The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-05-13 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE.

Sir A. CAMPBELL presented a petition from certain
West India merchants of Glasgow and Greenock against the
Emancipation of Slaves in the West Indies, and praying that
the question might not now be agitated.—Ordered to lie on
the table, and to be printed.
Sir J. GRAHAM presented a Petition from the in'''.
!Mints of Carlisle, praying for the Abolition of the Slave
Trade.
Sir ISAAC COFFIN.—We have many Petitions lying on
oar table, nine impatient that slavery is not abolished In
the West Indies, others recommending a gradual abolition;
but I see none proposing a compensation to the proprietors
of slaves, or pointing out means for the support of the ne-
groes when they are emancipated. Every Gentlemen ac-
quainted with this subject knows not one island in
-our pos-
session in the West Indies could subsist without a supply of
provisions from Asia or America, which, it is reasonable to
think, they would not coptinue to receive after their liber-
ation. Now two great evils mny be naturally looked for, If
-the prayer of these petitioners is complied with ; the first is,
the total destruction of the white people—the second, the
gradual extermination of the blacks by famine. The exam-
ple of St. Domingo bears me out in the first assertion; and
the known aversion of the blacks to work in the second.
We have had a man in this country, at a County Meeting in
Kent, recommending an attack on the funded property; at
another, in Norfolk, an abolition of tithes end payment of
rents. These bold attempts at pillage are not worse than
that which, under the specious pretext of ameliorating the
condition of one order of beings, reduced to poverty an•
other, who; under the protection of the Legislature, often
sanctioned, have made. at the risk of their lives, their este-
bliebreelia in the West Indies. No man deplores more than
I do that a slave should exist in any part of the British do-
minions; but wa have brought it on ourselves. Besides the
diminution of our .siiipping and manufactures, we may
shortly 'expect to have a black republic to contend with, and
an entire expulsion from those seas. The petitioners, I
conceive, are led away by false ideas of humanity, aid
whenever the question for the abolition of slavery comes be-
fore the House, it shalt have my decided negative, conceiv-
ing the petitioners ate entirely ignorant of the state and con-
• intim, of the Mervin in our West India Isla/Ids.
Mir. CU RWEN supported the petition. •
Mr. ALEXANDER BARING said, that the moat serious
*consequences might result from the question helog left in
its present state. The House were aware that some time
• ago many lives were lost at flarbadoes from an impression
that prevailed among the blacks that Mr. Wilherforce in-
tended to get thein emancipated. "Whatever was to be done.
with respect albs oestion. Ought to be done as speedily
as possible. • • .1 • •
ThsCHANCELLOR of the* EXCHEQUER said, that
the delay that hattnen place, wee Only in -consequence of
the inquiry that wea_new pending before the House.
Mr. F. BUXTON said, he would certainly Mint es his
!tition Of the sibjeet on Thornily next.
•• An Hon. Member, wished to know Isom Meer SAS were
the Resolutions he intenilefl to propose.
Mr. RUXTOViairl Its heirtnei yet made lIPPOOId on
the tothjeet.
, • The petition Wt "thin orainid IQ lie on' the Abfi k-. • •