abolished this inhuman and de- ciples which he laid down as likely to testable commerce; and during the prove effectual towards the attainwar, when we exercised the bellige- ment of the great object were insidirent right of search, in the most in- ously opposed, even by Russia, Prusdiscriminate manner, it had in a great sia, and Austria, who had no colonimeasure ceased, and Africa had be. al interests to be compromised or gun to exhibit the cheering signs of endangered, and who could not by a budding and promising civilization. any possibility or ingenuity of conBut the peace was followed by the struction ever have cause to dread restitution to France of her colonial the operation of the right of search, possessions in Africa ; and Spain and which from the beginning was inPortugal, no longer subject to con. tended to be equal and reciprocal. trol from our cruisers and ships of The proposed addition to the prinwar, recommenced their ancient ciples of international law, by declapractices. The slave trade revived, ring slave-traders pirates, "hostes huwith augmented vigour and atrocity, mani generis," and punishing them as and, in the case of Portugal, has been such, naturally met with the same carried on in open defiance of all the fate. This is a truly melancholy powers with whom she is in alliance, consummation; but it is to be hoped and whom she had joined at Vienna, that the example of this country, the in 1815, in the solenın public declara- diffusion of more accurate knowledge tion in which it was so emphatically and respecting the atrocious character of justly denounced. The French posses- this diabolical commerce, and the sions of Senegal and Goree have like- crimes to which it inevitably leads, wise become the scenes of a most ac. will open the eyes of the people of tive and murderous contraband traf. the Continent, hitherto imperfectly fic; and even the American flag has informed, or rather kept in utter igbeen prostituted to cover and protect norance respecting it, to its real nathe proceedings of slave traders. Im- ture, to the incurable miseries which pressed with a thorough conviction, it inflicts upon Africa, to the deep ihat, until the great powers of Eu. dishonour which its continuance enrope should acquiesce in some gene- tails on the character of a nation, and ral rule, as a part of international law to the imperative nature of that duty in relation to those miscreants who recommended and enforced on every traffic in the blood and sinews of their country by the laws of God, and the fellow men, as, for example, declar- principles of justice and humanity ing slave-trading, piracy and punish. implanted in the human breast. In able with death; and that, as a pre- the mean time, it is some consolation ventive measure, nothing would be to reflect, that the contemptible soavailable to check this dreadful enor- phistry by which slave-trading used mity but a regulated and qualified to be defended, even in our own exercise of the right of search, Lord country, is become too palpably oCastlereagh is understood to have dious and fallacious to be any longer brought the subject, in the most eare available even by the people of France, nest and urgent manner, under the Spain,or Portugal, and that this great consideration of Congress. In an. moral pestilence has been at length, swer to his irresistible reasonings and even by those who patronise it, aspowerful renonstrances, however, he cribed to its true and only cause, received only hollow promises and that auri sacra fames, which leads specious assurances; while the prin- men, and men professing to be Chris

tians too, to buy and sell and make mencement of the present session, merchandise of human flesh !

the first of the new Parliament, which But if we have reason to regret took place on the 21st of January, the failure of our exertions in behalf when the following speech was de. of the enslaved, oppressed, and tore livered by commission in the name tured Africans, our arms and our of the Prince Regent : councils in the East have been crown- “ My Lords and Gentlemen, ed with the most triumphant success. “ We are commanded by his Royal The Pindarrees, so long the scourge Highness the Prince Regent to exof India, have been dispersed and press to you the deep regret which annihilated; the Mahratia Princes, he feels in the continuance of his those factious and restless agitators, Majesty's lamented indisposition. have been effectually humbled and “ In announcing to you the severe punished; while their fortresses and calamity with which it has pleased fastnesses have been carried, and the Divine Providence to visit the Prince tranquillity of India re-established by Regent, the Royal Family, and the a series of successes which must ren nation, by the death of her Majesty der for ever memorable the able and the Queen of the United Kingdom, victorious government of the Mar. his Royal Highness has commanded quis of Hastings. Every one ac. us to direct your attention to the quainted with the history of India, consideration of such measures as and with the miseries inflicted on this melancholy event has rendered that unhappy country by the preda- necessary and expedient, with retory and roving hordes of the Pin. spect to the care of his Majesty's darrees, and the ceaseless intrigues sacred person. and broils of the Mahratta Princes, “ We are directed to inform you, must be satisfied that this was not a that the negotiations which have ta. war of aggrandisement; but, on the ken place at Aix-la-Chapelle have contrary, purely defensive, and ren- led to the evacuation of the French dered unavoidable by the ravages territory by the allied armies. committed by the former, no less

« The Prince Regent has given or. than by the dangerous spirit and de- ders, that the convention concluded signs of the latter. It will also be for this purpose, as well as the other found to have given great additional documents connected with this arsecurity and consolidation to our In. rangement, shall be laid before you: dian Empire. The nucleus of dis- and he is persuaded, that you will view content has been destroyed; pro. with peculiar satisfaction the inti. tection insured to the peaceable in. mate union which so happily subsists habitants of the plains; and the Ne- amongst the powers who were parties paul frontier erected at once into a to these transactions, and the un. formidable barrier of defence and in- varied disposition whicb has been timidation; for, by bringing us, as it manifested in all their proceedings were, in contact with the feeble and for the preservation of the peace

and overgrown empire of China, we may tranquillity of Europe. have roused the jealousy or awaken- “ The Prince Regenthas.commanded the fears of the Chinese, neither ed us further to acquaint you, that a of which are very dangerous, but we treaty has been concluded between have also taught them to respect us. his Royal Highness and the Govern.

Such is a brief and imperfect out- ment of the United States of Ameline of the state of affairs at the com- rica, for the renewal, for a further

:

term of years, of the commercial as well as European) rivalled each convention now subsisting between other in sustaining the reputation of the two nations, and for the amicable the British arms. adjustment of several points of mu- “ The Prince Regent has the tual importance to the interests of greatest pleasure in being able to inboth countries : and, as soon as the form you, that the trade, commerce, ratifications shall have been exchan. and manufactures of the cou ry are ged, his Royal Highness will give di- in a most flourishing condition. rections that a copy of this treaty “ The favourable change which shall be laid before you.

has so rapidly taken place in the in“ Gentlemen of the House of Gom- ternal circumstances of the United mons,

Kingdom, affords the strongest proof “ The Prince Regent has directed of the solidity of its resources. that the estimates for the current “ To cultivate and improve the adyear shall be laid before you. vantages of our present situation will

“ His Royal Highness feels assur. be the object of your deliberations ; ed, that you will learn with satisface and his Royal Highness has comtion the extent of reduction which the manded us to assure you of his dispopresent situation of Europe, and the sition to concur and co-operate in circumstances of the British Empire, whatever may be best calculated to have enabled his Royal Highness to secure to his Majesty's subjects the effect in the naval and military esta- full benefits of that state of peace blishments of the country.

which, by the blessing of Providence, “ His Royal Highness has also the has been so happily re-established gratification of announcing to you, throughout Europe. a considerable and progressive im- The address which, as usual, was provement of the revenue in its most a mere echo of the speech, was moved important branches.

in the House of Lords by the Earl « My Lords and Gentlemen, of Warwick and Lord Saltoun, and

“ The Prince Regent has directed in the House of Commons by Mr to be laid before you, such papers as

Brownlow and Mr W. Peel. The are necessary to show the origin and Earl of Warwick, after having exresult of the war in the East In- pressed his incompetence to the task dies.

he had undertaken, and claimed their “ His Royal Highness commands Lordships' indulgence, alluded to the us to inform you, that the operations continued indisposition of his Majesundertaken by the Governor-Gene- ty, and then directed their attention ral in Council, against the Pindarrees, to the demise of the late Queen, were dictated by the strictest prin- whose domestic virtues, exemplary ciples of self-defence; and that in conduct, and affectionate regard to the extended hostilities which follow- our aged monarch, had made her an ed upon those operations, the Mah. object of love and admiration to the ratta Princes were, in every instance, country, and which called more esthe aggressors. Under the provident pecially on the House to condole and skilful superintendence of the with his Royal Highness on this meMarquis of Hastings, the campaign lancholy occasion. He next allud. was marked, in every point, by bril- ed to the other points adverted to liant achievements and successes ; in the speech, and observed, that and his Majesty's forces, and those on whichever side their Lordships of the East India Company (Native might turn their attention, whe

66

ther foreign or domestic, the whole however, regarded himself as bound scene presented a most cheer. at the same time to state a few consiing prospect. The treaty which derations which the communication had been concluded at Aix-la-Cha- from the throne presented to his pelle between the Allied Powers, mind, not as objections to the motion had ensured peace and tranquillity to now made, but as having reference all Europe. The allied troops were to topics which had been omitted. withdrawn from France, and every He was ready to admit, that our recircumstance connected with this lations with at least one great memmost important treaty was an argu- ber of the alliance appeared at prement in favour of a firm and substan. sent to be such as were favourable tial peace. By the decisive conduct to tranquillity ; but what he chiefly of the Governor of the British pos- relied upon for the continuance of sessions in India, nothing was now that blessing was the state of France. to be feared in that quarter. The He therefore most sincerely concurBritish force had turned its arms red in all that was stated in the ad. against the aggressors, and the re- dress relative to the evacuation of sult was the overthrow of the daring the French territory. He rejoiced enemy. By the commercial treaty to see France restored to her proper which had been concluded with A. rank in the system of Europe, and merica, the union with that country was happy to find that the principle had been more than ever closely ce- of rendering her a member of the mented, and on every side subjects great European confederacy was aof congratulation presented them- dopted. It was also with much selves. While the British commerce pleasure that he perceived what had was in a most flourishing state, there been done by treaty, well seconded was every prospect of continued in France by the adoption of a sysprosperity; and while the revenue tem of internal policy best calculated had increased, the national expen- to give popularity to the Governditure had greatly decreased. ment, which wisely sought its preser

In seconding the address, Lord vation and security by the establishSaltoun went over, and dwelt upon ment of those free institutions on the same topics with the noble which the happiness and prosperity mover, taking a rapid survey of the of the country must ultimately destate of affairs both in Europe, A. pend. For these reasons he relied, mérica, and India. In fact, no de- for the continuance of peace, far bateable positions had been intro- more on the state of France itself than duced into the speech delivered in on the relations subsisting between the name of the Regent, which con- this and other countries. Having tained, as our readers will perceive, said thus much with respect to the nothing but a bare recital of facts re- treaty concluded at Aix-la-Chapelle, lative to our foreign and domestic he could not dismiss the subject relations, all of them of the most ani. without adverting to another point mating description, and so perfectly of great importance connected with inexpugnable, that no amendment these negociations, viz. the Slave was moved in either House of Par. Trade. This subject was one which liament.

must have occupied the consideraAccordingly the Marquis of Lans- tion of the Ministers assembled at down did not feel himself called upon the Congress : it was one which his to offer any opposition to the address. Majesty's Ministers would not fail In giving a general concurrence, he, to urge on the attention of that assembly; but the silence of the speech Having now noticed what appeared too plainly indicated that the result to him to be the principal topics introhad not been successful. The state duced into the speech, he had to reof the revenue formed another topic gret that it communicated nothing of the message; and what was said on a subject of far greater importance on that subject afforded him satisfac. than the improvement of the revenue; tion. He was happy to find that the he meant the state of the currency. state of things which he anticipated He said this was a subject of far Jast year was realized, and that there more importance than any increase had been a revival of commerce and of revenue, inasmuch as the basis of industry, which was necessarily ac- a system was of more importance companied by an improvement of than the actual state of the superthe revenue. Whether the effects structure raised upon it. The state of the revival of trade had as yet of the currency, their Lordships reached those to whom it was of the would recollect, was not a financial greatest importance it should extend, question of an ordinary kind. It namely, the labouring and agricul- went to the foundation of all protural classes, was still doubtful. In perty: it embraced the considerathe mean time, while admitting the tion of the safety of all classes ; and advantage which the prospect of an it was for the interest of the Bank improving revenue afforded, he must Directors themselves, as well as of remind their Lordships, that the any other individuals in the country, prospect was by no means such as to that a prompt decision should be a relieve them from anxiety respecting dopted. Ii was full time to come the state of the finances, or to in- to a determination on this subject. duce them to relax in their endea. Was it or was it not the intention of vours to reduce the expenditure of Ministers to propose to go on with the country to a more economical the system? It was also to be recol. scale. The improvement of the lected, that whenever their Lord. consolidated fund, as compared with ships directed their attention to this former years, had been stated at system, they would have also to take L. 3,000,000; but the actual surplus a view of that severe and dreadful was only between 1. 200,000 and penal code, by which the system of L. 300,000, and that was more than paper currency, if it longer existed. absorbed by preceding deficiencies. must be upheld. Upon the question Even calculating the improvement of expediency of continuing the preof the revenue to its fullest extent, sent currency, would depend that of it would not exceed 53 or at most maintaining in force laws which hu. L.54,000,000, while the expenditure manity and the opinion of the coun. amounted to L.68,000,000. Thus, try had condemned. He knew notwithstanding the improvement it might be said, that there would which now formed a subject for their be time enough for the consider. Lordships' congratulation, there ation of these subjects, and that

, would remain deficiency of the Bank Restriction Act would not L. 14,000,000. As to what might expire for some months. If it was be done in the way of reduction, he the intention of Ministers to allow could at present form no certain o- the act to expire, the sooner that pinion; but he did not anticipate intention was known the better. The ihat ministers would carry it beyond same observation applied to the opL. 4,000,000.

a