House Of Lords, Thursday,...
The Times, 1824-03-19T00:00:00

PARL,IAHENTA1?R1P INTELLIGENCP. A person from the Comtnmbisiners for Dover harbour presented an accotint of the receipt and expenditure of the tonnage duties of that port for the last year. NEGRO SLAVERY. Earl SPENCER presenited two petitions for the abolition of sla- very in the XVest Indies-one from a place in Buckinghamshire, the other from a place in Northaiuptonshire. The iioble earl expressed his satisfaction atobserving the moderation with whihel this subject had been discussed in both houses of Parliamient. A similar mode- ration appeared to prevail in treating the subject out of doors. He was afraid it would be a long time before the great object of coni- plete eniancipation could be obtained. He trusted, however, that the moderation which at present distingruislied the advocates of thc nleasure would continue, for in that case lie could indulge the hope that the vished-for result would be obtainedl. Earl UROSYENOP. hoped that the measures proposed to be adopted were preliminary to the emancipation of the negroes. Un- less they were to have that tendency,tlhey would prove of little value. Their lordahips.were, however, left in the dark as to the views of his laiest 's Gioverrnient on this important point. He wished to know whether their intention was to iTromote the complete emancd- pation of the necroes ? The Earl of Il VBRl OOI observed, that the imme.tiate object of the measures wvhich had been proposetl by his Majesty's Govern- ment wag the amelioration of the condition of the slaves bv regula- tions, and by the promotion of their moral and religious ihstruction. With respect to what the noble lord had said on the subject of the manumission, he had only to observre, that the great featute of the prensent p}an, independently of the commnunication of moral and religious instruction to, the negroes, was the introduction of sonie principle to enable every' man to acquire his manumission, end not only his o n, but that of his w. iie and children. If it should here- after be found that this plan could not ba carried into effiect,or that its operation was not sufficiently prompt te prove bencficial, it would then be a question for consideration, wliether Parliament might not afford further facilities tbr the acqoisition of freedom. However, the great object of tise plan wvas to do what could be done towyards im- proving the condition of the slaves, arnd to hold out to every man the lrospeet of obtaining through his own industry and hi3 own g ooci conduct, his Oow libirtv. AIUIINY BILL. The Earl of SIIAFTESBURY moved the commitment of the army mmating hilL *- Earl GROS'VENOR taok tlbisopportunity to make a few ooserva- tions on military floaggimg, ard hoped that the practice would be gra. dually, abolished. Ile believed that a very great improvement in this respect had already takell place in many regiments. He was avare there might be considerable difficulty in doing the practice amvav suddenlv, anid there might be cases which would make it im- prudenit to put an end ts it altogetiter. Reference had just been made to thecaseof thenegroes, and itwas partof theintendedplan with respect to them to point out ant li-mitthienumberoflashes w hich should bein- flicted. IliewishedshiAt the same regulation were narie forthearmy. lie could not, however, agree with thosewho :.ssnnilated the nunish- mentof the military to that of the negroes. There was no fbunda- tion for this comparison, for slaves were punishledI atthe mere will of the pnrrons who emnpdoyedm them, whereas the troops could only be punished in virtue of the sentence of a court-martiaL. lhe b ill was then comnmitted and reported, as wvat the marine mutiny bill, and thie county gaol bill. SCOTCIHI COURTS. The Earl of llVI-:POt), l:id on the table a copy of the re- port of the commission appointed to inrquire into the state of the ju- dicature in Scotland. As this was a sub;ect of much imnportance, he should on an early day move that the locument now on the table be referred to a commnittee, to consider what bills ought to be intro- duced in virtue of its recommendations. The LORD CIIANCEL, R alluded to an application which had been nmarIe for leave to a counsel engaged in an appeal cause to attend another cause in the Vice-Chancellor's Court. Ile put it,how- ever, to their lordships, whether it was not always to be consideredl time first diuty &d a counsel to attenld to the causes at the bar of that Ihouse in which he might beengaged.-Adjourmmed. HOUSE OF. LORDS, TluInSDmY, MA}iCrP 18.