§ The Duke of Wellingtonpresented a Petition from the proprietors of estates in Jamaica, complaining 503 of the losses to which they should be exposed by the Bill in progress in their Lordships' House; and praying to be heard by Counsel against the same. The noble Duke moved, that the petitioners be heard by Counsel.
§ The Earl of Ripondid not think that the delay which an acquiescence in the noble Duke's Motion must occasion would be compensated by any adequate advantage. To the principle of the Bill in question, their Lordships had already agreed, and an opportunity would soon arrive for examining and considering its details.
§ The Duke of Wellingtonmust remonstrate against the haste with which the measure was pressed forward. The other evening he had in vain urged the noble Earl to consent to a delay of twenty-four hours, in consequence of the unavoidable absence from town of a noble friend of his who was deeply interested in the Bill. Under these circumstances he really thought it was not too much to ask that the petitioners, who had so much at stake upon the question, should be heard by Counsel.
The Earl of Rosslynobserved, that although the Resolutions, when discussed, did not contain any specific period for the apprenticeships, it was generally understood that that period was to be twelve years. Such was the understanding communicated to the West Indies, and to that understanding it had been believed his Majesty's Government would have adhered. A modification of this part of the Bill had, however, taken place in the House of Commons. It was true, that the Resolution did not bind Parliament; but so great a departure from it demanded serious consideration.
§ The Motion, that the petitioners be heard by Counsel, negatived.