GENERAL HISTORY. 



[115 



transaction as if the governor and 

 council of the island had sacri- 

 ficed themselves in order to pro- 

 tect Huggins. He did not mean 

 to- say that the punishment to 

 which he alluded was at all extra- 

 ordinary ; but whether it was or 

 was not, still if it was unmerited, 

 it called for redress, and in order 

 to obtain it, inquiry was neces- 

 sary. He should now move, 

 " That a select committee be ap- 

 pointed to take into consideration 

 certain papers laid before this 

 House on the 30th day of April 

 last, relating to the treatment of 

 Slaves in the island of Nevis, 

 and to report their observations 

 thereupon to the House.'' 



Mr. Goidburn remarked, that 

 his opposition to the motion 

 rested solely on the general prin- 

 ciple of its being inexpedient for 

 the House to interfere upon ex- 

 parte evidence, with the judicial 

 proceedings of a competent tri- 

 bunal. It was on this ground 

 that he had signified his intention 

 of resisting the motion, and not 

 with the view of defending the 

 character of Mr. Huggins. The 

 hon. and learned gentleman, how- 

 ever, had put the question on 

 somewhat of a different footing, by 

 stating that documents of a 

 garbled nature had been pro- 

 duced from the office of the 

 secretary of state, and that the 

 blame must attach either to that 

 office, or the agent for the island. 

 In this view he had no objection 

 to the inquiry by a committee ; 

 for the office of secretary of state 

 had as much right to complain, 

 as the House, if imperfect and 

 mutilated accounts had been 

 transmitted. 



Mr. Marryat entered into 



several particulars respecting the 

 conduct of Mr. Huggins and the 

 slaves, from which he endeavoui'ed 

 to prove that the former had not 

 given proofs of excessive severity. 

 If, said he, any cruelty had been 

 exercised, he M'ould not be its 

 apologist ; but he did not think 

 any good could arise from the 

 perpetual agitation of questions 

 like the present. He would always 

 contend for the policy of employ- 

 ing the interference of the mother 

 country prudently, imperceptibly, 

 and silently, taking care that no 

 groundless clamour was excited, 

 and no sentiments tending to the 

 subversion of order and subordi- 

 nation were inculcated. He par- 

 ticularly deprecated doctrines 

 that had a tendency to excite in- 

 surrection among the slaves, or 

 to convince them that they were 

 treated with cruelty or injustice by 

 being kept in a state of servitude. 

 It ought to be recollected, that 

 the dominion of the whites was 

 founded on opinion ; and if that 

 opinion was destroyed, the autho- 

 rity of the planters was at an end. 

 He concluded by saying, that he 

 saw no reason for the inquiry, 

 and should therefore oppose the 

 motion. 



After several other remarks 

 had been made by different 

 speakers. Sir S. Romilly rose to 

 reply. After making some other 

 remarks respecting the treatment 

 of the slaves at Nevis, he said 

 (alluding to Mr. Marryat) that 

 they were now told, that the 

 question of registering slaves, and 

 others concerning them, had no 

 other effi'Ct than to excite dis- 

 order and insubordination among ' 

 them, and to break the charm 

 which bound the slave to his 

 {i 2~\ master. 



