had declared that labour would cease when slavery was abolished, had
failed. Twice as much sugar was made under the new system; and one
planter had said, that with twenty free labourers he could do the
work of a hundred slaves. His lordship next proceeded to show that
the slave-holders had not kept faith with this country, and that the
condition of the negroes, instead of being made better, was in many
respects worse than before. They were, he said, the victims of partial
tribunals, and of excessive and illegal punishments; and he related the
case of eleven females having perished from the punishments inflicted
upon them, but whose deaths were, nevertheless, ascribed by a coroner's
jury to "the visitation of God." At the conclusion of his speech his
lordship, after moving that an address be presented to her majesty,
beseeching her to take steps for the suppression of the slave-trade,
laid these resolutions on the table:--"That the practice of paying
head-money to British cruisers should be discontinued. That letters of
marque should be issued to private individuals, empowering them to fit
out vessels for the capture of slavers. That it was expedient that the
period of praedial apprenticeship should cease on the 1st of August,
1838." The resolutions also further indicated certain regulations
for the protection of apprentices in the meantime. Lord Glenelg, in a
powerful speech, objected to Lord Brougham's propositions of issuing
letters of marque to privateers, and the discontinuance of head-money.
With respect to the condition of the apprentices in the West India
colonies, he contended that the change had been more advantageous
than Lord Brougham had supposed, although he allowed that abuses and
difficulties of a serious nature did exist. Still he did not think that
sudden emancipation would be for the advantage of the negroes; and he
must, therefore, oppose Lord Brougham's resolutions. Lord Brougham
took the sense of the house on the resolution which regarded immediate
emancipation; and on a division it was lost by a majority of thirty-one
against seven.

Soon after this the vigilance of Lord Brougham brought to light what
appeared to be a new method of establishing a slave-trade. In the
colony of British Guiana there had been an old law, which permitted the
importation of labourers without restriction. In 1836 a law was passed
by the governor and council of policy of the colony, with a view to
regulate the relations b