Mr. Hughes Hughespresented a Petition from the Females of Ryde, against the continuance of Negro Slavery. The hon. Member warmly eulogized the females of Ryde, who, while they themselves were in the enjoyment of freedom, deeply sympathised with the females of the West Indies in their unhappy bondage. Having brought up the petition, the hon. Member moved that it be printed.
Mr. S. Riceobjected to the Motion, on the ground of expense, and on the general understanding that petitions on this subject should not be printed.
§ Mr. Littletonobserved, that no petitions of that description had been printed since February.
§ Mr. W. Duncombesaid, that petitions for Reform were printed, and why should not petitions against slavery be printed? He did not know why one rule should be fol- 249 lowed for the former, and another for the latter.
Mr. Nicholson Calvertsaid, it was a question of economy, and seeing no use in printing all these petitions, he should oppose the Motion.
Mr. Evansobserved, that the same remark would apply to most of the petitions on Reform; they were generally worded alike.
§ Sir John Newportsaid, that the expense of printing petitions was enormous, and though he did not wish to divide the House on the subject, particularly as he had observed some acrimonious feeling growing out of it, yet he hoped the petition would not be printed.
§ Mr. Hart Davisremarked, that if the wishes of the petitioners were carried into effect, the children, for whom they appeared to feel so much, must all inevitably perish.
§ The Speakerobserved, that there was no rule against printing the petition, but there certainly was an understanding that no petitions on slavery should be printed.
§ The House then divided: For printing the petition 16; Against it 47—Majority 31.