§ Lord Grenvillehaving moved the order of the day for the second reading of the Slave Trade Abolition bill, observed, that those of their lordships who had witnessed his extreme anxiety to carry forward this important measure with the least possible interruption, would readily conceive that he now felt great regret in finding himself under the necessity of proposing a further delay. Unfortunately, however, two of his noble friends, whose sentiments respecting this measure it was important the house should be in possession of, and whose assistance he much wished to have upon the discussion of the subject, were too much indisposed to be enabled to attend the house. He therefore proposed that the second reading should be postponed till Wednesday.—Ordered, and that the lords be summoned for that day.
The Earl of Westmorelandpresented a petition from the ship builders, ship owners, manufacturers, and others of the port of London, against the Slave Trade Abolition bill; which was ordered to lie on the table. A short conversation took place respecting the propriety of hearing counsel in behalf of the petitioners against the bill.
§ Lord Grenvillesuggested the propriety of making some order upon this subject, if it was the pleasure of their lordships to hear counsel, in order that they might avoid the inconvenience which occurred, of having a preliminary discussion of this nature, on the very day on which the measure proposed was to be brought forward.
The Earl of Westmorelandmoved, that such of the petitioners as thought fit, should be heard by their counsel on the second reading of the bill.
§ Lord Grenvillethought it would be expedient to make some regulation with respect to the hearing of counsel in order to prevent unnecessary delay. As to the propriety of examining evidence, that of course would be decided on, after their lordships had heard counsel. He thought, however, that it would be sufficient to hear one counsel upon each petition, as the greater part of the arguments which the counsel must necessarily touch upon, had 602 already been often repeated, and as it was of so much importance to avoid delay.
§ Lord Eldonalso expressed himself decidedly hostile to unnecessary delay, but at the same time it was of the utmost importance that a subject of this magnitude should be deeply and closely examined, and that the parties whose interests would be affected by it, should be fairly and fully heard.
§ Lord Hawkesburysuggested, that the interests of the petitioners might be equally benefited, and the time of the house less taken up, if the petitioners were classed according to the interests of those petitioning, which would be found to be divided into three; namely, the old planters in Jamaica and other islands, the new planters in the island of Trinidad, and the shipping and commercial interests of the ports of this country, and counsel heard for each interest.—After some further conversation, the petitioners were ordered to be heard by their counsel on Wednesday.