has been adopted by the Honourable Member for Colchester. I do regret that that Honourable and Learned Gentleman should so far have departed from the exercise of that sense,-of that sound, working sense which he usually displays,-as to allow himself to be tempted, at the present moment,-(before a very great and important question, affecting them, has been properly brought under the consideration of the House,)—to join in a war cry against what I will call an unfortunate body of men; I mean the body of West India proprietors. If their's be a property which, as the Honourable Member for Colchester has had the good taste to assert, is improperly or irreligiously held by them, has it been by their own fault that their property is thus constituted? Has not the property been recognized and encouraged by various successive statutes? I would ask, was it well for the Honourable Member to stir up this ill feeling at the present moment, when he must be aware, that the general subject of our West Indian colonies is one which must, ere long, undergo the important consideration of the House? Is it fitting, that the Honourable Member should thus raise this cry? Is it right that, in this Legislative Assembly, Honourable Members should address their minds to a subject of such paramount importance, by indulging in party invectives, thus thrown out to excite an unjust prejudice against a particular body of men? I ask, that on the one side, Honourable Gentlemen should discard all invective; and on the other, I promise that I, in common with others who are deeply interested in this question, will claim but common justice. I wish not to appeal to the passions of Honourable Gentlemen; but I would beg them, whenever the subject may be brought forward in a proper shape, to bring arguments, founded upon a calm and dispassionate reasoning, into the discussion.

MONDAY, MARCH 4.

The MARQUIS of CHANDOS said,-I take the opportunity of the presentation of this petition, to ask the Noble Lord opposite whether it is the intention of his Majesty's Government to bring forward any, and what measures, for the abolition of slavery in the colonies? A notice on this subject stood on the Book for the 19th, which, however, I understand is now withdrawn.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.-I gave an answer to a similar inquiry some time ago,-when I stated that it was the intention of his Majesty's Government to bring forward a motion upon the subject; and which, I hope and trust, will bring this question to a safe and satisfactory conclusion. Further than that, I do not think I am justified in giving the Noble Marquis an

answer.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6.

Mr. FOWELL BUXTON.-I wish to correct a mistake which appears to have arisen, on a former evening, on the presentation of a petition on the subject of slavery. The Noble Lord, the Member

for Buckinghamshire, is reported to have stated that I had withdrawn my notice on the subject of slavery for the 19th. I beg to assure the Noble Lord, in his presence, that I have not withdrawn that notice, and that I have no intention of doing so-unless in the event-(not a very likely one, I fear,)-of his Majesty's Ministers declaring that they will be prepared to concede the salutary measure of emancipation. I do not hesitate to say, that no measure will be satisfactory to the Colonies, or the nation, which does not comprehend the immediate abolition of slavery. There is another consideration which presses very strongly. I mean that this measure, whatever it be, should be introduced without delay. No one, with the horrors of a colonial civil war before his eyes, can consent to delay. There is a rumour abroad that the negotiations between the Government and the West India planters have terminated. I may be deceived in this impression; but, be the case as it may, I most seriously and earnestly warn the West India planters not to lose the opportunity which is now offered them.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6.

LORD SUFFIELD.-I have several petitions to present on the subject of slavery in the West India colonies, but in the present thin state of the House I should not feel warranted in presenting the whole of them. I will, under the circumstances, therefore, limit myself to the presentation of two only, and the observations which I shall offer on them will be very few. The first is from Wadebridge, the second from a parish in the county of Wexford: they pray for the total and immediate abolition of slavery. I have in my posession many others to the same effect from populous towns and districts in the country, but those I shall reserve till a future occasion; however, I feel it to be my duty at once to state, for the information of the House and the country, that the great object of the majority of those who have hitherto thought proper to exert themselves for the abolition of slavery, has been to leave the subject in the hands of Ministers, and to allow them full time and leisure to perfect those measures which have been stated in another place to be in course of preparation, and which are described as likely to prove satisfactory to all parties concerned. Though the preparation of those measures has been protracted for a long period of time, yet the individuals to whom I have alluded are exceedingly unwilling to embarrass the Government by raising any questions in your Lordship's House, and, in consequence, exciting the public feeling on the subject, until the measures in question have been fully matured and presented to Parliament. There is, however, a rumour afloat,-indeed, I need hardly to call it a rumour, for the fact is almost notorious,-that the measures, brought at length to a

state of maturity, have been submitted by Government to the consideration of the West India body, who have (most unadvisedly as it appears to me) thought proper to reject them. It is quite plain, therefore, that the delay in the settlement of this most important question no longer rests with his Majesty's Government, but is caused by the obstinate, and I may add, impolitic resistance on the part of the individuals connected with the West India body. Under these circumstances, I think that those persons who, out of consideration to the Government, have hitherto been induced to forbear bestirring themselves actively in furtherance of the object in view, will no longer suspend their exertions; nor do I believe that the public will be disposed to bear the disappointment of the expectations which have been raised with any degree of patience. I wish to state distinctly my conviction, that a very strong feeling does exist throughout the kingdom on the subject of negro slavery. The forbearance which has hitherto been displayed, I trust will not be mistaken for apathy and indifference to the highly important subject of the emancipation of slaves. There is, I can confidently assure your Lordships, no such apathy or indifference in the public mind, and the delay in the settlement of the question is, I repeat, solely owing to the opposition made by the West India body. I have heard it stated, with some degree of bitterness, that the AntiSlavery Society is the enemy of this body. The charge is most incorrect and unjustifiable. The Society is far from considering the West India body with vindictive feelings. Before I sit down, I will, however, offer this latter Company one word of advice, which it would be well for them to attend to. Generosity, it is well known, is as strong a characteristic of the British public, as the love of justice; but I would humbly suggest to the West India body (and I do not speak without some reason) the policy of displaying a greater spirit of conciliation. The eager desire of the public for the enactment of a measure of emancipation, is perfectly well known, and I am sure that if that desire were attempted to be checked, it would increase till it became as irresistible as the call for reform was last year. We are, at present, disposed to act liberally with the West India body; I therefore warn that body against delay, as I am quite persuaded it would result in rendering the demands upon them much more extensive, and would cause those demands to be urged with more determination than ever. I counsel them to agree at once to the terms offered by Government, while those terms may yet be yielded to with propriety. I beg to observe, in conclusion, that two days may not elapse before I may consider it my duty to call the attention of the House to the subject in a more specific way.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MONDAY, MARCH 18.

LORD VISCOUNT MORPETH.-Sir, I have been most pointedly requested to support the petition just presented from the borough of Leeds. I am most happy to do so, because I most fully concur in its prayer; at the same time, I cannot help observing that it will really amount to a great annoyance if all the towns which have obtained representatives of their own, shall call upon the Members of the counties, in which those towns are situated, to attend and give their support to petitions. Certainly, if any town have a peculiar claim upon the county Members, it is Leeds-the largest town in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and containing a community which, I will take upon myself to state, has been more prominent in its opposition to negro slavery than any other district in the British empire.

Mr. STRICKLAND.-I quite concur with my Noble Colleague as to the propriety of county Members not, in general, taking part in the business of those places which have Members of their own; but on some occasions it may be allowed us to deviate from that course, especially when Members have received a particular request to do so this is my case on the present occasion. I give this petition my support because I think the time is come when the feelings of the people of England, which have been so strongly expressed upon this subject, ought to be attended to, and the question

set at rest.

Mr. COBBETT.-As to Members for counties being called upon to support petitions coming from towns having representatives of their own, it is a question which had better be left alone, every Member having a right to do therein as he pleases. With regard to the subject-matter of the petition, I have to observe, with respect to my constituents, that they wish slavery to be abolished; but they, at the same time, are most anxious to be informed whether the negroes are worse fed than they are? My opinion is, that they are fed a great deal better than the working people of England, Ireland, or Scotland; and I should like some Member to produce, before any Bill is brought in, some statement to shew the comparative treatment of the slaves and the working people of this country. I am aware of the zeal of the public upon this question, but they have been greatly misled. I have told my constituents that I will vote for this measure, merely to please them; but, if an examination were to take place, I am sure it would be found that the negroes of Jamaica were better off than the working-people of this kingdom.

Mr. ANDREW JOHNSTON.-As a Member of the Committee which sat last Session upon this subject, I beg to say that I entirely differ from the sentiments just expressed by the Honourable Member for Oldham. I beg to refer him to the Report of that Committee; and if he gives it a dispassionate perusal, I have no doubt he will be convinced, that the condition of the labourers of this country, however distressed they at present may be, is infinitely superior to that of the negroes of the West Indies.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19.

On Mr. FoWELL BUXTON being called upon by the Speaker, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose and said,-I have to request my Honourable Friend not to bring forward the motion of which he has given notice respecting colonial slavery, at the present moment. It would be both disadvantageous to the question, and embarrassing to the House, to have it discussed at this moment. As Ministers have intimated their intention of preparing some measure on this subject, I hope my Honourable Friend will consent to postpone the discussion of it for the present.

Mr. FoWELL BUXTON.-No man is more conscious than I am that it would be far better that this great question should be undertaken by Government rather than by any individual Member of this House. But I am compelled to resist the request of the Noble Lord, unless upon two conditions, namely-first, that Government will prepare a plan for the complete and immediate abolition of slavery; and second, that they will fix a day to introduce that measure to this House. It may appear that I am too pertinacious in this matter, but when I am asked to postpone this great measure, what prospect have I ? When I look at the Order-Book, I see there is not a vacant day till June next, and when I reflect on the business that is before this House after Easter-Finance-India-the Church I see clearly what will be the fate of this great question, if I postpone it without some definite assurance that it will be brought before the consideration of this House. It will be postponed for the Session-and the fact is, if it is not settled in this place by legislation, there is too much reason to fear it will be settled elsewhere in a much more disastrous manner. Therefore, however obstinate I may appear, and however painful it is to me to resist the request, before made to me in private, and now in public, by the Noble Lord, I am compelled to proceed at once with the motion, unless his Majesty's Government can fix a day on which they will be prepared to explain their plans with respect to colonial slavery.

THE CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.-It is impossible for me to comply with the first of the conditions mentioned by the Honourable Member; but with respect to the other-that Government shall fix a day on which they will bring forward this question-I certainly have no objection to state, that Government will be prepared on Tuesday, the 23rd of April, to state the views they take of the subject. Of course I cannot, at the present time, state what the plans are which his Majesty's Government have in contemplation. Mr. FoWELL BUXTON.-When I used the words " complete and immediate" abolition of slavery, I of course had respect to that "safe and satisfactory" measure which has been already alluded to by his Majesty's Ministers, because it appears to me evident, that nothing can be safe and satisfactory which is not of the character I have described. The Noble Lord is pledged to a safe and satisfactory measure, and with what appears to me the obvious meaning of those words I am perfectly satisfied, and am, therefore, content to withdraw my motion.