§ Mr. William Roche, on presenting five Petitions from the Wesleyan Methodists of Limerick, and its neighbourhood, against the Negro Slavery said:—The five petitions which I hold in my hand, and shall beg leave to lay on the Table of the House, came from the city and vicinity of the city (Limerick) which I have the honour to represent, and relate to the unchristian, the inhuman, and unnatural practice of Negro Slavery in the British Colonies, the injustice and horrors of which are depicted by petitioners in terms no less lively, no less creditable to them, than unfortunately and painfully true—Sir, when I inform the House that these petitions emanate from a most respectable portion of the members of the "Wesleyan Communion," I am sure it will confer upon them a weight which their opinions and feelings, pre-eminently on this subject, stand so deservedly entitled to; for no class of society has done more or suffered more in their benign and Christian-like zeal, to rescue the character of this country from so foul a stain, or in their endeavours to mitigate its various evils both physical and moral, during its disgraceful existence; an existence which I am happy to think is now near very near its dissolution for ever. I shall not detain the House any longer than to express my entire concurrence in the views and wishes of the petitioners, and 68 the gratification I feel in being made the medium of conveying to the House sentiments and supplications on this interesting subject so congenial with my own.
Petitions to lie on the Table.