House Of Lords, Tuesday, ...
The Times, 1824-03-17T00:00:00

Theroyal.sasentvwasgiieiiby commission to the Austrian loan bill. the South American postage bill, the annual' indemnity bill, the revenue inqdirv bill, and the Irish church rates bill. The comn- n,issioners *ere thi LoiD CHAN&cELLoH,.the Archbishop of (C'r- TERBURY, and the EarlTof STAFTESBUR'. A great numbei of petitions, pr-ying for the abolition of slavery- ot the impro9erner. of the cosnditioA at' the negroes in the Wcst Indies, were presented by-different peers., ATnung 'them were pe- titions from Frome-Selwoodt in the county of Somerset by the Afarquis of BATh * from iherb6rh;. ir the county- otf N6XOTl, 3ad Cerne, in thezcounty of' Dorset, bt Lorl DIGBrY; frornvelling- ton, by'the Dake of'W EUi4toxon; froM EastRetford, in 'Not- tinghamshire, -and ~tso fMfr places in the county of Northampton, onefrom Nd p.ro.?Pgfiel, Bd6kingbiarnshlie,`aiMi on'e7from a place in 8omersetelire4 b' Loxd b BArHosasr 'Worn Folkestone, by the Earl of DARSrLtYf rom Chobhmin1nrry,byLord KErrrob; from Chipping-Nortoh and'otber Taes, bJ tI,e dI:3rquiaof DoW - SItiE, 'tomi Alienlhea, i Cheshire, by the Fr of Si1FE5 BttRt ; fror4 Da&Iington,'i the codrty:of Drntn by the Bsrl of 'RosEDERY; fron :Ne iftbn b' the Marquiso1 LAb nbw . The Earl-of' ROSEBERY' 'tated, thaBt heB bd reReiidseverai other petitionason this sle&twhhhuldwotvrtsent, onricor of informalitieg in drwingthb up. r Son' of tbem for mstsi. contained' te wbrd" respgcufitlngteid oY" buinbNl." Mr. Bitod Esr an'd bthbrs'fropthe Comxonsbroulitsup thinmu- tiny bill, thetitac mttfy bil;' the 'foarrper ent&.1uU, ana the conntv gaousbiUl irwre read;first time. - rBiErt''AT rbseto l efor'a tEehir lbrd'slAipsapitersel- planktory of 1IIe nr0eSires for theaincHoialioi d aihe condition of' the West Indda nefts, ref6rted tW in is: aj ty'sspeech nt the oommrenceetnoft hc'ptesent ses on iidwh'itch bad b*i-aid6jsed in coniequence of the resolufioiis toicAi b' the'ilusedf (-=ons in.. May last. 'Th6es resbM1tidos HbE' Abifld,-vitWthe I had'bcen:htdopd tY' hiW ftajekty's.fovernilteir m'n i ci' ot, those terslfiotis-- Th&HoRse o (bmnctns pa.s d I eiolot; on the 15th of iVra, d iitstrnlifoadded 6iiTh&irwe conveY ed to all th- G ernbW' dee esItidieqZohieS, in cirulae ssWtdheAs iasea thte 28th'of' Als!F &r'd 'the 9th of.'ralyr.-he niea8Wtre^' 4hichlhis M 'est.'s' f ad it'it proi<tb recbr11 meIid as bet' eallsten to Mc haithe'ob> dtofielf e condkion of: th'e 'slvel *hich. he -' dm64rsd'iuevxew ' inigbt:be rtiedqtK h,nkieg tehea il4e viglftn' for 46tigi19 ii9h o;:h~n~etbftW day'ymstkets;: tbe- aboliti0bi of tbXrele f ik^tW 's Fe~ .trh : egbiti;n' 6?pib shti) 'i2 mat sla<?,ves -t'be ite. - blsei~tn, of facilItie~s for i theMnaUibf1io,i of Slajtg.,., illd,'fna,l. %he aliOwbi the evidmen of slaves to be receivedtundex certain regus. 3ations in courtii ofjustice. These were the measure., Whieh -wcre ie. cOmtueisded i -th -sncin sent ndlt ale the tiiise, arid Wlieli his "MaiestY'. Govmmernrts still- considered the most Proper to) be'advittdd. if ;ri Pesos lod thitnk that litinistens had. gone too,far,-d whet,iOse: right iby theory, suchl measures were likely to prov-e mtischsevona. -in Practice to such'persons....he would s*te that theae PwoPOsitiaus had *bden tegar-ded as -satisfactory. by those who were """St irte'eted~ in thje questioni. In the couirse of the investiglio 'which took Itasfndttth raboyf iheWesn Indpia ae, With respectn tha thigelast bonly of'mh thtwat cloi 1 "Pitis in thig country concurred in the jusitice of the Of receivh i evlence of slaves-t..here hadibee-n s50050 tdifirenee ~~ Some ~thougiht-that this measure -could onlyf be adopted h~rcet~.n egultions; but whatever differen-ce of opinion existed, .~u.dntjy5~ et ith a man wh6 did not admiiit that the pro.. wa ihyworthy of considleration, and thiat tshe carryinig It ect Iprati ale,V/srery dgoirable. Those who thought his Majsty's Gvernmen ha otgnefr enough, hie wvould to em.n~ hemof the .li fculties whichi surrouinded she moes. SOre andthe-anyconsiderations which were involved In its cxc- co Hain tae the purport and object of the two letters he R~ ent outtte st Indies, he shoula now adlvert to the ge- lleral conduct othclonies after these tskparches hiad been ye- cevd.Wih respect to the islands, thiefirs.t dmpatch arrived while' Seineeof their a.seambli swere sitting: but tha-ttofthe 9th ofJuilyI - 's not received until after the session, and was hrought under the yti5sideration of the assemnblies in November. Bete lie ausst oh.. serve, that the manner in which the despatelhes had been received in th e different islands was particularly worthy of their lord- consder~mi*This wouldI be heen by the papers on the Of te fOm hic itwouldi appear, that if not n'll, the great majority pooionhe had read were thought fit to be adEopted. Thiis w55 orePartculrly thie case in Grenada, St. Y-ncent's,~ :Ld St. Chrstphe', ~ utin Dominica, Tobago, Barltialoes, ana Jagiaka, 50 a asirit did not prevail. In. -gencral, nowep-e?, the as- 5Ctlbiesha ben isposed to carry. Lito effect the grdate number of popoitio. iao,gt events an9,, tircumstances ocCurred to delay thatintntio. Te Alsembly o,f BatrbadAoes miet in July, and ap- Peared inclinea to adopt rn~jt of the propositions; but that body se- Parated under the impr'~siori, thlat if .they agTeed to all the tmwu- Sgure recomnmended ',y his Majesty's Government, they would be the to,I 4 a wvstem coninected ivith a plan for the com- ofthe "" -:.on of the iegroes- And here lie musit s-ay, that one w-ith, d filictulties his Majesty -~ mLiniisters have liad to contend ' thc unfortunate mixing oftiie%e'two cu2stions. WiithCe- StoS. V'incent's, the answer returned by the assemblv of t sLand amounted to this,. .-that they hiad amended t'he act w1hich .fcY Passed two vears be-fore t'or the amelioration of the condition of tfle liv'es. They w%ere ofopition thiatatlite measures recomimend- ed in the two despatches they had received, were to be found in the bill Which they hiad already pas~sed. If, however, their lordships 'would take the troubile to compare thebill witli thie twoletters ho ha!d SentoGit, he wasconvinced they would find that sionie ofthe measures which hisa Majesty's Cruvernin ent had thought it advisable to recoin- mecn" had been omitted, and that others were very partially enflorted. He mnust admit, however, that what hail been donie by theassemblyof SSt. Vtlncent's was very mnuch -to theiT credit; anti ini looking at thiis subject their lordship)s would not fail to recollec-t the period at which this ameliorat:ou took place in Sr. Vincent's-they would perceivc that it had bean (lone spontaeouslI by tie assembly of St. Vin- cent'sL two Yeiragro, when they'actestdernd ,pasc fcin Pilsizun in consequence of any resolutiLo-ns adopte by the Britishi Xe-. si-.iature, or any rerommendations from his Majesty's Government. &o favourable a disposition on the part of this assembly afforded re.ason so expect, that when a more temperate Yiew shouild be takenl Of' he whole Propositions, this and the other islands wvouild be more dis,pose to adopt measures which), uipon dlue considers.. t10an&lvou1d be found to be adrautageous to their own interests as* welt~, agrea lati te dictates of humanity. It remuaiiied for hili flow ~dv~~ hat had pas'ed in JaTmaica, but as that wast mat- terof ublds.hwsety, it would not be necessary for hiim to dletain thei ~odstjps ong nthis part of tle subject. Trheir lozdships'were O~tevrytteniperate mnanner in which the propositions o1'i .~jetv aGovenmient had been. received in that island. Ilie much 5~'?ette tht Jansia,whicli had herreoaforemanifeated a sincere de- TAfre to ameliorate the condition of the slave population, slhould now set so oppo- to an example. He was hiowever persuaded, that when the Assembly of that island should come againi to the consideration of this stsj;ct, they wcould view it in a miore temperate manner . and that they wouid not persist in the re-solution-s they, ha,d adopted) but 'would proceed to make farthier provision for wtuneiorating the con.. dition of thie slaves. Ilie did not, hiowever, think, he should act 5'iustlv if he did not state that mutch irritation had been produced by the reproaches cast o'n the Assembly and people of Jamaica. Some apolo;-y was to be made for thiem int consequence of the mariner in which they hiad been attacked by various publications in thisi cools. try. They'were accused of th greatest cruelty) of a disposition to re- tain their ne~roes in a state of misery, and 'a determinaution to re- sis~t all plans of amelioration. In addition to -these unjust charges,. they were accus%ed of rratiing-their slaves worse thyan the Amtrericans did theirs Niothing couldl be more unfounded than this last accu- sationt; fornothing could redoundmnore to the credit of our Westrindia plarters than a comparison of the treatment given te their slaves with that to which those of America were subject. The Ameirican slaves s.ere liable ta the severest punishments for acts which would eithier be considered as no of'fence in our colonies, or wvould be corrected by v,ery slight penalties. T'oconvince their lordships of thin, hie iechl ol eer to an see lately passed at Newy Orleans. By this severe aw is was providedL that if any slave sliotld be found absenit after Sun-set, he should be punishedf by flogging ; that if any sla-ve be seen in the streets with a cane or stick in his hand, hi~ should be dsgtrcd : nay, it was evnprvded that if any slave Ahould be caught lookcing dii-resetu nawlepron, he should be flog- wed. L-et their lordhocmartis with the laws relative to slaves and their practiltetin,i Domirnica, St. Vincent'%, ,Jam aCea. or any of ou oois n hnsay whiether suev suchi in- humanity diszraced th riihoseins. It hiad, ind:eed, been sai by sos-.e, that iog th e aso h colonies were kbod, the& were not fiiirly executed Thsh lomst regard as unttrue. ife believed the laws wer in general.faitl.yexecuted, and hie was certain,. that within a certain numiber of years, a gieat improvement lhad taken plnice in the condition of slaves in thle West India colonies, ri well in couFe uecnce of the humnane disposition of the plan~ters, as of the laws which had beeni efiacteet. 'He believed thiat great improvements hiad been niade in thie articles of foodi and clothin-g, and thiat instances of great indulgence aud kindness on the part of the masters were wery comimon. He also believed that mrat impr~ovetrients hail been eeiadle with respect to the hospitalI for the reception of sick and intirm negroes. It had seen said, wliy were there not established in those colonies which lhad legislative as- ssmblics. laws similar to those of this counmtry ? bust if it was made a susbject of complaint that thtey neglected to execute their own laws, how was it to be expected thiat thiey would act fairly on ours ? [le did notnmcan to say that this country could exercise no le*isla. tivo auithority over the colonies, hut that wss certainly a quesutonx of 'great difficulty and delicacy. It was, however, competent to his- MVajesty's Giovernmenit, withi the s:,nction of Parliamsent, to reg`ulate their trade, to take away the draw- ba-cks which were allowed on exportations in tlieusi and to in- cr.ease the duties on their productionis. These were the kind of mea- sures which, if policy ever required thieir enforcement, might be preferabsle to any e-xercise of the righit of initemnal regulaiion. lfar- mrg said thig mnitch in reference so the islands Which pocssessd leFis.. lative a-xsemblie.s of their own, hie had niext to dlirect their lordships' attention to the conquered colonies, whic'h were more immnediately under the contrul and direction of hiis Majesty iii council. It b,ad breni deiernmined that the same propositions shouild he sent to both the old and the new colonies. He had accordingly forwaid&l the rinstructionis to thienis an~d in juithce to these colonies lie must say,, tha,t they did credit ito themselves by mianifesting a disposition 'to adopt whfatever mieasures appeared to them calcuilated to protnote thie rehicious and suoral improvement of their slave population. - t hiad no.hwvrbeen thoughit fit to establith att once, all thisnmeasurest hecmmea by 'Goveniment immediatelY, because it was consider- ed. that if the.odclne hesitated so adopt thos%e measures, a di,- nzreeable contTast would be presentted betweeni them. Hiis Majesty's G~ovcrnment did not wvish to expose the legiilaturesi or those isliinds to the reproacl, wlmici,, undler sudsl a state of thisiug, thieY Would he liable to from their owi. population.If a different course was now about to be entered upon, hins Majesty's Government had done every thi,ng in their power so avoid it. Some of tuie new colonies had no' lce,islativc bodies, ard in s-ome of' them convulsions had tinfisrtu- riarclv tak-en place after the communication 6f the Propositions. it was risou4ht advisable to rTake the first experiment of the enforcemetilt of the measures which his Majesty Govertnment recommended in. colonies to which the control of the Privy Council immediately exteinded, and in which the propositions had exprienced a favor. able reeton. In Trinidad a disposition was shown to me?lorate the stalre fthe slaves. In the answer returned lay the couneil of that island to the despatch sent out fromn this country,, thiey stated that miany of the improvements suggested were alread3~ in force, antid rcseo a ouin for 'the furiaher a;nthioration of the negroes. Upo K.M hr communication with that island, an order in edunr'il had been fri-ued here on the subjectof the intended amreliorationt.,Tlis or,ktr was on WedaesdKay last submitted to his MNajes5ty, ~and sance- tioned by his approbation. Their lordships wou?d lnda. copy of the dr.aught of the order among th'e papers which he bad laid on the table- He was unwilling to take up much of their lord&ahiT* time, and should mnerely, state rhe Principal objects which his MlAjesty's Govern,ment propreed to effect by this mneasure. The Pro- cura.dor Srudic rf~ the Cabildo of Port of Spain is ~confirnled in his. ancient office of protector and guiardian of slaves, with new honours and under new regulations. He is to keep an office For records ; the 4Commandant-sof the sevfralqua.rters of the island arediclared as- si,ansproectrsand guardians of slaves; and notice of all Fnrtsan actions agaritst sla-ves must be given to the guar.. dian, who must attend the trial of the cause. As prov.ision is to be made for the religious instruction of the slaves all miriets rise required to he discontinued on Sunday, and~ the caiploytnert of any sla've ien labouLr between sunt-setonStr day end suiiiti-c on Monday is ftsictly ro one satstrt ~a~-wil be ealy a ay f tet ad religiouxs iinstruiction. The ishmnt iv te whp Isnotonlyaboished,: but it is made uni- diii oint thee migt hesomediffrec ooiin,le. was. ,~er caryIg te wip s anembem f athoityin the. .^ntds ot' one s.aotn *ne staves were disposed othe-cwiis t6 re- ore' cold be attended with misahievous conseluences; but bh,a'.rs-toOd it was always ints-sted to a negro, and that cr- 'K*.X2ee rendered it very off'nsive; and unless some white person V CTe sez to watch over the slave who carried this instrument, It ' waq tnueb to be fearea that it WVould often be very inmproperly tsed lecre let hit observe, that the ibtroduction of this orohibition ,was not to be regarded as ceiting any imputation .on the old laws of the wj,nim He was far from tnean'ingto state thit the present treht. trient of the slaves vas such as lSpaticuUarJy dalled for interfetence;' Thie mes=e was not proposed in'order to remove feneial evils, but so prevcnt attocities of seldodmr -carenee. As wel 'might it be said, that this-cou nts'waS reluarkahbe for the fremuencyofcrimeS Mfneeltha, bee.n found ecesmsary to pasS awos fao the pusiiistnedt or'iobs'.iy apd su,rder. it was mcrelv to guard against fohladtinss of humaaity which possibly mnightoccurthat trid -meastirew vproPlsaed.. - Amdi'- all tue praetic23 whieb 'had prevailed 'Ia thi colonies, ?here 6,T however, ea one which had given more oFence to t'h feelings an' that fthe putiishtOeSit otfemnales by thelah. - He was aware that it might be contended that the mere knuwlegeosa the 'part ofslahes shle th-r vwere liable tV this punishmient woula servo ag a stiffidiept mtruaitdi; but that if it ivife onieC kIiowh that tlie 'wera, no ldngtr liable to be flogged, itt4ould be extremnely difflicut tQlkeep tlsn, in Order. . This suhgct had Ireasly been brought under theconsidera. ion of the Co=t of olicT'in Denwerara,.and it- had, afrer dae con4 5ide.-atiot, been thtought he to decree the th bdlitiori-ofethe'rTacticebot logging fesssalesiis Trin.idad. r?tS, hwdbvevdnldetakel'to-Pe t th ,-rq thee-prncti,e fronir-being-for some-time genslJy >,sowh olnDUg the lave ,Ineaaed ibtmnerly' pOAnhed by flog'gbi, 'it' r sp;opos'ea' to ais'3titit Smprssootent or hnrfffiement ih the' ciciriX fior fe.les. The (3 overoor was, besides, authori3ed to sub- * th geeralspiit f else regtilations" 'The next regulation -to * wsiei h selud cllthel~16oldshlps' attention was that4blich'r&. date (otc:putshmenteof.the::al6 partzoi, tlse~ 4iVropualtioni: 'The.orde prbldcdtbzi hiy -slede' sliotrld' be 'psihished. fio;`n' 6f - fenc,! cntU ~t*t shouis idLfer its ,conlmission. shoiuld haVe 'elapsd. Issass-also'provided,'. tha1t 'in no hintanco.should snlore' - tia'.2t, ashs-h gienin one day - anid it was still farthei provided, ':tht n seondpuni hetshoul(lstakd place until the periots of the slavye was free frm an acerations ;wlinch miyght have beeni otto- .sioned' by the brist 'floggn.-~At the same time it was expressly di- ''rettedI thatno punishMent whatever shiould take place, un less one 1,persan'oe tree ondition bepr..sunt, in addition to himi by wvhoisi, or Iby wthose authiority the' punishmhent may be inflicted. There was allothert regLulation which be thought it right to Point out. It wvas or. dlered,.'that Ree_ord.book shou d be-kept on every planitation or 6tate thxroaghone. thle islhan.'- In this book thie owiner or rneniag.r was required to' cnret the!Puanishtnents inflictedI On slaves. The number oe lashses inflicted, on atly occasion' of flowging, were re- quired to be recorded, if the stripes exceeded three.`- The reasons for the puxnislnnent,and the namlea ofthe pen.6ns attendinig it, ritust be recrded, and copie.s of these records are requiredi to be returned ata fixed period tothiecomm,andant ofthequarterin whichthcestateor lantationl where the infliction took- place may be situatedl. e hadl statedl the thiree provision~s which were intended-for the per. sonal protection of the slaves. H-e nowv came to those dusetmenta wh.ich tendted to their comfort, and conduced to theCir imrnrv'emnedt. The 'first of theste regarded the enco.1agd4en't 6i marriages among tbhen. According to the provizions of the net, it would be arranged that if the two slaves, obtained the congent-of'their master, andI pro- duiced this consent to 11he guardian andl protector, hie 'wovid give di- rections that the 1-arriage act should be solemniized, accordling, to the rites of the Church of England, according to the Roman UAtholic ritunl., or according to the Presbyteriani forms, as ibdeld he most af-cee.blc to' the pateties. The miarriage thuts wtithorited and saolenm. nmeed, wa to be recorded in a book or register kept by the guardlilan Sh1ould the masteir of thie slaves refuse his con- se t,theyight iiforim the guardialq of thi., refusal, a'nd apl t im for instruiction lhow to proceedl. On this appli. catio the guardiani was authorized to call the master or over- seer before him to hear his~ motive for resisting the proposed Imatriage; and if that motive appeared unreasonable,or ifihis conduct was evidently arbitrary; he rnight, notwithstaniding such refuisal, au- thorize the uni6oof theparties. As a consequence of this provision foryromlotiug the marriage union, an enactment was natarally call. eAl.o to prevenit the separation of those whio had been united in imarriagze. It was theretore proposed that in the sale or transfer of Imarried slaves they should not be separated, but' sold in one lot, and trangferredt to one master. It should likewise be enacted that thieir, Ichiildren, if they had any from the marriage, should go along with Itheir pa~rents. The next p-rovision for promnoting their com-. fo,rt and raising thleir clharacter was to siecure to them their property by a positive -law, and enlable thieml to dispose of it by bequest. If their lordships lookedI tb the actuial state of things, 4nd tok _it conlsideration, not the enactm~nts of law, buit the ex- , )tig r2eic, hemiFh lik such a orovision unnecessary. The blve y the consent of hie,master, coulsl at present possess and be. qisih prpry nd therefore no real hard.ship weas exiperienced as gsnow stood, but it was thought advisable to give him the se- curb'ty of law, to enable him to protect himself against any arbitrary iinterference with hiis rights, anid appear in the couirts to defend them I if attemptedl to be invadedl. (H ear, hear.) By this enactmnest they could sue in their own names-couh(I make ain advantageous use of their pronerty byolavijig out their funds at interest, and couild dis. pose of it, with its ~cc'imiulritiois, by bequest. The monley 'of any ~slave being deposited in a hank, and aluly recorded, his disposal of it at Aill timies wouild be valid. But ft was not only necessary to secure Personal protection to the slave, anti to emiable 'him to acquire anid dips of propert in a stare of servitutle.it was necessary also to pode, in certarin circumnstances, for hiis leaving that stite, and at- taiingtherigts nd privileges of a free man. The next imiprove. mensintnded threfore, in ogr colonial law, wav to prOvidle fatficiites'fr hemanumission of slaves. It was therefore to be enacted, thiat the price of the registration of'manuminited slaves should be paid, not by thieslave, Ibit by thie state.' The slave shouald have a right to purchase, not only hiis owin freedom, but that of Ihis wife ; he'rdl likewise be granted the privilege of purchasing the freedomi of his chitd, hiis siste r, or Iiis brOther'. If any diflICUlty 'aronse respecting the price, it shotuld be referred so the guiardian or protector, whio should arbitrate betweert the parties. A difficulty of another kinid arose in cases where slaves existedi on estates entailed or mortgaged, andl where, of course, the possessor had not the power to agree to their claimis for purchasing their freedom. Into the mnowde of settling this part of the question, lie would niot trouble their lord. ships by entering, but refer theim to detailed provisions of the act, which lie hadi laid oii the table. It would there be seen, that the in- terests of boths parties was propterly secured, with a due regard to the rithts of propertv. 1He came now to 'the last of the provisions to w t ehdalluded...the admissibility of the testimiony of slaves in a court of justite, and on oath. Thec acet provided that a slave shouilldbe received as a witness, and allwe to give his evidence on bath, if he could procare a certificate from the minister of the esta- blished church, or from any other clergymnwhs instrtosh attendled to, that upon exansination that minister or clergyman was satisfied thiat the slave was so inistructecd in reDlgous kuowledge as to be sensiible of the obligation of an oathi. A register was.'tobe kept'bv the guardian ofthe si3ves,ir'.which thisqutalification of the slave shoulfi be recorded. The advantage resulting f'romi this enactment would niot only redound to the due adIministrat'ion of justice- in catses whiere tetstimony of'slaves would be usefutl, hut would lhave a tendenicy to raise the character of thie slave whiose nal-e was thus recorded. (Hear.) It wouldi inspire Isbm withi a laudable pride andi self-respect, to see cteigiouis qualifications thus certified-to know that the confi. deuce in hsis testimony ,vat fhut~ established, atnd -to observe himself plated'on a level, in poiiit of credt with his Christian superiors, whiorm he was taught to resPect. (Hiealr.) It was proposed that the testimony of slavesi should be received in all civil cases, except where the interest of their masters w a' concer y,d. This. exception was madde for the obvious reason, that if th, '..testimony was to be receiv- ed against their masters, it must likeivise in other cases be received in his favouir; anld It wis 'thiought dangerous to admiit it in thec latter instanCes, while -tile mEister hasd su'ch influencet over their inindis. With respOct to all crimiinal cases, the testimionY of slaves would be 'receivedi, except where the life of a white po- son was at stake. Suchi were somie of the changes propoein colnia lw, nd orthne protectioni and advantage at the slave popu- laton.lOi Maest's Government did not think themselves justi. lirdin oingfarhera, present: they miust see their vayv before they coul proeed o an fatther clhai-es~ ITt could not foil to strik-e 'thoe a'iuiurd wtfs theTresent state of the slave population of thit - 'Wst Idies tha soe t the enactpenits. to wh-lichi he had ailnnced, tendd rthe tocurailthan 'to exteind the prementt inivile,ges. The testimny oF slaves was already in some cases admitted. The regu- latioM n nWhiTl it svas iii future to be adojitted conferred upon it on authority welijels it didI not at Present possess, aild made it us-e. foul to thie ends of justice in a higher- degree than it could at pro. sent be conatide'red.' H e bha.d detailed probably at too great leng-th the intentions of his MVajesty's Government. (Hoear, hear.) Their lordishps would tsee how the pleig-e given) totlhellouse of (Cam. moos last sessions had, beeni redeemied, l'ie had only one othter topic 'to advert to.-namely, the establishments for religious instmection in the West Indlies. . TIhesce nstabitshments, he need not reminid tiie liou!se,.'aere lamientably deficient. (Hear, hear.) Inmtakingthem, nio reference .wa,s had -rs thjte *ants. of the Mayae population, nior were even the free coloured inhabitants takLen into tite accounL . A variety of societies had been established, which had sent our missionaries to suppl thi-s efect. Somie of these societies belonged to' the Gnhur~!h of. England,' othiers to diff'ereis religioujs sects. Three of thet-a consiisted of members of thec establialhnntrtnamnely, the Chturcl dMissionary Isociety, the Society for the pro- Psgwstion of Christian Knowledre5and (as we uniderstood) a Society for the Conversion of the'Negroes Besides these bodies, thiere were others which had shown gcreat zeal in tris field, the chiief of which wert! the Moravia,. and Wesleyan Societies. Bitt it was itdt thoughit lit thit the religiuus instnictioms of so large a portion of the empire thlould be loft to chanice, or to thie exertios of stocieties indlependent of the 'Esiablislohient. Their Iordshiips, he (Lord Bathiurst) thought, would agree wvithi him that an inicrease of otxr Establishm'ent was necessary, aird that the superintend- cute of the chriieh ih that qunirter couldi only he duly secured (by residlent prelates. .lt was a eneral unaenoaanring that thel3ishop of London exercised auithority over thie church in Jamaica. Thefact wvas not.so there was no want of zeal on theipat4ofthAt respectable prelate, hut hr could not exorcise the' necessary auithoirity in the ease 'in 4uestion. rt was therefore resolved upon by Government, to re. commend to Parliament to pfovide tfor two bishops', to be s'ent ta the IVest Indies, one to reside iii Jamaica, ah A on ~ in the Leewardl islands. Th'e prelate who resided at Jarmai,a could no miore super.. intend tbeestablishment in the Leeward islands thain if h-e resided in Enigland. It W-as proposed, that to the see of jamiaica therne should be appointed one' arclideacon, and to that ot the' Leeward Islands t'wa;'and that wvith thesehigherdi-nitaies~~ of thechurch there shlould go out a body of clergy to stupply the cures existing or to be establislised in the islands.The slave populattion, us addition to this 'part of the establishment, would require other instructors. Thiey~ were as igniorant Is chil(tren, anidYmuist be tauglst like children. The kind of teachkiti whieh they w'ofild' reque coIdnot 'ne given themn by the parish aergY,.whio couldstcl,bexced to be able ~at first to adapt theimrinstrut~cions to)th Stat ftermn It cas therefore proposed to p1ace under the'drcinofteceg teacherim for the ilaveq, 'tvhao Aroufld ~ attend mor osamyt hi mrove. ment in the' elementary knowledge of rlgo.Ahpmitbeen- tertaimred, that thle proprietor a-nd overer ol htlslotle totrIe religiouirinsfruction of their'sl~vs ee htisreo ~ offered by the niermbirs of the establihett hihte hm selves belonged; and what happenLed in othes cases might b xet ed to halppes in, this-.thiat a community of .worship ~ w6uldcet community of fee'ing-that kinder symipathy would be established between the maaster and Ctfe slave by meetinss in the same temple religious' itmpiIoveinetit - and that, by ad5ressing their co;mmon pr-as'ers.to'the con4mon Parent oft'ail, th e temporary ineqaieso their conditioo would be.fbr~nte an'qe ol iwec te as brethiren. (Ua~ 'g li,agitet of clergymaen of thie establhthrient was to take place, he m'd io intention that thle conRciericee 'f any one should' be force4, . God. forbid that any. attempt should he nmane-.t vrin0 alrea Y' PrOdsced, or to thake the 'cifdec f h Isae in the great truiths-of revealed religioi,' bL_aufsencoe dof IDec~ ox.ae igted betweerithe niodfiii which fhYi,vdhm't(.hE in which they were pr~sented by ours chorch.. A report lhed gbue-ab'reA,4 andi asa impresion very gencnialy' existed.amnong the Slave ixp'ultion tchat in recDmmgna Trod measu qr tbOe rbeliorationiof tA1e coliditiot) of the slaves. hi MI- ajesty intended the irrnsedisate abolition ef silavery. -It mwas even very generally thought, that the King had eiven ord6'rs that the), should be 'Mtade free,,butT that tlfeir nusaterq, Conizeinghlai&knd intentionis and resistinig his comunsuds, stil re pt them in' bond%i It was, thierefore, deemed 'advisable, along with thlse casures w?sich he bad detailed, 'to"ppiomgate a gr6camsation expiesie of the s~ntimtunts of'i Majesty which. as it was .hort, he would takethe-liberty-o1reasig t their lordsltiPS.- DVERO Y THE KctrG-... PROCLAAfATION. '"Whereasit has 6een repreO,ented't 'uxk' a, h'. '$laves its'o. ' 'our WVest IndiaChnis and of oatrto,',h......,. ~ o At ;nervala, the ight to the stave is so erty, or to the oft. spring ef 'the aive, it bad been said ia been recognized in -no-legislative aict of this country. T9o shorr how unfoanded this statement wlas he would only refier to' the layi'. igitr iat, in one f -the clauses of which the prirtcipde:Fss -hriadly stated. As,an argument for' the immebdiate abolition 6Px alivery, it had been said that by.- abolishing -this degradiap conitin of man, we only tnadc~ a transition frdm' servile t fred labotiur and that the latter- was most beneficial, as well as most honoarable to the negro, and ti3t secure for tle-planter... Now bv what facts was tllis position established, and where were instances to be found of a transition ftromn ervile to free labour, in circumstanceessinmi. lar to those of oar UWest Iudia colonies i Ceylon had beer appealed to, whete the sanme kind of Slav-es existed, and had beeni manumitted; but in that isla'ad thev were the minority. The republic of Ceombia was another exaample cited to show the policy' f speedily abolishitlg slavery. . anumissioiis, it ,Was said, had there taken place to a great exteni, and a fund *as provided for the purehase of the freedom of siaves. Among other things their lordships should bear in mrind, that in Colombia, where there was a popblation of 3,600,000 inhabitants, there were only 900,000 slaves; In the second place they should refiect that that dountry had been the scene of civil warfare, and that the -sives tiad fought in the armies of either party, thus creating a stronger sym- pathy by a community of labours and perils than any laws could !roduce. 'rhis had been the cae ever -since 1810. At New LYork and Baltimore there were societies. eatablislhed for the I purpasc ofgetting ridof the emandpated slaves, who were there con- sidered as burdens an t'hs cthlmUh'nity;' God forbid that frdni that he shoiild be siiposed to contend that any race of men were created unlit for freedom; but the fault was in the want of education; and if beshles irppartinjg religious instfoucticn in mitigating the evils of slarery,thestate was in any shane to interfere, it nmust be by qiikk; ening the mitarch of education. In conclusion, the noble earl depre- cated the too freqtuent and indiscreet discussion of jhe topics re^ lative to negre slaverv, as tending to create in the minds of thc mas- stersanextravagasce o'f right, and on the part ofthe slaves a'fc'din of I impatience and insubordination. The -noble earl then' moved tlat the papers do lie upon the table. Lord HIOLLAND said, he did not risc for the purpose of' dis- cussinS any of the numerous topics whlcli the noble earl had intro- Iduced ito his speech, but he wished to leans from the noble earl whether the order in council to which he had referred, and in which so mnansvuise and -udicious provisions hadbeen incorpotatet, was in tende toex'tend to all the ceded islands,or 6nly to Trinidal ? He had not clearly understood the nobleearlon that point, but itappeared to him that many of the provisions had reference totheSpaiish lawonly. With respect to th-, provisions theemrelves, he had net aniy ob- servation to make. Every observation 'that he could miake would be in favour of them; and he could only regret tliat they had not been inade many years before. 'Theznoble earl, in spe:lOing of what had fallen from hint (Lord Holland) on a former occasion, had cliarac- terized it as an observation of some vivacity. 'I'o that remark of the noble earl, he would gire thle praise of dexterity ;-but he must beg not to be nailed down to any opinion whichhel h htad then expressed, blt to be still at libertv to correct it wben the slbQict of the eccle- siastical e,nblishments formed f'or' ttese& countries should come under discussion. As connected withthe 'vlest India islands--as a member of that hiouse-and as a friend to humanity, he could not avoid expressing Jis thanks to the noble earl tor the temperate and judicious mode in which these alterations had been introduced. Earl BATHURST, in answer to thequestion of the noble baron, said, the order in council applied -only to Trinidad. There was another prepatinlg for St. Lucie, more confomable'to the French laws. With respect to Demtrara and Berbice, instructions hbd been sent oput to the governors; and when their answers were received, an orger in council would be founded on tliemh, which would be sub. mitted to their lordsihips.-Adjourned. HOUSE OF LORDS. TT:TESTAY. MA1ICt i;6.