He next adverted to the evidence that had been given in favours of the continuation of the slave trade, and showéd that many of the witneffes had given unqualified general affertions, that were contradicted by facts they fhould have known, but clearly overlooked. A governor of one of the West India islands had been asked, if a white man was liable to fuffer death if he killed a negro flave? which he, without hefitation, anfwered, with certainly; YES: yet it was certain, that at the time he was governor, the only punithment was a fine of L. 150 currency, for that crime; and in fome of the other iflands, only one tenth of that fum was exacted. Other of the witneffes, whofe evidence took in a fpace of thirty or forty years, had afferted, that the fitvation of the negroes, had always been as good as it possibly could be; yet they had, on other occalions, owned, that their fituation had been greatly meliorated of late. Others contended that the fituation of negroes in the iflands was fe favourable, that they did not fo much as deûre to have freedom; that they could enjoy a peculium of their own, and might, if they pleased, provide for old age. Yet it was univerfally allowed, that whenever a negro could acquire any money, he loft fight of every other object, but that of procuring his own freedom, or that of fome other perfon whom he more valued. The old and infirm thus laid out their laft fhilling to procure a freedom, of which their infirmities prevented them from being able to avail themselves, and by this means they were reduced to want. A father fometimes gave his all to purchase the freedom of his fon, thus voluntarily refigning all profpect of enjoyment, for his few remaining days, that his defcendant might have a more lafting tenure of the bleflings of liberty. Were thefe proofs of their being contented with their lot?

He next took notice of the general decrease in the proportional importation of flaves, that had taken place as their fituation had been meliorated in the Weft Indies. All parties agreed, that they had been more mildly treated of late years, than at former periods; and that this change had gradually taken place, and the proportional importation had decreafed accordingly. In Jamaica, from tae year 1698 to 1730, the general decreafe was rítimated,

from the number imported, to have been, during that period, at the rate 3 per cent. From 1730 to 1755 the decrease was leffened to 24 per cent. From 1755 to 1768 it had been reduced to 14 per cent. And during the lait twenty years, it has not exceeded one per cent. Mr Wilberforce went farther, and faid, that fince 1781 or 1782, the negroes in Jamaica were actually on the increase; and that the decreafe only took place among those who were newly imported.

He next mentioned particular inftances of a rapid increafe. One gentleman who began with 200 flaves, found them, without any fresh purchases, at the end of thirty years, to be 500. A negro fhip was stranded at St Vin cents; and though they had to keep up a continual war with the natives, thefe were found, in a few years, to amount to 3000. He denied that even the maroons in Jamaica were decreafing. In 1749 they were numbered, and found to contain 150 men able to bear arms. They have now,300 men actually in arms.

He next showed, from a variety facts, that this trade was higly prejudicial to the British navy. Out of 12,000 ftamen employed in this trade, 2000 die annually: Whereas, in the West India trade, and in the fleet in the West Indies; confifting of 7000 men, not above 118 annually die.

After many other obfervations, tending to show that the general trade of the nation would be benefited instead of bing hurt; and that the individuals who are at prefent engaged in it, could eafily find other branches of trade, in which they could engage with a greater certainty of profit; he of course inferred that it was for the interest of all parties concerned, that this trade fhould be annihilated. He concluded this long and animated fpeech with moving, "That the chairman be directed to move for leave to bring in a bill, to prevent the farther importation of African negroes into the British colonies and plantations.'

[The remainder of this debate in a future number.]

THE BEE,

OR

LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER,

FOR

WEDNESDAY, December 7, 1791.

Hiftorical Difquifitions on the British Conftitution.

[Continued from page 72.]

I Now proceed to take notice of some other obvious

defects in our constitution that were difcovered and corrected fince the records of parliament have been so kept as to preserve some memorials of them.

Knights of Shires and Burgefjes.

The general fummons for all the tenants in chief to attend parliament, as mentioned in the Magna Charta of King John, not being enforced by any penalty, had, in all probability, been difregarded before the days of Henry III. fo that the whole power of parliament would centre in the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls,

greater barons. From this confideration, Simon de Montfort, who had become very obnoxious to these great feudatories, and dreading their power, with a view to counterbalance that, did, in the year 1264 VOL. VI.

+

X

order the fheriffs to caufe two knights to be chofen from each fhire, and two burgeffes from each borough, to be returned to parliament.

This practice, like many others that have fince prevailed, seems not to have been received as a popular measure, nor the distant confequences of it to have been then forfeen; for it was difcontinued for twenty-fix years, and when Edward the first did, afterwards, adopt the fame measure, probably from views fimilar in kind to thofe of Montfort, fo backward were the deputies in their attendance, that it was found neceffary not only to order the conftituents to pay their expences while attending parliament, but even alfo to require each deputy to enter into a recognizance with two fureties, under a penalty, that they would attend when fo fummoned. Anno 1290, Edward the first ordered, for the first time, two knights to be fent from each county(a). "The fame order is repeated, anno 1694 (b); but it was not till the year 1295, that burgeles were ordered, by him, to be fent from the cities (c).

Origin of the House of Commons.

From this time, for about forty years, this mixed body, confifting of the dignified and inferior clergy, the nobles, and the reprefentatives of counties and of cities, fat as one body. But, in the year 1332, the bishops, with the proctors of the clergy, probably from the contempt they entertained for the knights and burgeffes, withdrew by themselves, the nobles by themselves, and the representatives of the commons by themselves (d). Here then is the firft embrio of the house of commons; but how much unlike to the refpectable affembly which now bears that name! Instead of claiming a right to judge of every particular refpecting government, they, for many years, declined to

(a) Brady Bur. p. 26. (b) ib. p. 29. (c) ib. p. 35. (d) Parl. Hift. vol. ift. p. 214.

give any opinion on this fubject, as too high for them to know;" and when preffed to give their opinion as to the propriety of a war in the year 1348, they fay "they are not able to advise any thing concerning the war, and defire that the king will be advifed by his nobles and council, and what should be determined by them, they would confent to and confirm (e).”

Again, in the year 1373, a committee of the commons was fent, in the name of the reft, requefting, "that they might have fome bishops, earls, and barons to affift them in their deliberations (f)," which was granted. Anno 1377, they again pray the king, that, "from the weakness of their abilities, to advise the best, he would be pleased to let certain prelates and lords be joined with them on fuch weighty affairs(g)", which was alfo granted. The commons renewed the fame petition next year, but the Lords would not affent to it (b). The commons, however, ftill diffident of their own abilities, renewed their petition again in the year 1383(1), which was once more granted to them. Even as far down as the year 1394, the king having charged the commons to give their advice as to the war, the commons declared "that they confidered thefe points were too high for them to meddle with, and therefore they durft not treat of them, nor give any advice ()". Such was the house of commons at its origin, and fuch, it may be expected, will every affembly, of the fame fort be, at its origin. Men do not, for ordinary, pafs at once from ideas of fervility to thofe of a well-regulated freedom. It is but by degrees that changes on the state of the human mind are ufually effected.

Privileges of the Commons.

The commons being now obliged to affemble by themfelves, began, by very flow degrees, to model their

(e) Parl. Hift. vol. 1ft p. 268. P. 353. (i) ib. p. 373.

(ƒ) ib. p. 318. (g) ib. p. 338. (h) ib. (j) ib. p. 453.