§ Mr. M. Gibsonsaid, that on an occasion some time back, when it was proposed to reduce the duties on foreign sugars, he understood that the objection raised against the proposition was grounded upon the fact that the sugar of Brazil was produced by slave labour, and that by encouraging its importation we should be encouraging slavery, It was hoped, in refusing to ad-mil the Brazilian sugars upon more favourable terms, that the Brazilian government would have been induced to make some alterations in the laws relating to their slaves. He wished to know now, whether, when Mr. Ellis was deputed to the Brazils to negociate commercial relations with that government, he was instructed to make any proposals for an improvement of the condition of the slaves in that country?
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, that Mr. Ellis was charged with various propositions to offer, as he should think necessary, in case one or other failed. He was authorised, in order to place our commercial relations with that country upon a firmer footing, to waive any exclusive advantages which we possessed under the existing treaty. Among other points intrusted to him to submit to the Brazilian government was one relating to the state of their slaves, but Mr. Ellis had not occasion to bring that point before the Brazilian government, because M. San Honorio said he could only treat with him under the conditions at the outset, that Brazilian produce should be admitted under no higher duties than 899 those imposed upon similar articles the produce of our colonies. This being the ground upon which the negotiation was broken off, it left Mr. Ellis no opportunity of submitting the various matters which had been confided to him to the Brazilian government.