The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-26
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
March -. 1910.
SLAVE TRADE

MT. 6ronshan, rose to make his promised
motion tor copies OF the correspondence be.
tween the foreign Secretary and the minis
tiers OF foreign powers, residing in London
upon the subject Of the Slave Trade. The
introductory observations of the hon. gentle
man were delivered in too low a tone to-be
audible In the gallery. We understood him
to request the Indulgence Of the House While
describing the object OF his motion, and the
nature OF the papers he intended 10 move
Tor. He disclaimea all sentiments of hostility
to the present ministers as influencing him in
the motion he was about to make. He then
proceeded to advert to the resolution of 9e6
ana iamented that, as general measure, it
Should have proved SO inefficaCious more
especially with respect to foreign Dowers
Sweden had carried on the Slave Trade in
the island OF st. Barth olomews that Island.
from its proximity to those of the West India
Islands belonging to us, afforded annie
means for supporting an illicit trade in slaves
with many OF our colonies in that Quarter.
lhe Slave Trade, with respect to Sweden.
was merely nominal trade, not exceeding
SIX or seven slaves year for that Island
lie trusted, however, that such facilities OF
intercourse existed between the courts OF
Stockholm and London, as that anv evils re-
sulting from the illicit trade at St. Bartholo-
news might be remedied.
Next. with respect TO Portugal and Spain.
their flags could not certainly beeused to- auy
great extent In projecting the illicit trade.
When he was At Lisbon in his Maisssy's ser
wee, he was astonshed and concerned to find
that from one district of Africa there were
annually exported to the Portuguese settle
ments IN America not less than from Is m
1000 slaves, and this he was then told A.
mounted to but one half of the whole trade
Tor Portugal. lie trusted that our represen.
tations upon this head would be found to
have weight in the cnuncils of Portugal /:
we might justly be supposed to have some
Influence In country in the defence of
which we had voted money for the support
OF $4,000 troops. With respect to Spain
Spain he had no doubt traded in slaves to
nsarly the two thirds of the slave trade
OF Portugal the principal part of this trade.
as Carried on by Spain. was carried ON be.
tween Cuba and the HAVANA and il was
but too justly unprecedented, that in the in
tercourse between both the Illicit trade was
supported by landing the slaves upon the
British Isles.
With respect to America-the Americans
had abolished the slave trade, yet much of
the Ill lit trade was carried on under the
flag OF Sweden; this was topic peculiarly
interesting 20 the Americans, and the house
had seen that in the American correspon.
dence respecting MIR. Erskine, they show
thelr Willingness to open negotiation upon
this subject; they had said that they could
not make any concession affecting their
right OF sovereignty, yet that such Of their
ships as bad been detected by oac cruizers
in that lttrade, the owners Of those ships
would IL It make any representation to their
government, IN the violation os whose laws
they had so suffered. lie apoogized to the
House for the few observations he had Ia
Ken the liberty to throw QUO, and concluded
with moving. that 40 humble address be
hpresen'ed to mis- Majesty, praylss that be