HL Deb 06 July 1857 vol 146 cc949-51
LORD BROUGHAM

said, he found he had exaggerated the number of what were called free negroes about to be conveyed to the French colonies from the coast of Africa. He understood that the number was not 20,000, as he had stated, but 10,000. He was sure that no scheme for the revival of the slave trade would obtain the assent of the Emperor of the French. His noble Friend (the Earl of Clarendon) had also been charged with conniving at this virtual re-opening of the slave trade; but he (Lord Brougham) felt confident that no one would regard such a scheme with more suspicion than his noble Friend (the Earl of Clarendon). It must be admitted that there was the greatest difference between carrying off free negroes, or whatever they might be called, to a slave colony, and carrying them to colonies in which slavery was abolished. Yet, as regarded the Africans, even although they might be carried to colonies in which slavery was abolished, yet any scheme of this kind ought to be viewed with distrust, and to be most carefully and scrupulously watched.

THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY

said, that some misunderstanding existed with regard to a deputation that recently waited upon the First Lord of the Treasury on this subject. The main object of that deputation was to represent to the Prime Minister some facts connected with the increase of the slave trade and the necessity of repressing it, not so much on the coast of Africa as by means of additional gunboats and steamers on the shores of Cuba. The want of free labour in some of the colonies was certainly a matter of discussion among that deputation, and one gentleman, gave an opinion on that subject. But as far as he (the Earl of Shaftesbury) was concerned—and he believed he might say the same for the other members of the deputation—their opinion was, that to endeavour to set on foot a scheme for carrying free negroes from the coast of Africa would be to all intents and purposes a revival of the slave trade, the most accursed crime that ever was perpetrated.

THE EARL OF MALMESBURY

said, he should be sorry if their Lordships should run away with the idea that if some plan were adopted, or could be discovered, for free labourers from Africa, that that was necessarily a renewal of the slave trade. If that were clearly shown, there was an end of the matter. But on the score both of policy and humanity the question was worthy the consideration of those who wished to take a broad and statesmanlike view of the subject. On the other side of the Atlantic there were millions of acres that could not be cultivated by white men, and if they were not culti- vated by blacks they must remain sterile; while millions of negroes willing to labour were confined to the coasts of Africa. On the other hand, looking at it in a philanthropic point of view, there might be a danger of renewing the slave trade. He trusted, however, that their Lordships and the Government would not take it for granted that any efforts or experiments in the direction which the French Government were now taking must inevitably result in the revival of the horrors of the slave trade.

THE EARL OF CLARENDON

said, he had made inquiry into the matter in consequence of the speech delivered by his noble and learned Friend the other evening, and he found that the condition of the assent of the French Government to the contract was that it should be an engagement of free labourers, and that the negroes should be sent to those colonies where labour was wanted. It was intended to take all possible securities against abuses; but he agreed with his noble and learned Friend, that no plan of this sort, however carefully it might be devised, could be safely carried out without a liability to the revival of the slave trade.