rated under the mask of justice,
and the law of evidence which permitted them, required the abolition of
the system which placed a negro for trial before interested masters for
his judges and jury; and in giving him an appeal to the council, merely
gave him an appeal to another body of masters equally prejudiced. Having
detailed the trials at length, Mr. Denman said he proposed the above
resolutions, that the commons of England might have an opportunity of
raising their voice against such acts of crying injustice and barbarity.
He was ably seconded by Mr. Brougham, who, in the course of his
speech, declared that if the circumstances of undefended justice passed
unreproved, it would go out to the West Indies that the same error,
injustice, or cruelty might be committed again and again with impunity,
so long as the present system continued; and if the house negatived
the motion, it would set the seal of its sanction on a great and crying
injustice, and do more than it would be able speedily to undo towards
perpetuating the existing system in our colonies. On the other hand, it
was maintained by Mr. Wilmot Horton that the courts had only applied
the law which they were bound to apply; and that they had applied it
according to the forms required by that law, and in circumstances which
fairly called for the interference of the legal authorities. He moved
an amendment, that the house sees in the proceedings brought under their
consideration a further proof of the evils attendant upon slavery, and
derives from them an increased conviction of the propriety of resorting
to the measures recommended by government in the order of council; but
does not deem it necessary, however desirable a change of the law may
be, to impeach the sentences passed according to law by a competent
trial, and convicted by a jury sworn to give a verdict according to
the evidence. This amendment was supported by the attorney-general and
solicitor-general, both of whom, however, frankly admitted the vices
of the system of law under which the proceedings in question had taken
place. It was impossible, said the attorney-general, to look at the
case, arising as it did out of the vice of the system, without wishing
for a change. If the white man upon his trial had an opportunity
afforded him of knowing the charge, and thereby preparing his defence,
why should not the black slave have the same advantage? An act of the
legislature had lately passed to compel the