§ Lord Seafordstated that he had an important petition to present from the body of West India proprietors residing in London, on the subject of the relaxation of the present duties on East India produce, respecting which petitions had been presented to both Houses of Parliament, and committees had been appointed to inquire into the subject. The petitioners deprecated any measure which was likely to interfere with the productions or to injure the West India colonies at the present crisis, not merely from regard to their own interests, but to the population of those colonies which had been so recently manumitted, and who now were so utterly dependent on this country as the great market for the produce of their labour. They strongly deprecate any alteration of the relative duties of East and West India produce at the present moment, and pray that they maybe heard by counsel against it. On presenting this petition, he could not help calling the attention of the House to the great experiment which had recently been tried in the West India colonies, which in some respects had hitherto succeeded to a degree that those most interested in the subject had not anticipated; but, at the same time, it must be admitted that some inconveniences had arisen, and that, in the extent of cultivation, and in the amount of produce, there had been a great diminution in the staple produce of those colonies, as compared with what it formerly was. The price of West India produce had risen in the market, and if the Legislature resorted to the system that had been urged upon it, of admitting East India produce at greatly reduced duties, while the expense of cultivation had increased in the West Indies, the effect would be most detrimental, and would materially interfere with the cultivation of those colonies. The difficulties now felt chiefly arose from the high rate of wages in our colonies since the Emancipation Act, and they were now in a condition which required all the protection which the mother country could afford to them. They, therefore, entreated the House to weigh with caution any measure which involved an experiment with matters 1152 in which the first principles of humanity were involved, as well as the highest commercial and mercantile interests. The noble Lord concluded with moving that the petition be referred to the committee then sitting, to inquire respecting the duties on East India produce.
§ Ordered.