treaty into consideration, when he trusted he should have been able to shew that government had performed its duty, even to the interests of this question. His Lordship then entered into some considerations to prove that there was no reason to suppose that France would have consented to an abolition of the Slave Trade on the restitution of her colonies, and that it would have been highly improper to make such a condition a sine qua non of the treaty. He spoke long upon these points, but in conclusion said he had no hesitation in agreeing to the address.

Several succeeding speakers expressed their dissatisfaction with the article of the treaty in question; and Mr. Barham moved as an amendment to that part of the motion, which implored the Regent to obtain from the French government some diminution of the term allowed for the traffic, "That an immediate renunciation of the Slave Trade may be effected in return for any cession, consistent with the honour of this country, which may be agreed on by his Majesty's government in concurrence with his Majesty's allies." This amendment, however, was withdrawn, and the motion for the address was agreed to,

nem. con.

In the House of Lords, on June 27th, Lord Grenville rose, and introduced a motion on the subject in an eloquent speech, which has been published in the form of a separate pamphlet, and therefore can admit of no abridgment compatible with the limits allowable in this work. Its main scope, however, was the inculpa

tion of the ministry for having consented to a treaty permitting the carrying on of the Slave Trade for five years, when its immediate and total abolition might have been obtained if pursued with zeal. After having placed the horrors of the trade, and the blame of having neglected an opportunity for its abolition, in the strongest lights, and urged them upon the House with all the force of language, his Lordship moved, "That an humble address be presented to his Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, praying that he will be graciously pleased to direct, that there be laid before this House copies of such representations as have been made by his Majesty's ministers in the late negociations for peace, in consequence of the unanimous address of this House for the immediate and total abolition of the Slave Trade, together with the answers returned thereto; and also extracts from such parts of the dispatches of his Majesty's ministers as relate to the same subject."

The Earl of Liverpool, in reply, said that one great mistake ran through the whole of the noble Baron's argument, founded upon a misconception of the right which a country has to dictate to another and independent nation on a subject like the present. Such right must be founded either on general principles, or on particular circumstances. With respect to the first, it would scarcely be contended, that any government would be justified either in going to war, or in continuing it, for the purpose of imposing upon another country a moral obligation, however solemn or sacred. In these

points every independent nation is entitled to judge and act for itself. As to the circumstances of the present case, it was first to be considered, that these could only attach to the colonies of which we had possession, not to those which were not in our hands. With respect to the former, the noble baron argued as if the restitution of her colonies to France was an act purely gratuitous on our part. He confessed that he never considered it as such. The object of the negociations being a general peace, the continental powers, Jealous of the colonial possessions of Great Britain, would never have allowed her to keep all those of France. When it is argued, that the abolition of the Slave Trade ought to have been the condition of restitution, it is contending that the abolition ought to have been made the price of peace, and that upon its refusal, the continuation of the war must have been the consequence; but were their Lordships' or the nation prepared for such an alternative? His Lordship proceeded to show, that the ministry had by no means been neglectful of every real opportunity of abolishing the Slave Trade which had occurred in other countries; and he would not admit that the concession made by France was unimportant, though not such as they could have wished, and struggled hard to obtain. He came at length to the immediate consideration of the motion, and contended, that nothing could more tend to frustrate the object in view than acceding to it.

Of the other speeches for and against the motion it seems unnecessary to give any particulars,

since every thing of argument had been anticipated. The question being put, a division took place, when the numbers were, for the motion 27, against it 62: Majority 35. A protest against the rejection was entered upon the Journals, signed by the Dukes of Sussex and Gloucester, and the Lords Grey, Lauderdale, Grenville, and Holland.

A similar motion was made on June 28, in the House of Commons, by Mr. Horner, which was negatived without a division.

The subject was not as yet entirely dismissed from the consideration of parliament. On June S0th, the Marquis of Lansdowne rose in the House of Lords to move an address to the Prince Regent relative to the Slave Trade. He prefaced it with saying, that he was one of those who thought that some information ought to have been produced, and some opinion given, on the omission to secure this great object. But setting this aside, every one must feel how necessary it was that their Lordships should follow up their previous address, and that they could not quit the subject without expressing their regret at the failure which had already taken place, and their anxious desire as to what might be done in future. If the immediate abolition of this detested traffic could not be procured, there might still be means found of saving Africa from the full extent of evil resulting from it, and with which it was threatened by the command the French would acquire of the river Senegal, and partly of the Gambia. After some observations on this topic, his Lordship concluded with mov

ing an address expressive of the deep regret felt by that House that the exertions of his Royal Highness, the Prince Regent, had not been attended with more compléte success, and their earnest hope that his Royal Highness might be able to form new arrangements with France for the purpose of bringing about this desirable result. At the same time entreating that his Royal Highness would use his utmost endeavours at the approaching congress to procure a declaration, that this traffic was contrary to the law of nations, and one which ought to be abolished over the whole of the civilized world.

The Earl of Liverpool said, that he completely concurred in the motion, but he thought that while regret was expressed that more had not been done, satisfaction should also be expressed at what had been effected; and he proposed introducing into the motion, words declarative of their satisfaction at the abolition of the trade by Sweden and Holland, particularly by the latter.

The Marquis of Lansdowne had no objection to this amendment. Lord Grenville spoke in favour of it, and of the whole motion: and the address was agreed to nem. diss.

It is only further to be noticed, relative to this subject, that a great number of petitions for the aboli

tion of the Slave Trade continued to be presented to parliament, during the session, from towns and communities in different parts of the empire. The petition to the House of Lords from the Society of Friends, called Quakers, in and near the metropolis, occasioned a singular discussion respecting form. It had first been addressed "To the Peers in Parliament assembled," but the petitioners being. informed that this was not the proper designation of that House, as the bench of Bishops were not Peers, but Lords, it had been altered "To the Lords in Parliament assembled." The Lord Chancellor remarked upon this circumstance, that the usual designation of the House being "The Lords spiritual and temporal in Parliament assembled," if in the general term "Lords" the petitioners meant to include this description, their Lordships would probably think the petition admissible. Lord Arden thereupon protested against any innovation upon established forms, and said he felt it to be his duty to oppose the reception of the petition. Several lords, however, among whom was the archbishop of Canterbury, giving their opinion that such a strict adherence to form should be waved in favour of so respectable a body of petitioners, the petition was received?

THE

HE national gratitude to Lord Wellington, which had kept pace with his services, received its consummation when those services were brought to a conclusion by the general peace in Europe. On May 10th, a message from the Prince Regent was communicated to the House of Commons, the purpose of which was to inform the House, that his Royal Highness had conferred upon that victorious commander the rank and title of a Duke and Marquis of the United Kingdom, and recommending the grant to him and his successors of such an annuity as might support the high dignity of the title conferred, and prove a lasting memorial of the gratitude and munificence of the nation.

The message being taken into consideration on the 12th, the Chancellor of the Exchequer rose to call the attention of the House to the distinguished services of the Duke of Wellington. Of the substance of this speech it is not necessary to recite the particulars, since no reader can be unacquainted with the actions which during a series of years had been accumulating fresh laurels on this eminent character, The climax

of praise in this, as in other parliamentary eulogies, was a comparison between him and the great Duke of Marlborough, the only British commander who, in the general estimation, could be named as his rival in military fame; and the public rewards bestowed in his day upon the latter, were apparently the measure of those destined for the hero of the present age. The Speaker concluded with moving a resolution, "That the sum of 10,0001. be paid annually out of the consolidated fund for the use of the Duke of Wellington, to be at any time commuted for the sum of 300,000l. to be laid out in the purchase of an estate.

Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Ponsonby, and Mr. Canning, who followed, all agreed in the high merits of the noble Duke, and objected to the grant as too small, especially since a large sum would be necessary for a mansion suitable to the dignity conferred upon him. motion was in consequence made for an additional 100,000l. making in all the sum of half a million granted to the Duke, which passed nem. con.

A

A similar message from the Prince Regent being communicated to the House of Lords, an

equal unanimity took place in the proceedings upon it. Lord Liverpool was the orator on this occasion, who moved the same grants to the Duke which were first proposed in the other House, and to which no addition was proposed by the Lords.

At the same time, in consequence of messages from the Prince Regent, pecuniary grants were made by parliament to Lord Wellington's associates in victory, Generals Graham, Hill, and Beresford, now raised to the peerage.

In addition to the pecuniary remuneration so liberally and cheerfully voted by parliament to the Duke of Wellington for bis distinguished services, the House of Commons resolved to pay him the highest tribute of respect and applause that it was possible to bestow on a subject, that of its thanks, accompanied with a deputation of its members to congratulate him on his return to this country. Lord Castlereagh rose in the house on June 27th, to make a motion for this purpose, which was unanimously agreed to; and a committee was appointed to wait on his Grace, to know what time he would name for receiving the congratulations of the house. Lord Castlereagh having reported from the committee that it was the duke's desire to express to the house his answer in person, the following day, July 1st, was appointed for the solemnity.

At about a quarter before five, the Speaker being dressed in his official robes, and the house being crowded with members, some of them in military and naval uniforms, and many in the court dresses in which they had been attending the Speaker with an ad

dress to the Prince Regent on the peace, the house was acquainted that the Duke of Wellington was in waiting. His admission being resolved, and a chair being set for him on the left hand of the bar towards the middle of the house, his Grace entered, making his obeisances, while all the members rose from their seats. The Speaker then informing him that a chair was placed for his repose, he sat down in it for some time covered, and the members resumed their seats. He then rose, and spoke, uncovered, to the following effect:

"Mr. Speaker; I was anxious to be permitted to attend this House, in order to return my thanks in person for the honour they have done me in deputing a committee of their members to congratulate me on my return to this country; and this, after the house had animated my exertions by their ap plause upon every occasion which appeared to merit their approbation, and after they had filled up the measure of their favours by conferring upon me, at the recommendation of the Prince Regent, the noblest gift that any subject had ever received. I hope it will not be deemed presumptuous in me to take this opportunity of expressing my admiration of the great efforts made by this house and the country at a moment of unexampled pressure and difficulty, in order to support the great scale of operations by which the contest was brought to so favourable a termination. By the wise policy of parliament, the government was enabled to give the necessary support to the operations which were carried on under my direction; and I was encouraged, by