HC Deb 14 December 1837 vol 39 cc1081-2
Mr. Baines

wished to ask the Vice-President of the Board of Trade in his place, as he had been chairman of a Select Committee which sat last year to inquire into the system of negro apprenticeship, how it was that the evidence taken before that Committee had been communicated in the West Indies, while it had been thought advisable to withhold it from that House?

Mr. Labouchere

could assure the hon. Gentleman that he was in no way implicated in the matter. That Committee had decided that the evidence should not be reported to the House, and he had not, communicated it to any party. Certainly some complaints had reached him of that evidence having transpired in the West Indies, while it was the fact that it had not been communicated to the House. Now he would bring something to the hon. Member's recollection which might account for the matter. The hon. Member would recollect it was proposed and carried in Committee, with no other dissentient than himself (Mr. Labouchere), that those parts of the evidence which bore on the conduct of particular planters should be sent out to them. The resolution was supported by Mr. F. Buxton, by the hon. Member for Leeds, and those Members who thought with them. He had been no party to communicate that evidence, except in so far as he had been directed to do so by the Committee. On |the contrary, one of the grounds of his objection to the resolution was, that the evidence might transpire and give rise to some such misconceptions as appeared to | have taken place. He hoped that the answer would be satisfactory to the hon.; Member, and that he would acquit him (Mr. Labouchere) of any underhand conduct in the matter.

Sir G. Grey

denied in the most unequivocal manner the charge that had been made against him at a public meeting in London, that he had surreptitiously transmitted this evidence through Mr. Burge, the agent for Jamaica. He denied the accusation that had been made against him; but he was sorry to say that it was only one among many to which he had been subject.

Sir G. Sinclair

felt convinced that it was quite unnecessary, as far as the House was concerned, for the hon. Member to make the denial.

Mr. Baines

was quite aware of the answer that would be returned when he put the question; but, finding that there had been circulated through the country a report very much to the disadvantage of the Colonial-office, he was determined that an opportunity should be given for the correction of that report.

Subject dropped.