Ely litetrapaiii.
A meeting of the Anti-Slavery Delegates, briefly noticed in the second edition of last week's Spectator, was held at Brown's Hotel, Palace Yard, on Saturday. It was proposed that Mr. Thompson and other delegates should be sent to Tiverton, Stroud, Manchester, Shef- field, and other places represented by Ministers who had voted against Sir George Strickland's motion, to elicit an expression of opinion on the conduct of their Members from the constituencies. Mr. O'Con- nell strongly objected to this proposal : nothing could be gained by menacing the Whigs—that he knew from experience; and it was unfair and injudicious to direct their assaults solely against Ministers—why not go to Tamworth and North Lancashire as well as Stroud and Ptvonport? It was resolved, after some discussion, to refer the sub- 7eet to the Committee of Delegates. Two letters were read; the first from Lord Broughatn, which appeared in our latest impression, on Saturday night—
March 31. 1835.
" Gentlemen-I idler you, and I respectfully tender through you to the People of lbe.Unned Kingdom, my condolence upon the unhappy event of last night ; an event leech is calculated to blast the hopes of all our countrymen in Europe, and to spread du:se), among our ilbreted brethren in the Colonies. Of a decision pronounced by those who were believed to represent the People in rithament, it becomes us to speak mini respect. But we may surely he permitted to lament tint they have thought tit to seek the confidence of the nation by flying in its face, Aid supputiug a Ministry which, bent ou nelfelestruction, had kept no terms with its ora!„ supporters-has sought an Alliance with the enemies of freedom-and, after nhihng an measures no the revival of the execrable Slave-trade, has dealt a demur- Oslo the most cherished hopes of the whole empire, by declaring that slavery shall aft cease. " A deatMblow it shall not lie to those cherished hopes! We are engaged in a sacred Tut ; ami we may defy the frowns of an ephemeral power, sustained by Court favour eteue, whet' we have on our side truth and justice, the priuciples of religion, and the dictates of humanity -awl are supported by the voice of millions in Engles:id-awl are Sc by the groans of myriads in the Islands. I am sure you will persevere until this preiali. I know that I shall continue wit ti unbroken spirit to lead you on From d.efest of an hour, I ouly gather new zeill to pursue the glorious worse before tie, that justice may at length be done, and the cause of right may overcome all its enemies. " I am your fiaitliful servant, Baouoiree." The second was from Mr. Ward, addressed to Mr. John Scobell- _.Dear.Sir-lt was thought by every one su impossible that the debate should end
Irina:It either Sir R. Peel or Lord Slauley haring taken part in it, that au adjouru. !neat %so, expected by al of us ; mid while Iwati cousulting Mr. v alters ubeit moving It. Sir G. Strickland roue to reply. I should have interrupted Inm, but he literally did not give me time; yet after the reply (as it is termed) an adjournment is never moved. " I take shame to m)self for lam Mg, by a momeuterv indecision, allowed the debate to close thus abruptly ; but in the state of !the House, 'and at so late au hour. I felt ft impossible to attempt to reply to Mr. Gladstone. I have written to Mr. O'Connell to say that I will second his motion respecting the emancipation of females ; and I will then endeavour to laved invoself of all the facts with which you and Mr. Sturge have supplied rum I rose twice:, as you saw, Ian night, but could not catch the Speaker's eye.
" It is impossible for me to attend the meeting this morning, ae requested; being forced to leave town instantly. W'rite me a hue at Gilstouo Park, ilrtnw.And
believe me yours, my dear Sir, very faithfully, II. G. Wain."
It was stated that Mr. Scholcfield and Mr. Attwood, who were sub- pcenaed to attend the trial of Mr. Muntz at Warwick, had both paired off in favour of Sir George Strickland's motion.
On Wednesday, the great room at Exeter Hall was filled with an assembly of disappointed but still ardent Emancipationists; the Marquis of Clanricarde in the chair. On the platform were the Marchioness of Sligo and her daughters, with several other ladies of distinction, and many Members of Parliament. The chief speakers were Mr. John Scobell and Mr. O'Connell. Mr. Scobell entered into a long detail of the cruelties practised in Guiana, as a reply to Mr. Gladstone's speech in the House of Commons. The facts men- tioned were of the same description as those detailed at previous
meetings, and by the Anti-Slavery speakers in the House of Com- mons; all tending to prove, that almost every species of oppression
and barbarity was commonly practised by the Guiana Planters towards their slaves. Mr. O'Connell spoke more vehemently than on any former occasion against the conduct of the planters and the continuance of the apprenticeship-
" The Gladstone, have got 127,000/. of our money. I will not call it blood- money, because the flesh, and the honor, and the sinews were to be thrown in— but we have got none of them—the Gladstone% have them all, and the money to boot.The people of Englatill cannot, ought not, shall I sat, s.Tod/ hot sub- mit to this. But we are to have another act of Parliament, forsooth. What will the planters do with another act of Parliament ? One would have ex- peered, after the Marquis of Sligo had written his manic in the pages of huma- nity—one would think, when that example came from the biglieq places of society, that the Planters, who are all aristocrats themselves, would be enticed to follow that example. 13ut when that example did not entice them, would a vulgar act of Pat liatnent soften their hard hearts, or draw the blood-money out of their pockets? TI ei had a great:merting yesterday : I was amused with reading it to.day. They did not call in the public, though. At the meetings to which we conic, we call in the press-gang,—for wl I have the highest respect, and without whom eloquence would be vain to those who possess it. But although the press and the imblie were not at their meeting yesterday, there was a little bird there, and he just whispeted into my ear what took place; and 1 will tell you. It is a secret though ; but if there are not enough here to help me to keep a :secret, where will you find enough? There aver,: some people there who proposed that they should imitate the example of Coo :Marquis of Sligo. It was strongly urged On them to Ito so. They were told tl.at the eyes of the People of England were open—that the People of England saw the cot.- dition of the Negroes in Jamaica—that it was unwise of the Planters nut to make concessions—that they would manage the thing better if they did con- cede—that they would only rouse the People of England to pat an cud to sla- very in every shape after IdlO by holding out. Such were the suggestions of those who knew the Planters, and who told them that they would gain more by putting on the semblance of humanity ; but my friend, who made the propo- sition, told me that I might as well have been there myself as he, and that I would have got as good a reception as he met with. ( Groat lanyhtur.) My friend said, ' Well, if I am not fit for the sick-honse after making such a pro- posal, there would be no use in good hatred at all.' Well, that proposal was rejected, and then they catne to their own measures; and one was a reeolutioa to print I don't know how many thousand copies of Mr. Gladstone's admirable oration ; and by way of amendment, if I am not very inaccurately informed, it was proposed also to print the speech of Sir George Grey ! When this was proposed, somebody got up and said, What, Sir George Grey ! Why, to be sure, he is for continuing our right over these fellows; but, hang him, he made some awkward adtnissioas, and has bill coutains them.' And I am mistaken if the majority was not overwhelming to print Mr. Gladstoue's speech. This denoted a foregone conclusion. What, therefore, have we to expect, I ask, from the Planters? Nothing—nothing."
Resolutions were passed, pledging the meeting to persevering exer- tions in behalf of the Negro. Thanks were voted to Sir George Strickland, Mr. Pease, the Marquis of Sligo, and Lord Brougham. The resolution of thanks to Lord Brougham was in the following terms- . " That this Meeting cannot but recognize, intim introduction by the Right Honour- able Lor.I Brougham imo the l'pper House of Parliameut ot a bill for the extinction of the Apprenticeship system on or before the 1st of August nest, conduct which der- naii ode fronn this meeting an expression of tlwir warmest acknowledgments; and that they respectfully and earnestly appeal to the members of that august assembly for their support of Lord Brougham's .A date, and written at Calais on his route to Paris, was read to the meet- ing....letter received on Tuesday from Lord Brougham, of Monday's
" Gentlemen-Since I addressed the Delegates on Satunlay. I have received the lids of the division ; and I find much reason to be satisfied, and to look for better things in future stages of this most important question.
" Bet I already perceive attempts making by the emissaries of the Goverumeut and the Planters to sow dissensions among us ; and I aura you to be on your guard. The cause is safe in your hands, unless you listen to the open enemy, or to the enemy in disguise. I know these men by experience. The last time I welt :abroad, run sooner was my back bowel than all their virulence, constantly suppressed in my presentee, was let loose against me; and their houses is London and its neighbourhood became the receptacles of slanderers, who found it now easy and even safe to carry on their traffic aguiust those who were not preseut to defend themselves. The last papers that I saw before leaving Dover yesterday, show that the same despicable game is to lie played now ; and if you suffer yourselves. or if the meeting on Wednesday shall suffer Been', to be the dupe of such arts, the enemy believes that there will ale longer exist that firm alliance between no which, being grounded on no sordid interest, but proceeding Irons principle alone, he cannot ever believe possible. " Against these vile artifices I again put you on your guard ; mod I expect that while I sun fur a few weeks away from you, my c.onduct tied character w il be Sat, ut your hands, and that the actions of six-awl-thirty years in the same cause all be accounted of more weight than Rey professions or recent convert', " I have the honour to be, your faithful servant, RROUO5■1111:.
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