Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-15

such an exertion of imperial authority, In turn round
and insist upon enjoying, as against III m, the full be
neft OF that slave labor with which our own restric
tons forbid them TO compete this is conduct which we
condemn as unworthy of ourselves, were we a nation,
not of shop.keepers, but Of pedlars and horseback
eys."
(From the London ".NOrning Chronicle, June a4)
1.-THE debate on the Sugar Duties on Thursday,
showed, plainly enough, that the West India mono.
poly is in a dying state. The attack was holder
and more effective, and the defence much more he.
stating and feeble, than on former occasions. Mr..
Golden began in one of his sharp and telling speech
es, by assailing the whole colonial system; but the
motion on which he expressed his views being it-
regular, he Withdrew it, and contented himself with
supporting that OF Mr.. Ewari for equalizing the du-
ties on foreign and colonial sugar. The Chancellor
Of the ESchequer attempted to reply; but was evi.
IDENTIFY unable to deal with the broad propositions Of
the member for Dumfries, and, therefore, addressed
himself entirely to n more moderate amendment, which
was TO be proposed afterwards by MIR. Halves. Strange
10 say, the first objection of Mr.. Goulourn 10 Mr..
Hawes's proposition Ito fix the duty on British sugar
at GAS, and on foreign sugar at 34s } was, that 1t
would produce but slight benefit to the consumer, or,
in other words, that it had not the merits which IN
questionably belonged to MIR. Ewart's proposal. The
Chancellor Of the Exchequer had his argument cut
and dry, but it would not apply TO the amendment
on which the House was 10 debate and divide. ii
was, therefore, necessary 10 lug in another amend
ment by the head and ears, in order that Mr.. Goul'
burns solitary idea should not go to waste. We were
inclined 10 hope, and even to expect, that The moral
sense Of The community would not be slckened by
any more anti-slavery arguments offered against the
admission Of foreign sugar by the inve'erate oppo'
nenls of slave emancipation. Ii appears, however,
thai, the country will still be compelled to see, if not to
swallow, those nauseous dosea. MIR. Goulourn was
not ashamed Of such twaddle as the following:
"'lt was i'm possible for any man, who had watched
the nature of the Illicit trade in slaves in Brazil, not TO
observe that it was more or less vigorously prosecuted
according TO the opinions entertained of The probability
r al. .-t.l,,t.., or n,o,,l cnrnr infn tho RrttGl
market. What he was ofraid of was, that the Houae,
forgetting the encouragement given to the production
of slave-grown sugar, would, by adopting an amend
ment like that Of the honorable member for Lambeth,
itself become an aotice instrument for The promotion ct
The STARE trade. For these reasons, he recommended,
that for a limited period, the existing duties should be
continued
"Mr. Goulburn's grand fear is, that Parliament, by
abolishing certain duties, will become an active Instru
ment in promoting the slave trade, and his mode OF
preserving them from so great a crime is TO continue
The existing duties for a limited period. The immo
rality which haunts the Imagination al the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, will be no longer immoral, when
ever it is financially Convenient TO iocer the sugar da
ties. His ethical standard evidently varies with Inc
state Of his balance sheet. We imagine, that horror oil
the slave trade, for 4 "limited period" will not be con-
sidered q genuine sentiment by he anti-slavery Con
vention, or the country at large. They Will think, ana
think rightly, that if the admission of brazilian sugar
really renders us sharers in the guilt Of that netarious
traffic, il should be resisted, not for a limited period,
or until Mr.. Goulburn has the good luck TO get rid OF
his financial deficit, but until slaves are no longer car
ried across the ocean, and every plantation in Bfaz! IS
cultivated by freemen alone.
"Mr. Ewart's motion found 4 much ADLER and more no.
nest opponent in Mr.. Bernal, who said frankly, that 1t
would ruin the w. India proprietors, of whom he Is one
With every respect for the honorable and manly cha
racter of Mr.. Bernal, we cannot but feel, tha, his
Judgment is biassed by his peculiar position. Upon
his own showing, the West India proprietors have
nothing which they need care 10 lose. The expense
of cultivating their estates, according to MIR. Befnai,
exceeds the value of the produce. Why, then, do
they continue SO wretcbed q struggle? For nh0Se
benefit is it, that the people of this country are 50
enormously taxed? IL it be for that of the free ne
groes, it is really time that II should stop. The COM
fort and civilization of the negroes are objects dear to
every benevolent heart, but it is neither benevolent
nor christian TO make The hard working people OF our
own country pay for those objects, some millions a
year. The twenty millions given, as a compensation,
il is said, were not Sufficient; but surely the worst
possible way of making good the deficiency is TO keep
up constantly an indefinite, but enormous taxation, on
4 prime necessary Of life.
"Mr. Hawes's motion, which was brought forward
after the rejection of Mr.. Ewarts, called up Mr. Glad
stone, whose main objection TO 1t was, that being a
change, il did not go far euough; 'for, said he, IN his
usual dashing style, when he IS talking Of a principle
and not Of 4 Government measure, 'when your duties
are altered, they ought 10 be so altered as to give the
greatest possible relief TO the consumer, and, al the
same time, to secure the greatest possible amount to
t06 revenue He OppOSltIOU CIPeItu, u ItucCNHbe
that a free trade principle, wah a Tory minister, IS like
an Irish Lord Lieutenant, more for shono than for use
The motion was ably and temperately supported by Mr.
Labouchere, and the debate was clo'ed by Sir Robert
Peel, who gave some particulars respecting the nego-
tiations with Brazil. The mos. material fact is contained
in the following passage:
al may say generally, that her Majesty's Govern
ment have, within the last year, submitted propositions
to the Government of Brazil for the purpose of placing
our commercial relations With that country (Which Will
terminate in Nov 1914 upon a basis which appeared 10
them 10 be more satisfactory than the present. Those
propositions, so made by her Majes,y's Government 10
the Government of Brazil, certainly did include a re-
ference 10 the article Of sugar. We did propose 10 ,hr
Government of Brazil TO treat for the free admission Of
Brazilian Sugar into the markets of This country, upon
condition that the Government Of Brazil would take
some measure for the purpose Of ameliorating the con
dition Of the slave population Of that country, and of
leading, not Immediately, but gradually and Ultimate.
", to the extinction of slavery in that county
CHEERS
"sThe result is known. Brazil would not negotiate
except on the understanding that her sugar should he
subjected 10 no more Than ten per cent duty on that
imposed on the West Indian produce. Mr.. Ellis could
make no such admission. 1t is to be observed, that
the British Government did not confine itself to stipu-
lations for The repression Of the slave trade. the Go
vcrnment of Brszil was required 10 take measures far
the gradual extinction Of stapery in that country We
must confess, that we cannot regard this proceeding OF
the English Cabinet in any other light than as a mere
ciap-irap. What has this Government to do, or what
can it have TO do with the internal slavery of Brazil:
Would SIR Robert Peel venture to make similar pro-
position to the U. States? We fancy not. IL is a triek
TO Gmuse the anti-siarery party in England, rhich can
only be played ciM a State aehose AseEa VIZ ARE not
AFRAID OF PROVOKING. We call il a trick, because
if such conditions of Sir Robert Peel speaks Of, were
obtained from Brazil, they would not be worth the ink
spent in drawing them up. In what conceivable way
could their observance be enforced, Brazil promises
10 adopt certain regulations respecting slaves, which
she would not adopt but as the means of purchasing o
good commercial treaty. She gets the treaty and pass.
es her regulations into a law. The law being con.
demned by public opinion, and disliked by the Govern
ment, remains a dead letter. Is England to appoint
stiPendary magistrates 10 work it, or is she, whenever
a traveller reports that Brazilian shareholders sci it's
provisions a, defiance, TO send out fleet to coeTce them
by blockade or bombardment? The whole proceeding
teens with absurd'ties, and the English and Brazilian
negotIators must have been sadly lasked 10 avoid laugh.
ing in each others face. 1t is time 10 put an end 10 his
wre,ched and %debasing policy of cajolery, which makes
US, as Mr.. Gibson said, subject 10 receive the slave.
grown sugar of Brazil, while we are endeavoring 10 pro.
| oora 81 m fcainn INFO thai cnupIYv FER 80.