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had been -wiped out . Our squadron has repressed the slave trade along one thousand miles of the African coast , -while a legitimate trade has sprung up in native hands , which , would be extinguished if the squadron were removed . Mr . Seymour Fitzgerald said he should ask the House to express a strong dissent from the resolution . He disagreed altogether with Mt . Hutt as to the result of our efforts for the suppression of the slave trade . "Cuba is now the only place where the traffic is rife , and the annual importation of slaves has diminished from 135 , 000 to 15 , 000 only . But the result of the abolition of the slave trade in any locality is the springing up of a legitimate industry and commerce . In the Bight of
Benin , once the centre of the slave trade , from the west coast of Africa , the annual importation of palm-oil has increased from the value of 13 O 0 £ . to the large sum of 900 , OOOf . { Hear . ' ) la the port of Lagos , formerly one of the slave marts on that coast , the general exports have increased in the same ratio ; and in Loanda , a Portuguese settlement , legitimate trade has increased in direct proportion to the decrease of the slave trade . In a few years , a legitimate trade has sprung up to the amount of half a million of money , the imports in 1857 being no less than 293 , 000 / ., and the exports 239 , 000 / . And yet , only a few years ago , this port alone exported as many slaves as now constitute the total amount of the slave trade from the whole of Africa . ( JHear , hear . ' )
One of the great articles to which the natives are tiirning their attention is cotton . The supply of cotton is a subject which has long been discussed in England ; and it is to Africa rather than to India that we must look as the source of the much desired supply . Abbeokouta , one of the principal seats of missionary enterprise in Africa , has already sent out a considerable quantity of cotton , and , if the slave trade is repressed , the quantity in a few years" will be very large . ( Hear , / tear . ) No people would make greater sacrifices than the French to avoid a revival of the slave trade . Representations have been made of the opinion of the English Government that the system of obtaining from Africa ' free negroes , ' as they are termed , and apprenticing them for a period of six . years , will inevitably lead to such revival ; and he was not without hope that the Imperial Government will abandon the Regis scheme . He also
hoped that there would be no difficulty with the United States . He had that day received the answer of General Cass on this American question . The course taken by the English Government was properly appreciated in America . General Cass thought it was consistent with the dignity of a great country to admit an error and' remedy a grievance ; and he stated that the American Government would give theiv best attention to any suggestion which her Majesty ' s Government might oiler for avoiding the evils likely to aviso from the improper' assumption of a national flag . { Ifear , hear . ' ) It had been a question whether the English ( xovemment should allow their squadron to remain in the Cuban waters , in the direct highway of the American trade 5 but General Cass has sent word that the American ships sent to Cuba had orders to co-operate with England in suppressing the slave trade , if the English ships were not ordered away from the "" station . " ( JJear , hear . )
Mr . Milner Gibson observed that we are paying a large sum of money to keep up a maritime police which is ineffectual , since slaves are obtained . It is impossible to maintain an effective blockade of the cxtensivo coast of Africa ; and the attempt to do so aggravates the miseries of the wretched negroes . He culled upon the Government to repeal the Brazil Act of 1845 , which was passed on the ground that Brazil had failed in fulfilling her treaty obligations with this country in regard to the slave trade—a ground which there is now no reason for maintaining . — Mr . Mills did not think that the squadron had been altogether nugatory , and ho regretted that their efforts for the suppression of the slave trade had not been supported by other powers . —Mr .
Guiinky contended that tho . squadron had protected lawful trade , and that it should not be discontinued . With regard to the future , it seemed to hint that it would bo well worth tho attention of the Government , as far as possible , to keep up tho system which was so successful under Admiral liruco—namely , to prevent tho embarkation of negroes , instead oi attempting to rescue them after they have liecn shipped . —Sir G . B . Picchell urged that measures , should bo taken to compel Spain to fulfil her trouty engagements in regard to tho suppression of tho alavo trade , uikI expressed hia gratification at the announcement that our efforts to put down this truffle were not to bo abundoned . —Sir Chaklks Napieu beliovcd that , if they had employed sufficient forco
a on the coast of Africa , there would have been no slave trade at present . —Mr . Roebuck , avIuIo denouncing tho slave trado , contended that our efforts at suppressing it had failed . Wo had compelled tho export of ie larger number of slaves to keep up the importation ; bo that our operations had been wome than nugatory . " Upon this question we had bullied Brazil and truckled to America ; but tho right which wo aro about to yield to America should bo yielded alao to Brazil . Tho Under Secretary for Foreign Afl ' aira had failed to show tliat our cruisers had succeeded in diminishing tho alnvo traffic , and , as the object of our measures had not only lulled , but had led to ait increase of tho suflurings of African HiaveH , it waH time that they -wero abandoned . Tho motion of tho
member for Guteshead was a humane motion , and it would redound to the honour of this country to admit that our efforts have failed , owing to America and France . It was wise to yield . to America . She is strong enough to carry out her bad intentions : a vessel , though loaded with slaves to her gunwales , has but to hoist that bit of bunting called the stars and stripes , and our officers must withdraw . The most free nation in the world will in . future cover by its ensign the greatest of human miseries ; and he congratulated America upon the consummation . The shame is hers , and not ours . " (// e «) -, hear . )—Sir John Pakxngton affirmed that we have minimised the slave traffic by our efforts , and that so great is the difficulty of obtaining- a sufficient number of African slaves at Cuba , that a considerable number of Indians have been brought thither from Yucatan . Mr . Roebuck's assertion
that we had truckled to the United States was most unfounded and unjust . The American Government had behaved in & most frank and conciliatory manner , and he hoped that all existing difficulties would speedily be settled . —^ Ir . Buxton said no one would contend that the slave trade had been entirely put an end to ; but there was no doubt that it had been materially diminished by the efforts of our squadrons . Dr . Livingstone , amongst others , had shown that the American squadron had thus operated . —Lord Clarence Pagjet said he had a pocketful of letters from naval officers , stating that the efforts of our squadron on the coast of Africa , though noble and sublime , were utterly futile . He added his own testimony to the amount of suffering caused by the pursuit of slavers and to the hardships endured by the crews of our own ships on the African station .
Lord Pauierstos said that all the assertions by which Mr . Hutt ' s motion had been supported were diametrically opposed , to fact . It was not true that the horrors of the middle passage had been increased , nor that the Cubans get as many slaves as they want : the wellknown liiyh price of slaves in Cuba shows that the supply falls short of the demand . We have prevented the landing in Brazil of 70 , 000 negroes annually , and consequently have prevented the sufferings of three times that number ; for it is calculated that only one third of the number originally captured roach their destination . " The last speaker complained of the cruelty to which the crews of the slavers are subjected ; but he had forgotten to state that he himself provided the proper remedy , by rescuing
the slaves from their horrible condition and restoring them to litierty . As to the unhealthy state of the African coast , the noble lord himself is a living proof to the contrary . ( . 4 laugh . ) It had been denied that our efforts had put a stop to the slave trade to the Brazils ; but , nevertheless , that trade had been abolished through our instrumentality . The Brazilian Government finding , in 1851 , that we were determined to carry out the act of 1845 , sued for terms , and passed a law to abolish the slave trade . The result was most beneficial , n ; t only to Africa , but to Brazil ; for capital which had been before in the slave traffic was diverted to purposes of internal improvement . It was not true , therefore , to say that our efforts had failed , because we had not
yet put an end . to the slave trade in Cuba . We had destroyed it in Brazil , greatly diminished it in Cuba , and immensely improved Africa by setting up a trade which in a few years would equal that with Brazil . Especially did tho production of cotton in Africa promise , in a few years , to be more valuable than that of any other portion of the world , the United States alone excepted . Politically , this country had endeavoured to procure amelioration of slavery as well as the abolition of the slave trade ; and wo had been eminently successful . France had imitated our example : Portugal was following in the same footsteps . Was , then , this country , in ttio moment of success , to reverse it 3 policy ?" (// ear , hear . )
Mr . Gilpin supported the motion Mr . Pktkr ) 'Briisn withdrew a motion of which he had given notice , to the effect that it is inexpedient to maintain the naval force at present in the West India waters for the suppression of the slave trade . —General Thompson said that the Cubans have us many slaves as they chose to pay for , but that the difficulty of landing alive slave in Cuba is increased by our blockading squadrons something like four to one on tlie original expense . —Mr Dkummond warmly opposed the motion ; denied that tho horrors of the middle passage aro anything like so bad now as they were before the blockade ; and assorted
his firm conviction that slavery never would bo got rid of without a rising of the blacks on their own behalf , lie should heartily rejoice when ho heard they lind risen , and inflicted some poor measure ; of short justice on the people who now hold them In slavery . " The honest old English merchant" and " tho Inmost old English manufacturer" aro willing for profit to trado with tho devil himself ; and tho lovoof money and trade—carried on under the name cf free tnido—is really outing out of tho country anything like moral and religious feeling . — Mr . Cooan opposed tho motion , which , on a division , wan negatived by ' 2 23 to 2-1 .
Tho llouso then went into Commiteo of Supply , when ft' vote of 11 , 050 ? . for tho unlurioM mid expenses of the Mixed Commissions for the suppression of the sluvo trado was agreed to . Tho GovKRNMBMr ok Nirv Caledonia Bill passed through committee , after receiving uuudry amendmontu .
Other , bills were forwarded a stage , and the b House adjourned at two o ' clock . . Tuesday , July 13 th . MILITARY CLOTHING WITIIO UT BUTTONS . In the House op Lokds , the Marquis of Clanhicarde called their Lordships' attention to the fact that the clothing furnished to the 100 th Regiment had no buttons ( Jatcgkter ) , and therefore was utterly useless . He did not mean to impute blame to the Secretary of War ; but some one was to blame , and , unless some one was punished , these blunders would be continued . —Viscount Haiidikce admitted that the tunics of the 100 th Regiment were sent to them without buttons , w-hich had been separately contracted for ; but the delay in furnishing tuem was not owing to the neglect of any person connected with the War-office . It was entirely owing to the neglect of the carriers employed to convey the goods from one terminus to another .
CHURCH KATES . Lord Portman , observing that the Government h ad promised to introduce a bill on the subject of church rates , stated that lie should in consequence abstain from bringing forward the measure of which , he had himself given notice for the settlement of that long-pending controversy . —The E . irl of Derby said that the question would undoubtedly receive careful consideration during the recess , and Ministers hoped to be able to produce an acceptable bill next year . Further than this , he declined to enter into any engagement .
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS . Several bills were advanced a stage , with more or less of discussion . —The Funded Debt Bill , the' Leases-ajtd Sai . us of Settled- Estates Act Amehdmknt Bill and the Nisi Pkius Coukt , &c . ( Ireland ) Bill , were respectively read a third time , and passed . The House adjourned at a quarter to eight . The Lord Mayor of Dublin appeared at the bar of the House of -Commons ,-in his robes of office , and presented a- petition from himself and the aldermen and burgesses of the Irish metropolis against the Police Force ( Ikelanu ) Bili .. —Other petitions were also presented 'brand against the measure .
LOSS OF THE VARNA . Mr . KoBEKTSox asked the President of the Board of Trade , if in consequence of a letter dated 1 st Julv ; . addressed to the Secretary in the Marine Department of the Board of Trade , his attention had been drawn to the loss of the British barque Varna of Greenock , on the coast of Tasmania , on the 24 th December , 1857 , through ' the ignorance of navigation of the officer who held Ins position as first mate und <; r a certificate of service issued by the local board of Oreenock , and succeeded ' to
command on death of the master ; and if any stops would be taken to withdraw the said certificate of service , under authority of which the chief mate held his position on board the Varna , —Mr .-Henley said his attention had b « en called to the case . According to the protest , the master , who held a , certificate of " service" only , ' admitted his ignorance of the science of navigation ; but it did not appear from the protest that the ship was lost in consequence . However , the case would be thoroughly investigated .
THE , TliW QUESTION . Lord John Russell moved . the adjournment of the House , in order to have the opportunity of stating the course he intended to pursue with regard to tho Oaths Bill and , the Jew Bill , which were about to be brought down from the Peers . He -thought that it would bo dangerous for the House to stand alone in asserting the right of Jews to sit there . Such a course might bring them into collision , not only with the House of Lords , but with the judicial tribunals of the country . They might not , moreover , receive the support of the country in such a conflict , since an opinion had arisen that tho House of Commons had usurped an undue prominence over the correlative branches of the
Legislature . In the Oaths Bill , as originall y sent up to tho 1 ecrs , various disabilities now imposed upon tho Jews wore abolished , especially us regarded the tenure of civil ofhccfl , -which the measure as amended would still retain 11111 I which the » mv bill introduce- ! in the other House did not touch . Nevertheless , ho recommended the Commons to accept the latter measure as uflording a practical solution to n serious controversy ; and , us they would thus obtain the principal object which thuir own bill waa intondeil to secure — namely , the admission of Jews to 1 urliiuncnt—they might , ho thought , consent to admit the reasons alleged by tho Poors for insisting on their amendments in the Oaths Bill . Intending , therefore , himself to tho second
move reading of the Jew Bill , ho asked tho Government to give him un early day for that purpose , suggesting that tho motion might bo made and the discussion taken on tho following Friday . In the tho course of his Lordship ' s remarks , hu wa » hil « rm |> t « i by Lord John Mannishs , who contended that he was out of order , ns tho reasons of tho Lord . i for disagreeing with tho Commons' hill wont not btiforo tho HouHu . —Lord John Kijhskll , howevor , answered that Lord Castlenxigh , whon in turnip tori in a yiiinilur manner , hjul replied that the Hoiihu of LomIh is a court of record , and that thoir votes , liuing riK-onled , couhl be quoted . — The Ciiancicllok ok tiik Kxciikquku said that'Friday would bo placed at the disposal of tho noble Lord the member for tho City of London . — Lord John Mann euh thought tho noblo Lord ' a version of what
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3 STo . 434 , Jul ? 17 , 1858 , ] THE LEADE 11 . 675
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 17, 1858, page 675, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2251/page/3/
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