1824 should the scheme be still regarded as not impracticable, and one to be entertained, I can have no objection to its undergoing the examination of any of the leading West Indians, to whom you may think proper to show it. At the same time, I cannot help fearing-and I hope you will not think me uncandid in entertaining that apprehension—that the scheme would be much more obnoxious to the West Indians if it was made known to them that it came from me, than if it appeared to come before them as a suggestion from any other quarter. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient and very humble servant, ZACHARY MACAULAY. MR. CANNING TO MR. ZACHARY MACAULAY. Foreign Office: October 5, 1824. you Sir, I am very glad that have submitted your plan to the consideration of Lord Bathurst. I did not feel at liberty, under the circumstances of its communication to me, to extend that communication farther without your special permission-which I should have asked if you had not anticipated the object of my application. I am, &c. GEORGE CANNING. [Notifies to Mr. Canning that a scheme relative to the improvement of the condition of female slaves in the West Indies, previously submitted to Canning, had now been communicated to Earl Bathurst, at the Colonial Office. Canning, in reply, only says that he had not felt at liberty to divulge the scheme in question to anyone else, and he was very glad that it had now come before Lord Bathurst. The substance of the scheme is not indicated. During this year the Home Government were endeavouring to persuade the islands in the West Indies, having separate legislatures, to adopt a series of regulations recommended by Order in Council for ameliorating the condition of slaves, particularly of female slaves, especially forbidding them to be flogged; but these recommendations had been ill-received by the European population. The planters behaved badly, and Canning from his place in Parliament had found it to be his duty to rebuke them for their conduct.] MR. R. T. BLEWITT. [8 Lincoln's Inn, December 6, 1824. Sir,-A friend of mine, who is a subject of Great Britain, but at present residing at Brussels, has requested me to obtain an answer to the following queries, on behalf of a French gentleman who has been persecuted by the present Government of France, and who wishes to obtain an asylum in Great Britain. The queries are as follow, viz. : 1. In 1793 did there exist in Great Britain an act of legislation, or a decision of Cabinet Council, which interdicted the members of the National Convention of France, judges of King Louis XVI., from entering the dominions of his Britannic Majesty? 2. In 1816 was there any act existing for that purpose against the members of the National Convention, who were banished from France by the law of January 1816? 3. If an act of the above nature existed at either of the periods, viz. 1793 or 1816, whether the English Government would now be disposed to maintain its execution, or consider it as fallen into disuse? 4. If such an interdiction never existed, or having existed is now fallen into disuse, would a banished Conventionalist of France taking refuge in Great Britain be received like the proscribed of other nations, and, like them, subject only to the Alien Bill, as all foreigners are; or would he have to fear that the Government would compel him to quit the kingdom, simply on account of his being a Conventionalist? As I am unable to answer the above questions myself, I have taken the liberty of addressing you on the subject. I apprehend that all my friend wishes to be informed of is, definitely to know whether banished Conventionalists can take refuge in the British Dominions, and whether the actual feelings of his Majesty's Ministers are such that, considering the rank of life of the Conventionalist in question, he would be allowed to find an asylum in Great Britain, such as every other foreigner, under certain proper restrictions, has met with.-I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, N. I. BLEWITT. P.S.-Altho' you may possibly be offended that I should 1824 1824 have added to the multiplicity of your engagements by troubling you with this letter, yet I think that feeling will be lessened by the reflection, that I may thus possibly have saved you the pain and uneasiness of being a party to the forcible exclusion of an unfortunate stranger from that asylum, which he might reasonably have expected to find in a country so generally celebrated for its free and enlightened principles. [Begs to be informed whether there is any rule of administration, statutory or otherwise, in Great Britain, which would operate to the exclusion from the country of any member of the regicide court which tried King Louis XVI., or of any member of the Revolutionary Convention in France. Canning's answer simply refers the inquirer to a lawyer for advice as to the statutes applicable to alien visitors to this country.] 1825. MR. CANNING TO VISCOUNT GRANVILLE. Bath: January 10, 1825. My dear Granville,-I received your despatches of Thursday here this morning, and I hasten to reply to them by a despatch which I intend to soothe M. de Villèle's testiness. But, having done that, I have no time for more, the same messenger who brought in your despatches having brought also a voluminous mass from Sir H. Wellesley and my cousin, which I have been obliged to read, study, and return in order that they may be sent with a letter from me to the Duke of Wellington. Upon the Greek question he and I agree; and I am glad, therefore, of an opportunity of communication and consultation. Metternich is very angry, and threatens Russian hostilities against Turkey-threatens us, that is, but is much more alive to the danger for himself. To be sure, Sir T. M.'s proclamation was a piece of supererogatory jurisprudence that might as well have been spared. It has done infinite mischief. I think the defence of it which I improvised, for want of better knowledge, the only one of which it is susceptible; but since that is not satisfactory to my own judgment, I can hardly expect it to be so to Prince Metternich's. Stratford's reports of his conferences with Metternich, and of his audience with the Emperor, are very inter 1825 1825 esting. The Emperor would have no objection to help us in Ireland, so general and purely philanthropic are his principles of occasional intervention with unruly subjects, whether of his friends or neighbours. I have no time for more, so adieu! Ever affectionately yours, G. C. [Canning having filled his mind with the contents of despatches from his cousin Stratford Canning, who had just been transferred from Constantinople to Petersburg, and also with the contents of despatches from Sir Henry Wellesley at Vienna, now passes them on to the Duke of Wellington with comments, and at the same time indites a note to his friend at Paris on the difficulties of the situation. A proclamation of Sir T. M.' in connection with the Greek insurrection is described as indefensible, and sufficient to justify the wrath of Metternich. 'T. M.' are the initials of Sir Thomas Maitland, who was High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands before Sir F. Adams, and it is surmised that 'T. M.' must be a hasty error for 'Sir F. Adam,' who as High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands put forth a strong proclamation menacing reprisals if the Greeks acted on their frantic manifesto of hostility to all neutral ships carrying munitions of war. See also Mr. Hyde Villiers's letter at page 222. Mr. Stratford Canning had, it appears, passed through Vienna, where he had 'interviewed' Metternich, and on his arrival at his destination at Petersburg had been received by the Emperor of Russia with ironical offers to the British Government to assist them in suppressing rebellious manifestations in Ireland.] MR. CANNING TO VISCOUNT GRANVILLE. FO.: January 14, 1825. My dear Lord,-In the conversation with M. de Villèle reported in your Excellency's despatch No. 7, that Minister appears to have declared to your Excellency that the Emperor of Russia had determined to send troops, ships, and money to the assistance of Spain, but had been dissuaded from that intention by the representations of the Allies. The whole of this intelligence is new to me. I find no trace in the corre |