§ Sir R. Inglisrose to put the question, of which he had given notice, with respect to the Foreign Slave-trade. The House would recollect, that the noble Lord, the Foreign Secretary, had pledged himself and the Government to use every means in their power for the suppression of the foreign slave-trade. All the accounts, however, both public and private, which reached him, induced him to believe, that that inhuman trade was carried on to a greater extent, and with more horror than was ever previously known. He trusted that the noble Lord would now state to the House what mea- 1254 sures the Government bad adopted, or intended to adopt, to suppress this great curse and crime.
§ Viscount Palmerstonhad stated some time ago, that it was the intention of Government to propose to Parliament a bill to give additional powers with regard to that part of the foreign slave-trade which was carried on under the Portuguese flag. He should already have moved for leave to introduce such a bill, but he wished beforehand to submit to Parliament the correspondence which had taken place between the British and Portuguese Governments upon the subject. That correspondence had been some time in the hands of the printer, but owing to some accidental circumstances, it had not been delivered. He believed, however, that it would be ready in a few days, and as soon as it was produced, he would give notice of the day on which he would move for leave to introduce the bill.
§ Sir Robert Inglistrusted, that the noble Lord, in consideration of the human suffering which this trade daily occasioned, would not lose one hour in taking the necessary steps to prevent it.