The Sun. — 1838-02-21 (London, England)

BROUGHAM—ExactIy so. But lie desired and wished to know whether any representation had been made against that faithless breach of a treaty ; because it was, on the very face of it, one of the most disgusting artifices that he had ever yet heard used to defeat a solemn obligation Then, as to the manner in which our own money hail been bestowed: when he saw a suns of money so applied he owned he ;vas astonished that a single voice should have been raised, as his Noble Friend had raised his voice, and Cm Node Duke, he was sorry to hear, hail followed his Noble Friend, in favour of what were called the claims of the planters (here the Marquis of Sligo made a private communication to the Noble and Learned Lore). His Noble Friend (continued Lord Brougham) had reminded him that before quitting the subject he ought to say a wed respecting piracy. The Noble Duke had asked what by the law of nations, constituted piracy, and what was its punishment ? Ile could only say that, according to the law of nations, common slave trading was always considered piracy. If on the way from Fernando Po, for instance, to any point of  the coast, be it three or be it thirty miles distant from th I shore, a boat were found with one slave only Os board, and that slave were taken by and carried on .board another vessel, exactly according to the very self-same process by which that slave was captured, you can neat that es an act of piracy by the law of nations ; and anybody taking the slaver who had done that act, were he a fiortriguese, a Spaniard, a Frenchrran, or an Englishman, migl:t take him home and proceed against him as aph ate. If this were done beyond three miles of the shore, it would, according to the strict letter of the law, be piracy; but if it happened within that distance of this shore, it would only be reckoned a common man-stealing, and if the violence were accompanied with loss of life, a common murder, and no longer piracy. Well, then, how was piracy to be dealt with ? He never could see the use of introducing slave trading into en Act for abolishieg capital puaishments for certain offences which in no one feature resembled slave trading. The rule established by that Act was, that offences should cease to be capital only if unattended with vialk nee and blood. Niw, slave trading was from its very nature attended by violence end blood ; and he never was of opinion that the capital puni4nnent by that enactment should have been taken away f, orn slate tra ling, and he had no objection whatever to see the capital nature of that offence restored. If it were proposed to declare slave trading a piratical offence, he should have no hesitation whatever in so far amending the law of this country, and in restoring it to the rank which it always ought to have maintained, by making piracy, by the municipal law, a capital offence, as well as by the law of nations. With respect to the arguments of his Noble Friend, relating to head-money, anything more inconclusive, more inconsistent with itself, more utterly unintelligible, he (Lord Brougham) had never beard advanced. His Noble Friend had said that he had no objection to increase the tonnage money, but he was not willing to give up the head-money ; and that it was necessary to give an inducemant to the captains employed in capturing slave-vessels with their cargoes. Why ? ue, said his Noble Friend, it was so very disagreeable a duty ; it was so disgusting to be on board of a slave veasel, with a cargo of slaves. If there were two vessels, said his Noble Friend, one lad-gin with slaves., and the other not, the captains and crew would immediately spy the one that was empty, and run on board, leaving the other to escape, unless some additional inducement were held out to them, and, therefore, it was necessary to give headmoney. And. yet these were the men—the captain and the crew—whom he (Lord Brougham) was taunted with having suspected of allowing anything like a sordid feeling to interfere with the discharge of their public and professional duties! The Noble Lord at the head of the Admiralty boasted that on behalf of the profession at the head of which he was placed. Now, by the bye, he (Lord Brougham) knew many a Gallant Admiral who would have blushed to have heard the Noble Earl state that ho was at the head of their profession.  Th.e Earl of