The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-06-14 00:00:00

Emperial Varlianunt.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY, JUNE 10.
The Marquis o 1 QUEENSBERRY took the oaths and his seat
as Baron Solway. He was introduced by Lords Poltimore and
Say and Sale.

The Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Richmond, and the Mar-
quis of Lansdowne, as Royal commissioners, gave the Royal as-
sent to the Soap Duties' Bill, the Starch Duties' Bill, the Saving
Banks Annuity Bill, and 50 other private bills.
Lord SUFFIELD presented a petition praying for the abolition
of negro slavery from Sutton-upon-Derwent, in 'Yorkshire, and
five other places.
Lord ROSEBERRY presented a petition from the shipowners
of Leith, complaining that the ordinary duties paid in the
ports of this kingdom. on Baltic timber were not paid in the
Isle of Man, and praying. for an alteration of the law thereon.
He also presented a petition from the royal burgh of Dum-
fries, praying for theintroduction of poor laws into Ireland.

. .
LOCAL COURTS JURISDICTION BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR postponed the second reading of
this bill till to-morrow.—Adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, MONDAY, JUNE 10.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 20 min. past 12.
On the motion of Mr. HUME, the St. Luke's Poor Bill was
read a third time and passed.
A considerable number of petitions were presented, and
among them,
Mr. CORBETT presented one from the electors of Sandwich,
having among others the signature of Captain Owen, praying
for the expUlsion of Sir Thomas Troubridge from the house, he
having committed a felony by obtaining appointments in the
navy under false representations ; these consisted of declaring
himself to be 21 years of age, when he could not have been more
than 17. Mr. Cobbett admitted that he knew 'nothing of the
truth of the allegations contained in the petition, which he left
the reformed Parliament to deal with as it thought proper.
Sir I'l-mains Tao ÜBRIDGE said the petition arose out of an
election squabble, and regretted that a captain in the navy
should have lent his name to this petition, knowing- as he did
the merits of the case. He admitted that he hack been pro-
moted early in life, and was proud to say that Lord Nelson,
and many of England's most meritorious officers had been pro-
moted under the same regulations. He had, however, served
his six
.years apprenticeship, and passed all the necessary ex-
aminations before he was made a lieutenant, and, his subsequent
conduct had given satisfaction to his country.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved that the petition be rejected,
which was seconded by Sir Edward Codrington.
Mr. MARRYATT submitted that as the petition contained a
charge of felony, it could not be received on the ground of, for-
mality.
Before the house came to anv decisibti, the clock struck
three, and the Speaker left the chhir.
The SPEAKER resumed the chair at five o'clock. Soon after
which
The Usher of the Black Rod summoned the house to attend
the House of Peers, to hear the royal assent given by coin-
mission to several bills.

On his return, the SPEAKER informed the house of the names
of the bills to which the royal assent had been given.

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

Mr. O'CONINELL asked the Solicitor-General whether he in-
tended to proceed with his notice of motion for a bill to abolish
imprisonment for debt.
The SomciToa.GENEnAL said it was his intention to move
fot leave to brine. in the bill to-morrow. When it should be
laid on the table, it would be for the house to deal with it then ;
but lie would urge it forward as much as he could. There was
great impatience iu the country respecting it.

AFFAIRS OF PORTUGAL.-ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.

Lord ALTHOUP appeared at the bar with the answer of his
Majesty to the address of the house respecting the affairs of
Portugal. his lorsdhip A.ead the answer, which- was to the fol-
lowing effect :
I have received with great satisfaction the expression of
your concurrence in the policy which I have pursued with re-
ference to the affairs of Portugal; and you may be assured that
I shall use all my influence to put an end to the differences
now existing in that unhappy country." (Hear, hear.)

BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS BILL.

Lord J. RUSSELL moved the order of the day for the house
resolving itself into a committee on this bill, for the purpose of
discharging it, in order to move that the bill be referred to a se-
lect committee up stairs.

BRANCH BRANKS OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

Lord ALrilorip moved the order of the day for the house to
resolve itself into a committee of the whole house on the ques-
tion of colonial slavery.
Mr. C. FERGUSSON wished to ask the noble lord whe-
ther Bank of England notes were to be made a legal tender
only in the payment of country bank notes, or whether they
were to be made a legal tender in payments of all kinds, ex-
cept at the Bank of England and its branch banks.
several members on the Treasury bench—" In all cases."
Mr. C. FERGUSSON said that, in that case, he should give
that part of the plari.his most decided opposition.
Coionel PEIWEVAL asked the hon. member for Cork whether
it was his intention to bring on the motion for the repeal of the
union between Great Britain and Ireland?

Mr. F. O'CoN NOR did not know that he was bound to give the
hon. and gallant colonel any further information on the subject
than that which his notice implied, seeing that the day for
which he. had fixed it (the 2dth instant) had not yet arrived.
lie would only say that he had not altered his intention of
bringing it forward on that day.
The order of the day, was then read, and the house went into
a committee on

COLONIAL SLAVERY.

The CHAIRMAN having read the 3d resolution, "That all
persons now slaves be entitled to be registered as apprenticed
labourers, and to acquire thereby all the rights and privileges
of freemen, subject to the restriction of labouring under condi-
tions, and for a time to be fixed by Parliament, for their present
owners."

Mr. F. BUXTON moved that the resolution be rejected. On
a division the numbers were :
For the amendment . . . . 42
Against it . . . . 324

Majority . . . 282
The original resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. STANLEY said, that the main principle of the plan having
now been agreed to, it remained for him to propose that which
was a necessary consideratio n in the introduction of this mea-
sure, and without a preliminary vote for which it would be im-
possible for them to proceed another step towards the abolition
of negro slavery—he meant the compensation which, in justice
and equity, that house was bound, and which he was confident
the country would be ready cheerfully, to pay to those ou whom
they were entailing a necessary loss. In saying this he was
well aware that there were many gentlemen who would be will-
ing enough to pay to the present proprietors of West India pro-
perty, such an amount of compensation as would cover the loss
which they should ultimately be able to prove resulted from this
measure; but in dealing with a question of such importance as
the present, when they were taking away that which, without en-
tering into the question'Of abstract right, which he was unwil-
ling to discuss, by the law of -this country had been recognized
as property,. and gad been made the matter of sale and purchase,
of mcumbrance, mortgage, and family settlement—when they
were dealing with this species of property, which was subject to
the most complicated claims, the amount of which it was almost
impossible to calculate—he did not think they would be- acting
with that liberality which it was incumbent on the house to ex-
hibit in the consideration of a question of such magnitude;
or that they would be successful in doing what it was so
essential they should do during the trial of this great
experiment—inspiring confidence in the owners of West
India property and -those who had claims upon them—if.
they left the maximum amount of compensation as a sub-
ject for future discussion and subsequent arrangement. Tim
value of this property ought to be calculated not simply by
the value of that which was actually taken away. There were
other circumstances connected with it which it was but fair to
take into consideration; such, for instance, as the value of the
land, which was principally created and maintained by slave-
labour ascribed to the soil. If this were a simple question, they
might deal with it differently; but, considering the very small
numerical amount of representation which the West India in-
terest had in that house, though' it must be admitted that they
had at least one able and gifted supporter—considering, also,
the number of claimants on this property, some of whom were
among the most helpless and unprotected class of the cotuum-
nity,—he could not but regard it as a circumstance of great
importance—he did not mean to say of indispensable necessity
—to secure in the execution of the proposed measure the con-
currence, the active co-operation, and the cordial consent, of
those who were connected with that property; fur without that
concurrence and consent it would be a matter of difficulty—not
to put the plan upon paper, but to carry it into practical effect,
without deranging and embarrassing the mercantile specula-
tions of this country. A strong necessity was imposed on that
house to look at this question of money compensation, not iu a
grudging and niggardly, but in a liberal and comprehensive
point of view; (hear, hear,) and if he knew any thing of the
feeling of the people of this. country, he was sure they would not
care whether they paid a little more than the value of the_ pro-
perty iu the way of compensation; but they would 'take into
their consideration the importance of gaining the co-operation
of the West India body, and the risk which, without such co-
operation, must attend the execution of any plan for the abo-
lition of slavery. (Bear.) He had consulted persons well
acquainted with the value of this kind of property, and after the
most minute calculation which they had been enabled to snake
with reference to the extent of human life, and the portion of
the slave's time taken away from the planter's control, and
taking the value of the slaves at the low calculation of £4O per
head, they had arrived at the conclusion that the slave property
n all the colonies was worth £30,000,000 sterling. The value
f the_siave's time which was taken from the proprietor he
ould not value at a lower sum than very nearly £15,000,000
s terling. Admitting for a deterioration in the value of the
slaves during a period of twelve years, and not allowing on
the other hand for the value of the children hereafter to be
born, who, by the proposed plan, would be free,—taking this
most unfavourable view of slave property, he could not reduce
the amount of compensation which the proprietors .were enti-
tled to demand to a lower sum than that lie had just mentioned.
He thought it best to deal frankly with the house, and state
that the reason which induced him and the government to pi °-
pose a larger sum than that which he had just now mentioned,
£15,0U0,000, was this—that all those connected with West
India property, without a single exception, had declared that,
however anxious they might be that the mercantile transactions
should not be deranged, they considered the sum of £15,000,000
perfectly insufficient for the purpose of compensation ; and
that, in the event of such a sum being proposed, they would
feel bound, for the protection of their own property and in-
terests, to abstain from lending their concurrence and assist-
ance in carrying on those mercantile transactions on which the
very existence of the West Indies depended. On the other
hand he had been assured by that body, whose importance it
was impossible to rate too high, that if Parliament would con-
sent to vote £20,(0X),000 to the proprietors as compensation
for the loss of their property, to be subsequently distributed
according to such regulations as Parliament might think fit,
that great interest would give its full concurrence to the govern-
ment plan, and would use any influence it might possess over
the colonial legislatures in order to induce them to co-operate
in the extinction of slavery. ( Hear, hear.) Ile thought it
better to affect no disguise on this subject, but to state frankly
and fairly the grounds on which government proceeded. It
was possible that 1:20,000,(1X) might be inure than an equiva-
lent for the loss sustained by the proprietors ; but with respect
to a
.question of such magnitude, where a difference of £5
only in the average of the value of the slaves would make a differ-
ence on the whole of between £3,000,000 and £4,0(X),000, it
was impossible for the house to come to any very close calcula-
tion. This, however, was certain; that it was &point of great
importance to secure the concurrence of all parties ; and he
believed that the people of this country would not object to the
grant of a larger sum than he originally suggested in the way
of compensation, if by it the plan fir the abolition of slavery
could be safely and peaceably carried into effect. (Hear.) The
right hon. gentleman concluded by moving, that " Towards
the compensation of the West Indian proprietors his Majesty
be enabled to grant a sum not exceeding £20,000,000, to be
appropriated as Parliament may hereafter think fit."
Colonel DAVIES put it to the rig'it hon. gentleman whether
it was fair to proceed with a question of such magnitude at
that hour of the night. In his opinion this sum of £20,000,000
might as well be thrown into the sea, for all the benefit it would

do the West Indian interest. The best way to relieve that in-
terest was to reduce the duty on sugar, and he gave notice of
his intention to move an instruction to the committee on the
bill, 'which would be founded on the present resolutions, to
reduce the duty on sugar to 17s. the
.cwt.
Mr. J. SMITH said he had been in business 40 years, and had
Vest
opportunities of judging of the immense importance of the
West Indian trade. The property of the ~West India proprie-
tors had been greatly depressed. Many who once possessed
immense wealth had now not the means of sending their children
to school; and he knew a lady of rank connected with the West
Indies who had not even bread to eat. lie should therefore
most cheerfully support the proposition of the right honourable
gentleman, not only fur the reason he had just stated, but be-
cause he was told it would secure the co-operation of the West
Indian interest, without which this great and important plan
must fail. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. GISBORNE wished to ask the right hon. secretary if it was
quite fair and reasonable to call upon the committee to agree to
the vote that night ? The right hon. gentleman first came
down and talked of lending £15,000,000; he, in the second
place, said that the right compensation was not to lend, but ab-
solutely to give the £15,000,000; and now, without the slightest
preparation, he said that since the last sitting of the committee
he had discovered that the right compensation was to give the
West Indians £20,000,000. (Hear.) He (Mr. Gisborne) was
not prepared to deal with millions in this hasty way ; he knew
that some members had not expected that this resolution would
come on to-night, and the committee ought not to be called upon,
at that late hour, to decide what ought to be the maximum
amount by, which they would be pledged.
Mr. STANLEY said that, after what had been stated by the
hon. gentleman, and considering the proposition before the
house and the lateness of the hour, he should not press the reso-
lution that night. There was one point, however, he wished to
mention, that, whatever might be the amount of compensation,
no money would be paid to the West India proprietors, or per-
sons connected with that property, till the details of the measure
were carried-into effect by the local legislatures. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress.
Lord ALT Hoar postponed the committee on the Bank charter
acts till Friday.