The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-26

don, with their answers thereunto
Mr.. CANNING complimented the honors-
Die gentleman on the ability with which me
had stated the subject With regard 10
Portugal, the honorable gentleman would
iod that every thing had been done to induce.
the Brazil government to concur in carrying
the Abolition into effect. But though no
doubt g. b. had reason to expect that the
portuguese government would pay conside..
rable difference to its Recommendation, ycr
1t would be recollected that G.. =. had ro
right to dictate TO that government. When
the abolition had advanced so slowly in this
enlightened country, with all the aid of DO.
pular feeling, and the weight of the two
great authorities (dr. Pitt aud Mr.. Fox,)
who concurred in this point. though hardly
on any other-when this measure had been
70 years in agitation here before it was car
RED, 1t could not reasonably be attributed
10 want OF zeal or humanity in the Por-
tuguese government, which has removed tn
the very land of slavery. that it had not in
the space OF one year done any thing deci-
sive. But he believed that when the papers
were prodrced. tcould be found that there
was an article in the Treaty with the Brazil
government, providing, if not absolutely, at
least much more cHectually for the gradual
abolition than the articie contained in the.
abortive treaty with America. With regard
oSpaip, the Slave Trade of which had ier-
haps been too highly estimated &C two thirds
OF the amount OF the Portuguese, the. hong
rable gentleman would find that the obiecs
mad not been neglected in chat quarter-
'nt II considerable management was neces.
sary with respect to the Portuguese govern
ment. the honorable gentleman would be a.
ware that coed management was also neces-
sary with regard to that of Spain; there was
hardly time to enter into any stipulation
with that government with respect to it's
COLONEL policy. But it would be found that
the most earnest recommendation had been
made TO the Spanish government to take the
SUBJECT into its most serious consideration
AS to Sweden it would be found that no ne
turn could be made to the address ON that
head-unless something had been done viii,
that power since he had been in Office. His
object, he confessed, had been To obtain
from the different governments distincta
bolition of the trade-and not convention.
TO T'revant an illicit trade by the subjects OK
TINS country under their flags. He confessed
ne mad not been aware Till lately that the.
Illicit trade In slaves by British subjects lad
been carried on to so great AN extent under.
the Swedish flag. As faY as Sweden herself
was concerned. the advantage she herself
derived from that trade was certainly very
i'ttie--and he had heard with extreme re-
gret that her aag had been lent To our own
defiance OF the iaw. He suggested that
some step should be taken by the Legisla-.
tufe Snd the government to suppress this
gross infringement of the law by the British.
subject.
With regard to America, he di fFercd with
ehe honorable gentleman in the mode fpro
ceeoing with th9t government. although he
perfectly agreed IN the principles he had
stated. The hon. gentleman Thought thar
America frY n
l N led MIN to contrary conclusion.
MS oeiet WIS, that the Americans had no
inclination To abolish the trade efFec,ualIy-
and thas they only wanteIt so take a3yaatage
of our abolition Under TIA. government
would be kept in mimi that t.ierr vas a grsa-
Ter slave population than undrr any o,her.
and that the popular feeling would noy there
tore 60 SO efsctually along with the abolti-.
on. Ihe substance of the article in the a.
bortive Treaty was, that the two siwern-
mehts should communicate to each OH the
steps taken to Garry tbs abolition into eff
iect, which was hardly doing any thing
Dut the honorable gentiemaI! thoushs he saw
from tile correspondence some reason to-
think that there would be 10 serious opDos;-
ton On the psrt of thLs American government
20 an agreement, permitting the capture of
their slave vessels by ourcruzers because
as such vessels Wouldbe acting in opposition
~ 49, -Stii Lss", luGy NCuid nave no
ground OF complaint 10 the American govern
meat. But the hon. gentle had not read
the correspondence with his usual accuracy.
An agreement on this point was what thew
particularly objected 10, as Contrary 70 their
severe gnty, although at the same time, they
mad said that it tn power of capture should
be exercised, persons t,kcn in Illicit trade.
could not be entitled TO redress. But in this.
there was nothing ike convention II was
merely sayins thai any one might kill an
outlaw. Il this country had legislated upon
the idea OF any such right of Capture. the
Anne rcan government would certainly have,
complained another consideration was
that this would be liable TO abuse The on
ly way of proceeding would be by the direc-
tons to our cruizers, or rather privateers.
But what assurance could there be, that this
discretion given to privateers would not be
used; and when vessels were found to have
been improperly seized under such system.
to whatperpetual complaints would it not give
rise: There must also be reciprocity IN the
conduct of the system, and the American
privateers would be let loose and, undeY
the pretence of seizing slave ships, might
be an intolerable annoyance TO our whole
trade. He did not say they would actually
do this: but certainly the experiment would
be most dangerous. Nothing could be done
upon a ground like this. In all the princi.
Piles and objects of the hon. gentleman he
most perfectly agreed. He had only risen
Tor the purpose Of briefly stating the princi-