The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-05-31 00:00:00

GREAT WEST LVDIA MEETING

Un ;Monday oue of the largest Meetings ever witnessed in the
metropolis took place at the City of Loudon Tavern, for. the
purpose of auopting resolutions condemnatory of the plan of
government respecting the emancipation of slaves in the West
Indies, and also for the purpose of forwarding petitions to Par-
liament tbuuded on the said resolutions,.

The meeting was convened for one o'clock, but long before
that hour the great room of the tavern was crowded to excess;
there could not be less than 1,500 persons present. Amongst
those in attendance we noticed—

Marquess of Sligo,
Earl of Selkirk,
Ekirl of Harewood,
Lord Saltoun,
Lord Colville,
Viscount St. Vincent,
Viscount Combennere,

Mr. Barrett,
Mr. Browne,
Sir Alexander Grant, Bart.,
Admiral Sir Robt. Stopford,
Sir Henry Martin, Bart.,
Sir Wm. Cooper, Bart.,
Sir G. Rose,
Sir M. S. Stewart, Bart.,
Sir E. Cust,
Sir J. Rae Reid, BL, M.P.,
Sir By am Martin,
Sir Charles Price,
Mr. Hall Dare, M.P.,
Mr. Gould,
Mr. J. Fuller,
Mr. George Ilibbert,
Mr. W. R. K. Douglas,
P. M. Stewart, Esq.. M.P.,
J. Ewing, Esq., M.P.,
Fitzgerald, Esq., M.P.,
J. Marryat, Esq.,
_M.P.
Geo. F. Young, Esq., M.P.,
R. Godson, Esq., M.P.,
&c. &c.

Lord Reay,
Sir R. Vivian, Bart, M.P.,
Lord William Powiett,
Sir E. East, Bart.,
Sir W. Dalling, Bart.,
Jeremiah Harman, Esq.,
Russell Ellice, Esq.,
Admiral Douglas
Colonel Bentinck,
Hon. W. Lascelles,
Hon. W. Fraser,
Mr. Burge,
Mr. Horsley Palmer,
Gladstone, Esq., M.P.,
Mr. Co!vile,
Mr. Mayers,
Colonelßaillie,
Mr. Hodgson,
On the motion of Sir. A. GRANT, the chair was taken at one
o'clock by the Earl of Harewood.
The CHAtniiAN said, that in appearing again before the gen-
tlemen connected with the West Indies, as chairman of so

respectable a meeting he thought it right .to'preface the few ob-
servations which he had to make by the declaration that he was
in no degree desirous to impede the progress of emancipation
provided that it WAS S accompanied by the justice which every
.I.lritish subject had a right to expect (hear, hear) ; nor would he
be a party to any unnecessary obstruction or delay. ( Hear.)
It was painful to reflect that, notwithstanding the respectability
and numbers of the gentlemen present, they were assembled
not to consider their affairs, but to prevent a gross injustice
from being put upon them, and that their property was not con-
fiscated and spehated. (Hear, hear.) At the first opening of
this question, in what situation were the proprietors of Vi est
India estates placed? They were not only to be deprived of
their property, hut to be saddled with a future burthen which
they were to be prevented from getting rid of by any means.
At present, if a proprietor found his estate and his slaves unpro-
ductive, he could dispcse of them. (Hear, hear.). But the
eoverument proposed to saddle the West India proprietors with
the support of the labourers for 12 years to come. (Hear,
hear.) .Now whatever might be said of the natural right of one
man to property in the person of another, it was not made a
'question that the property of the West Indians was sanctioned
by the laws of this country. And yet be was to be deprived
of his property to satisfy a great clamour that had been
raised m the country. (Hear, hear.) He wished the pee,
pie of England had been fairly dealt with in respect to this
great question. (Hear, hear.) But what was the tact? Why
that a body of gentlemen, probably very conscientious gentle-
men, act in a manner that did not appear to him to be a very
fair or conscientious manner; for petitions were sent from Lon-
don from this body to the towns and villages in the counery,
where they were signed by persons who really knew nothing
of the true state of the question, for this body of gentlemen
iustilied into the minds of the persons who signed the petition,
that the planters preferred staves to free labour, because it
was for their pecuniary advantage to do so. (Hear, hear.)
But they were not told that the planters had not the power to
get rid of their slaves, for to do so would, in many cases, tend
to the ruin and destruction of West India property generally.
Such a course of proceeding on the part of the bode of persons
to whom he had alluded was not fair or just. Then not one
word was said of the various interests connected with West
India property—the settlements, mortgages, annuities, &c. so
immediately mixed up with this property. All these things were
to be got rid of by a stroke of the pen. (Hear, hear.) Nothing
was said to the people of England about the possibility of losing
these colonies, which have ever been considered as the right
arm of England. (Ilear.) Nor were the advantages arising
from the commerce with the colonies brought before them, nor
the possible effect which the measure of emancipation might
have upon our navy. ( Hear.) All these things were kept out
of sight in the most marked manner. This was not treating the
people of England fairly. ( Hear, hear.) He called upon the
people of this country to look to the possible effects of the in-
tended spoliation of West India property. And what was all
this fur? To satisfy a clamour improperly and unfairly raised
in the country against slavery. (Hearehear.) But the tact was
that the spoliation of West India property would only be an ex-
ample to show how easily other property Could be confiscated at
the will of a minister. (Hear, hear.) And why did he say that
this was to he done at the will of a minister? Because the
spoliation which took place in respect to this question was to be
the redemption of indiscreet pledges formerly given. (Heale)
Pledges from which the House of Commons was not free. He
did not know how the House of Commons would vote on the
question, but he feared that a great efl'ort would be made by the
government to carry this measure, for he thought he could see
in the scheme propounded not a little of got eminent patronage.
(Hear.) If the House of Commons pass this measure, what other
branch of the legislature would be allowed to stop it? (Hear.)
The events which happened some short time ago, in respect to
another question, would show that it was not. possible that any
successful opposition could be given to this in another quarter,
if the House of Commons were determined to pass it. ( hoar.)
Before the gentleman, who at present conducted the Colonial
Office, undertook that duty, a correspondence was carried on
between a deputation from the West India body and Lord Go-
derich and Lord Howick, respecting a plan at that time con-
templated by the government; but on the retirement of those
noble lords from the Colonial Office, a new andentirely different
plan was submitted to Parliament by his lordship's. succeseor,
Air. Stanley, without consulting the deputation, notwithstanding
the pledge that the government would take no further steps
without consulting those gentlemen. This plan appeared in the
newspapers, and had also been sent to the West Indies by the
government at the time—as he would take upon himself to de-
clare—when government was not in a situation to carry the plan
into effect. (Hear, hear.) Ile did not say that they would not
endeavour to do so, but he would assert, without fear of contra-
diction, that they could not do so effectually. (Hear, hear.)—
The kind of compensation, too, which was proposed to be given
to the West India Proprietors for the confiscation of their pro-
perty was to be a loan, to be repaid with interest secured upon
estates, which at present produced nothing. (Hear, hear.)—
'l'ruly, the persons who made this offer of alien from the public
purse must suppose, as they asserted, that the West Indians had
no conscience. If they had any conscience,' they couldnot, on
such terms, accept the loan ; though itwere even a free gift, what
was the security to the proprietors that they should receive it ?
If a man were to come to him and ask him to advance 20 mil-
lions of money to meet the wish of government in respect to
this plan, he would naturally inquire how the payment of the
, money was to be guaranteed to him? The answer, no doubt,
woulu be, the faith of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) The faith
of Parliament. he would exclaim—what, that Parliament which,
as the first proof of its eood faith, adopts aplan by which pub-
lic faith is violated—(Fear, hear, )._by which property which
had been sanctioned and confirmed by repeated acts of the
legislature, is to be confiscated. (Hear hear hear.) Away
with such faith ; he would none of it: (dreat applause.)
The noble Chairman, after adverting to one of the details
of the measure, relating to the value torte put on slaves, begged
to make cne remark respecting the protraction of this question.
He must own that for one he was anxious that it should be set •
tied as speedily as possible. ( Hear, hear.) H e feared that most
disastrous consequences would arise to property in the West
Indies by the protraction of the question, and he re,eretted that
governmentdid not seek for information from the West India
body, by which a satisfactory measure could be propounded, and
the interest of all parties attended to and secured. But there
appeared to be an anxiety to avoid the West India body.—
What could this arise Irons ? Surely it was the interest as well
as the wish of all persons connected with the West Indies to
give the best information possible in order that a just and proper
measure might be brought forward upon which the final settle-
ment of this great measure would rest. Ile trusted that they
would yet have an opportunity of assisting to make some ar-
rangement by which this subject should be for ever set at rest.
Keeping this always in mind, that they should not allow their
property to be confiscated, he would conclude by expressing a
hope, that as long as they were anxious that property should be
secure, as long as they were determined to have a right to their
own house, they would resist this dreadful measure of spoliation.
(Tremendous cheering.)
Lord CoetBEIINIEtiE rose to propose the first resolution, and in
doing so said, that after what had-been stated to the meeting by
the noble Chairman, it would be unnecessary for him to enter
into any details in respect to the great question to which the at-
tention of the meeting was called. He would only preface the
reading of the resolution by a few words. He spoke as a sol-
dier, (applause) having some experience in the West Indies,
for as Governor of Barbados lie had many opportunities of wit-
nessing the state of the colonies, and the situation of the slaves,
From this experience and this knowledge he could declare upoe
his honour—that if the plan proposed in Parliament to emanci-
pate the slaves were carried into effect, that the result would be
the certain ruin of the slaves and themselves. (Hear.) How
far this measure would tend to injure millions of peolge here and
elsewhere, he would leave to others to enter into. What he now
stated was upon the authority of his own experience in the West
Indies. (Hear.) The noble lord concluded by reading the first
resolution.—See advertisement.

Sir B. 31.sarix, in seconding the resolution, said that when
he entered the room he had not the slightest expectation of
being called upon to second the motion just made by the noble
lore(Combermere). He, however, felt great satisfaction in
doing so; but before he proceeded further, he thought it right
to say that he possessed no property whatever in the West In-
dies, nor was he connected with any one who had; but then he
had very near and clear friends, whose all were mixed up with
the safe and satisfactory settlement of the subject which brought
that meeting together That day, and he should be ashamed of
himself if he di not come fOrward and lend them a helping
hand when they were placed in difficulties. (Hear.) The ad-
vertisement in the newspapers called upon all persons inte-
rested in the welfare of the British colonies to attend that meet-
ing. As an Englishman he attended that meeting, because the
interests of England were bound up with those of the colonies,
(hear,) and because the revenue which the colonies supplied to
the mother country, if destroyed, could never be replaced.
( Hear.) He was also interested in the fate of the colonies be-
cause he was deeply concerned in the manufactures of this
country. (Hear.) As a naval officer too he was interested in
the fate of the colonies, for the moment we lost our colonies,
that moment we lose our navy. (Hear, hear.) These were
the words of the immortal Nelson—words in which he (Sir B.
Martin) most cordially concurred. He had served at three
different periods in the West Indies, and he could say from his
own knowledge, that the false and scandalous papers put forth
by the Anti-Slavery Society were the most cruel and unjust
things possible. (Hear, hear.) The present measure of eman-
cipation was a clumsy contrivance, and ought not to pass. The
West India proprietors held their property under the same
laws that the people of England held theirs ; the moment that
property s.O protected was violated there could be but little se-
curity for any other' species of property—all would be disputed.
(Hear.) He also saw much peril threatening the shipping in-
terests in the proposed measure of slave emancipation. It was
impossible that tie shipping of this country could bear a greater
pressure than it now laboured under, (hear,) and surely every
means ought to be taken to foster the mercantile navy of this
country, which was the great nursery of the British navy.
(Hear.) The West India proprietors asked only for that se-
curity which they were willing to give to others. (Hear.) In
every case where a bill was introduced into Parliament for the
formation of a railroad or a canal, by which the private pro-
perty of an individrl would be affected, Parliament always
acted with the greatest degree of jealousy, and looked with an
anxious eve to see that the public were not benefited at the ex-
pense of this individual. (Hear.) He only asked Parliament
to adopt a similar course in this particular case. (Hear.) What
right had Parliament to rob men of Their property, which was
inzaire4 to them by the laws of their neuntry? (Ifitar, hear.)