LORD BROUGHAMsaid, he had two petitions to present on a very important subject and from very important parties—the one from the Council of the Anti-Slavery Society, complaining—and most justly complaining—of the conduct of the Spanish Government, who, having entered into a solemn engagement by treaty that they would effect the abolition of the Slave Trade, and having received compensation for pretended loss to arise from that abolition, had, in breach of that treaty and in forgetfulness of the compensation they had accepted, allowed the trade to go on, not only flourishing as before, but greatly increasing, to so enormous an extent that from 30,000 to 40,000 slaves were imported into Cuba each year. It was known to their Lordships that Spain was now, to her great disgrace, the only country which carried on the Slave Trade: and whatever pretexts might be put forward, whether the conduct of the colonial 589 Governors, or the slackness of their own cruisers, or the inefficiency of the cruisers of England and the United States on the African coast, or on the coast of Cuba—the fact was undeniable that Spain had not performed her obligations under the treaty concluded between her and the British Government, and that the Slave Trade had increased enormously instead of being put down. The other petition was from the ex-King of Bonny, on the African coast, of which for many generations his ancestors had been the Sovereigns. Until the year 1834, the King of Benny, like all African princes, had profited by that execrable traffic; he receiving £30,000 a year from the Slave Trade carried on in his dominions, and his chiefs £60,000—no less than £90,000 a year was their gain—while the traffic continued. As alleged in his petition, he was partly induced and partly threatened into making a treaty by which he was to receive 2,000 dollars a year in compensation of the loss to him and to his chiefs from the abolition of the traffic in his dominions; whereas the payment had been discontinued after the first year.
THE LORD CHANCELLORthought the noble and learned Lord was not in order in going at large, at that time, into the statements of the petition.
LORD BROUGHAMsaid, he was quite aware of the rules of their Lordships' House. His experience on the woolsack had extended to almost as many years as that of his noble and learned Friend counted months; and he apprehended that was sufficiently long to have learned that he was in order while stating the general substance of a petition; he might properly state any grievance contained in a petition introductory to the prayer for their Lordships' interposition to remedy it—they need not grant the prayer unless they pleased.
§ EARL GRANVILLEsaid, that the space between the meeting of the House and a quarter past five was assigned to the presentation of petitions, when the noble and learned Lord might have presented his petitions and made any statement he thought proper. That space had now elapsed, and the noble and learned Lord was occupying time which belonged to the Orders of the Day.
LORD BROUGHAMsaid, he should 590 have presented his petitions before a quarter past five if his noble Friend the Lord President had been in his place. [Earl GRANVILLE: I was present.] Where his noble Friend was—whether he was under the table or under the Ministerial benches or where I cannot say; but I looked in vain for a Member of the Government at the time allotted to the presenting petitions, being one quarter of an hour only. The petition stated that before the year 1834 he received £30,000 yearly, and his chiefs £60,000 yearly, as the price of their sanction of the slave trade within his dominions, and that 20,000 human beings were consequently sold into slavery every year from his ports; that on the promise of 2,000 dollars being paid to him annually he had consented to put an end to the traffic, and that he had actually exerted himself to the utmost of his power in suppressing it, and with success; but that, notwithstanding his exertions, the stipulated payment had, after the first year, been withheld from him; and the prayer of the petition was that their Lordships would he pleased to interfere in his behalf by directing an inquiry as to the wrongs he had sustained and the burdens he had endured, and affording him the means of proving his case and justifying his conduct in all respects. It was only justice to this unfortunate ex-Sovereign to state that, unlike the Spanish Government, he had most rigorously, accurately and honestly performed the obligations of the treaty, and that the slave trade by this means had been abolished on this part of the African coast, and the innocent comrneree greatly extended in the articles produced. The King of Bonny had certainly set an example to Spain of fidelity to engagements; although Spain had received £400,000 of consideration money, and this unlucky black Sovereign only £500. He (Lord Brougham) had only now to add, that in consequence of the statement made in the other House of Parliament on this subject, he would abstain from bringing forward any Motion relative to the conduct of the Spanish Government, and the injustice to our own West India colonies, which had suffered grievously from the wrongs inflicted by the breach of Treaty committed by Spain.
LORD WODEHOUSEsaid, he was not aware that his noble and learned Friend intended to present a petition from the ex-King of Bonny on this subject, or he would have come down prepared to explain the 591 position of the matter on the part of the Foreign Office. He could not admit that, when the whole matter was inquired into the facts would he found entirely as represented in the petition presented by his noble and learned Friend.
LORD BROUGHAMwould only say that whatever foundation there might be for his complaints and grievances, the conduct of the ex-King of Bonny was an example to the Spanish Government; for he had performed his treaty engagements, whereas Spain had entirely broken through hers.