F562 4 
STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 
[July 2, 
In Fune, 1806. 
GREAT BRITAIN. 
O; Tuefday, the r1th of June, Mr. 
Fox, with a fteady adherence to thofe 
principles which he has always avowed, 
had the glory to carry a refolution in 
the Houfe of Commons, which goes 
to the entire abolition of the AFri- 
CaN Stave TrRaDE—that opprobrium 
on Chriftians in general, and on Englith- 
men in particufar. The following were 
the terms of this motion, fo interefting to 
the caufe of fuffering humanity: 
© That this Houfe,, conceiving the African 
Slave Trade to be contrary to the principles of 
juftice, humanity, and found policy, will, with 
all pra€tical expedition, take efte€tual mea- 
fures for abolifhing the faid trade, in fuch- 
ynanner, and at fuch period, as may be deemed: 
moft defirable.” 
As ufual, it was oppefed by the mem- 
bers for Liverpool, and by a few others 
interefted in the traffic; but it was fup- 
ported by Mr. Wilberforce, and all the 
members of Adminifiration, and carried 
by 175 againit 165. 
In the courfe of the debate the Solicitor 
General ftated from the documents before 
the Houfe, that fince the year 1792, up- 
wards of THREE MILLIONS anda HALF 
of the Natives of Africa had been torn 
from their country by Europeans, ard had 
either miferably perifhed on the paflage, 
or had been fold in the Welt. Indies!!! 
-——How can an age which has tolerated fo 
infamous a trafiic be called enlightened ? 
The crimes thus perpetrated chiefly by 
our own countrymen, equal, in horror and 
enormity, thofe of the French Revoluticn, 
and area fiain on our national charaéter 
equally difgraceful.. Thanks-to the up- 
right charaéter of the prefent adminifira- 
tion, they have determined to remove this 
foul imputation from the country, even’ 
though their majorities fhould count a fers 
lefs in the Houfes of Parliament. They 
will however live in the hearts of the peo- 
ple, and will receive the zealous fupport of 
all men who reverence the principles of 
Truth, Philcfophy, and Religion. 
Mr. Wilberforce, after this important 
sefolution had been carried, moved an ad- 
drefs to his Majefty, requefting him to 
co-operate with foreign powers in the 
‘neceffary means for totally aboli#hing the 
trade. : 
Lord Henry Peity on the fame day 
moved an addition of 10 per cent. on the 
Aff-fled Taxes, to fupply the deficiency 
created in the Ways and Means of the 
year, by the abandonment of the Iron 
Tax, and fubfequently of the Tax en 
Private Brewing. With this he coupled 
a relicf for perions havitg lace familics, 
and {mall incomes, which relief contifts of 
a deduction of 4 per cent. for each child, 
and is to be applicable for all children 
above two (in proportion) to perfons pay- 
ing Affefled Taxes under the amount of - 
4ol.a year. According to the returns of 
the Tax Office, this relief will ex:end to ail - 
incomes under 10001. a year, and to many 
betwen roool. and'2z000l. The perma- 
nenry and the convenience of this mode of 
allowing the exemptions were the reaions 
ftaced by the Noble Lord, for bringing it 
forward as a feparate meafure, rather than 
of attaching it to the Property Tax AG 
itfelf. Z 
The attention paid to the wifhes ef the 
pecole, by the adminiftration, in chang'ns 
the taxes fo often, in coniequence of objec- 
tions made to them, has excited furprife 
in the minds of thofe who have been ac- 
cuftomed to bow their necks to the will of 
the late Vizier. It 1s aStually forgotten 
by many perfons that this isa free coun- 
try, and that till the defpotifm of Pitt, 
whofe haughty temper fitted him only. for 
the office of Vizier at Conftantmople, that 
is till he had the hardihood to deipife the 
public voice, the public voice governed ail 
the meafures of adminifration. This 
indeed is the feature which diftinguifhes, 
and ought ever to diftinguifh, England 
from Turkey. . ) , 
The Trial of Lord Melville was termi. 
nated by the Judgment of the Houfe of — 
Peers on. Thurfday, June the rzth. Act — 
twelve o’clock, they went in procefion to — 
Weitminfter-hall, and the High Court © 
was opened with the accuftomed cere. 
monies. The gallery allotted to the Peer. 
efies was crowded, and the Hall was pre- 
vioufly filled by {peétators to an ove: fow 
in every part. The Lord Chancellor hav- 
Ing taken his feat at the table, put the 
following queflicn to the junior Baron:— 
«Charles, Lord Granard, how fay you, is 
Henry Lora Vifcount- Melville guvty or 
not suilty of the firf article of charge ex- — 
| hibited: 
