Lord Broughamwished to ask two questions relative to 30,000 Negroes, who he said had, by an act of piracy, been carried as slaves into the Mauritius. He wished to know whether measures had been taken for their release, and also whether measures had been taken to prevent that abuse, that gross abuse and outrage on the feelings of the people of England, who would have to pay the money, namely—to prevent the giving of one farthing of compensation with respect to these persons thus unlawfully and piratically treated as slaves.
§ Viscount Melbournesaid, that his noble Friend the Secretary for the Colonies was not present, and, in his absence, he begged to decline answering the questions.