sir Eardley Wilmot was not prepared to
state the preeise course which he intended to adopt, the
matter was allowed to rest until Friday, when Lord
John Russell stated that on Monday or Tuesday Sir G.
Grey would move resolutions to the following effect :-

" My honourable friend will propose, in the first place, that
the resolution proposed by the hon. member for 'Yorkshire (Sir
Geo. Strieklaild) and the decision of the house on that occasion,
shall be read, and likewise tfie resolution of the hon. hart. oppo-
site (Sir
.E. \Vilmot.) Then he will propose, in order to prevent
the injurious-consequences which may follow from the intentions
of parliament being left in doubt, and in order to maintain the
peace and welfare of the colonies, that it is necessary to declare,
that in the opinion of this house it is not advisable to adopt any
proceedings for the purpose of giving effect to the resolution of
May 22; and, secondly, that this house declares its opinion that
every measure which can tend to secure the negro population
the privileges secured to them under the act for the a6olilion of
slavery ought to be adopted and, further, that the most anxious
attention of this house shall be directed to strengthen the , con-
dition of the negro population, when the expiration of the term
of apprenticeship shall have entitled them to the full enjoyment
of freedom."

Though there is no doubt that. Sir George Grey will
obtain a majority on the introduction of these resolutions,
it cannot be denied that much harm has been done by
the vote of Tuesday evening. The effect of that vote
will be setn, we fear, in the insubordinate conduct of the
negro apprentices during the remainder of the term of
their servitude. There will not be wanting those who
will take care to inform them that " a British House of
Commons has deliberately pronounced their unconditional
freedom on the first of August next." Nor will there be
wanting parties IV will endeavour to make that im-
prudent decision a 'handle for exciting feelings of dis-
affection among the negro population. It is not, there-
fore, difficult to foresee the consequences which may re-
sult from the imbecility and the cowardice of the govern •
ment, as manifested in their treatment of this question.
The end of the agitators out of doors is fully answered.
They have now a further plea for perambulating the
country to get up " a demonstration" on the subject of
negro slavery. They will take care to render the vole
of Tuesday last an effectual means for annoying the
planters in the West Indies and for instigating the ne
exact--a rightin England
groes to refuse that labour which the former have a right
x
'jns tas
overgreh'i'st apprentices.astiatof any master
tradesman

While treating!olthis subject we cannot refrain from
offering a passing, remark on a charge contained in the
Manchester Guardian of Saturday last, against those
among the conservative party who are advocates for the
immediate cessation 'of the period of apprenticeship.
The Guardian accuses these gentlemen of entertaining
sinister motives, and avers that they pursue the line of
conduct which they have adopted for the single purpose
of embarrassing the ministry. Much as we are opposed
to the object for which these persons are contending
with such earnest and unremitting zeal, we still believe
them to be sincere in their opinions, and that they act in
opposition to the great bulk of the conservative party in
' obedience 'on v to their honest convictions: and, greatly
as we despise the party in whose behalf the Guardian
pleads so earnestly, and heartily as we repudiate the prin-
ciples which the Guardian so perseveringly advocates,
we are nevertheless glad of its aid in resisting a measure
which would be fraught with the greatest injustice to the
planters, as well as certain misery to the apprentices.
Our contemporary will sorely perceive the folly of his
supposition if he will only take the trouble to reflect
that the conservatives, as a party, can gain nothing by
the successful agitation of the question.

BRITISH PROTECTION• OF IDOLATRY IN INDIA.—AII
religious ()pinions, however erroneous, superstitious, or
even enromous in their own character, have a right of
toleration, whether in colonies, or in territories acquired
by conquest. Man is accountable for his sentiments and
conscience, not to his fellow-creatures, but to the Great
LOrd of all, to whom, as his Master in Heaven, lie stand-
eth or failed). The practical workings of those principles
must be repressed when they attempt an inroad upon the
peace of society, or the order of established government;