Sitting of 28 June 1821

APPRENTICED SEAVES.
On the motion of Mr. Wilberforce the House resolved, "That an humble address be presented to his majesty, representing that, great numbers of Africans, rescued front slavery by seizure and condemnation of the ships and vessels in which they were unlawfully carried as slaves, have been apprenticed, under his majesty's authority, pursuant to the acts made for abolishing the slave trade, in many different islands and colonies in the West Indies, for terms of apprenticeship which have in a great number of cases expired, or are near expiring; and many other African captives so enfranchised, have been enlisted into

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his majesty's military and naval services, and have been afterwards discharged therefrom, in the said islands and colonies:—that, from the prevalence of negro slavery in the said islands and colonies, and from other local circumstances, as well as from the ignorance of the said enfranchised African captives, for whose education means have not hitherto been provided, they are exposed to various dangers and sufferings, being also, in some cases, removed from one British island or colony to another, and are therefore no longer within the observation, or the official authority, of the protecting officer of the colony in which they are apprenticed, nor does the protecting authority of such officers Over the said apprentices extend beyond the terms of apprenticeship:—That under these circumstances it appears to this House to be expedient and necessary, that proper measures should be taken by his majesty's government for ascertaining in all the said islands and colonies, the present numbers, names, situations, and circumstances of all Africans liberated from slavery by force of the acts of parliament for abolishing the slave-trade, and which have at any time been apprenticed, or entered or enlisted into his majesty's sea or land service, and afterwards discharged in the West Indies, or which have been liberated there, without having been so apprenticed, entered, or enlisted; and for imparting to all such of the said apprentices, whose terms of apprenticeship have expired, and all Africans so discharged from his majesty's service, such protection, and such remedies and relief, as their situation may require:—and that his majesty will be graciously pleased to take such measures as shall appear advise-able for the future disposal and settlement of the said Africans."

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
The Resolutions of the Committee of Supply, amounting to 105, were reported. Much conversation took place on several of the resolutions.
The resolution for granting 20,006 l. 12 s. 6d. to general Desfourneaux, or his representative, as a compensation for losses and damage sustained at the capture of Guadeloupe in 1794, was strongly opposed by Mr. Calcraft. Mr. Grenfell also Opposed the resolution, and moved that 3,500 l. be inserted; instead thereof. Upon which, after some conversation, the
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House divided: For the larger grant, 6; For the smaller, 53. Mr. T. Wilson next moved, that 5,000 l. be inserted instead of 3,500 l. On this the House divided: For the smaller grant, 41; For the larger, 12.
On the resolution for granting 7,000 l. to the Crown for defraying the expenses of publishing government Proclamations in Ireland,
Mr. Bennetcalled the attention of the House to the partial distribution of government patronage to the press of Ireland. The House would scarcely believe in what manner the government of Ireland managed the money granted for this purpose. He could show that proclamations of disturbances in districts were made, not in the newspapers of those districts, but in those of other counties. The publication was thus made, not for the purpose of spreading the requisite information, but of putting money into the pockets of certain editors, who were the creatures of the ministry. The sums of money given to them for advertising were in the inverse ratio of their claims to respectability and the extent of their circulation. Some papers received to the amount of between 1,000 l. and 2,000 l. of revenue, for abusing every man, and every body of men, opposed to administration; whilst papers of the most respectable character, and the greatest sale, received only 20 l. or next to nothing. He trusted that the right hon. gentleman would before the next session make inquiry into the extent of; this evil, and take means to remedy it.
Mr. Grantsaid, that 9,000 l. was granted for the same purpose last year, and that now it was reduced to 7,000 l. He had reduced the grant, and would reconsider the subject upon his return to Ireland.
Mr. Humethought that the only means of putting an end to this great abuse was; to stop the allowance granted for supporting it. It appeared that the bribery of the government journals did not extend only to proclamations, but to other government advertisements, and was likewise taking root in England. A very considerable portion of the money which they had that night voted would be applied to the same purpose as the 7,000 l. included in this resolution. He held in his hand an advertisement, which in one of those government papers had been published five years without alteration. Some districts were proclaimed to be in a state

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of disturbance eighteen months after tranquillity had been restored. Whilst on this subject, he could not but again advert to a similar practice commencing in England. He mentioned some time ago that government advertisements did not appear in "The Times" newspaper, and he understood that government had issued an order for depriving it of the emolument derived from them. This must have been because it opposed the measures of administration. The chancellor of the exchequer had said, that no order had been issued to prevent them, and that the different offices were left in this respect to act upon their own discretion. He had, however, reason to believe, that this assertion was incorrect, and that government had given orders that none of their advertisements should be sent to that paper. He regretted exceedingly that ministers should have so abused their patronage. They must know that "The Times" newspaper had, of all others, the most extensive circulation; and consequently, if advertising was intended to benefit the public, must be of the most extensive use. It was known to them that this paper paid about 50,000 l. a year in stamps, and must therefore be the means of distributing most widely the information which it was the public interest to have communicated. He should therefore be happy to hear from the chancellor of the exchequer, whether he persisted in his former declaration, that no government order had been issued to the government offices on the subject.
The resolution was agreed to.