Lords Sitting of 25 June 1821

SLAVE TRADE.
The Marquis of Lansdown, on rising to make his promised motion respecting the Foreign slave-trade, said, that though the attention of the House had been called many times to that interesting subject, it never had been called to it under circumstances which more strongly required their consideration. If the result of their endeavours had been more fortunate than they were, it would still become their lordships, after the lapse of so long a period since the abolition of that detestable traffic by this country, and the en-
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gagements entered into by the other states of Europe preparatory to the same desirable end, to take a review of the subject for the satisfaction of their minds as to the progress of those combined measures. But, unfortunately, the circumstances which now solicited their lordships' attention were such as to render it incumbent on them to stimulate the government to still further exertions for the putting down of that abuse which still continued to disgrace the world, under the negligence or connivance of other powers Whatever opinion he might have entertained as to the efforts which were made at the congress of Vienna, for the purpose of enforcing what parliament had declared to be an object of such importance with this country; however he might have complained of remissness in that instance; he was ready to state on the present occasion, that great exertions had been exhibited, and particularly by his majesty's ministers, in order to put down that odious traffic abroad, which we had banished from our own dependencies When this country resolved upon relinquishing her share in the guilty traffic, it was expected that into the vacuum thus created, unprincipled adventurers from all quarters of the world would run. According, as had been foreseen, on the restoration of peace, the unprincipled and wicked of all nations speculated on the opportunity. Against this there was no remedy, but in the engagements with foreign states. Great Britain was entitled, in the name of humanity and justice, to appeal to those other countries, upon whom she had prevailed in the congress of Vienna, to join with her in the endeavour to abolish it throughout the world. No power was found at that congress so base, so unprincipled, so ignorant of what was due to mankind from Christian governments and Christian nations, as to identify itself with this traffic; on the contrary, there was but one voice from all, with the exception of Portugal, declaring, that the trade should be put an end to. In pursuance of these engagements, acts and ordinances were passed. Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and America, all pledged themselves to the abolition within stated periods. The congress of America had proved its sincerity, and in furtherance of the great object in which it concurred with this country, had passed an act last session declaring all her subjects who embarked in the slave

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trade, whether in American or foreign vessels, guilty of piracy, and liable to the punishment of death, He now came to the painful task of calling their lordships' attention to the manner in which those treaties had been executed by the other countries; and it was with great concern he stated, that with the single exception of the United States, they had all failed to carry their engagements into effect. At that one instance their satisfaction must stop; for the rest had manifested such laxity in punishing, and even in some cases such a degree of favour towards, persons carrying on the trade, as greatly to counteract the exertions made by this country. Turning in the first place, to Spain, their lordships would find, from the papers before the House, that though Spain had engaged to abolish the slave trade north of the line, from 1817, and south of the line from 1820, our own consul at the Havannah stated, that slave ships continued to enter that port, and slaves continued to be landed at the Havannah itself, so little was the attention paid to the abolition law. Up to May 1820, vessels were still fitting out for the same purpose. With regard to Portugal, their lordships would find that no material diminution had taken place in the slave trade: 18,000 slaves had been carried into her colonies since the abolition. Of 2,000 conveyed to South America, one-fourth had been lost; and in one vessel, out of 300, 144 had died. There was too much reason to suspect that many persons in authority were concerned in the traffic. The Portuguese governor of the Isle of Princes, was one of them; and it was notorious that there was no diminution in the supply of slaves from Africa to Surinam.—He now came to the steps taken by France, and sure it was to be expected that a people living under a representative government, and enjoying privileges themselves, should feel a desire to carry the laws against this odious and detestable traffic into effect. Years had elapsed, yet no effort had been made; and they had the authority of sir George Collier that, under the French flag, not less than 60,000 slaves were brought from Africa in the course of a single year. The remissness of the French government might be collected from two Instances to which he should refer. The Jeune Estelle and another ship called the Rodeur, were fitted out for the traffic. Sir C. Stuart, whose exertions in such cases were en-
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titled to the highest praise, communicated the fact to the French government: but the only answer made to him was the affidavit of a captain, who swore that he knew nothing of the slave trade, and that the Spanish and other vessels concerned in it called themselves French, for the purpose of casting the odium upon that country. The vessels sailed to their destination: it happened that some time after the Rodeur left the coast of Africa, a dreadful ophthalmia prevailed among the slaves, which was communicated to the crew; so that there was but a single man who could see to guide the vessel into port. There was but too much reason to believe that many of the slaves, who became totally blind, were thrown overboard as unproductive articles of merchandize; some were, however, conveyed to the hospitals, and so singular and severe were the symptoms of the disease, that it became the subject of scientific inquiry at the Ophthalmia Institution, at Paris. So notoriously was the trade carried on; yet it would seem that the vigilance of the French police could not enable them to ascertain whether the Rodeur carried out slaves at all. Such was the unpardonable remissness of the French government. In the case of the Jeune Estelle, which was overtaken by a British cruiser, there was reason to fear that many of the slaves had been thrown overboard in casks; and many, both men and women, were found stuffed into casks on board, and almost expiring. They were discovered by a British sailor, who overheard their feeble groans. These facts were sufficient to prove that the nefarious traffic was likely to extend with aggravated cruelty, if some further attempt was not made by this country. After quoting the dispatch of sir G. Collier, in corroboration of the success of the trade, he alluded to an advertisement in a French newspaper, as an additional instance of its notoriety. The advertisement described a vessel then fitting up for the coast of Africa, there to purchase about 100 mules. Such was the flimsy pretext, which was found sufficient, under the eye of an enlightened government, to carry on a trade which desolated one quarter of the globe. He had much satisfaction, however, in stating, that the Indian government had concluded a treaty two years ago, with the Arabs, in which it stipulated for the abolition of the: slave trade, and that the Arabs observed it

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strictly. He was aware of the difficulty of making suggestions that were likely to be beneficial; but he thought this country had clearly a right to call upon other countries, who proposed to join us in putting down the traffic, but resisted a right of search to state by what means they proposed to carry their purpose into effect. Abandoning the principle of mutual search, it might be worth while to consider, whether some modification could not be found which would reconcile it to all parties. For instance, might not the presence of an officer from each country, on board the searching vessel, to sanction the search of vessels from the same country, reconcile all to the practice, without compromising the right. Another principle was that of universal registry, and a grant of freedom to all whose births were not registered after a certain time. It was not on the ground of humanity alone that this trade was to be resisted; it carried along with it passions and habits blighting to the industry of nations. The noble marquis concluded with moving an address couched in the same terms as the address moved by Mr. Wilberforce in the House of Commons on the following day.
Earl Bathurstsaid, that though he did not agree implicitly in every sentiment contained in the address, he should give it his support. With respect to the adoption of a registry, as there was not the same general dislike to the trade among the people of other countries which existed in this, it was much to be feared that it would be evaded. The conduct of other countries on the subject was a matter of great delicacy. All he hoped was, that their lordships would believe that the government of this country had done its duty; and he would promise them that no exertion should be spared to give effect to the abolition by every means which ministers could command.
Lord Calthorpeexpressed his satisfaction at the avowal of the noble lord, and declared himself strongly in favour of the motion.
The motion was agreed to nem. dis.