Lord Broughampresented a petition from the Jamaica merchants in London, against the bill introduced into the House of Commons for suspending the constitution of that country. He had been intrusted with this petition, in consequence of the course he had adopted on the subject of Canada. He was not acquainted with the merits of the case, but he must confess, that the conduct of the Assembly of Jamaica had not been such as he could approve of. However, it was another question, whether the course they had pursued rendered it necessary that the constitution of the island should be abolished for any length of time.
Viscount St. Vincentsupported the prayer of the petition. He considered the measure one of the hardest and most uncalled-for that had ever been brought forward.
The Marquess of Normanbydid not think it necessary then to say anything upon the subject of that measure; the noble and learned Lord, however, appeared, as at present advised, disposed to give the measure his opposition; but the Jamaica documents were on the Table of the House, and if the noble and learned Lord looked into them, he would find it impossible to justify the conduct of the Assembly. He was so convinced of the right and justice of his case, that he should 720 be prepared to meet even the noble and learned Lord on every point, if indeed the noble and learned Lord then found himself in a condition to differ from all those with whom he had always agreed on these subjects.
Lord Brougham—Oh, no, not all; only a few of them. He had had communication with many of those, with whom he had always agreed, and who did not differ from him on this subject. The noble Marquess was mistaken if he supposed that he was not acquainted with the contents of the Jamaica documents. He had already stated, that he highly disapproved of the conduct of the Assembly, and he only waited to see the provisions of the bill. If he found those provisions to be detrimental to the rights of the negroes, he would certainly oppose it.
The Marquess of Normanbywould be perfectly ready to meet the noble and learned Lord on that point. It was stated, that the bill would have the effect of postponing the enjoyment by the negroes of the elective franchise; but when the bill came before the House, he should be in a condition to prove, that it would not defer these rights one moment beyond the time at which they were able to enjoy them.
Lord Broughamsaid, if the bill was so good a thing for the negroes, why not extend it to Barbadoes, and the other colonies?
The Marquess of Normanbysaid the reason was obvious. The other colonies had not refused to legislate.
Lord Brougham—Then the bill is a matter of punishment, and not of bouuty and favour—and he was bound to oppose it, as he had done the Canada Bill, because it was a penal act. It was sent, according to the noble Marquess's confession, for the mischief of the whites, and not for the advantage of the negroes.
The Marquess of Normanbysaid, that he had never declared that the immediate object of the bill was to benefit the negroes, but that it would have that tendency. The object of that bill was, to meet an obstacle which had arisen.
§ Petition laid on the Table.